Car and Driver is F-ing Stupid

[P86RAVES]

Originally Posted by funwheeldrive

I just think it's funny that he is complaining about our cars being underpowered, when he owns something even slower. You would think if anyone else would get the purpose of these cars it would be a Miata owner.


A little more power would be nice, but I there still isn't a new car for under 30k that I would rather own.

I never answered this.

The Miata is slower than the FRS, but it feels like it has enough power. I think that's what people misunderstand about saying something "needs more power."

If you were to look at it like food and I were to say, "This needs more salt," I'm not saying "Everything needs more salt," or that "Salt fixes everything." The car's delivery of power feels unbalanced from how the rest of the car is, except the brakes, the brakes also need better feel. What I'm saying is that IT feels under powered.

I looked at the cost associated with getting the FRS to feel how I want it to and compared that to other platforms that would give me that performance out the box. Looking at the overall picture for what I need the car to be, what I wanted the car to be, and what I could reasonably afford the FRS ended up not being that car. The FRS also had other niggles that bothered me and that also led to me not seeing the car in the best light.

If it was a dedicated track car it would be a different story. Most of those annoyances wouldn't matter anyway, and the money spent on it vs another platform would be fine because I'd be saving in consumables.

[Summerwolf]

Originally Posted by P86RAVES

I never answered this.

The Miata is slower than the FRS, but it feels like it has enough power. I think that's what people misunderstand about saying something "needs more power."

If you were to look at it like food and I were to say, "This needs more salt," I'm not saying "Everything needs more salt," or that "Salt fixes everything." The car's delivery of power feels unbalanced from how the rest of the car is, except the brakes, the brakes also need better feel. What I'm saying is that IT feels under powered.

I looked at the cost associated with getting the FRS to feel how I want it to and compared that to other platforms that would give me that performance out the box. Looking at the overall picture for what I need the car to be, what I wanted the car to be, and what I could reasonably afford the FRS ended up not being that car. The FRS also had other niggles that bothered me and that also led to me not seeing the car in the best light.

If it was a dedicated track car it would be a different story. Most of those annoyances wouldn't matter anyway, and the money spent on it vs another platform would be fine because I'd be saving in consumables.

The miata feels slow and definitely needs more power.

[Poodles]

Originally Posted by P86RAVES

I never answered this.

The Miata is slower than the FRS, but it feels like it has enough power. I think that's what people misunderstand about saying something "needs more power."

If you were to look at it like food and I were to say, "This needs more salt," I'm not saying "Everything needs more salt," or that "Salt fixes everything." The car's delivery of power feels unbalanced from how the rest of the car is, except the brakes, the brakes also need better feel. What I'm saying is that IT feels under powered.

I looked at the cost associated with getting the FRS to feel how I want it to and compared that to other platforms that would give me that performance out the box. Looking at the overall picture for what I need the car to be, what I wanted the car to be, and what I could reasonably afford the FRS ended up not being that car. The FRS also had other niggles that bothered me and that also led to me not seeing the car in the best light.

If it was a dedicated track car it would be a different story. Most of those annoyances wouldn't matter anyway, and the money spent on it vs another platform would be fine because I'd be saving in consumables.

I've said that before. Miata feels much faster, especially with the top down, but all 'verts do. The more linear powerband doesn't hurt either. Stock suspension (and the god awful seats) also helps it feels fast as the weight is shifting all over the place compared to have composed the twins are. On a twisty road, the Miata needs to be downshifted and overall feels more on edge while my BRZ on the same road I can set cruise control and it's, well, boring. The BRZ is FAR faster on that road though and when I actually start pushing it, it gets fun. Of course that means I'm also slaughtering the speed limit...

Old idiom of "it's better to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow" applies here. Sure, it's not Corvette territory, but the chassis is very sorted and kinda makes the experience boring. In reality, the twins are more of a baby GT car, which I'm 100% OK with as my commute is relatively long and a Miata would wear me out (at least the way I would modify one).

[brzaapi]

Originally Posted by P86RAVES

That also mean you use a lot of fuel, tire, and brakes and those are things the BRZ is pretty easy on. Did that sort of thing go into your decision?

Of course. You look at all the ingredients separately, but in the end you have to mix them together and see what the whole looks like together. I just know that the drivetrain in an S2000 has been proven to take abuse on the track for years. I like that. Plus, the high redline and double wishbone suspension just brings out that motorsport feeling. I love it. But on the road, i tend to enjoy the BRZ more.

Now, i use to run my wife's Cayman and then hop into my BRZ and run it...back to back. Oh god, life was good back then, emmmmm.....anyways.

I put up better times in the Cayman, and it was a lot of fun....but to be honest i had more fun as a whole racing my BRZ. Its hard to figure out why, maybe its because i was less scared pushing the BRZ, so i could enjoy it more. Maybe it was the more raw feel. Maybe it was because i did all the work on the BRZ. Maybe it was fun beating vettes and Porsches in my Subie......

....I honestly dont know. But the BRZ will always have a special place in my heart. I can critique it too death, but i still like that damn car. Its fun the minute you sit in it.