Selling G35 for '13,'14 Legacy?, some questions

I'm a first time and absolutely proud new father of a baby boy! However, with a new baby, I now have to sell my other much loved baby of the past 6 years, '05 Infiniti G35 6mt coupe. Time for a new family friendly sedan, but I refuse to buy a dime a dozen, boring rental car styled sedan; ie Camry, Impala, Altima, etc. I need something affordable, but sporty and some performance when I'm feeling frisky on an on-ramp. Here's why I think I'm sold on the '13, '14 Subaru Legacy:

 

I'm a sucker for an aggressive/muscular wheel flare and the Legacy looks sharp, nice sporty lines and style with the low side skirts as well. Reminds me of the Pontiac G8, but GM only sold around 35,000 and I'm not going to buy a GM product.

 

All wheel drive is a must in MI and it has great safety ratings for the little guy.

 

There's not that many 5th gen Legacy's on the road here in MI, I've always liked owning a car that not many people drive. I like the style of the Fusion, but it's too popular, I see a half dozen on the highway everyday.

 

So some questions:

 

Some reviewers say the 2.5 engine is lacking in power and leaves much to be desired. What does everybody think? Is it worth it to pay a little more and sacrifice about 6 mpg highway for the 3.6 v6? I find the 3.6 is a lot harder to find as well. The most popular model on used dealer lots are the 2.5 Premium.

 

Other reviewers say the base 4 speaker stereo is pretty crappy. Are the "Limited" models all upgraded to the Harmon Karmon package?

 

I haven't come across any common reliability issues with the '13 and '14 model years. Anything to look out for?

 

Appreciate any feedback and comments from the owners out there,

There are a couple issues that might affect the '13, one with the CVT and one with excessive oil consumption. I own a '13 with just over 24k and have not had a problem with either yet. I also don't have a problem with the power of the 2.5i but I came from an '03 Outback Sport. It would be a step down in power from your G35 for sure. You could go '12 LGT, or get an H6. The 6 still wouldn't hang with your G35 6mt.

If you do get a 2.5i start looking for a 2012 LGT rear sway bar immediately.

Have you thought about a '12 2.5GT?

The limiteds all have the Harmon Kardon radio. The premium did also have the HK option. If you goto http://www.cars101.com it is a very good resource for the different options and configurations legacy were available with. My previous car was an older Infiniti with the Bose radio and my Legacy premium 6 speaker (non HK) was a down grade. Initially it bothered me but I have gotten used it. My wife bought a new '14 VW and my Legacy radio sounds better than that.

Go get an LGT. With what you drove/drive still, I'm taking it that you love to be in the car with a bit of balls. You don't even need to touch anything mod-wise outside a simple pro tune and you'll be kicking yourself that you didn't know about these unicorns earlier.

 

The H6 is a great engine - I would vote for that over the 2.5 - because of who I'm guessing you are. Interior wise its bigger inside than the Altima's which is great for family life. (to give you some sort of a reference) I came from a '05 Altima SER which I loved but felt that the Altima went to vanilla on me....plus AWD with a turbo...in a family car?!?!?! I signed up! The trunk space is sacrificed a bit for it though... The Legacy is built as a low frills, smart set up ride....my dealer put it like "engineered by engineers for engineers". There's a reason their numbers are going through the roof lately.

 

I'd think not to put too much into the stereo... thats easily replaced if not up to your snuff, the thrill of the ride though, cant be. Now, there is not a whole lot of "aftermarket" help with our car in any trim vs. your G., but there is enough to cover the bases.

 

Hopefully someone on this forum might live close to you and be able to meet up with you and take you for a spin. You are welcome to drive mine... just gotta make it to Houston. This is a good group of guys and gals on this site so ask away anything. Good Luck!!!! (go get a LGT!!!!) :lol:

Anything without a turbo is a snoozefest.

 

You can check this out for a lot of info on packages, offerings and what changed between years.

 

http://www.cars101.com/legacy.html

Fredrik should chime in too! Hopefully he sees this thread.

He went G35 (or G37?) to 2013 Legacy 3.6R.

Just beware of the mod bug..

Save your money for diapers and stuff -- isn't that the whole point of stepping down from your bachelor coupé? Buying a turbocar when you've got a new, expensive little person in your life is a pretty irresponsible choice, financially.

 

I don't think I have to explain to you that your G35 was expensive, and so will be the LGT of any vintage.

 

Make some sacrifices for your family (for now), which, at this point, perhaps calls for buying a non-sporty ride?

