[Ritter]

I'm gonna buy a Subaru and put Toyota badge on it.

Badges won't swap, lol.

 

[piening2150]

Hell no, gonna save few thousands and buy a Suba
I like the grill better too.
Dealer says they will have one soon.
Are Halo and white the same color between them?

Yes. All colors are the same (just different names) except World rally blue (Subaru only) and Neptune Blue (Toyota only).

Edit- forgot the Anniversary edition orange (Toyota only)

 

[SkyDog]

Are Halo and white the same color between them?

Yes.

Other than Neptune Blue, World Rally Blue, and special editions, all the colors on the ‘22-23 GR86 and BRZ are exactly the same.

(piening2150 apparently types faster than me. 😆)

 

[Noobtber]

From a handling perspective, it's said the BRZ has a slight understeer bias, rides better on the street, and corners a bit flatter. Matt Farah said the GR86 is great fun, while the BRZ feels more like a Porsche.

If you're planning to modify, I put a camber bolts and a front sway bar on my BRZ and it felt amazing.

 

[Japs]

I opted to go with BRZ coz it is 5-6 grand cheaper atleast here in Australia. BRZ comes with built in navigation and full size spare tire while the GR86 lacks those 2 features. BRZ fornt bumper will age better in my opinion as the GR86 looks very generic but aggresive.

 

[Dano]

From a handling perspective, it's said the BRZ has a slight understeer bias, rides better on the street, and corners a bit flatter. Matt Farah said the GR86 is great fun, while the BRZ feels more like a Porsche.

If you're planning to modify, I put a camber bolts and a front sway bar on my BRZ and it felt amazing.

What sway bar did you use?

 

[rjt]

Subaru in the US has a rule that dealers can not sell above MSRP.

This definitely does not match my experience of buying a BRZ last year, most had 2-3k dealer markup.

 

[TessaSeveride]

This definitely does not match my experience of buying a BRZ last year, most had 2-3k dealer markup.

Any Subaru dealer that is reported to Subaru of America for charging markups is reprimanded. Every instance I've ever seen of anyone contacting Subaru of America about price gouging has resulted in the markup being dropped.

 

[Ritter]

Any Subaru dealer that is reported to Subaru of America for charging markups is reprimanded. Every instance I've ever seen of anyone contacting Subaru of America about price gouging has resulted in the markup being dropped.

I think Subaru markups were/are a problem in the US Northeast, because they have some kind of independent distribution entity that's not commercially related to Subaru of America and buys direct from Subaru Japan.

 

[TessaSeveride]

I think Subaru markups were/are a problem in the US Northeast, because they have some kind of independent distribution entity that's not commercially related to Subaru of America and buys direct from Subaru Japan.

Possibly. Something about the Tri-State area or, like you said, the NE in general. I heard their ordering process is different, but still haven't actually seen any markups when ordered through a dealer.

 

[Ritter]

I did a quick search and someone posted this on a Forester forum:

Subaru of America is the official US sales arm of Subaru Corporation (part of Fuji Heavy Industries).

Subaru Distributors Corp is a distributor of Subaru vehicles and franchises in New York and parts of northern New Jersey supplying parts and vehicles to 60-someting retailers in that area.

Subaru of New England does the same thing (basically) but to 60-something retailers in 6 New England states (presumably Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Connecticut).

 

[Tobes]

I opted to go with BRZ coz it is 5-6 grand cheaper atleast here in Australia. BRZ comes with built in navigation and full size spare tire while the GR86 lacks those 2 features. BRZ fornt bumper will age better in my opinion as the GR86 looks very generic but aggresive.

Exactly my thinking! Plus wait times for GR86 in Aust is 2-3 times as long.
Actually only MT BRZ is 5-6K cheaper in Aust, AT BRZ only 1K cheaper. This due to Toyota Australia charging the same regardless of transmission choice. They do this simply because they can due to demand. Another reason I won't buy from them.

 

[GazooWooz]

I own both currently, as I am obsessed with the platform. I have not driven them back to back as each is in a different state. Flat out and put simply, the GR86 looks better, and as a result turns more heads, the rear end also kicks out more often and aggressively than the BRZ. Simply more fun/tossable on the street.

BRZ surprisingly more civilized on the street, rides better and yet also feels more track capable, and serious. Brakes are better as I believe the BRZ actually comes with dot 4 from the factory and you can feel the difference. All in all, I love them both but prefer the 86 for its looks and prefer the BRZ's serious approach to carving canyons.

In terms of pricing, the 86 just looks more expensive TBH, and will hold a bit more value due to demand, etc. These cars are a f*cking steal at their MSRP pricing.

 

[piening2150]

Brakes are better as I believe the BRZ actually comes with dot 4 from the factory and you can feel the difference.

Brakes are exactly the same. BRZ does not come with DOT 4.

 

[Ritter]

I own both currently, as I am obsessed with the platform. I have not driven them back to back as each is in a different state. Flat out and put simply, the GR86 looks better, and as a result turns more heads, the rear end also kicks out more often and aggressively than the BRZ. Simply more fun/tossable on the street.

