Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community - FT86CLUB - View Single Post

JeremyR · 05-06-2017, 12:19 AM

This thread will chronicle the build of my 2015 Crystal White Pearl BRZ Limited. I've never done a proper build thread before, so I figure with this new project I should start something to keep track of the work I'm going to be doing to the car. I've always been partial to Japanese car culture, and as such, will primarily be using Japanese brands to build my car. However, depending on the particular part or item in question, I may source from a non Japanese brand. This will only happen if I feel the quality, product support, company involvement in the community, or any number of other factor's lead the alternative to be better suited for my needs. My goal with this vehicle is definitely function over form. Every modification I make to the vehicle will serve a purpose, with reliability, drivability, and performance being the main focus of this build.

REALMS BRZ - Specifications

Exterior
TOM’S LED JDM Tail Light Set
TRD Rear Trunk Spoiler
STI Fender Garnish
STI Front Bumper Badge
OEM JDM Clear Front Side Markers
philips d4s 42402xv2c1 X-tremeVision Gen2 HID Bulbs
Diode Dynamics 5k White LED Side Marker Bulbs
Diode Dynamics 5k White LED Front Turn Signal Bulbs
Diode Dynamics 5k White LED License Plate Bulbs
Diode Dynamics 5K White LED Fog Light Bulbs
Diode Dynamics DRL Always-On Module
Subaru OEM STI License Plate Frame

Interior
Beastronix 86 Nanny
DEFI Red Racer Oil Pressure Gauge
Rally Sport Direct Galley Plug
Ortiz Custom Gauge Pods Cluster
Verus Engineering Throttle Pedal Spacer
WC Lathe Werks Titanium Sphere Shift Knob in Burnt Blue/Bronze.
WC Lathe Werks Titanium Reverse Lockout in Burnt Blue/Bronze
WC Lathe Werks Titanium E-Brake Button in Burnt Blue/Bronze
Joying Android Head Unit
2017 OEM Carbon Fiber Climate Control Panel
Alcantara Arm Rest (Red Stitching)
Sweidit Alcantara One Piece Dash Panel (Red Stitching)
Sweidit Perforated Black Leather Ebrake Handle (Red Stitching)
JPM Coachworks Alcantara Cluster Hood (Red Stitching)
JPM Coachworks Alcantara Speaker Trim (Red Stitching)
JPM Coachworks Alcantara Knee Pads (Red Stitching)
JPM Coachworks Alcantara Shift Boot (Red Stitching)
JPM Coachworks Alcantara Parking Brake Boot (Red Stitching)
JDM STi Push To Start Button
OEM Black tS Handle's
OEM Black tS Knee Pad Garnish's
OEM Black tS Shifter Surround
OEM Black MY17 Traction Button
Diamond Cut Dome Light Cover Smoke
86 Speed Super B.A.D Sage 3 6K Dome Light Bulb
Diode Dynamics 6k Vanity Light Bulb
Diode Dynamics 6k Door Light Bulb
Diode Dynamics Smart Tap Flasher

Drivetrain
OEM Subaru Slave Cylinder 3/4 Bore
Chase Bays SS Clutch Line
M-Tech Shifter Springs
HKS Oil Filter
Mobil1 0w40 Synthetic Oil

Suspension
HKS Hipermax IV SP 8K Springs F/R
Parts Shop MAX Lower Control Arms
Parts Shop MAX Toe Rods
Parts Shop MAX Traction Rods
SPL Eccentric Toe Lockout Kit
Racer X Adjustable Sway Bar End Links F/R
Cusco Rear Pillar Power Brace
Battle Version Solid Steering Rack Bushings

Brakes
2007 Subaru WRX 4 Piston Front Calipers
2007 Subaru WRX 2 Piston Rear Calipers
KNS V2 WRX Rear Caliper Brackets
Stoptech Slotted Front Rotors
Stoptech Slotted Rear Rotors
Carbotech XP10 Brake Pads
Chase Bays SS Brake Lines
Grimmspeed Master Cylinder Brace
Yperion Titanium Brake Pad Shims 0.65mm F/R

Wheels
Advan Racing GT 18x9.5 +40 5x100 Semi-Gloss Black
Advan Racing Flat Center Caps Black

Tires
Falken Azenis RT-615K 265/35/18

The Journey Begins

My love of automobiles began early in life. The Back to the Future films were released when I was a small child, and I instantly fell in love with the Delorean. I grew up on Hot Wheels, Micro Machines, and Tonka Trucks. The first Fast and the Furious film came out when I was 14, and I was hooked.

