Why did you choose the BRZ?

[yormaX]

I didn't choose the BRZ. BRZ choose me!

[Lytheum]

it was the only car that stood out to me. i really liked they styling and once i had a chance to sit in one I fell in love. it seems to hit on everything i wanted in a car.

[SuperDave]

i wanted a 86 limited, but they are only selling the fr-s...so BRZ limited for me!

[Sev]

I wanted to buy a new car (first new car) a year ago. Had thought about a Camero (coworker had a nice dark grey one that looked great after interior/exterior lighting modifications) but with the number of Cameros on the road, I wanted something more unique. Heard from someone about a cool concept car (FT-86) put out by Toyota and looked into it. Found this forum and watched the development news ever since.

Was attracted to it being designed as an affordable fun-to-drive car rather than a fast or powerful car compared to other sports cars because I don't speed much and while I think it's cool that your car can go 160 mph, I didn't see myself ever going over 100.

As for why BRZ over FR-S; I figured that if I was buying a new expensive (for me) car that I might as well go for top quality so I went BRZ for better interior, more bells & whistles, and the HIDs. Also I like Subaru in general more than Scion.

And WRB is gorgeous. Loving the car.

[RAWR BRZ]

Lightweight
Not convertible
I dont care about hp that much anymore, racing people in straight line got boring because its basically the same thing over and over again till you get a speed contest ticket. I moved to canyons now because theyre long as hell and its dynamic... its not always the same and every turn is different... much more exhilarating. Oh and I am not tempted to race anyone on the freeway... I know I will loose lol

[kask2_6.0]

Big fan of the Boxer setup. Everything about the BRZ is awesome! Drives like a Miata and doesn't look like my girlfriends car.

Chose over the FRS because I like the front fascia better and I'm not a fan of the red on the seats in the scion.

Was torn between the BRZ and Elise but in the end went with the BRZ because for $30k I'm getting a 2013 car rather than a 2005. Also my DD (year round).

[Foobar]

My very first car that I ever owned was a brand new '89 Honda CRX Si that I bought for myself as a 17 year old high school student. It was a time where all of my peers were going for Mustangs, Camaros, Trans Ams, or other American cars. While it never had the same kind of power as those V8's, it had quick acceleration due to its light weight, and awesome handling due to its F1-inspired double-wishbone suspension. I loved driving that car and the only thing I really wished it had was RWD. I've had many cars since, Japanese, American, German, I4's through V8's, NA and Turbo, all much more powerful than the CRX, but none of them came close to giving me that same driving experience.

That all changed the day I took a BRZ out for a test drive. It immediately brought back memories of that experience and I was grinning like a 17 year old all over again. Took it back to the dealership and placed the order, right then and there.

The experience has only gotten better since. Yeah, I'd like a bit more power, perhaps another 50 WHP or so, but only if I can get it without compromising the wonderful characteristics inherent in the car as-is.

I plan to keep this car for as long as I can. I'll most definitely get other cars in the future, but this one's a keeper that I'll go back to whenever I want to re-live that experience.

[Jayde]

Originally Posted by yormaX

I didn't choose the BRZ. BRZ choose me!

But for me, I prefer small cars. I've always liked Subarus and I almost bought a WRX multiple times but something kept me back. I've looked at the Si, GTI, and a couple others, but once I saw the BRZ, I knew this was the car I wanted. Reminds me of my old car. Small layout, 2 door coupe, high revving motor, and looks. RWD was just an added bonus!

I can say that I am thoroughly enjoying my BRZ and plan to own it for many years to come. That is, unless they add a small turbo version from the factory while not disrupting the weight or feel of the car, then I'll have to fight the urge to not trade up.

[Turbowned]

My qualifications were as follows: RWD, light, fun, fuel efficient, under $30k, new or used, closest replacement I can find for my MR2 and 240Z. This is what I found I preferred the BRZ for:

-Lighter/smaller than a 350Z, 370Z, RX-8, Genesis coupe, etc.
-Better fuel economy than a 350/370Z, S2000, RX-8, etc.
-More equipment than any other sports car for the price (BRZ Limited)
-Faster than an MX-5 and close enough to the competition
-Not convertible like MX-5 and S2000 (want to use year-round; hardtops are pricey)
-More and less expensive aftermarket parts than Porsche Cayman

EDIT: forgot to mention I test drove an Elise and a couple Audi TT's. Elise was not a liveable daily driver, especially not for someone over 6' tall. Audi TT is all-wheel-drive which I could live with, but new ones only come with a dual-clutch auto. Finding a used 6MT 2.0T is tough; would rather just get an A4.

[TSY]

Originally Posted by pinoyplaya

Any particular reason why you guys chose the BRZ over the Mustang, Camaro, 305Z/370Z, and MX5?

I was bummed between the BRZ and the Audi TT. I didn't even consider the muscle cars and I did consider the 370Z but it was just way too pricey to get a decent trim level.

With the BRZ, you get the highest trim at the cost of the base model of the cars listed above.

So, why did you guys choose the BRZ?

Most of the posts here already touch on why I bought the BRZ.

