Subaru's Stepchild - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

iamjacob · 10-25-2016, 01:19 PM

Do any other BRZ owners completely sometimes feel like Subaru's unwanted stepchild?

I get emails from Subaru every couple of weeks with marketing wank and coupons and in almost a year I haven't seen a single mention of the BRZ. No photos, no mentions, no car specific accessories, nothing. Even in the photos of the whole line of Subaru vehicles there is always one car that is missing. It's almost as if Subaru was embarrassed of the BRZ.

It's not really a huge deal, I just think it's odd that Subaru so rarely seems to mention our car. I feel like Harry Potter sleeping under the stairs or Cinderella being hidden away.

FX86 · 10-25-2016, 01:25 PM

because the the wrx is their favorite

oh because this car doesn't have AWD so it's like not one of their own

iamjacob · 10-25-2016, 01:37 PM

Thanks Subaru! Apparently the BRZ isn't part of the "Brand".

humfrz · 10-25-2016, 01:46 PM

If the BRZ is a unwanted stepchild ...... then the FR-S is an orphan ........

humfrz

Leonardo · 10-25-2016, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamjacob

Do any other FR-S owners completely sometimes feel like Subaru's unwanted stepchild?

Do you feel like Harry Potter sleeping under the stairs?

Edited... LOL

Yes! My FR-S is made by Subaru, but doesn't have the trim they gave the BRZ... Sometimes I feel left out in the cold. Er, without dual climate and my wife in the car, I am right in the Heater!

And Yes! I was born on the same exact day as Harry... Litterly

via Imgflip Meme Generator

iamjacob · 10-25-2016, 01:50 PM

That's a fair assessment.

But did the adopted family put the FR-S in their marketing wank? I don't get Scion/Toyota spam so I don't know if the FR-S/86 is included.

why? · 10-25-2016, 01:57 PM

A ton of Subaru dealers hate the BRZ solely because it means they cannot say all Subarus are all wheel drive any more. Not to mention they just sit on dealer lots not selling.

strat61caster · 10-25-2016, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamjacob

But did the adopted family put the FR-S in their marketing wank? I don't get Scion/Toyota spam so I don't know if the FR-S/86 is included.

It was front and center because it was the only interesting thing going for Scion after they ruined the xb.

FX86 · 10-25-2016, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by why?

A ton of Subaru dealers hate the BRZ solely because it means they cannot say all Subarus are all wheel drive any more. Not to mention they just sit on dealer lots not selling.

some of them still do but the sales rep must be a new hire and clueless

why? · 10-26-2016, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FX86

some of them still do but the sales rep must be a new hire and clueless

huh? I'm not talking about salesmen, I am talking about the people that run the dealerships. Especially in New England, but I am sure it is the same in all northern states. Subaru of New England might sell 15 BRZ's a year, and they do everything they can to not have to take any at all.

If you go look at cars.com, you'll find there are still 2 year old BRZ's sitting on lots unsold.

nzer · 10-26-2016, 06:29 AM

Same here in New Zealand.

When I was organising a meet for our 86/BRZ club I asked Subaru if they wanted to support it (Toyota already agreed) and they said they weren't interested.

I asked them about their lack of advertising and enthusiasm for the BRZ and they emailed me back to say they were struggling to market it due to their pro-AWD marketing and were not really going to bother.

I was amazed at the honesty of the reply.

krayzie · 10-26-2016, 09:12 AM

Subaru must be wondering how Honda managed to market their RWD cars into holy grails and yet kept their FWD sales just fine.

nikitopo · 10-26-2016, 02:34 PM

There are different priorities in different countries and maybe there is a gentlemen's agreement between the two companies. For sure it is NOT the unwanted stepchild and they are proud of it. They wanted for many years to have an alternative car to the WRX, but they didn't have the money for the R&D. Why someone should have to choose in the performance category the WRX (STI) or nothing? If they didn't want it, they wouldn't use it in so many races (stock or modified).

lizbrayan · 10-26-2016, 02:50 PM

Toyota owns 40 something % of Subaru, they had an agreement where for every fr-s sold subaru can only sell a certain number. Maybe thats why subi doesnt advertise too much. It could also be from an engineering stand point. Subi only did the motor and drive train, toyota took care of the rest. Toyota only went to subi because they needed a motor with a low center of gravity. The gt86 was all toyota subi only helped so it wouldnt make too much sense for subi to advertise something that isn't "theirs".

