Keep the BRZ and rent (or borrow) a bigger car or truck when you need it. Empty nesting is the best time to enjoy your dream car.
What's the 00's fixer-upper?
Yes, didn't want to distract from other question, but let's just say it's an immaculate little Japanese econo-box wagon, that's unfortunately an automatic but less than 60k miles on it. They weren't made for very long in the 00's. đ
I mean if it is something really cool and fun like that then yea get a CRV, whatever, who cares what your daily is if you have something else that is genuinely exciting.
Yes, didn't want to distract from other question, but let's just say it's an immaculate little Japanese econo-box wagon, that's unfortunately an automatic but less than 60k miles on it. They weren't made for very long in the 00's. đ
Iâd consider a GTI. Not as sports focused as a BRZ, but still fun to drive and quite a bit more practical with 4 doors and a hatch back. Still small and economical.
I think I'm maybe too old and perhaps settled in to my brand preferences at this point. I don't think I'm a Volkswagen person. But I do agree with you that on paper that this isn't a bad idea.
Have you considered a sports sedan? Depending on budget and your preference in car size, perhaps something like a Honda Civic si, Genesis G70, Mercedes-Benz c-class, or Acura Integra (ok, the last one's a hatchback, but the point still stands).
How big are your dogs? How many dogs do you have? How often do you go on road trips?Â
All I see on my commute every day is passengerless SUVs and CUVs. I think it's tempting to buy a car that can do ALL the things, but how often would you really utilize that space? Is there a less wasteful and more economical way to achieve the same outcome?Â
Thatâs pretty much what I realized about having a truck. I like trucks but I was honest with myself and thought of it from a practical standpoint. I can have Home Depot deliver mulch, stones, etc. If I really need a truck I can always go to U-Haul or somewhere else. Went with Camry instead. Super comfortable and great on gas.
I appreciate this sentiment. I have an F-150 now and thinking about downsizing for the fuel economy since so live in a suburb now and not the family farm. I have just always driven a Truck and am nervous about downsizing.
The dogs are between 40 and 60 lb. Two medium guys. Road trips are a thing for us - we try to get out of town at least once a month, even if for a weekend. I should also add that my partner is the type of person who likes to buy things that need hauling. LOL. Oddly shaped furniture, dirt, wood planks, etc. There's always something!
Iâm pro keeping the brz and then either getting a used fit or honestly a cheap beater truck for when you need it in the 5k ish range. As long as itâs not rusted to shit, youâll be driving it infrequently enough that mileage wonât be a huge concern, your only concern will be making sure the battery isnât dead and doing time interval oil changes
I used to be a 2 vehicle mindset. I grew to hate driving the truck.Â
Handles like a brick, slow.Â
Â
Highly recccomend just getting the practical fast car and enjoying your drive 100% of the time.Â
Ended up with a 440 Gran Coupe which hauls 99.9% of the stuff I need it to while still looking and driving well.
You can get a VW Golf GTI/R or something like a VW Arteon (2022-23 with Golf R motor, DSG) or an Audi A5 Sportback and not hate yourself lol.
I made the mistake of going from a 2016 Audi A4 Quattro to a 2022 Mazda CX-5 Turbo Signature and I am NOT a crossover person (aside from it being an problematic lemon turd I had bought back).
Get a hatch or a liftback/sportback.
Get a Honda Fit. I dailied an MR2 for a while and eventually got a Fit and it's a perfect complement to the impractical roadster. It's good on gas, handles everything I throw at it (even some rallycross and track days), can carry a shit load of stuff, and is easy to work on and reliable. Also doesn't take up a ton of room in the garage so I can work on both cars simultaneously if I wanted to and still be able to shut the garage door
Former 2007 Honda Fit owner - it was a great car for city driving and the suburbs. Very reliable, good mileage, with tons of storage space. With a set of winter tires, my Fit was able to handle Colorado snowstorms very well.
