What was you close second option before deciding on 86/BRZ?

[the new guy]

2014 Mazda3speed. I was trading in an 09 mazda3 and would have gotten 2.5k additional cash to the trade in value that they were already giving me full KBB value for.

Decided I wanted the coupe and to have fun the next 5 years with this car

[Nevermore]

My last car was a Mazda 626 and I loved that car, so I wanted another Mazda, but for what I could afford I would have had to buy a used car. At the time my dad was telling me and my older brother about a benefit program he has through Toyota that lets him lease/buy cars at discount. He had two slots, so either of us could get a car, while leaving a lot available for him if he wanted something.

So it was a choice between a used Mazda or a new Toyota/Scion/Lexus (though not a Lexus because they cost too much) at a discounted price. I didn't want a Camry or a Corolla, too boring. So I looked at Scion. Test drove a tC and felt cramped in it. Looked at the xD and almost ordered one, but the FR-S showed up on their website randomly one day so I waited until more information showed up. Was the FR-S above my budget? You bet. Do I regret it/can't afford it? Nope.

So my second/third choice cars would've been an xD or probably a Mazda3.

[GTHachiRoku]

Nissan GTR - still hoping to get one as an additional car.
As far as a car in the same price range, I didn't consider anything else.

[krayzie]

I seriously considered an AP2 S2000 before getting a BRZ but it's hard to find a well priced low mileage mint unmolested copy. Used Cayman / Boxster pre-2009 means IMS no thanks!

Also thought of just going to a Mk7 Golf GTI but I really missed the low driving position of old cars like Honda. Got really turned off by the fact that the new GTI will come with an inferior engine built in Silao, Mexico from what I read off TTAC earlier in the year:

"Lost in the hype of new model release is the truth about this new version of the EA888 engine made in Mexico.

It has a mere 4 counterweight (instead of the proper 8) crankshaft whose main bearings have been reduced to 48mm from the previous 52. It looks like a bent paper clip. The resulting vibrations we are assured are not likely to be noticed by the customer, but the engine is not suitable for the tuner crowd to turn the boost to eleven, as they will no doubt soon discover.

The new cast iron block is super thin, only 3mm thick in places.

The new super wowee rotary slide valve cooling management system is ditched for a thermostat for the US.

The variable lift exhaust valve arrangement is ditched for the US.

The dual port and direct fuel injection system is ditched for the US. Direct injection only.

You wanted a cheap GTI, America? You got it."

[PoorMansRacing]

2013 MX-5 or STi (I couldn't find any around my area though).

[Hallucin8]

2013 Mustang GT. I know a lot of people with them now and I'm glad I decided against it. They are fairly cheap and easy to make them fast but I'm not into drag racing like I was.

The one's specced the way I wanted were pretty far out of my price range though; some almost $10-12k more than the FRS.

[archer]

Well i haven't bought my FR-S yet so i guess mine doesn't fully count lol. But a e46 m3. I WILL own a e46 m3 at sometime, just not right now.

[tennisfreak]

Tie between:
New 370z for $32k with sport package
2008 Porsche Cayman S with 16k miles for $40k

[ncmx5]

Lotus Exige or Elise.. Both are great but it was really hard to find one close to my budget and in the end I got the BRZ for alot less, have a warranty and don't have to worry myself to death about somebody bumping it while its parked and destroy the very expensive clamshells.

[jonboy99]

Boss 302 was seriously tempting me. 6/12 earlier, I was weighing up the brz and a miata and the miata won.. After six months of summer driving I was loving the miata except I got one with a terrible gearbox, and the brz was whispering my name. Like others on this thread, I have done the fwd thing for way too long and got thoroughly bored of them.
Had also rented out a mini cooper S for a couple of weeks earlier in the year and found it utterly unappealing - front wheel scrabble and mechanical grip just doesn't do it for me any more, even though i thrashed the nuts off it on some of the best roads around. Steering was utterly horrible in the wheel/suspension combo I had and I would never ever consider buying one.

[Miniata]

NC Miata, either a new one, or a 2006-07. Already had my NA Miata, so I decided to go with the BRZ. Still on the fence as to whether or not I made the right decision.