KieranH 0 Report post Posted June 23, 2016 Hello, I've been looking to buy a BRZ as my next vehicle, I'm currently looking at buying a used one that is maybe 1 or 2 years old. Is there any key points I should look at/check when viewing the vehicle? Thanks in advance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lauren 2259 Report post Posted June 23, 2016 Welcome aboard, Kieran. The usual rules apply, with the bonus that you'll still have a few years warranty remaining. Known issues are second gear being difficult to change down to when the car is cold, but this should not be an issue after a couple of minutes of driving. Condensation in the rear lights which is a warranty fix. Rust on the front window guides. Early 45Ah batteries (black top white body) are not really up to the job. They are replaced under warranty for a 65Ah one which is all black. Things like balljoints and bushes are hardy, I wouldn't expect any problems with those. The engine has proved a tough unit so far. Coilpacks sometimes need replacing and will throw a CEL. This is a warranty issue. No real issues with the suspension. The car's interior can show signs of wear. Some have had issues with the side bolster on leather and alcantara seats cracking and becoming worn. This may be a warranty issue, YMMV varies with this one. But, for example my car has done over 85K and not had an issue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nerdstrike 186 Report post Posted June 24, 2016 Examine the tyres closely to see how much spanking they've taken. If heavily rounded, or surface tears then they've been drifted. Not fatal, but you might be able to find one that hasn't been worked as hard. Also BRZs are few, you won't have a lot of choice. 1 KieranH reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
surrey86 352 Report post Posted June 24, 2016 The early BRZ's only had 3 years warranty, think these were the 2012 ones - check this. The later cars had 3 years full warranty followed by 2 years 'powerline' - full details on Subaru's website but basically covers engine and gearbox etc. 1 KieranH reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KieranH 0 Report post Posted June 28, 2016 On 6/23/2016 at 8:44 PM, Lauren said: Welcome aboard, Kieran. The usual rules apply, with the bonus that you'll still have a few years warranty remaining. Known issues are second gear being difficult to change down to when the car is cold, but this should not be an issue after a couple of minutes of driving. Condensation in the rear lights which is a warranty fix. Rust on the front window guides. Early 45Ah batteries (black top white body) are not really up to the job. They are replaced under warranty for a 65Ah one which is all black. Things like balljoints and bushes are hardy, I wouldn't expect any problems with those. The engine has proved a tough unit so far. Coilpacks sometimes need replacing and will throw a CEL. This is a warranty issue. No real issues with the suspension. The car's interior can show signs of wear. Some have had issues with the side bolster on leather and alcantara seats cracking and becoming worn. This may be a warranty issue, YMMV varies with this one. But, for example my car has done over 85K and not had an issue. On 6/24/2016 at 10:17 AM, nerdstrike said: Examine the tyres closely to see how much spanking they've taken. If heavily rounded, or surface tears then they've been drifted. Not fatal, but you might be able to find one that hasn't been worked as hard. Also BRZs are few, you won't have a lot of choice. Thank you both for the reply. I put a deposit down on a 2014 BRZ on Saturday and should be picking the car up in the next few days. I pointed out the rust on the front window guides, so hopefully they'll fix that under warranty. I noticed the battery was the 45Ah one, do you know what possible issues I may face? The tyres appeared to be perfectly fine, after looking into the full service history the car appeared to have been owned by a older man, which looked after the car. It's only done 15k mileage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lauren 2259 Report post Posted June 29, 2016 Congrats. They will change the window guides under warranty. The battery may be okay. Min took three years before it gave up. But you won't be able to get it changed until it's a problem. The tyres do last pretty well around 25K, though at two years old, they're getting on really. 1 KieranH reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nerdstrike 186 Report post Posted June 29, 2016 A side effect of the puny battery would be it struggling to start after sitting for a week or two. The power draw to run the keyless entry and alarm systems takes its toll over time. 1 KieranH reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KieranH 0 Report post Posted July 3, 2016 On 6/29/2016 at 5:59 AM, Lauren said: Congrats. They will change the window guides under warranty. The battery may be okay. Min took three years before it gave up. But you won't be able to get it changed until it's a problem. The tyres do last pretty well around 25K, though at two years old, they're getting on really. On 6/29/2016 at 0:00 PM, nerdstrike said: A side effect of the puny battery would be it struggling to start after sitting for a week or two. The power draw to run the keyless entry and alarm systems takes its toll over time. Thanks again for the info. I'll be sure to post pictures once I've got the car next weekend. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keethos 842 Report post Posted July 4, 2016 Congrats and welcome to the club officially! 1 KieranH reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
