2008 2.5i Ltd or GT

Ok, so we have started thinking about what to get my wife to replace her 2004 Hyundai Accent. After seeing the thread a bit ago with everyone showing off theirs and their significant others legacy, I thought it wouldn't be so bad to get another one which I was previously avoiding. We saw my salesperson at Starbucks today after just talking about it between ourselves over lunch, he told me he would get me VIP pricing (no clubs to join with 6 months wait time).

 

We want something with auto, heated leather seats, 6-disc with mp3, navigation and decent gas mileage (We have been using my spec.b as our dd and really starting to rack up the miles). Looking at the Legacy options there is nothing that fits perfectly, 2.5i has no navi option and 2.5gt ltd w/ navi, vdc costs much more with more power than I want to give her and the same gas mileage as my spec.b. I could always get a aftermarket nav.

 

What other differences are there between a 2.5i Ltd VDC and a 2.5GT Ltd VDC besides the engine, transmission and navi option? I think I will have her go test drive one when I take mine in for the stutter.

Go for the LGT. How about a wagon?

We just ordered a 2008 LGT for my wife's daily driver. When all is said and done with all the options you want you might as well bone up the couple of extra bucks for the power!

My wife got a 2.5i SE Legacy. She's not much of a speed freak, doesn't care much for navi, and just wanted something to replace her galant...which was on the fritz. She didn't want leather, or a manual, so, the next best thing to a GT was the one that she got...and for myself, I went with the LGT.

 

Here's the thread... number one and number two.

 

Good luck with the decision.

We don't really have a need for two cars, hers just sits and gets driven maybe twice a month. We always carpool, so that is helping save on the gas bill a bit, but I am putting too many miles on mine and would like the better fuel economy, lower octane and conventional oil. She's never driven a nice and/or quick car, so the 250hp turbo might be a bit much for her. She's never had leather, heated seats, or nav but she always gets lost and doesn't like to go anywhere in her car because it doesn't have heated seats (yes, even in the summer), so even the 2.5i Ltd is still a nice upgrade for her. We can use it for our DD, save a bit on gas, and keep the miles off of mine. All of this weights strongly on the 2.5i even though I think even the spec.b is slow and I will still be the primary driver of whatever we get her.

 

Probably going to go look on Thursday, but was just wondering if there are any differences in the standard features of a 2.5i ltd and a 2.5gt ltd. Doing a comparison on subaru.com doesn't reveal anything I would be missing.

 

inthedeck, your 'his and hers' thread is the one I was referring to above . Since you have both a 2008 2.5i and 2.5gt maybe you can give me a quick run down? I know you've only had your car a short time and the wifes not much longer. There is no hood scoop, mirror turn signals, and a small exhaust. No Si-drive. Is the stereo different? Steering wheel? Auto-climate?

Post #26 in thread one...lists those differences, but, here's the same post...

 

Differences inside:

Leather seats (can be had on a limited 2.5i)

Auto Climate control on the LGT vesus hers, which is manual (which I like better).

Hers is cloth, mine is leather (I like the cloth better, esp. here in Florida).

Hers has power drivers seat only, LGT has power driver (8 way) and passenger (4 way)

Hers has diff. gauges, and no Si Drive.

Both have 60/40 split folding seats with pass through (YAY!)

Her tires are different (Advans, in a different size...205/50/17 V-rated vs 215/45/17 W rated) and rims are different, although 17's.

Hers only has cruise control on steering wheel, LGT has audio, cruise, and Si Drive

Both have aux. jacks, and 12v inside cubby...and hers has armrest extension.

She has sportshift, and I have manual...

Both have TPMS & Sunroof

Stereo is different, hers does not have SRS Wow...or 6 disc.

 

That's all I can think of, right now....though, I don't think there's much else on the inside that's different. Lighting is the same...cubby is there...glove box is the same...belts are the same...mats are the same...etc.etc.

 

As for the neighbors, I don't think they have been outside enough, to see both cars. My one neighbor did comment though, that he thought it was a new BMW (when my wife brought her car home, for the first time (a week before I brought mine home)). He was surprised when I told him it was a Subaru. Not many that I have seen around here, as far as Legacies go...and definately haven't seen another '08 around the area.

Get her a 2.5i limited and a portable nav unit.

 

Or get a lease on a Tribeca with nav. It is a nice vehicle, and the 08's are even better! The engine in the tribeca is way smoother than the 2.5i four banger, and you can now use regular fuel.

 

X

^^ agreed. Why waste 2K on the factory nav...and have to pay for updated discs? Just get a Garmin, or TomTom, etc.

