Red 2012 Toyota GT86 - Daily Driver

[x9wfm]

Velox56 said:

That looks so good. I want one of these so bad, are the mods expensive ?

Largely depends on what you go for - the aftermarket is huge, and second hand parts come up all the time.

For example my current wheels I got brand new and these were expensive, I got a hefty discount thanks to having a friend in the trade but even then we're still talking 4 times the amount I spent on the last set - however as they're quality wheels and quite rare in these specs they should hold most of their value when it comes to parting out.

On the other end of the scale my Miltek catback exhaust I got second hand for £250 and it was nearly brand new.

Drive in/drive out turbo packages can be had on these now (with black Friday deals) for £4.5k - this gives the car a 100bhp increase - this has tempted me a few times but have always ultimately decided against it.

Let me know if you have any more questions or if I've not quite explained myself properly - I'd like to think I've gained a good knowledge of these cars now.

Thanks for the kind words by the way!

[Varelco]

Lovely looking 86, best colour. Who retrimmed your steering wheel and how is it holding up? I fancy having mine done too.

Good luck finding something to replacement it with. I struggle to find anything on the same level without going silly money.

[chillbill]

Love the lip. And the spoiler. And the meaty setup Reminds me of this one: https://www.instagram.com/race_dream/

[5mileofdeath]

Car looks so good OP!

I do like these but definitely need some tasteful mods to finish off the looks..

Shame your looking to sell.. would look nice on my drive next to my red FK2 lol..

[x9wfm]

Varelco said:

Lovely looking 86, best colour. Who retrimmed your steering wheel and how is it holding up? I fancy having mine done too.

Good luck finding something to replacement it with. I struggle to find anything on the same level without going silly money.

Thanks! The steering wheel was done by Royal Steering Wheels - it cost about £150, black alcantara with red stitching and red leather centre stripe - I chose their service where you pay a deposit, they get a steering the same as your car, re-trim it and then send that one to you. You then swap the steering wheels over in 10 minutes on the drive and send the old one back to them for a return of your deposit. It's held up really well, although it will need a quick wash soon with a wet cloth, it's been about 9 months since it was fitted though.

Good point about the above option was that I retained my airbag - I wouldn't have been so comfortable getting a "unknown" airbag.

[x9wfm]

chillbill said:

Love the lip. And the spoiler. And the meaty setup Reminds me of this one: https://www.instagram.com/race_dream/

Many thanks! Wow, that's amazing - we have the same wheels, spoiler and lip! I've never seen this one before but since you posted this I've now been speaking to him on Instagram

[x9wfm]

5mileofdeath said:

Car looks so good OP!

I do like these but definitely need some tasteful mods to finish off the looks..

Shame your looking to sell.. would look nice on my drive next to my red FK2 lol..

Thank you! Agreed, small changes go a long way on these cars - I think it was intended to be that way though.

I have the chief engineer, Tetsuya Tada, as a friend on Facebook now, although can't say I've ever messaged him

I test drove an FK2 not long ago as a possible replacement - it's the only car I've tested so far that brought a smile to my face, but I can't go back to FWD just yet...

[Cloudy147]

Loved reading this, thanks for posting. Will keep checking back for updates

[LordGrover]

x9wfm said:

Now that it's coming up to 3 years of ownership, I feel the time to move on is on the horizon, fk knows what I'll get, though.

I kept mine for four years. Mostly loved every mile. Struggled to replace it too.
Went from that to E89 Z4 35i DCT which was pretty and quick, but a little dull. Made a few other oddball choices but last year bought an old 986 Boxster which was fantastic, though a little old and tired. Upgraded to a 981 this year and it's epic. Highly recommended.

[Velox56]

x9wfm said:

Velox56 said:

That looks so good. I want one of these so bad, are the mods expensive ?

Largely depends on what you go for - the aftermarket is huge, and second hand parts come up all the time.

For example my current wheels I got brand new and these were expensive, I got a hefty discount thanks to having a friend in the trade but even then we're still talking 4 times the amount I spent on the last set - however as they're quality wheels and quite rare in these specs they should hold most of their value when it comes to parting out.

On the other end of the scale my Miltek catback exhaust I got second hand for £250 and it was nearly brand new.

Drive in/drive out turbo packages can be had on these now (with black Friday deals) for £4.5k - this gives the car a 100bhp increase - this has tempted me a few times but have always ultimately decided against it.

Let me know if you have any more questions or if I've not quite explained myself properly - I'd like to think I've gained a good knowledge of these cars now.

Thanks for the kind words by the way!

