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2007 Subaru Legacy GT

The fourth generation Subaru Legacy GT (BP/BL, 2005-2009) is one of the best designed Subarus of all time. The design came with very clean lines and body panels (no unnecessary body cladding), great engine and transmission options, and no major Subaru quirks. After previously owning a 1997 Legacy wagon, which was another great generation of Subaru's, I told myself that the only car I would replace my '97 wagon with would be another Legacy wagon. And when the circumstances and opportunity presented itself, I did just that...

See also: My 1,700 mile journey picking up my 2007 Subaru Legacy GT wagon.

My LGT wagon has been a great car. It has all of the size and utility of a small SUV but in the package of a mid-size sedan. It's a good daily driver and a great car to take road trips in.

In January 2022, while driving to go meet a fellow member from the Legacy GT forums to pick-up some parts, my LGT blew a valve. A few minutes before it blew the valve, I noticed that the car had backfired/hesitated, which was out of the ordinary. I had also noticed that it seemed sluggish or down on power. I continued down the highway and as I was cresting the Tiger Mountain pass on SR-18, the car lost all power, the check engine and other lights started flashing on the dash, and there was smoke coming from the passenger side of the hood. I was able to safely limp the car off the highway and into a parking lot. It took about seven hours to get towed home.

After taking my LGT to my Subaru shop for their assessment, they determined that I had blown a valve and provided estimates for options. Quoted me for a standard rebuild and it was more than what I was willing to spend.

o On a Sunday, barely above freezing, on HWY 18 at the Tiger Mountain Summit. It was the first-time I've had to use the towing that is a part of my insurance plan. Ended up waiting nearly 7 hours to get a tow truck to show up and take my car. The tow truck was still operating under COVID-19 guidelines and refused to allow passengers in the tow truck. I was entering year five of owning this car and up until this point had been trouble free. Car was still in great shape and still met my needs. In February 2022, there was not another car on the market, in my price range, that was worth the money. After a few weeks of deliberating, I decided that I was going to replace the motor. My Subaru shop gave me an estimate of more than $10,000 to rebuild the motor. They also presented another option of replacing the EJ255 with a EJ205x (more than $5,000 estimate). The EJ205x swap came with other challenges that I didn't really want to get involved in (dealing with getting around the dual AVCS). Decided to rebuild the motor, myself. I did my research. Watched a lot of YouTube videos. Discovered a lot of great Subaru builders: Smeedia, Outlaw, asian guy, It's been a little more than two years since I rebuilt the motor and the car has been running flawlessly. So well in fact that I'm itching to modify it a little more.

Engine/Transmission:

  • Engine/Block: Subaru EJ 257 Type-RA shortblock
  • Heads: Subaru D25 heads (fully rebuilt)
  • Head Studs: ARP
  • Intake: Suburu EJ25 (stock)
  • Injectors: Stock
  • Oil Pump: Subaru 11mm
  • Oil Pick-up: Morso
  • Turbo: Hill Valley Custom IHI VF52 (billet wheel)
  • Downpipe: Invidia Downpipe
  • Exhaust: Stock Catback Exhaust
  • Tune: Tuned by Pacific Import Auto (270 wheel horsepower/300 torque)

Wheels/Suspension/Brakes:

  • Wheels: Enkei RPF1 18x8.5 17" Stock Subaru Legacy GT Wheels
  • Tires: Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus (225/40/18) General AS-05 (215/40/17)
  • Suspension: Fortune Auto 500 Coilovers, Swift Springs (7kg), Custom Valved Koni Yellow (inserts), Swift Springs
  • Control Arms: Mevotech Lower Control Arms (Aluminum)
  • Bushings: Energy
  • Brakes: Factory Calipers, Centric Discs, Akebono Pads

Styling:

  • Front Lip: Bayson R JDM Front Lip
  • Tailights: 2008 Subaru Outback

In-Car Entertainment

  • Display: Custom 7" Android Auto Display
  • Bluetooth: Besign BK01

I'm really pleased with how the car performs. It has got plenty of power for a daily driver, running errands, and weekend road trips. I've put nearly 20,000 miles on the new motor and the car still pulls strong and is reliable (knock on wood). The car rides firm, is really well-planted and handles like a performance sport wagon should, and yet is still comfortable for daily driving and on long road trips. For being an 18 year old car, it's got its share of dings and scratches that maybe someday I'll have addressed. But for now, I'm at a point where I'm content with the car and get a smile out of driving the car.