Opinions-Keep and go FI or sell?
 

I’m looking forward to some honest feedback here. Obviously we are all biased towards the twins, but read on...

Background: I have a 2015 FRS with 120,000 KMs. It’s my DD, it’s been treated well, serviced at the proper intervals, new plugs, tranny flush. Running headers with a stage 2 OFT tune...but I’m getting the wife’s Vibe as a daily so I can tuck my FRS away as a weekend toy.

Question:Do I drop what is effectively $6-8k to FI my ride, with a tune, clutch, all the supporting mods, or do I take that cash and purchase a new toy, like a WRX or Mustang, BMW 235, etc trade in the FRS and make payments on something new?

I’d like vet to hear the communities thoughts.

Here’s what you do...tell yourself you will hold off on boosting your car for 1 month.
When that month passes tell yourself “ok you know what let me hold off just one more month. Just one”

Repeat this after every month and you’ll soon realize that the car isn’t so bad without FI and you just saved $6-$8k.

If you really want my honest opinion, both options are terrible financial decisions, especially if you go the newer car route. Do you need the FI or do you just want it? Can you see yourself with the FR-S five years from now still? Sure, if you have the money I guess it doesn’t matter.

Drive your Vibe for 3 or 4 weeks straight, then jump back into your FR-S and you’ll probably reconsider your desires. Or maybe not.

I highly suggest trying that though.

if you have to ask us whether you should keep your twin, then i think you've made up your mind :)

Depends on what you like about the FR-S.

In the sub 35k price range, you can chose between light/nimble and high power. Can't have both any cheaper than a boxster/cayman or something similar.

So if you ditch the FR-S for something with more ponies, you'll probably miss the handling. Might not be any better off.

EDIT: Though if you want a suggestion for something stupidly fun to drive, buy a relatively low mileage third gen Miata and pick up Flyin Miata's Targa Package.

You need to ask yourself,
Is this car worth dropping that much more money?

If you have 10-15k lying around then go forced induction. If it is in any way a stretch, don't. If I were you I'd go test drive other cars and see if they were any better. Porsche, alfa, etc. There are so many sports cars out there.

As much as I love the twins, throwing money at them only does so much. You really cannot change enough to not see their roots. It really depends on your budget.

It depends on what you want out of a weekend toy. All vehicles (and complicated machines in general) are a sum of compromises. So the answer to your question will result from what you are willing to compromise on.

If you go FI on the FRS, you change the cost, efficiency, and maintenance vs. performance compromises Subaru/Toyota engineers made. This may also waterfall into unintended effects such as increased cooling needs.

On the other hand, a different vehicle will likely completely change the compromises made for it. My aunt's boxter has difficulty fitting groceries sometimes using both the fronk and trunk. Never had a problem fitting anything short of furniture in the frs.

It’s your money! I say go FI!

My BRZ is my baby/toy. My DD is an '06 v6 std gearbox F150. I love the truck, for me it's the perfect DD. Someone else suggested driving the Vibe for a while and using it as a counterpoint to the FRS. I concur wholeheartedly.

I often wonder what difference it would make for me if my BRZ had 50 (or 100) more horsepower. If I answer honestly, while the additional ponies would be cool to have, I don't think they would affect my enjoyment of the car all that much. Perhaps I just don't drive the car all that hard or maybe it's the contrast between the (genuinely slow) F150 and the (not really slow) BRZ, but the BRZ is my Goldilocks sportscar. Maybe the Vibe will offer the same contrast for you. Give your FRS a bit of time, it may be juuust right for you, too.

How do you define weekend toy?
Competitive track?
Do you know what class the changes would put you in, if even available in your area and all the costs associated with them
More interested in F&F style drag racing in the streets?
Hard parking at meets but able to peel out really cool?

Do you truly believe you can do any sort of quality FI build for $6 to $8K? Are you able to do the work yourself?
Are you prepared to deal with any issues that may come up without complaints?
What happens when you are done with modding the car and get bored of it again?

What makes those other cars attractive to you?
Just want somthing different?
Will you be any happier with them once you had them a while?
A couple of years from now will you be back asking if you should trade your Mustang for something else?

Superb comment! I agree 100%

I actually had the same feelings when I bought this car. I kept thinking about future modifications that would make it faster until I realized that I had already owned this car for 3 years and been enjoying every moment of it with just some simply bolt on parts (exhaust, front pipe) I had been putting on throughout the years.

I came to the conclusion that I just don't need that power to enjoy this car. Exact reasons why I sold my WRX & 335i and replaced them with this car.

I have a few other cars in my garage (Honda Accord, Honda Fit, Volvo S90) and driving the FRS/86 after them is a beautiful thing :)

None of those other cars give the same emotionally connection like these twins.

Also, since your in Ontario. You must also factor in that no insurance company would legally insure you with such extreme modifications like FI. Of course you can just not tell them....but in the case of an accident you could end up in a horrible legal situation.

~

Of course, these are just my opinions on this subject.

You make the final decision. :thumbsup:

Yep . I just got done putting 17K into a DD 2013 FRS (full Delicious Tuning E85 kit and Tune for the Edlebrock FI, exhaust, coilovers, and much wider tires). Of course I will never be able to get the money back out, but that was not the point. The weight changes the character of the car a bit, but for me it was more about having fun in the garage with my spare time and money as well as having a car now running ~4.5 sec 0-60 times. Would I do it again? Yes...

FWIW, I talked to my insurance broker about modifying my car. He says if you modify the engine or suspension in any way it's only the car that is not covered. All other liabilities are in place.

I would encourage anyone to check with their own broker. These laws are fairly new.

Depends on what you like about cars and what you hope to get out of dropping the money on an 86.

Some people like projects
Some people like maximum seat time with minimum wrenching
Some people like getting pushed back in their seat
Some people like owning a status symbol

Do it for the right reasons and you'll be happy.
If you want to feel power, save some $$$ and just get a car that rolls off the factory floor with >400hp, they're a dime a dozen these days.