RE: Meeting 'Mr GT86'
Discussion
For some people here they're just picking a figure out of the air and deciding x is the price it should be.
MajorTom, I and others here have outlined the basic reasons why the car costs what it costs. You say 15k is just about right.
A Caterham is 14-15k if you build it yourself!!! Not apples with apples but manufacturers don't give cars away.
So... Can we hear how you arrive at 15k for a low slung, 200hp, rwd, bespoke car other than that it should be 15k.
MajorTom, I and others here have outlined the basic reasons why the car costs what it costs. You say 15k is just about right.
A Caterham is 14-15k if you build it yourself!!! Not apples with apples but manufacturers don't give cars away.
So... Can we hear how you arrive at 15k for a low slung, 200hp, rwd, bespoke car other than that it should be 15k.
Edited by HighwayStar on Wednesday 7th November 13:23
It should have been £15K... Pah ha ha ha ha!
Just goes to show there is a basic lack of understanding about how much cars cost to build in comparison to 10 years ago. Oil prices and inflation affect everything. Material prices, labour costs, factory overheads... A £15K car 10 years ago would probably cost £24K now (have a look at price comparisons of a Golf GTi if you want to). The GT86 has an aluminium bonnet, double wishbone suspension, rear wheel drive, a LSD, weighs just north of 1200kg, is a 2+2 and has class leading low CofG not to mention a chassis among the best !!
As a GT86 owner and having previously owned highly rated hot hatches, German saloon's, Elise variants etc I can assure anyone that the car is very well sorted and is good value. The build quality is good. No squeaks or rattles like you would get in many highly rated competitors and sports cars.
As another member alluded to I agree that it is an ideal compromise for an Elise owner that wants more space and refinement.
It makes me laugh when I read people moaning about its lack of power after an hours test drive (or less)... There is plenty of power for the standard chassis and more than enough for the majority of UK roads. It is a drivers car and whilst it will not have the same levels of grip and traction of many modern hot hatches, it was never meant to. I used to be terribly frustrated by modern cars being over tyred with their point-and-squirt 4 second Turbo boosted squirts between corners, all the while never really making you feel like you are contributing to the experience.
This car cures that. It turns in sharply, feels light (because it is), the LSD gives you plenty of confidence when the back end drifts by a few degrees, and all the time I feel like I am the one making the difference at a speed I can cope with. I couldn't care less if I am 10mph slower than a R26 in between 2 points. I am certain I'll be having more fun!
Just goes to show there is a basic lack of understanding about how much cars cost to build in comparison to 10 years ago. Oil prices and inflation affect everything. Material prices, labour costs, factory overheads... A £15K car 10 years ago would probably cost £24K now (have a look at price comparisons of a Golf GTi if you want to). The GT86 has an aluminium bonnet, double wishbone suspension, rear wheel drive, a LSD, weighs just north of 1200kg, is a 2+2 and has class leading low CofG not to mention a chassis among the best !!
As a GT86 owner and having previously owned highly rated hot hatches, German saloon's, Elise variants etc I can assure anyone that the car is very well sorted and is good value. The build quality is good. No squeaks or rattles like you would get in many highly rated competitors and sports cars.
As another member alluded to I agree that it is an ideal compromise for an Elise owner that wants more space and refinement.
It makes me laugh when I read people moaning about its lack of power after an hours test drive (or less)... There is plenty of power for the standard chassis and more than enough for the majority of UK roads. It is a drivers car and whilst it will not have the same levels of grip and traction of many modern hot hatches, it was never meant to. I used to be terribly frustrated by modern cars being over tyred with their point-and-squirt 4 second Turbo boosted squirts between corners, all the while never really making you feel like you are contributing to the experience.
This car cures that. It turns in sharply, feels light (because it is), the LSD gives you plenty of confidence when the back end drifts by a few degrees, and all the time I feel like I am the one making the difference at a speed I can cope with. I couldn't care less if I am 10mph slower than a R26 in between 2 points. I am certain I'll be having more fun!
Nick Young said:
Possibly because in Japan it starts from the equivalent of around £15,500. That doesn't take into account exchange rates/taxes etc of course....
