PETER WALKER

Need some help and advice.
I`m looking to buy a Legacy estate GTB(older shape),I`ve got one in mind but it`s got 80000mls. High mileages don`t worry me as long as I know what`s been done to the car.I`ve heard some horror stories about spare part prices, are they true? I`m thinking about parts like brake discs,calipers,struts,exhausts etc. are Impreza parts compatible? even things like spark plugs and oil filters, are they the same as the other Legacies and are they readily available? Also I know the `B` in GTB stands for the Bilstein suspension, but are there any other differences between the GT and the GTB estates?
Any help would be great. thanks Pete.

clarence

The GT has 15" rims whereas the GT-B has 17" rims.
The GT-B has bigger brakes than the GT, it also has different interior trim.

AJbaseBloke

Front discs are available from many makers, and front WRX discs are actually the same (in fact you can bolt on the 4 pot calipers too - that's one of the most common mods over here). Rears on the BG and GCs are the same too I think (check the part no's, I am pretty sure they are the same).

Struts are unique to the model, but many aftermarket kits are available (and the similarities mean that "some" Impreza stuff bolts straight up - whether it works on the heavier car or not I do not know).

Exhausts are totally different, and modding engine and exhaustis not as easy as the WRX, so pls. be cautious if you change anything.

Sorry for the memory loss, been a while since I upgraded to the B4.

I can definitely suggest changing the swaybar end-links as they are really struggling to keep up with the weight, even doing the swaybars themselves.

Cheers

btw, you can find quite a few TT owners at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/legacyb4

MattN

we've never had problems getting parts etc.

Although never had a high miler so don't know how well things last. At the end of the day though a 5k car, you can't go wrong!

PETER WALKER

Thanks alot guys for the info, the car is going for £9999 with 88000mls on a `98 S-plate. Is this about right? Its on web site www.lockyear-cars.co.uk

Shimster

Peter,
This price sounds a little bit high, but depends what kind of nick it is in, history etc. My only single Turbod Legacy had done 155k before some nutter wrote it off in a car park. I have heard of Legacys going up to 200k+ easily. Is it a manual, the auto's have much high fuel consumption?
Good Luck
Alex

pwebb

price sounds high - check out the stock at charlesworths (not that I would recommend them especially) - they have some more recent cars at lower prices than that.
http://charlesworths.hostinguk.com/s...ble.asp?Subaru

for some really big mileage subarus see:
http://hometown.aol.com/nv1z/subaruhighmileage.html ;-)

Paul W

PETER WALKER

Thanks again for the info. The people at Lockyear cars told me it was imported new from Japan and was used by one of their directors, so is only one owner. It has a full service history by them.All motorway miles. Gearbox has been rebuilt, Two new struts on the back and the sales manager tells me it`s in very good nick.
What do you`s think? I`m very tempted.

PETER WALKER

Sorry I forgot to say it has a manual gearbox.

TOP.

dfullerton

Pete why are you getting rid of your single turbo

PETER WALKER

I don`t know myself, my Legacy goes fantastic, hasn`t missed a beat the whole time I`ve had it. Just fancied a change but I don`t know much about the GTBs. Was seriously thinking of a Lancia Integrale Evo, now there`s a car with character!!

Luke

Pet
what type is your current single and what spec??/ Will you be selling it??

Luke

PETER WALKER

Luke,
My Legacy Estate is one of the last of the original shape. 1995 M-reg,68000mls,8 months m.o.t.,Uprated springs and struts, Scoobysport stainless steel back box,Pipercross induction kit,17" Kahn RS-R Alloys(less than a year old)Garage history till I got it then serviced within the family. The car goes fantastic and has been 100% reliable, I`m only selling `cause I fancy a change.Trading in without the alloys, they offered me £3750 so that`s what I`m looking for.

Mark H

I changed my old '92 Legacy Estate Turbo (115k miles, 5 years, no problems) for the same reason - wanted a change.

15 months ago I bought a high mileage (87k) 98R. I love it but it hasn't been cheap - needed new front brake discs / pads (parts £300 plus VAT), timing belt (£85) and clutch (£500 all in I think). Most parts supplied by Subaru dealer where no cheaper alterative found by my garage.

