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Joe Gearin
Joe Gearin Associate Publisher
6/1/12 8:55 a.m.

The official on-sale date is June 4th. Many dealers have them now. Last weekend I saw a few getting unloaded at a dealer in Chicago. They are only planning on selling 10K on them this year, so availability may be a bit limited.

rotard
rotard Dork
6/1/12 9:07 a.m.

I wonder how many kids in these will try to race me at stoplights?

Cotton
Cotton Dork
6/1/12 10:59 a.m.
rotard wrote: I wonder how many kids in these will try to race me at stoplights?

They'll proably only try it once...

jrg77
jrg77 Reader
6/1/12 12:36 p.m.

Will consider buying one next year after they stop selling at list. Will be even more motivated if there is a special finance rate.

jv8
jv8 GRM+ Memberand New Reader
6/1/12 4:01 p.m.

I finally got to sit in a (sold) FRS today... fits like a glove! Which is great because a Miata does not. Believe me, I tried hard to make some headroom but ended up selling it.

Are you guys getting to drive? Most local FRS/BRZ's coming in for the next couple months are spoken for. Looks like I'll have to put money on the line just to test drive.

Mitchell
Mitchell SuperDork
6/2/12 5:19 p.m.

Assuming that all goes well over the next few years, meaning that I graduate and get a decent job, I totally see myself in a brand spankin' new FRS. My plan may be postponed if I take on a graduate degree, though.

NOHOME
NOHOME HalfDork
6/2/12 5:41 p.m.
Joe Gearin wrote: The official on-sale date is June 4th. Many dealers have them now. Last weekend I saw a few getting unloaded at a dealer in Chicago. They are only planning on selling 10K on them this year, so availability may be a bit limited.

Dealer called this morning. Car is in. Went to visit and take the wife-unit for a spin. Will bring it home Monday after work!

Raze
Raze SuperDork
6/2/12 6:02 p.m.
NOHOME wrote:
Joe Gearin wrote: The official on-sale date is June 4th. Many dealers have them now. Last weekend I saw a few getting unloaded at a dealer in Chicago. They are only planning on selling 10K on them this year, so availability may be a bit limited.
Dealer called this morning. Car is in. Went to visit and take the wife-unit for a spin. Will bring it home Monday after work!

Congrats, gratuitous pictures and driving experience report requested

1966stang
1966stang Reader
6/2/12 6:04 p.m.

In reply to rotard:

All of them, actually.

HiTempguy
HiTempguy SuperDork
6/2/12 7:36 p.m.
NOHOME wrote: I have been feeling very anti- union this last few weeks as I await my car.

My union job just gave me a 12% raise (8% based on my performance, 4% based on new union contract) that has ensured I'll be in either an FRS/BRZ or a Fiat Abarth 500 next year.

Unfortunately, I went and bought a $25k race car this weekend, so no new cars for a while, racing might possibly bankrupt me by next year

Edit- And I think that is another thing to consider... Alpha, you think people should buy a car that they may NOT have been able to test-drive, and have to pay above MSRP price for? Uh, ok. Sounds like you take us for a bunch of idiots. The car hasn't even officially landed in some places yet, give it a break. When the sales tank in a year, then you can lambast us.

Until that time, go back to being an automotive manufacturing know-it-all about Ford. Thanks.

CLynn85
CLynn85 Reader
6/3/12 7:50 a.m.

So they've started arriving finally at our local dealers. The one to the south got 2 units and the one to the north got 1. I made it to the south one just in time to see it as the salesman was putting plates on for the new owner. But it sure did look way better in person than I thought it would, and I actually really liked the looks (and so did the wife). Yesterday for grins I rode up a half hour north to the largest scion dealer in the area who got 5 in and they still had 1, a manual hot lava. Not a fan of the hot lava color, but when I asked to look at it the salesman grabbed the keys and said lets go for a ride.

First impressions: It fits like a glove, I'm disappointed though that they all come with red stitching, as it doesn't match the hot lava very well and I'd imagine it would clash with the blue.

The center stack is ok, buttons are chunky and not totally sold on the radio interface. I love the built in bluetooth and aux ports though.

Backseat=worthless. The salesman had to ride with us so my wife slid her seat up. It's doable for short trips, but is otherwise a shelf for the groceries.

Did I mention I fit perfectly, loved the seating position, gearshift was precise.

Bad news: It's gutless. I made the mistake of going up there in my cts-v to see it, should've taken the wife's mazda, would've been an easier transition. Since the dealer was in nova the test drive consisted of stop/go and 25-35mph roads, a longer test drive would definitely be needed to sell me on it. Once I got used to the fact that it liked being above 3500revs it was much happier, and I was much more entertained.

Bottom line: I think after a longer, more country road test drive, I could fall in love, but for the time being, I'm not totally sold. I thought it was going to be a "give it to me now" moment when I drove it, but it just, wasn't. I want to see the interior of the subaru version, but I can be a little more patient now that I've driven one.

rotard
rotard Dork
6/3/12 8:32 a.m.

You can't compare it to a CTS-V, or a Z06 in my case, and expect the FRS to not feel gutless. You also cant expect it to perform as well as a "supercar" in any category. I drove an RX-8 the other day and enjoyed revving it, but can understand all of the "underpowered" comments now.

z31maniac
z31maniac UberDork
6/3/12 9:33 a.m.

I'd also think you wouldn't be impressed with a Miata either if all you did was drive around town under 40mph.

NOHOME
NOHOME HalfDork
6/4/12 9:31 a.m.

I agree that the engine in this car is a dis-insentive to purchase. Its not so much that the car is slow, its that the engine is a plodder. That it can be overlooked is a testament to how much else is good about the car. How Subaru sells its cars with this engine is beyond me.

Having driven a bit, there are a few quirk to the car. Some will become endearing and others are going to become a nuisane that you get used to. I lie people and tings with character.

I rent a fair number of cars when traveling around the planet for work. Cars have become very homogeneous. The thing I like is that the FRS does NOT feel like every other car I get into. I have to do a bit of mental adjustment. Been a while since that feeling.

Lets see how it wears after a month or two of driving. Winter is going to be interestig this year.

The0retical
The0retical Reader
6/7/12 9:45 p.m.

I managed to talk my way into test driving the Scion version on the 3rd.

I'm 6' and 240 but still fit very well into the drivers seat with enough space for a helmet left over. The car felt really good playing around on the on and off ramps, though there was not a noticeable pickup in power in 3rd or 4th gear until the 5k rpm point. It's not a stoplight racer but it was never meant to be.

The interior of the Scion was okay, the radio stack was pretty chincy but the seats and wheel felt really good. The clutch felt a little numb to me though not as bad as some vehicles I've driven.

Overall the test drive pretty much convinced me that either the FRS or the BRZ is going to be my next car. I'm looking forward to owning one.

jv8
jv8 GRM+ Memberand New Reader
6/8/12 8:15 a.m.
NOHOME wrote: Having driven a bit, there are a few quirk to the car. Some will become endearing and others are going to become a nuisane that you get used to. I lie people and tings with character.

What are the quirks?

I'm seriously considering this car. I test drove the FRS on part of my normal back-road commute. I'm not sure if it is any faster than my current DD but it sure is a "fun-to-drive" experience. It's like a Miata I can actually fit in.

Secretariata
Secretariata GRM+ Memberand New Reader
6/15/12 10:12 p.m.

Took the spousal unit's Celica to our local dealer today for an AC checkup. They have one in the showroom. Think we're gonna go for a test drive tomorrow when we pick up the Celica...

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