10-25-2016, 01:19 PM	#1
iamjacob insert witty quip here Join Date: Mar 2016 Drives: 2016 Limited BRZ Location: Stockton CA Posts: 255 Thanks: 52 Thanked 193 Times in 103 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Subaru's Stepchild Do any other BRZ owners completely sometimes feel like Subaru's unwanted stepchild? I get emails from Subaru every couple of weeks with marketing wank and coupons and in almost a year I haven't seen a single mention of the BRZ. No photos, no mentions, no car specific accessories, nothing. Even in the photos of the whole line of Subaru vehicles there is always one car that is missing. It's almost as if Subaru was embarrassed of the BRZ. It's not really a huge deal, I just think it's odd that Subaru so rarely seems to mention our car. I feel like Harry Potter sleeping under the stairs or Cinderella being hidden away.

10-26-2016, 06:29 AM	#11
nzer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: 2012 Grey TRD GT86, 2015 VW Golf R Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 1,572 Thanks: 666 Thanked 942 Times in 540 Posts Mentioned: 62 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Same here in New Zealand. When I was organising a meet for our 86/BRZ club I asked Subaru if they wanted to support it (Toyota already agreed) and they said they weren't interested. I asked them about their lack of advertising and enthusiasm for the BRZ and they emailed me back to say they were struggling to market it due to their pro-AWD marketing and were not really going to bother. I was amazed at the honesty of the reply. __________________ My fully loaded TRD86 http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...760#post582760

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10-25-2016, 01:25 PM	#2
FX86 Banned Join Date: May 2016 Drives: on the wrongside of the road Location: rear floor mats Posts: 2,240 Thanks: 1,084 Thanked 2,087 Times in 1,015 Posts Mentioned: 14 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	because the the wrx is their favorite oh because this car doesn't have AWD so it's like not one of their own

10-25-2016, 01:37 PM	#3
iamjacob insert witty quip here Join Date: Mar 2016 Drives: 2016 Limited BRZ Location: Stockton CA Posts: 255 Thanks: 52 Thanked 193 Times in 103 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Thanks Subaru! Apparently the BRZ isn't part of the "Brand".

10-25-2016, 01:46 PM	#4
humfrz Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S, white, MT Location: Puyallup, WA Posts: 30,402 Thanks: 29,782 Thanked 32,802 Times in 16,826 Posts Mentioned: 714 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	If the BRZ is a unwanted stepchild ...... then the FR-S is an orphan ........ humfrz

10-25-2016, 01:50 PM	#6
iamjacob insert witty quip here Join Date: Mar 2016 Drives: 2016 Limited BRZ Location: Stockton CA Posts: 255 Thanks: 52 Thanked 193 Times in 103 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	That's a fair assessment. But did the adopted family put the FR-S in their marketing wank? I don't get Scion/Toyota spam so I don't know if the FR-S/86 is included.

10-25-2016, 01:57 PM	#7
why? Only happy when it rains. Join Date: Feb 2013 Drives: series.blue Location: Harnett county NC Posts: 1,995 Thanks: 5,698 Thanked 1,265 Times in 750 Posts Mentioned: 26 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	A ton of Subaru dealers hate the BRZ solely because it means they cannot say all Subarus are all wheel drive any more. Not to mention they just sit on dealer lots not selling.

10-26-2016, 09:12 AM	#12
krayzie Drive From Home Join Date: Dec 2013 Drives: BRZ STI Performance Location: Filth City Posts: 4,912 Thanks: 2,368 Thanked 3,111 Times in 2,007 Posts Mentioned: 30 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Subaru must be wondering how Honda managed to market their RWD cars into holy grails and yet kept their FWD sales just fine.

10-26-2016, 02:34 PM	#13
nikitopo Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Drives: '15 BRZ RA Location: Greece Posts: 3,787 Thanks: 2,417 Thanked 1,947 Times in 1,263 Posts Mentioned: 29 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	There are different priorities in different countries and maybe there is a gentlemen's agreement between the two companies. For sure it is NOT the unwanted stepchild and they are proud of it. They wanted for many years to have an alternative car to the WRX, but they didn't have the money for the R&D. Why someone should have to choose in the performance category the WRX (STI) or nothing? If they didn't want it, they wouldn't use it in so many races (stock or modified).

10-26-2016, 02:50 PM	#14
lizbrayan Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Drives: '15 Scion Frs Steel Location: New Jersey Posts: 285 Thanks: 108 Thanked 53 Times in 42 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Toyota owns 40 something % of Subaru, they had an agreement where for every fr-s sold subaru can only sell a certain number. Maybe thats why subi doesnt advertise too much. It could also be from an engineering stand point. Subi only did the motor and drive train, toyota took care of the rest. Toyota only went to subi because they needed a motor with a low center of gravity. The gt86 was all toyota subi only helped so it wouldnt make too much sense for subi to advertise something that isn't "theirs".

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