RE: Toyota GR86 | PH Favourite Car of 2022

[jbforce10]

Honeywell said:

I was almost killed in my twenties in a Westfield. I now have a minimum standard of crumple zones and airbags and an Elise doesn't cut it. Emira with 2022 compliant crashworthiness does.

Would love the Emira for the looks and the steering feel but its double the money... I get annoyed with myself because I actually have the money but I am just too averse to tax and depreciation.

If you decide on the Emira I hope you're not too averse to waiting in queues.
To me, it's a no-brainer. Lovely car.

[Carguy44]

Honeywell said:

I was almost killed in my twenties in a Westfield. I now have a minimum standard of crumple zones and airbags and an Elise doesn't cut it. Emira with 2022 compliant crashworthiness does.

Would love the Emira for the looks and the steering feel but its double the money... I get annoyed with myself because I actually have the money but I am just too averse to tax and depreciation.

People get killed in tanks so just get what you enjoy.

[Conscript]

Carguy44 said:

Honeywell said:

I was almost killed in my twenties in a Westfield. I now have a minimum standard of crumple zones and airbags and an Elise doesn't cut it. Emira with 2022 compliant crashworthiness does.

Would love the Emira for the looks and the steering feel but its double the money... I get annoyed with myself because I actually have the money but I am just too averse to tax and depreciation.

People get killed in tanks so just get what you enjoy.

Well yeah, but I doubt many tank crews are being killed as a result of road traffic accidents. And you're not likely to be on the receiving end of a APFSDS round in a kit car (hopefully)

[Honeywell]

ecsrobin said:

Brave man that has been up for months I assume due to the awful colour seats that don’t match the rest of the car.

It comes with the original covers. Plus it has a ton of PPF and a sports exhaust.

I'd prefer a Pearl white one. I would take it to Litchfield and get it sorted for 310hp. I quite like the seats personally but I do appreciate its a bit left field. I'd add stickers and paint the wheels gold.

[Honeywell]

Water Fairy said:

I'll wager an Elise is still safer than a quadbike

The quad-bike is a hoot and very very dangerous. I don't ride it any faster though than my horse so I like to think they are equally dangerous.

The only thing I am likely to wrap around a tree is the GT86.

[TWPC]

bqf said:

I picked mine up on Christmas Eve. It's a terrible car, seriously, in that instead of going 1.5 miles up the road to Co-Op for some milk, like the wife asked, I used half a tank of fuel sliding around the roads next to Beachy Head. grinning like a fool.

It really reduces the amount of time you have available.

I'm going to keep it because i'm stuck with it now. Perhaps for the next 30 years.

Excellent!

In terms of travelling from A to B in the most efficient way it sounds an absolutely rotten tool.
Clearly a terrible 'purchasing decision' but a brilliant decision from any other view.

Enjoy your car, all the forthcoming longer-than-necessary milk runs and unnecessary associated costs!

[TWPC]

GR86 - car of the year for 2022 IMHO.

Cheap-ish and very cheerful, though it feels like the retail price is the lowest selling price we will see for a long time, if ever?!?!

I appreciate Nic's comment about the MX-5 Super 220 too. Definitely feel that an old MX-5 and then possibly a BBR upgrade are somewhere in my future.

[bqf]

TWPC said:

bqf said:

I picked mine up on Christmas Eve. It's a terrible car, seriously, in that instead of going 1.5 miles up the road to Co-Op for some milk, like the wife asked, I used half a tank of fuel sliding around the roads next to Beachy Head. grinning like a fool.

It really reduces the amount of time you have available.

I'm going to keep it because i'm stuck with it now. Perhaps for the next 30 years.

Excellent!

In terms of travelling from A to B in the most efficient way it sounds an absolutely rotten tool.
Clearly a terrible 'purchasing decision' but a brilliant decision from any other view.

Enjoy your car, all the forthcoming longer-than-necessary milk runs and unnecessary associated costs!

Ha ha yes it's rubbish at getting to your destination quickly....but in every single other respect, it's magnificent. Thats me done now, don't think i'll ever need another new sports car. Turned 50 in November, this will see me out.

[s94wht]

Have we had a comparison yet between one of these and a used Cayman?

[LeoSayer]

s94wht said:

Have we had a comparison yet between one of these and a used Cayman?