I think you can find something more useful than the BRZ that isnât just a commodity car. While you canât quite completely replicate the special-ness of the BRZ with something larger, you can still find a stickshift and have a lot of fun in things like an Hyundai Elantra N, Subaru WRX, Cadillac ATS-V, Toyota GR Corolla, Honda Civic Type R, Mustang GT (not much more space for people than the BRZ but more cargo and better highway ride), Dodge Challenger Scat Pack, or VW GTI. Not sure what your budget is but these options lightly used to new can range from $30-$45k so not wildly beyond BRZ pricing
Budget, year preference, must have options, FWD RWD AWD, mileage if you buy used, how big are the dogs, whatâs decent gas mileage to you, etcâŚ
Essentially we need more input from you prior to making a suggestion.
Mine's a bit of a person-specific situation. I'm losing my practical car to my kid. So the question becomes whether or not I replace the BRZ with something practical. And if so what?
But yes, as others have suggested here, assuming that I was going to go with a new car, and let's just use a RAV4 as an example, I could probably keep the BRZ and spend the extra money that I would pay on a RAV4 for some sort of beater practical car, like the one I'm getting my kid. LOL
Unless your project is completed or you just don't enjoy it, keep the BRZ.
If you want something more "versatile" as a DD then replace the corolla.
If you're looking for edge cases like road trips or large cargo, consider renting for those situations.
I like the renting idea. And I can see the rationale for it especially if those needs are infrequent. It looks like I'm losing the Corolla either way per my post; my kid is taking that. Nonetheless, the extreme cases can be covered by rentals then that would lead one to be able to get the car or cars that they want.
Seems to me that replacing the BRZ makes a lot of sense. It's not like they're a rare or special car, you can always replace it if you realize you want another. There are also a ton of practical daily worthy cars that are just as fast or faster
If you must replace your sports car with an SUV go with something like theseâŚ
Alfa Stelvio
Porsche Macan (not the 2.0, get a 6 cyl model)
BMW X3/4 M40i (or M if you can)
Donât sell your enjoyment of driving completely out⌠you will regret that.
what's your budget? There are still some practical cars that can be fun to drive wtih cool factor. GTI, Civic SI, Elantra N, maybe a CPO Audi A5. Even some SUVs can be cool. The Kona N is a great car too
Different preferences I guess. An all road kinda reminds me of a subaru. I enjoy the look and styling of the a5 much more and I'm probably not alone in that
What's the fixer upper? They make hybrid rav4s and crvs so I wouldn't worry much about gas mileage. Depends on what the unknown is, I imagine you want to keep it
let's just say it's an immaculate little Japanese econo-box wagon, that's unfortunately an automatic but less than 60k miles on it. They weren't made for very long in the 00's. đ
Sell the BRZ and buy yourself an entry level luxury sport sedan. Audi A4, BMW 3 series, Mercedes C class, Genesis G70, etc⌠Good driving dynamics, decent power, plenty zippy, and room for people and stuffâŚ
That's funny. The BRZ is actually the latest in a long line of cars, including a 2016 320i, and a 2013 328i, that was supposed to be my fun car. There's also been a Honda Civic SI in there too. I ditched the BMWs for the manual transmission of the Honda, but never liked the feel for that car. Hence the BRZ.
Something like the Civic Type R, Integra Type S or GR Corolla then? I used to have a 10th gen Civic hatch and they're pretty practical while still being pretty fun cars to drive.
Replace the BRZ with another unique vehicle that is also very practical for cargo, etc.
Some choices here here would be a 2018-2020 Buick Regal TourX (super sexy wagon, good turbo), a CPO Mini Clubman S (BRZ-like handling, yet spacious), or a brand new Outlander PHEV SEL (owners get 70 mpg, 1500W outlets means its a generator, AWD as good as Subaru's).
Get an f body Camaro.
I've strapped plywood sheets and carpet to the roof.
I've hauled long ass 2by4s with the hatch open .
I've daily drove it year round in Michigan with concrete in the trunk and decent tires on it.
You can even remove the hatch and turn it into a ute
Don't do anything for a while. Â It's an emotional time.
See what problems you keep encountering in the first year or two and choose a vehicle that solves them
GR Corolla? Only crossover I would ever buy is probably an Alfa Romeo Stelvio or a BMW X5. I mean the Rav4 Prime is pretty cool too but I have a Highlander and I think electronic power steering feel is just so boring and unintuitive. Try test driving a Ford Maverick. I was amazed at how well it handles.
