Hooning across Europe in my GT86

Hooning across Europe in my GT86

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ciaran mk1

Original Poster:

21 posts

143 months

Monday 2nd June 2014
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So after 9 months of looking for "that car" I finally settled on a GT86. That was after looking at a wide range of cars from 2nd hand M3's, GTI's and a few audi's. If money was no object, the M3 would have been the first choice, but I was 9 months in France without a car, and the market prices for an M3 CS here (I won't even talk about LHD CSL prices over here!!) were just nuts. I missed out on a couple of gems too by being too reluctant/cautious. Oh well, you live and learn.

I had been following the development of the GT86 since those original concept shots. I liked the feeling of the car when I sat in the release version in Geneva in 2012 so was always interested to take one for a drive. I test drove a new golf GTI (anni) and GT86 on the same day and the GT won me over. Very rarely do you find a car that can give you giggles straight out of the box! When you push the car the chassis comes alive, very responsive and the limits can be explored very safely. Any break in traction is very progressive so you have lots of time to catch it (but the "slippiness" is partially down to the michelin primacies that come as standard).

I've had the GT just over a year now and have clocked up just over 20,000Km in her so far. To date the car is standard (still running on its original standard Primacies), but I have a few plans for the car this year all going well.

Here's the car when I picked it up:






Although the pearl white doesn't do itself justice in the pictures, it really stands out and shows the lines of the car really well! I do have to say though, the clear coat is very soft so I have to be more than careful when I clean the car, it's very easy to mark the clear coat and get webbing. I invested in some dodojuice supernatural hybrid and it has helped protect the top coat somewhat, but I think a detail will be on the cards this year.

Out of the box it's a great little car, puts a smile on your face every time and for what I need it for it's very practical! I'm living in Strasbourg at the minute which means lots of cycling roads and mountain trails. With the seats folded down, I can easily get the road bike or mountain hack into the boot (front wheel off of course.). Having said that, the back seats are only fit for children under the age of 5, double leg amputees and very small animals (but I have brought two very brave people on a 4 hour trip to Lyon last year!).




Having said that, the car isn't with out it's issues either:
Notchy 1st and 2nd gears when the oil is cold.(although there is a lovely short thrown in the gearbox when it's warmed up)
I had a noisy fuel pump for a while which was wrecking my head for a bit. Strangely it sorted itself out.
There is a frustrating torque dip between 3k and 4k rpm. It's well documented but can be annoying when on track.
The Toyota "infotainment" can be a right pain in the nads (but then again, I didn't buy the car for that!!)
The interior is definitely not near German standard! But you get used to it, ergonomically it's perfect. All the bits that matter are right to hand.
The dealership I bought the car from are typically French so it wrecks my head to have to deal with them! I will be trying a German dealership for my next service I think.







I've hit a few "Touristfahrten" at the nurburgring this year and have some amazing mountain roads around me between the Vosges mountains and Black Forest in Germany so plenty of places to explore the limits of the car. As everyone says, it's not the most powerful car out there but it's just enough for you to enjoy yourself on public roads. For a track, a bit more power would go a long way. There are a lot of bolt-on FI kits available but I won't be looking at those since French laws are very strict on engine modifications.








For me, the plans will be to make it more track capable with suspension, wheel and brake upgrades and I'm looking into the TRD kit simply because I think it looks beautiful in the flesh! I'm gonna replace the gearbox oil in the hope that it will make those cold gear changes a bit smoother.

After that, it will more of the same as last year, lots of road trips around Europe! But this year I hope to document it better!
I've armed myself with a camera and will be writing a few stories for these guys: http://www.autolifers.com
when I can. I usually upload the pictures on
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gt_europe/
when I get time too.



mattGT86

86 posts

186 months

Tuesday 3rd June 2014
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Great write up.

The car looks stunning in white.

In terms of the TRD kit, I think the five-axis kit looks much better and cleaner - take a look here:

http://www.fensport.co.uk/Parts/Model_108/Category...

The torque dip is frustrating, but a full exhaust system (inc. secondary cat delete) removes the dip mostly and gives you a few extra valuable BHP. Milltek systems make a nice sound (giving it a more characterful flat four sound), something the standard car lacks from the outside.


Edited by mattGT86 on Tuesday 3rd June 14:18

Fantuzzi

3,297 posts

145 months

Tuesday 3rd June 2014
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Looks great glad you are enjoying it.

Litchfield might be worth a look, I know you wont be using the supercharging kit they do which is cheap for what you get, but I think they do some upgrades suspension wise.

