A family member bought a 2006 pre-facelift 3.0L R Spec B new here in Australia, and still has it today… almost 300,000kms. Has never been thrashed. Not a single problem. Ever. Punchy power, silky smooth engine, great sound system. Agree with everything you’ve said. The gearbox turns to mush though and hence those bushings needed to be done like you mentioned. I now own a flashed 2006 CL9 auto as a daily, but I still appreciate that gen Liberty/Legacy as a great car
I got one too. I've taken it from about 190k km to about 250k km and thing has given me minor issues but never let me down. I redline it once at least most days including a whole day of a track day and it's amazing really. I'm sure the Honda can also take a beating but yeah its been impressive.
@@Jack-qn4vt yeh for a Subaru it really makes you think twice why they never went the Porsche route and made a performer flat 6 but then again it would of out performed there main star the sti…. At least we get a price of automotive history theirs many inline 4s but rare to see a boxer 6 👌🏽
@@KiwiCarLife There is a solution aside of the bushes, there is a 6speed oem subie sti shorthrow kit, that tightents the linkages and it feels as direct as Honda shifter while throw is reduced by a tiny bit.
I have this Legacy but with the AT and mine is estate. In my opinion it is a bit heavy and this feeling is emphasized by the big engine totally in front of the whole drivetrain. This car loves high speed corners but if you take it on the short, tight corners, race track - which is the closes kind near me - you will be surprised by the weight and weight distribution in this car. But as the high speed , long distance trips it is the choice...especially if you expect an unexpected weather conditions - nothing is going to stop this machine!
I own a Gen5 LGT but actually would prefer the CL9 vs the Gen4 Lib I reckon. I feel I'd have more fun in the CL9 at the track (and possibly worry less about coolant temps vs the EZ30) but also I think it's one of the best, and maybe the best looking JDM sedan of all time, comparing with the JZX100 Chaser. The CL9 has a decent amount of aftermarket mods for it and it just looks way more aggressive/modern. The gen4 is really showing its age with the design...
seen the weight classes, nice, next you can put power to weight ratio🤭, I do think interior sizing is usefull information, back seat space ect, for carrying passengers. Like maybe the legacy wins in the back seat department, maybe not, another interesting one is back seat comfort, just like you talked about the ride quality, I've yet to see a channel talk about back seat ride comfort as some cars are smooth in the front and rough in the back, just like some people😂
Driven the legacy 3.0 wagon today. The car is an import and definitely need the bushing to be replaced, the car paint is also oxidised. However, the engine is indeed smooth as butter and powerful, the gear ratio is also marvellous and the handling for me is not bad at all. Great review as always Liam!
I know it’s a bit bigger and bit of a boat but in NZ a BA MK2 + XR6 Turbo should be able to bought for that price and would decimate these 2 for power but probably not as chuckable
@@KiwiCarLife definitely weight would make it not a tight in the corners, but you can get it with a 6 speed manual and have a very solid highway cruiser
They are great, but I think you're wrong. If you drove my 2006 Skyline 350GT 6spd, you might agree! Starts effortlessly in 2nd gear, gets to 7300rpm in 5th in no time (too scared to change up to 6th). Gear change, steering, brakes outstanding. Factory LSD. Sounds incredible. And same sort of $$$. Love your channel and your formula. Wellington car if interested. Couple of other cars in garage you would like too.
i have a 3.0R Subaru ii love to drive it but the kilometers concern me i will bring my car to a Subarui mechanic and i just wanna have a healthy sedan with japanese roots ^^ geetings from germany
For the same price id much rather the turbo 2 litre legacy gt spec b. Les understeer, much more powerful, more rev happy as it revs to 8k and reliability cannot be beaten with the 2 litre single turbos. Also that 6 speed is a great box
They're pretty similar in a straight line because the EJ20X in the BL/BP with it's twin scroll makes all its punch in the middle of the rev range and the EZ revs better. The EJ20X isn't even close to the EZ in terms of reliability.
