How's the GR Corolla market these days?

I got the oil changed on the BRZ back in April.  They made a few notes about maintenance coming up:  front brakes are at 3-4mm & rotors pitting, control arm loose.  The AC leak is bad enough that recharging in the driveway doesn't hold anymore (I tried not to use the leak seal stuff, heard it buggers up repair equipment).

So I'm looking at a couple thousand in repairs, which I can manage.  But I've said the one car right now that could get me to sell this would be a GR Corolla, and at MSRP.  I'm not doing any mark-ups.

I haven't looked much lately, are they in dealerships yet?

A quick internet search seems to indicate that the GR Corolla is holding its value, as the cheapest one I came across in my quick search was a used 2023 model with 4000 miles listed at $34,250.

I know there were some C8 Corvettes that were getting marked below MSRP recently, so there's a little bit of hope

As a GRC owner I pay attention to a lot of this. With patience and internet sluthing you can land a Core (w/performance pack) or Premium at or slightly below MSRP. Might take traveling to another state, but the deals are for sure out there.

It's likely possible to track down a GRC for MSRP these days. 

Is Autotrader still the best way to search?  A quick glance at work shows a handful within 100 miles, most seem to be MSRP.

If you join one of the larger GR Corolla FB groups, dealerships post in those all the time advertising available units, and they get dragged through the mud pretty quick if they don't advertise it at MSRP or less.

The auto search sites don't necessarily display ADM. One data point is this Civic listed on such a site for MSRP, but found by lownslow with a $20K markup.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/cars-sale/greg-may-honda-waco-tx/271456/page1/

I asked a friend that works at a dealer on the north side of Indianapolis about a result on Autotrader, it's the wrong dealer.

But his dealership as a used red 2024 Premium with 1300 miles for $39K and some change that has me intrigued.

I bought a premium in my color of choice (red) last month for MSRP.  I'd been on "the list" with several dealers since before the car was announced and had probably called 20ish dealers about cars that would show up on the Toyota inventory website.  All the dealers I'd talked to had either already sold the car by the time I called or wanted stupid markups.  Eventually my local dealer called me up to say they had an allocation and were willing to sell for MSRP.  I put down a deposit over the phone and it showed up a little more than a month later.  They were even able to change the order to remove all the port installed options I didn't want.

I asked in my AX Facebook group if anyone had or knew someone that has one.  I haven't even sat in one yet, let alone a test drive.  Hell, I've only seen one in real life on I-75 a few weeks ago (which got me interested again).

The RE said someone was selling theirs but it's already gone, however the guy said he has leftover aftermarket stuff if I end up with one, bonus.  And another person in Cincinnati said he was selling his white Core with all 3 option packs, but is out of town until Tuesday.  He said I could at least sit and test drive it, even if I don't buy it.  But buying from someone I could trust to have taken care of it adds value.

I have 3-4 bookmarked at work within 100 or so miles, learned the differences between Core-Premium-Circuit.  Trying to decide if I like the heavy metal gray or is it too boring silver for me.  Thought I didn't want another white car but maybe if I add a black stripe along the bottom or something this time.  I think I like the idea of a Premium or Core w/ options and just add the boyracer hood and rear spoiler.

Jerry said:  Thought I didn't want another white car but maybe if I add a black stripe along the bottom or something this time.  I think I like the idea of a Premium or Core w/ options and just add the boyracer hood and rear spoiler.

I think white is easiest if you are open to adding graphics. Less to clash with in designs.

If you have some patience, it's very easy to find at MSRP or below. I see a ton of white Circuits at MSRP. If you want a lower trim, I think a $1-2k below is doable. 

Side note: I do really think the Circuit is worth it since just the wheels basically cover the price difference if you like the idea of forged BBS wheels. This ignores all the other upgrades like hood, wing, forged carbon roof, etc.

Good luck!

-Blue Flame Circuit owner

Good luck with your quest!

I saw my first one a few days ago and while I liked the look OK, it was def a little "TFTF" to me.....it was just pootling around town so I didn't get any impressions on it's performance or sound.

Nothing meaningful to add to the topic, but when I was at a stoplight a few weeks ago I heard a soft rumbling from one of the other vehicles stopped with me.  Looked around, didn't "see" anything quickly attributable to the motor, but then I noticed a Corolla diagonally behind me in the next lane.  "Oh, it's a GR" I realized.

I lowered a window of my GTI when the light turned green and accelerated a bit slower than normal to let the GR rumble slowly passed.  Sounded nice, looked the part.

Why do I feel guilty for doing that?

