cars.com editor refuses to buy FR-S because of scion badge

[Ganthrithor]

Originally Posted by thill

Sorry, but the guy says he is pushing 40 and he worries about what someone else thinks of him because, wait for it, he drives a Scion?

If you love the car, buy the car. If it is that important for your self image that you worry about driving a car with a Scion badge then just rebadge the damn car to a Toyota...

I will say this. I always have thought Toyota should have sold the car as a Toyota. I still do. But not buying a car you really want to buy because of the badge on it is just immature and ignorant...

A zillion times this. Who the fuck cares what badge is pinned on the front. If you really care that much, shave the thing. Put a Ferrari badge on. Who gives a shit, drive what you like to drive. This is almost as dumb as the people who won't drive Miatas or Boxsters because they're "girls' cars."

[YMAA]

As a person, if he doesn't want a Scion badge on his car, that's his choice.

As an editor of an auto enthusiast website, it was incredibly poor taste to write off a brand like that. If I were an executive at Toyota/Scion I would do everything I could to make sure that site never gets to review anything made in my factories for a long time.

[BuntaFujiwara]

Subaru has a heritage closely tied into racing, they've won multiple championships and their STI has become iconic in the realm of performance. It isn't associated with prestige or any type of fanciness, but a modest brand with a history of making cars people love driving. The same goes for toyota and that's why people would rather have their name on the car.
Scion on the other hand has made like 3 different box shaped cars and the tc ... the subaru name is stamped on the engine cover, it might as well be on the car too.

For those who care about image and other people's opinions, that isn't a great reason not to buy the frs. Then again this is why overpriced designer clothing sells. People would rather pay 20x more for a piece of cloth made in Bangladesh with a fancy name on it than one without.

My views are biased, I'm a huge subaru fan and don't want to be associated with the scion name or its product line. Yes the frs and brz are the same car, everyone knows this. No care

[Davey]

Subaru = sideways hat Ken Block wannabes with clapped out 2002 bugeyes.

Subaru has no prestige. It's your imagination.

[STV3]

Originally Posted by Davey

Subaru = sideways hat Ken Block wannabes with clapped out 2002 bugeyes.

Subaru has no prestige. It's your imagination.

Ken Block drives a Fiesta now anyway which is another car people don't give the credit it deserves because of its name.

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by STV3

Ken Block drives a Fiesta now anyway which is another car people don't give the credit it deserves because of its name.

Yep it sounds like there would be people on this board who wouldn't drive a Fiesta ST, because it's (1) a Ford, and (2) a Fiesta. Which is a shame because it's reportedly a great all-around car for the money.

[Davey]

"But what would people think if they saw me in a Ford! OOOOH NOOOOOOOOEEEESS!!!!11!"

[STV3]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

Yep it sounds like there would be people on this board who wouldn't drive a Fiesta ST, because it's (1) a Ford, and (2) a Fiesta. Which is a shame because it's reportedly a great all-around car for the money.

Yep, I have a friend that owns one and it is an awesome car.

[tennisfreak]

Funny the only thing I read in that article was the author saying what a judgmental douchebag he was.

[jvincent]

Originally Posted by Acree

Really? You're 48 and that's the best word you come up with to describe his post?

Not emotion, preference, stigma, etc? But stupid...? Lol... pot. kettle.


To the OP, I'm right there with you. And that's why I bought a BRZ. Scion is a teenage brand. If they had badged it a Toyota and offered the top level trim, I would have bought that over a Subaru.

I figured a stupid post needed a suitably stupid reply.

If you bought a BRZ instead of a Scion simply because Scion is a "teenage" brand, that's a stupid decision as well.

I looked at both the BRZ and the FRS and simply decided that I didn't want the comfort features that the came with the BRZ. So I saved some coin and got essentially the same car (front lip and slightly different suspension setup not withstanding).

If you are embarrassed by the brand of car you drive, that's your problem.

[tahdizzle]

I chose the BRZ over the FRS for the Alcantara, headlights, DRLs, HVAC, and actually the Satellite radio. (I like "commercial free" radio. Even though they advertise sirius XM pretty often).

