Talk me out of buying a 2018 BRZ limited
 

Hello,

Seriously looking at an 18' limited in WRB. I currently own a tuned 06 Mazdaspeed 6 (getting sold to a friend), 16' Jetta and 17' Sportwagen. I would be trading the Jetta in (owe 13750, offered 13k for it. Was 5 negative when purchased so I'm happy with this, other dealers offered ~10-12k) and the price they offered on the limited brz was 26825, plus the difference in tax title license. I told them if they give me 13.5 for the jetta I'd take it.

Thoughts? My car history: Stock EP3 Si -> Speed 3 tuned on e85-> 91 miata, kept NA for 3ish years, supercharged for a year-> Big turbo Speed6 (hit and totaled)-> Big Turbo EP3 SI-> Focus ST.

While I like speed, my favorite car was probably my miata. Even stock it felt peppy enough rolling through the gears, supercharging was fun (still not fast, maybe 150whp. I'd keep up with s2000s). I also thought the ep3 was peppy enough.

The BRZ would be a daily, I have a 25-75 mile commute daily, all windy back roads.

Thoughts? Anyone regret buying a new brz? When I started shopping I was looking at 20k lightly used premiums, but now I want a 2017 plus in WRB.

After having bought new (and eventually traded in on my STI), I would 1000% recommend buying a BRZ used. The depreciation hit wasn't worth it. I loved the BRZ, but didn't love how much value it lost.

No, buy it!

If I could go back in time to January 2016 and redo the whole thing, I would still buy the BRZ (but only with heated seats this time). I sometimes have second thoughts about my BRZ, but this is the most fun car I can afford with my budget.
EDIT: But mind you, these cars do have issues with manual transmissions. And a recent potential recall about valve springs came up as well. They are not bulletproof even in stock form.

Just throwing a thought out there.... Have you considered a used Lotus or even an Alfa 4C....?

LoL NO!!!! they are so much fun to drive! they are not the fastest, but lots of fun when you know... you make a turn!!!! because for some reason people like going fast in straight lines

There are benefits of buying new.
There are different benefits of buying used.
Which set of benefits are you most interested in?
End of story.

I did and I am super happy with it. Granted, I was looking for exactly what it is, so there is that. I got the PP. I love it.

LOL stock AND points. How?

@alphasaur; go get one and maybe we can recreate the homoeroticism of the good old days of the mazdaspeed forums circle jerk glory.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svX7IcKxCXw[/ame]

I’d highly recommend letting someone else take the depreciation hit and getting a lightly used 2017 in manual.

I got mine new and regret it, it’s not exactly the greatest value at 24-30k brand new for the base model, especially if you want to mod down the line.


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All cars depreciate fast. If you don't mind "losing" half the money in a couple years then do it. But consider most people probably shouldn't buy new. An alarming number of new car loans are 6+ years.

I remember when Subaru released a brochure about the BRZ when it first came out it stated the expected customer. One of the attributes they thought the buyer would have is an income of $90,000. Not sure how they came up with this, maybe they thought it would be a single guys second car. Something to consider.

Where the Hell do you guys think all the used ones come from? Every single thread on the question (and there are piles) always say "buy used". Then when somebody asks "is this used one OK" the majority reply "no it is crap find another that is better and cheaper".
I repeat - There are good points and bad points to each. Pick your priorities and go from there.
But...
Keep in mind if nobody buys new then there will be no used ones. and they will just stop making them completely. The used ones that exist will be in short supply and the prices will go up accordingly. This means you will pay almost what they cost new while you could still get one. Supply and demand rules the world of commerce.

HOLY FUCK.

Hi! You being her just added a ton of persuasion to the get it argument

I'd love an alfa or lotus, but this is going to be a daily driver and will be driven in the snow. Don't think I can convince myself to do that to a 4c.

In regards to reliability issues, I thought the synchro issues were more 13' my? I haven't seen too many with newer years and from what I understand transmission is stronger with 17' +

The recent spring recall gives me reason to hesitate, but tons of brz have made it to 100k+? :iono: Most people I've spoken with seem to agree they're near bullet proof :iono::iono:

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I've always lost money on cars, and I've owned more than I should. It's my hobby. I still save a pretty decent amount and put a decent amount into retirement so :party0030:

Tried finding a 17 used, found two in WRB for 21ish k for premiums. Both sold within a day of inquiry. I was quoted 24.7k for a 18 premium, I don't think the depreciation is THAT bad (4k for 1 year?)

Beware of placing too much importance on "issues" reported on a forum. The people affected are a microscopic few but they are verbal making such things appear far worse than they really are. The valve spring recall is in no way formal yet so it may or may not be a cause of concern but if it does become reality then you just take the car in to be fixed.

I don't remember the spring issue actually coming up with these cars. Seems like if it were really a problem, people here would have had it by now.

