Dadhawk's FR-S (6AT Firestorm)

[Dadhawk]

Got my heat shield from Toyotapartsoutlet. Never owned one of these for a previous car, but since the FR-S spends weekdays out of doors and with the black interior, I came to realize it was a necessity.

I had used similar "shields" previously in airplanes where their use is pretty common with small aircraft because they spend their lives in the sun, and have lots of expensive electronics in them so I knew they worked.

So far, I've been happy with it. It definitely decreases the temperature inside the car at the end of the day by probably 20 degrees or so. Not sure about the 40 degrees listed on the product itself though. More importantly I can tell just by being able to touch the steering wheel without leaving blisters its working!



It does tend to sag a bit in the middle, as you can see in the picture below, but otherwise fits perfectly and becomes easier to roll up after some use. Still have to fiddle with it a bit to get it down to the size the velcro attachment has.

[Dadhawk]

(Op updated with mileage information)

OK, maybe that's an exaggeration but hear me out.

On my last refill I had owned Olivia for 83 days and 4,171 miles. During that time, over my previous daily driver, I have:

• Saved 106 gallons of gas, or 1.28 gallons per day
• Saved $308.84, or $3.71 per day in fuel costs (adjusted for the difference between Premium and Regular fuel)
• Reduced emissions from 2.37 metric tons of CO2 to 1.42 metric tons (based on calculations from carbonfootprint.com using a generic 1.4-20 litre engine for the FR-S)

Who knew that saving the planet could be so much fun!



Obviously your results may, and probably do, vary unless you too were driving a 2000 Chevy Astro before.

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Who knew that saving the planet could be so much fun!

Obviously your results may, and probably do, vary unless you too were driving a 2000 Chevy Astro before.

I like that disclaimer.

Re. saving the planet, I think (hope?) manufacturers are starting to realize that lighter cars are the future, as they are more eco-friendly AND more fun. We're starting to see that trend with the next-gen GTI claiming 150 lbs weight reduction, next-gen Miata claiming 250 lbs weight reduction, launch of BRZ/FR-S, etc. The vicious cycle (manufacturers making cars larger and heavier each generation) has to stop! /end rant

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

I like that disclaimer.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

Re. saving the planet, I think (hope?) manufacturers are starting to realize that lighter cars are the future, as they are more eco-friendly AND more fun. We're starting to see that trend with the next-gen GTI claiming 150 lbs weight reduction, next-gen Miata claiming 250 lbs weight reduction, launch of BRZ/FR-S, etc. The vicious cycle (manufacturers making cars larger and heavier each generation) has to stop! /end rant

I agree in principal but at the end of the day (at least to me) weight and size don't matter as much as fuel economy and emissions. If Chevy built a Suburban that got 30MPG and had lower emissions (or just emitted water, hydrogen fuel cell) I may have bought that instead.

Let's face it, auto companies, like any other business, manufacture what their customers vote for with their pocketbook. Smaller/lighter just doesn't always work.

Case in point, I bought an FR-S now because I didn't need the Astro daily any longer now that the kids are mostly out of the house. As little as 5 years ago, I could not have purchased it because it would have been impractical. When the SonHawks were all in the nest, we had to have two cars, and one of them had to fit 5 people, luggage for a week, and/or all the baseball/soccer/hockey gear it could carry. Our budget did not support the cost of 3 cars, so 2 had to do. Nor did it support "renting on demand" or the other things that are often pushed as alternatives.

Even with the FR-S, I will now have to have a second heavy hauler because I have hobbies and not quite daily family needs that will require a bigger vehicle. So, in the end, I will have a truck or larger SUV in the driveway. That was going to be the Astro until it unceremoniously ate its motor bearings on the way back from the airport after Long Beach (full story here). I won't drive it as frequently but I will drive it.

Oh, and as full confession, it will probably be an older vehicle so there go the actual savings I was doing for the planet anytime I drive it!

[Dadhawk]

Funny I mentioned a Suburban in my last post.

