Used FRS vs. new BRZ

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targa_top

Well, OK, I'll give you that one ......


humfrz

[Coachrhino11]

I’m well aware it’s targa top, still pretty sweet. I’m not 100% opposed to soft top either. But being as I already have ST Jeep, BRZ enters equation.

[86 South Africa]

Originally Posted by Coachrhino11

I’m sure this has been discussed. I’m getting ready to test drive new BRZ in manual and auto soon and looking at RF Miata as well along with a few others. I’m new to the twins world, no experience at all. I’m realizing after looking st used market how many ‘13-‘16 FRS with low miles there are for around 15-16k. How much has actually changed? Is it worth dropping way more for new? No tracking, just 2nd dd.

Thx

Personally take the financial savings, get a quality used car and you’ve got a whole pocket full of change for other cool stuff like headers, tune, maybe even FI if you want to go that way.
You ain’t getting much more by going for a new one.

[Coachrhino11]

Wanted to bring up I saw ‘13 FR-S yesterday here on Craigslist with 70xxx for 12k. Here’s catch. Just had Subaru replace entire engine last month, only 200 miles. Shows all paperwork from power train warranty I’m assuming. Damn! It was like 11-12k for parts, labor, everything! Comes with new transferable warranty.

[woodchip]

Originally Posted by Coachrhino11

15k?! No. I built new BRZ on site the way I wanted, MT, PP, exhaust and short shifter being options and it was 32 and change, around same as RF at least here in states.15k if you are comparing used FR-S to new RF which makes no sense. Other than top, I’m not seeing RF offering much more goodies. I just love looks personally and it was fun to drive.

Here the difference at base is 3500.But loaded the difference is 10000.With either I would by base, drive it and then mod to suit. the price difference is too small to worry about. lots of test drives and buy what u like best

[Coachrhino11]

Honestly, if talking soft tops, I personally like Abarth more than Miata body style better and turbo. I drove it and really liked it. Again, big spread between Classica and Abarth as with every entry and top end model.

[HKz]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

A dealership "certified" used car, at least the one I bought, comes with a full year/12K bumper-to-bumper warranty, and a BETTER drivetrain warranty than the same car new from the same dealership. The "experience of new car ownership" is really only two things; paying a LOT more money for the bragging rights of putting the first 20k or 30k miles on the car, and the ego-boost of showing your friends (and yourself?) that you bought a new car.

New cars make absolutely NO financial sense. I've bought two in my life, and will never, and I mean NEVER, buy another new car.

'72 Datsun B210 (first car in college.. gift from parents with 97K miles on it)
'73 Oldsmobile Delta 88 (girlfriend-and-eventual-wife's college car she bought for $400)
'71 Fiat Spider (private sale)
'74 Fiat Spider (private sale in a pile of parts)
'82 Ford E150 manual van (bought new) ($10k, stripped cargo van; passenger seat for wife was an OPTION)
'80-something Dodge Colt E (Mistubishi, bought privately for $500)
'81 Nissan Sentra (bought from friend, $1200)
'89 Colt Vista (Mitsubishi, bought new) (approx $12K, IIRC)
'92 Ford Aerostar (bought dealer certified used) (approx $12K)
'91 Audi 80 (bought in terrible shape from private "dealer") ($1K)
'93 Toyota Celica (bought dealer certified used) (approx $12K)
'93 BMW 325i (bought from dealer in as-is condition from auction) ($8.5K, and best bang for the buck of all of my cars ever)
'93 Range Rover County LWB (bought in charity auction from church, $15K)
'89 Volvo 240 (private sale, $900)
'92 Volvo 240 (private sale, $1200)
'88 Mercedes 560SL (eBay purchase, nightmare, $15K)
'99 Mercedes ML430 (local used car dealer, $15k)
'06 Mercedes ML500 (same local used car dealer, $12K, but needed new tranny)
'13 Scion FR-S (Toyota/Scion dealership, certified, $17K)

I had nothing but trouble with the Ford van I bought new, and gave up on it at about 65K miles. The other new car, the Dodge/Mitsu Colt Vista, was a great little family truckster, but only went 125k miles before it became unreliable.

Best bangs for the buck were the 325i by a long shot (I put almost 200K miles on it myself, and the only problems it ever had were stuff that is SUPPOSED to wear out), followed by, believe it or not, the Ford Aerostar (we put over 200K on that ourselves), the Celica (of course.. 235K on it before giving it to our oldest son in college), and the ML430 (235K on it, 150K of which were ours) before the salt and multiple deer hits took it's toll on it.

Worst cars, fiscally, were the Rover (although we love, Love, LOVED it, the high-for-us purchase price, constant maintenance and repairs, and rusting out of liftgate made it a tough vehicular partner), the two Fiats (lots of fun, never ran reliably, but were cheap so maybe NOT necessarily a bad bang-for-buck), the ML500 (simply because I had to sink SO much time and money into it to fix a bunch of undisclosed problems.. $1500 worth of modules, $7000 for tranny and torque converter, and a host of other expensive stuff; the $12K bargain turned into paying $22K total for a car worth maybe $15K.. and less, now.. but it's been great for the past year or two). AND.. the FR-S. Not because it isn't a fun car, or reliable, or cheap to drive.. but because I paid more for it (except for the ML500 w/ repairs) than any other car. There's no WAY it'll equal the 325i, no matter how many miles I put on it, in terms of value for your dollar.

