bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

Looking for a daily to get the dog/bike in.

Mileage ~12k/yr so mpg not too important, but I suppose what is, is driver appeal.

I know the Forester can be a bit sloppy in the cornering, but thicker arb's would sort that. The Leggy seems pretty well sorted out the box with Bilsteins std

So, which one?

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

Anyone care to chime in?

fpan

iTrader: (11)

If you get a XT check the rear self levelling dampers to make sure they don't leak.

They are expensive to replace like for like but you can get non self-levelling KYB with upgraded springs for about £200.

mach

sti forester........

fpan

iTrader: (11)

I've been trying to convince him to get one, by far the best of both the above

mach

do it,you know it makes sense!!!!!!!

hedgecutter

iTrader: (5)

I`ve never heard anyone who has had a 3.0 spec B say a bad word about them; if you look at customer reviews on Autotrader for the Gen IV, all the positive ones are for the 3.0 spec B, which brings the grade average right up for the IV.

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

I would get a Forester STi - ticks all the boxes, but it's TWICE as much as a Leggy (£10K Vs £5K)! That's alot of dosh in anyone's wallet

olliecampbell

iTrader: (3)

I have an 06 Spec B estate.

Great car....except for the tax and mpg.

Lovely engine, heated leather seats, loads of boot space, touch screen sat nav, massive double length sunroof...

olliecampbell

iTrader: (3)

I should also add..head over to here, nice bunch of guys...www.uklegacy.com

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

Do you usually see a bit over 20mpg?

olliecampbell

iTrader: (3)

At the moment I'm only doing very short journeys and I'm seeing 18-21mpg. On longer runs I've had up to 31-32mpg.

With the stainless exhaust on it I very rarely see the higher mpg's purely because the sound is so great above 4000rpm

thenewgalaxy

I ran a 56 Spec B Legacy for six weeks not by choice but I absolutely loved it. I had taken my Spec D ppp in for a service at a Subaru main dealer who managed to near write it off, removing the front and rear driver side wheels after taking it round the block to "check it was running okay".

The Spec B was a great car and a real alternative choice to an A4 Quattro of the same era. I'm surprised that it wasn't marketed more aggressively as I'm sure it would have been a popular car had more people been aware if it.

It had a brilliant Sat Nav, comfortable leather seats and was quiet on a run. Performance wise it had a nice smooth rapid surge and a wonderful surefootedness when pushed (it wasn't my car and they'd clearly thrashed mine so...). It certainly didn't have the drop-kick style wallop the STi had but certainly had enough poke to impress passengers and get past dawdlers on A-roads.

I have driven a couple of Forester STis and it's certainly a difficult car to forget in a hurry. It has a load of road presence and is quite imposing. It is a great car from the lights and properly shifts (think WRX more than STi) but most of the fun is really blasting a car that looks like it shouldn't be capable of what it is. It's not an Impreza but it's a good deal of the way there and certainly well sorted.

I'm not entirely sure it's possible to compare the Forester to the Legacy as one is very much a performance car and the other a sober-suited rapid saloon but if you're totally open to what kind of car you want I guess it's going to be a lot of fun choosing!

john banks

I have a Mk IV Legacy 3.0R, so it is auto and missing the Spec B suspension.

I have had it for 2 years from 7 years old and 36000 miles to present 44000 miles.

The interior is quite good, the engine is competent but thirsty (presently I'm getting 17mpg on fun but very twisty commute - same as my other car which has 330 extra BHP - but the Legacy will settle to 32mpg on a long cruise), the autobox is languid but smooth and lazy.

I have just changed the original cat back to a stainless one as the original failed at the Y section. Earlier this year I changed two wheel bearings, two brake caliper pistons (which trashed a replacement set of front discs and pads prematurely), blower fan motor (due to leak from windscreen seal - original, not replacement windscreen).

All of these except the blower fan motor are known issues, I expect the two other wheel bearings will need to be done soon. These issues aside it is a decent car, imperious in the winter on the correct tyres.

Parts prices even with shopping around are expensive, it is a rare model and a lot of pattern parts area not available or expensive.

I bought it hoping for reliability and so far it has disappointed on that front. I'm hoping that once I've done the remaining wheel bearings and rear discs it will be set for a while, but I'll change the sparks, air filter and transmission/diff oils in the summer.

Much as I like the way the Forester's 2.5 turbo engine drives, I'd avoid it on principle as it is a POS for reliability IMHO. It truly lives up to the Cadbury reputation.

olliecampbell

iTrader: (3)

Thats a shame, but I feel that your list is a little more than most will have had to do. But nonetheless you had to do it.

