2018 BRZ tS - The Thread for Potential Owners

[rvoll]

Originally Posted by ayau

Couldn't care less if the dampers used in the tS are better or worse. Without somebody dyno testing the dampers, we'll never know if they're the same or not. If they used the exact part numbers, then I would completely agree with you. I also can't see how the mounting points could be different on the tS damper.

Regarding the price being the same, Sachs makes both dampers. The only difference I could potentially see is the valving of the damper. The tS could potentially be re-valved to better suit the STI springs. I don't think that would necessarily increase the price of the damper.

The rear dampers also have different part numbers. Do they also have different mounting points?

You may well be right. But the point remains the same, both the tS and the PP both have Sachs dampers priced the same. I just cannot see how that would increase the value of the tS more than the PP. Both also have Brembo brakes. I think the same holds there.

[ayau]

Anybody get paranoid about the cf wing getting messed up (car accident, someone leaning on it, etc). It's a $3,800 part to replace... Makes me almost want to buy a spare trunk to daily drive in lol.

[Side]

Originally Posted by ayau

Anybody get paranoid about the cf wing getting messed up (car accident, someone leaning on it, etc). It's a $3,800 part to replace... Makes me almost want to buy a spare trunk to daily drive in lol.

No, insurance will cover it since it was equipped from the factory.

All I did was have it ceramic coated to prevent surface damage.

[ayau]

Originally Posted by Side

No, insurance will cover it since it was equipped from the factory.

All I did was have it ceramic coated to prevent surface damage.

Which will generally increase your insurance rate because you're filing a claim against yourself. You don't win against insurance companies.

[funwheeldrive]

Originally Posted by ayau

Which will generally increase your insurance rate because you're filing a claim against yourself. You don't win against insurance companies.

Just make sure no one ever leans on your car. Problem solved.

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by rvoll

I believe the struts are actually the same (and are exactly the same price), but may have slightly different attachments. If the tS dampers were really better than the PP, wouldn't you expect a higher price? Driving the two, I can't tell the difference, but I can with the non-PP model (which is the one I have). I test drove all of the models.

Did you just drive in a straight line? I find this very hard to believe especially when one car is equipped with flexible v-bars and flexible draw stiffeners while the other car doesn't.

If this North American BRZ tS is also equipped with rear pillowball end links and pillowball lateral and trailing arms, it would for sure handle differently when cornering.

[Swabodda]

Originally Posted by ayau

What are people paying for their TS? How much of a discount? I know these aren’t selling for sticker. There’s too many in inventory.

Depending on the discount, the TS might be a better buy than a standard BRZ due to the limited avaibility.

I was going to wait until later next month, but my credit union offered 2% and 90 days no payments. Just locked in $32,500 for one in blue. I'm doing the paperwork on Friday.

[Side]

Originally Posted by ayau

Which will generally increase your insurance rate because you're filing a claim against yourself. You don't win against insurance companies.

Depends on which party is at fault, among other factors. If you're worried about actually using a service that you pay for, they've already won.

[rvoll]

Originally Posted by krayzie

Did you just drive in a straight line? I find this very hard to believe especially when one car is equipped with flexible v-bars and flexible draw stiffeners while the other car doesn't.

If this North American BRZ tS is also equipped with rear pillowball end links and pillowball lateral and trailing arms, it would for sure handle differently when cornering.

I don't race or autocross my cars, so I didn't really notice much difference. The vast majority of buyers don't race their cars either. Cornering hard, then, is not an activity that is used much. If you are going to race your car, then wouldn't you go to third parties for even better race equipment? If so, why buy a tS when you can buy something cheaper and modify it? The point here is resale value to the majority of buyers. And my point is that very little on the tS will be of value to daily drivers over the PP. I doubt whether even 1% of buyers know what draw stiffeners are. So you are probably right, that there is a difference when the car is really pushed. What I'm saying is that doesn't make any difference 3 years from now when you sell the car.

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by rvoll

I don't race or autocross my cars, so I didn't really notice much difference. The vast majority of buyers don't race their cars either. Cornering hard, then, is not an activity that is used much. If you are going to race your car, then wouldn't you go to third parties for even better race equipment? If so, why buy a tS when you can buy something cheaper and modify it? The point here is resale value to the majority of buyers. And my point is that very little on the tS will be of value to daily drivers over the PP. I doubt whether even 1% of buyers know what draw stiffeners are. So you are probably right, that there is a difference when the car is really pushed. What I'm saying is that doesn't make any difference 3 years from now when you sell the car.

I don't race or autocross my car either but I can tell a difference on twisty roads and turns. I also don't believed that cars need to be pushed hard to experience handling differences but that's just me.

I guess we would have to agree to disagree here but a majority of people who choose to purchase driver's cars such as this where the numbers aren't very good on paper know very well what they are after, that it's to be driven and used, and imo won't worry about minute things such as resale value.

If you worry so much about resale value, might as well stack some gold and silver as a hedge instead.

[rvoll]

Originally Posted by krayzie

I don't race or autocross my car either but I can tell a difference on twisty roads and turns. I also don't believed that cars need to be pushed hard to experience handling differences but that's just me.

I guess we would have to agree to disagree here but a majority of people who choose to purchase driver's cars such as this where the numbers aren't very good on paper know very well what they are after, that it's to be driven and used, and imo won't worry about minute things such as resale value.

If you worry so much about resale value, might as well stack some gold and silver as a hedge instead.

Actually, I agree with you. However, the question here was about resale value. If we were talking about new purchases, I would totally agree with you.

[nikitopo]

The thing is that most of the changes of the older tS models (JDM based) were provided in the base kouki car and the rest of them in the PP. In my view the only important difference in the latest tS model is the aero, but if someone doesn't like the rear wing then he should check for something else. Flexible V-bars and the like can be substituted easily with a tower strut bar and I don't think the latest tS model has rear pillowball bushes. They never mentioned this. Tires are consumables and as stated they will lose value after some time.

[nikitopo]

Originally Posted by rvoll

The S2000, IMO, is a different animal with a higher output engine, and overall, a better built car. The CR was designed as a track car, which is a whole different thing than an tS, designed to be an upscale, top of the line with all accessories. That's why they are totally different and cannot be compared. Even the base model of the S2000 is considered a classic and has great resale. The volume of the S2000 was considerably lower than the Twins which means more difficult to find. The s2000 was a classic. I doubt whether anyone consider the 86 to be the same.

Yes indeed. The S2k is a different animal.

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by nikitopo

I don't think the latest tS model has rear pillowball bushes. They never mentioned this.

They also never mentioned about the stiffer rear axle like on the old JDM tS.

I think they've made enough improvements on the factory assembled car at this point that they can finally export it to the US without having to make much deviation from the standard trim, to keep the cost down.

They probably spent the most effort on making the 2015 JDM tS.