New owner here, convert from House of Honda!
 

Well, I finally did it. Pulled the trigger on a Satin White BRZ Limited:

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...84345358_n.jpg

Car had been pre-ordered by someone else back in April. When the car arrived at the dealership last Thursday he was no longer in a position to buy it. A salesman I had previously met with send an email over to me letting me know and I stopped by after work to take a look. They offered me a very generous trade in value for my '07 S2000 and the rest is history:thumbsup:

It happened pretty quick and I feel like I didn't mentally prepare myself to part with my S2000, as they are a special breed. However I don't regret my decision at all! :happyanim:

can't seem to justify the trade in, performance wise, from an s2k over to a brz, though being an owner of a brz, I would say congratz! its an awesome car :D
Its a great ride... just watch your milage, ur gonna be driving to places u don't expect to be driving and taking unusually long routes xD

N I C E

how do you compare it to your S2000??

Nice, i picked up my SWP Limited back in june from Cary Subaru. Love it.

Congrats!

kchkwan, I left the S2000 because I needed a back seat, wanted a coupe and was tired of replacing the S2000's top. At 60k miles it had already worn a hole through it's second top (original replaced at 19k). The reason is a manufacturing defect that Honda has acknowledged via a technical service bulletin. However they rarely cover the cost to fix it and for this top both Honda and the aftermarket warranty I had denied the cost.


BRZNut, it feels just as strong if not stronger down low than the S2000. I feel like the BRZ's suspension is softer than the S2000's but that it stays flatter through turns than the S2000 (less body roll). I haven't had a non-VTEC equipped car since 1999 so its taking me a bit to get used to the more linear power delivery and lack of surge on the top end. Visibility out of the car seems better, however I'm having a more difficult time locating the front corners of the BRZ as it's hood is higher up than the S2000's. The hood height is really the only styling part of the BRZ that I think they could have done a better job with.

Dang I got mine in a similar-but-not-so-similar way, going from Honda to a BRZ.....but a Civic, not a sexy S2K haha.

Very nice; congrats! I just drove an '07 S2000 that someone traded in for a BRZ. It was really fun to drive and the power delivery after 6,000RPM's felt incredible, but I wasn't in love with the engine sound or the aging (but still very well-thought-out) interior. The lack of tilt wheel was a little bothersome, as was the location for the trunk release. It also took me a little while to get used to the "engine start" button not also being an "engine stop" button. Overall, It felt like driving a Miata on steroids, basically! The BRZ definitely looks and feels more modern and I liked the feel of the gearbox and engine note better. The only thing missing is MOAR POWAH but that's what the aftermarket is for!

welcome to the family

This car basically has VTEC except it's called AVCS. Doesn't use two different cam profiles like VTEC, but acts to the same end: high RPM performance with a cam that can be used in the lower RPMs.

Yeah I'm aware of the AVCS system but its not the same as the aggressive VTEC systems. It's a variable system instead of a 2 step system. You can really feel and hear the switch to the big cam in the S2000 (or my GSR) quite noticeably. Not that I'm putting down the FA20. Just saying it's different:bonk:

Oh that's for sure. I just wanted to make you aware that the FA20 has a similar system that essentially serves the same function.

I guess the AVCS is similar to Honda's iVTEC? That is used on the Civic Si?

From what I understand, yes. Uses oil pressure to adjust cam retard/advance as you'd see on a K-series Honda. Technically this car has DAVCS like later EJ255 blocks and all EJ257 blocks; so both intake and exhaust cams...like iVTEC.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but that's my understanding of it.

Really? I found it to be the easiest car ever to find the front. Hint: use the huge wheel bulges on either side of the hood.

Glad to have you in the House of Subaru :D

Looks good, I love Satin White!