Red was my preferred color intially, but when an allocation for a white "fully loaded core" came up I grabbed it. It's really grown on me and I am very happy with my choice. The red is a nice red, but the way the black trim accents, wheels, and aftermarket tinted windows pop against the white, it looks great. I added red accents with megachip mud guards and it just all around is the sleeper hot hatch I was looking for. I think back when they did the Circuit in gunmetal that was pretty sharp, but a premium in gunmetal just doesn't work for me in quite the same way for some reason. I was sure I would hate myself for getting a white GRC when I saw that blue flame was going to be offered the second year for circuit editions. After seeing on in person, though, I'm still happy with my choice.  As theruleslawyer stated above, white is a great blank canvas for personalization down the road. I'm sure I will add some low key livery graphics some day.

Regarding Core vs Premium vs Circuit - in my opinion it's all personal preference and you can't go wrong with any of them (unless it's a core without the performance pack - which just doesn't make sense). I'm very happy with my Core with the 3 option packages (only available in 2023) because I didn't want to pay extra for all the circuit upgrades - especially the CF roof which is just something I'd stress about maintaining long term. The wheels and a wing is super easy to add aftermarket and you will have some good choices there. The bulge hood looks cooler in pictures than it does in person (again personal preference).

Most of the stuff you get in the premium and circuit trims are just cosmetic, so it depends on if you want something to customize later, or pay for upgraded looks now. I happen to like the simplicity and durability of the basic Core interior, but I understand that some people would like the upgrades that come with high trim levels.

At the end of the day it's a fantastic car that I really love. Just pick the one that fits your style the best and you'll love it too.

I keep looking at the gray one, but feel like the only way I like it is in perfect lighting, like overcast or dusk photos.  Seems like sunshine will just look silver, and I don't like silver cars.  I showed a couple to SWMBO last night, she really liked the white as well.  I thought for sure she'd go for the red.

The Cincinnati person is an SCCA guy that just turned 69 and has too many fun cars, he drives this the least.  He emailed me a very detailed account of what he's done to it and it reads like something I would probably do, even the details.  Convex driver's mirror, replaced the exhaust tips with flat black, ...  Also has 3 sets of wheels - OEM with re71s, Enkie with DSW02s, and a set of orange Braid with Cooper snow tires that I really like.  He tried a rallycross in a dirt parking area & even put Eibach 1" lift springs and large mud flaps.

I'm kinda digging the lift and rally setup, I'd be tempted to leave it that way.  He gets back in town Monday and I'm planning to visit after work Tuesday.  He even lives 10 miles from work straight up Rt 42, like this is destiny or something.

There's a guy from TX on the GRC forum that did a 1" lift and has recently rallycrossed it. I could totally see going that way, with some aftermarket wheels and maybe even baby all-terrians and larger rally armor mud flaps. Going the rally build direction is a little more interesting to me for the future than lowered/track setup. I have never taken mine off road, but from what i hear that's where the GRC tends to shine.

SCCA guy spent an extra day out of town, came home yesterday.  I'm looking at it today after work.  If it doesn't work out (I'm concerned what he'll want for everything he's done), I have 3-4 others bookmarked, one in Marion OH & others about 2hrs away in IN.

Then last night someone from Beechmont Toyota in Cincinnati posted on a FB group I joined that he has a new gray Premium for MSRP at $42K.  I could at least see if it like the color, if they gave me at least  5K for the BRZ that saves the hassle of selling privately, and that's where I bought my original xB in 2008 and they were easy to deal with.  They even worked with me on a recall for engine work that was technically a bit past the mileage limit (they covered labor, I covered parts like $150).

So one way or another, by the end of the weekend I will know whether I like the car or not, and possibly own one.

In six or seven years, it will depreciate to the point where its on my radar.

I visited yesterday after work.  We ended up talking for 45min before I even drove it, he was such a cool guy.  The test drive was everything I had hoped the car would be, even around the neighborhood I could feel the rev matching.  The little 3 cylinder turbo was so much fun, it felt like my Abarth had grown a little.

I finally asked what he was hoping to get for it, after a little discussion that was more than fair and not pushy, we agreed on a price that included EVERYTHING including the Braid wheels and snow tires.  I'll be talking to my bank tomorrow after the holiday, and hope to pick it up by the end of the weekend... 

(Anyone interested in a turbo BRZ?  I will make a serious deal on it, I got a pretty good deal when I bought it.)

I did it.  It's been a busy weekend but I'll post a build thread today.  I'm very very happy.

Nice and congrats.