When did you "know"?

[Da Breeze]

Thanks for the link back to your post, it brought back a lot of good memories! I bought the Z after graduating from college. My dad took me to see the 240z when it first arrived in the US, and I wanted to get one mostly because of that. I also had a gen II Supra that I also liked a lot, but that was less of a pure sports car. Both had great in line six engines, the Yamaha built dohc engine in the Supra being a little smoother. I have to say that I love my BRZ even more, even though it gives up two cylinders to them!

[Da Breeze]

Originally Posted by Hyper4mance2k

I was driving home from work and my Audi lost 3rd gear. I drove straight to the Subaru dealership.

Which Audi did you have?

[softgrip]

I was buying a 2nd hand 2010 Impreza for my mum in November. The dealership had a fully kitted Hyperblue and I sat in it for 5 minutes. The car was beautiful and I joked about buying it.

I got home and researched the BRZ... Every day for 4 months. I'd previously scoffed at the power as I was driving a 2006 WRX.

Then, on a Wednesday I had an osteopath treatment, they cracked my upper back and I left floating on a cloud. Drove past a dealership on the way home, stopped in and test drove my current car. 150km on the clock, dealer "2nd hand" with $6k aud of options added... For less than a base new car. It'd been registered for 1 month! I cut a bank cheque.

Drove it home later that day with 5 year new car warranty after getting screwed on my trade in.

So far so good. Love it

[dgcam55]

I was originally considering for a 2nd car, a used Miata, a used WRX, and also a used BMW 128. I nixed the mazda pretty early on cause I decided I didn't want the convertible. I could not find a used WRX in decent condition. But I came very close to getting the BMW.
After test driving the 128i (and liking it), I headed home and happened to see a BRZ on the road.
Being a Subaru owner already (owning a crosstrek) I thought why am I not considering that car?
I test drove one, and though not as quick as the 128, it handled WAY better. I was sold on the BRZ with the first drive. It was a matter of finding a used one. I really like the dark blue color, but learned it was only offered in the first year (2013). My second choice was white. Both colors very hard to find here in NJ.
Luckily a couple weeks later, I found a dark blue one in good shape & the rest is history. NO REGRETS!

[Summerwolf]

When my first forester developed a nasty rod knock and I didn't even want to mess with putting an engine in. I figured a new BRZ would be a good DD / fun car since I was down to one car at the time.

[covance]

Losing the back on the first test drive

Compared it to a 370Z as the final contender before making the purchase. Was coming off a beautiful 2011 MB C300 (quite possibly the last manual MB delivered into the US..they stopped offering the 6 speed stick w 2012 models onward and mine was delivered august 2011 - totaled ) and a 2012 Audi A4 quattro 6 speed (Audi quality issues....)

Yes the car is not that fast in low rpms but it is fantastic to drive. Handling is amazing, driver feel and seat is fantastic, and its gotten the most attention consistently from anything I have owned.

A lot of people say this car is the best way to have the most fun without losing your license and I totally agree.

[benrz]

I sold my 06 Civic Si after graduating college for my current TL to deal with the traffic down here in the Bay Area. I was commuting ~50 miles everyday, which took about 3 hours in total to get to work and back. Fast forward a few months, I got a new job which is only 9 miles away from home and it takes me 25 minutes to get home, at the very worst.

I missed having a manual, automatics are extremely boring so I stepped into the Subaru dealership and saw my HyperBlue waiting.

[Hyper4mance2k]

Originally Posted by Da Breeze

Which Audi did you have?

B5A4 with a bunch of mods. Worst car I've ever owned.

[Da Breeze]

Originally Posted by Hyper4mance2k

B5A4 with a bunch of mods. Worst car I've ever owned.

Let me guess, front suspension problems, oil pan/sludge issues, hardware issues, maybe premature timing belt wear?

[Hyper4mance2k]

Originally Posted by Da Breeze

Let me guess, front suspension problems, oil pan/sludge issues, hardware issues, maybe premature timing belt wear?

3 broken axles, and exploded dual mass, and the transmissions was the last straw. Oh yeah, all in a 3 month period.

Not to mention having to replace coil packs every 6 months, an ECU when a coil pack blows, which gets expensive when you're tuned. How is there not a fail safe for that?.. Also, I just didn't enjoy the driving experience. I came from 15 years of Rotary tuning, and I thought it was time to grow up. I made a huge mistake.

[coxxoc]

Originally Posted by Hyper4mance2k

3 broken axles, and exploded dual mass, and the transmissions was the last straw. Oh yeah, all in a 3 month period.

Not to mention having to replace coil packs every 6 months, an ECU when a coil pack blows, which gets expensive when you're tuned. How is there not a fail safe for that?.. Also, I just didn't enjoy the driving experience. I came from 15 years of Rotary tuning, and I thought it was time to grow up. I made a huge mistake.

Ouch. I'm another guy who got into a BRZ after a decade of Rx-7s. I love turbo rotaries. I really do, but Mazda has taken so long to follow up with a worthy successor.

All of the things that started to bother me about my 400hp FC3S came down to one common reason. The car is old, and old cars need lots of love to stay in good shape. I have been through 4 engines (now 13BRE), 2 turbos, 3 axles, 2 transmissions, 2 ignition systems, new glass, re-soldered most ECU connections, 3 exhausts, 2 varients of HID retrofits, etc in the last 8 years with my 10th AE. The FC was built for 21 year old me. It doesn't meet the needs of 29 year old me. The body needs refreshed, the power windows are slow, and the exhaust makes me stink even after $1200 worth of work to route the wastegate back in and adding two high-flow cats. Enter the search for a new car.

I know I wanted the things I love about the Rx-7, but I wanted to avoid what made me give up on it. It needed to be a reasonably reliable and powerful lightweight car that was more about driving pleasure than getting from point A to point B. Unfortunately, the S2000 was the last car made that met all of my criteria and none could be found that didn't have tons of miles and/or modifications. I expanded my search to the FRS, BRZ, and new Miata. Power be damned, these cars got good reviews for being drivers cars.

Last fall, I went to the Seattle International Auto Show to see all of the cars in person. I can't fit in a new Miata comfortably (damn 6 foot tall). I really liked the limited trim on the BRZ over the FRS. I had a 96 Legacy GT in the past that I put 156k miles on and loved that car, and my wife has an Impreza wagon for the family car. Subaru is a known quantity to us. What do you know, Scion had test drives going on and I got to take about a white FRS with a TRD exhaust. Done deal. I wanted the car.

After many test drives and haggling sessions, I came across a used 2013 Limited BRZ in black with a color matched TRD spoiler on it. This was exactly what I wanted to do with the rear end anyway. I bought the car that night, and I've been enjoying it sense.

This is absolutely a car that will need some tweaks before I'm satisfied. I've already changed the catback, but a UEL and some type of forced induction is needed to make me happy. My old Legacy sounded so much better and the RX-7 will spin tires in the first three gears. So, is the BRZ perfect? Hell no. Is the best I could get for the money? Yes.

Now if Mazda would just release a new turbo rotary...

[Da Breeze]

I had a similar experience with a VW Jetta. First and last German car I owned.

[j0307]

For me this car is actually my first car. So it is perfect. It will help me learn the characteristics of a car and not start out only craving raw horsepower. I thought it would be a really great car for me because then I can learn what a proper car feels like before I even drive anything else. That being said I love my car a lot and will drive it until it falls apart.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[g e]

When I saw the BRZ at the Atlanta Auto show prior to its release I knew it was a "gotta have". . I had my credit card out but the booth bunny said product would be available in a few months and go through a dealer.

Ended up waiting until November 2013 and got a Limited for $3k off list.