I Convinced My Dad to Buy a FR-S... With Your Help

"joemcm" (JoeMcMullen) 11/17/2013 at 19:40 • Filed to: Why We Love Cars

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We all know and love the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ: the affordable, lightweight, balanced, reliable, and tunable hoonmobile for the masses. I've followed this car since its infancy, as I know many of us have and its production manifestation is a truly great car. But for me, it's more than that. This is my story about the FR-S, my dad, and how something as seemingly material as a car can have a much deeper impact on a person.

If you could, allow me to bore you with a short backstory. My mom recently decided to leave my dad out of the blue after 30 seemingly happy years of marriage. I'm their only child, and have managed to keep a good relationship with both parents. This summer we moved out of our old house, my mom bought a house and my dad rented an apartment as a transitional place to live while he searched for a house.

Needless to say, my dad wasn't the happiest guy for a while. He went from living a typical suburban family life to living alone in an apartment with his son there occasionally. At this point, I was able to change his life for the better, with the help of you fine folks of the Oppo community.

My dad is not what we'd call a car enthusiast by any stretch of the term. He'll listen to me ramble on about cars and watch F1 or Top Gear with me on occasion but that's about it. He's not the kind of guy who spends his Sunday afternoons behind the wheel, carving through the bevy of country roads shaped by the property lines of picturesque Kentucky horse farms. He drove a 2000 Honda Accord with a slush box up until the end of the summer, so there really wasn't any reason for him to like driving.

Then his good ol Accord up and decided it didn't want to go into fourth gear anymore. Considering its age and mileage, Dad decided it was time to consider buying a replacement. He enlisted my help since I know the industry fairly well. At the beginning of his search, I wasn't too optimistic. I know my dad better than anyone and figured he would once again go down the frankly ignorant path of buying a car as an appliance. I just wanted to make sure he picked a goodish one.

My bleak outlook on the hunt was changed when he declared, "I think I want a stick." He enjoys manual transmissions and likes to drive mine on occasion. This excited me, and we began to sift through cars.com in search of the rare find that is a low-mileage, boring car with a manual. Dad always liked Altima coupes for some peculiar reason. It seemed every time we'd see one he'd point it out and comment on how good they look. I don't think they're bad looking cars, but they're definitely not head-turners. Luckily for me, and for him in the long run, trying to find an Altima coupe with a stick is about as worthwhile as hunting for Bigfoot. So he turned his attention to small cars. He wouldn't bat an eye at any hatches I recommended he look at, and I had to steer him away from current-gen Jettas. Then his focus turned to Civic Sis and other well-appointed small cars.

That's when I knew it was time to strike. He didn't need a big car, useable back seats, four doors or any infotainment bullshit. All he needs from a car is reliability and enough room to hold his beloved golf clubs and rank-ass rain gear in the trunk. So I told him about the Toyobarus and showed him one, only to hear him say, "that's a little too flashy for me Hoss."

I figured it was worth a shot, but I knew there was no way he'd actually buy one. After thinking about it, I threw in the towel and began looking at more economy cars. This was my dad after all, a man who strives to go unnoticed. A car that even looks fast would draw unwanted attention. Then one day I came home from work and we started talking about the car search. He said, "I took a look at those BRZs, they're really not too bad." At this point, I smelled blood. Persuasion and communication are a couple of my strong suits, but without any evidence that a Toyobaru is a feasible daily driver, I had nothing in my arsenal. That's !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! fine citizens of Oppoland, asking for reasons the FR-S is a totally competent DD. My post was met with a multitude of helpful responses and thanks to you all, I was able to get him to test-drive a FR-S.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

My plan was to go to the Toyota dealership with him and test-drive the FR-S, then head to the Honda dealer to test-drive a Civic Si. I figured he would drive the FR-S, and if it's half of what it's cracked up to be, he'd get behind the wheel of the Civic and find it boring. Riding in the FR-S was a blast, Dad was a new man behind the wheel of that car. The combination of visible concentration and joy he wore on his face as he drove along that country road was all I needed to see he was a convert. He finally understood why our community exists; he realized driving doesn't have to be a chore, and that in the right car, the best part of a trip is the journey. The salesmen let me get behind the wheel some and I was blown away. I've driven a fair number of cars for my age, and the FR-S was more exciting, direct and composed than any of them. After that test-drive, I made sure Dad understood what a special car the Toyobaru is.

