Help regarding new 2018 BRZ (price advice)?

[Rai-zero]

I am looking at the new 2018 BRZ limited (blue) with Performance Package.

I specifically wanted to get the 2018 because has a few upgrades over the 2017

Upgrades for 2018 include standard Welcome Lighting, which gives better visibility when getting in or out of the vehicle, automatic headlight activation when the wipers are on, a one touch lane changer turn signal and high-grade leather shift handles for both automatic and manual transmission models.

2018 BRZ Limited models also now receive the latest generation STARLINK 7.0-inch Multimedia Navigation system, with TomTom navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

the latest get Starlink with Apple CarPlay is important to me, plus the one touch turn signal (I know that's a minor issue but I prefer that).

I am willing to pay extra for the 2018 as it's obvious the 2017 will be a bit cheaper, around $1000+ more for the 2018.

I don't mind spending a bit extra.

[Rai-zero]

here is my specific question regarding the new 17-18 BRZs

1) I read the headlights on the 2013-16 cars were poor (I don't recall where I read this but somewhere the headlights were 'bearly adequate') the 2017 has LEDs headlights does anyone know if these are any better?

2) one car I am looking at has some options (which I can take or leave) it has auto dimming mirror with home-link. I read somewhere (again not sure where) that the auto dimming doesn't work well (is that true or not)? If it it works OK then I don't mind it at all (can use the home link as well).

3) other options are Rear Bumper Applique, Cargo Tray, and Wheel Lock Kit.

total price (MSRP) $31,100 but sale price $28,800 +$300 doc fee +tax and tags.

is that a good price?

[Stang70Fastback]

Originally Posted by Rai-zero

here is my specific question regarding the new 17-18 BRZs

1) I read the headlights on the 2013-16 cars were poor (I don't recall where I read this but somewhere the headlights were 'bearly adequate') the 2017 has LEDs headlights does anyone know if these are any better?

I'm not sure where you read this. You might have read a review of the FR-S headlights, which are different. The BRZ headlights have ALWAYS gotten fantastic reviews for being excellent factory units with great output. I personally have no complaints with the ones on my 2015. The LED units on the new ones, as I understand it, are even brighter. I doubt you will have any issues. If anything, the only complaints I've heard are that the new ones are so bright that sometimes people get flashed by oncoming traffic (but that is more likely just that their headlights need to be properly aimed.)

Originally Posted by Rai-zero

2) one car I am looking at has some options (which I can take or leave) it has auto dimming mirror with home-link. I read somewhere (again not sure where) that the auto dimming doesn't work well (is that true or not)? If it it works OK then I don't mind it at all (can use the home link as well).

Not sure where you read that either! I believe Subaru uses the same auto-dimming mirror that I bought after-the-fact: made by a company called Gentex. I have no issues at all with mine, and I think it works very well. It's one of those things that I never "needed" but don't want to live without anymore, as it is truly useful. Homelink is something I like because I hate having to have that stupid, ugly, garage door opener thing clipped to my visor (which I also tend to knock off with my helmet during autocross, lol.)[/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Rai-zero

3) other options are Rear Bumper Applique, Cargo Tray, and Wheel Lock Kit.

This is more of a personal opinion thing. My vehicle came with all of those items. The rear applique I think is always a good idea on ANY car because otherwise you will inevitably scuff the crap out of your bumper over time when loading things. If by "cargo tray" you mean the rubber cargo liner with the lip, it is ABSOLUTELY worth it, because it will not only contain any minor spills, but it's made out of a really grippy rubber that does a great job of keeping things from sliding around, unlike the factory carpeting, which is, like, made with teflon fibers. Wheel locks are not a foolproof way to protect your wheels (if someone wants your wheels, they WILL steal them whether you have the locks on there or not) but they are a deterrent for a basic thief, and they are one more thing I will always have on my vehicle.

Originally Posted by Rai-zero

total price (MSRP) $31,100 but sale price $28,800 +$300 doc fee +tax and tags.

is that a good price?

Honestly, I don't know what a good price is these days, but as a benchmark, I bought my 2015 Series.Blue special edition BRZ brand new for $27,350 + taxes and fees, for a grand total of exactly $30,000 out the door. The MSRP on that car was exactly $30,000. They had no "deals" going on, but I simply offered them $27,350, and they accepted my offer.