Flat 6 is far more reliable than any turbo charged Subaru, you can hang the rev limiter at 7k on these till the cows come home and you won't blow the car up. They sound far better too and that overhang is a bit over emphasised, the weight difference between both engines is not all that great in the end. Saloons weigh less than wagons too
Considering importing a facelift legacy spec b should i go with the 2.0 turbo or h6? Seems h6 are harder to come by and would be worth the price difference?
Why not Skyline 350GT (6MT) coupe ? That's my current car and I used to own the Legacy 3.0R 6MT with Bilstein. The 350GT had far more neutral handling then the Legacy. The Legacy tends to understeer way more. The 350GT also feels way more torquey than the Legacy all through the rev range as expected with 0.5L more displacement. It's also a timeless design like these! The only I miss about the Legacy was the shorter gearing.
Whatever you say, the Legacy looks much better. With much more character. In contrast to the casual/generic design of the Honda. The Legacy may appeal to people from Audi and BMW, who would not dare to be seen at a Honda...
Cheap? I agree the Legacy is but your Euro R is not typically in the same price category. I'm only jealous I didn't buy one back when tidy ones were like $8k
@@StackhouseKnives I drove 2016 Legacy 3.6R with cvt, it nullifies the engine completely, and its barely audible. EZ30 Spec B is infinetly better. If EZ36 was offered with 6mt and was tuned for performance like 3L was then it would make 300hp or more. Instead it makes 260 which is just 15 more than spec b.
I have some sort of a problem that annoys me: In my Accord Cl9, when I'm driving and reving the engine over 5000 rpm, like to 7000rpm and want to shift in the next gear, I can't put it in the next gear, until the rpm drop to about 5000. It just don't let me put it in the next gear. For example from 3rd to 4th, or 4th to 5th. Does somebody knows why this is the case ? P.s. the clutch is fully pressed when changing gears and below 5000 rpm everything is working smooth like butter.
@@KiwiCarLife Alright, I guess it's not the master cylinder, because it would probably be also noticeable when driving at low rpm's. Would love to be able to shift as quick as you do it in your videos again :( May it be the case, because some sort of bushings, maybe from the gearbox, engine or suspension are not doing their job properly anymore ?
I have a MY08 3.0 Spec B, 6 speed. It chews up miles while not even getting pushed, 80mph is at a pedestrian 3k rpm or something like that. In 7 1/2 years I changed wheel bearings, reverse switch, CV boots and a sticky caliper. You need to keep on top of services on these cars or they will bite you in the ass and keep on biting but as long as you look after them they will look after you so to speak. I had a CL9 accord, as well as Lexus and supercharged Mercs with 500+ BHP but for an all round car the Subaru wins due to handling and that gearbox. In the rain particularly it in a league of its own
2222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222, my bad my headphones were sitting on my laptop key board, what I was gonna say is that I love you, no homo
@@KiwiCarLife only 2.5 ejs have that problem. 2.0L and other engines just like ez30 had no such issues. I would go for ez30 too, it just sounds too good and i preffer N/A cars myself.
A family member bought a 2006 pre-facelift 3.0L R Spec B new here in Australia, and still has it today… almost 300,000kms. Has never been thrashed. Not a single problem. Ever. Punchy power, silky smooth engine, great sound system. Agree with everything you’ve said. The gearbox turns to mush though and hence those bushings needed to be done like you mentioned. I now own a flashed 2006 CL9 auto as a daily, but I still appreciate that gen Liberty/Legacy as a great car
100% agree
I got one too. I've taken it from about 190k km to about 250k km and thing has given me minor issues but never let me down.
I redline it once at least most days including a whole day of a track day and it's amazing really.
I'm sure the Honda can also take a beating but yeah its been impressive.
@@Jack-qn4vt yeh for a Subaru it really makes you think twice why they never went the Porsche route and made a performer flat 6 but then again it would of out performed there main star the sti…. At least we get a price of automotive history theirs many inline 4s but rare to see a boxer 6 👌🏽
@@KiwiCarLife There is a solution aside of the bushes, there is a 6speed oem subie sti shorthrow kit, that tightents the linkages and it feels as direct as Honda shifter while throw is reduced by a tiny bit.