BRZ surprisingly more civilized on the street, rides better and yet also feels more track capable, and serious. Brakes are better as I believe the BRZ actually comes with dot 4 from the factory and you can feel the difference. All in all, I love them both but prefer the 86 for its looks and prefer the BRZ's serious approach to carving canyons.

In terms of pricing, the 86 just looks more expensive TBH, and will hold a bit more value due to demand, etc. These cars are a f*cking steal at their MSRP pricing.

GR86 showboat, BRZ go boat?

 

[GazooWooz]

Brakes are exactly the same. BRZ does not come with DOT 4.

Is this confirmed somewhere? C&D claimed Dot 4 was why the BRZ had better OE braking on track and shorter stop distances. Anyways, braking feels better in the BRZ to me for some reason.

GR86 showboat, BRZ go boat?

Yeah just about, BRZ has more of a touring flare, and do everything well type of impression to me.

 

[ajm_diga]

I haven't driven both but supposedly there's different throttle mapping, the BRZ more linear, 86 more twitchy off the line

 

[piening2150]

Is this confirmed somewhere? C&D claimed Dot 4 was why the BRZ had better OE braking on track and shorter stop distances. Anyways, braking feels better in the BRZ to me for some reason.

Subaru engineers on hand chose to add DOT 4 specifically for Lightning Lap. Toyota chose not to.

2:17 is the GR86/BRZ segment (if it doesn't auto-start there) and it's one of the first things they talk about.

 

[Singleminded]

GR86 showboat, BRZ go boat?

Good one! Honestly I wish Subaru sold the 86 and Toyota sold the BRZ -- or something else. Or nothing at all.

I rather have a Subaru badge because: the car is 90% Subaru and actually manufactured by them; despite my own poor experiences with Subaru service departments, I'd trust them more than Toyota with this car; and I trust Subaru corporate more than Toyota corporate.

But I'd have a really hard time getting over the Subaru front grill and the red striping in the interior. It's all just personal preference, not a matter of objective right and wrong, but I love the 86 front end and actively dislike the Subaru one. And I'd feel a bit embarrassed every time I looked at those boy-racer trying-too-hard red stripes on the BRZ's seats.

While I appreciate the pros and cons, I'd also err on the side that Toyota took with the handling dynamics. And their choices with the instrument panel seem a bit better too.

So give me the 86 but branded as a Subaru!

EDIT: Not likely to happen, but Ive fantasized a bit about getting a second twin, this time an AT. If so I'd go for the BRZ. Wouldn't it be sweet to have a MT 86 and an AT BRZ! Given the suspension choices Subaru made, and the less sporty (to me) front end, it seems like the best twin for an AT!

 

[Ritter]

Good one! Honestly I wish Subaru sold the 86 and Toyota sold the BRZ -- or something else. Or nothing at all.

I rather have a Subaru badge because: the car is 90% Subaru and actually manufactured by them; despite my own poor experiences with Subaru service departments, I'd trust them more than Toyota with this car; and I trust Subaru corporate more than Toyota corporate.

But I'd have a really hard time getting over the Subaru front grill and the red striping in the interior. It's all just personal preference, not a matter of objective right and wrong, but I love the 86 front end and actively dislike the Subaru one. And I'd feel a bit embarrassed every time I looked at those boy-racer trying-too-hard red stripes on the BRZ's seats.

While I appreciate the pros and cons, I'd also err on the side that Toyota took with the handling dynamics. And their choices with the instrument panel seem a bit better too.

So give me the 86 but branded as a Subaru!

EDIT: Not likely to happen, but Ive fantasized a bit about getting a second twin, this time an AT. If so I'd go for the BRZ. Wouldn't it be sweet to have a MT 86 and an AT BRZ! Given the suspension choices Subaru made, and the less sporty (to me) front end, it seems like the best twin for an AT!

It's funny how polarizing the front styling is. When I first starting shopping the two cars, I had to put two pictures side by side to understand the differences. They are more similar than different; I'd bet the average person on the street couldn't tell the difference. I don't have a big issue with the shape of the BRZ "mouth" but I think the brake vents could have been done better...they're oddly shaped. The license plate mounting boss needs to go as well. BUT, the GR86 honeycomb grille, especially the large upper portion of it that's fake, is a bug-splat cleaning nightmare. I know because I already have a honeycomb grille with fake areas on my Spider. I'm a big fan of the narrower slatted grille on the BRZ from a simplicity of cleaning standpoint. It's still not perfect...the vertically ridged area at the top is somewhat obnoxious to clean and keep wax out of.

I was attracted to the BRZ suspension set-up for two reasons: 1) I'll take a more compliant ride if there's no performance penalty...and there isn't 2) I'll take flatter cornering & slight understeer vs. throttle-induced oversteer for spirited driving on curvy public roads. I want the car to hunker down and accelerate out of the corner, not get tail-happy and plunge me over an embankment or into a tree / guardrail / other lane.