However, the engines are not bulletproof. I lost mine at 65K miles when the oil pump gear broke up, starving the motor of oil, spinning two bearings and wrecking one of the heads in a matter of a few seconds. The motor was stock and not abused.

I've only found one other instance of that happening, and I consider mine to be a fluke. I'd do it all over again in a second. Just don't go into it with unrealistic expectations about the engine lasting forever, because with any mechanical things, shit happens.

^^^^ This. Nobody posts about the day their engine didn't break.

Since both mine and my wife's car could be affected I have done some digging on this valve spring thing. I can not find any frequently reported issues anyplace, on any model. If it is indeed bad enough to warrant recall then it is most likely something that Subaru's quality people found at some level and not based on frequent failures.

Oh definitely, anything can break. I mean bulletproof compared to something like the renesis in the rx8 :D

I'd never buy a new car, but that's because I welcome all challenges. I feel like if you can get a lower mileage 2013, the $20,000 you're saving would definitely cover anything goofy with the car ( may you'll have worn brakes and a few scrapes?) but this really comes down to preference. Do you like keeping something as perfect as it can be from new? Or are you ok with a DD that will incur rock chips, may rattle a little and has a couple wear items?

I want to confirm ( as Tcoat was earlier) that most issues reported are either self inflicted, or an EXTREMELY low percentage of vehicles. People are more inclined to make an account and complain about something, than they are to make an account to praise it rather than just keeping that excitement to themselves.

Any new car is a gamble just as a used car is; at least with the used car, maybe you can see it coming. That's how I see it. Loving my totaled out, flooded 2013 I got 3 years ago for dirt cheap. No issues aside wear items and salt rusting some bolts together.

My fathers brand new 1974 Jeep Cherokee made it 4 blocks before the engine seized up solid. Apparently they had not put oil in it at the factory and nobody along the line thought to check it.


My wife's first new car ever was a 1992 Saturn. She was lucky and made it a whole 10 blocks before the car stopped dead in the middle of the road. The tranny plug had come out and all the fluid drained onto the road.


I would give the list of issues with her brand new 2005 Sunfire but even I don't like to type that much.

Around here, you can get 17 BRZ PP trims with 10-20k miles on them for around 22-25.5k.


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A new car is not the same gamble as a used car because the warranty you receive with the new car mitigates the risk. It's as if the dealer in a casino says, "Place your bet, but if you lose we'll reimburse you." My Subaru warranty not only pays to fix the car, but it also provides towing and a rental car while it's in the shop, so there's also less risk involved with other opportunity costs of getting to work, getting the kids to school, being raped and murdered while stranded on the side of the road, etc. When I bought mine in 2014, my choice was to pay nearly the same price for a used 2013 and accept the additional risk of the early issues. Buying new was a no-brainer.

Further, our cars are similar, but they still change year over year. The versions out now have some features mine doesn't. Are they worth the extra money? Maybe, when also taking into account the opportunity cost of the additional risk of the older car being out of warranty.

Whether you can accept the additional risk and forego the newer features depends entirely on the individual situation. I bought my BRZ when my Jeep aged to the point that it was becoming unreliable. Since I drive 25K to 30K miles per year, I needed to reduce my transportation risk as low as possible because the travel schedule for my job demanded it. If I decided to add a fourth car to my fleet right now, I'd buy used, simply because the BRZ is still (knock on wood) reliable, and I also have a semi-reliable backup. But when the BRZ becomes unreliable, I'll buy another new car at that point to reduce my risk again.

Or I might buy a new car sooner if something interesting hits the market that I can't get used. Maybe Toyota will introduce a new sports car.

As someone who bought a 2018 BRZ Limited, I am very happy with my purchase. I wanted a post-refresh model, and in my area the gap between new and used on these was not big enough to sway me into buying used. YMMV in a different area or time of purchase.

Yeah, but you forgot to quote the part two times in my post where I said this comes down to personal preference on the battles you'd like to fight. I do agree and understand that a warranty is pretty cool. I personally still would trade that convenience to save a ton of money.

http://mrwgifs.com/wp-content/upload...n-Seinfeld.gif


You need to thank us new buyers though! We are the guys taking the hit for the team.

How do you know a used manual car was well taken care of? How about clutches? My neighbor who has a truck told me that he drives manual cars too and he drove like a truck without pressing clutch, no changing gears in lower gears, jerks, bumps etc. I like new cars and need not worry about 3 years. That's just me.

For many here working on their car is a hobby and not a chore so if they have to fix the clutch they just do it and enjoy every minute of it. To that group (I suspect it is the majority here) the car is more than just a form of transportation.

I was that way through the 70s and early 80s. Then I had to buy junkers and keep them going without any cash so the task of working on cars went from hobby/pleasure to chore/hating every minute. Then in the 90s I was able to work on the cars that I actually wanted to own so it became a hobby again. Now I just want my car to start every time I get into it and if something needs to be fixed I want to sit and drink coffee and flirt with a receptionist. I say this because I can see both perspectives and understand that not everybody looks at repair work the same. Life's circumstances will change people's outlook over a period of time.

