Test drive first impressions and questions...
 

Drove my first FR-S yesterday (Whiteout with auto and BeSpoke) and all I can say is WOW!!! :happyanim:That was by far one of the best test drives I've ever taken. (The others being a Corvette Z06 and a previous gen Mustang GT.)

The driving dynamics were everything people have said and more. Everything about the car just felt and sounded perfect. I actually wasn't really blown away at first until I started using the paddle shifters. The shifts were very quick and the rev-matching downshifts were awesome! This is the first car with paddle shifters I've driven that seemed to do it right. I'm a big F1 fan so this really hit home with me.

Now the questions...

The car I drove was actually considered a used car because it had over 2600 miles on it. I pulled the carfax on it afterwards and it said the dealer bought the car at an auction not too long ago. So what do you guys think the story is with this car? Is this a normal thing?

The sales guy told me they would probably sell the car for $26,000 which seemed like new FR-S price territory to me. Also, there's no way to know if the car was broken in correctly or where it's been. I have a feeling people have driven the crap out of it on test drives over and over again so this girl has gotten around I'm sure.

Anyway, I'm still thinking about whether I should go back and try to pick this one up or not. It would probably be best to just pay a little more for a new one but I wanted to see what you guys think about it.

Buy an new one if you plan on keeping it for a long time, buy used if you flip cars often

tough decision from my understanding there wont be anymore until fall. so if you cant wait and you love it, then do it. 2600 miles isn't bad especially if they still offer a warranty with it. Dont worry about what we think do what you want.

I'd just buy a new one unless the dealer will go down a lot. The cars aren't crazy hard to get if you expand your search to multiple dealers. I'd also get a manual. Way more fun.

Yep, definitely a new one especially when the price is almost the same. A few more months wait is better than being uncertain in what you are purchasing. I agree with the paddle shifters, F1 fans are more likely to appreciate it.

Buy new, seems like an easy choice. Same price, but without 2600 miles of guys on "test drives" beating on it.

For that price buy new unless the one you drove had a lot of desirable and expensive add-ons. Don't know where you are located but there are dozens to choose from at dealers here in the Northeast. I can't understand waiting for something when there are so many available.

I would not buy a used twin because of the 'drive it like you stole it' crowd. With out a doubt I would buy new.

hmm it could be the previous owner couldnt pay for it and the bank took it back

26k for a used frs is not worth it, whether you want to keep it long or just want it for a short time. I wouldn't want something that someone could have bashed around in before they lost it, ESPECIALLY if they knew they were going to lose it.

so go new, i dont think you should be spending that much money on something used when a new is just a tad bit more

I would not pay $26K for a used FR-S. If you are close to Colorado you can almost get a new BRZ Limited (manual) for that price.

If you are going to buy used I would look for a car with around 10k on it. You should be able to get one in the 22k range (lower if you go with a stick). You have to have it checked out by an independent shop (allot of accident cars are out there that dont show up on carfax). You may have to probably fly somewhere to pick it up. I would go new if you are going to keep it for awhile. Do not by that car for 26k. That is not a deal. You should be able to buy a 4 mile car for that price.

Thanks for all the replies. I was mistaken about the miles on the car. Turns out is has a little over 2200 miles on it instead of a little over 2600. I guess that means there are around 400 less possible "drive it like you stole it" miles on it.

Another thing I just remembered is the sales guy briefly mentioned that the car had an extended warranty on it. In fact, he said I should buy this used one instead of a new one because the used one had this extended warranty. This is something I'd have to call back and follow-up on.

So, considering all the info I've given you guys...and considering I would have it checked out by an independent shop...What sort of out-the-door price would about right for this car?

22k or get yourself a fresh one

A brand new one with an automatic (do you have to have an auto, or would you consider a manual) and BeSpoke (again, do you have to have this, it adds $800 to the car) including delivery is $27,200. With over 2,000 miles I would say the car is worth about $24-25K tops. Find out about the warranty. If they offer a 100K extended warranty I would think $25K would be a fair price.