Prospective BRZ buyer

[covance]

I liked the look of the BRZ better, interior features, and brand over Scion. If the FR-S had been badged as Toyota and not Scion brand may not have been that big a consideration for me specifically.

I daily drive including in tons of city traffic and still love the manual. It keeps even heavy city traffic interesting to me. I would strongly suggest against getting the automatic.

I don't find the ride uncomfortable because the seating/positioning of everything is so perfect.

Main thing to keep in mind is what others have mentioned: the car is underpowered so if you are looking for straight line pick up look elsewhere. In terms of fun to drive and handling get the manual transmission and you will have a blast. I also picked this car knowing it was impractical but worth it - I came from a four door spacious Audi A4 w quattro and the turbo to this and am happy w my decision.

[Itzed]

Relevant comments interspersed.

Originally Posted by zander21510

1. My dad has a Subaru and it's bulletproof, so I naturally gravitate toward the Subaru variant. Why did you personally choose the BRZ over the FR-S?

This is my 5th Subaru. They are far from bullet proof, but they are good cars, and I've come to understand them. That's important to me because I do all my own maintenance. I'm older, and chose the Subaru version because I wanted Subaru on the back of it as I feel Scion is more of a young persons brand.

3. Any Daily Driver BRZ's out there, is the rough ride really an issue? This would mainly be the car I drive to and from work & for fun, the fiancee is going to get the Forrester for family/general use.

Me. When I'm in the mood to drive (most of the time), I love it and don't mind the bumps and noise. When I'm not in the mood, it can get a little annoying. I do go out of my way to take smoother roads to and from work, and there is a little more anxiety associated with bad weather forecasts.

4. Call me sacrilegious, but I'm going to get the Automatic variant mainly for the fuel economy, my lack of experience with stick, and since I'll be in traffic a good 40% of the time. Any strong opinions for or against the automatic from personal experience?

I considered the automatic, drove both. I bought the car for the fun and involvement of the driving experience, so I stuck with the manual. I also felt the extra weight in the front for the automatic lead to a little understear, but I could have been happy with it had I chosen it.

5. As far as mods, I tend to do small, incremental upgrades here and there. I read that a $500 tuner tablet thing you can plug in and use to tune yourself is a good investment even on a stock BRZ. Anyone with opinions on that?

I am stock and will stay stock. As a daily driver, I think it's a good compromise as it comes from the factory. I also plan on keeping this car for a long time, so the risk/reward of taking a chance on changing the tune is not worth it to me.

[Chad11491]

1. My dad has a Subaru and it's bulletproof, so I naturally gravitate toward the Subaru variant. Why did you personally choose the BRZ over the FR-S?

You can get a BRZ limited for the same price as a base frs if you haggle. I did, so why would I buy a SCION over a subaru (I know, I know, just a name) with a lot more creature comforts for the same price?

2. Any good discussion threads on 2016 BRZ features? Not a huge factor but I'm really interested in seeing if Android Auto makes it to the infotainment system.

No new meaningful additions. No android auto, however, there are good android head units that are a direct fit for the car and work great.

3. Any Daily Driver BRZ's out there, is the rough ride really an issue? This would mainly be the car I drive to and from work & for fun, the fiancee is going to get the Forrester for family/general use.

I daily drive 150 miles a day in Atlanta rush hour traffic. In a stick. It's no problem. This is my first DD that's a stick, before we're just weekend toys, and you get used to it in stop in go, and it becomes second nature. You don't even think about it. You'll be happier with a stick I think, as Atlanta has some of the worst traffic in the nation, and it's fine.

4. Call me sacrilegious, but I'm going to get the Automatic variant mainly for the fuel economy, my lack of experience with stick, and since I'll be in traffic a good 40% of the time. Any strong opinions for or against the automatic from personal experience?

See above. I'm in traffic 90% of the time. I wouldn't get an auto if it was the only one available. A sports car demands a stick. Otherwise it's just a grocery getter with a slush box in my opinion, but I'm way biased haha.

5. As far as mods, I tend to do small, incremental upgrades here and there. I read that a $500 tuner tablet thing you can plug in and use to tune yourself is a good investment even on a stock BRZ. Anyone with opinions on that?

I have an open flash tablet on the way this week. That, cat back, the jdl uel headers I have coming, and a drop in filter (maybe grimmspeed intake if it actually makes the gains they're stating) will be my only power gains. If it removes the torque dip I'll be happy.