During the early 00s, I fell in love with Japanese car culture, and obsessively played games like Tokyo Extreme Racer and Gran Turismo. My friends at the time were really into 90s Honda’s, and the Acura RSX had just been released. I spent countless hours on the ClubRSX forum just reading and soaking up as much knowledge as I could. I soon figured out that a brand new RSX was out of my reach, but thanks to watching Option and Touge Showdown videos, I realized that drifting and mountain runs were where I belonged.

I picked up my first 240sx in 2005. It was a 1992 Base model hatchback and it was stock. I added shocks and springs (Eibach springs, can't remember the shock brand), kouki tail lights, ST sway bars, a Nardi steering wheel, a welded diff, and an Injen intake.

Probably the best picture I can find of it..

I had it a little over a year, crashed it bunch of times, and then it was stolen from in front of my house. This was a blessing in disguise, as I was able to buy another 240sx that had not been driven into a pulp. My memories of that car are bittersweet, as I learned how to drive stick in it, and it was my first real sports car. My friends and I would be up in the hills most nights of the week honing our driving skills (or lack thereof).

So I saved up for a few months, and started searching for another 240sx. I found a guy selling one in San Bruno, it was an 89 240sx SE hatchback, without a sunroof. Luckily for me, the one I picked up already had quite a bit of work done to it. Usually I am against this, but I did not want to start over from scratch again, and it was cheaper to buy something with a good amount of mods done to it already. It came equipped with a rebuilt sr20, full suspension, and an aero kit. I proceeded to replace every part that I did not like, or want, with brands that I preferred. The suspension was completely replaced with Powered by Max components. I then dropped a considerable amount of money on upgrading the motor to accommodate a GT2871r and nismo 740cc injectors. I got lucky with an APEXI Power FC ECU that came with an awesome tune for the setup I was running. The car ran great for a few months, and then I threw a rod. I parted out the motor and replaced it with an s13 blacktop SR with an S15 turbo and a PBM high mount intercooler kit. The car stayed basically in this configuration for a few years until I wrecked it.

Here are the pics of the car in somewhat on an order...

If I can dig up some more pictures of the 240sx, I will add them to this post.

Here's the setup right before I totaled it:

Drivetrain
S13 SR20DET Redtop
S15 T28
Spec stage 2 clutch
ACT lightweight flywheel
nismo clutch pivot
Powered By Max high mount intercooler
Powered By Max hard intake kit
Koyorad Radiator
Odyssey PC680MJT Battery
Circuit Sports Flex Downpipe
Catco High Flow Cat
Circuit Sports Exhaust
Chase Bays power steering kit
Greddy oil pan
180sx 5-bolt differential with 4.36 gears and KAAZ 2-Way LSD

Chassis/Suspension
Nismo power brace
Circuit Sport tension rods
Apexi front strut bar
Powered By Max Coilovers 8k/6k springs
S14 5-lug front/rear
S14 Front lower control arms
Brembo front calipers
Brembo conversion brackets
300zx rear calipers and ebrake
RP Sport subframe brace
GT Spec subframe brace
Powered By Max subframe risers
Powered By Max rear upper control arms
Powered By Max traction rods
Powered By Max toe rods

Interior
Nardi Gara 3 Type 0 350mm Steering Wheel
FET quick release and hub
180sx Gas pedal
D-MAX Checkered Floor Mats
Nismo GT Shift Knob
JDM Automatic Climate Control
Dual DIN stereo from an Altima
Defi Water Temp Gauge
Defi Oil Pressure Gauge
Defi Boost Gauge

