BRZ Purchase Decision

[Pickleahoy]

Originally Posted by jonnyfrank

The Miata was fun but a little too metrosexual for my taste

Driving a miata is like agreeing to assplay. You will probably enjoy it but at what cost

[dtrop]

skip the air intake, just get a drop in filter.

you can upgrade the wheels/tires for sure, but watch the weights of them.

[Poodles]

Let's see...


Pros:
- IIHS Top Safety pick
- Has a full suite of nannies that can save an inexperienced driver's butt
- Pretty cheap to insure
- Pretty damn good on gas
- Abundant aftermarket and even factory parts are relatively cheap and available


Cons:
- Quite expensive compared to something used
- Nannies can be turned off
- Clutch sucks to learn on (every single car I've owned has been stick, and I've had the car for a year...and I just stalled it today!)


There's other options out there (WRX, Genesis Coupe, Z car, Mustang, Camaro, etc), but if you're looking for a car that "talks" to you while driving and keeps you engaged with actually driving (really important for youths today as their phones are terrible distractions), you're barking up the right tree.


Also, don't let the apparent lack of speed fool you. They're still quite fast (low CD means a top speed that can get you in trouble) and are quick enough to do seriously stupid things in if they're driven correctly.


None of this really matters though as I don't know your kids, so that call is up to you. I've always said a first car should be a beater because it's going to get beaten on and neglected until they learn the ins and outs of everything having a car entails.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Pickleahoy

Driving a miata is like agreeing to assplay. You will probably enjoy it but at what cost

Driving a Miata is a good way to weed posers out of your life.

[g e]

The clutch is a bit tricky but by no means impossible to master. After 2 years in the BRZ (and sticks since 1985) I still have off moments if I'm not paying attention. And the stick and pedal and wheel play are exactly what this car is about.

One thing to think about: I assume your outings will be the three of you. Think about back seat time and how long someone will be stuck back there. A VW GTI would also be a crowd pleaser and suit your needs while providing a livable back seat. I owned a 2009 before the BRZ and it was a blast.

But the BRZ is a blast and a half.

Good luck wherever you path leads.

[jonnyfrank]

Great replies....thank you very much!

[carma143]

I see this car more as a 3 seater for long travels and a 4 seater for short travels, being that the passenger has a lot of leg room, but the driver needs that legroom. As long as your kids aren't much taller than 5'10", their heads shouldn't be hitting the rear window, and their feet should be able to fit under the front chairs.

One of the main reasons I bought this car was the incredible safety ratings it received, considering how small the BRZ is.

And the leather/suede seats...they're completely worth it.

[PNW-BRZ]

My take. I'm around the same age as you with a 16 year old son. I'm planning on using this to teach my son a stick (he's currently learning to drive in an Auto SUV). Since this SUV is our primary vehicle, and I mostly need something just back and for to work, the BRZ made sense. The car is pretty good looking so he has incentive to want to learn. The one thing that bugs me is that we live in an area with lots of hills. The BRZ sits low and you just don't have the visibility that you do in taller vehicles which can be bad if you are learning to drive as well as learning a clutch.

[jonnyfrank]

PNW, the SUV height is addictive, I know. Right now, my older teenager has his mom's "old" G35 Infiniti so he has gotten used to the height. I let him drive my SUV as well. It does take some getting used to driving a smaller car, for sure. All sedans and coupes feel like go-carts to me now

[MisterSheep]

The 86 platform is an amazing car for any age group. I have people all the time asking me about the cars and I always tell them the same thing.

It's a great DRIVING car. This car makes me want to take the long way anywhere I go. This car is not about straight line performance but about keeping your speed through turns. This car feels great and every single time I sit in it I am never bored.

I do notice that these cars from the factory needs new tires.. Unless you want your car kicking out everywhere. Get yourself some good performance tires and you'll love it even more. I don't plan on adding much horsepower because the whole "It's underpowered." or "it only has 200 hp" sayings are wrong. The only people I've heard that from is from people who have NEVER even driven the car. You can't base these cars completely on numbers and facts. Would you rather eat your favorite candy bar because it's delicious or eat something bland with no taste whatsoever just because the facts and paper says it's healthier? (I can't think of an example... tofu maybe?)

Anyways, I love my fr-s. I have anyone who is skeptical about them drive them, and it changes their view about cars completely. To be honest I feel this is a completely revolutionary car, due to the shear fact that nothing coming out in the past couple of years can make you feel more connected to a car than the 86.

