Selling my M3 this week and am HEARTBROKEN.

[W12x]

I drove a FR-S for a few months before getting my E92 M3 last year, the FR-S/BRZ is no where close to the M in terms of power, but it handles very very well, better than the M3 IMO. And if drifting is your thing you will have a loooooot of fun in the FR-S/BRZ.

Look on the bright side, fun to drive(perhaps more fun than the M if you can look pass the lack of power), cheap to run, much better gas mileage, extremely easy to drift, cheap parts and tons of mods available!

[PhillyNate]

Originally Posted by W12x

I drove a FR-S for a few months before getting my E92 M3 last year, the FR-S/BRZ is no where close to the M in terms of power, but it handles very very well, better than the M3 IMO. And if drifting is your thing you will have a loooooot of fun in the FR-S/BRZ.

Look on the bright side, fun to drive(perhaps more fun than the M if you can look pass the lack of power), cheap to run, much better gas mileage, extremely easy to drift, cheap parts and tons of mods available!

A qualified agree. It's WAY more agile, lighter and nimble. Changes direction more crisply. More steering feel has been a HUGE plus and quite a surprise. Clutch has more feel with a higher engagement point which takes some getting used to. Shifter has tighter gates and is a little more "snick snick". One other surprise is just like the M3 the engine comes alive at 3k rpm as well. If you keep the car in it's power band there is just enough. Still wanting more because it doesn't come alive as much as the S65 does obviously. I REALLY like driving it so far! Thanks for your thoughts

[W12x]

Originally Posted by PhillyNate

A qualified agree. It's WAY more agile, lighter and nimble. Changes direction more crisply. More steering feel has been a HUGE plus and quite a surprise. Clutch has more feel with a higher engagement point which takes some getting used to. Shifter has tighter gates and is a little more "snick snick". One other surprise is just like the M3 the engine comes alive at 3k rpm as well. If you keep the car in it's power band there is just enough. Still wanting more because it doesn't come alive as much as the S65 does obviously. I REALLY like driving it so far! Thanks for your thoughts

While the engine is not close to the power of S65, it's very responsive, and driving the FR-S/BRZ just make you feel very alive...and that's what I like the best about it!

btw, I have driven one with 'minor' mods (intake, exhaust, pulley), while those mods doesn't make the car a whole lot more powerful, they do make it even more responsive when you want to have some fun, and the 20-35 extra HP does put some extra icing on the cake, plus they don't cost much

[redpriest]

Your new car looks great. A good friend of mine has a BRZ and I think it's a steal for the money. My only "problem" with it is that there are so many of them out there! Of course, I say that and there's 2 other Alpine White E92 M3s in my workplace's parking garage, as well as an E46 Alpine White M3

[PhillyNate]

Originally Posted by W12x

While the engine is not close to the power of S65, it's very responsive, and driving the FR-S/BRZ just make you feel very alive...and that's what I like the best about it!

btw, I have driven one with 'minor' mods (intake, exhaust, pulley), while those mods doesn't make the car a whole lot more powerful, they do make it even more responsive when you want to have some fun, and the 20-35 extra HP does put some extra icing on the cake, plus they don't cost much

Yeah, definitely gonna mod this tastefully and address specifically what it needs...which ain't as much as I thought it needed.

[PhillyNate]

Originally Posted by redpriest

Your new car looks great. A good friend of mine has a BRZ and I think it's a steal for the money. My only "problem" with it is that there are so many of them out there! Of course, I say that and there's 2 other Alpine White E92 M3s in my workplace's parking garage, as well as an E46 Alpine White M3

Thank you. There's just something unapologetic about the car and it's better for it. This must be how the Miata felt when introduced. I may not have had this much REAL emotion/passion driving the M3 because I always was apprehensive about damaging/hurting the car in some way. Fearful of douchebags too. For whatever reason I just don't have that in this FR-S. I'm sure it's due to it's price point but the car just feels liberating. I hope that makes sense. I actually DON'T see a lot of FR-S/BRZ's in Philly. Another plus.
Thank you!

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by PhillyNate

Thank you. There's just something unapologetic about car and it's better for it. This must be how the Miata felt when introduced. I may not have had this much REAL emotion/passion driving the M3 because I always was apprehensive about damaging/hurting the car in some way. Fearful of douchebags too. For whatever reason I just don't have that in this FR-S. I'm sure it's due to it's price point but the car just feels liberating. I hope that makes sense. I actually DON'T see a lot of FR-S/BRZ's in Philly. Another plus.
Thank you!

