To buy or not to buy..

Hi guys/gals,

 

I currently drive a naturally aspirated '01 VW Jetta, and I am ready for something better, AWD, and turbo.. The 2005-2009 Subaru Legacy GT.

 

I recently began my car search and no matter how many vehicles I've looked at, I just love the way the Legacy looks, feels, and drives. I was originally checking out the Legacy 2.5i but wanted more out of the engine. That's what got me hooked on the GT.

 

My dilemma: I can only spend around 13,500 maximum, and I am trying to keep mileage under 90k. I was browsing a local Subaru dealer's lot and spotted a 2006 black GT sitting out back. When I inquired on it, they said they picked it up at auction with a blown motor, but already have an 80k donor motor and new turbo to put in it (the body has 120k). If I test drive it and all seems normal, is this something I should consider or stay clear of?

 

I imagine I could get a pretty decent price on it, but they are only offering a 90-day warranty on the engine and turbo, which freaks me out a little bit.

 

Since you guys are the awesome Subaru gurus, I thought I'd bounce the scenario off some of you. The dealership is reputable as far as I've heard, but this situation is a bit different than a normal sale.

 

Thanks in advance everyone. I appreciate any help, and I hope to post more in the future as a Legacy owner. Maybe there's even some Minnesota/Midwest people on here, and we could plan a cruise or something this summer.

 

 

Cheers.

Honestly, you probably won't get more more in that situation as far as warranty goes from anywhere. Keep looking, there are a lot of Legacy GT's out there changing hands lately. Just be patient and be willing to travel some to get it. I've even seen 06 Spec B's in that mileage range fall into that price.

There is a problem with the GTs that Subaru seems to want to keep a secret but it has killled a lot of turbos and engines. There is an oil filter in the oil feed line to the turbo. The filter needs to be removed because it gets clogged and starves the turbo of oil. Subaru issued a service/technical bulletin #02-106-08R that you can Google. It recommends replacing the filter but you don't need it so just take it out. The differentials also need to be serviced regularly so look for leaks and listen for whines coming from the trans or diffs. Dealers are in the business of making money so you have to be careful. If they let you, since this is a special situation, maybe you could take it to another shop that isn't a dealer have them do a vehicle inspection. The GT is a fun car. Good luck!

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fs-ak-modified-2006-legacy-gt-limited-grp-sedan-206183.html

 

Here's one for sale! I also still have a warranty with it.

Like stated above...if you don't know what you're looking at I would get an educated opinion or pass. There are definitely issues to watch for with these... The #4 piston tends to have issues including ringland failure so I would definitely recommend a compression test at minimal. Also, along with the diff a driveline whine could also be an indicator or a bad throw out bearing which would require the trans to be dropped in order to replace, ignoring this could cause you to damage the trans snout...many opt for a new trans if the snout is heavily damaged...most also do the clutch while its apart and/or upgrade to the TSK3 Kit (sleeve kit for snout and replacement TOB).

 

The price range you're looking you could easily get into a lower mile 05-06 or 06 SpecB. In fact I know there was an 07 SpecB in FL w/ 107k that looked like a steal not too long ago...

 

Another thing to consider is the 100K service approaching. Timing belt, kit and water pump will need replaced. This can be costly if its not something you plan to do yourself. I know it's 20K away but being new to these I felt you should be informed. Too, I second the removal of the filter in the oil feed line.

 

Hope this helps. GL w/ your search!

Here's a decent prospect.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fs-nwi-chicago-07-legacy-gt-limited-5mt-swp-205801.html?t=205801

 

More mikes than you were looking for but you may be able to get him to do the timing...just a though.

Here is another worth looking at:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/06-legacy-gt-modified-rebuilt-ca-206147.html

Thanks for all the advice guys! I ended up skipping it. Too many question marks to pull the trigger on it.

 

I did, however, find a '07 Legacy GT on craigslist in South Dakota and picked it up this past weekend. So far, so good. I think he's even a member on here somewhere. Once I get some things done on it, I'll have to post a new member thread.

 

Thanks for the help. I'm glad I waited. (unless this one blows up in a week)