Finally, another legacy review, please just please try a turbo one if you ever get a chance
Ehh I'm not a huge fan of the turbos but maybe
Greetings from Kenya. I have the 2005 5speed legacy GT. Slightly heavy but great compromise for comfort over long distances. Great car
Indeed
I have this Legacy but with the AT and mine is estate. In my opinion it is a bit heavy and this feeling is emphasized by the big engine totally in front of the whole drivetrain. This car loves high speed corners but if you take it on the short, tight corners, race track - which is the closes kind near me - you will be surprised by the weight and weight distribution in this car. But as the high speed , long distance trips it is the choice...especially if you expect an unexpected weather conditions - nothing is going to stop this machine!
Yup agree it handles kinda Audi ish in that regard
@@KiwiCarLife exactly!
@@KiwiCarLife Well because Audi is only other car brand that has almost identical layout.
I wonder how 330i e46 3series sedan/wagon would compare tho.
I own a Gen5 LGT but actually would prefer the CL9 vs the Gen4 Lib I reckon. I feel I'd have more fun in the CL9 at the track (and possibly worry less about coolant temps vs the EZ30) but also I think it's one of the best, and maybe the best looking JDM sedan of all time, comparing with the JZX100 Chaser. The CL9 has a decent amount of aftermarket mods for it and it just looks way more aggressive/modern. The gen4 is really showing its age with the design...
Yeah agree CL9 is excellent
oh how this has aged
seen the weight classes, nice, next you can put power to weight ratio🤭, I do think interior sizing is usefull information, back seat space ect, for carrying passengers.
Like maybe the legacy wins in the back seat department, maybe not, another interesting one is back seat comfort, just like you talked about the ride quality, I've yet to see a channel talk about back seat ride comfort as some cars are smooth in the front and rough in the back, just like some people😂
True haha
Would still prefer the euro r, because of the satisfaction of it having vtec and a higher redline
Yeah man euro r is super fun
Driven the legacy 3.0 wagon today. The car is an import and definitely need the bushing to be replaced, the car paint is also oxidised. However, the engine is indeed smooth as butter and powerful, the gear ratio is also marvellous and the handling for me is not bad at all. Great review as always Liam!
Thanks man and yeah it’s getting harder to find nice ones. But even so they’re still epic to drive
@@KiwiCarLife May I ask which year or model of the 3.0 starts to have bilstein if you know?
@@brando79 it’s not a year things is more to do with spec
@@brando79 'Spec B' is what you're looking for.
I know it’s a bit bigger and bit of a boat but in NZ a BA MK2 + XR6 Turbo should be able to bought for that price and would decimate these 2 for power but probably not as chuckable
Not manual though, and as a complete package I'd much rather have these. Decimate for power sure, but on a back road/track? no
@@KiwiCarLife definitely weight would make it not a tight in the corners, but you can get it with a 6 speed manual and have a very solid highway cruiser
@@KiwiCarLife fully agreed. Having owned a 1500+ kg car even on coilovers I appreciate something that handles. And good looking ie the Euro!
@@keno88 have you heard the h6 sing ? Sounds like a baby Porsche with a full exhaust
@@deathtoming2201 of course, flat six will sing like a flat six. This is more than about sound though 😅
I still drive this accord everyday, 18y old. Actually im traveling across Europe with him without problems.
Nice!
I’d still love my 3L R 6 speed wagon ❤️
Nice man! Me too
Hard to argue, both would be fine by me!
Agree
They are great, but I think you're wrong. If you drove my 2006 Skyline 350GT 6spd, you might agree! Starts effortlessly in 2nd gear, gets to 7300rpm in 5th in no time (too scared to change up to 6th). Gear change, steering, brakes outstanding. Factory LSD. Sounds incredible. And same sort of $$$. Love your channel and your formula. Wellington car if interested. Couple of other cars in garage you would like too.
vq trumpet but like i agree with majority of what u said (is350 is better when u but the is300 lsd in)
True, IS350 and Skyline 350GT are also very good. Would be keen to do a review!
