PH Carpool: Toyota GT86
Thinking about a GT86? Let this PHer tell you all you need to know!
Car: Toyota GT86
Owned since: March 2015
Previously owned: Honda Civic Type R (EP3)
The modifiying started three weeks in!
"I had been driving the Civic for around three years, and in the last year of ownership I began to modify it, but my job relocated to Leighton Buzzard, which meant I had to take an awful pothole-ridden A-road; coupled with stiff suspension, no air-con and being judged as a boy racer, my affection for the Civic dwindled - I simply couldn't drive the car like it was wrapped up in cotton wool almost all the time, so I heartbreakingly put that up for sale and began to look for a replacement.
"Now, I've always been a fan of Japanese cars (hence the Type R) and though my head wouldn't believe an S2000 was practical enough for my needs, and other cars were deemed too old/unsuitable for me (very much the other half's judgment here), I had to look at something more modern...ish. I was going to get a Mazda 3 MPS but again faced a backlash from my partner and friends, with most saying it just looked a bit dull and dreary. I kind of liked the styling, it looks very sleeper-ish.
"In 2012 Toyota brought out the GT86 at a point where I decided to religiously watch Initial D and anything car related, and when it came out I did think to myself 'wow, that's a nice car, probably wouldn't ever be able to afford it though'. This was my mindset until my partner - now, I quote her very words (Emily if you are reading this - yes, you did say it) - "I like this car, you should get it now or you may not have another opportunity to buy it." Can I argue this point? Nope. So she chose Pearl White and I began my search for one.
"In fact, one Sunday Service at Silverstone I met someone there who had a grey GT86 and after talking to him about it and hearing his new exhaust, I just knew I needed one. I joined a few GT86 forums so I could understand the car a bit more and what I could see myself enjoying, plus I checked out some members' build threads to really kick start the excitement. And the rapid depletion of the savings account. As Toyota give a five-year warranty on the car I opted to get one secondhand from a dealership, and sent the car back a fair few times to correct some bits and pieces so that I was completely happy with my '86.
"To this day I still pinch myself as I leave the house to get to work and I see my car on the driveway."
Access to this provides the power fix too
"To be fair I think I prepared myself pretty well, joining the forums and understanding the nature of the car really helped.
"There are a few of things I could've done with knowing before I bought it (though I don't think it would have made a difference to me buying it, it just would have been a matter of saving up a little bit more). Firstly that the spark plugs need replacing at 60,000 miles, which I'm told may be an engine out job - erk. The other is that the aftermarket parts cost the Earth. I still can't believe I decided to modify the car three weeks in to ownership and that I can still afford to live.
"Also, the Michelin 'Prius' tyres are actually surprisingly expensive; the tyres for my new 18-inch wheels are noticeably cheaper, and perform better. Although hooning the '86 on the OE Michelins is a right laugh...
"My advice to those who are looking at getting a GT86/BRZ and are looking at prices of aftermarket parts would be to join an owners club; they would have forum traders which provide better discounts than you might think.
"One thing that is a very hot topic with these cars is this infamous 'torque dip' at 3,000-4,500rpm. I'm not sure if it's designed so that if we sit in sixth gear at 70mph that the revs sit at 3,000 rpm to rig the MPG better? I don't know. Either way a remap will sort it out, but it will cost £500-£700 and that's a lot of petrol money!
"Also for those who are against the whole 'induction noise feed in to the cabin', there is a second in car charger port in the glovebox, and that cap is conveniently the same size as the noise generator hole behind the clutch. Plug that up and you've removed the induction feed without spending a penny."
Now this is a good looking GT86!
"There are a lot of things I love about this car! The seating position is fantastic, it puts you in the mood for driving immediately. The balance of the car is great and as my first rear-wheel drive car it's amazing to experience how precise the handling is. There is of course the driftability of this car too; while I'm still learning to be a rebel (on private roads, of course), my friends have shown me in their 86s just how easy it is to get the back end to step out, and how it feels to have enough time to correct the drift - it's brilliant.
