BRZ > WRX?

I'm looking to buy a new car by Sept. so I've started looking.

I've never knowingly seen a BRZ on the road, but I've seen a bunch of FRS's and I really like the look and the concept. My wife likes them a lot too.

I also looked at the WRX because I was there.

I like the look & feel of the BRX much better, but when I checked the stickers I got shocked. Base prices of both are within a couple of hundred of dollars of each other. HUH? The 2.0 without a turbo and no 4WD is the same price?

Why not wait until the 2014 WRX comes out? You may like that more or you'll be able to talk them down on the 2013s as they'll want to make room for the new generation to come in?

As much as I talked crap about the 2012 WRX I had, I would prefer that over the BR-Z. I'm almost considering a new one depending on how they actually look (down the road a bit).

I'd forgotten the 2014 was going to be the better body style for the WRX so if we decided to go that route we'd find a way to work out the 1 too few car situation till they arrived at the dealers.

I've been driving grandmaw's Legacy lease for the last little while and I've been impressed. It's way the heck better than the Lexus is250 and quite a good car. For a granny's car it's remarkably spry, responsive and well put together. I've even enjoyed playing with the CVT.

Cut the wheelbase down to Imprezza style and add a dash of power and it could even be fun.

I really like the under the hood part of the BRZ. Very clean and easy to get to things.

Because the Frisbee is a bespoke platform with a bespoke engine.

That always cost more.

DirtyBird222 wrote: Why not wait until the 2014 WRX comes out?

Or wait for the BRZ STi, but that's going to cost even more.

GameboyRMH wrote:

DirtyBird222 wrote: Why not wait until the 2014 WRX comes out?

Or wait for the BRZ STi, but you that's going to cost even more.

That's 2015 and I'll need a car before then. I take grandmaw's lease back in September.

I have heard the 2014 will be same as 2013 wrx. Apparently the new model will be out next fall as a 2015

DirtyBird222 wrote: Why not wait until the 2014 WRX comes out? You may like that more or you'll be able to talk them down on the 2013s as they'll want to make room for the new generation to come in? As much as I talked crap about the 2012 WRX I had, I would prefer that over the BR-Z. I'm almost considering a new one depending on how they actually look (down the road a bit).

lately the first model of new subarus are been not very good, lol.

What did you not like about the 2012 wrx? I have one and it's significantly better than the 350Z I had replaced.

You need to tell us what your requirements for the car are going to be, and then we can help you decide which car is better. Depending on what you want the brz might be better or the wrx might be better. Both are a good value at around 25k.

I don't understand how you could stack the two against one another except on price.

BRZ:
Good fuel economy
RWD
2 doors
Useless back seat

WRX:
Poor fuel economy
AWD
4 doors
Real back seat

Which do you need?

In my opinion, you are either an AWD guy or a RWD guy. I've never really enjoyed driving AWD cars in autox or on the track. Your view may vary. But comparing a BRZ to a WRX is an apples to oranges situation.

Drive both. Figure out what you like, and for what reasons.

I like both, but I can't see that the BRZ should be the same price as the WRX. Maybe the same price as a Legacy, but not the WRX.

It appears to have a lot of the needless mark up because we think we can get it factor.

carguy123 wrote: I like both, but I can't see that the BRZ should be the same price as the WRX. Maybe the same price as a Legacy, but not the WRX. It appears to have a lot of the needless mark up because we think we can get it factor.

So you think it should be the same price as a larger car (Legacy) but cheaper than a smaller car (WRX)???? Logic does not compute.

Both the LEgacy and WRX (Imprezza) platforms are going to be built in much much larger #'s than the BRZ platform so the amortization of Engineering, tooling, production facilities etc can be over a much greater # of units bringing down the price. By your logic a new Ferrari should be much cheaper than a Suburban as it's way smaller and lighter and is only 2WD

kanaric wrote:

DirtyBird222 wrote: Why not wait until the 2014 WRX comes out? You may like that more or you'll be able to talk them down on the 2013s as they'll want to make room for the new generation to come in? As much as I talked crap about the 2012 WRX I had, I would prefer that over the BR-Z. I'm almost considering a new one depending on how they actually look (down the road a bit).

lately the first model of new subarus are been not very good, lol. What did you not like about the 2012 wrx? I have one and it's significantly better than the 350Z I had replaced.

1. Maybe I just had a lemon, but the interior shook and rattled worse than a 4th gen F-body with 140k miles on it. Coming from an 8th gen Civic Si - I was expecting an upgrade with the WRX....

2. Copper in oil at 10k miles. A few Subaru dealers and constant calls to Subaru North America and got the same answer "Well when and if it detonates, we will replace it for you under warranty. There is not much we can do about it now." Sorry with a newborn I don't want to take that risk especially with how much we travel.