Meh, just because it's boosted doesn't mean it will be a huge money pit. You should definitely look into finding an LGT and go test drive a 3.6R. The HK stereo is actually pretty good, mine sounds great and I don't see myself upgrading or needing to change it.

^ Zzzz... 2 posts up my reply was too slow

 

Problem:

car + "expensive little person" > budget

 

Solution:

car + "expensive little person" = budget + 2nd (night) job You don't want to miss out on any time spent with your new child, and as an added bonus you can say things like "honey, I'm so tired from working 2 jobs all week can you go see why he/she is crying"

 

Besides even a stock LGT will be on par with your G35 and can fit the family. Just do yourself a favor and never log onto this site again so we can't enable you to modify it.

Save your money for diapers and stuff -- isn't that the whole point of stepping down from your bachelor coupé?

 

I thought the idea was more space but you raise a good point.

 

OP, are you looking to save $ or just for something with 4 doors that will fit a car seat?

Save your money for diapers and stuff -- isn't that the whole point of stepping down from your bachelor coupé? Buying a turbocar when you've got a new, expensive little person in your life is a pretty irresponsible choice, financially.

 

I don't think I have to explain to you that your G35 was expensive, and so will be the LGT of any vintage.

 

Make some sacrifices for your family (for now), which, at this point, perhaps calls for buying a non-sporty ride?

 

...I have three little people (6, 3, and 1) and I still have my LGT. It's a solid car for a family, it's fun for dad and has the space and safety you want to transport your family. My costs haven't been significantly higher than my last ride other than gas b/c the mileage isn't as good.

 

...the 3.6R isn't bad, but if you want the sort of performance you had w/your G35 the 2.5GT is hands down the way to go.

^You nailed it Syndicate! I couldn't agree more. I also have 3 kids (14,11,4) and a wife that I regularly cart around in absolute Subaru safety in my 2010 2.5GT! All while getting a solid 26-29 hwy mpg, depending on the tires installed at the time. And when she's not playing taxi, she's got just enough power and sportiness to keep a smile on my face. You can't go wrong with a LGT!

 

 

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There must be a Subaru dealer near by or I assume this would not be the direction you are looking......Go for a few test drives.... I have owned an LGT sedan, a 2.5i Limited (Wife's car now) and currently a 3.6R Limited and loved them all.......to be honest I like the 3.6R the best...excellent performance and does it on regular gas....The newest LGT you will find is going to be 3 years old...may not be a consideration for you, but it was for me.

i love my 3.6r but i will say that in hindsight i may of put a little more effort in finding a LGT when i was originally buying. with that bein said both the 3.6r and LGT are difficult to find in some places with the latter being exponentially more so.

 

You Definitely want the Harmon Kardon sound package. all in all you wont find a more well rounded vehicle for the money but they do have some issues here and there. some have excessive oil consumption, others have a little jiggle in the wheel at certain speeds (not a dangerous jiggle). but definitely test drive the **** out of whatever your thinking about buying.

First off, a sincere thanks for all the responses, everybody here would feel right at home in the G35driver forums as well. Just for shits and giggles here's an old pic of my G after I bought it in Nov 2008:

 

http://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/g35driver.com-vbulletin/220x165-1/80-picture_php_pictureid_9366_jpg_2a5fa77398e44aa2b2b7239071a5e3153fa9e994.gif

 

I didn't do any mods even though there's plenty of options out there to spend some coin. I just tinted the windows lightly with 35% on the sides and 20% rear window. I went with 35% on the sides due to MI laws for no tint on front windows, so far no tickets. I'm thinking about doing the same with the Legacy as well. I drop in Amsoil every 10,000 miles and just keep her clean. Oh and a drop in K&N filter if that counts as a mod. Honestly, I don't really rag on it at all, I learned early on that rear tires are expensive, no sense in being stupid and paying $450 every year for tires just to look like one of those guys at the stop light. I find taking a 25 mph on ramp at 50 mph and getting on it for merging is a lot more enjoyable and cheaper. Whoever gets the G will get a much loved car with lots of life left in her (88,000k).

 

So now I'm seriously considering a '14 3.6R in black. It appears that the rear spoiler (w/ 3rd brake light) is new for '14 and sets the car off nicely in the rear. The 2.5GT (indeed hard to find) isn't realistic for me at this point in my life. I'm hoping to get a clean 3.6R in the spring with around 20,000k, maybe somebody's lease trade-in. Plus, I think I can sell my G for a better price in the spring when it's nice out.