Is their no way round the engine laws? The Litchfield upgrades are meant to be epic...sorry for rubbing it in!

ciaran mk1

Original Poster:

21 posts

143 months

Wednesday 4th June 2014
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Fantuzzi said:
Looks great glad you are enjoying it.

Litchfield might be worth a look, I know you wont be using the supercharging kit they do which is cheap for what you get, but I think they do some upgrades suspension wise.

Is their no way round the engine laws? The Litchfield upgrades are meant to be epic...sorry for rubbing it in!
I might have a way around it so I'm looking into it wink

From the guys that have gone down forced induction routes, they say that the difference is immense! Cosworth released their kits last week too but the pricing seems to be well above the going rate for engine upgrades on the ZN6 platform. Their stage 1.3 N/A kit costs very close to doing an SC conversion on the car!

Regardless, I'm very tempted to get some sort of engine tinkering going on!

Fantuzzi

3,297 posts

145 months

Thursday 5th June 2014
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ciaran mk1 said:
Fantuzzi said:
Looks great glad you are enjoying it.

Litchfield might be worth a look, I know you wont be using the supercharging kit they do which is cheap for what you get, but I think they do some upgrades suspension wise.

Is their no way round the engine laws? The Litchfield upgrades are meant to be epic...sorry for rubbing it in!
I might have a way around it so I'm looking into it wink

From the guys that have gone down forced induction routes, they say that the difference is immense! Cosworth released their kits last week too but the pricing seems to be well above the going rate for engine upgrades on the ZN6 platform. Their stage 1.3 N/A kit costs very close to doing an SC conversion on the car!

Regardless, I'm very tempted to get some sort of engine tinkering going on!
Go for it, Ive got an mk3 MR2 at the moment, so in the future I see a S/C gt86 as a sensible spacious everyday option.

All be it a very sideways every day option!

EVO magazine really liked the Litchfield upgrades, I think its 4-5k in total for everything, including fitting I think. Litchfield timed it at 4.9 to 60, which is Cayman territory. I was very impressed and I think Litchfield have a good rep, I'm not a tuner type so I'm not the best person to ask about their reliability.

What have you thought about suspension wise?

chopper602

2,172 posts

222 months

Saturday 14th June 2014
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You didn't mention that you met another GT-86 owner in the car park at the ring!! wink

ciaran mk1

Original Poster:

21 posts

143 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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So some goodies have arrived!!

Firstly the wheels came 2 weeks ago, they look beautiful in the flesh! The Wedssports are 17x8 and 17x9 and are very light (about 7kg each)


Since the winter is rolling in, I am debating whether or not to put them on the car this side of xmas. The winter tires will be rolled out shortly so I will probably leave the stock wheels on for now.


Secondly, I finally got my TRD bits fitted (only after 7 month of trying to get them from Toyota France mind!!) Picked up the car yesterday and I'm amazed with how a little change can make such a difference!!




The shine is courtesy of "50Cal Pentawax". Over the past few weekends I've been doing a thorough clean to get her "winterized". http://www.50caldetailing.co.uk/ sent me over a box of goodies and I have to say I'm well impressed!! The shampoos were much more effective at lifting caked in dirt and flies than the chemical guys detergent.
I'm doing a 50:50 with the pentawax and dodojuice supernatural to see how both last. So far the Pentawax has a really nice deep shine off it!



While the car was in getting the TRD parts fitted, it was also time for it's second annual service. Totyota charge 380 for the 2nd annual service (standard price!) which I thought was a bit on the high side if you ask me! I managed to negotiate a diff oil change in the car so that eased the pain a bit!!

I've some videos to get up of the "schwartzwald hochstrasse" where I was last weekend. I had the go-pro (rather a cheap version of one!) strapped tot eh car and the roads were relatively clear for a Sunday afternoon! (In summer those roads can get pretty clogged up with tourists!!)

RemaL

24,967 posts

233 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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Nice thread and glad to see another 86 owner

RemaL

24,967 posts

233 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
Nice thread and glad to see another 86 owner

chopper602

2,172 posts

222 months

Wednesday 5th November 2014
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<waves> Remember me from the Nurburgring!! Still have mine and still loving it !

Me


You


See you around!

(winter tyres to go on soon)

Edited by chopper602 on Tuesday 11th November 23:01

Riknos

4,700 posts

203 months

Thursday 6th November 2014
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wow that blue/green number plate doesn't have ruin it! Looks so much better with UK white front plate on it!