After the test-drive, we hopped in my Civic and went down to the Honda dealer where my parents bought their past two cars. We walked up to a Civic Si with a manual and I looked at Dad and asked, "So, should we grab a salesman?" He looked at me with a fair bit of disgust on his face and said, "I'm not driving that." Confused, I asked why, to which he answered, "It's ugly. There's no break where the hood meets the windshield. It looks like a fucking minivan." So on that bombshell and an evil grin beaming across my face, we left the dealer.

(Photo: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )

That next week we discussed the car search some more and Dad eliminated all the other cars he was looking at from his list. It had come down to the FR-S. Despite a valiant effort on his behalf to find an excuse not to get one, he couldn't find a good reason the FR-S shouldn't be his next car. The following weekend, we went back to the Toyota dealer to get the trade appraised and start working on a deal. Long story short, Dad was able to take the car home that day.

As we pulled off the lot, I looked over at my dad behind the wheel of his FR-S. He sat there, smiling like a clown, clearly unable to believe his son, with the help of a random group of gear heads on the internet got him to buy a sports car. The smile was contagious and I felt that I had not just convinced my dad to buy a sports car, but introduced him to a whole new world. A world where every turn is a chance to get sideways, road trips are enjoyable, commutes are time trials and country roads are racetracks. Instead of heading back to the apartment, I followed him in my car as he drove to the river down one of the better driving roads in the area. When he stopped to turn around, I got out of my car and walked up to him. With his face wearing that huge smile once again I asked:

"So, do you get it now?"

All he said was, "Yeah, I do."

twinturbobmw > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 19:44

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Great story. Glad there is another happy Toyobaru owner on the road.

Desu-San-Desu > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 19:46

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This needs to be FP'd immediately.

Now pardon me while I go wash this dust out of my eye.

bhardoin > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 19:51

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Your Dad's a boss.

xxxxxx > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 19:56

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FP

FP

FP

FPFPFPFPPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPPFPFAEKNFAEHIUJBFKHQE#BRF

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 19:59

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glad we could help ;)
hope he enjoys this car!

Bandit > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 20:04

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Is someone cutting onions? This needs to go to the FP

oldirtybootz > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 20:13

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Excellent article, this needs to be on the FP! Very well written and the story is great. Congrats to your dad on the new car and newfound understanding of our world.

Anon > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 20:14

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That was beautiful and made me wish either of my parents liked cars. FP this shit Orlove!

Montalvo > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 20:14

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A manual transmission and a proper handling setup can fill all voids. A divorce is never easy especially when it comes out of left field. However, its good to see that you were able to shine in a bit of light on a crappy situation. Seeing your parent with a wide grin gives a feeling unmatched by just about anything. When my father picked up his new BMW I swear it looked like he was back in his 20s with his 1978 Camaro.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 20:18

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You're a good man - and this needs to be FP'ed.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to wash my face repeatedly and to get my dad to do something similar.

joemcm > oldirtybootz 11/17/2013 at 20:26

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Thank you, I really appreciate it.

joemcm > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power 11/17/2013 at 20:29

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He most definitely is, as am I. We took a road trip to Pennsylvania to see my grandparents and watch the Penn State vs. Michigan game. 9 hour road trip in the FR-S+Penn State 4OT win+tri-generational male bonding= best weekend

joemcm > Anon 11/17/2013 at 20:32

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Honestly, I never thought I'd pull something like this off. He didn't know the FR-S was a thing in July and had on in the driveway in August. Things just played out the way they did and I think some bad things, some good things and a dab of Oppo helped convert my dad from a guy satisfied with a 13-year-old Accord to an FR-S owner who takes the long way everywhere.

joemcm > Montalvo 11/17/2013 at 20:36

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It was good to pass something up to my dad after all he's passed down to me. I'm glad he can enjoy a part of his life that used to be a chore now. His new house's location gives him a nice country road on his daily commute and he loves it.

joemcm > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 11/17/2013 at 20:37

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Why thank you good sir, I appreciate all the FP requests!

