blalor's BRZ '898

[blalor]

I took delivery of my WRB BRZ Limited (6MT, of course) today around noon from CitySide Subaru in Belmont, MA. I just wrapped up this email to some friends, thought it'd make a good recap of my first 9 hours with the car.


The BRZ is home! by blalor, on Flickr

So far so good. I was only able to put about 50 miles on it today, but a mix of highway and city. I realized today that (a) I haven't really gone for a fun drive around town since I moved closer to Boston, and (b) I need to find some sporting roads.

The initial test drive was good (good enough to commit to buying it), but I immediately noticed a lack of power compared to my R53. Numbers-wise they're close (200hp in the BRZ compared to 170ish in the MINI; 151 lb-ft to the MINI's 162?), but the NA delivery is bland compared to the force-fed MINI. And most of that power is above 4k RPM. Guess where the break-in limit is. But now that there are a few more miles on it's feeling much more lively (up to 4k). From inside the ****pit the noise of the engine and exhaust are nice: muted, but growly.

Handling's tight and confidence-inspiring. Pedals are perfect for heel-toe and left-foot braking. I've only hit a few freeway ramps, but I like it a lot. The ride over rough pavement at low speeds is a mixed bag. The initial meeting of tire and bump is quiet and controlled (unlike the MINI which is loud and harsh), but the rebound is a bit bouncy, which is disappointing. I'm hoping that goes away as the suspension breaks in a bit. It feels like maybe the shocks are rebounding too quickly.

I'm not yet comfortable in the car. The view out is more restricted than the MINI (big side windows) or the E30 (skinny pillars, big windows all around). I'll be adding some $2 blind spot mirrors in short order. I need to tweak the seating position for cruising; I haven't found a comfortable place to prop an elbow, yet. I've got the seat as low as it'll go, and I might need to raise it up a bit. This doesn't concern me at all, I'm just coming from one car that I've been driving for 7 years and another that had superb visibility and was very comfortable. The BRZ also feels quite a bit bigger than I expected. I'd read that it's similar in dimensions to a Miata or even an E30, and not that much longer than a MINI. But it feels (and looks) wiiiiiide. From my perch on the floor, the only parts of the front of the car I can see are the two bumps above the shock towers.

Thoughts not related to actual driving: the back seats look completely useless. The heated seats are a joke: they're the sole reason I went with the Limited trim, and they put out very little heat. The radio/nav looks competent, but frustrating to use compared to an iPhone. But it can't hold a candle to a simple Garmin nüvi. The iPhone streams Pandora and regular MP3s over Bluetooth very nicely, and you can plug it in via USB, too. The UI/UX is awful, as you'd expect. There are a lot of lights on the front of the car and they don't really work like I expected. The DRLs live above the fog lights as separate devices, rather than being dimmed hi-beams, maybe because the headlights are bi-xenon. The parking lamps are LED eyelashes around the headlights; I pegged those for the DRLs at first. The upside-down red triangle in the back doesn't have a purpose in US-model cars. I hope to turn that into a working rear fog.

Overall I really like it and I'm looking forward to getting break-in done and putting it on the track. If I did it over again, I'd probably save the two grand and go with the Premium model. It's not just heated leather seats and a spoiler, but I'm not sure the other extras are worth it, yet.

[blalor]

A couple thoughts on the pick-up: because my insurance company didn't answer the phone at a quarter to 5 on Friday, I'm still without an inspection or officially-transferred plates. I'll be going back in the next day or two to sort that out, I hope. When declining all the extra stuff (paint protection, warranty, etc.), I said I intended to have someone else install a protective film. Somehow CitySide decided that meant I didn't want the front plate installed. Points for thinking ahead, but I'm not sure I follow the logic (pretty sure the textured mustache won't get clear film). So I'm now driving around without a front plate. That'll be rectified when I go back for the inspection. They also let me go home with a quarter tank of gas because "the two [they] use were closed". Also to be rectified when I go back (provided I don't run out on the way there).

[MannyO]

Congrats!

I still have to sort out all my insurance/inspection stuff also ...but it needs to be done eventually.

[blalor]

Originally Posted by MannyO

Congrats!

I still have to sort out all my insurance/inspection stuff also ...but it needs to be done eventually.

Thanks! It shouldn't be that hard… I talked to my agent on Friday before I even got the word that my car was in. Told them that I'd sold my E30 and was expecting the new one imminently. Not quite good enough, apparently.

[blalor]

Sweep by blalor, on Flickr


Electric by blalor, on Flickr

Finally got out for a bit of a drive tonight, mainly around the freeways (and *ahem* their attendant ramps). I've gotta say, I like it. I like it a lot. It grips like crazy! Corners and fast ramps that would have my MINI's tires squealing are just no big deal with the BRZ. I love the growl from the engine (even if it is from the "artificial" sound tube). I've got the shift light and beeper set for 4k and it's surprising how quickly (and how often) that alert comes on. I've got some work to do to break the 1,000 mile barrier, but I cannot WAIT to wring this puppy out!

[GenkiElite]

I like that sweep pic.

[Turbowned]

Nice! Was it you who was trading the '91 318iS?

[blalor]

Originally Posted by GenkiElite

I like that sweep pic.

Thanks! I'd like to get one with a little sharper focus and less blown-out bright spots…

Originally Posted by Turbowned

Nice! Was it you who was trading the '91 318iS?

That's me! I sold the E30 in about 24 hours a week before the BRZ arrived. Nice timing, eh?

[Kyon]

Was there a swp manual in as well at cityside?

[blalor]

No. The only non-WRB car I saw on the lot was the demonstrator, which was either DGM or SSM.

[blalor]

I went to Larz Anderson today with my wife and my dad for German Car Day on the lawn. Lots of great German iron there, a nice counterpoint to the amazing American classics at the Good Guys show in Springfield yesterday. This was a very car-focused weekend.

We wandered around the museum after the lawn show was over, and found the yard deserted. Perfect opportunity to get a shot of my car!


Alpha on the lawn by blalor, on Flickr

[Asterisked Accolade]

That garage is so cramped.

[blalor]

Originally Posted by Asterisked Accolade

That garage is so cramped.

Which one?

edit Oh, the one in the first shot? Well, we can't all have Garagemahals…

[Asterisked Accolade]

The picture in the original post. The BRZ looks like it's only inches away from the work-counter.