WTB wagon - seeking opinion

[Wizardofzzz]

T.S

 

Im selling my V50

Pm if you wanna discuss

 

Thanks!

[Solar]

legacy wagon because james may chose one for his fuel economy challenge

 

comparing the 3 cars... i suppose the legacy wagon is the turbo model?

i drove the pre-fl lgt. best fc i got was around 8+km/l, lots of highway travel; worst was around 6+km/l.

 

for ts question:

- drive - it is individual.. u got to compare all 3 yourself

- servicing/workshop - a number of pro-subaru workshops around. no issues getting the car serviced/repaired

- reliability - i drove mine for around 5++yrs before selling off. no issues other than crazy cruise control (sometimes not working)

- parts - u can depend on workshop or buy from stockist yourself. no issues.

[Mariccapell]

According to me, Volvo V50 is the best option as comparable to other two cars as Volvo V50 is a great car in terms of design, performance, quality and maintenance. This car also provides stability control and has an six speed manual transmission and optional navigation system which are not available with Legacy.

Edited July 23, 2012 by Mariccapell

[Kyojin]

i would consider either the Legacy or V50

 

For me, I like to be individual, so I would go for the V50. The Legacy is a great car, but there are just too many out there.

 

Also, the V50 will feel more refined inside with a touch of more luxury. Subarus, although touted as the premium Japanese car, still feels very plasticky. If you've been in both, you'll know what i mean.

 

If you are getting a V50, get the 5-pot T5. There are many ECU chipping options available -- MTE, Rica, Heico. And with a good exhaust -- Ferita/BSR/Jetex (Jetex is LTA compliant) the sound is damn good from a 5-cylinder engine.

 

 

[Vhtfhwlego]

comparing the 3 cars... i suppose the legacy wagon is the turbo model?

i drove the pre-fl lgt. best fc i got was around 8+km/l, lots of highway travel; worst was around 6+km/l.

 

for ts question:

- drive - it is individual.. u got to compare all 3 yourself

- servicing/workshop - a number of pro-subaru workshops around. no issues getting the car serviced/repaired

- reliability - i drove mine for around 5++yrs before selling off. no issues other than crazy cruise control (sometimes not working)

- parts - u can depend on workshop or buy from stockist yourself. no issues.

Hi solar, I am thinking of getting a 2.0GT wagon.

High mileage car for a cheap price.

What would be the things to note, timing belt/change and any recommended WS?

[Solar]

Hi solar, I am thinking of getting a 2.0GT wagon.

High mileage car for a cheap price.

What would be the things to note, timing belt/change and any recommended WS?

 

the famous ones are bms and bks in amk autopoint. i used to visit them.

 

yes, usual places..belts, radiator, mounting, turbo.

hear for weird sounds..

 

also, pipes might deteriorate.check for cracks/leaks..

 

if the previous owner modded an extra ATF cooler that joins to the radiator.. (meaning later if somewhere towards the radiator leaks dry, your auto gearbox gets overheated and might be affected too.)

i've heard horror stories, but as i sold my car by 5yr old, i didn't really see any of those issues in my car then.

best is to send in to a mechanic to check, such as AA that gives a comprehensive report on it.

some might be simple repairs the dealer might be able to absorb if u can show to him.. else u just walk away.

if i don't recall wrongly, stuff i have changed some months before i sold it:

belts

mounting

radiator top (cracked)

suspension leaked.. changed all 4

some joint thingy.. i dunno what's that though.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Solar

[Shibadog]

Hi solar, I am thinking of getting a 2.0GT wagon.

High mileage car for a cheap price.

What would be the things to note, timing belt/change and any recommended WS?

 

hi

 

I drive a 07 LGTW (facelifted version with SI-drive but it's a 2.0 too)

 

the previous posts covered hv most of the key points

 

timing belt is recommended to be done at 80k but some pple stretch to 100k. But in the event of timing belt break, the damage to the engine will be severe, so I do not suggest stretching it.

 

if it's using a macintosh sound system (stock fm the authorised dealer) do note that the CD player is known to jam.

 

not sure if you are aware that the engine oil will need changing every 5k (using full syn)

 

Also, since it's a AWD, all 4 tyres need to be evenly worn. Rotation n alignment even more impt. Cannot just change two tyres at a time. Check this before purchase too... cos if the previous owner drove long distance on uneven tyres, the differentials may have issues in the future.

 

there are quite a few well-known wkshps specialising in subarus. mostly in the north (AMK, admiralty, sin ming) and tampines. Spare parts can also be sourced fm stockists.