6. Any other suggestions, comments, or warnings for me?

These make great DD's IF you want a sports car. 30+ mpg, back seats big enough for baby/toddler seats, plenty of room for groceries, comfortable, affordable, cheap insurance. It has the ability to grow with your family , that's a big reason why I bought this over a 370z, when children come I can still drive them around in a pinch. I'd test drive one and see if it clicks with you. To me this is a reincarnation of my old Z , but better in every way, except that built inline 6 sound so it was everything I wanted in a car.

[nivek111070]

daily drive the hell out of mine, seats aren't that good on my ass but i am on the plus side of 200, so i put memory foam in them, not a day goes by and it doesn't make me smile and giggle my ass off. Fun factor far above my R32, 996 and 997 Porsche and slk32 amg that I have owned in the past

[fika84]

I would say that if you had your eye on the Mustang or Challenger that you may not be happy with this car at all.. sounds like you enjoy large, torquey, muscle cars which is the farthest you will get from this car. If I were you I would find a way to get one of the cars you truly enjoy.

[JohnBgon]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

The hideous Hyper Blue was unveiled earlier in the month. There was a thread on it here. I think it's the first real mistake they've made with the BRZ.

Thanks, but I was referring to the 2016 backup camera information. I had seen the BRZ Hyper Blue announcement, and I agree with you. As a diehard SC Trojan fan/alumni, the UCLA baby blue makes me cringe...

[WeAreLasers]

1. My dad has a Subaru and it's bulletproof, so I naturally gravitate toward the Subaru variant. Why did you personally choose the BRZ over the FR-S?

-I chose the BRZ due to the Subaru brand name, the WRB color availability as well as the more mature look to the car.

2. Any good discussion threads on 2016 BRZ features? Not a huge factor but I'm really interested in seeing if Android Auto makes it to the infotainment system.

-No idea.

3. Any Daily Driver BRZ's out there, is the rough ride really an issue? This would mainly be the car I drive to and from work & for fun, the fiancee is going to get the Forrester for family/general use.

-Still running on stock suspension and wheels and highway driving is as smooth as my previous Lexus. Coming from a person who was getting ~24 mpg on my previous car, I've seen a huge improvement on my gas economy with the BRZ.

4. Call me sacrilegious, but I'm going to get the Automatic variant mainly for the fuel economy, my lack of experience with stick, and since I'll be in traffic a good 40% of the time. Any strong opinions for or against the automatic from personal experience?



5. As far as mods, I tend to do small, incremental upgrades here and there. I read that a $500 tuner tablet thing you can plug in and use to tune yourself is a good investment even on a stock BRZ. Anyone with opinions on that?

-No opinion on that particular mod.

6. Any other suggestions, comments, or warnings for me?

-BRZ is a damn fun car to drive, one of the best decisions I've ever made! But I'm going to keep it real, if you're only planning to get the BRZ as a car to get you from point A to point B, I would get something else.

[ovm_catalyst]

1. My dad has a Subaru and it's bulletproof, so I naturally gravitate toward the Subaru variant. Why did you personally choose the BRZ over the FR-S?

I'm a self-proclaimed brand whore, and I wanted World Rally Blue. Preferred the front end of the BRZ as well.

2. Any good discussion threads on 2016 BRZ features? Not a huge factor but I'm really interested in seeing if Android Auto makes it to the infotainment system.

Just to harp on what's been mentioned: standard backup camera. Confirmed that with a salesman when I went with a coworker to my local subaru dealer while he shopped for a WRX.

3. Any Daily Driver BRZ's out there, is the rough ride really an issue? This would mainly be the car I drive to and from work & for fun, the fiancee is going to get the Forrester for family/general use.

I've had my 2015 since September and have 17,XXX on the odo. Jacksonville has pretty awful rush hour traffic (not Los Angeles bad) but I stop and go 60% of my commute to and from work. I only notice the rough ride when i have to go over a speed bump, which there is like 5 I have to drive over to get out of my complex... (stock wheels and suspension for now)

4. Call me sacrilegious, but I'm going to get the Automatic variant mainly for the fuel economy, my lack of experience with stick, and since I'll be in traffic a good 40% of the time. Any strong opinions for or against the automatic from personal experience?

In my local club, 3 out of the 5 automatic owners that i know personally, wish they had gotten the MT version. They all cite traffic as the issue, but i find gear changing and heel-toeing through traffic stop and go to be pretty soothing at times. My commute is 25 minutes from work to home, and I'm only traveling 5.6 miles... I don't notice the excessive use of the clutch, honestly.