[What The Deuces]

Billy_Whizzzz said:

Happy to defer to popular opinion that this is a great car but I have curiously no want. Most great cars have something that makes them more than the sum of their parts or one thing that stands out - looks, engine, handling, efficiency, build quality, whatever. Here, nothing stands out and the parts don’t seem
to gel in something extraordinary unlike, say, a GR Yaris. I can’t imagine ever wanting to take the GR86 for a drive just for its own sake, or ever enjoy being it in or looking at it. Would be delighted to be proved wrong - just wondering what I’ve missed.

Have you driven one or is this a spec sheet review?

I have had a go in both this and the GT86 and think they are far greater than the sum of their parts. if you care about stats on paper and 0-60 and this that and the other, it isn't for you anyway, no matter how good or bad it is. If you like the physical act of driving and feeling what the car is doing in a useable daily package then there's nothing better for the same price

[KobayashiMaru86]

What The Deuces said:

Billy_Whizzzz said:

Happy to defer to popular opinion that this is a great car but I have curiously no want. Most great cars have something that makes them more than the sum of their parts or one thing that stands out - looks, engine, handling, efficiency, build quality, whatever. Here, nothing stands out and the parts don’t seem
to gel in something extraordinary unlike, say, a GR Yaris. I can’t imagine ever wanting to take the GR86 for a drive just for its own sake, or ever enjoy being it in or looking at it. Would be delighted to be proved wrong - just wondering what I’ve missed.

Have you driven one or is this a spec sheet review?

I have had a go in both this and the GT86 and think they are far greater than the sum of their parts. if you care about stats on paper and 0-60 and this that and the other, it isn't for you anyway, no matter how good or bad it is. If you like the physical act of driving and feeling what the car is doing in a useable daily package then there's nothing better for the same price

This. I love my GR86 too. Learned all I could about FWD turbo hot hatches so wanted something more pure. The GR86 is this in spades and feels great even going to the shops. When everything else is focused on isolating you from the task of driving, this is so refreshing.

[CABC]

LeoSayer said:

s94wht said:

Have we had a comparison yet between one of these and a used Cayman?

I nearly always agree with Todd. it's a personal choice, but my priorities normally align with his.

I've driven the GT86 and Cayman many times and reckon the 86 is the more fun car. Cayman composed, settled and more resolved. the one to take to the Alps. Not direct competitors and any PHer should aim to have ownership of both at some point. any fanboi who states that the Porsche blows the '86 out the window' probably prefers car ownership to driving. my assessment is on the GT, not GR.

[Stardus]

Now as an owner of the GR86, while I am very happy with the car overall. I do think it's overhyped a bit.

The front end from factory is pretty lacking in bite with 0 degree of camber, changing the alignment fixes that. The suspension lack travel overall (feels like hitting bumpstop), and can get upset by rougher roads. Body control is much better than the old GT86 though, no longer shivers and bounce around, with a much stiffer body structure and better shocks all around.

Engine doesn't sound partially interesting, the car actually sits higher than expected for me with more inertia when turning compared to my other car. Brake pedal also quite soft and lack bite, got some pads on the way to fix it.


Great car, but you do feel some small compromises for price point, safety and modern regulatory compliance. Definately growing on me as a good daily drive that should also feels great on track.

[CABC]

Stardus said:

Body control is much better than the old GT86 though, no longer shivers and bounce around, with a much stiffer body structure and better shocks all around.

this was one of the biggest negatives of the GT86. rough roads really weren't handled well and both an Elise and Evora could really show up the shortcomings on the same road. I'm sure a Cayman would too. I always thought cost of ownership and practicality had to be taken into condsideration for many car. some say... the GR is great in an absolute sense. looking forward to a test drive.

[CedricN]

CABC said:

Stardus said:

Body control is much better than the old GT86 though, no longer shivers and bounce around, with a much stiffer body structure and better shocks all around.

this was one of the biggest negatives of the GT86. rough roads really weren't handled well and both an Elise and Evora could really show up the shortcomings on the same road. I'm sure a Cayman would too. I always thought cost of ownership and practicality had to be taken into condsideration for many car. some say... the GR is great in an absolute sense. looking forward to a test drive.

Yes, damping quality was pretty bad on the oldest ones. I changed to 2019 OEM dampers on my 2013 model and the ride improved significantly, much better damping, and suddenly it handled harsh bumps much better. Not sure why they did that in the beginning, but they were aware of it apparently. I hope the GR is even better, might try one in the spring if they still have them on the showroom floor.