 

Or, the Tribeca...why not.

the 2.5i se (what you got) and 2.5i ltd might have differences themselves it looks like. I guess the only way to tell is to go look at them and bring a camera with me.

i tried to get her in a wrx hatch, but she wont have any of that. a outback, forester or b9 are definitely out as well. she really wants a mini and we wanted to buy her moms, but she didn't think we were serious and sold it back to the dealer for what she owed, it was a fully loaded 06 cooper s. I wouldn't like driving it myself but atleast she would have the car she wanted. other option is for me to get an evo and let her keep the accent

 

i priced out a new mini with all the options she wants and it was like $36k, but those things are in the shop a lot and have very high maintenance costs.

 

i made the aftermarket nav argument already, she likes the factory look but was willing to cope.

Best way I could tell was to pick up a brochure, from the dealer. This has the back cover, with every possible combination of car...and what is offered with each. It helped make the decision that much easier. She loves her car...and that to me is more important than all the crap she didn't want to deal with anymore.

 

We're both happy!

A 3.0R comes prices out cheaper than a Legacy GT with nav.

My wife loves the 3.0R we just got.

Just for your information, if driven conservatively, the 2.5i and GT fuel consumption difference is negligible. (5mpg difference x 10,000 miles per year = $25 per month extra)

Why even bother with a GT if you are going to be driving it conservatively??

 

I drive my 2.5i like I rent it, oh wait I do!

 

X

I bought a 2007 Legacy GT sedan last fall and there are some other differences that pushed me toward the GT over the 2.5i Limited and it had very little to do with the power.

 

The seats in the GT are very different than in the 2.5i Limited and I like them more...don't put pressure on my sciatic nerve. The GT also comes with a better stereo with WOW surround system that made a HUGE difference over the Limited. Also the ESC (electronic stability control) was only available on 2007 GT...might have changed for 2008.

 

Here's a great website showing comparisons: http://www.cars101.com/

 

I hope this helps in your purchase...you will spend more on premium gas and less gas mileage, but I decided that was a cheaper route than buying some equivilent in European cars.

The savings at the pump are not only from the extra mpg's but also factored by octane. With 20 cents cheaper per gallon and 5 extra miles per gallon at 10,000 miles per year. That is a savings of $114/mo at the pump.

 

Really it's more about having a decent car for a daily driver that the wife can also drive on occasion. I wouldn't mind a GT 5EAT and a spec.B 6MT, but then that makes me think what is the point of having a spec.b? Should trade in both cars for a STI and a GT or 2.5i at that point. The GT is a fun car for me, but maybe a little too much power for her. The 2.5i ltd does have 6disc mp3/wma with wow (http://www.subaru.com/shop/overview.jsp?model=LEGACY&trim=25ILIMITED).

 

I'm going in next week to test drive both a 2.5i ltd and a 2.5gt ltd, I will let her decide since i'm really ok with both. 3.0R is nice but its a $7500 difference with the same mileage as my car.

 

The GT comes with 250hp turbo 4cyl, 5EAT, SI-Drive, a limited-slip rear differential, larger brakes, quicker steering, bolstered sport seats, a three-spoke Momo steering wheel, electroluminescent gauges, steering wheel audio controls, side mirrors with turn signals, 4-way power passenger seat.

 

The 3.0R adds upgraded Torsen limited-slip differential, stability control, a sport suspension with Bilstein dampers, 18-inch alloys with performance tires, a navigation system, ground effects and alloy pedal covers, VTD.

 

That is a lot of stuff for $6300 and is a great buy for only $1360 more than the GT (if you don't want the turbo). You are right a 3.0R is $360 less than a GT Ltd w/ VDC, Navi. So I guess really the option here is a 2.5i Ltd or a 3.0R. Already having the spec.b I don't know that the $6300 more (which comes out to $250/mo more after factoring in financing and fuel) is worth it.

Congrats on your 3.0R purchase, the 3.0R and spec.B are both very nice cars, it just comes down to turbo or no turbo. I deliberately didn't buy my car until the 08 specs were released, only thing that would have made me get an 08 over a 07 is if it came with HID or a BBK.

Congrats on your 3.0R purchase, the 3.0R and spec.B are both very nice cars, it just comes down to turbo or no turbo. I deliberately didn't buy my car until the 08 specs were released, only thing that would have made me get an 08 over a 07 is if it came with HID or a BBK.

 

 

Thanks.

Keep in mind you can run regular unleaded in the 3.0. Premium is recommended, but not required.