 

Bummer to hear about the possible oil consumption issues in the Legacy2.5, the '04 - '06 3.5 engine in the G has the same problem. I believe it's linked to leaky valve covers. I had a little oil on cylinder #6's coil pack when I replaced spark plugs this past summer. My car burns about 1 qt every 2-3 months. Not enough to get a replacement from Infiniti back in 2009 when they were replacing engines for people with engines burning 1 qt every week.

 

Does anybody actually use the manual shifting on the automatics? Seems like a wasteful upgrade on a car that nobody will ever use on their daily commute.

 

Any issues with the powered E-brake? Never used one before, just seems like anything new and electronic may have problems.

 

I've read bad reviews about CVT transmissions for various models over the years in MT and C&D. Not specifically for the Legacy, but some reviews say it seems like they can never find the right gear when you want it and they're awfully noisy. Any issues with Subaru's version of CVT? What to look out for during the test drive?

 

Thanks all,

 

- Brad

I thought the idea was more space but you raise a good point.

 

OP, are you looking to save $ or just for something with 4 doors that will fit a car seat?

 

Exactly, something with 4 doors for baby seat and road trips, has good looks, some performance, safety, and reliability. I plan on keeping the car for 6 plus years and racking it up to 150k plus.

 

I fell in love with the G35 coupe while reading MT back in '03 when it won COY. Now w/ the little guy, I considered buying a sedan G series, but the 4th and now electronic drive (no fun) 5th generation G's just lost their edge for style. Plus their prices increased to BMW levels as well. I find this 5th gen Legacy has great looks and features for a family friendly budget.

 

I also considered the Lexus IS series ('11 - '13), but their used car prices are still a little high for me. I feel like there's more value in the Legacy and it ticks off all the features I'm looking for and they just look damn sexy!

If you are looking at a 2014 3.6R it has a 5eat automatic ... CVT did not arrive in the 3.6R until 2015 model. We have a 2012 2.5i with CVT and a 2013 3.6R with 5eat...both have paddle shifters and they are very useful on slick roads and for holding speed on long downhills....use them all the time.

Neither car has many miles on it so no issues of any kind and don't expect any in the future. Seldom use the e-brake but it seems to work smoothly with no hang-ups.

If you are looking at a 2014 3.6R it has a 5eat automatic ... CVT did not arrive in the 3.6R until 2015 model. We have a 2012 2.5i with CVT and a 2013 3.6R with 5eat...both have paddle shifters and they are very useful on slick roads and for holding speed on long downhills....use them all the time.

Neither car has many miles on it so no issues of any kind and don't expect any in the future. Seldom use the e-brake but it seems to work smoothly with no hang-ups.

 

Not sure if I follow you on the long down hill comment, do you mean hold the car in 4th gear to maintain a reasonable descent speed without using the brakes?

 

Also, just curious, can you accelerate faster with the paddles? At what rpm does the 3.6 reach peak horsepower?

Yep, downshifting an AT for descents is what he meant, works great. I would stay away from the CVT if I were you, I've never cared for them as nothing feels linked to the car when the engine can just rev and the clutching does all the work. It just sounds odd to me and I never enjoy driving them.

Actually the CVT works better on the paddles than the 5eat...more direct and quicker shifting.....If I had a choice I would have the CVT in both cars....it does take a little bit to get used to the CVT but I find it a better feel than the 5eat........Now if they made the 3.6R with a 6 MT

I don't hammer either car for acceleration...but...I understand that the best can be had by putting the auto in manual mode and let it shift itself at max RPM.......I have never thought of Legacys , in any form as dragsters.

I read the CVT doesn't exactly enhance the H6, it's slower than the 5eat version.

The 3.6 is a pretty nice ride. I have 2 kids and a dog and we have plenty of room so far. The ride is smooth and it feels pretty solid and planted, especially with a cheap RSB upgrade. You aren't going to out run a lot of other cars in it's class, but it seems to keep up with everything. One question though, have you considered a 12-13' G37x sedan? Just wondering since you are coming from a G35. I'm seeing a lot of used G37s in the mid 25K range with less than 30K miles in my area. I like my 3.6, but it's hard not to want the almost 40 extra hp and the luxury features.

I read the CVT doesn't exactly enhance the H6, it's slower than the 5eat version.

How could you ever evaluate that statement? The 2 transmissions were never available in the same car!!

Someone is trying to compare a 5th gen with 5eat to a 6th gen with CVT??

 

Apples and oranges