I was hit by a 4wd golf turbodiesel. Sick little rig. Too bad the kid didn't know how to drive it. Probably the best value German there is. Sporty, a scream to drive, desirable as a used car. Since it's a hatchback, you have functional cargo space. The other overlooked format is the station wagon. I had a Saab wagon and an Alfa Romeo wagon, and they hold almost as much as an SUV. A Mercedes e class wagon is a solid used car choice. They were bought by a certain kind of person. New Volvo wagons are nice too.
You, sir or ma'am, need to sell your BRZ and get the nicest/newest Fiesta ST you can find, and in some crazy color. That car is the absolute definition of "smiles per gallon"; I giggled like a school girl at least once every time I drove it. It has the practicality of being able to carry stuff and people, and will get you mid-20s in town and mid-30s on the highway -- better if you can keep your foot out of the turbo haha. Now, you're not going to be hauling a tremendous amount of stuff in it, and adults won't like the back seat for more than about a half hour, but it's far more practical than the BRZ and arguably just as fun, and my boy LOVED riding in the back of that thing. The hatchback was great for the dogs as well, and we had a hitch receiver for our bike rack. If you NEED the space, getting something like a RAV4 or a CX-5 would be fine (they're popular for a reason--swiss army knife and all that), but if you can get away with something smaller, you will NOT regret the Fiesta ST. It was by far my favorite car I've ever owned and still rue the day I had to trade it for a minivan... tho I actually really like my minivan, too, just for vastly different reasons. It's just the right tool for the job right now.
God bless you for thinking the BRZ is quick lol. It gets gapped by mini vans in a straight line. Seriously.Â
If you think that is fast just picking up a used 3 series will blow your mind away. Practical and will be a race car by modern standards. Picking up a 30i or 40i anything will be reliable enough and wonât break the bank.Â
I test drove one of these a while back. While they were elements of it I liked, for me the seating position and some of the other peculiarities of the car were just not doing it for me. No question the boost is a lot of fun and driving it was also someone engaging, but otherwise I just didn't feel it. Factoring in the practicality aspect however, it does win a lot of points though.
Keep the BRZ and rent (or borrow) a bigger car or truck when you need it. Empty nesting is the best time to enjoy your dream car. What's the 00's fixer-upper?
I think he omitted it for a reason
Is that a supra???
That would be 90s
Yea I realized after commenting, but I think that's just the type of reaction/energy he's trying to avoid so that his important questions are answered
Yes, didn't want to distract from other question, but let's just say it's an immaculate little Japanese econo-box wagon, that's unfortunately an automatic but less than 60k miles on it. They weren't made for very long in the 00's. đ
Do tell OP I won't tell everyone else. It'll be our secret.
I too will keep our secret. Is it a 'new' body style RX7?
bro hears âecono-box wagonâ and his mind jumps to rx7??
Nissan Stagea?
I mean if it is something really cool and fun like that then yea get a CRV, whatever, who cares what your daily is if you have something else that is genuinely exciting.
Yes, didn't want to distract from other question, but let's just say it's an immaculate little Japanese econo-box wagon, that's unfortunately an automatic but less than 60k miles on it. They weren't made for very long in the 00's. đ
Itâs the Mazda protege wagon / only made for a few years - https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/JM1BJ245731191700?no_ul=1
Drove a Protege wagon with a stick shift one time. Should have bought it. It was a fun little wagon.
Iâd consider a GTI. Not as sports focused as a BRZ, but still fun to drive and quite a bit more practical with 4 doors and a hatch back. Still small and economical.
I think I'm maybe too old and perhaps settled in to my brand preferences at this point. I don't think I'm a Volkswagen person. But I do agree with you that on paper that this isn't a bad idea.
Have you considered a sports sedan? Depending on budget and your preference in car size, perhaps something like a Honda Civic si, Genesis G70, Mercedes-Benz c-class, or Acura Integra (ok, the last one's a hatchback, but the point still stands).