Exterior
180sx Kouki tail lights
180sx Kouki position lights
Ganador Mirrors with blue tint
326 Power Wing
30mm rear over fenders

Wheels
Volk TE37 gloss white
17x9.5 +12
18x10.5 +15

Tires
Falken FK452 235/40/17
Falken ZIEX912 235/35/18

I was very active in the local 240sx/car scene in San Jose from 05-11. I have a lot of great memories of mountain runs and drifting from that time period. After I wrecked the car, I was pretty depressed and parted the whole thing out. I could of tube framed the front, or swapped to a new chassis, but I was burnt out on having a car that I was constantly working on that I couldn’t daily drive. I took a break from cars for a while and pursued other interests.

I was watching the development for the twins for quite some time, and even joined this forum in 2012 despite not being active in the car scene. In 2014 I bit the bullet on a 2013 Honda CRZ. The idea of a sporty hybrid seemed nice, and I had a long work commute at the time, so it seemed like the perfect car. This is the car that made me fall in love with newer automobiles and the creature comforts they offer. Sadly, I only had it about a year. My commute went from one hour to five minutes, so I didn’t see a use for it anymore, as I still had a 2006 Ford Escape that I wasn’t driving. I then soon realized that I need to be back in a sporty rwd car.

I did a lot of research on the current offerings of the last 10 years, and started to narrow down my choices. 350z, 370z, Genesis, RX8, all ran through my head. I delved deeper into what features these cars offered, and how the aftermarket support was. Coming from the 240sx world, you really are spoiled by the sheer amount of quality aftermarket parts available for the car. I started doing more research on the twins, and realized this is the car I needed. But which version? What options?

There is a lot of variety in the USDM OEM offerings. I knew I wanted a BRZ. I preferred the front bumper, and loved the boomerang headlights. I wanted a white model. I was inspired by the very clean builds of some of the members here (who I’ll mention later) and found this to be a great color (and one that my girlfriend approved of, or else I would of gone with WRB) After doing research, I realized that depending on the model year, you either get SWP or CWP. I decided that CWP was the color for me, so that narrowed down my options to a 15-17 BRZ in CWP. I may be the odd one out, but I don’t like the front bumper or headlights of the MY17 BRZ, the headlight seems just too busy, and I plan on a C-West half lip, which isn’t available for that year anyway (at least not yet). So now we are down to a MY15 or MY16. I then really had two options, a premium or a limited. I figure if I’m going to buy a used BRZ, I might as well spring for the extra creature comforts the limited model offers.

My last and final demand: one that does not have the front plate drilled into the bumper. This alone made my search a nightmare.

I had spent close to 6 months trying to find this combination of BRZ, and it was been tough. I’ve had dealers who would not sell me a car without attaching one, no matter how much I begged. Eventually, on 01/18/2017, I found a car in Gallatin, TN that had a great price, plus met all of my requirements. I plan on keeping this car forever, so it will pay off in the long run to get a model with a couple more bells and whistles.

Now the wait begins..

The Arrival
The car arrived in CA on 02/07/2017 in the middle of the night. Apparently the truck it came in on broke down and I had to drive to Union City to pick it up. Luckily I got a discount on the delivery for the hassle, so it worked out well. Unfortunately, it was dark and I really had no chance to inspect the car that well. To my surprise it came equipped with a Homelink mirror, and Blue footwell LED's, as well as the rubber trunk liner. All pluses in my book.

The next day, I was finally able to inspect it. And I found a few things wrong with it. There were several small paint chips on the car, some of them with surface rust already forming. Also, it appeared the front and rear bumpers had been resprayed, as they were a different (brighter) shade of white than the rest of the car. Also, it must have been a rush job, because they did a very very poor job of masking off the mustache and the trim. Disappointed, I felt I had reached a point where I did not even want the car. I quickly realized, the whole point of me buying used instead of new was so I could save some money, and have more available to modify the car, which was always my intention. The money I saved vs. buying new was more than enough to fix the small problems with the car, and still have plenty to modify it.

