When did you "know"?

[Pegasus]

Yep, still fighting with myself justifing my Monogram series. But if I didn't get this car, Idk what else I would get. And I'm so so sick of waiting that I went ahead and picked her up Friday. In my area it's extremely flat and straight so that was the argument for mustang. But if I make the FR-S powerful and sound good then the stang has nothing. So I'd say these cars are better platforms to build onto. Though not exactly the greatest stock.

[JS + BRZ]

You guys need to do some track events.

Sent from my SCH-I605

[go2brz]

I wanted one from the first reports I had read, long before production began. I have owned a Lotus Europa years ago, and I always missed the incredible handling of such a light car. This is the closest car I have owned in all those years (lots of Italian sports cars and German sports sedans in between). This car combines a modern car and the theory of lightness being more fun than raw power. I find it to be a blast every time I drive it and I never, ever feel like I could lose control of this car no matter how crazy I get with it, sliding out the rear end. No Audi or BMW gave me that feeling. Once I drove it, I knew just how special it was for drivers who love agility over raw power.

I absolutely love this car, and once you learn how to keep the revs in place when you really want to fly, this car is no slouch. But most of all it is an almost perfectly balanced car with a center of gravity that is envious to most cars, and any in this price range.

Just depends on what you want of a sports car. Better handling or better power.....

[br_z1Lch]

I became interested before they came out. I'm a WRX fan, and my first car was an old Subaru station wagon, so I have this odd sort of loyalty to Subaru. Once I saw pictures I became VERY interested, but I didn't really have a reason to get rid of my old car. Then I saw one in the parking lot at work. That's when I knew.

[d3lirious]

God Damn i love Melbourne... car scene here is amazing

Originally Posted by weepel

While walking home from a late night at work, I saw a Satin White Pearl Toyota 86 parked off of LaTrobe Street in Melbourne and it was love at first sight. It took me another three weeks to figure out exactly what the car was (I took a picture on my phone), but when I learned it was the famed Toyaburu, I was hooked.

When I moved back to the States 6 months later and needed some wheels, I headed straight to the Subaru dealership. I initially was going to order a Satin White Pearl one, but when I saw it in WR Blue (the only one they had at the dealership) I fell in love. Here's a pic from the day I bought it outside the dealership:

[Kelbyat07]

I wanted it when it first appeared on the Scion website

[Ganthrithor]

I strongly suspected I'd want one after watching Chris Harris' review of the GT86. I knew I wanted one when I finally saw one in person and drove it. That tiny wheel! That lack of body roll! And it wasn't as slow as so many people were making it out to be-- it didn't feel slower overall than my Mk4 GTI (although it lacked the mid-range torque surge of my old car).

If you like the car I'd go for it! The 86's have their shortcomings (lack of power, don't sound orgasmic, etc), but they're quite practical, very economical, and still present the best compromise between price, overall fun, practicality, and "bang for buck" on the market IMHO: it's a lot of fun to drive, you can squeeze people into the back in a pinch, it can fit someone's luggage in the back for an airport run, it gets good highway fuel economy, and it just loves being flogged down windy roads when you're in the mood. You can't say all those things about too many cars. I'd say unless there's some other car that you just lust after in an incurable way, give the 86 a shot.

FWIW the only things I don't like about mine are:

• engine sound isn't the greatest (it's not bad, but it's not orgasmic like a flat-six, for example)
  
• it handles a little too well (I know this probably sounds a bit retarded, but sometimes I do feel like it's almost idiot-proof. The car just handles so sweetly and is so confidence-inspiring that sometimes you feel like it doesn't really matter if you drive it well or poorly. It welcomes good inputs, but it doesn't demand them like, say, an old 911 does.)
  
• The computer systems. Driving aids "off" in these cars doesn't turn everything off. I still get the occasional angry traction light blinking at me during road driving, and doing off-road stuff I've found that the ABS / stability control systems sometimes randomly intervene during big slides, etc. It's not that the computers routinely ruin my driving fun or really prevent me from doing things that I want to do, but I really hate the feeling that I'm not necessarily always in complete control of the car: I do wish that "off" meant off. It's not enough to make me consider selling the car or anything, but it's a point of frustration, particularly since this was billed as a true, pure, enthusiast's car. Counterpoint to this complaint: this is probably not a problem unique to this car. You really need to buy something older if you don't want to deal with computers.

[iamsatan]

I've been a fan of the AE86, when I found out Toyota teamed up with Subaru to make a spiritual successor I was all over it. I wasn't planning on getting a BRZ for a couple years but I totalled my 05 Civic EX in June 2013 and needed a new car ASAP. I've always loved the blue on the WRX and I got lucky when I found a WRB BRZ with no dealer markup nearby. I put a deposit down and walked out with the car 2 days after I got my check from insurance for my Civic.

[cjsporl1996]

Originally Posted by Ganthrithor

I strongly suspected I'd want one after watching Chris Harris' review of the GT86. I knew I wanted one when I finally saw one in person and drove it. That tiny wheel! That lack of body roll! And it wasn't as slow as so many people were making it out to be-- it didn't feel slower overall than my Mk4 GTI (although it lacked the mid-range torque surge of my old car).