 

if you plan to drive a lot in Msia (LGTW is great for highway), there are good workshops in KL too, just in case of emergency). In fact I occasionally take a drive to a wkshop in Pontian, west Johor.

 

in my opinion, its a great vehicle, loads of space and decent power & handling. Power and handling can be further... uhm.... customised to suit user's requirements =)

 

the car u are eyeing.. isit fm direct owner or fm agent?

 

rgds

[Fastfive1]

I have owned a Subaru Legacy 2.0GT wagon for 4 years, and my wife used a Volvo V50 T5 for a year. I have tested a Saab 93 wagon before.

 

Subaru wagon faults:

-all hoses are fragile and need to be changed to silicon.

-power steering rack is faulty and leaks.

-check all belts for heat damage

-dashboard material prone to hairline cracks because of harder suspension set up and if you hoist the car.

-fuel economy was 8.3 km per lt at best. Av of 7.6 km per ltr if traffic jam in CBD area.

-5 speed auto is laggy but smooth enough.

-Later models have rear aircon vents and that helps with rear passenger ventilation.

 

Positives

-flat four and turbo with all-wheel drive is quiet and confident. Hauls anything.

-Strong engine and no electronics issues.

-Great big sunroof and no leaks.

-Airy cabin front and back, but change to good speakers in front only because the wagon body kills soundfield for rear passengers.

-Great quality gear shift and momo steering wheel.

-Thick leather front seats.

 

Volvo faults:

-electronic start and erratic key fob failures.

-turbo comes on with a grind

-rear seat back is too upright

-front wheel drive so torque steer is apparent and wife felt it wasn't confidence-inspiring, for a volvo.

-plain cabin feels cheap and steering wheel and gear shift feels entry-level.

Positives

-5 cylinder turbo engine is unique and sounds good.

-blocky design ages well but stay away from black.

-front seats feel more expensive and better quality than rear seats.

 

Saab 93

The turbo and engine revs seem to match well and rides better than the Volvo, from the drivers seat. Despite front wheel drive and four cylinder engine feels more poised on the road than the Volvo and on par with the Subaru. But cabin feels more closed in than the Subaru. The dashboard layout is cluttered though. Finally it was the parts availability issue and lack of specialists that moved me to remain with the Subaru.

 

 

 

I have a friend who is looking at the legacy 2.0GT sedan.

A few questions came up.

 

Is the wear and tear high on the Legacy?

Is the additional heat generated by the turbo a problem?

If you drive the car without revving it all the time, is it possible to get at least 10km/l?

[Vhtfhwlego]

 

hi

 

I drive a 07 LGTW (facelifted version with SI-drive but it's a 2.0 too)

 

the previous posts covered hv most of the key points

 

timing belt is recommended to be done at 80k but some pple stretch to 100k. But in the event of timing belt break, the damage to the engine will be severe, so I do not suggest stretching it.

 

if it's using a macintosh sound system (stock fm the authorised dealer) do note that the CD player is known to jam.

 

not sure if you are aware that the engine oil will need changing every 5k (using full syn)

 

Also, since it's a AWD, all 4 tyres need to be evenly worn. Rotation n alignment even more impt. Cannot just change two tyres at a time. Check this before purchase too... cos if the previous owner drove long distance on uneven tyres, the differentials may have issues in the future.

 

there are quite a few well-known wkshps specialising in subarus. mostly in the north (AMK, admiralty, sin ming) and tampines. Spare parts can also be sourced fm stockists.

 

if you plan to drive a lot in Msia (LGTW is great for highway), there are good workshops in KL too, just in case of emergency). In fact I occasionally take a drive to a wkshop in Pontian, west Johor.

 

in my opinion, its a great vehicle, loads of space and decent power & handling. Power and handling can be further... uhm.... customised to suit user's requirements =)

 

the car u are eyeing.. isit fm direct owner or fm agent?

 

rgds

Thanks for the advice.

The car I am eyeing is from agent.

[Solar]

 

I have a friend who is looking at the legacy 2.0GT sedan.

A few questions came up.

 

Is the wear and tear high on the Legacy?

Is the additional heat generated by the turbo a problem?

If you drive the car without revving it all the time, is it possible to get at least 10km/l?

my pov.. mine wasn't modded.

1. Normal.

2. Stock engine and turbo should be fine.

3. Defeats the purpose ya? But I've experimented before. Near 10 if u feather foot on expressway non stop. 70 to 80kmh optimal

4. For engine oil.. I followed the manual recommend at 10k oci. Since my car was stock there was no need to shorten the oci. Oil weight at 10w40.