5. As far as mods, I tend to do small, incremental upgrades here and there. I read that a $500 tuner tablet thing you can plug in and use to tune yourself is a good investment even on a stock BRZ. Anyone with opinions on that?

I've been running OFT Stage 1 on my car for the past 3k miles. Feels great when you hit 4k RPM, notice a little bit of a jolt forward versus the stock torque dip. It's not terribly noticeable, but its a nice addition.

6. Any other suggestions, comments, or warnings for me?
Your money, your decision. If I had to do it again, I'd probably spring for the Limited model, but I have no regrets with my premium - had a good deal.

[GreenMonster]

Originally Posted by GreenMonster

Yeah, there's nothing official from Subaru of America... but the Canadian brochure makes no mention of a backup camera for the canadian brz.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88692

Per the series.hyperblue thread, 2016 BRZ gets rear camera and starlink...

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90908

[Champster]

1. Looks pretty cool and cheap. Seems fun to drive under speed limit for street use.
3. I use BRZ as daily driver, but I don't have family and kids. When I am tired I use bmw since its quiet and ride is soft.
4. I would say get stick shift for this car. I have never owned a manual car before either, but its good fun to learn and enjoy, before the technology is extinct.
5. I don't do any mods.. I think it will ruin the car's balance.
6. now I also want a Subaru WRX STi. I got no money left though.

[ayilar]

Originally Posted by zander21510

Hello all!

(...) I'm doing some deep, serious research on cars (...)

Of the 3 I've narrowed it down to, the BRZ looks to be the most fun, affordable, and enthusiast-oriented car of my considerations (VW Jetta TDI & Mazda 3), even if it's not the most practical choice. I'd say it's currently front-runner in my mind.

So I wanted to ask a few personal opinions of the community members here:

1. My dad has a Subaru and it's bulletproof, so I naturally gravitate toward the Subaru variant. Why did you personally choose the BRZ over the FR-S?

--> Same car, same factory. I liked the BRZ's front end slightly better. Went to check inside both, found I had the same preference for the BRZ's interior. Suspension settings are also slightly different: a number of car magazines have commented on this difference. From what I read and what I know of my own preferences, this difference was the third strike in favor of the BRZ. That's for me and YMMV: IMO, it's all a matter of preferences.

--> If reliability is a question, why not go for the inexpensive (if price-negotiated) factory extended warranty?

Originally Posted by zander21510

3. Any Daily Driver BRZ's out there, is the rough ride really an issue? This would mainly be the car I drive to and from work & for fun, the fiancee is going to get the Forrester for family/general use.

--> It's a matter of perspective. I have a 2008 C350 whose ride I find to be a great comfort-biased comfort/handling compromise (better than that year's 328i, whose sport suspension rode significantly less comfortably than the Benz on the poor roads where I live). For me, the BRZ offers a great fun-biased compromise. My brother and I agree that it is more comfortable on rough pavement than both his 2005 Carrera 4 and better than a 2008 Cayman. Further, I have taken the BRZ on a 3500-mile trip through twisties and some interstates and been happy throughout (hint: if you do go on a long trip, do buy the cheap plug for the sound pipe -- the latter is fun for a short drive but tiresome after a few hours, let alone days). PS: I've had a couple of friends comment that they merely put up with riding in my BRZ because they find it too rough. I've had other friends comment that they love the car -- and they regularly ask for a ride.

Originally Posted by zander21510

4. Call me sacrilegious, but I'm going to get the Automatic variant mainly for the fuel economy, my lack of experience with stick, and since I'll be in traffic a good 40% of the time. Any strong opinions for or against the automatic from personal experience?

--> My first-ever drive was during the Scion event to introduce the car, and all units had an automatic transmission. I was actually impressed. This being said, I already have an auto on the C so would not have wanted one on the BRZ.

Originally Posted by zander21510

5. As far as mods, I tend to do small, incremental upgrades here and there. I read that a $500 tuner tablet thing you can plug in and use to tune yourself is a good investment even on a stock BRZ. Anyone with opinions on that?

--> The two mods I'd recommend are the tires and the brake pads. (i) For anything involving cold weather or wet roads, the stock tires are way too slippery. At 12k miles, I replaced them with Michelin Pilot Sport AS/3 and could not be happier. (ii) If you are going to take the car to the track, the stock pads are probably not a good idea. My own suggestion is the Ferodo DS2500 (you can easily swap street and track pads back and forth).