I've always wanted to get a car like this and make it my own via modding, and I think yours is a good example of how you can make a car look good but not to OTT, I have seen a couple of these cars with ridiculous body kits etc. Wing is a nice touch btw

[ECG1000]

Cracking cars! I do really miss mine.
It's tricky knowing what to get after owning one. They just tick so many boxes

[HarryD]

Alcantara steering wheel looks sweet!

Shame you're looking to move on. What are you thinking to replace it with?

Harry

[x9wfm]

LordGrover said:

I kept mine for four years. Mostly loved every mile. Struggled to replace it too.
Went from that to E89 Z4 35i DCT which was pretty and quick, but a little dull. Made a few other oddball choices but last year bought an old 986 Boxster which was fantastic, though a little old and tired. Upgraded to a 981 this year and it's epic. Highly recommended.

I'm sure I read your thread on here a long time before I got mine, one of the OG's some might say!

Z4 35i sounds like an interesting prospect, although I'm not surprised it felt dull in comparison - I've tested the M240i twice now and it still felt like a 5 series against the 86 so I couldn't go with it - also tested all of the usual 4wd hot hatch's and. surprise surprise, no fun to be had there (apart from the Focus RS).

I had a brief look at 981's a little while ago but stopped as they were right at the top of my price bracket - I shall have another look now based on your experience it sounds like a good shout. Cheers LG.

[x9wfm]

Velox56 said:

I've always wanted to get a car like this and make it my own via modding, and I think yours is a good example of how you can make a car look good but not to OTT, I have seen a couple of these cars with ridiculous body kits etc. Wing is a nice touch btw

My only advice would be to do it! Absolutely love(d) mine

But yes some people take it to extremes and ruin the best bit about the car.

Owners club on Facebook is very active and a lot of decent people on there.

I just wonder what the values will do in due course? It seems they have been hovering around ~£10k for a while now.

[x9wfm]

ECG1000 said:

Cracking cars! I do really miss mine.
It's tricky knowing what to get after owning one. They just tick so many boxes

What did you replace yours with?

I think I followed you on Instagram when I first got mine so I may already know Also subsequently followed the bloke that bought it off you. Always liked the way you tinted the stock lights!

[x9wfm]

HarryD said:

Alcantara steering wheel looks sweet!

Shame you're looking to move on. What are you thinking to replace it with?

Harry

Honestly I'm not sure, I've looked at so many cars it's starting to get a bit frustrating!

I've been stuck in between a "do it all daily" and a daily + weekend car (something jap from the 90's to scratch a long lasting itch). Any suggestions? I reckon I've looked at most things

Think I need to man up and take the plunge.

[LordGrover]

x9wfm said:

I'm sure I read your thread on here a long time before I got mine, one of the OG's some might say!

Z4 35i sounds like an interesting prospect, although I'm not surprised it felt dull in comparison - I've tested the M240i twice now and it still felt like a 5 series against the 86 so I couldn't go with it - also tested all of the usual 4wd hot hatch's and. surprise surprise, no fun to be had there (apart from the Focus RS).

I had a brief look at 981's a little while ago but stopped as they were right at the top of my price bracket - I shall have another look now based on your experience it sounds like a good shout. Cheers LG.

I have one of the last 981 - March 2016 black edition. Sticker price was £40k but I didn’t pay that much plus got service thrown in - also two years OPC warranty.
Very different to the Toyota obviously, but great fun. There's no sliding in this as grips like you wouldn't believe - fun of a different sort.

Edited by LordGrover on Thursday 22 August 08:22

[chrismc1977]

Looks good lowered. I can’t find the love for black wheels though.

Black rims, black tyres, black arches. Too much black! I really do think it needs breaking up a bit. Maybe a bronze wheel colour would work

No thoughts of keeping & adding a SC conversion?

[x9wfm]

I thought I would update the thread with some of the most recent things I've been to in the 86.

First off, at the start of this year I started organising a monthly cars and coffee meet just for fun, fuelled purely through Facebook (As family run the pub it's based at it was pretty easy to get permission!). I originally thought I would maybe get 5-10 people turn up, as I had spent £Nil on advertising and really only made an event on Facebook, but on the first meet we filled the car park, and somehow have done every month since (Apart from June because it was absolutely tipping it down for the whole day!)

Few photo's of the 86 there at various months, along with a birds eye shot from a drone of one month;

[x9wfm]

Some more pictures;

At Japfest Silverstone earlier this year




At a local monthly car meet where I had a nice surprise when I walked back to my (out of depth) car





Another time from the same meet, but parked next to my friends turbocharged example




Meeting up with the "Meaty86" group for an evening meal - as you can see a lot of us have since moved on from GT86's



And the obligatory multi-storey parking photo afterwards;