New WRX vs. Modded Legacy Turbo
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2001 9:19 am
Long time, no see fellas! Hope everything is going well with your
Legacys. Just a real quick update. I sold my Legacy Turbo last month
and I can honestly say I miss driving it every day. Both my wife and
I were pretty bummed to hear it's rumble one last time as it drove
away from our house with it's new owner. To me, that Legacy was the
best, most fun to own car I have ever had. And despite being 10 years
old, there wasn't any other cars that interested me in puchasing
until the WRX arrived.
I finally test drove a 5spd sedan the other night. The intital
impressions were very good. The quality of the interior is a few
steps above even last year's RS, let alone my Legacy Turbo's.
Everything from the seat material to the locations of the instrument
clusters is all brilliant. Sitting in the driver's seat, the car
feels alot smaller, which it is. But when it comes to leg room and
head room and such, The WRX seems at least equal to or have more
space. I am 6'2" and had to move the seat UP to feel comfortable.
Very nice. It's hard to explain because everything about the car
looks and feels much smaller then the Legacy, but I had more then
enough room everywhere.
Driving the car. Keep in mind the car only had 38 miles on it so the
motor is not exactly free'd up yet, but it was a demo so it I was
allowed to drive it pretty hard. Also keep in mind that my Legacy had
a few things done like the full 3" exhaust, intercooler, boost around
12psi, and a few other things here and there.
The shifter felt OK, identical to an RS shifter which is much better
then the standard Legacy one, but I wouldn't say it was great. The
STi shift kit does, however, feel fantastic, so that will be on the
option list. Driving around off-boost isn't bad, but my Legacy
definately felt more responsive. Getting into the boost results in a
very very smooth increase in power that continues to rise up to 6-
6500 or so which is the exact opposite of my Legacy with a Hallman
MBC on it which resulted in an explosion of power, but only really
felt good up to 5000 or so and then would fall off. So for every day
street driving the Legacy felt alot nicer and more fun to drive
because of how hard and quick the boost came in on my car. However,
one can easily tell that a WRX with the same engine mods and my
Legacy Turbo had, will show the true potential of the car. You can
just feel that the WRX is only scratching the surface of what truely
is hidden under the rotten exhaust, pre-turbo cat, and somewhat
restrictive looking intake.
Handling on the otherhand, and there is no comparison. Granted, the
struts on my Legacy were shot, but everything from the steering to
the neutral-ness feeling the car has is lightyears ahead of my Legacy
( which I hoped it would be given that it's 11 years newer). But in
all honestly, one feeling felt identical, and the was how the cars
respond to being pushed. My Legacy Turbo felt better and better the
harder you drove the car, over any surface. That is always one thing
I admired about my Legacy. Some may say it sounds corny, but you
could feel the rally heritage in the Legacy turbo. The car never
became upset when hitting a dimple or rock in the road while at mid-
apex in a corner. It just did whatever you wanted it to and didn't
complain. From the little bit I drove the WRX, I can say the rally
feel to the car is there more then ever. It just seemed like the
harder you took a turn, the better it felt.
Overall, yes the WRX is as good as everyone says. And although
$24,000 is not exactly pocket change, this car is worth every single
penny and then some. It has got to be the best automotive bargin to
hit the States in a long time. What's even more amzing is that a
similar equipped Legacy Turbo back in 91 was only $4000 or so cheaper
then a new 02 WRX is today. But, after driving both, one thing became
VERY clear. And that is just how damn good of a car the Legacy Turbo
was for it's time. In 11 years, you would think there would be an
absolutely huge difference in the way the car feels and acts, but to
me, there wasn't. I wouldn't say the WRX is a "better" car, just much
more refined over the Legacy Turbo. You can easily tell the two were
cut from the same cloth. Very docile when then need to be, yet they
will amaze anyone who chooses to really see what they truely are.
After driving the WRX, I can honestly say that I'm more excited then
ever to get my actual car. The car seems to do everything extremely
well. And to me, that actual mystique of actually finally owning a
WRX after all these years of reading about it and see it become the
World's best in the WRC, will make the long wait worth it...
But I still miss my Legacy.
Take care fellas.
Regards,
Matt Scicchitano
BTW, for the US guys, the Subaru dealerships just got, or will be
getting shortly, the new WRC Great Challenges book that Subaru puts
out and they have a bit of info how STi started out with the Legacy.
Also, the sticker sheet that comes with it has a sticker of the 555
Legacy on it as well. Very cool! Go bug your dealers!
