RE: Subaru BRZ | Spotted
Discussion
aestivator said:
I gather swapping the headers plus some other bits can cure the torque dip.
Exactly what I did to mine, a few years into ownership. If you aren't really interested into turbo/supercharging for big numbers, it flattens that torque curve and makes the engine so much more flexible. It won't transform the car into a rocket ship, but it really did improve the experience. 
Edited by Conscript on Thursday 17th November 11:12
I'm 18 months into BRZ ownership, paid just shy of 10k for it with 58k on the clock in March 21. It's been one of of not the most fun car I've ever owned. Cheap to run, pretty cheap to insure even with all mods declared. I've had the exhaust manifold, overripe and remap to sort the torque dip, Tein coilovers fitted when the rear shocks died, upgraded the standard audio with a better headunit and the plug and play Focal speaker upgrade. It's an ideal daily driver that's fun to hoon at the weekends now. I have no plan to sell it any time soon, especially when drift days at Oulton Park are such cheap thrills...
No issues with the Goodyear Efficient Grip rubber also, mine came on them and haven't had a particular need to replace them with something else yet.
No issues with the Goodyear Efficient Grip rubber also, mine came on them and haven't had a particular need to replace them with something else yet.
cerb4.5lee said:
The UK reviews that I've read(GT86) all have it at 7.6 seconds to 60 for the manual gearbox version.
It's a gearing issue, they hit 58mph in 2nd so you have to do the change to 3rd. Cars with nothing more than a manifold and remap are doing 60 in the 6's just by not needing that extra gear change with a few extra revs. I tried a BRZ before I bought my ND2 MX5 and it felt a bit flat and not quite as keen to rev out like the skyactive in the Mazda. The finance offer from Subaru was pretty dreadful too.
By no means a bad car however, and it probably would have been my pick if I need a bit more practicality than the MX5 offered.
By no means a bad car however, and it probably would have been my pick if I need a bit more practicality than the MX5 offered.
TGCOTF-dewey said:
Obviously there is a personal taste thing, but both the subaru and Toyota cars had utterly awful wheels... The diamond cut things were particularly offensive.
I'm sure they would have sold more had they come with less blingy wheels - they were totally out of character on what was a conservatively designed car.
Yep the standard old GT86/BRZ wheels were tragic, a sI'm sure they would have sold more had they come with less blingy wheels - they were totally out of character on what was a conservatively designed car.
t design and diamond cut. These aftermarket wheels are far better.
|https://thumbsnap.com/hKjwgdHc[/urlThese were great cars ruined by a boat anchor of an engine. Unlike many I don't think it really needed more power, it just needed to be less of a gutless cement mixer all the way through the mid range.
t and I like having the top down and how silly the MX5 feels all the time.
TristPerrin said:
I tried a BRZ before I bought my ND2 MX5 and it felt a bit flat and not quite as keen to rev out like the skyactive in the Mazda. The finance offer from Subaru was pretty dreadful too.
By no means a bad car however, and it probably would have been my pick if I need a bit more practicality than the MX5 offered.
Similar experience cross shopping an ND2 and GT86. The GT86 was a much better drivers car but the engine is sBy no means a bad car however, and it probably would have been my pick if I need a bit more practicality than the MX5 offered.
t and I like having the top down and how silly the MX5 feels all the time.From reading the comments it seems it’s less the power thats a problem (I actually think 200 - 225bhp is more enjoyable on the road than more power - you can exploit more of it more of the time), and more the delivery - which sounds like it’s easily fixable. The irony of the restricted availability of the new GR is that lot’s of people are saying they want one when they probably wouldn’t if supply was unlimited. Same story with Porsche GT cars. And as this article is designed to point out, the GR isn’t the only enjoyable car you can buy…
woops said:
From reading the comments it seems it’s less the power thats a problem (I actually think 200 - 225bhp is more enjoyable on the road than more power - you can exploit more of it more of the time), and more the delivery - which sounds like it’s easily fixable.
Yes as a new buyer that was exactly the problem. The issue with easily fixable in the aftermarket is that this is something used buyers will maybe accept but not something new buyers will, but the used buyers aren't actually Toyota's customers. It's another of those cars (see all Alfa Romeos for further examples) that "enthusiasts" love but only if they can buy them for 10% of RRP when they're 10 years old but not that many people want to buy new.I know in powerfully build PHer world spunking £30k on a car is a triviality, the same as a decent meal for two without wine, but for a lot of mortals spending that much on a new car that has a crap engine and can only be fixed by invalidating your warranty with aftermarket parts that have been tested and developed to about one millionth of one percent of OEM standard is not tremendously appealing.
stickleback123 said:
Similar experience cross shopping an ND2 and GT86. The GT86 was a much better drivers car but the engine is st and I like having the top down and how silly the MX5 feels all the time.