As some may recall, my original plan was to purchase the FR-S as a daily driver and keep my near 300K mile Astro as a weekend/band/wood/family hauler but the Astro gave up the ghost about a month before I got the FR-S.

So, rather than replace the blown engine (which would have included the transmission at that mileage) for around $7000 on the Astro, I decided to take the money and look for a different hauler. Thanks to a little help from a father-in-law car salesman, I bought a replacement yesterday.

2004 Chevy Suburban ZL1 (4WD, full off-road and towing package, about every option they sold in 2004). Original sticker price $49,995 in 2004! (2 page sticker still in the glovebox). Near perfect condition inside and out. Had to put a little more than the $7,000 into it, but not much.

This is, by far, the nicest equipped truck I have ever owned. I will say I am not looking forward to filling up the 32 gaillon gas tank!

(As part of the condition of buying I insisted they fill the tank. The Sales Manager almost had a cow.)

So, here it is, the new "Barbara Jean" visiting with "Olivia".

[Dadhawk]

Received my Oil Filler Cap within two days of paying and spent the last several days admiring the craftsmanship with it on my desk. Finally decided to go ahead and install it.

Now I just have to decide if I remove it when I take Olivia in for her 5K mile service on Saturday. I'd hate for it to "get lost".

[GodSays]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Received my Oil Filler Cap within two days of paying and spent the last several days admiring the craftsmanship with it on my desk. Finally decided to go ahead and install it.

Now I just have to decide if I remove it when I take Olivia in for her 5K mile service on Saturday. I'd hate for it to "get lost".

Doesn't look as clean as I thought it would. I was kinda bummed I got the TRD one instead but once I see the grimm one installed I now know I made the right choice

Thanks for the pic tho!

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by GodSays

Doesn't look as clean as I thought it would. I was kinda bummed I got the TRD one instead but once I see the grimm one installed I now know I made the right choice

Thanks for the pic tho!

No problem. Not quite sure what you mean by "clean" but I think it looks better in person than in my lousy cellphone picture. I like the TRD one as well though.

[Memphis]

Originally Posted by GodSays

Doesn't look as clean as I thought it would. I was kinda bummed I got the TRD one instead but once I see the grimm one installed I now know I made the right choice

Thanks for the pic tho!

I like it. I wish Grimspeed made the battery tie down like that with the logo in the middle and thats it. Make it match the oil cap. I would get both then.

[Dadhawk]

(Fuel Economy numbers updated in OP)

I had an occasion to drive from Atlanta, GA to Nashville, TN this past week. Part of that drive is on I-24. For those not familiar with I-24, it has one of the longest continuous stretches of 6% grades in the US, certainly on the East Coast. I learned a couple of things on that trip.

First, the FR-S has no problem blowing away your average auto/truck while climbing steep grades. While most vehicles were running well under the speed limit on this section of road, I was happily running, and accelerating to pass, all the way through the climb when West bound. Not as fun as running the twisties of a back mountain road but still satisfying.

Second, on the return trip I tried what I'll call the "Soap Box Derby" experiment. As I entered the 4 miles of 6.5% grade heading East, I put the FR-S in manual and 6th gear, accelerated to 75MPH, then with the cruise control off, took my foot off the accelerator.

The FR-S actually slowed down to 69MPH and held that speed with no input on my part all the way through the grade at about 2400RPM. Since it was late at night (about Midnight) with minimal traffic, I was able to negotiate the turns with no brake input (and no drifting).

I was surprised how steady it held that speed. In fact, I checked a couple of times to make sure I hadn't inadvertently set the cruise control.

I don't know that it really means anything, but just thought it was an interesting tidbit about the car.

Also, of note on this trip since I knew I would be doing pure highway miles with no stops, I calculated avg speed and fuel usage. I calculated avg speed by clocking from ignition on to ignition off and miles driven. The results, also in my fuel log in the OP were:

08/14/2012: 270.50 Miles, 33.08MPG Highway Calculated Avg Speed 72.4 MPH
08/16/2012: 276.50 Miles, 31.60MPG Highway Calculated Avg Speed 73.2 MPH

[Dadhawk]

On the trip ^above^ I passed the 5,000 mile mark and took Olivia in for her first service this morning. Since I am not having any of the issues some others are having, it was pretty non-eventful. It was interesting the reaction as I pulled into the Service Bay at the dealer though as I was the first one they had performed service maintenance on. She got a lot of attention.