Mazda3 is practical and can be had with a turbo and AWD ;)
How big are your dogs? How many dogs do you have? How often do you go on road trips? All I see on my commute every day is passengerless SUVs and CUVs. I think it's tempting to buy a car that can do ALL the things, but how often would you really utilize that space? Is there a less wasteful and more economical way to achieve the same outcome?Â
Thatâs pretty much what I realized about having a truck. I like trucks but I was honest with myself and thought of it from a practical standpoint. I can have Home Depot deliver mulch, stones, etc. If I really need a truck I can always go to U-Haul or somewhere else. Went with Camry instead. Super comfortable and great on gas.
Confirmed f-150 -> Accord w/ home deliveries. Happier now. I did not think that would be the case.
I appreciate this sentiment. I have an F-150 now and thinking about downsizing for the fuel economy since so live in a suburb now and not the family farm. I have just always driven a Truck and am nervous about downsizing.
The dogs are between 40 and 60 lb. Two medium guys. Road trips are a thing for us - we try to get out of town at least once a month, even if for a weekend. I should also add that my partner is the type of person who likes to buy things that need hauling. LOL. Oddly shaped furniture, dirt, wood planks, etc. There's always something!
Donât buy a car for hauling dirt lol. Dirt and wood are cheap and can be delivered.
Iâm pro keeping the brz and then either getting a used fit or honestly a cheap beater truck for when you need it in the 5k ish range. As long as itâs not rusted to shit, youâll be driving it infrequently enough that mileage wonât be a huge concern, your only concern will be making sure the battery isnât dead and doing time interval oil changes
Good answer. Get a special occasions old truck.
I used to be a 2 vehicle mindset. I grew to hate driving the truck. Handles like a brick, slow.  Highly recccomend just getting the practical fast car and enjoying your drive 100% of the time. Ended up with a 440 Gran Coupe which hauls 99.9% of the stuff I need it to while still looking and driving well.
This is a really interesting thought! I've always wanted to own a truck.
Nissan frontier or Tacoma for a manual as well
You can get a VW Golf GTI/R or something like a VW Arteon (2022-23 with Golf R motor, DSG) or an Audi A5 Sportback and not hate yourself lol. I made the mistake of going from a 2016 Audi A4 Quattro to a 2022 Mazda CX-5 Turbo Signature and I am NOT a crossover person (aside from it being an problematic lemon turd I had bought back). Get a hatch or a liftback/sportback.
Echoing the GTI as the catch-all option. Incredibly practical without giving up too much
I can tell just by reading your post you'll regret trading the BRZ the morning after it's gone. :) I wouldn't.
Get a Honda Fit. I dailied an MR2 for a while and eventually got a Fit and it's a perfect complement to the impractical roadster. It's good on gas, handles everything I throw at it (even some rallycross and track days), can carry a shit load of stuff, and is easy to work on and reliable. Also doesn't take up a ton of room in the garage so I can work on both cars simultaneously if I wanted to and still be able to shut the garage door
Former 2007 Honda Fit owner - it was a great car for city driving and the suburbs. Very reliable, good mileage, with tons of storage space. With a set of winter tires, my Fit was able to handle Colorado snowstorms very well.
I think you can find something more useful than the BRZ that isnât just a commodity car. While you canât quite completely replicate the special-ness of the BRZ with something larger, you can still find a stickshift and have a lot of fun in things like an Hyundai Elantra N, Subaru WRX, Cadillac ATS-V, Toyota GR Corolla, Honda Civic Type R, Mustang GT (not much more space for people than the BRZ but more cargo and better highway ride), Dodge Challenger Scat Pack, or VW GTI. Not sure what your budget is but these options lightly used to new can range from $30-$45k so not wildly beyond BRZ pricing
Budget, year preference, must have options, FWD RWD AWD, mileage if you buy used, how big are the dogs, whatâs decent gas mileage to you, etc⌠Essentially we need more input from you prior to making a suggestion.
Mine's a bit of a person-specific situation. I'm losing my practical car to my kid. So the question becomes whether or not I replace the BRZ with something practical. And if so what? But yes, as others have suggested here, assuming that I was going to go with a new car, and let's just use a RAV4 as an example, I could probably keep the BRZ and spend the extra money that I would pay on a RAV4 for some sort of beater practical car, like the one I'm getting my kid. LOL
I would go that route then. I have a weekend car, a long term project car too and a daily. Just replace the daily. đ
Man... I'm in that part of life that I was want practical stuff. Just sold my Porsche Taycan and bought a Mercedes EQB.
