Swap the 2002 for a new BRZ/GR86, am I crazy?

[AustrianVespaGuy]

I'll admit up front, I'm absolutely floored by the package that this new car embodies; 230 naturally-aspirated RWD horsepower through a standard 6-speed, including an LSD, all packed in to 2800# for only $28,000?!?  I'm super enticed!  Sadly there's not a 'have both' option here; mainly garage space, but there's also the fact of how crazy 2002 prices have gotten recently, it'd *almost* be a straight trade! What are the thoughts of my support group?!?

[2002iii]

I'll admit the specs look nice and I do like Subaru and Toyota, and I'm glad they finally offer rwd cars again.

 

The thing that killed it for me is the 93 octane fuel requirement. That and the fact that I would never buy a brand new car and definitely not the first year of a new model.

 

"It'd *almost* be a straight trade!" Lol, if you don't count all the fees and taxes.

[AustrianVespaGuy]

1 hour ago, 2002iii said:

I'll admit the specs look nice and I do like Subaru and Toyota, and I'm glad they finally offer rwd cars again.

 

The thing that killed it for me is the 93 octane fuel requirement. That and the fact that I would never buy a brand new car and definitely not the first year of a new model.

 

"It'd *almost* be a straight trade!" Lol, if you don't count all the fees and taxes.

Well with the 9.5:1 pistons the 2002 gets 91 already, so I don't see 93 as a deal breaker, however you make a good point with it being BRAND new; maybe worth waiting a year to see. I too STRONGLY avoid dealerships at all costs. . . aside from free test drives of course!

[TobyB]

It's been a rather attractive car from day one, I agree.

 

The fixed- head Miata's not the worst in the world, either.

 

t

 

[AustrianVespaGuy]

4 minutes ago, TobyB said:

It's been a rather attractive car from day one, I agree.

 

The fixed- head Miata's not the worst in the world, either.

As much as I like the RF, even a crappy 911 back seat is infinitely better than NO back seat, IMO (I have little kids I can cram back there too!) And as much as I liked the old Toyobarus, it was never really enough to tempt me.  But with that new improved 2.4L engine. . . I think it's the first new car I've been *realistically* excited about since. . . the 128i maybe?

[d.hitchcock]

To me it's not an either/or proposition. I'd love to have a sweet, autoX-prepped BRZ like that (I've driven autox-prepped BRZs before ... I know why they're great).

But I wouldn't dream of trading my 2002 for one. The 02 is completely rewarding and tremendous in its own right, in it's own way.

I'd have to try to make both happen. If I could somehow fit a drumset into a BRZ for my gigs ... *dreaming*

 

[cda951]

3 hours ago, 2002iii said:

 

The thing that killed it for me is the 93 octane fuel requirement.

93 octane fuel is required for maximum output, but for any car going back to the 1990s (mid-late 1980s in some cases, as in my 1986 944 Turbo), knock control via piezo sensors means that the engine management system will automatically adjust for 91-octane fuel. The engine performance will not fall on its face, but will be very slightly diminished, so I am not sure this would qualify as a deal-breaker on its own.

 

The topic of selling a beloved 02 for such a vehicle is another subject entirely, and warrants some debate! 

[Pdxguy]

I want to change my vote. I thought it was dropping a new engine in the 2002. 

[jp5Touring]

I think you would miss the 02 more than enjoy  the BRZ.

That and I'm not a Subi boxer fan.

I like Subaru's just don't want to own one.

 

[tzei]

If 4wd - hmm maybe an addition. Substitution - nay.

[zinz]

No one will ever walk up and say, " I used to have one of those back in college"

 

And like Barney T says, "these 2002s attract 60 year old men like a magnet"  ?

 

The BRZ is a pretty cool car, though.

Ed

[AceAndrew]

c) Find a wonderful girl, get married, have a kid, and wait until they're 13-14 and pick a BRZ up on the used market for a father/son-or-daughter fix-it-up first car.

 

Gotta think about that long game, lol.

[bavariaboy]

I am with Zinz. I have owned 10 classic BMW's. A 1600, five Bavaria's, four 3.0CS and CSi's and now my current love, Lilli, a 1976 Chaminox

2002 with 82,000 sweet miles on the odo. 

 

I have also owned six Subaru's over my long run. Great cars in the rain and snow, go the distance, and as safe as a car can be.

 

That said, during my long run I have had hundreds and hundreds of mostly men of all ages come up to me and start one of the two set speeches. And if you are still here you know what those arel

 

"I have always wanted one of those since I was..."

 

                    or

 

"I owned one, two three or more of those years ago and regret selling them to this day."

 

No one, let me repeat, no one has ever come up to one of my Subaru's and rattled off "The Speech."

 

You know where my vote went.

 

Steve ONeill

 

 

[02Pilot]

I like most things about the 86/BRZ package, the exceptions being the cheap-looking interior and the engine. I've not owned a Subaru boxer myself, but several friends have, and between the oil leaks, head gasket failures, and being unpleasant to work on, I'll pass. I do understand that the Honda K-swap is a thing in those cars, which would help a lot.

 

On a couple of the other cars mentioned, I'm fortunate to own both an E82 128i and a Miata RF. Both have similarities to the 2002. The Miata platform is very lively, lightweight, and tossable, but of course it's a much smaller cabin, and it lacks the versatility of the 2002. The engine in the Miata is incredibly free-revving and happily winds up to 7500rpm. The 128i feels very much like BMW updating the 2002 for the modern era (well, at least modern as of 2009). It's heavier, but the suspension tuning feels similar to the 2002 (caveat: both my 2002 and 128i have modified suspensions), as does the power delivery; the engine is happy to spin up to the 7000rpm redline, but it does not do so as quickly as the Miata. The 128i has all the practicality of the 2002 and then some, especially with the folding rear seat. Predictably, both cars are faster than all but heavily modified 2002s (6.1sec 0-60 for the 128i, 5.8 for the Miata). Depending on which parts of the 2002 experience one might be looking to replicate, either of these could be worthy options.

[AustrianVespaGuy]

Well thanks all, seems to be a pretty clear mentality here! I'm *mostly* talked myself out of this, at least for the immediate future, but still trying to scheme a way to have my cake and eat it too, but that's a tough one.  Ideally, I'd still get one as a 'replacement' for the E30 track rat instead, but that's much harder to frame as 'fiscally responsible,' and would force the new car to live outside in the driveway under a tree. . . ?

To be honest, part of the problem is that I'm not driving the 2002 as much as I should/used to/want to.  Maybe the REAL solution here is to just drop the Hagerty insurance and bring it back to DD duty?!?