How do I get in touch?
liamkendrew@gmail.com or @kiwicarlife.yt on insta
I guess you don't check your emails very often Lol
Oh man both are sick honda man allday but the spec b 3.0r just dang I can't decide brother! Love the channel bro Chur to the chur!
They're both excellent
Get an Xforce exhaust with Raptor headers for the Subie Liam and she will sound glorious
That's the plan!
i have a 3.0R Subaru ii love to drive it but the kilometers concern me i will bring my car to a Subarui mechanic and i just wanna have a healthy sedan with japanese roots ^^ geetings from germany
Guten tag
Euro R CL7R any day.
Probably the Best Drive for a Sedan
Yeah it's good for sure
For the same price id much rather the turbo 2 litre legacy gt spec b. Les understeer, much more powerful, more rev happy as it revs to 8k and reliability cannot be beaten with the 2 litre single turbos. Also that 6 speed is a great box
Ehh I prefer the ez30. Just a more characterful engine. Turbo boxer 4’s are everywhere
Reliable and subaru don't belong in the same sentence
They're pretty similar in a straight line because the EJ20X in the BL/BP with it's twin scroll makes all its punch in the middle of the rev range and the EZ revs better. The EJ20X isn't even close to the EZ in terms of reliability.
Flat 6 is far more reliable than any turbo charged Subaru, you can hang the rev limiter at 7k on these till the cows come home and you won't blow the car up. They sound far better too and that overhang is a bit over emphasised, the weight difference between both engines is not all that great in the end. Saloons weigh less than wagons too
_good match up, great drag race_ 😁
Thanks man
Legacy B4 forever ❤
Good car
We would love to see some older car reviews if you can find any
Maybe
Considering importing a facelift legacy spec b should i go with the 2.0 turbo or h6? Seems h6 are harder to come by and would be worth the price difference?
I'd go H6, more character and more reliable
nice video👍👍👍
Thanks
Why not Skyline 350GT (6MT) coupe ? That's my current car and I used to own the Legacy 3.0R 6MT with Bilstein. The 350GT had far more neutral handling then the Legacy. The Legacy tends to understeer way more. The 350GT also feels way more torquey than the Legacy all through the rev range as expected with 0.5L more displacement. It's also a timeless design like these!
The only I miss about the Legacy was the shorter gearing.
Yeah true the 350gt would probably fit into that bunch too
Front engine RWD car will obviously have such handling. Keep in mind leggy has entire engine ahead of the front axle aside of permanent awd.
Whatever you say, the Legacy looks much better. With much more character. In contrast to the casual/generic design of the Honda. The Legacy may appeal to people from Audi and BMW, who would not dare to be seen at a Honda...
@@DBAUG looks are definitely subjective, both are great looking cars
Cool video, by the way I have a couple of interesting things for subaru))
Thanks man
I reckon Twin turbo b4 would be the best option for 10 grand
Nahh I'd rather have the EZ30 coz N/A is the life
@@KiwiCarLife fair enough
Nice videos bro, only one think.. why do you have steering wheel on wrong side ?
I flip my videos around before posting them
@@KiwiCarLifeI saw this on your Instagram story 💀💀💀
😂
aaa thats on point, thank you :D :D :D@@KiwiCarLife
Subaru 3.0 wagon automatic the best ever..
Yuck wagon
Good day Liam. Tell me what's the availability of the euro r gearbox in your area?
Not easy to come by at all
you should compare a mazda rx8 6spd to your euro r
Would be cool
That scream !!!