Could have used w30 but I drag quite often so no point risking..so I took the next lowest recommended weight at w40.

[Shibadog]

 

I have a friend who is looking at the legacy 2.0GT sedan.

A few questions came up.

 

Is the wear and tear high on the Legacy?

Is the additional heat generated by the turbo a problem?

If you drive the car without revving it all the time, is it possible to get at least 10km/l?

 

 

wear n tear - not significantly higher than other cars

 

heat - the only issue is any failures in the cooling system are quickly escalated, esp if boosting high. If cooling sys work properly, no issues arising fm the turbo. Oil is a bit more picky though. Altho the manual calls for w40 oil, most Subaru-specialist workshops here will recommend w50. Do note that the stock radiator has plastic bits, which will eventually leak. Quite a few owners changed to full aluminium radiators.

 

10km/L is a practically impossible, unless your drives are mostly on expressway in clear traffic. I logged 25km/L once - rolling downhill from the summit of Genting highlands to the karak highway toll :) IMO if good FC is a high priority, stay away fm subarus. That being said, the LGTW gets much better FC than my forester at highway speeds

Thanks for the advice.

The car I am eyeing is from agent.

 

 

in this case, I would suggest u hv it inspected at two places: 1) AAS for general stuff and 2) a Subaru specialist wkshop for subie-specific stuff.

 

the subie wkshop can also chk the ECU for the real mileage :)

[Fastfive1]

my pov.. mine wasn't modded.

1. Normal.

2. Stock engine and turbo should be fine.

3. Defeats the purpose ya? But I've experimented before. Near 10 if u feather foot on expressway non stop. 70 to 80kmh optimal

4. For engine oil.. I followed the manual recommend at 10k oci. Since my car was stock there was no need to shorten the oci. Oil weight at 10w40.

Could have used w30 but I drag quite often so no point risking..so I took the next lowest recommended weight at w40.

 

Hmm....

He's looking at a car to replace his toyota which life ends next month.

He wants a car with a high OMV but low depreciation hence his interest in the Legacy

His main concern with the legacy is that it drinks.

If you occasionally floor the car but cruise at 2k rpm most of the time, you really can't get 10km/l?

I've heard of stock evo 10s getting 10km/l and above.

[Solar]

 

Hmm....

He's looking at a car to replace his toyota which life ends next month.

He wants a car with a high OMV but low depreciation hence his interest in the Legacy

His main concern with the legacy is that it drinks.

If you occasionally floor the car but cruise at 2k rpm most of the time, you really can't get 10km/l?

I've heard of stock evo 10s getting 10km/l and above.

I used to have the same question.. But never have the answer.

Probably the ecu and gear are the factors.

Lgt gear imo isn't very efficient. Got a bit of lag and it's not even cvt in the 2.0 gt.

 

If u zhua.. The fuel also zhua like nothing. Won't get good fc with that.

[Biohazard]

Hi solar, I am thinking of getting a 2.0GT wagon.

High mileage car for a cheap price.

What would be the things to note, timing belt/change and any recommended WS?

No doubt the LGT has one of the lowest dep/yr among other TC wagons in the market. However maintaining the car will be slightly more costly than the rest as well.

 

1) EO change interval - 5-10K (W50) depending on your driving pattern.

2) Due to it's boxer engine design, labor cost of changing seals, spark plugs, etc will be higher.

3) Timing belt - any car also same, especially used car better to replace upon taking over.

4) Due to it's AWD system, maintenance like FC & more oils to change is higher. (But damn the AWD is pretty good!)

 

As for workshops, there's plenty all around SG.

[Myxilplix]

My last full tank with my 2.5 GT Wagon gave me 5.5km/l

 

BUT. That's because the distance from my home to office is less than 4km and the car never gets to fully warm up so you can consider it a fully urban cycle. Plus I'm running oversized forged pistons and my gearbox is a little tired. So take mine as a worst case scenario, unless you wanna go big turbo+2.7L monsterbuild etc.

[boonhat_91]

Reviving this topic for fun. Mainly looking at used unless otherwise stated. Didn't expect this list to grow so long. First 3 are my preference not in any particular order, the rest are also not in any order. I am quite curious if there are any long term reviews for the Peugeot 308 and Opel Astra because they are surprisingly common.

1.      Mazda 6 wagon 2.5 – Looks good. Expensive. Expensive road tax. 522L boot on paper.

2.      Subaru Levorg 1.6T – Looks good. Expensive. 1k cheaper road tax than Mz6. 522L boot on paper.

3.      Hyundai i30 1.4T Wagon – Looks good. Cheaper than above 2. Cheaper road tax than above 2. Smaller dimensions than above 2. 602L, bigger boot capacity on paper than above 2.

