Rear LSD confirmation for 5spd base Impreza/Legacy and that vs buying newish Subaru.

[RightWingZionist]

http://wac.addr.com/auto/obs/lsd/lsd.html

The only Impreza's with rear LSD are all 2000-2001 2.5RS

Other North American Subaru models with LSD, either as standard equipment or available as an option:

* 2001-2003 Legacy (all)

I'm asking because I've decided %100 to buy a Subaru in late may (when my CD is matured).
I love my 95 accord but it has 120k miles and It has only gotten needed repairs for the front stabilizer bar link bolt assembly, new windshield washer pump, and a left axle I just busted ($220 w/ tow at Mobil). Not bad for 12 years. But I'm sick of the bad weather performance, gas mileage (16mpg, traffic/hwy), and the damn torque steer (178 ft-lb, FWD).

My dillema basically is I will have around 28-30g total in my bank by late may and I can buy a Subaru like this one: http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...500&cardist=29
Price
$16,886
Body Style Wagon
Mileage 1,410
Manual Before haggling in upstate NY.

Or I can "save" money and Buy an older one. If I go for an older one I'll probably aim for the Legacy since it is bigger, and of course I may as well choose from 2001-2003 that come with LCDs supposedly.
What do you guys reccomend?

Another question is, will a Rear LSD give me less oversteer than one with an Open Differential, is the bad weather performance noticeable with a LSD?

Thank you!

[RightWingZionist]

Oy NM on the 00-01 Imprezas. The ones I could find online were overpriced and have oogly interiors imo.
Anyone know about the 03 Legacy? 2003 Legacies look really sexy, like a BMW crossed with a Maxima kind of way.

[Jay!]

The OEM R160 Rear LSDs are viscous instead of mechanical and are only marginally effective. They make some difference, but not nearly as much as beefing up other suspension parts, like sway bars and strut towers. I personally can't speak to bad-weather driving, since I live in a nice, dry desert.

[freakray]

Dude, that website is so misleading regarding which models have LSD's it's frigging ridiculous!!
Go here and review the car specs by year:

http://www.cars101.com/impreza.html

As for the LSD, I had one in the 2001 Forester at the same time as I had the '98 RS without one, I can honestly say I didn't notice any difference, and that was in rain, snow, sleet.....

[mr_tw]

well i don't own, but a lsd should help, but being a viscous diff it wont be a huge difference, rule of thumb is that in the snoww you have 1 wd because it's really easy to spin one tire when accelerating, awd has 2wd and with 1 lsd you should have 3 wd but as long as your not spinning (with awd you have to be quite aggressive to invoke wheelspin) you still have 4wd, and if you have 30k in the bank, i'd go for a new car, and with that money you could pick up a wrx fairly easily (unless you live in canada) your looking at 24-25k (Canada is 35k) because the only new ones with the LSD for new ones are the WRX and the STi. Well hopefully that helps a bit

[SabreKhan]

The AWD system will be such a difference in bad-weather traction even without the LSD that you'll think you've died and gone to automotive heaven. I highly recommend a new Subaru. Resale value on Subarus is great right now, and I don't expect it to falter in the near future, so you'll be wasting your money on a used one. As for my '04 WRX, oversteer has never been a problem, even in the wet/ice. In fact, I put *more* oversteer into my car with a swaybar because I was tired of plowing at autocrosses. The front-bias on the AWD system is very front-bias (excepting, of course, the STi).

[RightWingZionist]

Thanks for the insight guys.
I want a NA engine so I don't drive like a maniac (which I would in a wrx), it will last longer with no turbo and require less maintenance. It will also use less gas and cheaper gas. I don't want to spend everything I have in my bank like a 30 year old man who buys a porsche and lives with his parents (I dont live w. my parents).
You guys dont think it's worth saving around 2 grand for a used 07 Impreza with less than 2K miles?

[SabreKhan]

The N/A motors are well worth it, too. If they're selling it with less than 2K on it, what's wrong with it?

[mr_tw]

I bought a used car, but i HATE buying used cars, i know of a few people who got screwed buying a "mint" car with low milage, where even a mechanic never found anything, and within a month and a half they each had a major tranny or engine problem, I on the other hand got lucky, but there are too many people just trying to make a buck, who would sooner screw you than be honest, which in short is why i view the 2k as easily worth it, you break it in nice and you know exactily how the car has been treated and maintained. Not to mention that buying a brand new car always comes with a bit of pride, but thats just my 2 cents, (well maybe more like 50 cents i rambled a bit sorry man)

[RightWingZionist]

Hmm..you are 100% right. After the $5oo rebate and end of year sale it will be a lil over $17500 invoice including 3% hold back. Have you looked at the 2008 models? They look like pos, so a new 2007 end of year sale is Win Win.