On another note, you can tell by my list that we're not exactly filthy rich. On the other hand, we haven't had car loans in decades, and have paid off our mortgage. I've loved driving BMW, Mercedes, Range Rover, and Volvo vehicles. Plan on eventually owning a Porsche. No way we could do ANY of that new. I just don't get why anyone would want to pay new car prices for any reason. Heck, I saw a new Toyota Sienna minivan at the dealership a few days ago... for over $50K!!!! Unbelievable. If I had $50k to spend on a car, I'd buy four great used cars and put two in storage for the future.

Yeah, I kind of feel strongly about this issue. Sorry for the long-winded trip through memory lane. I just don't get it, though.. what is so great about buying a new car? Where's the value in it?

obviously it isn't the best "bang for your buck" for transportation purposes but it is still a different experience to own a car from the very start that at least some folks appreciate. People are too uptight about money, fine, but not everyone has to have that worrying about every dollar mentality. Plus, it depends on where you draw the line...objectively even a used FRS is a waste of money compared to the hordes of econoboxes out there like in your case, so really it is all pointless..

I don't care about the warranty especially when it comes to a Toyota backed product...I got both my '13 and '16 FRS brand new and neither had problems I'll be looking forward to getting the Surpa new

[e30kawi]

Originally Posted by Coachrhino11

Wanted to bring up I saw ‘13 FR-S yesterday here on Craigslist with 70xxx for 12k. Here’s catch. Just had Subaru replace entire engine last month, only 200 miles. Shows all paperwork from power train warranty I’m assuming. Damn! It was like 11-12k for parts, labor, everything! Comes with new transferable warranty.

I saw this car the other day on there. It's a brz limited. I wouldn't be scared of it having a new motor installed under warranty, especially if he has the proper paperwork. Honda replaced the motor in my 08 civic in October under warranty. Haven't had a single issue in 8,000 miles. I assume Subaru does similar work.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by HKz

...but it is still a different experience to own a car from the very start that at least some folks appreciate.

Actually that is something that varies by individual. To me, there is absolutely no difference between buying a new car and a used car in terms of my own personal experience with it. If anything, I enjoy buying a used car more because there are typically better (higher quality/performance/etc) used cars in my determined price range.

But, in the end, the overall experience is the same for me.

[HKz]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Actually that is something that varies by individual. To me, there is absolutely no difference between buying a new car and a used car in terms of my own personal experience with it. If anything, I enjoy buying a used car more because there are typically better (higher quality/performance/etc) used cars in my determined price range.

But, in the end, the overall experience is the same for me.

isn't that what I said? Some folks appreciate what one gets in a new car, I didn't say everyone. I personally love the new car smell, taking off the factory plastics over trim pieces, knowing that every little ding and scratch is from me, etc.. And tbh the car, at least in the case of the 86, feels slightly different coming right off the lot than getting into a used one.

[Spacemane969]

I would say if you've modded in the past go with the used and dump some fun money into it. If a new lease seems a bit tight on the budget buy used and try NOT to dump fun money on it. If this type of car is new territory for you like it was for me, get the new brz. There are little things that would add up for a more pleasurable experience like the radio steering wheel controls. There are just so many minor unknown factors like for instance I need my AC tuned up..can I live with it? Absolutely, but I probably won't give the dealer $120+ to pump it with Freon if I'm planning on trading.
P.s. I can't tell you how many times I wish I had heated mirrors..not sure if that's an option on new brzs.

[Geese1]

Originally Posted by Spacemane969

P.s. I can't tell you how many times I wish I had heated mirrors..not sure if that's an option on new brzs.

New BRZs, at least the 18s, have the heated side mirrors as standard. At least they do on the Limited, but I'm pretty sure on the Premium as well.

[Coachrhino11]

Lol, never once thought about heated mirrors. I live in Texas. We did have some winter here this year for us.

[Vic4uf]

A fully loaded RF with Brembo/BBS package reaches STI territory at $35k. Even the salesman at Mazda agreed it’s expensive for a Miata. In 2005, I bought MY04 S2k used and I kept it for 5 years. I always said that next time I buy a sports car I would buy new so when I saw the RS 2.0 brand new in the showroom I had to have it. I felt if I’m keeping it long term I wanted the satisfaction of knowing it was broken in properly and the money I would have saved wouldn’t matter as much in the 5-6 years of ownership. However, the new BRZ PP is enticing and if not for the depreciation of my RS 2.0 I would probably trade up. The RF is fun and I love the targa styling but I can’t justify the $35k price tag. Sticker price on the BRZ PP in S.Florida was around $27.5k and I figured I could get them to lower the price.