People will argue all day long about what a good price is, and they will insist that you haggle them, and negotiate, and play them off of other dealerships, etc... which is fine. But honestly, if you are happy with the deal you are getting, that's much more important than whether or not someone else 6 states away got the same car for $500 less. It isn't going to make any meaningful difference in your monthly payments. When they said yes to my initial offer, I could have sat them down and spent 4 hours negotiating an even lower price, pretending to walk out, etc... Did I do any of that? No. Why? Because I was happy with the price I offered, and I wasn't about to waste my day, and stress myself out, and the salesman out, just to try to shave a few extra hundred bucks off of the price of the car. I walked in, we signed stuff, and I walked out. Quick and easy, and much less stressful for everyone involved.

[Veloist]

Headlights are great! I owned a 2016 but my 2018 BRZ LEDs are more brighter. Subaru made this change to keep a safety rating from the IIHS actually.

The Auto-dimming mirror works ok, anything is better than a truck’s low-beam hitting the low sports car rear view mirror, and the auto-dimming mirror is actually a little wider too so you can see more.

Your price is good. It’s basically dealer cost. I’ve seen better (couple hundreds), I’ve seen worse (thousands).

[Rai-zero]

thanks for the reply.

To be honest, I have read a ton of stuff about the twins. It might likely have been regarding the FR-S headlights, I just assumed they were the same between the two cars.

Regarding the dimming mirror, it was in a comment section (below a real article) and often times there will be a lot of rumblings about how this or that is a bad car because xyz. I think to be honest this was the case when someone was saying the BRZ is a good deal because it's cheap (not costing a lot relatively speaking) and the reply was that he owned one and sold it because it was cheap such as the dimming mirror doesn't work and other issues but that could just have been mad ravings as I can see a lot in the comment sections.

[sodjer]

1 - might have read that about the FR-S halogen lights, BRZ all had HID's. They illuminate the road just fine, though the '18's LED lights will be a bit brighter.

2 - The auto-dimming feature of the Homelink mirror works great. Can't comment on the actual Homelink part as I don't have a garage

3 - at the end of the day it's your money, get what you want.

Though don't automatically rule out a '17 if you can save a bunch over an '18. The Car Play and Android Auto could be added via a head unit easy enough, and the one touch lane change can be done via a flasher (plus some bonus features like strobe hazards!)

[8RZ]

Most FRS headlights are halogen bulbs whereas all BRZ have HIDs.

New ones now have LEDs which are brighter but not I read that their light output wasn't as great.

[Rai-zero]

Originally Posted by Veloist

Headlights are great! I owned a 2016 but my 2018 BRZ LEDs are more brighter. Subaru made this change to keep a safety rating from the IIHS actually.

The Auto-dimming mirror works ok, anything is better than a truck’s low-beam hitting the low sports car rear view mirror, and the auto-dimming mirror is actually a little wider too so you can see more.

Your price is good. It’s basically dealer cost. I’ve seen better (couple hundreds), I’ve seen worse (thousands).

thanks!!

I've been toying with the tS but just can't seem to figure the cost. I mean one thing I like about the BRZ is the cost (I think the performance package at $1200 is a steal) but then when I see the tS is what another $4000 past that. Also I actively hate the large wing on the tS and would likely need to replace it with a normal spoiler, that I don't seem like it's worth the cost. I believe (can't find it now) but that I saw a tS for sale like $32,800 and this car I'm looking at is $28,800 so looking at $4000 more for the tS not sure.

Since I'm here, just want to get some reassurance about the BRZ.

I drove two (one a used 2015 and one a new 2017) couldn't really feel the difference between the shorter gearing and 5 more HP. But heck rather have both in the 2017-18. But the point was that I was on a test drive so really didn't get to drive it like I would. I don't abuse the test cars at all, but really with these cars they should be taking the whip (I believe once they are broken in).

But so I owned a S2000 (had removable hardtop) so that is the bogie that I'm trying to replace. I also had a V8 M3 and found that was fantastic in it's own right except the weight issue an extra 800 lbs really is noticeable. Also the M3 was wicked fast but that kind of took the fun away, now it was fun at stop lights that's something I'll miss. But most other ways it was just too fast that I felt like that I was keeping down only driving 50% power so that I was not really getting to drive it like I stole it.

