Everything I didn't like about the BRZ...

[Laika]

I ended up liking after I got my own car. Anyone else feel like this?

Navigation: When I first heard about it, I couldn't have been more confused as to why Subaru would force me to have a navigation unit in my car instead of just charging me $1000 less and keeping that nav unit on a shelf somewhere in Japan. Now I've found myself enjoying using the touch screen for my music and the bluetooth for my phone is amazing, I didn't even realize I could play music from my phone (via bluetooth) till the second or third day of ownership. And I guess really the navigation itself isn't too bad but a bit clunky like most stock nav units.

Front Bumper: I thought the "mouthguard" looked very out of place and very lazy of a design when I saw the first pictures of it. Looking at it now, I think it looks significantly better than the Toyota front end.

Digital Speedo: Quite frankly I just didn't get the point of this at first. There's already a speedo right next to the tach, why do I need a digital one? In my week of owning the car, I may have looked at the analog speedo a total of 2 times and that was just to remind myself it was there. The digital speedo was a brilliant idea, I often catch myself watching my rev's/instant fuel economy so I love the digital speedo and it's location.

Wheels: I think a lot of people were on the fence about the wheels. I didn't hate them, I just couldn't help but wonder why not design some better looking stock wheels? They look so much better in person than in pictures and my favorite part...the dark grey in the wheels just happens to be the same color as brake dust so they have yet to look dirty despite being quite dusty.

Primacy HP tires: Although I fully understood and even enjoyed the fact that they claimed to use low grip tires to prove you didn't need any crazy rubber to have fun...I couldn't help but think that they were just being cheap and even taking away from the "no compromise" nature of the car. As it turns out these tires cost a pretty penny. MUCH more than a set of Dunlop Star Specs. In reality they almost definitely just put these tires on to improve fuel economy and I have to say they do a great job at decreasing rolling resistance. Will I buy another set after these? Not a chance in hell. But I am enjoying them for the time being, I've gotten great fuel economy (27mpg on the first tank, 0% highway, lots of rush hour traffic) and much to my surprise, I haven't even broken the rear wheels loose yet (can't say I've been trying terribly hard though).


All in all, very impressed with this car. Usually when I've made a negative opinion about something, it'll be tough to get someone to change my thought process on it but this car has really made me look like an ass for hating on so many of it's features when the pre-production model came out.

[viper_driver]

Really hoping the mustache looks better in person like you say, still haven't seen a BRZ in the flesh.

[ashtray]

I hear ya! That said, the NAV system is slow to respond and dangerous to use for audio - since you can't feel any buttons, you need to look at the screen to change radio stations. Combined with small buttons and slow reacting system, it takes your eyes off the road way too long to find good music on your presets. (steering wheel controls would have been much safer - at least an up/down to scroll through your presets)

I find myself liking the wheels too. I was shopping for rims since February - but held off buying and will probably not replace them until I wear out the tires.

[Asterisked Accolade]

I've not seen one in person either. To be honest, i have less complaints than you had. I don't really see anything to gripe about other than wheels/tires. But i'm glad you like it now. It sounds like that's how a lot of people are feeling-- on the fence until they own it and drive it for a while.

[mattles]

Id like to add to the list:

Clutch its light, too light - no feedback at all and releases too high. Luckily it can be adjusted fairly easily.

Intake/Exhaust Noise Everything is too quiet, feels like Im driving an inexpensive Lexus half of the time. Removal of the sound tube, loud intake, combined with a louder exhaust easily remedies this though.

Stock Alignment too conservative, almost no room for adjustment off the showroom floor. Again, not too hard to change with camber plates or H&R bolts.

Its hard to fault this car since the major details, the ones I cant easily modify myself (CoG, roll center, good steering feel, fantastic shifter/transmission, easy to predict rear diff, etc) they got soooo right. Just some minor details need a bit of tidying up. I envy those that will purchase the second and third year of these cars because surely Subaru/Toyota will be changing some of those small details after getting our feedback.

[Laika]

Originally Posted by Asterisked Accolade

I've not seen one in person either. To be honest, i have less complaints than you had. I don't really see anything to gripe about other than wheels/tires. But i'm glad you like it now. It sounds like that's how a lot of people are feeling-- on the fence until they own it and drive it for a while.