4.      Honda Shuttle – Very common, many used as PHV. Price/depre varies a lot – lower depre higher quantum vs lower quantum higher depre. Affordable road tax. 570L boot on paper. Unless buying new (PI-only, not sold by AD), high chance of getting ex-PHV.

5.      Peugeot 308 SW 1.2T – Not too uncommon, also many PHV. Reasonable price/depre compared to i30 and Shuttle. Cheaper road tax than i30. 660L(!!) boot on paper.  French reliability?

6.      Opel Astra Sports Tourer 1.0T - Not too uncommon, also many PHV. Looks good. Reasonable price/depre compared to i30 and Shuttle. Cheapest road tax. 540L boot on paper. German = good? Unpopular German in Sg though.

7.      Peugeot 508 SW 1.6T – Rare. Reasonable price/depre compared to all above. Looks good. Affordable road tax (same as Levorg). Can’t find an official boot capacity figure, seems to be in the low 500s. Strange then that the 308SW has such a huge boot.

8.      Opel Insignia 2.0T – Super rare. Looks good. Reasonable price/depre for the specs compared to all above. 2L road tax. The only available used unit has high mileage. Almost 5m long! 256hp, 400nm torque!! 560L boot on paper. German = good? Unpopular German in Sg.

9.      Seat Leon Sport Tourer 1.0T – Uncommon. Price/depre not that great for the specs. VAG car, for better or worse. Cheapest road tax. 587L boot on paper.

10.  VW Golf Variant 1.4T – Uncommon. Expensive. It’s a VW, for better or worse. Affordable road tax. Apparently 600L boot on paper.

[Volvobrick]

23 minutes ago, boonhat_91 said:

Reviving this topic for fun. Mainly looking at used unless otherwise stated. Didn't expect this list to grow so long. First 3 are my preference not in any particular order, the rest are also not in any order. I am quite curious if there are any long term reviews for the Peugeot 308 and Opel Astra because they are surprisingly common.

1.      Mazda 6 wagon 2.5 – Looks good. Expensive. Expensive road tax. 522L boot on paper.

2.      Subaru Levorg 1.6T – Looks good. Expensive. 1k cheaper road tax than Mz6. 522L boot on paper.

3.      Hyundai i30 1.4T Wagon – Looks good. Cheaper than above 2. Cheaper road tax than above 2. Smaller dimensions than above 2. 602L, bigger boot capacity on paper than above 2.

4.      Honda Shuttle – Very common, many used as PHV. Price/depre varies a lot – lower depre higher quantum vs lower quantum higher depre. Affordable road tax. 570L boot on paper. Unless buying new (PI-only, not sold by AD), high chance of getting ex-PHV.

5.      Peugeot 308 SW 1.2T – Not too uncommon, also many PHV. Reasonable price/depre compared to i30 and Shuttle. Cheaper road tax than i30. 660L(!!) boot on paper.  French reliability?

6.      Opel Astra Sports Tourer 1.0T - Not too uncommon, also many PHV. Looks good. Reasonable price/depre compared to i30 and Shuttle. Cheapest road tax. 540L boot on paper. German = good? Unpopular German in Sg though.

7.      Peugeot 508 SW 1.6T – Rare. Reasonable price/depre compared to all above. Looks good. Affordable road tax (same as Levorg). Can’t find an official boot capacity figure, seems to be in the low 500s. Strange then that the 308SW has such a huge boot.

8.      Opel Insignia 2.0T – Super rare. Looks good. Reasonable price/depre for the specs compared to all above. 2L road tax. The only available used unit has high mileage. Almost 5m long! 256hp, 400nm torque!! 560L boot on paper. German = good? Unpopular German in Sg.

9.      Seat Leon Sport Tourer 1.0T – Uncommon. Price/depre not that great for the specs. VAG car, for better or worse. Cheapest road tax. 587L boot on paper.

10.  VW Golf Variant 1.4T – Uncommon. Expensive. It’s a VW, for better or worse. Affordable road tax. Apparently 600L boot on paper.

 Current V60 is nice. V90 too long.

Drove the Insignia 5 door rental in Australia. Not bad ride and 2.0T is just adequate in power. Low end a little lacking.

What about Skoda? 

PS I would stay away from Frenchies.... 

Edited January 13, 2023 by Volvobrick

[Lala81]

For myself, I would just get an octavia or superb liftback if i wanted something with more carrying capacity.