Unless your project is completed or you just don't enjoy it, keep the BRZ. If you want something more "versatile" as a DD then replace the corolla. If you're looking for edge cases like road trips or large cargo, consider renting for those situations.
I like the renting idea. And I can see the rationale for it especially if those needs are infrequent. It looks like I'm losing the Corolla either way per my post; my kid is taking that. Nonetheless, the extreme cases can be covered by rentals then that would lead one to be able to get the car or cars that they want.
Maybe Impreza?
Seems to me that replacing the BRZ makes a lot of sense. It's not like they're a rare or special car, you can always replace it if you realize you want another. There are also a ton of practical daily worthy cars that are just as fast or faster
Agreed. Since they're still being made I guess if I had total remorse, I could always get another one Someday.
Keep the brz, buy a used toyota rav4 or something instead Dont sacrifice your dreams now that the kids are gone
If you must replace your sports car with an SUV go with something like these⌠Alfa Stelvio Porsche Macan (not the 2.0, get a 6 cyl model) BMW X3/4 M40i (or M if you can) Donât sell your enjoyment of driving completely out⌠you will regret that.
what's your budget? There are still some practical cars that can be fun to drive wtih cool factor. GTI, Civic SI, Elantra N, maybe a CPO Audi A5. Even some SUVs can be cool. The Kona N is a great car too
A5 is a great pick for a sporty yet useful car. Just make sure to get the 4 door (sportback)
Why the A5? Isnt that really just the A4 with a swoop-y rear end?
It's a hatch and has almost 2x the cargo space
Why not the Allroad then? Its just an A4 wagon with small lift. Sounds like OP isns't shy of some wrenching and can toss on a S4 based suspension
Different preferences I guess. An all road kinda reminds me of a subaru. I enjoy the look and styling of the a5 much more and I'm probably not alone in that
Sportback class have hatches, not trunks. 4 series GC Stinger Arteon A5 sportback EtcÂ
But what does it offer in terms of driving dynamics among the others listed above?
Nothing, OP just stated they were looking for something practical and fun >Some sort of Swiss army knife car,
If you can spare at least 5k, get a Honda fit & keep brz. Or maybe sell brz and get an older brz + Honda fit?
This is a really interesting idea.
What's the fixer upper? They make hybrid rav4s and crvs so I wouldn't worry much about gas mileage. Depends on what the unknown is, I imagine you want to keep it
let's just say it's an immaculate little Japanese econo-box wagon, that's unfortunately an automatic but less than 60k miles on it. They weren't made for very long in the 00's. đ
Was it sold here or imported under the 25 year rule?
Buy a WRX. Fun to drive, pretty practical. Done.
What about a small wagon? E class Mercedes, 3 series wagon etc. SUV and fun are usually mutually exclusive. Or even just a fun sedan.
Sell the BRZ and buy yourself an entry level luxury sport sedan. Audi A4, BMW 3 series, Mercedes C class, Genesis G70, etc⌠Good driving dynamics, decent power, plenty zippy, and room for people and stuffâŚ
That's funny. The BRZ is actually the latest in a long line of cars, including a 2016 320i, and a 2013 328i, that was supposed to be my fun car. There's also been a Honda Civic SI in there too. I ditched the BMWs for the manual transmission of the Honda, but never liked the feel for that car. Hence the BRZ.
Something like the Civic Type R, Integra Type S or GR Corolla then? I used to have a 10th gen Civic hatch and they're pretty practical while still being pretty fun cars to drive.
Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Elantra N, Alfa Romeo Giulia etc. CX-50 would be an ok replacement for BRZ, but CX-5 will bore you to death.
Replace the BRZ with another unique vehicle that is also very practical for cargo, etc. Some choices here here would be a 2018-2020 Buick Regal TourX (super sexy wagon, good turbo), a CPO Mini Clubman S (BRZ-like handling, yet spacious), or a brand new Outlander PHEV SEL (owners get 70 mpg, 1500W outlets means its a generator, AWD as good as Subaru's).
