Did anybody else NOT test drive their FR-S/BRZ before purchase?

[K2]

Been test driving the car since I picked it up last May.

[thill]

I have been reading car magazines for well over 20+ years (got my first subscription to Car And Driver when I was 13). They hype cars all the time. When the fifth generation Camaro was released in 09, C&D praised it tremendously. Even the interior and handling. I test drove one. I was finding it really hard to believe that the car they reviewed and the car I drove were the same car. Since then C&D has been more honest with their review of the car, and while I like to read glowing reviews of a car just as much as the rest of you, I just don't put that much stock in them. Especially when journalists start to go overboard with praise.

The twins, IMHO, are slightly overhyped in the media. Now, before you want to tar and feather me please understand that I traded in a 14 month old 2013 Genesis Coupe that I was more than happy with. I love my BRZ. A lot. But I still think there have been cars out there recently (S2000, RX-8, MX-5) that are every-bit the drivers car the twins are. In some ways I would say even more the drivers car. That said, for me, none of them have been practical enough for everyday driving, and the fact that I occasionally have to put a kid or two in the backseat, that means the MX-5 is not going to work. And I am not particularly fond of convertibles since I am in Minnesota. I almost bought an RX-8 twice, but having owned three RX-7's in the past I was not sure I was not sure how practical the Rotary would be as a daily driver (rotary upkeep, and poor gas mileage).

The point is folks you really should drive what else is out there and certainly test drive your car before you buy it. A car is a big investment. For many people it is the biggest investment they have ever made. I cannot imagine buying a house or renting an apartment without taking a tour of it first.

[Patrix]

Jeremy Clarkson did it for me.

[FIREISFUN135]

Nope. My Subaru dealer doesn't let anyone test drive there BRZ, STi, or WRX. Makes sense really.

[ProTekk]

Saw it when I was on a business trip in Miami on a Monday, put a deposit down Wednesday, flew back home Friday morning and drove off the lot with it by 2 PM. No test drive.

[thill]

Originally Posted by FIREISFUN135

Nope. My Subaru dealer doesn't let anyone test drive there BRZ, STi, or WRX. Makes sense really.

I don't think it makes sense. Now if you told the dealer you have zero intent of buying one but just want to go for a joyride? Yeah, I can see the dealer saying sorry, but no. But I cannot imagine having a dealer deny me a test drive of a car I am interested in buying. I would run, not walk, out of that dealer.

[sprintertrueno86]

Originally Posted by Patrix

Jeremy Clarkson did it for me.

Chris Harris did it for me.

Watched his GT86 review a million times.

[Dake]

Originally Posted by Skyhound

I have no idea how people can be proud of the fact that they didn't test drive their cars before buying them. That's like saying that you should buy a new suit with trying it on.

I got mine with the very first wave that came to the US. I was the second person who ever even looked at the car and they tried to get me to just jump on it right away. However, I HAD to test drive it.

You all have to realize that the car could have easily been a huge flop when it first came out. Being proud of not test driving a car is silly. :/ It's ignorance at best.

Conversely, many of us purchasing this car have followed it since day one - before the hype machine kicked in. We followed it here as people explored it's plusses AND its negatives and we gained confidence from both.

We know what we've been looking for in a vehicle and the FRS/BRZ fit the bill both on paper and in reviews. I knew this was the car I've been looking for for some time. The only thing I was uncertain of was the color.

Ignorance is assuming you can really tell much of anything driving a car around the block and for one entrance to exit on the highway. That has as much to do with how the vehicle will drive for forty-five minutes in rush-hour traffic or for a ten-hour road trip as it does the price of tea in Wisconsin. But - we're happy it makes you feel better.

[86BRZ]

There is not too much point to test drive <back then> because:
1. A year ago no dealer has any FRS BRZ.
2. Even they have one, that is preordered by someone, so they will only let me sit in, not start engine.
3. There are plenty of expert reviews and good comments that worth me roll a dice.
4. Even a test drive is available, I don't think they will let me go up to the mountain twisties and really test it...a few stop lights on a not break in car is not going to tell the whole story.
5. Ok.. If it is not what I like, I can always sell it and take a small hit. But this is NOT the case, and I like my BRZ more and more each day!

[CAMBAM_6]

I didn't have to because my brother had his frs 3 months before me so I drove his plenty of times

[Speedy000]

I had to wait till the dealer got one to make sure i was going to fit in it. after that it was waiting to find one in a color i wanted.
but i did get a test drive two and knew i wanted it bad.

[Faceless]

I must have been one of the lucky few that found a good dealer that let me take the car and thrash it for about 15 minutes down some back roads. Hell the salesman was actually surprised I was driving it as reserved as I was (never drove a RWD). Got back to the dealership and started signing paperwork. Took a few days for my banks financing, but drove the car off the lot less than a week later with 10 of the 22 original miles being my own test drive.

[5th 86]

After owning the car, i noticed the suspension didn't break in till about 1600km, a drive in an unbroken in car is far different from one that is... I bought my car over the phone from 500km to the dealership, when i got the car i was actually scared i bought the wrong car since the suspension was so stiff. I am kinda glad i didn't test drive since that unbroken in suspension might have swayed me away from my brz, roads in alberta are terrible.

[GT 86 Brah]

went to the dealership and took her home when i saw her