From Challenger to BRZ!?

[manwithnoname]

Hello all,

Long-time lurker, first time poster…
As the title says, I’m currently driving a 2010 DodgeChallenger R/T Classic (stripe package, old school chrome wheels, etc), but I’mleaning toward getting into a BRZ. Scratch that, I’ve been researching them,reading the forums, and have just gone to a dealer and worked out a prettydecent deal to get into a BRZ. I’m not sure how to say this, but I think I needsome convincing that the move to the BRZ is a good one….

Here’s why:

1. DRIVING EXPERIENCE: I love the look of myChallenger, but to be honest, it’s a friggen boat. With the Challenger, I feellike I don’t know my surroundings very well, and can only guess at where thefront of my car is in relation to what’s in front of me. The BRZ being so lightand low to the ground, just makes me feel connected to the road, and thefrontal visibility is amazing. Interestingly enough, I’ve heard a lot ofcomplaints about rear visibility, but I didn’t have any issue. Maybe it’sbecause I’m currently driving a Challenger though, which has pretty limitedvisibility. Turning and backing out with the Challenger is a game ofguesstimation every time, whereas in the BRZ, I feel a level of confidence thatI haven’t felt in a long time. The Challenger is extremely difficult to park,and requires a lot of room to squeeze in between other cars, which makes me notwant to drive the car unless I know there’s gonna be a huge empty parking area.Do you guys feel a different level of confidence in the BRZ than other largercars? Do you feel like it’s an easy car to park compared to others?

2. RIDE HEIGHT: While the Challenger and the BRZ have very similar ground clearance, Isit much higher in the Challenger than in the BRZ. I’m a bit concerned aboutbeing so low to the ground. I feel being so low to the ground, and looking upat other cars kinda makes me feel squashable hehe. Does being low to the groundhave any effect on your feeling of safety? Do those concerns go away? Thisisn’t a deal breaker for me, just a curiousity.

3. POWER: Sure my Challenger has got a ton ofhorsepower, but really, I’m a very cautious driver, and rarely spin the tires.So the only time I really get to use the power is passing people on thefreeway. At stoplights, this nearly 5,000lb car is usually last off the line asit lumbers across the intersection. So I guess what I’m trying to say is thecar is kinda all show and no-go for me. Which is fine. I don’t need to becompeting for “first to get a $450 ticket from the CHP” for 20 seconds of fun. Ialmost feel like the BRZ gets off the line quicker than the Challenger. I havea feeling I won’t miss the horsepower/torque of the Challenger. And yes, Idrive Auto, and plan to get an auto BRZ (don’t hate, I just sit in stop-and-gotraffic all morning and evening, and had knee surgery on my right-knee anddon’t want to cause any more damage there). I have no intentions of trackingthe car, I just want to drive it. Does the BRZ have decent passing power? Myexperiences on the freeway were limited.


4. COST: With the deal I am getting into, I wouldbe dropping my monthly payment down by about $150 and predict saving about $70in gas per month. While it’s not huge, it’s nice! Since I’ll be getting theautomatic, I’ll expect great MPG compared to the 15 I’m getting now.


5. COMFORT: The Challenger is super comfortable.Tons of room, nice leather, and a high ceiling. Suprisingly the inside of theBRZ (Limited) wasn’t all that different. In fact, I found the back-huggingseats to feel really nice. The Challenger interior seems really refined incomparison (yet still very simple) but I think I will be OK with the BRZinterior. Any major thoughts on how much of change I’m in for by going from theChallenger interior to the BRZ?


6. DRIVING STYLE: I love going up to the hills(Highway 9 in Northern California) to take the twisty-turnies, but in theChallenger, it’s not all that much fun. It feels more like a solid tank that Iam maneuvering. It feels very disconnected. I expect that with the BRZ, I willbe feeling every twist and every turn, and enjoying the connection to the road(and the elevated visibility).

7. BOUNCY BOUNCE: I noticed that when I was takingthe BRZ out for test drives that with every major change in pavement, the carwould bounce heavily. I’m used to my Challenger being very rigid when I hitbumps: It’s like when I hit, it’s a sudden shock, but it is smooth. With theBRZ, it is almost like I experienced one big jostle, then a few minoraftershocks each time I hit a bump in the pavement. Does this get better withtime as the car is broken in, does the drive get used to it, and maybe moreimportantly, does it drive your girlfriend/boyfriend/passenger crazy?