I bought mine on 74,000 and its now up to 84,000. Outside of the usual service items I've only had to change:

• Centre exhaust Y piece (known issue)
• ARB bushes and drop links, which at this mileage is going to be normal.
• Refurb alloys

Before the next MOT:

• Lower control arm bushes, at this mileage this has to be normal?
• Discs and pads, but again normal wear.

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

So I've been burning the midnight oil some on deciding what to go for.

I'm erring toward the Forester, the S/tb looks pretty good

Funkii Munkii

I've been looking at the Spec B again, now that I have a Co fuel card

But looking at those mpg figures I'm going to be paying a shed load of tax on the extra fuel I buy. I have a daily 90 mile round trip to work and back, 90% of which is the M3. I can usualy get it done on £70 worth of diesel a week running roughly 41 mpg in a v50 2.0 D estate which is pretty good going as I dont hang about on the motorway (along with everyone else I hasten to add). As much as I'd like a B-Spec I think it would be foolish with those mpg figures.

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

I hope they're generous with their allowance

Funkii Munkii

Unlimited "But dont take the ****"

I'm more concerned about the tax man with all that extra fuel I'd have to purchase

SteveV-WRX

i've got a MY07 XT(EN) with dealer fit PPP. i've changed the front and rears brakes to 4 pots and 2 pots, and upgraded the rear ARB.

I'd say this is the one of the best best cars i've had and certainly best allround balance of car for all of the things that you want it for. Just to give a bit of context, i'm a quick estate nut (RS6, S6 RS4, WRX, 3.2 Quattro Sport Audi A4, Vectra VXR, Leggy etc) fuel economy isn't great but i do similar mileage to you and i've got all the toys of the Spec B, heathed leather, dual sunroof but dont mind throwing the two dogs in the back and the bike in (then hosing it down!)

Cheers

Steve

mikeyw

I'm on my second spec b, having had 4 outback 3.0's. The spec b is a great cruiser - very comfortable, great sounding engine and enough poke to be fun to drive and pass most things. Lots of room (I've the sports tourer) and huge sunroof. It is thirsty - long trips I think I average about 24mpg - I've done France in it pretty much none stop 878 miles and it's great. Brakes I felt were weak so I moved my 6 pot ap's from my old outback on and it makes a big difference. Best car I've ever had !! (apart from my cosworth!!) I'd recommend them for sure - mines off the road just now thanks to a massive pot hole taking out 2 wheels and the ap brakes being refurbished...

thenewgalaxy

I had a Spec B given to me as a long term courtesy car as I said above and I thrashed the wotsits off it, the trip computer said over 2,200 miles including driving it along snake pass and over the roads of East Lancashire and back and forth to Warwickshire was 31mpg... I did put V Power in it mind

mikeyw

Never tried it with higher octane - might give that a go!

herbertpug

I've had a spec-B estate (55 plate, Gen 4) since 60k, now on 110k. Over 5 years.
I Do 130 miles a day commute. Often in another car, but more frequently in the Spec-B.
Tax is the £170'ish amount.
MPG is about 24-26 but I had it converted to LPG so costs the equivalent of 45-50mpg in other vehicles. So 330 miles for about £40 lpg.

Braided brake hoses, EBC red pads/ turbomax discs, ARB's, Droplinks and bushes, and complete Quad pipe STi S/Steel exhaust are the main requirements in 50k miles.

An easy mod is the cosworth flat panel air filter.

I do Like it a lot!

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

JDM Spec B GT. Torque GT have some in stock. 280bhp twinscroll, Bilsteins and the STi style clocks. I had a WR LTD and regret getting rid. I did P/X it for Foggy STi with the Litcho pack.

BlueBugEye

iTrader: (12)

I had a forester turbo S before the spec B, and my old man has a XT.

Main thing to consider is that the forester is just an impreza underneath so the boot and cabin space are essentially the same (but higher) the Legacy is a much bigger car. In terms of performance the Forester feels quicker but less planted, the legacy is quicker and more planted.

Mines on 90k and so far has had the exhaust replaced (custom stainless at around £600-£800 is the way to go) and the drop links, I will need to do the front wishbone bushes soon but these are really expected wear items on most cars at this age/mileage.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

I've had a forester turbo and my brother in law had an outback, as you know I now have the WRX Wagon PPP and i'd choose it again all day long over the other two, better drive and better fuel economy, cheaper to buy, run and by the sounds of it more reliable too.

WIN, WIN, WIN!