See below;

In Europe, the GT86 was awarded the following titles in 2012:

• Car of the Year by Top Gear magazine (and Jeremy Clarkson) who also crowned it Coupe of the Year and winner of the Top Gear Speed Week (against competition including the McLaren MP4-12C, Porsche 911 Carrera S, and Lotus Exige S);[59]
• Best Driver's Car by Autocar;[60]
• Performance Car by Auto Express.[61]

In Australia, the 86 was awarded the following titles in 2012:

• Car of the Year award by Wheels magazine,[62] Carsguide,[63] and Drive[64] (shared with Subaru BRZ);
• Best Performance Car under A$60,000 and People's Choice again by Drive;[64]
• People's Choice Best Performance Car under A$100,000 by Carsales (shared with Subaru BRZ).[65]

Other awards received include:

• 2012 Car of the Year in New Zealand (Toyota 86 & GT86);[66]
• 2012 Best Affordable Sports Car by US News (Scion FR-S);[67]
• 2012 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick in the US (Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ);[68]
• 2013 Top Ten Best Cars by the American Car and Driver (Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ);[69]
• 2012-2013 Japan Car of the Year "Special Award" (Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ).[59]

The Subaru BRZ was also crowned:

• Fun-est Car of the Year by Top Gear Australia (against the Toyota 86, BMW M135i, Porsche 911 Carrera, Audi RS5, Ford Focus ST, and Renault Megane RS265);[65]
• 2012 Sports Car of the Year by France's Echappement;[59]
• 2013 Best Sports Car by Canada's Auto123.[59]

In addition, the Toyota-Subaru D-4S boxer engine was named one of Ward's 10 Best Engines in 2013.[70]





Just my .02 cents..
(sorry if it turned into a small rant...)

[why?]

Informative rants are always welcome.

Originally Posted by MisterSheep

The 86 platform is an amazing car for any age group. I have people all the time asking me about the cars and I always tell them the same thing.

It's a great DRIVING car. This car makes me want to take the long way anywhere I go. This car is not about straight line performance but about keeping your speed through turns. This car feels great and every single time I sit in it I am never bored.

I do notice that these cars from the factory needs new tires.. Unless you want your car kicking out everywhere. Get yourself some good performance tires and you'll love it even more. I don't plan on adding much horsepower because the whole "It's underpowered." or "it only has 200 hp" sayings are wrong. The only people I've heard that from is from people who have NEVER even driven the car. You can't base these cars completely on numbers and facts. Would you rather eat your favorite candy bar because it's delicious or eat something bland with no taste whatsoever just because the facts and paper says it's healthier? (I can't think of an example... tofu maybe?)

Anyways, I love my fr-s. I have anyone who is skeptical about them drive them, and it changes their view about cars completely. To be honest I feel this is a completely revolutionary car, due to the shear fact that nothing coming out in the past couple of years can make you feel more connected to a car than the 86.

See below;

In Europe, the GT86 was awarded the following titles in 2012:

• Car of the Year by Top Gear magazine (and Jeremy Clarkson) who also crowned it Coupe of the Year and winner of the Top Gear Speed Week (against competition including the McLaren MP4-12C, Porsche 911 Carrera S, and Lotus Exige S);[59]
• Best Driver's Car by Autocar;[60]
• Performance Car by Auto Express.[61]

In Australia, the 86 was awarded the following titles in 2012:

• Car of the Year award by Wheels magazine,[62] Carsguide,[63] and Drive[64] (shared with Subaru BRZ);
• Best Performance Car under A$60,000 and People's Choice again by Drive;[64]
• People's Choice Best Performance Car under A$100,000 by Carsales (shared with Subaru BRZ).[65]

Other awards received include:

• 2012 Car of the Year in New Zealand (Toyota 86 & GT86);[66]
• 2012 Best Affordable Sports Car by US News (Scion FR-S);[67]
• 2012 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick in the US (Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ);[68]
• 2013 Top Ten Best Cars by the American Car and Driver (Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ);[69]
• 2012-2013 Japan Car of the Year "Special Award" (Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ).[59]

The Subaru BRZ was also crowned:

• Fun-est Car of the Year by Top Gear Australia (against the Toyota 86, BMW M135i, Porsche 911 Carrera, Audi RS5, Ford Focus ST, and Renault Megane RS265);[65]
• 2012 Sports Car of the Year by France's Echappement;[59]
• 2013 Best Sports Car by Canada's Auto123.[59]

In addition, the Toyota-Subaru D-4S boxer engine was named one of Ward's 10 Best Engines in 2013.[70]





Just my .02 cents..
(sorry if it turned into a small rant...)

[TheFakeStig]

Originally Posted by Pickleahoy

Driving a miata is like agreeing to assplay. You will probably enjoy it but at what cost

Post of the year.

On a serious note, you will enjoy the car. It is great amounts of fun going out on a spirited drive in it, and even though the power isn't going to win a whole bunch of people over the way it delivers it when you wind it out is loads of fun.