Every cloud has a silver lining. As much as I love my M3, I do worry about it a lot. As far as 4-cylinder cars go, I used to own the original Honda Prelude VTEC as my first car when I graduated from medical school. It was light, revved like crazy, and was incredibly nimble....and that was for FWD. Look also at the Honda S2000. No shortage of fun to be had with a 4-cylinder.

As far as modding the Scion, my advice is DON'T. You made this move for financial reasons, so don't compromise yourself. Ride out the storm. After a short period of time, the car won't feel so slow. In 2004 I went from a stage 3 Audi S4 with over 400hp to a Nissan 350Z with 287hp. It seemed slow for about a month, then it just felt normal.

Good luck, and stay around !!!!

[PhillyNate]

Originally Posted by LarThaL

Every cloud has a silver lining. As much as I love my M3, I do worry about it a lot. As far as 4-cylinder cars go, I used to own the original Honda Prelude VTEC as my first car when I graduated from medical school. It was light, revved like crazy, and was incredibly nimble....and that was for FWD. Look also at the Honda S2000. N shortage of fun to be had with a 4-cylinder.

As far as modding the Scion, my advice is DON'T. You made this move for financial reasons, so don't compromise yourself. Ride out the storm. After a short period of time, the car won't feel so slow. In 2004 I went from a stage 3 Audi S4 with over 400hp to a Nissan 350Z with 287hp. It seemed slow for about a month, then it just felt normal.

Good luck, and stay around !!!!

Not leaving such a wonderful community. I'm slightly on the fence about modding because I don't want to dilute the character of the car with the modifications I make. The mods are sooooo cheap that I'm ok financially but I don't want to kill the charm of the car by creating something else...but this chassis SCREAMS for at least 50 ponies which can be achieved quickly, cheaply and easily. IDK...
Thanks

[PhillyNate]

Oh, I almost forgot one of the best parts. If anyone insures a car in the NorthEast section of the Country but particularly Philly, you KNOW how expensive it is to get insurance on your M3. Well when I called Allstate who insures my 2006 Honda Accord the rate was ridiculous for the Scion. I WAS MIFFED. Not in a million years did I think my "pleasure car" insurance company would insure such a not rare mass produced car...but Lo and behold they do! COULD NOT BELIEVE IT!!! $408 for the YEAR!!!!!! The FR-S/BRZ is such a niche vehicle I guess they decided it was warranted to offer insurance for it. With the same company I was paying $119 a month for the M3 which I thought/think is the steal of the century. Doing even better now...silver linings....

[PhillyNate]

One more pic for now...

[JRV]

Originally Posted by PhillyNate

One more pic for now...

Sweet little ride man, I was seriously contemplating one of these but have different priorities at the moment with the new addition to my family.
Right now your M3 is singing " if you leave me now you'll take away the biggest part of me...."
It happens, the car that got away.

[PhillyNate]

Originally Posted by JRV

Sweet little ride man, I was seriously contemplating one of these but have different priorities at the moment with the new addition to my family.
Right now your M3 is singing " if you leave me now you'll take away the biggest part of me...."
It happens, the car that got away.

Yeah, I hear that song too. Thanks man. The FR-S is full of pleasant surprises.

[MrPrena]

Originally Posted by PhillyNate

Not leaving such a wonderful community. I'm slightly on the fence about modding because I don't want to dilute the character of the car with the modifications I make. The mods are sooooo cheap that I'm ok financially but I don't want to kill the charm of the car by creating something else...but this chassis SCREAMS for at least 50 ponies which can be achieved quickly, cheaply and easily. IDK...
Thanks

I agree. I joined this community this Jan, and I really like the members and knowledge I received.

[Wilsel]

Originally Posted by thetastelingers

Been there done that. We have a renter now.
Market is crap for sellers.
May as well be making money on it if we can't sell it.

BRZ/FRS is going to be cheap to mod. If I had one I would go mod crazy with it.
Warranty? pfff.... those engines are cheap enough to build if they go boom.

Have fun with it!