To answer your post specifically about the other cars you listed:

The Mustang just doesn't handle the same and lets face it, it's got a solid rear axle like a truck- it's a muscle car. If you want a muscle car, then it really is a great car and a blast to drive even around corners (as long as they are smooth). Just don't drive the GT500, you'll never be able to buy a plain GT.

I rented a Camaro SS for a few days- handles well, has a lot of power, but it's really heavy and feels it. That and you feel like you're driving in a bunker. Just not that fun to drive.

The 370z is in the same boat- fast, capable, but heavy and not as fun to drive. Almost bought a Nismo until I thought about it some more.

Unfortunately, to me, this is the problem with a lot of realy fast cars today. They are definitely fast and capable of some great lap times, but behind the wheel they don't feel that engaging. I spent some time in an E90 M3 and it really wan't much different than the other heavy cars on your list which is why I crossed it off mine.

The Miata is the closest in 'feel' to the BRZ in terms of just 'fun to drive'. Other than driving what everyone considers a 'chick car' it's a great car. That's why so many people race them. But certainly not as rigid as the BRZ and a little down on power. I've driven the Skip Barber Miatas around Laguna Seca and I will tell you they are a lot of fun- with a full roll cage and race exhaust.

The TT is a much 'nicer' car inside and out. But not the same driving experience. Oh, and wait until your warranty runs out on an Audi- it's likely to be much more expensive in the long run.

To me, to have a car that is as much fun to drive on the streets and track, you're going to have to step up to a Porshe or live with an Elise. Maybe an S2000 (a clean low mileage one will cost you as much as a BRZ though). (both are super cramped and just don't fit me well). I had an RX-8 which was pretty close, but the rotary engine is a real pain in the butt to deal with and if you get 70k miles out of one you're lucky.

Good luck!

[GoSharks]

Agreeing with what others have said here. I had a 2002 MINI S, that I modded and tracked a few times. I sold it after 6 years or so and regretted it since. The BRZ to me is better in nearly every way from the MINI that I owned, and I just love the styling. I am going to go slow on the mods this time, as this car is really good out of the box!

[Admiral Ballsy]

I needed a new daily driver. Given a choice, I'll always take RWD.

The BRZ is affordable, it's small (garage space, parking spaces, traffic navigation), it gets decent fuel economy, and (should be, mine hasn't arrived yet) it's fun.

I'd have considered a Miata, but the presence of a back seat is a plus, and I already have a convertible.

The only other thing I considered was a Focus ST. Same price, more power, more practicality, but heavier and FWD. I figure, when I get the BRZ, if I don't like it I can sell it and get the Focus and not be out too much.

[Captain Insano]

I've owned two STis, one WRX, and an Audi S4 Avant. I consider all practical sports cars as I've had kids while owning all. I now have 3 kids, so I needed a car I could fit three kids in if I'm carting them around. If we have the whole family (me, wife, three kids) we have a Honda Pilot we can use, so I'm covered in all transportation situations. Essentially, when picking my latest car I needed a 2+2. Also, I hate convertibles, always have, always will. So this ruled out lots of cars like S2000s, Porsche, 350Z, 370Z, Miata.

I really like the engine power of the more recent domestics, but I HATE, HATE, the bloated pig weight which sucks the performance right out of a car. So I wanted something light weight. As light weight as possible. That starts to narrow things down quite a bit. I liked the idea of RX8. But I will be daily driving this car for a while. The RX8 gas mileage is not so good. Drove a Mini to see if I liked them. I did like the Mini driving feel quite a bit (low CoG, decently light weight). But wasn't convinced I needed one after the drive.

Enter the BRZ/FRS. It woudl be a lie if I said I wasn't anticipating the release of this car since it was very early in the rumor stage quite a while back. I loved the performance of the STi, but was ready for somethign RWD and light. So when looking at the BRZ/FRS, I test drove both. Both felt GREAT - I loved the light weight and chassis/handling aspects of the cars. To me, they were a draw. I chose the BRZ over the FRS because I felt like Subaru had more input on design (boxer engine DNA) and I've always loved my Subarus. And I also am waiting to see if there is an STi version of the BRZ. At that point, I will like to have the option of choosing to keep the base BRZ I have now and modifying it into my own version of an STi or to trade in my BRZ for an STi version if the STi has alot more upside and true design difference (like turbo engine for example). The aftermarket potential for the BRZ/FRS is going to be monumental. And I think this car is going to be iconic for the sports compact car scene which seemed to be a bit on the decline. Sure there were lots of cars like Evos and GT-Rs (though they are not compact!) that represent the import cars well, they are robotic in how they practically drive for you. Imports that are pure RWD cars that are affordable are rare nowadays. I had thought for a long time if I could go back in time, and they would have sold the Silvia on US shores, I would have loved to own one from the start. Obviously, that is not reality, but I kinda feel the same about this car. I feel like 10 years from now if I wouldn't have bought this car I would have huge regrets.

Now that I own a WRB BRZ, I am definitely loving it. It was pretty easily the best car choice for me when picking.

[Weltmeister]

The car feels organic, fast, and exciting at any speed. And I didn't want to worry too much about where I parked it. So that leaves me with either a BRZ or FR-S. World Rally Blue and the excellent service I received from my dealer swayed me to the BRZ.