newbie asking general question
 

new to the forum planning on getting the brz next week tired of the Nissan headache , did ton of research but Ive seen a couple of early models of the brz listed in my area and I wanted to know is it anything I should look out for

Try to determine whether the previous owner babied it or beat the shit out of it lol. I'm assuming you should know to check the carfax as well.

Welcome to the forum! There has been a number of folks asking similar questions here is one related thread: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84657

I google ft86 followed by your question and you will get a wealth of info on threads on this site.

Yes be on the lookout for a number of things, nothing really related to the early models themselves (expect for maybe 2012 models that some how didn't get the ecu upgrade which is probably very very unlikely at this point).

I would keep an eye out for how the car was used and the previous owner, previous mods etc. next make sure the transmission and clutch feel nice the throw out bearing can go early on cars if it was driven harshly or ignorantly with the clutch. Or if there clutch fork is not perfectly aligned.

Best advice is check the car out best you can and do a good test drive then pay a reputable shop with experience with these cars to do a throughly checking of everything. That should cover your bases.

Also good choice with these cars because they are throughly badass and fun to drive.

Everyone has their opinions, and this is mine.

Check the Carfax for any accidents or salvage title.
This reduces resale, and is best avoided unless you're an expert in these cars.

As for certain years, it's misguided internet advice to stay away from certain years.
The differences between years are trivial and irrelevant.
Find a car in great condition that was not owned by an kid who abused it.

The head unit on the 2013 is perfectly fine, unless you're one of those dub thumper kids who needs a speaker cabinet in his trunk.
The OEM head unit connects to your phone, plays music, and does maps. It's fine for basic needs.

If buying used, forget years, colors, options, etc. Get the nicest, least abused, least modded, most adult owned example you can find.

The drifter king will not tell you all about the street races, burnouts, and donuts he did at the parking lot.
As a general rule, kids that spend all their money on mods tend to ignore maintenance items.
If they can't see it, they can't worry about it. They are also more likely to abuse the car.

Are there exceptions, yes. I bought my BRZ from a guy in his 20s.
However, he was educated, professional, respected the car, did not modify or abuse it, and had a grown up career, and a very nice house.
This is who I prefer to buy my used cars from. And this is who I will tell the internet to buy from until I die. Your mileage may vary, of course.

Do not mod your car for at least a year.
First, make it mechanically sorted and reliable.
Take it to the track and start to learn how to drive.
You will quickly learn mods are pointless until you reach the limits of the car.
Unless you want a drag car, you will almost never reach the limits of the car.

If you have a budget, an older car will be cheaper.
Buy the nicest cleanest one you can find.
Pay more for it, if you must.
THAT is what you will never regret.
Cleaning up some idiot's mess is something you will regret.
Plus, it will cost you more in the long run.

I would never buy a car that has been modded.
And you're right, a lot of these twins are like that
Unmolested bone stock cars with low miles that have not been abused are out there.
You just need to find them.
I found a '13 from the original owner who was a perfect seller.
No mods, never driven hard, garaged, etc.

beside from carfax, I meant stuff from factory like is there any recalls for things like throw out bearing, head gaskets ect I should look for

Not really, a few issues on cars that were built in the first year of production, but if it didn't break under the previous owner odds are you are safe.

To increase your odds get one built after 04/2013, or a 2014 model year. There was a tune issue that affected people who tracked their cars and drove them hard. But like I said, if it didn't break before it's unlikely to break under your ownership (aside from 'normal' wear and tear, which is entirely subjective).

Enjoy.

If this matters to you. The MY16+ do not come with OEM Navigation. MY15 was the last year with standard navigation. So keep that in mind if that is something you want without spending extra money on.


Also. These cars have a sound tube. Many people will do a sound tube delete. This delete is purely aesthetic and will not affect the way the car drives. Just how much engine noise is being pumped into the cabin. Look up pics of where this is located. I know some people who thought the car was missing a part when they went shopping for a used FRS and didnt realize that part can come out with no detriment to the car.

Not all of us agree with Ludwig. I bought mine heavily modded with only 8k miles on it. Dude babied the heck out of the car and either he only worked a mile from home or it was a garaged weekend car. Just because someone mods doesn't mean they don't do maintenance.

It is possible to buy modded cars without making some ham-fisted assumption about the prior owners.

I also replaced the head unit because it's a top 5 garbage head unit that I've ever worked with. I'm one of those losers that likes having a big, thumpy box in my trunk and had it tuned to studio quality to work with my new Kenwood by the guys at OEM Audio.

I agree, it is totally possible to get a low-milage stock car that has been abused in some way (typically with excessive clutch wear) and/or get a modded car that has been well taken care of. Rather than focus on what is modded/isn't modded, instead look for someone who can provide maintenance records, or look for a car with a CarFax that shows maintenance done at a dealer. Regardless, a test drive will quickly sort out most issues, as well as a pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic. It's a pain to be careful, but it will be worth it since you can't really trust a lot of sellers out there.

The only mod that I would definitely say no to would be any sort of turbo/supercharger, as that obviously increase stress on engine components. The most common mods that I have seen are headers and/or exhaust, but honestly there are a lot of stock cars out there that haven't been modded.

Didn't we just go through all this on like Friday?

The early 13s had a laundry list of issues. Some had no problems and some had every one of them. Best to shy away unless a really good deal.

Age of the previous owner means nothing. Young guys can take care of their car and old guys can beat on then. Somebody spending all their money on quality mods is almost guaranteed to do excellent maintenance.

The guy that was 'educated, professional, respected the car, did not modify or abuse it, and had a grown up career, and a very nice house" may have been scraping the Honnigan sticker off the window as you pulled up. Get any possible buys examined by a mechanic you trust.

The head unit on the 13s was a piece of crap that was out of date in 1996 regardless of what music you listen to.

DO NOT ignore things such as colour or options. If you get a colour other than what you really like just to save some money it will haunt you until you get fed up with the car. Colour is important to owners no matter what some may say.

Beware of ill informed and useless advice from the internet!

THIS ^

Oh and FIFY

Yes

If I sold my heavily modded car tomorrow, someone would get a heck of a deal. All mods done by well known shops, no expense spared, over maintained, and under driven (just hit 14k miles today). Never auto crossed or tracked....

Every case is different.

I was about to settle for any color because I wanted the car bad and just get a custom paint job still thinking


sound tube was going to be the first mod that I do thanks for the heads up it saved me time