No more BRZ's at the the dealership

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Kimsey47

Totally agree with this^^^^^ A lot of non-car people didn't even know Subaru made the BRZ when they'd ask me what I was driving. Subaru has a lot of car mags and websites giving the BRZ rave reviews; however, they're failing to convert people into enthusiast by not doing more to reach out to those non-car peeps.

The whole focus on the "enthusiast" will never sell many cars.
I am a perfect example of how even a little marketing would help. Although I could be considered an enthusiast in that I have always loved cars I did not follow the latest developments nor even know these were available. If I hadn't stumbled upon mine totally by accident I would never have know they existed beyond the concept stage. Sure I may have caught a glance of one in the wild (they are scarce around the areas I drive) but I would not have had a clue what it was and probably wouldn't have searched it out.
Like many of the "normal" folks out there all I wanted was an inexpensive car that fit my basic commuter needs but was still fun to drive and this fits the bill perfectly. There are a pile more like me out there but they will never know the car exists if nobody tells them.

[Kimsey47]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

The whole focus on the "enthusiast" will never sell many cars.
I am a perfect example of how even a little marketing would help. Although I could be considered an enthusiast in that I have always loved cars I did not follow the latest developments nor even know these were available. If I hadn't stumbled upon mine totally by accident I would never have know they existed beyond the concept stage. Sure I may have caught a glance of one in the wild (they are scarce around the areas I drive) but I would not have had a clue what it was and probably wouldn't have searched it out.
Like many of the "normal" folks out there all I wanted was an inexpensive car that fit my basic commuter needs but was still fun to drive and this fits the bill perfectly. There are a pile more like me out there but they will never know the car exists if nobody tells them.

Understood, and I think we're saying the same thing! Your example demographic is exactly what I meant! There are people out there that want something fun+economical and without even a commercial to say, "this car exists" they're missing potential customers. Everyone keeps turning to the "old" Civic Si, Mustangs, Camaro, etc...

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Kimsey47

Understood, and I think we're saying the same thing! Your example demographic is exactly what I meant! There are people out there that want something fun+economical and without even a commercial to say, "this car exists" they're missing potential customers. Everyone keeps turning to the "old" Civic Si, Mustangs, Camaro, etc...

LOL ya I wasn't disagreeing with you. We are in 100% agreement.
When we look at the Civics, Mustangs and Camaros that get sold we get a different picture again. Contrary to what the internet would have you think the performance versions of these cars only account for about 10% of what are made. Those get sold to the enthusiasts. The rest go to the normal car buying public that want the name and looks but could not care less about the performance. When this car is pushed as a pure performance vehicle that part of the public will disregard it.

[Carbinebbq]

Got my oil changed a few weeks back and there was a Yellow PP 17. Only BRZ on the lot. There weren't any when I bought my car. Well, they had one there that was in the back lot. Scooped it up. Was the one I wanted

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[radroach]

I always assumed it would be best to order a BRZ / WRX / STi rather than having a salesman / manager pre-purchase it and give out test rides in it. If I ever get another Subaru, it will be ordered and will not spend time on the lot.

[krayzie]

Subaru just need to do a collab with Kanye West then I'm sure sales will instantly go thru the roof.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by radroach

I always assumed it would be best to order a BRZ / WRX / STi rather than having a salesman / manager pre-purchase it and give out test rides in it. If I ever get another Subaru, it will be ordered and will not spend time on the lot.

Don't know about there but here they only use one for test drives. The rest sit and don't collect miles. They then sell the demo model at a discount. Doubt there are a whole lot of dealers that just grab random new cars for test drives. If you are buying a new car it should have someplace between 5 and 50 miles on it. Anything much more means it could have been used for test drives.

[spike021]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

The lack of any sort of marketing doesn't help either. Pretty sure half the city doesn't even know we have a Subaru dealership much less that they sell the BRZ. The sales guy drives a BRZ but really doesn't know much about the FRS he kept calling mine a SFR. He did however do a great job of getting us what we wanted for the wife.
While we were shopping for the wife we swung by the Toyota dealer where I bought mine and they had nothing at all in stock. Not even a used one. The sales guys there said they sell any used ones as fast as they come in and there is actually a waiting list for good used.