Ian Duer (320b) > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 21:14

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TL;DR... Just kidding this is excellent. Good show sir!

PRBot II > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 21:33

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/activates signal

getchapopcorn > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 21:48

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This is the first Oppo story I've read all weekend — just got home and read it, evidently someone's been cutting a whole bunch of onions in my absence. Great story.

joemcm > getchapopcorn 11/17/2013 at 22:03

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Thanks hoss, it's appreciated

doodon2whls > joemcm 11/17/2013 at 22:30

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joemcm > Desu-San-Desu 11/17/2013 at 22:57

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Thanks for the FP remark, it would be amazing to be on there. I've thought a lot of the crying remarks have been interesting, I didn't really write it as an emotional piece, just a good car story that needed placed in context.

Mathias Rios > joemcm 11/18/2013 at 01:01

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Beautiful. Reminds me of my dad and his motorcycle...

Piero Giorgi > joemcm 11/18/2013 at 01:04

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This reminds me of my dad... Many years ago I was driving a souped up Fiat X1/9, with a Dallara tuned engine that was putting 140Hp to the wheels. Cool little car, I mist say. Red, too.

Of course I was driving it only when my dad was driving his f***ing CHRYSLER HORIZON (Dodge Omni, here in the USA) instead of just "borrowing" my FIAT!

"...But you car is morte fun to drive!". Oh, well... At least he filled it up!

Burrito de EJ25 > joemcm 11/18/2013 at 01:10

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Another vote for some front page action!

DABoy > joemcm 11/18/2013 at 12:47

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I'm just going to be honest. This made me tear up at work. Well. Fucking. Done. Congrats to your dad!

joemcm > DABoy 11/18/2013 at 12:53

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Thanks! This wasn't really written to be a sob story, but it seems to have turned out that way. Regardless, I thought it was a great car story that needed to be shared with you all. And I see you're greyed out... find a moderator and ask for authorship!

joemcm > Piero Giorgi 11/18/2013 at 12:57

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That's interesting, where are you from? I just Googled that Fiat... SO MUCH WEDGE AND SO MUCH WANT. Luckily for my dad, the tables have turned and I'm now the one always borrowing his car whenever I'm home. Unfortunately for me, being a busy student, a simple errand in the FR-S usually turns into hours of backroad shenanigans.

Piero Giorgi > joemcm 11/18/2013 at 15:16

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Originally from North-East Italy, home of really GREAT driving roads.
Yes, that car was the most fun I had in a long time. Unfortunately, life happens and I sold her in 1987. Regretting it since then.

davedave1111 > joemcm 11/18/2013 at 15:20

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I got to the end without any hint of a sniffle; I just liked the style and thought it was a nice story about you and your dad doing something good together. Then I got to the comments and you'd think someone cancelled Christmas or something. :)

joemcm > Piero Giorgi 11/18/2013 at 15:20

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I'm 19 and am terrified of the day I get out of school and buy a fun car. Simply for the reason you stated. I'll wind up with a family or something and we'll need some car with more seats than cylinders. Then the fun car will be sold and I'll be in your shoes. Future Joe feels your pain good sir.

joemcm > davedave1111 11/18/2013 at 15:25

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Thanks! However, I think if someone cancelled Christmas everyone in America over the age of 30 would breathe a collective sigh of relief!

joemcm > davedave1111 11/18/2013 at 15:25

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Thanks! However, I think if someone cancelled Christmas everyone in America over the age of 30 would breathe a collective sigh of relief!

killerkoolaid37 > joemcm 11/18/2013 at 15:29

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I swear, it's just dusty as hell in here... *sniff*

McLarry > joemcm 11/18/2013 at 15:35

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Sure is dusty in here... good work outta you!

joemcm > McLarry 11/18/2013 at 15:51

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Thank you sir! Glad I finally got around to post this, all the positive feedback has been a little overwhelming!