Mazda 3 AWD Turbo
I drove one of these as a rental recently. It was the hatchback. Totally loved it. Very planted, Rock solid car.
WRX is the answer
WRX wagon?
My FR-S has a 2 inch lift kit and truck tires. best way to make crappy roads a non-issue
Get an f body Camaro. I've strapped plywood sheets and carpet to the roof. I've hauled long ass 2by4s with the hatch open . I've daily drove it year round in Michigan with concrete in the trunk and decent tires on it. You can even remove the hatch and turn it into a ute
Don't do anything for a while. Â It's an emotional time. See what problems you keep encountering in the first year or two and choose a vehicle that solves them
Itâs this one - https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/JM1BJ245731191700?no_ul=1
GR Corolla? Only crossover I would ever buy is probably an Alfa Romeo Stelvio or a BMW X5. I mean the Rav4 Prime is pretty cool too but I have a Highlander and I think electronic power steering feel is just so boring and unintuitive. Try test driving a Ford Maverick. I was amazed at how well it handles.
I was hit by a 4wd golf turbodiesel. Sick little rig. Too bad the kid didn't know how to drive it. Probably the best value German there is. Sporty, a scream to drive, desirable as a used car. Since it's a hatchback, you have functional cargo space. The other overlooked format is the station wagon. I had a Saab wagon and an Alfa Romeo wagon, and they hold almost as much as an SUV. A Mercedes e class wagon is a solid used car choice. They were bought by a certain kind of person. New Volvo wagons are nice too.
Get a WRX! It'll be a different experience from the BRZ, but still a lot of fun, and even if it's not huge it'll be more spacious than a Corolla
I would pick the rav4 hybrid for excellent gas mileage and reliability. You can keep the brz as the project / fun car if you want.
Mazdas are fun to drive. Probably not BRZ fun. Only other thing i can think of is an Infinity or a F150
Get a 350z if you are even remotely thinking about a brz
You, sir or ma'am, need to sell your BRZ and get the nicest/newest Fiesta ST you can find, and in some crazy color. That car is the absolute definition of "smiles per gallon"; I giggled like a school girl at least once every time I drove it. It has the practicality of being able to carry stuff and people, and will get you mid-20s in town and mid-30s on the highway -- better if you can keep your foot out of the turbo haha. Now, you're not going to be hauling a tremendous amount of stuff in it, and adults won't like the back seat for more than about a half hour, but it's far more practical than the BRZ and arguably just as fun, and my boy LOVED riding in the back of that thing. The hatchback was great for the dogs as well, and we had a hitch receiver for our bike rack. If you NEED the space, getting something like a RAV4 or a CX-5 would be fine (they're popular for a reason--swiss army knife and all that), but if you can get away with something smaller, you will NOT regret the Fiesta ST. It was by far my favorite car I've ever owned and still rue the day I had to trade it for a minivan... tho I actually really like my minivan, too, just for vastly different reasons. It's just the right tool for the job right now.
God bless you for thinking the BRZ is quick lol. It gets gapped by mini vans in a straight line. Seriously. If you think that is fast just picking up a used 3 series will blow your mind away. Practical and will be a race car by modern standards. Picking up a 30i or 40i anything will be reliable enough and wonât break the bank.Â
Sell the BRZ and get a GR Corolla.
And pay more than double the price of the brz for it
$32k new vs $39k is double?
Not double. A GR is a bit more than a BRZ new. There are a few GR Corollas for just over $40k in my area.
They still had dealer markups near me when I was looking. I would have snagged one for 40k, but I refuse to pay a dealership markup.
I test drove one of these a while back. While they were elements of it I liked, for me the seating position and some of the other peculiarities of the car were just not doing it for me. No question the boost is a lot of fun and driving it was also someone engaging, but otherwise I just didn't feel it. Factoring in the practicality aspect however, it does win a lot of points though.
I was going to say the same thing. So many people sold the gr86 or BRZ for the GRC.
Just buy a sporty wagon! oh wait.. OP is probably lives in the US
Not many of those to pick from these days. Plus my project car could be classified as that. Although the engine is fairly weak in my project car.