If you like the car I'd go for it! The 86's have their shortcomings (lack of power, don't sound orgasmic, etc), but they're quite practical, very economical, and still present the best compromise between price, overall fun, practicality, and "bang for buck" on the market IMHO: it's a lot of fun to drive, you can squeeze people into the back in a pinch, it can fit someone's luggage in the back for an airport run, it gets good highway fuel economy, and it just loves being flogged down windy roads when you're in the mood. You can't say all those things about too many cars. I'd say unless there's some other car that you just lust after in an incurable way, give the 86 a shot.

FWIW the only things I don't like about mine are:

• engine sound isn't the greatest (it's not bad, but it's not orgasmic like a flat-six, for example)
  
• it handles a little too well (I know this probably sounds a bit retarded, but sometimes I do feel like it's almost idiot-proof. The car just handles so sweetly and is so confidence-inspiring that sometimes you feel like it doesn't really matter if you drive it well or poorly. It welcomes good inputs, but it doesn't demand them like, say, an old 911 does.)
  
• The computer systems. Driving aids "off" in these cars doesn't turn everything off. I still get the occasional angry traction light blinking at me during road driving, and doing off-road stuff I've found that the ABS / stability control systems sometimes randomly intervene during big slides, etc. It's not that the computers routinely ruin my driving fun or really prevent me from doing things that I want to do, but I really hate the feeling that I'm not necessarily always in complete control of the car: I do wish that "off" meant off. It's not enough to make me consider selling the car or anything, but it's a point of frustration, particularly since this was billed as a true, pure, enthusiast's car. Counterpoint to this complaint: this is probably not a problem unique to this car. You really need to buy something older if you don't want to deal with computers.

Ever hear of the pedal dance. I think you will like it

[Ganthrithor]

Originally Posted by cjsporl1996

Ever hear of the pedal dance. I think you will like it

I tried it and couldn't discern a difference between it and regular TC off. Part of the frustrating thing about the computers is that when turned off they only intervene every once in a while.

In regular off mode I usually only get the traction light blinking during road driving if there's a big bump or elevation change in a tight corner (inside rear wheel lifts), and during trail braking on downhill corners (IDK what's going on there because the car never feels unsettled at all when the light blinks-- all I can think of is that it's anticipating rotation if you were to brake any harder and intervenes to prevent you from doing so. Not really sure why it does this.)

On the skidpad the other day I noticed ABS braking my outside front wheel a couple of times while sliding. I noticed it a lot more when riding shotgun in a friend's BRZ on the same surface. Again, all I can think of is that the TC brakes that wheel whenever it senses you're in a slide but doesn't think you're on top of the car enough to catch it.

Anyway, the pedal dance isn't that practical anyway (car has to be shut off and re-started after being warmed up, etc). I might use it for HPDE events, I guess. The one thing I didn't get to play with the other day was pulling the ABS fuse. I suspect that plus pedal dance might get you pretty computer-free.

Regardless, I'd really prefer if the car just had a good old-fashioned cable throttle. I think the BRZ will be the newest car I'll own; whatever I get next will probably be something that predates traction control.

[krayzie]

I needed an affordable sports car to replace my problematic Mk5 Golf GTI and had to fit the following criteria:

- Engine either without direct injection or with added port injection to mitigate carbon buildup on intake valves.
- Small displacement with good fuel economy.
- Redline at 7000rpm or higher.
- Stick shift with good pedal placement and no rev hang.
- Less money than the previous car would be great.
- Low seating position with good trunk space for daily driving (this alone nailed the selection down to this car).

[stock]

2006: I decided my next new car was going to be RWD. I missed RWD, since I got rid of my 1988 MR2, I had not had one.

2009: I wanted this car when it was in the rumor, when sketches and prototypes came out. Was it 2009? Not sure, I did not pay much attention, but said if they make this I will buy.
A few times I see cars that are supposed to come out. (ie the Datsum 510 that Nissan is looking at) So many times the company gets sidetracked, it turns out to be FWD, a four door or the design is simply no where near the concept. So I forgot about it, but kept it in mind.

2012?) It came out, and there was much cheering, but I was busy doing other things and besides I was still paying for my other car. Basically I failed to notice it coming to reality.

2013: I went on vaca and rented a Camaro. I started thinking about a Camaro and the wife said what about that Toyota you like...
Four months later I had one.

[sshole]

The question everyone here has missed: what are you planning to use this car for? Daily commuting? Any track events? AutoX?

Also, you brought up this point in your original post:

Originally Posted by Flo

Basically I am 100% emotionally sold on the BRZ but something in my head is telling me no, you need more space, more power... or you should just keep driving the altima till the wheels fall off, wife is back at work and you can buy yourself the BMW you really want.

If what you really want is a BMW M235i, then this car is not right for you.

One thing I really miss about my 330xi is the high speed stability. There was no tram-lining/tracking/wandering at 70mph+.

[raven1231]

after my second test drive! Drove the gen coupe prior and then the FRS right after and lets just say there was no comparison.