I was considering a Monogram when I purchased my BRZ, but I wouldn't be able to negotiate below MSRP like I did with my BRZ at the time.

[jjaisli]

No doubt, as a society, we put great emphasis on brands. There are certain products, and it doesn't matter whether they're clothes or appliances or electronics or tools, that will sell simply by their brand name and reputation. And that brand perception can mean different things to different people.

As others have pointed out, the fact that the editor of cars.com, makes such silly claims is a bit disappointing. He obviously knows that the FR-S, BRZ and GT86 are all produced at the same factory, on the same assembly line, that there's very little difference between them and when it comes down to it, they're virtually the same car. But he feels 'embarrassed' to be driving a Scion. And that says something.

The Scion brand is clearly failing in North America. In my opinion, that's down to two factors. First and foremost, the state of the economy. Since 2008, comparatively few young people (<25 year olds, the demographic Scion markets to) are able to afford new cars now compared to how many 16~24 year olds were buying new cars prior to the market collapse. Things are improving. But slowly. And young buyers, often without good paying jobs and crippled with loan debt, are behind the curve during the recovery. The fact that the average Scion buyer is actually in their 40s is irrelevant. The second issue with Scion, and this is just my personal opinion, is that their model line-up, the FR-S aside, is simply dull and uninspiring. Save for the FR-S, there is no Scion that interests me.

From a brand perception perspective, it might have made more sense for Toyota to sell the car in the US at Toyota dealerships as a Toyota GT86. But that depends on the perspective. How many years has it been since we've been able to buy a Supra, or an MR2 or a Celica at a Toyota dealer? And how many people out there still associate the Toyota name with sports cars? I think most people think Toyota and they think Camry or Corolla along with basic but reliable transportation. So I think marketing the car as a Scion was a calculated risk for Toyota. It was an attempt to improve the failing image and failing sales of the Scion brand. And inject some life blood into Scion dealerships that are clearly hurting.

All this said, when I made my purchase, I didn't really consider the BRZ. But my reason for that was because I had a nightmare experience with the purchase of a 2002 Legacy GT wagon back in 2002. The car was a lemon and after dealing with 3 different Subaru dealers in Northern New Jersey, I vowed that I would never, EVER again buy another Subaru. I recognized that my Legacy was a lemon and not typical of the brand. But my real issue was the shoddy way we were treated by THREE different Subaru dealers and I'll never give them a cent of my business as long as I live in this state. Aside from that, at the time of my purchase, the FR-S seemed a better value and I kind of like the look of the front end a bit better. So for me it was a no brainer.

But as a 43 year old, who cares for a brand's reputation, but couldn't care less about what others think of my own personal buying choices, I'm truly at a loss to understand Evan Sear's comments from the linked article. I'm not 'embarrassed' to be driving a Scion, because I couldn't care less what others think. Although I suppose I'm in the minority.

[Roadcone]

Originally Posted by AVodka14

Yeah. I really have no idea why Toyota could not have made this car the same way they do in Europe/Japan. Offer different options/models (GT/GTS). It's that simple. Toyota screwed the pooch on this one. The tC, xB, and xA are legitimately a Scion. How in the fuck can you rationalize the FRS being a tribute to the AE86? I know they are reaching out to the younger population. Give me a break...we're talking an extra 3-4k similar to a limited BRZ/GTS 86 if you want all the goodies.

I have no qualms with Scion but I am indeed swapping badges to Toyota. Scion does not represent the heritage of the AE86. Scion means 'heir' so I don't see where this fits. If they make a Scion Supra then I will be damned.

I like my FRS for all the right reasons otherwise I would have bough the BRZ if I cared about prestige/status. The whole Scion branding for this car just baffles me.

my only guess is that it would show how they've bastardized the corolla over the years...

[blackhawkdown]

Of course BRAND matters a lot to a majority of the twin owners here. recently, I remember people crying about how the Zage kit is a copy of the GReddy Turbo kit. Same turbo kit, different brand.