Waiting at the DMV for vehicle inspection on 02/10/2017:

Here you can get an idea of the mis-matching paint, poor masking, and overspray:

Rust pot on fender:

Depending on the weather, or lighting conditions, or how clean the car is, sometimes you can't notice it at all:

The first mod, a Top Secret Keychain:

I had been buying parts for the car since October 2016, just various things like interior pieces and such. JPM was going to stop making BRZ trim pieces so I picked up everything that I could. I also bought a bunch of LEDs from Diode Dynamics, and clear side markers from FT86SpeedFactory. I wanted to get the exterior and interior to a good point, with some minor cosmetic upgrades. I picked up a set of JDM Tom's Tails from a member here as well.

The exterior of the car is looking good (for now) but the blemishes and imperfections still drive me crazy... I'm thinking about replacing the bumpers and having them repainted and blended correctly. SO anyone knows any good body shops, I'm all ears.

The first real mod to the car, after all the lighting upgrades, would be a Grimmspeed Master Cylinder Brace I picked up from a buddy of mine who was putting his FR-S back to stock.

I'm taking a different approach to this car, than I did with my 240sx. With that car, I was more concerned with the engine and suspension, than I was with the exterior and interior. That's part of the reason why I started with the lighting, to at least get the car to a good base starting point, of how I felt it should of came from the factory. Nicer lighting, nicer interior, etc etc. I have a Nardi Gara 3 Type 0 that was left over from my 240sx part out, and I thought it would be cool to incorporate something from that car in this one. It's not high on the priority list, at least not yet. Surprisingly, I quite like the steering wheel in the BRZ, and how it handles too..

First Impressions
I must admit, it had been a while since I've driven a proper sports car, so finally getting behind the wheel of a BRZ was nice. I was really surprised at how stiff the suspension is stock, and how well it handled. I believe a large part of this is because the sway bar attaches directly to the strut, which is different than cars I've driven in the past. The road noise is a bit much, and the stereo is completely horrid. I'm a bit of an audiophile, and I must say, the stock system in my 2006 Ford Escape sounds MUCH MUCH better. Although, I didn't really buy a BRZ for a stereo, so it's really not much of a buzz kill.

The stock seats have a good amount of grip, and although a set of Bride's or Recaro's would be nice, I don't think I will be upgrading them anytime soon. I bought this car for one reason, to drive it, and drive it hard. My plan is to build something functional, but practical (by my standards) to still be driven everyday. I know I said I was focusing on the exterior and interior first, and in a way, that still is the goal. Coilovers and Wheel's count as an exterior mod... right?

Kintsukuroi
I started to feel like purchasing this car was a mistake. I can be a perfectionist, and a neat freak, and borderline OCD at times. It's been an ever growing problem for me that stems from my childhood. I was actually starting to resent buying this car. Maybe I was foolish to think a cheap used car that I never got to inspect would arrive to me in perfect showroom condition.

I started to think, should I trade it for a new one? should I just get rid of it? The small problems just lingered in my mind. Japan has a concept, called Wabi-sabi, which basically is an acceptance of life's imperfections.

In a way, I believe this car is here to help me, as such as I am here to help it. I feel that I rescued it. If I had not purchased it, who knows what would happen, and with some of the paint chipped and starting to rust, it might not be long before the whole car is ruined and sent away to be crushed somewhere.

Kintsugi and kintsukuroi is the Japanese custom of reparing broken pottery, and highlighting it's flaws. Now, I'm not going to use gold or silver to highlight the flaws of my car, but I will do my best to repair and fix and keep this car running as long as I possibly can. Earlier I mentioned that I wanted a car I could grow with, and that I didn't want to buy a car that I would feel bored or tired with at some point. I am not naive, I know the car will undoubtedly acquire more nicks and chips and the likes, I do intend to drive it hard, after all. I've already corrected and fixed a lot of the weird, minor problems the car came to me with, and will continue to look over and search for things to fix or repair with obsessive detail. Whatever horrid life the car had before, it deserves better.