Well after following the car for 4 years I really wanted it to be perfect...and I was 100% locked in when I found out it would be an FR with a boxer. And the things I was asking for that I thought would have made it perfect, would have only lowered the price, not increased it.

Mattles I agree with you on the clutch thing but yesterday I drove the 540i to work instead of the BRZ (for EZ-pass related reasons) and I had the hardest time with the clutch on the BMW all of a sudden...3 weeks ago I would have told anyone that the 540i clutch was 100% perfect and that's how I want my BRZ to feel. It just takes getting used to on the BRZ.

As for the sound, it is fairly quiet and I haven't had the chance to wring out the engine yet (only 415 miles so far) but I do like the noise that gets fed into the cabin and at low speed/rev's the exhaust even has a nice note. Reminds me of the sport exhausts on the BMW 325IS. A little bit of noise but nothing that would make your grandmother cringe

[Spaceywilly]

Originally Posted by mattles

Id like to add to the list:

Clutch its light, too light - no feedback at all and releases too high. Luckily it can be adjusted fairly easily.

Intake/Exhaust Noise Everything is too quiet, feels like Im driving an inexpensive Lexus half of the time. Removal of the sound tube, loud intake, combined with a louder exhaust easily remedies this though.

Stock Alignment too conservative, almost no room for adjustment off the showroom floor. Again, not too hard to change with camber plates or H&R bolts.

Its hard to fault this car since the major details, the ones I cant easily modify myself (CoG, roll center, good steering feel, fantastic shifter/transmission, easy to predict rear diff, etc) they got soooo right. Just some minor details need a bit of tidying up. I envy those that will purchase the second and third year of these cars because surely Subaru/Toyota will be changing some of those small details after getting our feedback.

I think you might have to read the OP again lol. It's supposed to be things you DO like about the car but thought you wouldn't. For me it is the push button start and proximity key. I thought it was completely unnecessary but now that I've used it I love it. Everything else about the car I thought would be awesome, and it is . The tame sound and the crappy nav system are my only complaints so far, I really don't think there's anything else I will change on the car at this point.

[armythug]

It's probably better (for Subaru and Toyota)to have a light clutch by default. To make the car easier to drive and enjoyable. Then you could just upgrade it yourself to your personal liking. I found my stock wrx clutch to be light. I have replaced it recently with a heavy duty Excedy clutch and now my left leg is strong like the hulk.

[#87]

I love the tame sound, quiet when I'm just cruising and the whole neighborhood doesn't know when I'm going out.

[Spaceywilly]

Originally Posted by #87

I love the tame sound, quiet when I'm just cruising and the whole neighborhood doesn't know when I'm going out.

Yeah it's a lot better than a stock WRX, but when I got back in my WRX with a Stromung catback, I was like man I miss this sound.

[dsgerbc]

I like the sound-tube. Just hit the 1k miles today, got my oil changed and got to listen to it. I think I might keep it until I eventually get bored with it, but now I like it much more than I thought I would.

I too like the OEM wheels, it's just these tires +aggressive LSD settings = ticket magnet. They chirp with any throttle application in tight turns. I'm not looking forward to the first time I'll have to explain that to a cop.

[ashtray]

How can you adjust the clutch?? It has no feel as is too high - I'm always messing up my 1-2 shift thinking its engaged only to fully remove my foot and end up dumping the clutch in 2nd. (strangely I don't do this in any other gear)

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Laika

...Digital Speedo: Quite frankly I just didn't get the point of this at first. There's already a speedo right next to the tach, why do I need a digital one? In my week of owning the car, I may have looked at the analog speedo a total of 2 times and that was just to remind myself it was there. The digital speedo was a brilliant idea, I often catch myself watching my rev's/instant fuel economy so I love the digital speedo and it's location.

IMHO, the digital speedo was a necessity. The analog speedo is useless. The "operating range" (0 to 80) is just too small to be used with any level of accuracy.

Frankly, I think the should have just skipped the "Ferarri Pretender" analog speedo and given us more gauges we are missing (Oil Temp, Pressure, etc)

[was385]

Just picked mine up, found out it is VERY easy to slip the back tires out on a wet road. Incredible how easy it is to get everything back in line though.