Since they were going to pull the tires as part of the tire rotation, I had them install the OEM Mud Guards I had purchased from @Toyotapartsoutlet who appear to longer be a vendor here.

The service department installed them at no charge, which was a nice bonus!

I like the way they look. Very unobtrusive in my opinion. Sorry, don't have photos, but @NoFear99 has pictures of them on a Firestorm here. Looks pretty much the same except I have the stock wheels.

If anyone has a specific photo request of them, let me know.

[carbonBLUE]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

The above experience with Mr. Escalade reminds me of something I've been meaning to share.

I've said before that there are car guys and there are drivers, and I tend to be more of a driver than a nuts and bolts car guy. I think those two type cover pretty much everyone on here and most of us are a mix of the two.

There's another type of "guy" though. I call him the "Car Dude". The guy above is a Car Dude. He loves cars. He doesn't know much about them, but he loves them. He loves the way the look, he loves the freedom they give him, he loves the attention a sweet ride offers to him.

I'm not talking about over-the-top hellaflush type attention or looks, or even race car modded looks, I'm talking straight off the dealer floor new car smell I've spent my money now I'm gonna enjoy it kinda guys. They'll never do anything to it that makes it different from stock, and they can't tell you whats under the hood, but they just plain love their car. They wash it, wax it, clean it, you could eat off the carpet in the trunk.

That was Mr. Escalade. He saw my car, and he knew he loved it. Nothing else mattered to him.

I think I have a little (OK, maybe a lot) of that in me. After all I bought my original MK1 MR2 based 90% on looks alone before it was ever off the truck never having even heard of one. It was love at first sight.

Same thing with the FR-S. I was in "heavy like" just from the photos. When I went to Long Beach, and we got off the bus at Scion HQ, there was a Firestorm FR-S in the parking lot. the first picture I took is below.

Later I walked straight across the parking lot, I studied every curve, I ran my hands along the gap between the hood and the fender where it seductively rose above the tire. I noticed the roofline and the sculptured edges where it dips for "air flow" and "strength" but we all know its just to make it that much more sexy. I ran my hand along the edge of the trunk.

I knew I was in love. There was no turning back.

I bet there's a little Car Dude in every one of us. Next time you walk out to your 86, take the time to stop from 30 ft away, admire the lines, and when you walk up, run your hand over the wheel arch right in that spot where the hood line guides your hand. It's OK, its yours after all.

I'm DadHawk, and when I walk up to Olivia in a parking lot or open the garage door to say good night, I am a Car Dude.

When I open my garage, Frs sitting in the dark I say "hey baby " and hit the unlock button, I'm a nuts and bolts driver guy

[Dadhawk]

(Fuel numbers and mod list updated in the OP)

At about 5,600 miles, nearly all of it the same "style" of commuting miles, I'm getting an average of 31.68MPG over 18 fill-ups. It's also very consistent within calculated tankfuls only ranging from a lot of 29.32 to a high of 34.62, with both of those as explainable outliers.

This is much better than I expected frankly. I do not, under anyone's definition, come close to a hyper-miler. I manually downshift a lot, and often have the engine in the higher RPMs just on a regular commute. Admittedly, I'm not drag racing at lights or some such but I'm not babying it either.

I'd be quite happy with anything over 25, but getting over 30 is great!

The computer calculated MPG over the life of the car (I have not reset it) is exactly 32.0MPG. That pretty well confirms the 31.68 I would think.

Also, just had my first fill-up with >$3.99 gas! It went up $0.40 a gallon between my last two tanks, both at the same station! Not happy about that.

[PERRIN_Chris]

Man that's awesome mileage! I've been trying to tell my wife how much better MPGs I'd get with a BRZ. She's still not having any of it. It will be mine though one day!