05-06-2017, 12:19 AM	#1
JeremyR Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Drives: 2015 BRZ Limited Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 484 Thanks: 613 Thanked 269 Times in 181 Posts Mentioned: 13 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	REALMS BRZ Build Thread This thread will chronicle the build of my 2015 Crystal White Pearl BRZ Limited. I've never done a proper build thread before, so I figure with this new project I should start something to keep track of the work I'm going to be doing to the car. I've always been partial to Japanese car culture, and as such, will primarily be using Japanese brands to build my car. However, depending on the particular part or item in question, I may source from a non Japanese brand. This will only happen if I feel the quality, product support, company involvement in the community, or any number of other factor's lead the alternative to be better suited for my needs. My goal with this vehicle is definitely function over form. Every modification I make to the vehicle will serve a purpose, with reliability, drivability, and performance being the main focus of this build. REALMS BRZ - Specifications Exterior TOM’S LED JDM Tail Light Set TRD Rear Trunk Spoiler STI Fender Garnish STI Front Bumper Badge OEM JDM Clear Front Side Markers philips d4s 42402xv2c1 X-tremeVision Gen2 HID Bulbs Diode Dynamics 5k White LED Side Marker Bulbs Diode Dynamics 5k White LED Front Turn Signal Bulbs Diode Dynamics 5k White LED License Plate Bulbs Diode Dynamics 5K White LED Fog Light Bulbs Diode Dynamics DRL Always-On Module Subaru OEM STI License Plate Frame Interior Beastronix 86 Nanny DEFI Red Racer Oil Pressure Gauge Rally Sport Direct Galley Plug Ortiz Custom Gauge Pods Cluster Verus Engineering Throttle Pedal Spacer WC Lathe Werks Titanium Sphere Shift Knob in Burnt Blue/Bronze. WC Lathe Werks Titanium Reverse Lockout in Burnt Blue/Bronze WC Lathe Werks Titanium E-Brake Button in Burnt Blue/Bronze Joying Android Head Unit 2017 OEM Carbon Fiber Climate Control Panel Alcantara Arm Rest (Red Stitching) Sweidit Alcantara One Piece Dash Panel (Red Stitching) Sweidit Perforated Black Leather Ebrake Handle (Red Stitching) JPM Coachworks Alcantara Cluster Hood (Red Stitching) JPM Coachworks Alcantara Speaker Trim (Red Stitching) JPM Coachworks Alcantara Knee Pads (Red Stitching) JPM Coachworks Alcantara Shift Boot (Red Stitching) JPM Coachworks Alcantara Parking Brake Boot (Red Stitching) JDM STi Push To Start Button OEM Black tS Handle's OEM Black tS Knee Pad Garnish's OEM Black tS Shifter Surround OEM Black MY17 Traction Button Diamond Cut Dome Light Cover Smoke 86 Speed Super B.A.D Sage 3 6K Dome Light Bulb Diode Dynamics 6k Vanity Light Bulb Diode Dynamics 6k Door Light Bulb Diode Dynamics Smart Tap Flasher Drivetrain OEM Subaru Slave Cylinder 3/4 Bore Chase Bays SS Clutch Line M-Tech Shifter Springs HKS Oil Filter Mobil1 0w40 Synthetic Oil Suspension HKS Hipermax IV SP 8K Springs F/R Parts Shop MAX Lower Control Arms Parts Shop MAX Toe Rods Parts Shop MAX Traction Rods SPL Eccentric Toe Lockout Kit Racer X Adjustable Sway Bar End Links F/R Cusco Rear Pillar Power Brace Battle Version Solid Steering Rack Bushings Brakes 2007 Subaru WRX 4 Piston Front Calipers 2007 Subaru WRX 2 Piston Rear Calipers KNS V2 WRX Rear Caliper Brackets Stoptech Slotted Front Rotors Stoptech Slotted Rear Rotors Carbotech XP10 Brake Pads Chase Bays SS Brake Lines Grimmspeed Master Cylinder Brace Yperion Titanium Brake Pad Shims 0.65mm F/R Wheels Advan Racing GT 18x9.5 +40 5x100 Semi-Gloss Black Advan Racing Flat Center Caps Black Tires Falken Azenis RT-615K 265/35/18 The Journey Begins My love of automobiles began early in life. The Back to the Future films were released when I was a small child, and I instantly fell in love with the Delorean. I grew up on Hot Wheels, Micro Machines, and Tonka Trucks. The first Fast and the Furious film came out when I was 14, and I was hooked. During the early 00s, I fell in love with Japanese car culture, and obsessively played games like Tokyo Extreme Racer and Gran Turismo. My friends at the time were really into 90s Honda’s, and the Acura RSX had just been released. I spent countless hours on the ClubRSX forum just reading and soaking up as much knowledge as I could. I soon figured out that a brand new RSX was out of my reach, but thanks to watching Option and Touge Showdown videos, I realized that drifting and mountain runs were where I belonged. I picked up my first 240sx in 2005. It was a 1992 Base model hatchback and it was stock. I added shocks and springs (Eibach springs, can't remember the shock brand), kouki tail lights, ST sway bars, a Nardi steering wheel, a welded diff, and an Injen intake. Probably the best picture I can find of it.. I had it a little over a year, crashed it bunch of times, and then it was stolen from in front of my house. This was a blessing in disguise, as I was able to buy another 240sx that had not been driven into a pulp. My memories of that car are bittersweet, as I learned how to drive stick in it, and it was my first real sports car. My friends and I would be up in the hills most nights of the week honing our driving skills (or lack thereof). So I saved up for a few months, and started searching for another 240sx. I found a guy selling one in San Bruno, it was an 89 240sx SE hatchback, without a sunroof. Luckily for me, the one I picked up already had quite a bit of work done to it. Usually I am against this, but I did not want to start over from scratch again, and it was cheaper to buy something with a good amount of mods done to it already. It came equipped with a rebuilt sr20, full suspension, and an aero kit. I proceeded to replace every part that I did not like, or want, with brands that I preferred. The suspension was completely replaced with Powered by Max components. I then dropped a considerable amount of money on upgrading the motor to accommodate a GT2871r and nismo 740cc injectors. I got lucky with an APEXI Power FC ECU that came with an awesome tune for the setup I was running. The car ran great for a few months, and then I threw a rod. I parted out the motor and replaced it with an s13 blacktop SR with an S15 turbo and a PBM high mount intercooler kit. The car stayed basically in this configuration for a few years until I wrecked it. Here are the pics of the car in somewhat on an order... If I can dig up some more pictures of the 240sx, I will add them to this post. Here's the setup right before I totaled it: Drivetrain S13 SR20DET Redtop S15 T28 Spec stage 2 clutch ACT lightweight flywheel nismo clutch pivot Powered By Max high mount intercooler Powered By Max hard intake kit Koyorad Radiator Odyssey PC680MJT Battery Circuit Sports Flex Downpipe Catco High Flow Cat Circuit Sports Exhaust Chase Bays power steering kit Greddy oil pan 180sx 5-bolt differential with 4.36 gears and KAAZ 2-Way LSD Chassis/Suspension Nismo power brace Circuit Sport tension rods Apexi front strut bar Powered By Max Coilovers 8k/6k springs S14 5-lug front/rear S14 Front lower control arms Brembo front calipers Brembo conversion brackets 300zx rear calipers and ebrake RP Sport subframe brace GT Spec subframe brace Powered By Max subframe risers Powered By Max rear upper control arms Powered By Max traction rods Powered By Max toe rods Interior Nardi Gara 3 Type 0 350mm Steering Wheel FET quick release and hub 180sx Gas pedal D-MAX Checkered Floor Mats Nismo GT Shift Knob JDM Automatic Climate Control Dual DIN stereo from an Altima Defi Water Temp Gauge Defi Oil Pressure Gauge Defi Boost Gauge Exterior 180sx Kouki tail lights 180sx Kouki position lights Ganador Mirrors with blue tint 326 Power Wing 30mm rear over fenders Wheels Volk TE37 gloss white 17x9.5 +12 18x10.5 +15 Tires Falken FK452 235/40/17 Falken ZIEX912 235/35/18 I was very active in the local 240sx/car scene in San Jose from 05-11. I have a lot of great memories of mountain runs and drifting from that time period. After I wrecked the car, I was pretty depressed and parted the whole thing out. I could of tube framed the front, or swapped to a new chassis, but I was burnt out on having a car that I was constantly working on that I couldn’t daily drive. I took a break from cars for a while and pursued other interests. I was watching the development for the twins for quite some time, and even joined this forum in 2012 despite not being active in the car scene. In 2014 I bit the bullet on a 2013 Honda CRZ. The idea of a sporty hybrid seemed nice, and I had a long work commute at the time, so it seemed like the perfect car. This is the car that made me fall in love with newer automobiles and the creature comforts they offer. Sadly, I only had it about a year. My commute went from one hour to five minutes, so I didn’t see a use for it anymore, as I still had a 2006 Ford Escape that I wasn’t driving. I then soon realized that I need to be back in a sporty rwd car. I did a lot of research on the current offerings of the last 10 years, and started to narrow down my choices. 350z, 370z, Genesis, RX8, all ran through my head. I delved deeper into what features these cars offered, and how the aftermarket support was. Coming from the 240sx world, you really are spoiled by the sheer amount of quality aftermarket parts available for the car. I started doing more research on the twins, and realized this is the car I needed. But which version? What options? There is a lot of variety in the USDM OEM offerings. I knew I wanted a BRZ. I preferred the front bumper, and loved the boomerang headlights. I wanted a white model. I was inspired by the very clean builds of some of the members here (who I’ll mention later) and found this to be a great color (and one that my girlfriend approved of, or else I would of gone with WRB) After doing research, I realized that depending on the model year, you either get SWP or CWP. I decided that CWP was the color for me, so that narrowed down my options to a 15-17 BRZ in CWP. I may be the odd one out, but I don’t like the front bumper or headlights of the MY17 BRZ, the headlight seems just too busy, and I plan on a C-West half lip, which isn’t available for that year anyway (at least not yet). So now we are down to a MY15 or MY16. I then really had two options, a premium or a limited. I figure if I’m going to buy a used BRZ, I might as well spring for the extra creature comforts the limited model offers. My last and final demand: one that does not have the front plate drilled into the bumper. This alone made my search a nightmare. I had spent close to 6 months trying to find this combination of BRZ, and it was been tough. I’ve had dealers who would not sell me a car without attaching one, no matter how much I begged. Eventually, on 01/18/2017, I found a car in Gallatin, TN that had a great price, plus met all of my requirements. I plan on keeping this car forever, so it will pay off in the long run to get a model with a couple more bells and whistles. Now the wait begins.. The Arrival The car arrived in CA on 02/07/2017 in the middle of the night. Apparently the truck it came in on broke down and I had to drive to Union City to pick it up. Luckily I got a discount on the delivery for the hassle, so it worked out well. Unfortunately, it was dark and I really had no chance to inspect the car that well. To my surprise it came equipped with a Homelink mirror, and Blue footwell LED's, as well as the rubber trunk liner. All pluses in my book. The next day, I was finally able to inspect it. And I found a few things wrong with it. There were several small paint chips on the car, some of them with surface rust already forming. Also, it appeared the front and rear bumpers had been resprayed, as they were a different (brighter) shade of white than the rest of the car. Also, it must have been a rush job, because they did a very very poor job of masking off the mustache and the trim. Disappointed, I felt I had reached a point where I did not even want the car. I quickly realized, the whole point of me buying used instead of new was so I could save some money, and have more available to modify the car, which was always my intention. The money I saved vs. buying new was more than enough to fix the small problems with the car, and still have plenty to modify it. Waiting at the DMV for vehicle inspection on 02/10/2017: Here you can get an idea of the mis-matching paint, poor masking, and overspray: Rust pot on fender: Depending on the weather, or lighting conditions, or how clean the car is, sometimes you can't notice it at all: The first mod, a Top Secret Keychain: I had been buying parts for the car since October 2016, just various things like interior pieces and such. JPM was going to stop making BRZ trim pieces so I picked up everything that I could. I also bought a bunch of LEDs from Diode Dynamics, and clear side markers from FT86SpeedFactory. I wanted to get the exterior and interior to a good point, with some minor cosmetic upgrades. I picked up a set of JDM Tom's Tails from a member here as well. The exterior of the car is looking good (for now) but the blemishes and imperfections still drive me crazy... I'm thinking about replacing the bumpers and having them repainted and blended correctly. SO anyone knows any good body shops, I'm all ears. The first real mod to the car, after all the lighting upgrades, would be a Grimmspeed Master Cylinder Brace I picked up from a buddy of mine who was putting his FR-S back to stock. I'm taking a different approach to this car, than I did with my 240sx. With that car, I was more concerned with the engine and suspension, than I was with the exterior and interior. That's part of the reason why I started with the lighting, to at least get the car to a good base starting point, of how I felt it should of came from the factory. Nicer lighting, nicer interior, etc etc. I have a Nardi Gara 3 Type 0 that was left over from my 240sx part out, and I thought it would be cool to incorporate something from that car in this one. It's not high on the priority list, at least not yet. Surprisingly, I quite like the steering wheel in the BRZ, and how it handles too.. First Impressions I must admit, it had been a while since I've driven a proper sports car, so finally getting behind the wheel of a BRZ was nice. I was really surprised at how stiff the suspension is stock, and how well it handled. I believe a large part of this is because the sway bar attaches directly to the strut, which is different than cars I've driven in the past. The road noise is a bit much, and the stereo is completely horrid. I'm a bit of an audiophile, and I must say, the stock system in my 2006 Ford Escape sounds MUCH MUCH better. Although, I didn't really buy a BRZ for a stereo, so it's really not much of a buzz kill. The stock seats have a good amount of grip, and although a set of Bride's or Recaro's would be nice, I don't think I will be upgrading them anytime soon. I bought this car for one reason, to drive it, and drive it hard. My plan is to build something functional, but practical (by my standards) to still be driven everyday. I know I said I was focusing on the exterior and interior first, and in a way, that still is the goal. Coilovers and Wheel's count as an exterior mod... right? Kintsukuroi I started to feel like purchasing this car was a mistake. I can be a perfectionist, and a neat freak, and borderline OCD at times. It's been an ever growing problem for me that stems from my childhood. I was actually starting to resent buying this car. Maybe I was foolish to think a cheap used car that I never got to inspect would arrive to me in perfect showroom condition. I started to think, should I trade it for a new one? should I just get rid of it? The small problems just lingered in my mind. Japan has a concept, called Wabi-sabi, which basically is an acceptance of life's imperfections. In a way, I believe this car is here to help me, as such as I am here to help it. I feel that I rescued it. If I had not purchased it, who knows what would happen, and with some of the paint chipped and starting to rust, it might not be long before the whole car is ruined and sent away to be crushed somewhere. Kintsugi and kintsukuroi is the Japanese custom of reparing broken pottery, and highlighting it's flaws. Now, I'm not going to use gold or silver to highlight the flaws of my car, but I will do my best to repair and fix and keep this car running as long as I possibly can. Earlier I mentioned that I wanted a car I could grow with, and that I didn't want to buy a car that I would feel bored or tired with at some point. I am not naive, I know the car will undoubtedly acquire more nicks and chips and the likes, I do intend to drive it hard, after all. I've already corrected and fixed a lot of the weird, minor problems the car came to me with, and will continue to look over and search for things to fix or repair with obsessive detail. Whatever horrid life the car had before, it deserves better. Last edited by JeremyR; 05-30-2019 at 06:15 PM.