Need Advice on 2003 Legacy GT
Discussion
Hi guys,
Looking at cutting my monthly costs by selling my BMW 123d M Sport, focusing my funds on my track car (BMW M3). Now this isn't the sensible choice I know, but I've found an imported Legacy GT 2003, in fact here's the advert - http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/492962.htm
Don't know much about the Jap scene. Can anyone offer their views on this car. Does this car seem a good spec? Anything missing? I assume they don't have cruise control etc. What's the base sound system like, do they at least have 4 or 6 speakers, seems silly but I do enjoy music in the car, not into amps and bass boxes though.
I am especially interested in running costs and reliabilty. What tax band would it fall under? I appreciate fuel consumption may be around 24-25mpg on a daily basis, but are they capable of 30+ on the motorway at 75mph?
I have four concerns:
- Is mileage usually genuine on these imports, find it hard to believe a 6 year old has only done 25k. I guess all the service history etc will be in Japanese.
- What's the interior quality like, especially coming from a BMW (don't mean to sound snobby) But jap cars are more about the engine than anything else.
- Is insuring one of these a pain, or is that just a myth?
- How easy is it to sell an import like this on?
Look forward to your reviews.
G
Looking at cutting my monthly costs by selling my BMW 123d M Sport, focusing my funds on my track car (BMW M3). Now this isn't the sensible choice I know, but I've found an imported Legacy GT 2003, in fact here's the advert - http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/492962.htm
Don't know much about the Jap scene. Can anyone offer their views on this car. Does this car seem a good spec? Anything missing? I assume they don't have cruise control etc. What's the base sound system like, do they at least have 4 or 6 speakers, seems silly but I do enjoy music in the car, not into amps and bass boxes though.
I am especially interested in running costs and reliabilty. What tax band would it fall under? I appreciate fuel consumption may be around 24-25mpg on a daily basis, but are they capable of 30+ on the motorway at 75mph?
I have four concerns:
- Is mileage usually genuine on these imports, find it hard to believe a 6 year old has only done 25k. I guess all the service history etc will be in Japanese.
- What's the interior quality like, especially coming from a BMW (don't mean to sound snobby) But jap cars are more about the engine than anything else.
- Is insuring one of these a pain, or is that just a myth?
- How easy is it to sell an import like this on?
Look forward to your reviews.
G
Edited by scz4 on Wednesday 20th May 22:53
Jap spec generally higher than anywhere else so may well have cruise control, car looks a nice example 
My GTB has 8 speakers I can think off the top of my head, iirc newer Legacies also had an optional McIntosh sytem with 10 speakers+sub.
My GTB has 8 speakers I can think off the top of my head, iirc newer Legacies also had an optional McIntosh sytem with 10 speakers+sub.
Edited by GravelBen on Thursday 21st May 01:46
I'm looking to get an imported Legacy GTB but for a number of reasons, I'm looking at the current batch of 98-99 models coming over. My reasons for this are road tax should be reasonable (none of this after 2001 rip off) they're mostly manual 5 speed 280 bhp and they are around £4-6K but they may be too old for you.
Thats the 3.0R in the UK right? Just checking as we get both the 3.0R Spec B and GT Spec B in NZ.
They're also a very nice car, apparently don't handle quite as well due to having more weight in the nose but being NA and also having cam chain rather than belt there's less to potentially go wrong and need fixing. 240bhp rather than the 260-280 of various GT versions so not as quick but silky smooth by all accounts.
Fuel economy reports seem to vary from ~22mpg up to the 37mpg my dad's boss got out of his recently (on a long, flat cruise to be fair but keeping up with traffic). For comparison I average ~27 in the GTB and best on a run so far is 33, but I travel a tad quicker than most on the road.
They're also a very nice car, apparently don't handle quite as well due to having more weight in the nose but being NA and also having cam chain rather than belt there's less to potentially go wrong and need fixing. 240bhp rather than the 260-280 of various GT versions so not as quick but silky smooth by all accounts.
Fuel economy reports seem to vary from ~22mpg up to the 37mpg my dad's boss got out of his recently (on a long, flat cruise to be fair but keeping up with traffic). For comparison I average ~27 in the GTB and best on a run so far is 33, but I travel a tad quicker than most on the road.
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