BRZ any views?

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Discussion

BertBert

Original Poster:

18,955 posts

210 months

Thursday 20th October 2016
quotequote all
Very impressive power upgrade! On the face of it fabulous. But is the car a better drive for it? Over the years in Caterhams I went up to top power (230bhp as was back then). I then downgraded to 135. I enjoyed the lower powered car far more.

Be great to have a drive and see.
loskie said:

Smollet

10,466 posts

189 months

Thursday 20th October 2016
quotequote all
Buy a decent MX5. Having owned a Caterham I was after a car of similar ilk. The MX5 NC I got has not disappointed. I also have a WRX and I prefer the MX5 if I'm brutally honest.

BertBert

Original Poster:

18,955 posts

210 months

Thursday 20th October 2016
quotequote all
The MX5 is the other name that keeps coming up. I did the MX5 thing many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. But I'm not looking for a soft top this time round though.
Bert

Smollet

10,466 posts

189 months

Thursday 20th October 2016
quotequote all
BertBert said:
The MX5 is the other name that keeps coming up. I did the MX5 thing many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. But I'm not looking for a soft top this time round though.
Bert
Wimp. biggrin

BertBert

Original Poster:

18,955 posts

210 months

Thursday 20th October 2016
quotequote all
Smollet said:
BertBert said:
The MX5 is the other name that keeps coming up. I did the MX5 thing many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. But I'm not looking for a soft top this time round though.
Bert
Wimp. biggrin
Agreed!!!

BertBert

Original Poster:

18,955 posts

210 months

Saturday 22nd October 2016
quotequote all
oh dear, just come back from the GT86 test drive. The very friendly guys at Jemca Croydon gave me the keys for 45 mins this morning. Not ideal test drive territory really, but I cut across to caterham, had a couple of blasts up and down the Caterham bypass and then back via the M25/M23/A23. So not a bad mix of slow speed and high speed stuff with some changes of direction and some roundabouts.

And yes the verdict is a bit oh dear. There is a lot of fabulous stuff. The seats, the fit, the gearchange, don't mind the grumpy engine noise high up. I can see the rev limiter is a bit of a pain. Even the power feels good. The oh dear bit is that the playfulness feels artificially engineered in. Change direction and there is a bit of a squirm. That makes you think wooo, this is playful, but then it's gone. Get it loaded up at higher speeds in a left on the bypass and then change direction. Another wooo moment, then it's gone. Really disconcerting and not at all enjoyable.

I really wanted to like the car. And if you ignore that (to me) odd trait it's got brilliance. Of course, in 45 mins round town, you are not going to work it out and I didn't even start with taking the stability/traction thingy off. The sales guy asked me if I wanted one and my instant reply was no thanks.

Feeling a bit deflated now!

Bert

lilwashu

245 posts

164 months

Saturday 22nd October 2016
quotequote all
I really wanted to like these as they seemed like the spiritual successor to the Mazda RX-8 which I love, but I thought they were rubbish. The Mk4 MX-5 is a much better (although useless if you want 4 seats) car.

JB!

5,254 posts

179 months

Wednesday 16th November 2016
quotequote all
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I love mine!

Incredible on the Highland roads, and still fun around the MK roundabouts.

Can't wait to do some track days and more long drives.

BertBert

Original Poster:

18,955 posts

210 months

Thursday 17th November 2016
quotequote all
Yes I've got to get round to trying it again to try and work out what's going on. I really want to like it!!

JB!

5,254 posts

179 months

Wednesday 23rd November 2016
quotequote all
lilwashu said:
I really wanted to like these as they seemed like the spiritual successor to the Mazda RX-8 which I love, but I thought they were rubbish. The Mk4 MX-5 is a much better (although useless if you want 4 seats) car.
I can see the MX5 being less of a tuner platform though.

With a "twin" you have a front engine, RWD chassis, with a tuneable boxer engine that responds well to a bit of boost, and a choice of direction in terms of aftermarket parts?

Want to go drifting, buy X parts, use X setup.

Want a grip car? buy Y parts, use Y setup.


And anything in between.

Watching a few review videos in Youtube, there isn't alot between the new MX5 and the twins, and alot of the lack of fast laptimes is down to the fun but st tyres.

GTChannel chucked on coilovers and decent rubber and cut huge chunks out of the laptimes of an otherwise standard time at Willow Springs.

I reckon with Rainsports on this winter mine will be alot more potent than the current slippery soap experience!

Edited by JB! on Thursday 24th November 00:32