The £15,500 car in Japan is the striped back paired down version designed to be turned into a tracl/drift/race car with bare plastic bumpers, steel wheels and no accessories whatsoever, no air-con or even a stereo.David1976 said:
It should have been £15K... Pah ha ha ha ha!
Just goes to show there is a basic lack of understanding about how much cars cost to build in comparison to 10 years ago. Oil prices and inflation affect everything. Material prices, labour costs, factory overheads... A £15K car 10 years ago would probably cost £24K now (have a look at price comparisons of a Golf GTi if you want to). The GT86 has an aluminium bonnet, double wishbone suspension, rear wheel drive, a LSD, weighs just north of 1200kg, is a 2+2 and has class leading low CofG not to mention a chassis among the best AND IS BESPOKE !!
As a GT86 owner and having previously owned highly rated hot hatches, German saloon's, Elise variants etc I can assure anyone that the car is very well sorted and is good value. The build quality is good. No squeaks or rattles like you would get in many highly rated competitors and sports cars.
As another member alluded to I agree that it is an ideal compromise for an Elise owner that wants more space and refinement.
It makes me laugh when I read people moaning about its lack of power after an hours test drive (or less)... There is plenty of power for the standard chassis and more than enough for the majority of UK roads. It is a drivers car and whilst it will not have the same levels of grip and traction of many modern hot hatches, it was never meant to. I used to be terribly frustrated by modern cars being over tyred with their point-and-squirt 4 second Turbo boosted squirts between corners, all the while never really making you feel like you are contributing to the experience.
This car cures that. It turns in sharply, feels light (because it is), the LSD gives you plenty of confidence when the back end drifts by a few degrees, and all the time I feel like I am the one making the difference at a speed I can cope with. I couldn't care less if I am 10mph slower than a R26 in between 2 points. I am certain I'll be having more fun!
Just goes to show there is a basic lack of understanding about how much cars cost to build in comparison to 10 years ago. Oil prices and inflation affect everything. Material prices, labour costs, factory overheads... A £15K car 10 years ago would probably cost £24K now (have a look at price comparisons of a Golf GTi if you want to). The GT86 has an aluminium bonnet, double wishbone suspension, rear wheel drive, a LSD, weighs just north of 1200kg, is a 2+2 and has class leading low CofG not to mention a chassis among the best AND IS BESPOKE !!
As a GT86 owner and having previously owned highly rated hot hatches, German saloon's, Elise variants etc I can assure anyone that the car is very well sorted and is good value. The build quality is good. No squeaks or rattles like you would get in many highly rated competitors and sports cars.
As another member alluded to I agree that it is an ideal compromise for an Elise owner that wants more space and refinement.
It makes me laugh when I read people moaning about its lack of power after an hours test drive (or less)... There is plenty of power for the standard chassis and more than enough for the majority of UK roads. It is a drivers car and whilst it will not have the same levels of grip and traction of many modern hot hatches, it was never meant to. I used to be terribly frustrated by modern cars being over tyred with their point-and-squirt 4 second Turbo boosted squirts between corners, all the while never really making you feel like you are contributing to the experience.
This car cures that. It turns in sharply, feels light (because it is), the LSD gives you plenty of confidence when the back end drifts by a few degrees, and all the time I feel like I am the one making the difference at a speed I can cope with. I couldn't care less if I am 10mph slower than a R26 in between 2 points. I am certain I'll be having more fun!
Simple fact is a lot of other coupes with around 200bhp are also 25k. It also seems to be selling well AFAIK, which means it's priced well. End of story. Still think it's too expensive? You should have worked harder at school then.
I did test drive one, and whilst I can't see myself getting one yet (I'm still looking at Megane 250/265s
) I was generally impressed with it and wouldn't say no to one. Decent build quality too compared to Golf/Audis I've sat in (tip - ignore the badge on the steering wheel, I didn't try licking the dashboard too). I'd only want the following changes.
1. Shorten the gear ratios - 60mph in 2nd and 90mph in 3rd seems too long and doesn't give the impression you're going very quickly. 55mph and 75mph respectively would make the car more fun and more punch out of tight corners/roundabouts and overtaking.