Haha I'm also part of the crowd that shifts without the clutch. I never gets any grinds and do not do this for every gear, just the higher gears because I'm lazy and just enjoy driving like that. It's sometimes tough to know if a car was taken car of, that's why any used vehicle can be a nightmare. You have to due your research, investigate, prompt the seller for the TRUTH, and take the risk if it seems worth it to you. I honestly like that investigative work and the risk involved. As Tcoat said, I personally enjoy preventative and active maintenance on these and other vehicles I own. Except my wife's Nissan, I may purposefully delay oil changes in hopes it'll blow up.

@Tcoat I do truly value those who give cars a new life from the dealership lot, it's an experience I'll be sharing with my wife since she likes new cars rather than used. I think it is a unique chance to own something without anyone else's hands being in it. Especially knowing the car hasn't had spiders crawling on the owners from the seats. :laughabove:

Last time a park my car nearby a lab doing studies on radioactivity!

Ok, don’t buy it.

Ezpz.

They're just not common in the northeast.

This is where I'm currently at in life. Working on cars isn't what it was premarriage/home ownership.

The warm weather guys don't understand just how rare they are up here. There were more at dinner in Nor Cal when I was there last week then there is I'm my whole city of 400,000 people. Even with all of them lined up in the parking lot there were still at least 5 more that drove past at one point or another. The things breed like rabbits in warm coastal areas.

What I would ask any prospective buyer is what is your purpose for the car? How do you intend to drive it? What do you enjoy in a car? Based on the answers to those questions the car may or may not be a fit.

To those who are not interested in regularly running the car through undulating back roads, or simply don't have access to such roads, I would say look elsewhere.

This is not a powerful/smooth cruiser with big reserves of torque. If gunning or even cruising light to light, or pulls on the highway are your preferred form of driving pleasure (nothing wrong with any of those), this car does not serve that purpose stock. For the amount of money it would take to get there you are better off starting with another car.

Looking for a decently fuel efficient car with good looks and an affordable price tag to daily drive? A twin might be for you.

Want a simple, small, lightweight, nimble coupe with low limits that is best enjoyed on the curvy roads I described earlier? You might have found the perfect car.

I think a lot of people like the looks of the car, and some unfortunately have misinterpreted those looks to mean the car performs in a away that does not align with its original purpose. I think those are the ones who are ultimately disappointed. That can be especially true if they dump a bunch of money into the car to turn it into something else, only to later fall into that game of "Well I payed XX,XXX for the car brand new. Then I spent XX,XXXX more on the car to get to where I'm at and I STILL want more out of it... Dang. I could have just bought a XXXX and called it a day.

This car has an amazing aftermarket, but I think you need to have a plan and a budget before you go all in. Weigh your options and decide if you are OK spending a bunch of money that you won't necessarily get back if you want to sell one day. If heavy modding is what you're looking to do I think everyone would agree that used is the way to go. But in the end you know your situation best. Plan, budget, evaluate and decide.

Sounds like the BRZ is up my alley :burnrubber: All back country roads all day. :thumbup:

My roaming territory doesn't have many twisty roads. Doesn't matter. This thing is extraordinarily nimble in traffic and around town. I'd buy it even if I never intended to push it at all, just because it's easy to get around in. As much as I drive, I notice a big difference in fatigue after driving a rental that doesn't handle nearly as well.

BTW have you looked at the new Miata? Seeing as you used to own one, the new ones are fantastic based on what I have heard. Many have even classed them above the twins in terms of driving pleasure.

The only downside is they can get kinda pricy as you add some of the nice options like the Recaro/Brembo package. I would have considered going for one, but the soft top was a no go if I ever had to use the car for work. I wasn't a fan of the way they did the hardtop, even with its nice profile. Plus it was even more $$$.

But if you are good with a base model I would take a look. There are also the 2018 models for less $$$ if you can find one and don't need the telescoping steering wheel, or mind the lower redline/peak HP.

The Miata is quicker than the BRZ, but the BRZ steering is far superior to the ND Miata and the Miata has massive body roll with the factory suspension. For pure driving pleasure on a winding road, my vote is with the BRZ. Truly the main advantage (or disadvantage depending on personal preferences) that the Miata has is that it is a convertible and that enhances the fun factor for some people.

I would love an ND but I'm not a fan of the soft top in winter and the rf is out of my price range unfortunately

Wait till next spring.


Buying a new sports car in the fall, just before the salt season would be just stupid.


Enjoy this winter the best snow car you already own for your commute.
Option would be to buy a beater car known to be fun in the snow.
Often the best winter cars have minimal power and auto trans.
Four snow tires rule in winter.