Reality Sets In for the BRZ

[ngabdala]

I don't know what your city driving is like but it sounds like you won't have much chance to enjoy the BRZ depending on what traffic is like in the city.

You may want something with more creature comforts and more practical.

Originally Posted by fistpoint

Right, and from what I'm seeing there's little chance it will survive my 17000 miles a year 95% city driving for 7 years minimum AND...require little to no maintenance in the process. That last part is the most crucial and is exactly what the OP and I are talking about and worried about.

If I was buying this as a second vehicle, I'd already have one. There is still a small chance. The alternative unfortunately will be a huge step in another direction. A Civic Si for example would be a small side-step according to my vision.

So fuck yea I'm miserable, and totally pissed. Where the hell is Honda with something even remotely like this car? Or a real Toyota? Hell, make the damn Corolla a coupe and add some balls to it. Make a Camry coupe, etc., etc., etc.

[whtchocla7e]

The reality shouldn't need to set in months after you buy the car. It should have set in well before you signed the papers. No sympathy for the impulse buyer...

[Ingen]

Originally Posted by fistpoint

Right, and from what I'm seeing there's little chance it will survive my 17000 miles a year 95% city driving for 7 years minimum AND...require little to no maintenance in the process. That last part is the most crucial and is exactly what the OP and I are talking about and worried about.

If I was buying this as a second vehicle, I'd already have one. There is still a small chance. The alternative unfortunately will be a huge step in another direction. A Civic Si for example would be a small side-step according to my vision.

So fuck yea I'm miserable, and totally pissed. Where the hell is Honda with something even remotely like this car? Or a real Toyota? Hell, make the damn Corolla a coupe and add some balls to it. Make a Camry coupe, etc., etc., etc.

With that sort of city to highway ratio I would have to say you should go with the AT FR-S. You'd get better mileage and spend less time rowing gears and riding the clutch. IF the city roads are truly horrid, you'll get beat up in it. That said, if the roads are that dang bad you might consider a pickup truck.

And why haven't you looked at the accord coupe? V6 and stick shift for 2013 models.

[eXtreme Burrito!]

None of their criticisms are invalid.


Lackluster Interior? Check.
Lack of Back Seat Room? Check.
Crappy Audio? Check
Useless Center "console"? Yeah, we'll check that off too.



People forget that these reviews aren't written as if the reviewer were buying the car (seriously, we have YouTube for that. This is a publication), they're written for people that *could* possibly buy the car. I own a Scion FR-S, but make no mistake, when I go ANYWHERE on the weekend and I want to have a nice experience in my car, I park this thing on the street and take the Tundra Platinum out of the garage. I'm well aware of what I paid for, and even after having only owned it for a bit, I still pass by car lots and consider swapping it out for something a little more welcoming on the inside. Being 6'3 also means that I basically have a leg day at the gym every time I get in this thing. Hell, being 6'3 also means that basically no one can sit behind me in this car at all unless they sit sideways, but I also know that most of my time in this car is spent driving to/from work by myself.


I can't say I have any problems with the opinions of the reviewers. They are, after all, opinions.

[slizoth]

Originally Posted by fistpoint

Right, and from what I'm seeing there's little chance it will survive my 17000 miles a year 95% city driving for 7 years minimum AND...require little to no maintenance in the process. That last part is the most crucial and is exactly what the OP and I are talking about and worried about.

Hyundai has a hell of a warranty, could be worth checking out their line-up.

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by eXtreme Burrito!

I own a Scion FR-S, but make no mistake, when I go ANYWHERE on the weekend and I want to have a nice experience in my car, I park this thing on the street and take the Tundra Platinum out of the garage.

Haha I'm the opposite. Whenever I want to go anywhere on the weekends, I take my FR-S. I only take my other car when absolutely necessary (need the cargo space or carrying more than 1 passenger).

[brzninja]

I go to Costco all the time in my BRZ.
Do I get the looks from other drivers? Yes.
Do I get my bulk items? Yes.
Do I get girl's numbers? ...sadly no.

REALITY SETS IN ON THE BRZ! WHAT A HORRIBLE PURCHASE!

[Jedi1]

After several 4+ hour one ways from Birmingham to Road Atlanta and back again and another to PRI from Birmingham, I can't understand where the complaints of impractical are coming from. If you bought this car, I hope you didn't think you were purchasing an S4 or an M5 in sports car clothing. Of course there isn't a ton of cargo room and the back seats are only there to drop your insurance premiums. It's a FREAKING SPORTS CAR!!!! I have loved every mile of the longer road trips in this car. Would an M5 be more comfortable with infinitely more cargo space? Well... YEAH!! Do I care about either of those things? NO!!! If I did, I would have bought an M5!!!!