8. ATTENTION: The Challenger is a comment magnet.Not so much now as a year or more ago, but it seems almost every time I go tothe gas station someone wants to interact with me. It’s a love-hate kinda thingwith me because while it feels cool to have people comment and be interested,most of the people that want to talk to me are thuggish gang-banger wanna-be types.It seems like the people who are drawn to the BRZ are kinda all-over the map,not just thugs.

9. UNWANTED COMPETITION: The Camaro’s, Mustangs, and(strangely enough) Chargers all seem to want to have a stare-down with me. Itdrives me crazy. It’s just a car…. So I’m kinda sick of the whole “my engine isfaster than yours” attitude. It’s as mature as the stupid Calvin and Hobbesstickers that so many people have where Calvin is pissing on another carbrand’s logo. It’s easy for me to ignore, but it’s still annoying. How bad isthe competitive contact when driving a BRZ?


10. AGE GROUP: Last but not least, I’m 35. Am I toodamn old for a BRZ? While the majority of people I see driving BRZ’s in the BayArea seem to be around 30, the FR-S crowd seems to be a bit younger. I don’twant to seem like an old-fart driving the hip kids car! I’m not really serious,I just feel like I’m overstepping some imaginary age boundary.

Any insights anyone can providewould be much appreciated!

Thanks!
-Manwithnoname

[bcj]

Wow. Pretty comprehensive, Van.
1) Rollerskate. Drive like nobody else can see you and you'll be fine. Moto / Bi cycles are used to this.
2) ^ see above. This is my comfort zone though. My sister has to be the tallest thing around and doesn't get it.
3) Probably about the same. Not fast in a 60 foot drag. Trashes nearly anything else in a corner though.
4) Hear the Auto is extra good. Got mine for cash on the barrelhead territory. No worries.
5) No idea. Never been there. Alcantra works for me. Everything that I want though.
6) Was up on 9 a couple months ago with a tow from someone who does it every day. Can't be beat for that.
7) They don't wallow. If there are bumps, you feel them. The chassis handles them and sticks.
8) The tiny "cute" car attracts a different demographic ( hot chicks would be nice )
9) The people who count know it's about driving and not quarter miles. The rest you can ignore.
10) Back to "Sport Cars" from the 50's and 60's. Dang, I've been waiting 30 years for a car I feel comfortable driving again.

[Brzetto]

What color is the challenger?

[Symmetrical]

Don't be ashamed of the Automatic thing, although there are some really really die hard close minded people on here that will bash you for getting an Auto. I'm on the same boat as you, I drive in traffic fairly regularly (almost 45minutes a day.) Plus my wife is able to drive my car and gets to enjoy it too.

Overall I think you will be saving money not only on the payments, but on the gas too. If you only get 15mpg average, then phew you will be almost double that in the BRZ.

As for passing, people have this weird consensus that the BRZ is "slow." It's not that its slow, it's just that its not blistering fast either. But it was never meant to be. Subaru/Toyota didn't set out to make this car the fastest performance car in the world, no, they set out to make it one of the funnest cars to DRIVE. And my friend, if you love driving, then the BRZ will be a good fit for you.

[Tromatic]

1. The FR-S/BRZ has been compared to a Porche, not a comparison the Challenger ever got. Parking ability is something I've never even considered when choosing a car.
2. Lower is better. Most cars are bigger, some smaller. I don't worry about it.
3. Power is for people who never learned how to carry speed through a corner, or have a car that can't.
4. I've not seen over 25MPG on my AT according to the computer. My math said 26.4 once.
5. Like they used to say about the A-4 Skyhawk, you strap it on rather than strap in. No biped too big for a child's car seat will fit in the back seat.
6. One reviewer said the only comparison to the FR-S for steering feel was the Porche Cayman.
7. The BRZ is more softly sprung than the FR-S. A skateboard has a better chassis and suspension than a Dodge does. Toyota/Subaru did a damn good job.
8. The FR-S/BRZ has become the latest craze with retards. Someone called it the "new Civic". Each his own. You will be in the "thats' sick" or "WTF" camp most of the time, depending. Does seem to be a fairly tight group of owners, though. It's too new to have many thugs, but the last Fast and Furious movie and game will fix that.
9. See 8. It all depends on the tard-level of the other guy.
10. 50, which is why I find myself in the "WTF" camp most of the time. The FR-S will be (is already) a classic, and with the exception of some very tastefully done and subtle mods, everybody is happily taking a really nice car and fucking it up. See 8; needs more plastic, wings, LED's, tire, wheel, noise, HP.

Buy the car, but understand what it is you are buying. To make it faster or "better" requires some money, all better spent on a better car in the first place. It's a totally awesome little car, a giggle-machine at just about any speed. If you are willing to consider used, the market should be flooded with 13's soon when all the cool kids realize how uncool they are when the 14's come out. I would not touch a modded one with a ten foot pole, though.