Biggest problem has been trying to find a windsrceen as they have a different tint. Could be over £1000.

pacenote

Peter
Universal Motor Group have a 96 P plate GTB for 8995 on their website www.umg.co.uk. I looked at one there once but bit to much money at the time. I ran a single turbo estate for a couple of years, a great car, changed it for a Impreza now though.
Of course you could always keep the legacy for general use and get a Integrale to use on those nice twisty roads up your part of the world

cheers
Tim

PETER WALKER

Had a look at the site Tim,the car looks good but I`m quite fussy when it comes to colours and I`m really not into white cars. Has to be darkish colour.
Also Mark, I take it the windscreen on the GTB is the same as the other Legacies in the range, is it just the tint that`s different?

Martyn Tonks

Parts can be expensive on these cars I have replied to one or two topics where these have been queried, windscreens with a matching tint are being quoted at £1400, although if you can put up with a different colour tint then the UK spec should fit

My GT-B has recently been written off, only because of the price of parts quoted to the Insurance engineer, it took a trip into a ditch and when the engineer first saw it he thought it would be repairable, until he heard the price of the replacement parts.

Steering rack £1850
Radiator £850
Bilstein shocks £1500 per corner
Headlamps (gas discharge) £450 each
Spot lamps £350 each

My 98 R was valued at 12k with 42K miles on the clock, and apparently this is high mileage. There is a book similar to Glass's Guide specifically for Grey Import motors, if you can get your eyes on one have a look at the price but watch out the mileage is posted in kms not miles.

If you do buy the car you have seen look after it a little damage can cost mega bucks, as I have found to my cost, Good Luck.

PETER WALKER

Thanks for that Martyn, that prices are horrific, there`s no way I can afford to run the car if that`s the price of parts, Especially with the car having done 88000mls things like struts and maybe a steering rack could be coming to the end of their life.
The parts you were quoted I`m assuming were genuine Subaru parts imported from Japan, I`m just wondering if parts like the radiator and steering rack are the same as Imprezas and if so could be found in Britain. Any thoughts?

Harry_Boy

Hi Guys - the trade book you're thinking of is the CAP Grey Book.

pacenote

Martyn,
I find it hard to believe prices for spares like that - £1500 for a suspension unit !! £1850 for a steering rack !! someone is taking the P, probably after a repairable write off. I could get custom made Leda all round for £1500 and steering racks can be repaired/reconditioned. Let me know if you're interested in getting your car repaired.
cheers
Tim

MattN

erm.....

a new radiator is £165+VAT

B4 suspension is £100 a corner used so doubt it will be 15 times more for a new one.

At the prices quoted the build cost would be more than the car cost to buy new!

You've been had!

Regacy

haven't had major problems with mine, services seem to come in at about £300 a time, plus another £300 when the belts need changing. But it hasn't had a single problem in between.
1998 GTB

PETER WALKER

Now that sounds a bit more sensible thank god, thanks for letting me know. Also does the car run ok on the normal unleaded as the super stuff is sometimes hard to get up here. And do you`s think a GTB with 88000mls should be avoided or will it run ok for another 88000mls no problem?

Cheers Pete.

Martyn Tonks

Hi guys, thanks for all your info, however all prices for my GT-B repairs were quoted by reputable Subaru dealer, who carries out all work for Prodrive on their fleet cars (including their PDI's on newly imported GT-Bs) so reckon they know what they are talking about. The scooby dealer has no axe to grind regarding wanting a write off to rebuild, as they send all their work to an independent body shop, although they prepare the quote. (Not only that they loose our company business account for our fleet of various scoobys)

About rebuilding the car, it is now in the hands of the salvage company, an on line outfit called Blue Cycle, set up by Norwich Union to shift their write off cars. Buying them is by bidding on line only, and you have to be a member.

I don't think I want it back any way, the car when it came to rest was leaning heavily on it's offside in the ditch with the engine still running, it took my wife who was driving some time to collect her thoughts so the engine ran for a while with the oil pickup sucking in fresh air before she turned it off, (sumps on Subarus are very small and shallow) hence the lump now has some very nasty rumblings and knockings from within.

If it is rebuilt and is on the market check it thoroughly before buying R433 VOF is the number, for more info feel free to e-mail me.

PS just bought a late 97 P from a work colleague (8 months older than my last one) absolute bargain. Full Subaru service history, genuine 29k on the clock, 10 grand,(Book price apparently) I'm 2 grand better off in the back pocket thank you Norwich Union. (he had it as another of his playthings in his garage, and decided not to play with it, only covered 4k miles in 2 and a half years)