Where do you live? Inventory is at an all time low. We just sold our house in 3 weeks for asking price. Most houses in our area are selling in 48hrs of being listed. Some go into bidding wars, and are selling for above asking price.

[thetastelingers]

Originally Posted by Wilsel

Where do you live? Inventory is at an all time low. We just sold our house in 3 weeks for asking price. Most houses in our area are selling in 48hrs of being listed. Some go into bidding wars, and are selling for above asking price.

The house is in Ringgold, GA.
The subdivision we are in, there were a lot of foreclosures and it killed our property value.

[CalgaryX3]

PhillyNate,

I don't frequent the forums as much as I used to, but logged on today and came upon this thread. It seems like just yesterday that you and I were debating options/build sheets and then later, keeping each other patient as our cars made the long trek across the Atlantic.

Lots of memories for sure, but kudos to you for making a sensible sacrifice, with your family's best interests in mind.

All the best for the future,
Asif

[PhillyNate]

Originally Posted by CalgaryX3

PhillyNate,

I don't frequent the forums as much as I used to, but logged on today and came upon this thread. It seems like just yesterday that you and I were debating options/build sheets and then later, keeping each other patient as our cars made the long trek across the Atlantic.

Lots of memories for sure, but kudos to you for making a sensible sacrifice, with your family's best interests in mind.

All the best for the future,
Asif

Thank you my man. I remember as well. Very appreciated.

[Wilsel]

Originally Posted by thetastelingers

The house is in Ringgold, GA.
The subdivision we are in, there were a lot of foreclosures and it killed our property value.

We are in Atlanta. Ouch! Sorry to hear. Hope you can get back in an M before too long!

[thetastelingers]

Originally Posted by Wilsel

We are in Atlanta. Ouch! Sorry to hear. Hope you can get back in an M before too long!

I think you have me confused with the thread starter.
I am happily in an M.

[Kombat_KP]

Originally Posted by PhillyNate

Picked up the Scion today and put new rubber and wheels on immediately. Had I know mine came with a tasteful gunmetal color wheel I would've thought longer about swapping them out. I've driven the car about 70 miles already and my impression is this car is CRYING, SCREAMING for 50 more horsepower. Most ppl say 100 more ponies but I disagree. 50 would do quite nicely. Secondly, I am going to have to grow to love 4 cylinder engines again and this one in particular. It LOVES to rev but doesn't sound very good doing it. Not obnoxious but not great either. Thirdly, I drove spirited for 70 miles and the gas gauge HAS BARELY MOVED. Everything is driver focused in the cabin and a decent material for the price point. THE SEATS ARE AMAZING. I was not expecting the seats to be a "racing type seat" and very supportive to boot. Excellent driving position for a car this low too. You could drive for days in this car very comfortably and easily.
That is my dime store review and thank you for listening. I think I'm gonna be fine. Thank you EVERYONE!!!!

PhillyNate - I'm new here, but wanted to say that you made the right decision by putting your family first, even though it sucks that you had to give up your E93 M3 ZCP. I just got an E90 M3 ZCP and I just love it. Moved from a WRX. I know you're not even close to Cali, but check out these guys, if for nothing more than information. I used Mann-Engineering exclusively with my Subby (I know yours is a Scion/Toyota, but it's the same as the BRZ). They are a top notch Subaru shops/tuners in NorCal and doing some really interesting things for the new BRZ/FR-S and you can call and talk to Gary. He'll give you the straight scope on what you can do and what's best for performance.

Enjoy the new car and I love the wheels.

[PhillyNate]

Originally Posted by Kombat_KP

PhillyNate - I'm new here, but wanted to say that you made the right decision by putting your family first, even though it sucks that you had to give up your E93 M3 ZCP. I just got an E90 M3 ZCP and I just love it. Moved from a WRX. I know you're not even close to Cali, but check out these guys, if for nothing more than information. I used Mann-Engineering exclusively with my Subby (I know yours is a Scion/Toyota, but it's the same as the BRZ). They are a top notch Subaru shops/tuners in NorCal and doing some really interesting things for the new BRZ/FR-S and you can call and talk to Gary. He'll give you the straight scope on what you can do and what's best for performance.

Enjoy the new car and I love the wheels.

Thank you. I will most likely give them a call on your recommendation.

[Ezio]

Car looks great. Maybe years from now you can grab another M3.