[bcj]

Yeah, that ^

And color of your whip is chronic crucial

[Djratrap]

[QUOTE=bcj;1075292}
3) Probably about the same. Not fast in a 60 foot drag. Trashes nearly [/QUOTE]

I had an encounter with a d-bag SRT-8 charger trying to emulate my speed and maneuverability up a 1 way mountain pass. i must say i learned the true beauty of the vehicle and smirked watching the charger try and keep up.

[wrb]

those people on top already said everything in detail,
so i ma keep my comment short.

get the BRZ

[buddy32]

I came from a 2011 Camaro.
1. I liked the look of my Camaro, but I LOVE the look of my BRZ. It’s a little easier to mod something to make it stand out a little and reflect your personality a bit more (small things, tabs nuts, etc). Visibility is a lot better in the BRZ compared to the muscle cars, it’s a lot easier to judge where your tail ends because of visibility of the spoiler/ tip of trunk. The confidence you’re feeling is probably from the driveability and how responsive the car is to you. Been waiting for the FT86 to come out for quite some time.
2. BRZ may be a little lower, but it’s not like other cars won’t see you on the road. Visibility from others’ point of view is probably the same. No safety concerns, cars are tested and rated.
3. You are correct, you won’t miss the horsepower/torque of the chally. My Camaro had good power, but you had to work it to feel the power. The torque ranges of the BRZ comes at pretty low RPM (from this engine’s perspective) and you can work around the torque dip at 35k-43k rpm. I’ve had no problems passing cars. Driving on both freeway and regular roads is a lot more fun in the BRZ than Camaro.
4. Dropping the payments and getting a better driving experience = worth it.
5. If you’re getting limited, not much. Just have to get used to no steering wheel controls. I got over it in 1 minute total. And you can always change things around if you don’t like it. I like the seats more than in my Camaro.
6. That is what the car was made for.
7. Suspensions are very different for the two cars. Even though the BRZ is “stiffer”, that’s part of the ride. You’ll get used to it and notice what you can and cannot take at what speeds. I do feel the Atlanta potholes a lot more now and make a good effort to go around them, which actually makes driving more fun.
8. Yup, more enthusiasts. Range from people who just want a FUN ride, to people who want to mod the car to try to improve their experiences in the car. Think of it as of more of a tuner car than a muscle car. Muscle car guys usually go for power and how to put it to the ground in a straight line. Tuner cars, more of everything.
9. When you’re buying a car that looks sporty, I guess that’s just something you have to live with. Had a few experiences, but nothing terrible, both in the Camaro and BRZ.
10. Nah, age is just a number.


We're all biased since we bought the car, but trust me, you won't regret it.

[gily25]

In looking at some of your statements about the Challenger's heft making it less fun to drive you might find your driving style differs once you own this car.

Make sure when you calculate the gas savings you remember the BRZ needs premium fuel.

[buddy32]

Camaro did have 28 mpg on highway, but was really terrible in city. Same mileage, higher octane, same fill up intervals. 40+ bucks BRZ vs ~60 bucks a week camaro.

[WolfpackS2k]

Sounds like you'll be fine making the switch to a BRZ from a Challenger, especially if you don't often use the power you have. Few comments regarding questions of yours:

-gas mileage is great; I average around 29 mpg in mixed traffic and 35 mpg cruising on the highway is easy. I have a manual; an automatic would be even better.
-passing power is NOT good, unless you're already in the lowest gear possible and above 5000 rpm. Some people on this board kid themselves, but unless you're in the right gear and the revs are up the car doesn't move too quick. Passing on two lane roads isn't that easy. Passing on the interstate...sure that's fine (but what car out there has that problem?). People say "you don't know how to drive this car if you complain about the power. It's a momentum car". Well if you're driving down a straight highway and/or don't feel like carrying your "momentum" through a turn at double the speed listed on a yellow sign then I would have to say that what type of driver you are (talented or otherwise) has absolutely nothing to do with it.

I've always admired the performance and looks of the Challenger, but it's just way way way too big for me to ever consider one.

[Be-Are-Zee]

Hmmm American made boat built around an engine...or...a finely tuned Japanese praying mantis built around a chassis?

I'll take the later.

You won't regret the move.

I came from a BMW X1 M-Sport and don't regret it despite the Bimmer being much faster and more luxurious with higher end everything.

There is just something about being one with the car and not just one in the car.

[monkeedoo]

get the BRZ!