This has to be the most "adult" thread I have read on this forum. I am really enjoying the conversation.
I'm 55. I have always loved cars and racing. I remember drawing pictures of cars in Junior High and car spotting with my younger brother.
Our family was not financially able to have a car when I was a kid. Maybe that's why I'm so anal about the cars I own and have owned.
The BRZ is my first sports car, although, I have had sporty cars.
I recall sitting in one when my wife and I bought her 2013 Outback in June of 2012. I was driving a 2010 Forester XT at the time, and really wanted the BRZ, but didn't think I could live with just 2 seats.
Have you ever been so fed up with your teenage kids that you do something that you probably should not do? Yeah, well I did. In December 2012 (fed up with my daughter's behavior) I decided I was going to do something for me. Almost impulsively, I went out and traded my Forester and bought a 2013 VW Golf R. It didn't all happen in one day, but I made up my mind that day. My short list of potential cars included Golf R, BRZ, Mini Cooper S, Mazdaspeed 3, Volvo C30, GTI, WRX, Audi A3 (hatch).
I ruled out the BRZ and I bought the Golf R, because I love my kids (despite their brain damage) and didn't think a 2 seater would work.
As much as I loved the Golf R, it really didn't give me the driving enjoyment I was after. So in September 2014 I test drove a BRZ, and to my surprise walked away disappointed. It wasn't what I expected. I blame that experience on the chatter of the sales person, driving it with the AC on (it was a hot day), and because the Golf R's interior seemed much more upscale and had lots of power.
Not ready to give up on the BRZ, 2 days later I went to a Carmax and test drove another BRZ (2013 WRB with 8k miles). It was a nice day and the car must have been broken in because it felt like a completely different car than the car i drove just 2 days before. After driving the 2013, I knew I had to have it.
So I went back to the new car dealer and worked a deal for my BRZ. I enjoy driving this car more than any other car I have owned.
Here are the "sporty" cars I have owned:
1982 Chevy Camaro (v6) bought new
1990 VW Jetta GLI
2000 Audi A4
2006 Mazda 3GT
2010 Subaru Forester XT
2013 VW Golf R
Next car, 2018 - 2020 Porsche Cayman S. The car that will take me into retirement.