Piero Giorgi > joemcm 11/18/2013 at 16:28

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I'm 53, and from the wisdom given me by the old age, I can definitely give you some good advice:
"DO NOT EVER SELL A FUN CAR!"
EVER! You are NOT going to "get another one in the future".
If you sell the first one, you are fu... Ehm... Lost.

bob and john > joemcm 11/18/2013 at 16:48

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great story. +1 from me

Alwood > joemcm 11/21/2013 at 04:46

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Great story, and I can relate.

Though not completely oblivious to cars, with all the fluctuation in oil prices and such, was leaning towards the appliances part of the car-spectrum heavily. Got him to enjoy an MX-5 with me first, he bought his own BMW 125i six months later. Addicted to the joy of driving engaging cars.

Alwood > joemcm 11/21/2013 at 04:48

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When it comes to true car enthusiasm, it's definitely contagious. Cheers.

I See Car People > joemcm 11/21/2013 at 13:26

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Great story. I got my dad into an '08 Boxster and he left the dealership with it (20k miles and we got it for 21k! Zero options might have played a part).

f133x > joemcm 11/21/2013 at 14:22

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actually, i think the best part of your story is that you and your dad now have a new understanding and a new interest with which to bond over for decades to come.

well done! excellent story. (even brought a tear to my eye.)

JR1 > joemcm 11/21/2013 at 15:13

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Well done sir... Well done

Neutral President > joemcm 11/21/2013 at 15:16

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Nice. I've been trying for years to get my dad to consider something fun, but he likes his cars cushy and boring. He currently drives a Camry Hybrid.

joemcm > Neutral President 11/21/2013 at 15:25

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I think the dramatic change in my dad's life helped him make the purchase. He was never a sports car guy either, but the divorce really kinda sparked a little, "what couldn't I do when I was married?" streak. Example: he's planning to put a golf simulator in his basement. While he occasionally reminisces about riding in friend's muscle cars and how he loved his 65' Impala, he showed no indication of wanting a fun car until he drove the FR-S. So my advice to you is:
a. Get your parents to split up (just kidding, that actually blows)
Or
b. Find a way to get your dad behind the wheel of a fun car to show him what he's missing. Men inherently like speed and machines, so more than likely he'll at least have a new understanding of our passion, even if he doesn't decide to buy a fun car.

Neutral President > joemcm 11/21/2013 at 16:03

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My dad has been on his own for a little over 4 years now, after my mom passed away. He's finally over the grieving process, but he's in his mid-70s, so i think he's probably past that whole late-life-crisis thing. He recently had a trip abroad, and complained about the stiff ride and tight quarters in the Mercedes C-class he rented. I just don't think anything sporty is in the cards for him. ;)

joemcm > Neutral President 11/21/2013 at 16:12

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I'm sorry to hear that boss, that's awful. We had a scare with my mom, but I couldn't imagine actually losing her. But if he thought a C-Class was stiff, I'd imagine he won't bat an eye at much anything aside from cushy cars.

Kylemaro > joemcm 11/21/2013 at 16:15

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congrats, they are for sure a fun car, and hey a 4cyl toyota isn't gonna break the budget in insurance gas or maintenance

signintokinjalol > joemcm 11/22/2013 at 10:06

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I have have an FRS as well, i hope your not like the 50% of other owners and get bored with it in 6 months.

Grats.

joemcm > signintokinjalol 11/22/2013 at 10:46

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Highly doubt it. It's been since August and he's still liking it, as am I.