Impressions On A B4 Non-turbo.........

[Shrapnel]

Owners of B4 non-Turbos,

Please share with us the feel of the drive of your car as opposed to a Twin-Turbo(apart from the obvious acceleration issue)..

[Devinda_Z]

not too sure if there any Normally aspirated Legacy owners around

[jaga]

Owners of B4 non-Turbos,

Please share with us the feel of the drive of your car as opposed to a Twin-Turbo(apart from the obvious acceleration issue)..

please comment on fuel consumption of both models also.

[Supra_Natural]

please comment on fuel consumption of both models also.

Why? If you're wondering whether they match your ES, the answer is no. Sometimes people buy cars for reasons OTHER than fuel consumption y'know.

[jaga]

Why? If you're wondering whether they match your ES, the answer is no. Sometimes people buy cars for reasons OTHER than fuel consumption y'know.

Yes SOME TIME. but my intension is different

[Devinda_Z]

please comment on fuel consumption of both models also.

Auto triptronic twin turbo's are in the 5-7 kmpl range for urban driving from what i hear

[LaZyBoY]

Auto triptronic twin turbo's are in the 5-7 kmpl range for urban driving from what i hear

Makes sense, given the weight of the car and less powerful engine..

[jaga]

Auto triptronic twin turbo's are in the 5-7 kmpl range for urban driving from what i hear

Thank you Devinda.

[Gayan Weerakoon]

Hi guys im intrested in buying a B4 Turbo Trip Tronic and would like to know a few details regarding the car.

1. What is the current market price of a b4 turbo after the price reduction

2. Are there any known issues with the B4?

3. Are spares easily available for the b4?

I know its high on fuel consumption but that dosent matter to me cos it was built for perfomance and not economy.

Would be greatfull if the Subaru experts on AL can share their knowledge to my questions

Thanks

[Shrapnel]

Hi guys im intrested in buying a B4 Turbo Trip Tronic and would like to know a few details regarding the car.

1. What is the current market price of a b4 turbo after the price reduction

2. Are there any known issues with the B4?

3. Are spares easily available for the b4?

I know its high on fuel consumption but that doesn't matter to me cos it was built for performance and not economy.

Would be grateful if the Subaru experts on AL can share their knowledge to my questions

Thanks

IMHO(seriously) ..................Since I purchased mine a few months back, let me tell you, the money I spent on it is SERIOUSLY WORTH IT...nothing like it surging ahead when you press on the gas ,looks cool and the interior is a treat with a good stereo...there are many other fine cars,of course, but why drive what every other Tom,Dick,Harry and Sunil drives???

I don't think the tax reduction is an issue for cars like these since there are not so many of these around for SALE...and the owners are not the type to buy one and sell soon for a quick buck!!If at all,the seller you find will be a Subaru aficionado, who would part with it NOT TO STRAY TOO FAR-most probably he will go for the next new version....heard a 2Mil figure but, it pays to ask around,do some homework,wear out some shoe leather,etc...

Issues...how do you mean?Every car has its own pros and cons..so be more specific.What I've learned so far is prompt,correct maintenance can prevent a whole heap of trouble to your pocket...if you are stingy and skip regular servicing-you are in for trouble!The official importers are very newbie -friendly and there are other places you can take your B4 to set things right.Your "handiye kade" might have Toyota and Nissan parts but don't expect to find Subaru spares there! Another fine piece of advice I got from a pro is "don't rush to modify"!

If you DO decide to buy the B4-then congrats...welcome to a wild ride!!!

THINK

FEEL

DRIVE

S U B A R U

[Gayan Weerakoon]

Hey Sharpnel thanks alot for all this info i really appreciate it.

Im sure your car is great and it looks much better than the avg car on the road......

What i mean with known issues was like does the trip tronic have known issues like some of the Honda gearbox issues and i have heard the twin turbos are not as reliable as the single turbo STI's. Can you explain more on that.

Also would i need to pump an octane booster with every full tank or can i just run 95 octane?

Do you mind if i ask how much you paid for it and reg number is it?

[Devinda_Z]

Hi guys im intrested in buying a B4 Turbo Trip Tronic and would like to know a few details regarding the car.

1. What is the current market price of a b4 turbo after the price reduction

2. Are there any known issues with the B4?

3. Are spares easily available for the b4?

I know its high on fuel consumption but that dosent matter to me cos it was built for perfomance and not economy.

Would be greatfull if the Subaru experts on AL can share their knowledge to my questions

Thanks

1. should be in the 1.8 Mn to 2.5 Mn range depending on service history , mileage , condition etc

2. The gearbox issue keeps coming up in conversation, however i'm uncertain as to whether or not this is down to local erratic driving style & incorrectly carried out gear oil changes or an actual technical flaw

3. Spares can be found at Senok afaik

[Shrapnel]

Hey Sharpnel thanks alot for all this info i really appreciate it.

