Where's the inventory?
 

< tl;dr > I want a new BRZ but there aren't any around here. What should I do? < /tl:dr >

Hi, everyone.
My Scion tC seems to be invincible. I bought it new back in 2005 and all I've replaced on it are tires, one set of brake pads, a battery, and spark plugs. Keep oil in it and the thing just RUNS. Every day. Still...I may soon be in a position to get into something new.

I've had my eye on the FR-S/BRZ/86 since it was first introduced. I've been telling people for years that it will be my next car. I can't find anything else on the market that ticks so many of my checkboxes. The BRZ is definitely not for everyone, but for some of us, it's the obvious choice. I know exactly what I want: the BRZ Limited / Manual / Performance Package.

However, there's one slight problem. Where I live (Seattle area) there are no new BRZ's within a couple hundred miles! I traded emails with a nearby dealership and they said there's nothing in the pipeline but they could order one for me. He added that it typically takes 30 to 90 days to get the car, though.

So, it seems like I may have to play the waiting game. If I have to wait three months to get my car, I might as well wait for the 2020s to be announced.

Alternately, there seem to be several 86s at local Toyota dealers. Almost all of them are TRD Special Editions. I definitely prefer the BRZ but I might could work with the TRD 86 if the price was more in line with the BRZ.

It does occur to me that if there are a few TRD 86s sitting around, the dealers may be flexible on price. Is it a safe assumption that I'm not going to get much of a discount if I have to order a BRZ and wait?

So...Should I bide my time and just wait and see if a BRZ Limited shows up locally in the near future?
Or...Should I special order it and wait?
Or...Should I look at a TRD 86?

Thanks in advance!
:thanks:

Denver has a few of them...

https://www.autonationsubaruarapahoe...54bf184379.htm

I bought mine from them. Speak to David. Very good folks.

Look farther afield. Talk to dealers.

Certain areas of the country these cars just cannot stay in stock. But we are getting close to the end of their traditional model year, they seem to make announcements in late September and new cars in October or November.

I'd see if you can get a great deal somewhere, and don't be afraid to travel. It is worth saving a few grand or more.

Just special order it, the way you want it, exactly. If you find one on a lot it's going to be used and probably the crap beaten out of it. I had to drive to a neighboring state (which isn't that far when you live in CT) just to test drive one and it wasn't going into 2nd very easily. Also it was an FRS and I wanted the BRZ. But I ordered a Hyperblue and lived happily ever after. (It took MONTHS to get it but well worth the wait just to have it my way).

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Travel for it. Test drive an 86 locally then find the BRZ you want and go get it. A nice little road trip home, maybe up the coast or on some back roads will be a great intro to the car. There is something to be said for waiting and getting that new green one though ;)

Heuberger Subaru was giving pretty good discounts back in the day. Many were getting the car shipped to their door cheaper then local dealers were doing.

Or go see what kind of deal they will give on the TRD.

When my transmission went out under warranty I brought my car to this dealer. They did not want to replace the tranny, which was obviously the issue. Instead they replaced the driveshaft and some other things. Eventually they realized I was right, but still refused to replace it. I had to go to another dealer to have the work done.
The GM of the original dealership accused me of drifting the car. I told him I drive it on tracks, but never abuse nor drift the car. There was no basis for his accusation. When I told him I did not drift it, he replied with "Yeah you do." When I denied it again, he said, "Yeah you do." Then he told me to leave and never come back. Classy guy. It was one of the worst service experience of my life.

Look online, find car, call dealership, agree, get in writing, fly out, sign paperwork, drive back, drive to work on Monday with your new BRZ. Yes, you have to eat a weekend of your life and the cost of a plane ticket (or three if shit doesn't work out). Seattle to San Jose plane ticket on Delta is $50 for Saturday August 31st.

Here's one in Livermore California, $29,500, BRZ, Limited, MT, PP
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/new/se...ting=240084007

Edit: Santa Rosa CA
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/new/se...ting=246117840

Reno NV
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/new/se...ting=244767872



2020 holds nothing except maybe some different paint colors, don't waste your time waiting.

Order one. Have it your way. Waiting is bad but eventually you'll start to forget, and then one day, you'll get the call.

My call came during my father-law's funeral. Did not expect that...

You said you've liked the twins for a very long time, right?

So ordering and waiting another 30-90 days shouldn't really be too bad in the scheme of things, right?

Plus you can rest assured it'll have _very_ low miles on the odo (mine had like 6 miles maybe when I picked it up?).

Thanks for all the replies!

It seems there are two camps:
The "fly out and drive back" folks, and
The "order the right one and wait" contingent.

I assume it's no big deal to buy a car out of state, right? I'll just go to my local DMV, pay a couple grand in taxes plus the registration fees for the new plates and away I go?

And if I were to preorder a car to my exact specs, how much prepayment does the typical dealership expect from me? Is that totally negotiable?

There are not that many options on this car, you should be able to find a car with all the options/color you want somewhere. I would start there. So what if it is half way across the country. Best way to break you engine in is long highway miles. Make it a vacation. You chances of getting a good discount on an ordered car I would think is less.

The dealer is not a bad resource for finding a car ether. They swap inventory all the time. A couple of cars I purchased I walked into the dealer I wanted and told them they do not have my car on their lot. If they can get a car with XYZ I will by it for $X. I have had 2 dealers find the car at another dealer and pay shipping to get what I wanted.

This is a good point! I'll start widening the net. The configuration I'm looking for should not be that uncommon. Once I find something that looks right, I can figure out how to approach it. (Road trip vs. dealer swap).