Congrats, but I hate you (j/k)! That's the exact car I'm looking for...assuming it's manual! :)

^Yes indeed it's a manual! Haven't owned an automatic since 1999 :thumbsup:


Have you driven an S2000? Much better visibility over the hood. And those "huge wheel bulges" are about 1 1/2 feet short of the front of the vehicle! I might try raising the height of my seat - I think it's down pretty far. I'm 6'2" but in the seat's current position have plenty of headroom to spare.

a) Yes, actually my best friend used to have an AP1. And I've driven two others as well.

b) I'm 5'7" and have the seat as low as possible and visibility is fine for me.

the bulges are supposed to help you place the car in corners; at least that was the design intent behind them. you probably need to get used to it since you are new to the car.

if you just have a problem with the hood height/length, then I'm sure it'll be only a few days until you scratch the underside of your front bumper :bellyroll: (almost everybody has lol)

Nah I'm pretty good at not pulling too far into parking spaces. I've had to be careful about that since 1999 when I got the Integra so its always on my mind!

IMO the bulges aren't close enough to the corners for that purpose but I'm sure I will get used to them, just like I'll get used to the higher hood and higher dashboard...:burnrubber:

Once you break-in the car, I think you'll find it pulls pretty aggressively around 5K RPM.. all the way to redline. :D

Congrats on your new car! :thumbsup:

Thats not entirely correct. i believe the ivtec system is a combination of lobe switching and cam phasing, so you still have the vtec kick if not quite as pronounced as the earlier b-series.

I didn't mention it in my previous post but yes I just meant part of the iVTEC. The part that gives it the "i":w00t:

I still have my Integra that loves to zing up to 8000, with the big cam bark at 5700rpm :thumbsup:

I had a mostly stock civic before the brz :)

Ok thats cool. i just didnt want people misinformed. imho ivtec is a far better system than the pansy ass AVCS. no offense to everyone who loves the fa20. i am also a fan of the relatively torquey fa20 engine, I just dont like cam phasing over lobe switching. the K20 engine just feels like it has so much more character. It comes to life once you get into vtec and just begs to be revved forever :wub:

Is it broken in yet? Would like to know your thoughts now that you've had the car about a month.

Congrats on the car! I love the white, and almost went with that color, except my previous car was white so I went with the WR Blue. I just got my car this past weekend; actually bought it from a dealer in Mass. I'm obviously still breaking it in, and can't wait to get her to open up!

BTW, I live in Durham and am hoping to get into AutoX and hopefully an HPDE sometime soon.

The two bumps on each side are the wheels. Hope that helps when creating your line.

You lost your 9000 rpm redline :(

You got a car with almost perfect chassis construction :)

Perfect chassis construction? What does that mean?

Got a rip in my '00 S2k's top on Thurs, pulled the trigger on a BRZ on Fri.

Keeping the S2k for now, the car is way more fun than its trade in value. Though we'll see after the BRZ gets here on the 18th... :burnrubber:

Hey bud, thanks for following up with me. It's actually not broken in yet:bonk: I went out of town for 5 days, skiing in WV with some friends. I didn't want to get my shiny new car covered in salt so I drove my GSR instead. BRZ is currently sitting at around 860 miles so I am so... close...!

Very good to hear Meeple. I'm not sure if I'll hit up any Autox's but I am keen to jump into an HPDE sometime before summer rolls around. I'm thinking VIR (since it's so close and my S2000 wasn't allowed there). You ever attend Cars & Coffee?

I came from a lightly modded s2k into my new frs, and I don't regret my decision at all. Well until I get on it going down the interstate. Other than that this car feels much quicker in and out of turns and sooo much easier to live with in traffic plus i dont have to remove the passenger seat to bring a set of spares autox days :) I'm sure you will be every bit as satisfied with your new purchase. Congrats!

Welcome to the family!!

Thanks guys!

I've already had the front end given the paint protection treatment. Next up I would really like to get a more attractive looking and better sounding (not to mention lighter) exhaust system. Any suggestions?

Nameless, especially if you plan on doing full exhaust.

Ive heard good things about the Milltek system, but I don't have any first hand experience.
http://millteksport.com/features-toy...scion.fr-s.cfm

I haven't made it to a Cars & Coffee yet...is it every Sat morning at the same place? Where and when?!