Prepping our long-term 2013 Subaru BRZ tester for winter wasn’t cheap, but it was certainly necessary. Purchased on Dec. 12, 2012, the rear-wheel-drive sports coupe has emptied $1,348.94 from our wallet in the first quarter of ownership with a large chunk of change going to winter tires and utility floormats — that cost also includes fueling the car for 2,825 miles. The winter items proved invaluable despite a weak showing of snow through much of the Midwest’s winter.
Cars.com’s BRZ performance has been flawless so far with nary a hiccup or any indication we need to schedule an appointment at the Subie dealership. Our BRZ rolled off the assembly line late enough in the production run (October 2012) to avoid the common problem of earlier models accumulating condensation in the taillights — our BRZ’s taillights are condensation free so far.
Coming up, the BRZ’s first scheduled maintenance isn’t on the books until we reach 7,500 miles when an oil and filter change pair with a tire rotation for recommended maintenance. Unlike the BRZ’s Scion FR-S twin that offers free maintenance for the first two years and 25,000 miles, we’ll have to pay for the first round of the BRZ’s maintenance. Some dealerships offer complimentary service for a set interval; ours isn’t one of those, and we didn’t opt for the available service plan.
Managing Editor Joe Bruzek’s 22 years of automotive experience doesn’t count the lifelong obsession that started as a kid admiring his dad’s 1964 Chevrolet Corvette — and continues to this day. Joe’s been an automotive journalist with Cars.com for 16 years, writing shopper-focused car reviews, news and research content. As Managing Editor, one of his favorite areas of focus is helping shoppers understand electric cars and how to determine whether going electric is right for them. In his free time, Joe maintains a love-hate relationship with his 1998 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that he wishes would fix itself.
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