2. Tweak the noise pipe wotsit (at least I think that's what it is?) - it starts barking below giving it's best (like flooring it in 6th gear at 50mph). Adjust it so it only starts over 5000rpm, VTEC style
I did test drive one, and whilst I can't see myself getting one yet (I'm still looking at Megane 250/265s
) I was generally impressed with it and wouldn't say no to one. Decent build quality too compared to Golf/Audis I've sat in (tip - ignore the badge on the steering wheel, I didn't try licking the dashboard too). I'd only want the following changes.1. Shorten the gear ratios - 60mph in 2nd and 90mph in 3rd seems too long and doesn't give the impression you're going very quickly. 55mph and 75mph respectively would make the car more fun and more punch out of tight corners/roundabouts and overtaking.
2. Tweak the noise pipe wotsit (at least I think that's what it is?) - it starts barking below giving it's best (like flooring it in 6th gear at 50mph). Adjust it so it only starts over 5000rpm, VTEC style
DanDC5 said:
Nick Young said:
Possibly because in Japan it starts from the equivalent of around £15,500. That doesn't take into account exchange rates/taxes etc of course....
The £15,500 car in Japan is the striped back paired down version designed to be turned into a tracl/drift/race car with bare plastic bumpers, steel wheels and no accessories whatsoever, no air-con or even a stereo.and you can pick up a poverty spec 135M for a few K more than the GT86 with dealer discounts
its over priced, but then most cars are in the UK
I think it sounds ace.
OK its not very fast, but then, its probably not much different to some of my previous cars - Clio RS, ITRs, and its certainly faster than my MX5s were.
OK my 350Z is no doubt a faster car, and will sound a lot better, but it guzzles fuel, and is rather heavy and imprecise. And, if you drive it the way you could drive a GT86 without getting into trouble, you WILL get into trouble, not to mention spend fortunes on tyres, fuel and brake pads
I can see the appeal, sometimes I miss having a car that I can properly grab by the scruff and throw around - I can't really do this with the Zed.
OK its not very fast, but then, its probably not much different to some of my previous cars - Clio RS, ITRs, and its certainly faster than my MX5s were.
OK my 350Z is no doubt a faster car, and will sound a lot better, but it guzzles fuel, and is rather heavy and imprecise. And, if you drive it the way you could drive a GT86 without getting into trouble, you WILL get into trouble, not to mention spend fortunes on tyres, fuel and brake pads
I can see the appeal, sometimes I miss having a car that I can properly grab by the scruff and throw around - I can't really do this with the Zed.
Rawwr said:
What's wrong with them?
They're hideous?Yes they do the job of being round, suspending the car off the ground and keeping the air in the tyres, but they're just not nice. You could fit others, but I'm well by the stage of buying a car and changing wheels and others bits and TBH can't see the point on a new car.
Continues the general theme for the GT86 though; it's a nearly car in so many ways. More practical than an elise but no hatch. Nice enough looking car spoiled by the spolier amongst other things.
I've driven it. Its a great drive. It makes a lot of sense in place of my current elise + e46 touring fleet. It's just there are too many minor frustrations.
MajorTom said:
Dave Hedgehog said:
its over priced, but then most cars are in the UK
Thankyou for backing me up Mr Hedgehog, it's nice to know there are a few intelligent people left on this forum....not just the usual lemmings and copycats 
But where else in the world is it cheaper to buy cars? Most of Europe it isn't... And given that used prices in the UK are rock bottom, surely that's a good thing for the used buyers?
Given that all you've said is that it should be £15k without any further expansion as to why, it seems a bit puerile to call everyone else a lemming?
Yes, we could be conditioned to accept that a car should be about £30k... Or, it might be that it's what it costs by the time you put everything in and factor in a bit of profit margin... It could be either, but as I say, that's the price. If you don't like like it, don't buy it... Or buy second hand.
Edited by RemarkLima on Wednesday 7th November 15:27
Well this car splits opinion !! I bought one it must be the "hype" .... Nah it wasn't.. I was in the market for a new car this year , and I enjoyed my previous Toyota and Subaru . I've had mine a few months now it's great . Don't feel the need to defend it , but I love going for a run out in it with no particular destination in mind.
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