3. They also wouldn't even replace a bad exhaust gasket from the downpipe to midpipe.

The car was fun to drive, I really enjoyed it, but that crap just left a sour taste in my mouth and now my wife is dead set on getting a Forester, so hopefully it works out well this second time around. This 02 WRX I have is taking some of that bad taste away as it has been very easy to work on, fun to drive, lots of space, but a co-worker offered me $1000 more than I've paid and put into it cash today....it's an unmodded unmolested bugeye. To me these are unicorns.

Back on topic - I thought the 2014 was the new generation of WRX and hence why you haven't seen the 2014s in showroom floors yet. If I had to choose between BR-Z and WRX it would be WRX all day simply because more power, more space, and a bit more entertaining to drive. The BR-Z to me felt boring compared to my Si.

You may also want to check pricing on the FR-S, as they run a little less expensive than the BRZ.

But I'm with Alan--- very different cars for different needs.

Alan Cesar wrote: BRZ: Good fuel economy

What are the real-world MPG reports?

I know real world WRX is 23 with a 50/50 city highway mix. I'll get 27 on highway trips and around 20-21 if I'm all in town.

At the Evo school I got 4mpg and put ~80 miles on the car.

Joe Gearin wrote: You may also want to check pricing on the FR-S, as they run a little less expensive than the BRZ. But I'm with Alan--- very different cars for different needs.

not around here. brz's sell for list, the frs is still marked up about 4k. also here, wrx's are around 5k more expensive, usually in the mid 30's.

nocones wrote: I know real world WRX is 23 with a 50/50 city highway mix. I'll get 27 on highway trips and around 20-21 if I'm all in town. At the Evo school I got 4mpg and put ~80 miles on the car.

80 miles??? Wow, didn't realize it was that much. Was Emanual co-driving during the school?

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

carguy123 wrote: I like both, but I can't see that the BRZ should be the same price as the WRX. Maybe the same price as a Legacy, but not the WRX. It appears to have a lot of the needless mark up because we think we can get it factor.

So you think it should be the same price as a larger car (Legacy) but cheaper than a smaller car (WRX)???? Logic does not compute. Both the LEgacy and WRX (Imprezza) platforms are going to be built in much much larger #'s than the BRZ platform so the amortization of Engineering, tooling, production facilities etc can be over a much greater # of units bringing down the price. By your logic a new Ferrari should be much cheaper than a Suburban as it's way smaller and lighter and is only 2WD

Go look at them, there's a lot more stuff in the WRX than the BRZ.

It's better equipped, has a better engine & transmission, is bigger and quite simply put a lot more car than the BRZ.

To top it off you can negotiate a very good price on the WRX and they don't appear to want to negotiate on the BRZ so that makes the BRZ quite a bit more expensive than the WRX.

mtn wrote:

nocones wrote: I know real world WRX is 23 with a 50/50 city highway mix. I'll get 27 on highway trips and around 20-21 if I'm all in town. At the Evo school I got 4mpg and put ~80 miles on the car.

80 miles??? Wow, didn't realize it was that much. Was Emanual co-driving during the school?

Yes that was for 2 drivers for 2 days of an EVO school and we had a 3rd driver on Day 1 so 5 days of EVO school on 1 weekend = ~80 miles of WFO

carguy123 wrote:

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

carguy123 wrote: I like both, but I can't see that the BRZ should be the same price as the WRX. Maybe the same price as a Legacy, but not the WRX. It appears to have a lot of the needless mark up because we think we can get it factor.

So you think it should be the same price as a larger car (Legacy) but cheaper than a smaller car (WRX)???? Logic does not compute. Both the LEgacy and WRX (Imprezza) platforms are going to be built in much much larger #'s than the BRZ platform so the amortization of Engineering, tooling, production facilities etc can be over a much greater # of units bringing down the price. By your logic a new Ferrari should be much cheaper than a Suburban as it's way smaller and lighter and is only 2WD

Go look at them, there's a lot more stuff in the WRX than the BRZ. It's better equipped, has a better engine & transmission, is bigger and quite simply put a lot more car than the BRZ. To top it off you can negotiate a very good price on the WRX and they don't appear to want to negotiate on the BRZ so that makes the BRZ quite a bit more expensive than the WRX.

And the BRZ is the price you pay for a unique platform.

Did you have something else to say, or are you just complaining?

BRZ price complaint?

Buy Scion FRS.

beans wrote: BRZ price complaint? Buy Scion FRS.

But then you have the stigma of driving a Scion

z31maniac wrote: Because the Frisbee is a bespoke platform with a bespoke engine. That always cost more.

This.

The FRS/BRZ combination will sell very few units in comparison to the WRX and yet it needs to recover it's investment. Also, it is still pulling full list price last time I checked.