So many people I've talked with have no idea what the BRZ is. Some can say "oh I've seen this before!" but other than that, nothing. Coworkers have told me they "definitely know it's a two door version of the WRX with all wheel drive and turbo!"

I don't think many people know, in general, what the BRZ is.

When I was originally looking late last year for a used/CPO twin (either FRS or BRZ) I was hearing that a lot. Dealers would get maybe 2 or 3 in every week or two and sell them almost as quickly.

Definitely depends on the area. The dealer where I picked up my '17 had two Series.Yellows and a regular gray '17 BRZ with PP and they're relatively big.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by spike021

So many people I've talked with have no idea what the BRZ is. Some can say "oh I've seen this before!" but other than that, nothing. Coworkers have told me they "definitely know it's a two door version of the WRX with all wheel drive and turbo!"

I don't think many people know, in general, what the BRZ is.

When I was originally looking late last year for a used/CPO twin (either FRS or BRZ) I was hearing that a lot. Dealers would get maybe 2 or 3 in every week or two and sell them almost as quickly.

Definitely depends on the area. The dealer where I picked up my '17 had two Series.Yellows and a regular gray '17 BRZ with PP and they're relatively big.

And that is in California where they are everywhere. You want to see it up here where we have less than 10% of the total FRS/86/BRZs sold in the US. You probably have more in a 200 mile radius of where you live then we have spread across the whole count. Hell, I bet 70% of the population here couldn't tell you what a Subaru is forget about knowing the BRZ. Scion is a total write off in some areas since Canada only really had dealerships for a couple of years.

[geezerbrzeezer]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Don't know about there but here they only use one for test drives. The rest sit and don't collect miles. They then sell the demo model at a discount. Doubt there are a whole lot of dealers that just grab random new cars for test drives. If you are buying a new car it should have someplace between 5 and 50 miles on it. Anything much more means it could have been used for test drives.

Yup. My dealer said my test drive would happen when the dealership's owner's used BRZ came out of winter storage a month later. Bought without a test drive. I like the policy - it meant my car had a couple of clicks on it when I scooped it up.

(btw, what did your wife buy?)

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by radroach

I always assumed it would be best to order a BRZ / WRX / STi rather than having a salesman / manager pre-purchase it and give out test rides in it. If I ever get another Subaru, it will be ordered and will not spend time on the lot.

Around here in Toronto the BRZ didn't sit on lots until around 2015 and the Subaru dealers wouldn't even give test drives, since one or two units would come in and get sold on the same week if it was not special ordered. I was able to simply walk in and grab a BRZ because somebody cancelled. Even if the BRZ sat on lots it would only be one or two available.

Only the Toyota dealers are big enough to have had enough FRS stock with dedicated demo vehicles.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by geezerbrzeezer

Yup. My dealer said my test drive would happen when the dealership's owner's used BRZ came out of winter storage a month later. Bought without a test drive. I like the policy - it meant my car had a couple of clicks on it when I scooped it up.

(btw, what did your wife buy?)

2017 Impreza Sport Tech (Limited in the USA) hatch.
A review will follow when I get some seat time in.

[TommyW]

These cars are such a niche market that sales are predictably flat. I'm not sure dealers really even want 'em. My local dealer has 1 '17 and still has a '16 sitting unsold. Gee which one would YOU buy? Great halo car however halo's don't turn a profit in the big picture.

I had an Isuzu Vehicross, awesome car, one of my best ever, but never well recieved......

[Xxyion]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

2017 Impreza Sport Tech (Limited in the USA) hatch.
A review will follow when I get some seat time in.

Almost WRX. See if they had just kept the hatch i'd have a second subaru in my parking area instead of a Ford Fiesta. But i need the hatch