Im sure your car is great and it looks much better than the avg car on the road......

What i mean with known issues was like does the trip tronic have known issues like some of the Honda gearbox issues and i have heard the twin turbos are not as reliable as the single turbo STI's. Can you explain more on that.

Also would i need to pump an octane booster with every full tank or can i just run 95 octane?

Do you mind if i ask how much you paid for it and reg number is it?

Don't thank me-I guess I'm a wee-bit biased Answers to your Twin-turbo OR Single-turbo query-

read these articles ( http://autospeed.com/cms/title_Turbochargi...86/article.html http://www.veloce.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Twi...ion/valveop.htm ) and make up your OWN mind...the B4 is said to be one of the world's fastest SEDAN models(not coupes,cabriolets or purpose-built performance cars)-it's a trade-off between a comfortable sedan AND a performance model....if you are looking for pure performance there are other contenders(perhaps NOT OBTAINABLE HERE IN SL)

The gearbox issues was muttered in circles where Multimatic gearboxes were employed,specifically EK3s....haven't yet heard it from a Legacy owner.To be fair, gear troubles can crop up in ANY car-mostly dependent on the driving-style of the owner..nothing a good test drive or a visit to the agent cannot detect!If you want to go for a B4, ask if the seller is ready to get it checked from Senok's...they have the service history of MOST of the Subarus around....

Fuel-wise 95 Octane is a MUST and don't bother with 90 Octane with Octane booster-these cars were never meant to run on that level of (im)purity and will soon give you trouble......

Edited June 27, 2010 by Shrapnel

[Shrapnel]

don't rush to buy ANY car.....if you quote the vehicle number, you may even get an unofficial history of the car

Edited June 27, 2010 by Shrapnel

[mirage7777]

IMHO(seriously) ..................Since I purchased mine a few months back, let me tell you, the money I spent on it is SERIOUSLY WORTH IT...nothing like it surging ahead when you press on the gas ,looks cool and the interior is a treat with a good stereo...there are many other fine cars,of course, but why drive what every other Tom,Dick,Harry and Sunil drives???

I don't think the tax reduction is an issue for cars like these since there are not so many of these around for SALE...and the owners are not the type to buy one and sell soon for a quick buck!!If at all,the seller you find will be a Subaru aficionado, who would part with it NOT TO STRAY TOO FAR-most probably he will go for the next new version....heard a 2Mil figure but, it pays to ask around,do some homework,wear out some shoe leather,etc...

Issues...how do you mean?Every car has its own pros and cons..so be more specific.What I've learned so far is prompt,correct maintenance can prevent a whole heap of trouble to your pocket...if you are stingy and skip regular servicing-you are in for trouble!The official importers are very newbie -friendly and there are other places you can take your B4 to set things right.Your "handiye kade" might have Toyota and Nissan parts but don't expect to find Subaru spares there! Another fine piece of advice I got from a pro is "don't rush to modify"!

If you DO decide to buy the B4-then congrats...welcome to a wild ride!!!

THINK

FEEL

DRIVE

S U B A R U

Hey Shrapnel, congrats on your buy -- of you purchasing a B4.

Well - I too agree with what you have stated above. Especially "nothing like it surging ahead when you press on the gas ". NOTHING LIKE IT - no substitute

We'll have to advice the other-side of the coin too. i.e. when selling the car - it could be a tad difficult to sell it - if in a hurry. Its all to do with the BS second hand ideas here in S.L. IMO most or some of the cars which has been vocally condemned are in fact better than the favourite models.

But as shrapnel has stated earlier - its really worth it - it'll be a good buy. However get it thoroughly checked by a mechanic who has worked with Subaru's before this. Good luck!!

[GihanFX]

2. The gearbox issue keeps coming up in conversation, however i'm uncertain as to whether or not this is down to local erratic driving style & incorrectly carried out gear oil changes or an actual technical flaw

Gear Box issues are there in the B4's, gen 1 WRX's and STi's too, but there are more issues like weak Center diff, pistons are not that strong so its always safe to keep the stock boost, Twin turbo system has some issues too and its always better to replace it with a single turbo, maybe something like TD05H or a good IHI VF, also there are some Exhaust system issues like the down pipe plate blocking the waste gate outlet. up pipe cats can damage the turbo, All of these issues are very easy to sort out

[Elvis_Pil]

just out of curiosity- how is the availability of parts and knowledge to covert an auto B4 to manual?

[Gayan Weerakoon]

Hi Guys thanks alot for this valuable info... I ll start hunting for a good b4 now....

It would be awsome to find a manual B4 but i understand they are very rare.... Just out of curiosity is the Auto b4 fast too?

