Considering a trade-in...
 

I know there are topics about this, but I searched and I really found nothing.

I was driving this morning in this freezing weather and I realized something while talking to a friend of mine. We were wondering that since we do road trips every year on multiple occasions, how are we going to fit the people needed for it?

I use to have a four-door sedan and it was great on road trips because we could fit 5 people total and go on our merry way.

I have a Series.Blue BRZ with just under 2000 miles (financed). I have a tint shop scheduled for tomorrow to tint it. However, I was wondering if it was possible to trade this in for the new WRX because that would be the ideal switch for me.

What do you think my options are in terms of how much I can get the trade in for, how much I would owe on the WRX if I were to trade it in and etc?

How much of a loss am I looking at (especially since I financed it)?

I know that I probably should have gone with the WRX in the first place, but like many others here, the love for the BRZ was too much.

Also, I understand that there may be topics like this already, but I understand also that we have a great community here and I just want to get some truthful opinions.

Thanks for any help!

You're screwed.

Basically since you recently bought it, you'll get $5k less than the purchase price - which is not the same as your out the door price. Tack on a couple thousand more there. Assuming the WRX is a base trim, your loan payments will likely be $1-150/mo higher.

Does your state deduct trade ins before assessing sales tax? If not, be prepared to pay twice basically.

Choosing the wrong car has probably cost you $8-10k if you choose to switch now.

You might have better luck than that, but best be prepared for the worst.

Thanks for this. Since I live in NY, i'd have to find out if they do, so i'm not entirely sure yet.

Also, for everyone, this is just me gauging opinions. I'm not entirely set in trading in the BRZ for a WRX, I just want to get multiple opinions.

In all likelihood, I pretty much will keep my BRZ for the sole purpose that I love the car and I can do road trips some other way and make it work.

Basically what ashtray said. You take the depreciation hit..so if you bought it for 30k +TTL, then you probably paid about 33-34k. You'll get like 25k for it if you trade it in (just numbers off the top of my head, no number crunching done of course)

Have one of your other 4 friends drive. One of them has to have a sedan. Keep BRZ. Save money. Be happy.

I'm actually debating the same thing... love the BRZ though. I may look at a used WRX in the future. Depreciation was about $8k... too much to take a hit on this early.

This ^

5 people in a WRX is a miserable roadtrip.

Also, rent a car for all these occasions where the BRZ can't get it done. If I need something hauled, I rent a truck. Vacation destination with heavy traffic and tight parking - I rent a car with a AT. All in all much cheaper than owning, maintaining and insuring all these vehicles that would see their purpose fulfilled maybe few times a year.


I rented a Corolla for $150 a week, when I went to Florida earlier this year. It was perfect for that. The Twin is perfect for the other 99% driving I do.

I would rent as well. Get a big sedan or SUV that is still good on gas and have WAY more room in the cabin and boot then a WRX. Split the cost between either friends or couples and it`s going to be cheap and comfy.

This.

This.

And this. Seriously. A road trip is not enough reason to trade a car that you'll end up eating $7-10k on. Rent something with your friends, split the cost and enjoy your road trip, saving the miles on the BRZ.

Agree. The BRZ suffices for 97% of the time. For the other 3%, this gives you the opportunity to rent something more well suited to the task than even a WRX would be. A huge, comfy SUV or minivan for long trips, a truck for hauling cargo.

Besides, if you're a car nut like me, it's just a good excuse to drive different things. When my car was broken for a month I hopped between several rental vehicles during that time. Ended up having fun posting a front and rear 3/4 shot of every vehicle on Facebook, along with a quick review of the car as if I was Jalopnik or something. My friends thought it was amusing. I rented a Nissan Versa Note, a Prius, a Cadillac XTS, a Ford Taurus, etc... it was fun!

Just rent a car

I agree with just renting a car. You are not going to take that many road trips right?

yeah rent a car or use friends' car

this was a consideration before I jumped into a smaller car then I remembered it was rare to have more than one adult in the car anyways. any more than that and im a shuttle service for a pack of drunken rebels.

Agree with renting.

Thanks for the replies. I use the BRZ as a daily driver so that factors into my thoughts also. I just love driving which is why when we go on road trips, I'd like to take out the BRZ but have no space haha.

I'm keeping the BRZ btw. I'll probably end up driving one of my friends car instead on a road trip, but that itch to drive the BRZ is going to be there.

You could also do a multiple car road trip. Gas costs will obviously double, but if you have a friend with a fun car, you could alter your route to take some fun roads on the way there. The BRZ will love you for it!

That sounds like a lot more fun to me than 5 people in a sedan. :party0030:

You probably should've though of these things before buying the 2dr coupe, bud. With the bath you'll take trading in for a WRX, you could take that money lost and buy a cheap 4dr sedan as a second car for trips and people hauling. Lord knows I couldn't live with my BRZ as my only car. Could be worse, you could've bought a Focus ST or something that would lose even more value... at least it's a Subaru. You're still looking at losing thousands.

Oh for sure. I wasn't exactly going to trade in my BRZ. I was just considering it. I bought the BRZ knowing that I would have to sacrifice something and I did.

I have my old sedan anyway for road trips, but I concur with what others have said: drive with a friend who also has a cool car and take back roads. :party0030:

We had a guy out here on the west coast trade the BRZ for a WRX
His comment later was " too heavy"
Now he drives a Mini

Derp.

Yep, that's what I'd do, and everyone can chip in. No reason for you to put the miles on your car for this. Like @toeout and @kevman_101 I've done this for years, renting up and down in car/truck size for the occasion when I need it rather than buy my DD based on an occasional need.

No offense... But this reminds me of vehicle trade(to 2 wheel) in Jim Carry movie.

I almost thought you were referring to "subaruwrxfan" on YouTube for a second.

I think he went from a wrx to a brz to a mini to a 2015 ecoboost stang lol.

I am amazed by how dumb some people can be...

I think it's time I sold cars for a living

Don't know who you're calling dumb, but for someone who was researching the car for about two years and then buying it, I was just considering a trade in, not necessarily going to trade it in.

Did you forget about the fact that you needed to drive people around in your two years of research? That is probably the biggest downside of this car, and everyone knows it. You can only fit 2 people in it.

Is it as fast as the WRX? No. Is it as practical as the WRX? No. Is the gas mileage that much better than the WRX? No. But when you nail the last apex of your favorite curvy back road; when you catch people staring longingly at it during your morning commute; when you realize you still smile every single time you drive it after 8 months, you just don't care.

This (these?). Keep BRZ, borrow / rent whatever you need for those "a few times a year" events.

I specifically said that I had bought this car knowing that I wouldn't be able to do road trips anymore. I also said that while we were cruising, we were wondering how would we do road trips from here on out.

Which posed the question of my options.

I know that I can only fit two people in the car comfortably and many times have I actually fit 4 in it also. I knew buying this car would give up some practicality.

Sometimes, I wonder about some of the people on this forum calling other people "dumb" and stupid and people like that ruins the forum for other people.

It was simply a matter of weighing options. You only find it to go the length and call me dumb, for what?

End of my rant.

Call you dumb, to see your rant.

You bought a RWD car in a place where it snows, then say that you need to fit more than 2 people in it .. I mean dude.. lol.. Seems like you bought the car on a whim and didn't really think about the repercussions :iono: maybe you should have bought it as a second car.

Getting a bit off topic it seems.
Just rent a car it's not too much to rent a car for a few days.

:bow: