[Dok Henz]

Hey, Rai-zero:

Figured I'd weigh in, since I've had similar ownership experiences, and I've recently gone through similar purchase considerations that you've described.

1) '17 vs '18: My advice? Do it for the headunit alone. I had a '17 Limited, and while I loved the car, I HATED the headunit. I "upgraded" to an aftermarket solution with CarPlay (Pioneer 4100NEX), but it's utility was compromised by spotty reliability. And it wasn't nearly as pretty as the stock headunit despite purchasing the Canadian BRZ dash piece with which to frame it. The '18 headunit is CarPlay native, and works perfectly. I love having an actual volume knob, too. And while I miss the bass of from my aftermarket subwoofer, I plan to rectify the sound with an OEM+ upgrade in the not-too-distant future.

I can't comment on the difference from a '17 Limited to an '18 Limited with the PP... because I opted for the tS. The ride is quite a bit firmer compared to the '17, but I can already notice a "plantedness" that wasn't there with the non-PP/tS platform... and I prefer my tS already, not even being beyond the 1000-mile break-in.

Get the '18, and definitely do the PP. Or the tS. (Come on, you know you want to!... )

2) M3 (or 718 or 911 or xxx) vs BRZ: I, too, owned an E92 M3. Loved it, daily drove it, tracked it, autoXed it, canyon-runned it. The sound alone (wide open on the long opening straight of Laguna Seca) still makes me pine to see it in my garage (or hear it every morning when I started the ignition). That being said, it had WAY too much power for this novice HPDE driver: 150mph on the Roval at Fontana scared the sh!t out of me, and made me realize that I might very well end my (or its) life by being unable to handle its prodigious envelope. The Twin's envelope is still beyond my capabilities (for now), but at least I'll be probing the limits at less lethal speeds (I hope).

After driving my '17 for a year and half, I can honestly say that, on a daily basis, I'm having 100% of the fun I had with my E92, at 35% the cost. It's more than adequate for daily driving and weekend "backroading." And yes, like you said, while many cars today might be able to "do 170mph," 99% of the drivers out there will have 0% capacity to handle them at their limits. While I might be deluding myself, I definitely feel like I can handle its - and my - limits when driven to 8 or 9 tenths. Like Xxyion said:

Originally Posted by Xxyion

Exploring the limits of the car is a lot more forgiving.

And you, yourself, said this in another thread:

Originally Posted by Rai-zero

Plus to me having to work harder for the speed rev it up is half the fun.

Nailed it.

Like you, I also considered a P-car (both the 718 and 991) and couldn't justify the increased expense. I loved driving the 718 (and haven't ruled out owning one eventually), but I couldn't sacrifice the "+2" of the BRZ, and it's ability to haul my 10 year-old's hockey bag. And the 991 was just stupendously expensive when I optioned it the way I'd want.

And this is totally true:

Originally Posted by Rai-zero

I don't really care about the prestige, had the M3 already found the prestige was not worth the extra price especially regarding service.

Besides, in my neighborhood, every other schmuck who isn't driving a Tesla is driving a Porsche. I'm proud to drive the only BRZ in a 5-mile radius.

3) Regarding your original questions: Headlights are great, both in the '17 and '18. Autodimming works well... as does Homelink: I can't imagine ever opening my garage door with an ancient standalone opener again. Bumper applique, trunk liner, wheel locks? Can't imagine you'd be able to find a Limited without those things. And I'll repeat what Stang70 said, because it's totally on the money:

Originally Posted by Stang70Fastback

If by "cargo tray" you mean the rubber cargo liner with the lip, it is ABSOLUTELY worth it, because it will not only contain any minor spills, but it's made out of a really grippy rubber that does a great job of keeping things from sliding around, unlike the factory carpeting, which is, like, made with teflon fibers.

4) Pricing: Again, Stang70 said it best:

Originally Posted by Stang70Fastback

People will argue all day long about what a good price is, and they will insist that you haggle them, and negotiate, and play them off of other dealerships, etc... which is fine. But honestly, if you are happy with the deal you are getting, that's much more important than whether or not someone else 6 states away got the same car for $500 less. It isn't going to make any meaningful difference in your monthly payments. When they said yes to my initial offer, I could have sat them down and spent 4 hours negotiating an even lower price, pretending to walk out, etc... Did I do any of that? No. Why? Because I was happy with the price I offered, and I wasn't about to waste my day, and stress myself out, and the salesman out, just to try to shave a few extra hundred bucks off of the price of the car. I walked in, we signed stuff, and I walked out. Quick and easy, and much less stressful for everyone involved.

If you're satisfied with the price, don't worry about $500. Hell, if you were seriously considering a 718 - even a used one - you've already saved yourself at least $20,000 by considering a Twin. And you'll be having just as much fun.

In summary, I'd recommend the '18 without reservations. Having made the jump to the Twin platform myself almost 2 years ago, I have zero regrets. In fact, I opted to purchase my tS after leasing my '17, knowing it'll be in my stable for many years to come.* The '18 will serve you well.

Peace!
Dok

* Why I chose the tS over the Limited PP is another story. Happy to relay it for those interested.