Yuuurs
Cheap? I agree the Legacy is but your Euro R is not typically in the same price category. I'm only jealous I didn't buy one back when tidy ones were like $8k
They're getting back down to that price again
@@KiwiCarLife interesting thanks fit heads up
Must have fun in the Ez36 if you like the ez30
Ez36 is auto only, and barely more powerful. Ez30 is the best 6 subie made
@@KiwiCarLife of course it would be still cool to see a comparison maybe with the newer model legacy with the 3.6l
@@StackhouseKnives I drove 2016 Legacy 3.6R with cvt, it nullifies the engine completely, and its barely audible. EZ30 Spec B is infinetly better.
If EZ36 was offered with 6mt and was tuned for performance like 3L was then it would make 300hp or more. Instead it makes 260 which is just 15 more than spec b.
🔥🔥👌
Yuuurs
You could get a S5 with high km and with a 6 speed for under 15k...
I'd rather have these frankly
I have some sort of a problem that annoys me: In my Accord Cl9, when I'm driving and reving the engine over 5000 rpm, like to 7000rpm and want to shift in the next gear, I can't put it in the next gear, until the rpm drop to about 5000. It just don't let me put it in the next gear. For example from 3rd to 4th, or 4th to 5th. Does somebody knows why this is the case ? P.s. the clutch is fully pressed when changing gears and below 5000 rpm everything is working smooth like butter.
Clutch master cylinder probably going… otherwise synchros. It’s pretty common for these accord gearboxes to get finnicky after a few years and km
@@KiwiCarLife Alright, I guess it's not the master cylinder, because it would probably be also noticeable when driving at low rpm's.
Would love to be able to shift as quick as you do it in your videos again :(
May it be the case, because some sort of bushings, maybe from the gearbox, engine or suspension are not doing their job properly anymore ?
@@dst8636 I wouldn’t rule out the master cylinder…
In the uk even the 2.4 has about 180bhp
Accord? Should be 190
whens the mr2 video! 😂
Coming!
@@KiwiCarLife cant wait 😂
Recommendations for best automatic cars around $10k?
These two but in auto
Gen4 postface Legacy GT 2.5 turbo is the best one for automatic
whats the fuel economy like in the legacy? i imagine not great but I can't find a clear answer anywhere 😂
I average 11L/100km
I get 12-13 litres per 100km. Not very good.
3grfse is250 swap sort of better
I don’t think so personally
Im going to base this on running costs, id never take the subaru . You one wrong CEL or belt failure away from financial ruin.
Haha that’s really not true the ez30 is a very strong engine
I have a MY08 3.0 Spec B, 6 speed. It chews up miles while not even getting pushed, 80mph is at a pedestrian 3k rpm or something like that. In 7 1/2 years I changed wheel bearings, reverse switch, CV boots and a sticky caliper. You need to keep on top of services on these cars or they will bite you in the ass and keep on biting but as long as you look after them they will look after you so to speak. I had a CL9 accord, as well as Lexus and supercharged Mercs with 500+ BHP but for an all round car the Subaru wins due to handling and that gearbox. In the rain particularly it in a league of its own
The 6 cylinder version of this Subaru has chain driven timing gear, not belts.
Legacy sound much better
Yeah they do sound great
Mazdaspeed 6?
Already done one
we call that an acura TSX here
I know haha
E60 M5 when?
Don't know anyone with one
@@KiwiCarLife mhm
2222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222, my bad my headphones were sitting on my laptop key board, what I was gonna say is that I love you, no homo
No homo bro
Honda all the way
Yuuurs
3,0r 2000kg 🤨🤨
1590?
2.0T leggy will eat the euro r
It'll eat its head gaskets that's what it'll do
@@KiwiCarLife that’s American subie with paper head gasket
the jdm ones are bulletproof
@@KiwiCarLife only 2.5 ejs have that problem. 2.0L and other engines just like ez30 had no such issues. I would go for ez30 too, it just sounds too good and i preffer N/A cars myself.
Accord all day. Not even a contest here.
Fair enough
Why?
Accord = Wrong Wheel Drive. Legacy all day long.
@@nicholaskowalski3027 the legacy is a fwd biased awd system HAHAHA
@@KiwiCarLife in automatic yes. In manual legacy got 50/50 all time awd. Very simillar to Audi' quattro.