"They've worked wonders with the gearbox; I love the mechanical short shift feel of it, and it's positioned really well. The noise had been an issue, or rather the lack of noise - the exhaust is near silent! I capped off the noise generator, got a new exhaust and replaced the secondary cat with a straight pipe because I wanted more noise but with no drone. With a performance air filter as well the sound is epic, not intrusive but certainly there if I put my foot down!
"As previously mentioned, there is a vast array of aftermarket parts available for this car. I've treated the standard model like a blank canvas and after multiple occasions of telling the bank 'yes, I did spend x amount on this date', I've finally got the car the way I wanted it to look. For a car this modern to have so many parts available if great, and definitely something I love about the GT86.
"Going for spirited drives never fails to put a smile on my face. It's a car that handles exceptionally well, looks great, is easily modified and is quite practical too; it ticks all the boxes for me. It's quite rewarding to bring the '86 to the Sunday Service events, and mingle with like-minded people. Driving to the events early in the morning when the roads are pretty much empty is brilliant fun as well!
"The social aspect of this car is really good. Everyone has been really kind about it at meets and events, and the GT86/BRZ community is super friendly - whereas in the Honda scene the atmosphere can be fairly hostile."
This one's a keeper by the sound of it
"Honestly, I don't think there is anything I hate about the car. I'm not a negative person, but if I had to write something negative here, it would be about the dealership care after the sale. They were very reluctant to help, even with warranty issues - but stick to your guns and they will buckle. It can be quite frustrating if you don't know of any specialists nearby, so the forums are a good resource to find out where they are.
"I'm actually OK with the power. I don't believe it's underpowered, I find it just suits nicely. The car is a blank canvas, so those who want more power can just boost it with a supercharger or turbo."
Costs:
"It costs £50-£60 to brim the car, and the mileage you can get from it is pretty reasonable (stupidly enough I still haven't managed to log a trip to see how many miles I can do on a tank!), and tax is £230 a year which is again reasonable. My daily commute to work on A-roads coupled with some faster driving on the weekend gives me an average of 33mpg.
"Insurance with all modifications declared for the year is £440. I'm not going to argue with that, it's all gone pretty swimmingly on the financial side of things!
"However - don't break anything. I'm told the OEM GT86 tailored mats are £250, the headlights are £500+ to replace, and the OEM wheels are diamond cut. If you ever need the windscreen replacing be sure to let the window company know that the GT86 requires a specific seal.
"The last time I checked, the OE Michelin tyres are £80-£90 a corner, but you could easily upgrade them to other performance tyres that give more traction for another £60 a corner. For servicing it's best to go with a specialist, so long as they're VAT registered and the service items are OE Toyota ones (which means the warranty remains intact).
It's a Sunday Service regular too!
"I've not really done any mega trips in the '86 yet, it's currently just serving daily driver duties. My most memorable outing was taking it to the Sunday Service at Silverstone last year where it was my birthday weekend and my friends bought me the track session there. Not only was it my first ever time driving on a circuit, it was on a track I've always wanted to drive - bonus!
"We've driven it to many of the Sunday Service events which is where it gets the most exposure, but I also drove it in to London so I could go and do some photography at the Gumball 3000. I was very surprised to have people stop and look at the car, I remember thinking 'there are so many supercars over there, why are you looking at me?!'
What next?
"I'm planning on keeping the car for the long term, until I'm ready to settle down properly, but even then I'm looking at the C63 507, C63 S, RS6 Avant or even a GT-R. It's all up in the air when it comes to what's next, it could even be a Tesla! But deep down I've still got a hankering for a Cayman GT4, or a McLaren (any of the new variants), or a Ferrari. Seeing everyone with their cars at Sunday Service events inspires me, so I really don't know what I'll move on to next.
I've toyed with the idea of adding more power to the 86 but it's just not required for what I do. Plus I do have access to a Honda Civic Type R and a Nissan 370Z, so I think I can get my speed fix out of those cars."
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