Newbie car buyer Questions - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

calidus · 01-13-2014, 12:42 AM

I am looking to buy my first car and I have been eyeing the brz pretty hard for the last few months. I was hoping to get some advice.

Is there anything I need to know to look out for when test driving a manual brz?
I really like the white pearl paint but I live in the Midwest so salt and dirt are everywhere. Do I need to worry about that?
Is this car easy to learn to drive manual on? I only drove stick for 2 months when I was 17 and working a summer job.

thanks

bestwheelbase · 01-13-2014, 01:02 AM

Easy to drive, get whatever color you want, watch out for cops.

mrblue · 01-13-2014, 01:15 AM

If you're not experienced driving a manual then you're going to have a hard time comparing the transmission in a BRZ vs other cars. It has its quirks to get used to IMO but it won't be more difficult to drive or learn on than any other manual. If the fluid is not warm 2nd gear is not that easy to get into but like you may have read that issue seems to go away by swapping it out. I haven't done it yet (only 2500 miles) but it's on the list in the next few weeks. I would say on your test drive to make sure you get the temps up before deciding how it feels going through the gears.

White paint actually hides dirt better than the darker colors so no problems there. White was my 2nd color choice but I went with the WRB instead. White with tint looks very very good.

Whitigir · 01-13-2014, 01:42 AM

The easiest manual to learn on would be dirt bikes....good luck with ur quest and have fun

J. O'Grimm · 01-13-2014, 03:06 AM

Is there anything I need to know to look out for when test driving a manual brz?

Not really. I have owned and driven cars with a manual transmission since I was 15 years old (about 10 different cars). I test drove both an FR-S and a BRZ and found the transmissions quite easy to use. The clutch is very "direct" and there is a DIY to take even more of the "play" out of it.

I really like the white pearl paint but I live in the Midwest so salt and dirt are everywhere. Do I need to worry about that?

I spent last winter in Minnesota, and a good coat of wax goes a long way. Check out the thread on "Detailing" to see how some FR-S/BRZ are being protected. Of greater issue for the Midwest would be Rear Wheel Drive and snow/ice. A good set of snow tires and some "cheap" rims appear to be a must.

Is this car easy to learn to drive manual on? I only drove stick for 2 months when I was 17 and working a summer job.

It is easier than most that I have driven.

Good luck and let the forum know how it turns out!

N1rve · 01-13-2014, 03:23 AM

I would make sure your BRZ changes gears easily and also you're able to use the clutch well.

White paint is pretty easy to take care of... but any dark color is hard.

Ganthrithor · 01-13-2014, 05:38 AM

Trans / clutch is really easy (even when it's cold and feeling "notchy" it's still not the harshest shifter in the world). Flywheel weight feels pretty average-- a little lighter than the one in my old Golf but nowhere near a racing flywheel in terms of twitchiness.

Can't really comment on your color issue, but it should be a pretty easy car to learn on... the trans works easily and the clutch is very straightforward. The car is also quite light, which I think would make it harder to stall while learning. I learned stick on an old Land Rover-- I'd rather learn on one of these cars!

nyfries · 01-13-2014, 05:53 AM

seems like everyone that said this car is easy to learn on has had experience driving other manual cars.

Here's my manual car driving history prior to my frs:
-2 hr on a honda fit couple yrs ago
-combine 2hr of driving on my boss's manual corolla

I have to say with my almost non existence manual experience the frs was not the easiest especially when you trying to drive it smooth. I find that its less forgiving of mistake than the other 2 car i have driven (the corolla especially is soooo forgiving of noob mistake, although it has a harder clutch I can drive it smoothly without really knowing what i'm doing)

But once you get use to it, it is a pleasure to drive.

As for the colour, salt is cancer to any car paint. just make sure you don't let the salt caked on for too long and to put on a good coat of wax on the car before the winter you should be good.

as for what to look for when test driving it, if you are inexperience in manual and you are test driving a manual you probably won't have time to "look" for things are you are concentrating on not stalling the car, shifting etc.

calidus · 01-13-2014, 10:24 AM

Thanks for the advice

dbrandt01 · 01-13-2014, 12:56 PM

I have white, but I'm down south in Alabama. I don't see dirt too much though on the car.
My salesman gave me a crash course on driving a manual during the test drive.

This is my first manual car which is obvious, but I have driven a manual V8 camaro once. Compared to that, the BRZ was very easy to learn on. Took 3 days to be able to drive it on the rode well enough to not stall. About 2 weeks to get it perfect, well good enough to not even think about it being a manual.

N1rve · 01-13-2014, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbrandt01

I have white, but I'm down south in Alabama. I don't see dirt too much though on the car.
My salesman gave me a crash course on driving a manual during the test drive.

This is my first manual car which is obvious, but I have driven a manual V8 camaro once. Compared to that, the BRZ was very easy to learn on. Took 3 days to be able to drive it on the rode well enough to not stall. About 2 weeks to get it perfect, well good enough to not even think about it being a manual.