So 95 octane is only required and no octane boosters.....and spares seem to be available at Senok.

[Shrapnel]

Hey Shrapnel, congrats on your buy -- of you purchasing a B4.

Well - I too agree with what you have stated above. Especially "nothing like it surging ahead when you press on the gas ". NOTHING LIKE IT - no substitute

We'll have to advice the other-side of the coin too. i.e. when selling the car - it could be a tad difficult to sell it - if in a hurry. Its all to do with the BS second hand ideas here in S.L. IMO most or some of the cars which has been vocally condemned are in fact better than the favourite models.

But as shrapnel has stated earlier - its really worth it - it'll be a good buy. However get it thoroughly checked by a mechanic who has worked with Subaru's before this. Good luck!!

Hello there,Mirage!!!

Thanx and I feel that I am in the presence of another Subie fan!!!!(So you've leaned on the gas,too )

About the re-selling aspect of a B4...well, to tell you the truth, at the time of my own purchase, SO MANY people wanted me to buy a Nissan FB14 or a N16....THEIR philosophy was that these could be re-sold at the drop of a hat and how they had better gas economy and how they could be repaired from parts that were even available at the neighborhood grocery! I rode in the rear of a FB15 and my legs went numb from being cramped...the N16's looks left me cold and whatever cars that they were SELLING in these two models were hacked-out things that their present owners were waiting to get rid of.

Then I had this idea of buying an ES1/5/8....I liked the cars but the sellers wanted sun,moon and stars(and your left nut,too) Remember, this was pre-tax cut and when unlike now all Honda stuff were kept in reserve by the owners to pump up the selling price (it truly sickened me what they were asking for these models). May I also hasten to add that these are MY PERSONAL OPINIONS-so please try to choke on your righteous indignation

I broadened my mind-I looked further from my narrow criteria and discovered the B4(actually one of the dream cars I always watched in envy whenever one passed me on the road).I came to realize that you can't have the cake and eat it...so I went for the package that is a B4.(and now I am in seventh heaven! )

Of course I wouldn't recommend the same approach to others-their priorities might be FAR different from mine...but if you are looking for a fast,performance type car that is still a sedan that you could also take your folks in and not some monstrous dragster...THEN go for a B4!

I don't know much about manual or normally-aspirated models...mine is Triptonic-good enough for ME...yes, it is a sequential twin-turbo setup and comes with the inherent turbo-lag or VOD handicap...but this is manageable I'm told with a ECU remap...haven't yet taken it on a wide-open straight road to test its limits.

Hope that these ravings help to make up the mind of would-be buyers...

Edited June 29, 2010 by Shrapnel

[fuzzo]

shrapnel ~ am not an expert on this but i don't think an ecu re-map will solve your VOD/lag issue.

[Gayan Weerakoon]

i was reading about the VOD and an ecu remap fixes the issue this what thr uk legacy forums say.

Sharpnel im glad you didnt choose a fb15 or n16 they are so common and boring to drive. How much did you pay for your car?

[GihanFX]

In TT legacy's around 4500rpm there is a huge lag till 5000 to 5200, as i heard there is a valve that keeps exhaust gas entering to the 2nd turbo till a certain RPM. in sequential turbo setups one spools low, then at higher it kicks out and the other one kicks in, valley of death (VOD) in between it. the vale that prevent gas entering to the 2nd turbo is controlled by the computer, so remapping the ECU, changing the exhaust system and down pipe to bigger size help to reduce VOD. anyway the both turbos are smaller size so other that wasting time doing mods for VOD its always better to remove both turbos and replace with a single turbo, (TD04, TD05H, IHI VF XX ) can be found in SL, then change the exhaust system (4 down, 3 exhaust). No lag, no VOD, more power. But its very important to identify the different between hesitation and VOD. Hesitation is caused by the bad plugs, coil, grounding etc.

[charitha19]

well.. this is just great. i had my mind set on getting a B4 TT but all the negativitiy surrounding the TT gearbox kept me away.. now u all gone and made some sense.. so i have to look for one again..

damn..... but i am still skeptical on how these B4's that are up on sale are maintained.. can senok identify if there are issues in the B4.. or would they say everything is ok.. and one fine day i will be stuck on the road.....

[Gayan Weerakoon]

Hey is the auto B4 fast too? im sure the manual version is....

So the agents stock most parts which is a good thing....the look and styling of the B4 is super beats most cars on our Sri Lankan roads anyday....

One things for sure though it has no second hand market.... there seems to be B4's that have been advertised for months without a sale...Also i think its to do with the owners as well and they seem to be not intrested in all in selling more like buy it or leave it attitude....there was one car advertised 2 months ago from Colombo 5 i got so pissed off with the owner as he had major attitude.

[GihanFX]

Stock Legacy's are not that fast, it weight a lot, more than the Forester,