Originally Posted by zander21510

6. Any other suggestions, comments, or warnings for me?

--> Two:

(i) BRZ: The car has been advertised as allowing one to have fun at legal speeds. I'd say it allows one to have more fun at lower speeds than do most other sports cars (the latter being either too insulated for fun or too powerful for street use). Whether what the driver finds to be a fun speed is actually legal depends on the driver's self-control and the location.

(ii) alternatives: where is the GTI in your shortlist? If you want to go for a VW TDI, why not go for the Golf Sportwagen? I've driven both thousands of miles, and both are terrific cars.

Originally Posted by zander21510

Thanks so much, hope that if I pull the trigger I can contribute to the community.

[val_lixembeau]

Originally Posted by zander21510

3. Any Daily Driver BRZ's out there, is the rough ride really an issue? This would mainly be the car I drive to and from work & for fun, the fiancee is going to get the Forrester for family/general use.

If you are coming from a Jeep, you will probably find it very different. Much less roll/dive and definitely harder. Whether that is *too* hard is pretty subjective. (Don't really understand why the twins have the reputation of riding rough, personally.)

4. Call me sacrilegious, but I'm going to get the Automatic variant mainly for the fuel economy, my lack of experience with stick, and since I'll be in traffic a good 40% of the time. Any strong opinions for or against the automatic from personal experience?

To me, the main strike against the auto is that for many people the car already feels slow for a sports car and the automatic is geared a bit higher than the manual so it accelerates even slower.

Also, This is a car that many people buy to feel a connecton between man and machine and the auto mutes that somewhat.

6. Any other suggestions, comments, or warnings for me?

Instead of a Mazda3 or VW Jetta, why not consider the WRX or VW GTI? Both are close in price to the BRZ. You obviously are OK with Subie and VW brands. They are quick and comfortable while staying more practical than the BRZ.

Edit: damn, my GTI suggestion was ninja'ed

[isolato]

1 - In the beginning, I leaned toward the BRZ over the FR-S simply due to the options with the BRZ Limited (such as the heated, Alcantara leather seats) that were not available with the Scion. Over time, I found myself liking the fascia of the BRZ more. Plus, there's always the argument that the Boxer motor belongs in a Subaru.


2 - See above comments. Other than the new color option for 2016, I'm not aware of anything really compelling over finding a 2015 model that is ready for you right now.


3 - My BRZ is my DD, and I wouldn't have it any other way - even during the Winters in Western Michigan. Blizzaks make a huge difference. Regarding your question about ride "harshness" ... my DD before the BRZ was a Miata, and the BRZ seems lush by comparison. As others rightly said in this thread, it comes down to your personal taste. If you want an enthusiast's car, then you should feel the road, not be isolated from it.


4 - Certainly the Automatic is available, and no one should "judge" you for choosing such an option. In my humble opinion, this car should only be offered in a manual trans. In fact, Road and Track just ran an article about the slow demise of the manual trans, and highlighted the BRZ as their #1 example of cars that drivers choose in a manual. In fact, 70% of BRZ owners choose the manual over 60% of FR-S owners. Don't worry about fuel mileage differences between the manual and auto. You can set a shift light on the BRZ to alert you when to shift to maximize fuel consumption effectiveness. Don't let your inexperience with the manual clutch overly sway you either. You can (and should) learn ... your whole automotive experience will be forever changed for the better.
Link to R&T article: http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cult...l-transmisson/


5 - I'm planning on going with the Open Flash Header and Tune later this summer. Best HP-to-$ option out there. May add an intake snorkel. So far, very happy with the car stock. Very happy.


6 - Some really good comments from other members on this thread. If you think that the BRZ is in the same quadrant of the universe as a Mustang or other 'Merican muscle car, then you'd be wrong. Camaros/Mustangs/etc weigh considerably more, and while they will accelerate much faster off the line, they will feel slower in corners. As the saying goes, "It's much cooler and more gratifying to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow." I'm friends with many automotive journalists (I used to live in Detroit), and all of them consider the BRZ to be a true enthusiast car. It's sad, really, that small-engine, rear wheel drive cars like these aren't a part of the American car company portfolio. I guess 'Merica in general just favors muscle over dexterity, which suits me just fine. I like driving something different.


I couldn't be happier with the BRZ. Every time I see it in the parking lot after work, I kind of swoon like a teenager in a crush and can't wait to get in and drive home. I find that I rarely ever use the entertainment system as the driving experience is stimulating enough. Get one and make sure it's a manual trans. You won't regret it.