[Jaylyons1]

This car suits me very well. There are no faults with the car that I can see so far as far as practicality goes. The trunk is plenty big for this type of car. If you doubt it, peek into a miata trunk. The car gets mileage that rivals the GTI which is pretty much one of the most practical "fun" cars on the market, but it turns the correct set of wheels unlike the GTI and completely out performs it in most categories.

The only dislikes I have with the car is the dip in the power band and the sloppy gearbox (which hopefully will be able to be fixed with a short shifter and bushings). I have not had any issues with the Nav system. It took me a bit to get used to using it while on the move, but other than that its great. It beats out many I have used previously.

This car isn't going to be for everyone. I use it as a commuter car for the most part. However, it is also a car I can cut loose with and have a little bit of fun without having to purchase two cars just to get that benefit.

[bdbx18]

Jeez. There was once a theory, (not sure where I read that), that the sophiscated consumer would complain more because they are pickier since they appreciate and are willing to pay more for quality in their goods and services. Hence, the lower perceived satisfaction with higher-end vehicles.

But are these complaints as valid on a FRS/BRZ which costs as much as what a friend of mine just paid for his Civic CNG or less than what other friends just paid for a Volt and Focus? Granted, there are always the complainers, impulse buyers and those with buyers remorse and the nit-pickers.

As for me, my BRZ is almost perfect. I'm 6 ft and it fits me like a glove. The nav is great (it even shows the freeway signs and has 3D), the sound system is one of the best OEM I've had, the power is very adequate even before 4k, the manual shifting on my AT works incredibly well, suspension is bumpy and that's hardly any surprise and the steering/handling is outstanding. Getting into another car is trying to run with high heels on a wet cement floor.

Sure I have complains as well but for what I paid ($30k), I can sleep well knowing this is one of the lowest cost cars I've bought and the fantastic value and fun I've gotten. I can safely say, I dodged the bullet in not getting the used 09 911, 335 or M3 I spent months researching and searching for.

[Dorb]

Originally Posted by fistpoint

It's a car magazine, they "bought" it for testing purposes and to report their findings, not for their families but for their readers.




No, they're not. They mentioned the lack of parts availability and went out of their way to mention this was somewhat expected due to it being a first year car. They also said they would wait for the fixes before trying a new head unit. The complaint was having to wait for the parts.


For everyone harping on the comments about it not being a great daily driver...you guys are acting way too defensively. It's a long term review, are they supposed to not talk about its daily driving capabilities as if not one single potential customer might want to have that info? Why bother reviewing it at all then?

The only comments you guys should make in regards to their assessment should be a simple "duh, that's what we expected before we bought it". And their reply would be: "well yea, we expected it too, but did you want us to not report our findings?".

Long term review - thought a couple of them had it for a weekend? Not defensive, just felt if they did some reading, most of this has been gone over many times before, they didn't bring much to the table here. I don't need a long term review to tell me about the back seats or the buttons on the radio from someone who drove it for a weekend - figured that out on my drive home from the dealer. Another thing this being a car bought for testing, I'm sure this car has been tossed around to many folks and possibly abused more than their own cars(that's what we do with rentals right). As for a lack of parts, did they realize we also have a lack of CARS! They may go hand in hand. (cars are made from parts-no cars, no parts)

On the bright side I would like to hear about how it holds up over the winter months.

In the end reviews are like A-Hs, everyone has one. This is just my review of the review. lol

[jmaryt]

Originally Posted by Jedi1

After several 4+ hour one ways from Birmingham to Road Atlanta and back again and another to PRI from Birmingham, I can't understand where the complaints of impractical are coming from. If you bought this car, I hope you didn't think you were purchasing an S4 or an M5 in sports car clothing. Of course there isn't a ton of cargo room and the back seats are only there to drop your insurance premiums. It's a FREAKING SPORTS CAR!!!! I have loved every mile of the longer road trips in this car. Would an M5 be more comfortable with infinitely more cargo space? Well... YEAH!! Do I care about either of those things? NO!!! If I did, I would have bought an M5!!!!

don't forget the "suitcase" full of money for the m-5! germans don't give nothin' away!..just sayin' ehe! he! he!

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by jmaryt

don't forget the "suitcase" full of money for the m-5! germans don't give nothin' away!..just sayin' ehe! he! he!

Audi is less guilty of this compared to BMW and Porsche. Ever option out a Cayman or a 3 series? Boom, $10K in options that should be standard with a car.

[Jedi1]

M5's can be had for well below 20k for an early 2000's model and the V10's can he bought in the 30k range if you know where to look. I'm an ons guy by this forums standards. We can get a great rate on an early 2000 model car from the credit union and insurance would not kill us either. In short, if we had wanted 4 doors and stupid power, we would have bought it.

This review is silly because the person putting it together seems to he looking at our wonderful little sports car and wishing it was a huge four door with V8 power. It makes zero sense!