BRZ / 86 quick comparison
 

Just came back from driving an auto BRZ for the first time.

Firstly, the WRBlue is hands down the best production colour I have ever seen in my life. I understand that everyone has different taste but it is a beautiful colour and I am in love with the colour. I do prefer the front end of the 86 but BRZ in WRBlue is officially my favourite configuration.

After previously driving a manual 86 GT and an auto GTS, I must say that the BRZ drive is close to identical. I could not really tell any difference however when I really pushed the BRZ through a sweeping bend, it seemed to have less 'lift' than the 86. I have heard that the suspension is different and to me it did feel slightly stiffer.

The other area of difference was the interior. I was really dissapointed with the BRZ 'mid spec' interior as the silver really cheapens the look and the standard audio (which im told was used in the 2003 corolla) looks disgusting. Dissapointing items but not a deal breaker as Im sure they can be changed. The model i drove had the optional seats which were great.

When I drove the 86 I think I was a little over exicited and probably didnt take in as much as I did in the BRZ. The power delivery is very flat at low-mid revs however the engine just wants to keep going. I feel that the manual really lets you take best advantage of the engine however for day to day drivability, the auto is a great unit. If I was doing 10,000kms a year I would choose the manual in a heart beat but unfortunately I do more like 30k so it will be auto for me.

Price wise.. I have been quoted $41XXX driveaway for an auto 86 GTS and around $40XXX for a auto BRZ driveaway. Unfortunately with satnav and leather/ala seats (comparable spec to GTS), I was quoted $43100 driveaway for the BRZ.

The BRZ requires a $3000 deposit which I am told has sent a lot of buyers over to Toyota dealerships and certainly has me considering it.

Before you think that Im going to say the 86 is clearly the better choice just let me go back to my first point. The WRBlue paint sets this car off like no other colour ive seen and the exclusivity of having that colour really does appeal to me. I believe it will also help the resale value of the BRZ over the 86. For this factor alone, I lean slightly towards a blue BRZ over an 86. Other than that I have to say the 86 is the better package.

Im not too good at writing this sort of stuff so if you have any questions, I'd be more than glad to answer them :)

Why would the deposit send you to another dealer? Unless its not refundable...

It's a deposit. It's a part payment. It's not like you are losing 3k. (I have a hard time thinking the deposit would be the sole reason for people to choose an 86 over a BRZ).

Are you asking a question or posting a comparison?

Because Subaru reuquires a $3000 deposit and Toyota only requires a $500. Theres something about paying out $3000 (which would otherwise sit in my bank earning me interest) for a car that I might have to wait 12 months for that doesnt sit right with me.

According to the dealer, I am not alone. When I asked him if the BRZ had been an easy sell.. he replied "not at all. People do not want to fork out $3k for something they dont get for 9-12 months.. especially when Toyota are only asking for $500"

As I said above, it is more that you pay such a large deposit and then have to wait 12 months for it. Subaru would earn $200+ in interest on that deposit.

I understand that it is a part payment and I will be paying around $10k of the purchase price in cash but I wouldnt go and give it to them right now, would I?

I just dont understand (and neither did the dealer) why Subaru need such a large deposit. It just doesnt make sense.

Perhaps I need to take my accounting hat off but it doesnt sit right that Subaru can earn interest on my money instead of me. Seems greedy.

But the salesman doesn't have to sell; the cars are only being sold online. All this year's allocation gone. The salesman was speaking sales speak.

No, it's business. They are out to make a profit. Given Subaru's allocation of cars (from dodgy memory it's only 10% of production) I don't thinks it's surprising.
I know this next statement doesn't help and may seem provocative but it is just the way I see it: don't like it don't buy it.

I didn't like either of the Toyota cars hence I'm getting the BRZ.

my observation of both cars are, if your keeping the BRZ until the free service ends, its good value over the 86 of similar specs, sans satnav. if your after all the fruit and may not hang on to it after a year or so i think the 86 would be better value. i think the for and against is due to the 86 having all the fruit bar the aero kit for less than the BRZ, although the BRZ just might have it over on resale due to the numbering cachet of the BRZ.

i would have gone the BRZ path but the 86 gave me more change from 40k than the BRZ did. horses for courses. as usual time will tell.

hmm, I'd earn more asking a friend for $1 than getting interest in my bank on $3,000. I imagine it's because they are looking for serious customers, like some dealerships requiring deposits for test drive. I dunno, but GL

I think the biggest difference is the donuts..

one has donuts, the other noduts.

To some, $3000 represents decent capital which can be invested in a variety ways other than an a base rate interest account, which could earn potentially much more. Its just absolutely wasted letting subaru hold onto it for you for 12mths if not more. I can understand where the OP is coming from.

Sure, I understand where the OP is coming from but it is a matter of one's perspective. The purchase of the car is a bad investment. If you are looking at from a purely financial pov you wouldn't be buying the car to start with. The potential gains to be made on a 3k investment will be nothing compared to the total financial losses over the period of ownership. Put another way, a 3k invested now gets you a "return" of BRZ ownership in the future. For me this is a good investment.

x2

If someone is worried about the amount of interest they are going to lose on $3k then I would think this car is above their means.

The opportunity cost of buying this car is at minimum $1600 per year (loss in interest alone). But the benefit is owning the most fun and best value for money car in the market. I for one am more than happy to write down my losses. :happy0180:

I understand where you are all coming from however my situation is slighty different. As mine is a work vehicle, it does not work out to be a major loss for me. Personally I would never buy a $40k car off my own back and I find it hard to see how people can afford to do this.

The point about the interest was just a way of saying that I don't like the idea of them having my money for 12 months. Yes I would lose interest on it but it's more the fact that I like to be in control of my money and it just doesn't sit right that subaru needs such a large deposit.

Nevertheless, as I said above I am in love with the car and have been since its concept stages so it is more than likely I will be putting a deposit down at Subaru as the wrblue is stunning and the lead time is more appealing!

I wasn't trying to start an argument here just pointing out something that I'm sure I'm not the first person to question.

Understood.

My goodness! Lucky bugger. To have this as a work car is fantastic. (Tho I'm guessing your travel times may go up due to unplanned detours.)

Yeah, I appreciate this is the interweb and people's views are much varied.

(This is why i should be ruler of the world)