2015 WRX vs. FR-S/BRZ

[frsinpa]

Considering trading in my FR-S towards one of these (due to FR-S being nailed by a drunk driver.. Resulting in $13K of damage).

Any thoughts from the folks out there?.. Who are probably much more knowledgeable than I am haha

Previous cars were 1992 Celica, 2003 Camry, and 2013 FR-S.. So haven't owned a boosted car.


Also, I would be going from AT to MT..

[MokSpeed]

Originally Posted by frsinpa

Considering trading in my FR-S towards one of these (due to FR-S being nailed by a drunk driver.. Resulting in $13K of damage).

Any thoughts from the folks out there?.. Who are probably much more knowledgeable than I am haha

Previous cars were 1992 Celica, 2003 Camry, and 2013 FR-S.. So haven't owned a boosted car.


Also, I would be going from AT to MT..

My best advice would be to go test drive one for yourself if possible. It's kind of like the FR-S/BRZ experience. People could tell you their opinion about it all day, but you don't really know until you drive it! That being said, it may or may not be for you. You won't know until you go check it out. That's the fun part of car shopping.

As far as owning a car with forced induction it's a wiser route to buy one that comes factory setup with it ESPECIALLY if it's your first one. I'd still highly recommend doing your homework and research on forced induction, but at least you know your car is setup properly out the factory for it.

[swpbrz]

Advice above is perfect. Did you want more power? I read something yesterday that said with aturbo its good to let the engine cool down at the end of a drive or the turbo will burn up oil because it gets so hot. So that might be something to consider in owning one. Warm up and cool down time.

[MokSpeed]

Originally Posted by swpbrz

Advice above is perfect. Did you want more power? I read something yesterday that said with aturbo its good to let the engine cool down at the end of a drive or the turbo will burn up oil because it gets so hot. So that might be something to consider in owning one. Warm up and cool down time.

Turbo timer

[thill]

Originally Posted by frsinpa

Considering trading in my FR-S towards one of these (due to FR-S being nailed by a drunk driver.. Resulting in $13K of damage).

Any thoughts from the folks out there?.. Who are probably much more knowledgeable than I am haha

Previous cars were 1992 Celica, 2003 Camry, and 2013 FR-S.. So haven't owned a boosted car.


Also, I would be going from AT to MT..

Owned a BRZ and now a 15 WRX. Just some of my thoughts:
Pros for the BRZ:
- Even though both cars have the same ground clearance, the BRZ has a much lower feeling center of gravity. You sit low in the car and you really feel more connected to the road. The seats in the new WRX are higher. You get great visibility, but you lose the sports car feeling.
- Light and RWD. Don't get me wrong, I love AWD in the winter, but BRZ is a more fun car to drive if you enjoy sliding the rear end out from time to time. For me light and RWD is the perfect recipe for a sports car.
- Handling is better. Steering feel is better. I just felt more connected to the road and the car feels slightly more intuitive to drive than the WRX.

Pros for the WRX
- Power. The new WRX has a twin scroll turbo and a direct injection engine. Lots more torque down low than the BRZ and more linear response.
- AWD in the winter. If you put snow tires on these cars they are very confidence inspiring in inclimate weather. It also helps with launching the car.
- A backseat you can put real humans in.
- WRX has amazing resale value.

Make no mistake. The new WRX is a much better handling car than the previous gen WRX. Much stiffer chassis. Sharper steering. No bodyroll. I like the newer engine better and MPG's are very close to my BRZ.

It just comes down to if you are willing to give up the true sports car for the sporty sedan that has more power.

Drive one for sure. If you even can, they (new WRX) are hard to find and many people are waiting 2-3 months on average to get their car.

[Scenic Driver]

Originally Posted by MokSpeed

Turbo timer

Not needed, just take it easy for the last minute or two of your drive.

[Marcoscrdo]

I would if that happened to me.

[speargunsandracecars]

Porsche Cayman GTS. New answer to everything.

[Davey]

I have not sat in the new one, but the older ones had quite a bit more seat/ride height and weight compared to a BRZ. Definitely more of a rally car feel than the low-slung sports car.

The WRX is a great compromise car if you live where it snows a lot and you want to be able to get around easily and still have a fun (i.e. not FWD) car. I would definitely consider owning one again someday.

Is your car totaled? If not I would offer this advice... This is a brand new WRX with a new motor. It's hard to even get one, let alone get a good deal on one. If I were you, I'd hang on for a year before you make a move because otherwise you'll over-pay for all of the first-year problems; plus if history is worth anything the car will get even better next year.

[gramicci101]

That is true. Between 2002 and 2003 the WRX gained...

a light around the keyhole.

[evoforstevo]

I got a chance to sit in a dealer employee owned WRX. The interior felt like a much cheaper car than it actually is. The $4,000 difference between the two, and the BRZ has a MUCH better interior. That was the deciding factor between the two, for me. The Limited BRZ has an amazing interior; it feels like a car that costs double what it actually does.

[Davey]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

That is true. Between 2002 and 2003 the WRX gained...

a light around the keyhole.

Yeah and some other little stuff like improvements to the brakes and clutch and transmission.

[sshole]

Originally Posted by swpbrz

Advice above is perfect. Did you want more power? I read something yesterday that said with aturbo its good to let the engine cool down at the end of a drive or the turbo will burn up oil because it gets so hot. So that might be something to consider in owning one. Warm up and cool down time.

You read something yesterday that was posted about aftermarket turbo kits, probably.

Originally Posted by Scenic Driver

Not needed, just take it easy for the last minute or two of your drive.

This isn't even needed. All modern turbocharged Subarus will pump coolant through the turbo through convection. No need to take it easy or let the car cool down because it's already doing just that.

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/ran...ling-514111544

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by evoforstevo

I got a chance to sit in a dealer employee owned WRX. The interior felt like a much cheaper car than it actually is. The $4,000 difference between the two, and the BRZ has a MUCH better interior. That was the deciding factor between the two, for me. The Limited BRZ has an amazing interior; it feels like a car that costs double what it actually does.

I checked out the 2015 WRX STI at the dealer showroom and the leather interior (hard plastics everywhere) still can't touch the BRZ Limited, especially if you have the stitched knee pads and frameless rear view mirror installed, not to mention you can up the game further with the Toyota Europe stitched armrest and JDM rear stitched piece in-between the rear seats.

Seems like the new Impreza interior is a ripoff of the Golf, down to the flat bottom steering wheel.