I feel like the BRZ would be a great substitute for the S2000 which I prefer the coupe over the convertible and I can't fit in the MX5 anyway.

[e30kawi]

Your price sounds inline with the price I'm paying this weekend. Negotiated for a couple weeks with dealers all over the state. Best I could find was $31,300 out the door for a car equipped the same as yours. I feel the same about the ts, that spoiler spoiled it for me as well as the added cost that I just couldn't justify personally for a dd

[rvoll]

Just purchased a 2018 Limited auto with an MSRP of 31,236 and paid 28,995 plus dealer fee of 399. I'm a fairly good negotiator and got several competing bids. I didn't have the negotiating benefit of the car being on the lot as I ordered this from the factory. New 2017's were about $1,000 less, but in my area, there weren't a lot of them. tS's just aren't moving and I think they will be discounted significantly in 5-6 months.

[StanBo]

I paid 29 for my 2018 with Performance package, auto dimming mirror, rear bumper app and Sti short shifter.

Add more for fees, warrantees etc.

I pulled up truecar and had a printout for 28,500. The car stickered at 31. We settled at 29 with a 2.9% apr.

LED headlights are fantastic.
Fogs actually work.

I would think the area has a lot to play with it. Try different zip codes in truecar. Also I wanted red the only car I could find that I liked was a white in my state. I mentioned that I wanted a red and would order it. Knowing I would go home with the white.

I'm glad I took it home. I love the car.

Good luck with your purchase.

[Rai-zero]

Thanks.

just wanted to ask, as some of you might have had other cars that may be in a different league for speed/power like I said with my M3 or if you had Mustang GT or WRX STi (type cars).

Do you find the BRZ to be adequate for daily driving and weekend back road use. I won't ever track the car and like I said many cars that'll do 170 mph won't ever be uses to their potential as my area both safety and law enforcement tend to be the limiting factor more than absolutely power.

Half the reviews I read/watch say the BRZ is the most fun you can have for $30K the other half say the engine is horrible and the car is too slow. I am not ever racing and I own a 2007 Legacy Wagon which is not fast at all, but I still dash ahead of *most* people at the stop light. I imagine that the BRZ will feel quite peppy compared to my old wagon.

I'm not expecting it to be the S2000 (top end) but if it feels like a S2000 that rev limited at 7500 instead of 9000, that would be ok. I expect that in a lot of ways it would feel like an S2000 engine (AP1) where it has modest TQ and short gearing and low weight, it's probably that just missing the extra 1500 revs that is where you lose the extra 35hp.

[StanBo]

Oh the homelink works very well. I had them on two other subarus (WRXs) and they didn't work as well because the cars were tinted (go figure lol).

This car isn't tinted and the mirror dims well.

I also like the up and down signal on the garage door opener. It does work further then the fobs I got with the garage door.

[StanBo]

Originally Posted by Rai-zero

Thanks.

No problem this is actually one conversation where I can have something good to add lol.

Originally Posted by Rai-zero

just wanted to ask, as some of you might have had other cars that may be in a different league for speed/power like I said with my M3 or if you had Mustang GT or WRX STi (type cars).

I have had numerous 240sx(s) with turbos, FD RX7 (400whp), wrxs etc etc etc

Originally Posted by Rai-zero

Do you find the BRZ to be adequate for daily driving and weekend back road use. I won't ever track the car and like I said many cars that'll do 170 mph won't ever be uses to their potential as my area both safety and law enforcement tend to be the limiting factor more than absolutely power.

Daily driving - more than what is needed. Our speed limits are 65. The car does fine there. I have more than enough to get a nice ticket.

Weekend back roads - all the damn time. Just in the area I need. Enough to rotate the rear and slide when wanted. Too little to worry about punching it in second with the rear coming out on you while pointed straight (oh so many RX7 stories).

I find that with age (I am in my 40s) scale has come into play.

I have a miata that I beat the utter shit out of autox - backroads - avatar is at the tail of the dragon. It is 90whp? 45mph feels like 90 with the top down?

So with the addition of the BRZ the day I feel it is slow I will drive the miata for a week. Change my scale. Get back in the BRZ and be happy again.

I can't beat a honda CRV off the line with the miata. I can now with the BRZ lol.

There is nothing better then keeping up with much more capable vehicles in a lower hp car.

My next one will most likely be a 718 when the BRZ is paid off.