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Legacys. Just a real quick update. I sold my Legacy Turbo last month
and I can honestly say I miss driving it every day. Both my wife and
I were pretty bummed to hear it's rumble one last time as it drove
away from our house with it's new owner. To me, that Legacy was the
best, most fun to own car I have ever had. And despite being 10 years
old, there wasn't any other cars that interested me in puchasing
until the WRX arrived.
I finally test drove a 5spd sedan the other night. The intital
impressions were very good. The quality of the interior is a few
steps above even last year's RS, let alone my Legacy Turbo's.
Everything from the seat material to the locations of the instrument
clusters is all brilliant. Sitting in the driver's seat, the car
feels alot smaller, which it is. But when it comes to leg room and
head room and such, The WRX seems at least equal to or have more
space. I am 6'2" and had to move the seat UP to feel comfortable.
Very nice. It's hard to explain because everything about the car
looks and feels much smaller then the Legacy, but I had more then
enough room everywhere.
Driving the car. Keep in mind the car only had 38 miles on it so the
motor is not exactly free'd up yet, but it was a demo so it I was
allowed to drive it pretty hard. Also keep in mind that my Legacy had
a few things done like the full 3" exhaust, intercooler, boost around
12psi, and a few other things here and there.
The shifter felt OK, identical to an RS shifter which is much better
then the standard Legacy one, but I wouldn't say it was great. The
STi shift kit does, however, feel fantastic, so that will be on the
option list. Driving around off-boost isn't bad, but my Legacy
definately felt more responsive. Getting into the boost results in a
very very smooth increase in power that continues to rise up to 6-
6500 or so which is the exact opposite of my Legacy with a Hallman
MBC on it which resulted in an explosion of power, but only really
felt good up to 5000 or so and then would fall off. So for every day
street driving the Legacy felt alot nicer and more fun to drive
because of how hard and quick the boost came in on my car. However,
one can easily tell that a WRX with the same engine mods and my
Legacy Turbo had, will show the true potential of the car. You can
just feel that the WRX is only scratching the surface of what truely
is hidden under the rotten exhaust, pre-turbo cat, and somewhat
restrictive looking intake.
Handling on the otherhand, and there is no comparison. Granted, the
struts on my Legacy were shot, but everything from the steering to
the neutral-ness feeling the car has is lightyears ahead of my Legacy
( which I hoped it would be given that it's 11 years newer). But in
all honestly, one feeling felt identical, and the was how the cars
respond to being pushed. My Legacy Turbo felt better and better the
harder you drove the car, over any surface. That is always one thing
I admired about my Legacy. Some may say it sounds corny, but you
could feel the rally heritage in the Legacy turbo. The car never
became upset when hitting a dimple or rock in the road while at mid-
apex in a corner. It just did whatever you wanted it to and didn't
complain. From the little bit I drove the WRX, I can say the rally
feel to the car is there more then ever. It just seemed like the
harder you took a turn, the better it felt.
Overall, yes the WRX is as good as everyone says. And although
$24,000 is not exactly pocket change, this car is worth every single
penny and then some. It has got to be the best automotive bargin to
hit the States in a long time. What's even more amzing is that a
similar equipped Legacy Turbo back in 91 was only $4000 or so cheaper
then a new 02 WRX is today. But, after driving both, one thing became
VERY clear. And that is just how damn good of a car the Legacy Turbo
was for it's time. In 11 years, you would think there would be an
absolutely huge difference in the way the car feels and acts, but to
me, there wasn't. I wouldn't say the WRX is a "better" car, just much
more refined over the Legacy Turbo. You can easily tell the two were
cut from the same cloth. Very docile when then need to be, yet they
will amaze anyone who chooses to really see what they truely are.
After driving the WRX, I can honestly say that I'm more excited then
ever to get my actual car. The car seems to do everything extremely
well. And to me, that actual mystique of actually finally owning a
WRX after all these years of reading about it and see it become the
World's best in the WRC, will make the long wait worth it...
But I still miss my Legacy.
Take care fellas.
Regards,
Matt Scicchitano
BTW, for the US guys, the Subaru dealerships just got, or will be
getting shortly, the new WRC Great Challenges book that Subaru puts
out and they have a bit of info how STi started out with the Legacy.
Also, the sticker sheet that comes with it has a sticker of the 555
Legacy on it as well. Very cool! Go bug your dealers!
------------------------ ---------------------~-~>
Make good on the promise you made at graduation to keep
in touch. Classmates.com has over 14 million registered
high school alumni--chances are you'll find your friends!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/l3joGB/DMUCAA ... /X7OVlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------_->
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
BC-BFLegacyWorks-unsubscribe@egroups.com