I went from a BRZ to a 2.0 MX-5 indirectly.t and I like having the top down and how silly the MX5 feels all the time.Some see the Mazda's engine as a bit meh
It's night and day compared to the Subaru's.
stickleback123 said:
Yes as a new buyer that was exactly the problem. The issue with easily fixable in the aftermarket is that this is something used buyers will maybe accept but not something new buyers will, but the used buyers aren't actually Toyota's customers. It's another of those cars (see all Alfa Romeos for further examples) that "enthusiasts" love but only if they can buy them for 10% of RRP when they're 10 years old but not that many people want to buy new.
I know in powerfully build PHer world spunking £30k on a car is a triviality, the same as a decent meal for two without wine, but for a lot of mortals spending that much on a new car that has a crap engine and can only be fixed by invalidating your warranty with aftermarket parts that have been tested and developed to about one millionth of one percent of OEM standard is not tremendously appealing.
these are fair points.I know in powerfully build PHer world spunking £30k on a car is a triviality, the same as a decent meal for two without wine, but for a lot of mortals spending that much on a new car that has a crap engine and can only be fixed by invalidating your warranty with aftermarket parts that have been tested and developed to about one millionth of one percent of OEM standard is not tremendously appealing.
the std car has issues, but it's still a great driver's car and well worth the money if you value a good chassis at that price point and level of practicality. it's not for everyone, but hey ho, choice etc. it should however be very "PH worthy". Personally I cannot understand why anyone would spend 70k on an M4 and certainly not a Megan when you could have a comfy base 3 series, a proper fun sports car (Lotus etc) and still afford a monthly storage fee if needed for 2nd car.
I kept mine for 6 years as a fun-practical car for specific duties. it was not a focused enough sports car and not a comfortable enough daily, but it beat the competition I was considering at the time - GTi mk7, 3 series.
I think the real issues were that for too many buyers it wasn't posh inside, didn't have turbo torque and it sounded like a bag of spanners. and it had no good lease deals. drive it properly and it was fine, especially at high revs (hey, sports car - use the 'box!). the torque dip itself wasn't a problem, many cars have it now and it doesn't affect normal driving or 'sports' driving as it's in the middle. I do agree that for most buyers it's charms were limited. Would love a GR86.
I have a GT86 and like many here I quite like it. For an NA engine it’s quite torque-y low down, so pootling around town is just fine. When you get an open road it revs nicely and is quick enough. I don’t really spend much time in the middle of the rev range.
The interior is a bit low-rent but otherwise it’s a nice car that gives fun motoring for not much money.
Instead of comparing it with modern AWD turbo cars, think of it as a retro experience that’s analog and rewards being driven hard. Enjoy the delicate steering and heel-and-toeing through the downshifts.
The interior is a bit low-rent but otherwise it’s a nice car that gives fun motoring for not much money.
Instead of comparing it with modern AWD turbo cars, think of it as a retro experience that’s analog and rewards being driven hard. Enjoy the delicate steering and heel-and-toeing through the downshifts.
mario64 said:
I have a GT86 and like many here I quite like it. For an NA engine it’s quite torque-y low down, so pootling around town is just fine. When you get an open road it revs nicely and is quick enough. I don’t really spend much time in the middle of the rev range.
The interior is a bit low-rent but otherwise it’s a nice car that gives fun motoring for not much money.
Instead of comparing it with modern AWD turbo cars, think of it as a retro experience that’s analog and rewards being driven hard. Enjoy the delicate steering and heel-and-toeing through the downshifts.
I think where I go wrong is because I compare them to my old S14 200SX(similar weight/ingredients etc). However in reality they are more of a MX-5 rival in many ways I think(I don't mean that in a condescending way either). They are a car that is great at being thrown around at very high revs and you revel in their balance and feedback etc. The interior is a bit low-rent but otherwise it’s a nice car that gives fun motoring for not much money.
Instead of comparing it with modern AWD turbo cars, think of it as a retro experience that’s analog and rewards being driven hard. Enjoy the delicate steering and heel-and-toeing through the downshifts.
Whereas as you say a lot of stuff now is point and squirt or slow in/fast out in comparison.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff