The only other car I was considering was a Focus ST with the ST3 trim (leather, HIDs, some other goodies). I had preordered one last May (right when they opened orders). By the beginning of December, it had yet to be delivered and the SVT line said it wasn't even scheduled for build. I drove past my local Toyota dealer and they had an FR-S, so I took it for a spin and fell in love. I canceled the ST and bought the FR-S (well, a different one they swapped for so I could have Ultramarine rather than Raven). I would have bought a BRZ but the local dealer wouldn't budge on $1000 over MSRP and forget that. I do still kind of regret not getting the ST when I open the trunk, but that's not really a big deal.

I wanted the extras found in the BRZ but very much preferred the front end of the FRS.

I originally had a deposit on the BRZ, but in the very end I backed out of it and got myself the FRS. As I'm currently still enrolled in bschool, the $1000 grad discount only further sweetened the deal for me.

The only thing i really would have wanted from the brz is the HVAC limited controls. But i bought the subaru ebrake boot and trunk liner. Everything else i do to my car will be personal taste.

My pro list for the FRS are (No particular order):

- Heritage/History (Lightweight RWD - AE86, 2000gt, etc)
- Suspension (Tail happy fun vs. Neutral grip)
- Front Bumper (Once the brz mustache is mentioned that's all i could see)
- Price (MSRP vs. Mark ups)
- Cluster Guage (Silver vs. black)

I actually started wanting the brz, due to the hid, start engine/keyless entry, and auto climate. However, the last 2 options were only available on the limited with a spoiler I did not want. I would gladly pay a bit more for a la carte options on either the brz or frs. I honestly could have gone either way, but circumstances led me to the frs. I don't think you can go wrong with either car. It's quite amazing how some people on the forum seem to think one car is far superior to the other and state one car is amazing, but the other car is not even an option.

- Convenient service locations. Scion = 10 minutes walk to work. Subaru = 30 minutes longer drive even with a loaner car. Scion = 6 locations. Subaru = 1 location.

- Wait time. Scion = available in June '12. Subaru = Unknown wait time.

- Price. I wanted BRZ Limited, but it was $5k more than FR-S with the mandatory tint + paint protection ($1400), and etc.

- I like FR-S front bumper better.

- I didn't like the silver interior trim of BRZ.

- I don't care about HID, fog lights, push button start, navigation, heated seats, climate control, and etc. I only wanted Alcantara leather seats.

The price difference adds up to everything I want to add to our FRS in order to make it RTR competitive and place it well on the way to STX.

HID's and more expensive material on the seats don't make the car quicker, stop better or turn more like a go kart.

I was willing to pay the extra MSRP for a BRZ, but I couldn't get past the Derp-face and I definitely couldn't get past it for over-MSRP.

For me it was the price. I wasn't about to pay extra for options that I had no use for.

ultimatly it was because of brand loyalty and the front end. the front just looks way more agressive than the brz (although i really like the brz headlights) Price wasnt an issue with me because i was pretty dead set on the frs

Available at MSRP.

when i got mine in july there was No wait period.

it doesn't have the mouth guard/mustache look on the front like the BRZ.

I don't care about the creature comforts of the BRZ (but I do like the toggle switches for the climate control). I bought the car for its performance and rarity.

Either way I would have been just as happy with a BRZ that had a front bumper swap.

I was looking for something with great handling and just fun to drive. I was actually deciding between the FRS or a BMW 328i (more practical usage), and what put me with the FRS was simply the cost of ownership. Toyota/Subaru parts over BMW parts. I sacrificed some practicality with the FRS, but if you want something, you'll find ways to make it work.

Your wish of rarity on this car will soon be non-existent.

You're in Edmonton, so:
A $4.5k difference in Canada? Ummm....no.

BRZ base: 27,295 CAD MSRP
FR-S: 26,300 CAD MSRP

Difference: $995

And if you go with a Whiteout FR-S as you did: Unlike Scion, Subaru does not charge a premium for their pearl white so the difference is now reduced to a mere 995-255 = $740.

Subie does charge about $100 more for freight, so we're now at a $840 premium for the BRZ. Add the additional HST for the BRZ at Ontario's 13% rate (Alberta's rate is lower) - say $100 - you are still under a $1k difference out the door.

Leaving aside the design differences between the 2, that's a real bargain for the following additions to the car:

HIDs
LED DRLs
Nav
Better seat fabric
Lined trunk lid

If Subie dealers were charging a huge premium over MSRP you'd have a point, but they are not. I negotiated a MSRP deal at the first dealer I talked to back in June, with no extra fees.

I wanted a car that was fun to drive, aesthetically pleasing, decent on gas, and with back seats my kids could fit in, should the need arise. I drove the Genesis coupe, Veloster, Focus ST, and Mazda 3. Decided I preferred RWD, and liked the FR-S, just a bit more than the Genesis. Between the BRZ and FRS, it wasn't so much wanting one over the other. Red, 6spd was available at Toyota, so I bought it. :)

I chose the FR-S over a 2013 Chevy 3500HD because racecar. Can we get that as a poll option?

because it was the best car in the price range that i was looking at, and at the time the extras on the BRZ didn't seem worth the bump in monthly payments.

i got the GT86 because the car was a tribute to a Toyota :)

I shocked how so many ppl dont use any interior futures....A vehicle will probably be the second most expensive purchase you'll make....so id like to feel like a king inside my ride

That mindset is shared by a lot of people, I am surprised so many are interested in the FRS/BRZ. I always figured the kind who liked amenities would be in vehicles that are more luxury oriented.