How were you able to get a test drive? LOL

dbrandt01 · 01-13-2014, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N1rve

How were you able to get a test drive? LOL

The dude just let me. The owner of the Subaru dealer was trying to increase my truck value and the guy let me test drive it in an empty parking lot/back road by the dealership. He didn't even hesitate letting me.

N1rve · 01-13-2014, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbrandt01

The dude just let me. The owner of the Subaru dealer was trying to increase my truck value and the guy let me test drive it in an empty parking lot/back road by the dealership. He didn't even hesitate letting me.

Now that's how you get a sale... LOL

the new guy · 01-13-2014, 03:14 PM

Give Clint a call, he's helped a lot of forum members get their BRZ for a good price and he's easy to work with.
@HeubergerMotors

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01-13-2014, 01:02 AM	#2
bestwheelbase Join Date: Nov 2011 Drives: 1985 P-Type Location: Nashville, TN, USA Posts: 3,710 Thanks: 3,273 Thanked 2,058 Times in 1,098 Posts Mentioned: 50 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Easy to drive, get whatever color you want, watch out for cops.

01-13-2014, 01:15 AM	#3
mrblue Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Drives: Raptor \| B9 \| BRZ Location: OR Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	If you're not experienced driving a manual then you're going to have a hard time comparing the transmission in a BRZ vs other cars. It has its quirks to get used to IMO but it won't be more difficult to drive or learn on than any other manual. If the fluid is not warm 2nd gear is not that easy to get into but like you may have read that issue seems to go away by swapping it out. I haven't done it yet (only 2500 miles) but it's on the list in the next few weeks. I would say on your test drive to make sure you get the temps up before deciding how it feels going through the gears. White paint actually hides dirt better than the darker colors so no problems there. White was my 2nd color choice but I went with the WRB instead. White with tint looks very very good.

01-13-2014, 01:42 AM	#4
Whitigir Banned Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: 450 awhp twin turbo vr4 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,012 Thanks: 94 Thanked 273 Times in 177 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	The easiest manual to learn on would be dirt bikes....good luck with ur quest and have fun

01-13-2014, 03:23 AM	#6
N1rve Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2019 BMW ///M4 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 2,332 Thanks: 102 Thanked 1,167 Times in 714 Posts Mentioned: 28 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I would make sure your BRZ changes gears easily and also you're able to use the clutch well. White paint is pretty easy to take care of... but any dark color is hard.

01-13-2014, 05:38 AM	#7
Ganthrithor Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Drives: '13 BRZ, '06 997, Other Things(TM) Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 1,078 Thanks: 1,715 Thanked 670 Times in 351 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Trans / clutch is really easy (even when it's cold and feeling "notchy" it's still not the harshest shifter in the world). Flywheel weight feels pretty average-- a little lighter than the one in my old Golf but nowhere near a racing flywheel in terms of twitchiness. Can't really comment on your color issue, but it should be a pretty easy car to learn on... the trans works easily and the clutch is very straightforward. The car is also quite light, which I think would make it harder to stall while learning. I learned stick on an old Land Rover-- I'd rather learn on one of these cars!

01-13-2014, 05:53 AM	#8
nyfries Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Drives: 14 FRS Whiteout Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 423 Thanks: 159 Thanked 85 Times in 59 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	seems like everyone that said this car is easy to learn on has had experience driving other manual cars. Here's my manual car driving history prior to my frs: -2 hr on a honda fit couple yrs ago -combine 2hr of driving on my boss's manual corolla I have to say with my almost non existence manual experience the frs was not the easiest especially when you trying to drive it smooth. I find that its less forgiving of mistake than the other 2 car i have driven (the corolla especially is soooo forgiving of noob mistake, although it has a harder clutch I can drive it smoothly without really knowing what i'm doing) But once you get use to it, it is a pleasure to drive. As for the colour, salt is cancer to any car paint. just make sure you don't let the salt caked on for too long and to put on a good coat of wax on the car before the winter you should be good. as for what to look for when test driving it, if you are inexperience in manual and you are test driving a manual you probably won't have time to "look" for things are you are concentrating on not stalling the car, shifting etc.

01-13-2014, 12:56 PM	#10
dbrandt01 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Drives: none Location: N/A Posts: 411 Thanks: 185 Thanked 229 Times in 140 Posts Mentioned: 16 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I have white, but I'm down south in Alabama. I don't see dirt too much though on the car. My salesman gave me a crash course on driving a manual during the test drive. This is my first manual car which is obvious, but I have driven a manual V8 camaro once. Compared to that, the BRZ was very easy to learn on. Took 3 days to be able to drive it on the rode well enough to not stall. About 2 weeks to get it perfect, well good enough to not even think about it being a manual.

01-13-2014, 03:14 PM	#14
the new guy Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2014 Asphalt FR-S/2018 Thunder GT Location: Fairfax Posts: 620 Thanks: 199 Thanked 254 Times in 178 Posts Mentioned: 13 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Give Clint a call, he's helped a lot of forum members get their BRZ for a good price and he's easy to work with. @HeubergerMotors

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