My truck is a 5 speed manual without a tach, I have to adjust the mirrors by rolling down the window and pushing them into place, a fuel guage that bobs up and down depending on if I'm going uphill or downhill, no ABS, no tripodometer, etc. etc.

The FRS has stuff I don't think is necessary and if I ever decide to make it into a racecar will definitely end up in a bin (electric mirror adjusters, electric windows, rear seats, carpets, tire pressure sensors, etc.). I would have been happy with roll up windows, little sticks on the inside to adjust the mirrors, a stereo without bluetooth etc.

In a car like this, if something doesn't make it go faster I'm wondering why I'm paying for it.

To each their own.
:happy0180:

Main selling point for me was the costumer service at my local Toyota dealer.
All my friends that have Toyota/Scion have always given me positive comments about the dealership. Whereas all my Subie friends constantly bitch about how they always take too long and never return calls, or even call them when the car is ready. I had a similar time with VW so I wasn't about to suffer for that again just because of some luxuries that i don't really need. And from a performance stance point remember all those electronic extra goodies ad weight.

I considered the frs or the brz limited. I liked the look of the front end of the frs much more. I actually am not a huge fan of the brz spoiler, preferring the five ad lip spoiler. I don't care about HID, or the nav system. I strangely liked the cloth seats in the frs (more comfortable to me). The only thing I really liked about the brz was the start button. However I use couldn't justify an extra 3 grand for a start button.

I think every other Subaru model is ugly, so I really had no desire to buy their one "pretty" car.

What about the option for: I bought it on an impulse and never drove the BRZed?

this ^
and the front.

Depends on where you live. Come to eastern Washington. This is the land of AWD sports cars and 4x4's. I can count all the 86's I've seen out here on one hand.....

My option isn't really up there so I went with the closest one, it being cheaper than what I wanted, but even that is part true and part false. To be honest when I was looking I didn't have a set price range, rather I was just looking at different monthly payments and deciding whether or not they were affordable.

I came from a 626 and really wanted another Mazda, but couldn't justify getting a used one (couldn't afford a new one) when the option I used to get my FR-S was just too nice to pass up. Now, I could've used the option that got me my FR-S to get like an XD with all the add-ons for about 10k cheaper than the FR-S. But, I've always wanted a coupe and the FR-S was just too sexy to deny.

It was 4.5k difference for me.

The FR-S had an MSRP of $25,900 at the time I bought it. It recently increased by $400.

We are looking at $1400 difference at this point.

Subaru charged $100 more for freight, so we are at $1500.

Subaru had a grad rebate of $500. Scion had a promo where grad rebate was doubled to get $1000. $500 difference added on.

We are now at a $2000 dollar difference.

My scion dealership waved the administration fees, so I gained $500 there. Subaru refused to budge on that and insisted it was mandatory to pay.

The difference is now $2500.

Subaru also wanted to charge me $500 for a block heater, but Scion had it included on the bill of sale.

$3000 difference.

They had a $1000 premium over the price at the dealership I went to.
I was not charged the extra $255 for paint from Scion. I also got premium audio for only $200 extra.

$4000 difference + GST on that $4000 difference. We are at $4200.

My Whiteout FR-S left the lot all in $28,800.31.
It was a $4200 difference for me. I talked to both dealerships extensively.

I stand corrected by you. It wasn't a $4500 dollar difference. It was a $4200 difference. I just rounded it up to the next half thousand. My bad.
I understand this is not the scenario for everyone. Not everyone got the white thrown in and not everyone got their admin fees wave. Not every one was a recent graduate.

For myself, it was a $4200 dollar difference.
The question was why did YOU choose the FR-S over the BRZ.

My situation made it that I had a $4200 difference.

I didn't mean to lead anyone astray. I'm sure many of you guys got great deals on the BRZ. But for me, the Subaru dealership wasn't willing to budge.

I see the FR-S and the BRZ as brother and sister cars. The FR-S is so sexy. I couldn't resist her.

I guess there is just more competition amongst Subie dealers in the Toronto area, I had all admin fees waived in my negotiations, plus no markup.

Nice deal you got so early in the model year from the Scion guys. I was part of an FR-S group buy that would have saved me $1K off MSRP plus $200 for audio upgrade and all accessories at dealer cost but decided to wait--glad I did now.

Price and it's much better than the CR-Z I was in before.

For me I was set on either the FR-S or BRZ however I preferred the front on the FR-S but more importantly the suspension tuning was more my style. Also I actually really like the look without the spoiler.

No BRZ's available at the time.

^ Same

Cause I thought that as a vehicle that was in the "Sports Car" genre, it would be a better winter compromise than a Miata.

It is not.

Really, it came down to a few reasons.

1. The car's inception, soul, and dynamics were the work of Toyota, therefore I preferred having the Toyota product.

2. Suspension tuned for over-steer.

3. Front styling.

4. Spartan elements. Especially manual HVAC. I can't stand climate control.

5. The Toyota dealer was more convenient for me.

All things considered, I would still be happy with a BRZ.