Bought it Friday tracked it Sunday!! NC Miata battle video inside...

[track_warrior]

FT86CLUB Homepage Featured Story


This will become my track build thread so I will be updating this thread every now and then. Updates with pictures on ALL PAGES!! Page's 9-12 are the best.

Ok guys so here is my review of my new track toy + bonus pics and vids at the bottom (one of them has me in the FR-S battling out a friends NC Miata) So make some i hope you enjoy it.

After waiting for 3 months for my car I finally got it this past Friday, I showed up at the dealer and drove home finally in my new FR-S. The reason I bought this car was it was going to be for track duty only so I decided its first track day would be Sunday. I drove it as much as I could from Friday to Sunday and only managed to put 500 miles on it. I picked up an oil filter and some oil and did oil change before taking it to the track on Sunday to clear out any new engine debris. A friend of mine owns a U-Haul rent store so I borrowed a trailer because I was going to leave the FR-S at my garage spot in the racetrack where I used to store my past track car a 1996 SR powered 240SX with 400 WHP.

When I sold my 240sx I never thought the FR-S would be a good replacement track car right out of the box I expected I would need to do a lot to it before it even came close to the experience my 240sx gave me but I wanted something more reliable and newer so I sold it and set my mind on picking up a 200 hp rwd Japanese car, keep in mind my car history less than two years ago includes a 400whp 240SX, 370 WHP E90 M3, 590 WHP GT-R , and a 420WHP C63 this little car would have big shoes to fill.

We arrived at the racetrack around 1 PM since the motorcycles get the morning (Lucky them it was 98 degrees at least and sunny!!) We set shop in my garage, set tire pressure to 29 psi all around and had a snack as I showed some of my fellow club members the devil (and I say the devil because they all drive Mazda’s lol so any other car is the devil to them specially since Mazda sponsors the track). After some chitchat I was anxious to get behind the wheel of this car around this racetrack specially because this track is where the Miata’s, s2k’s, and lotuses have ruled the track because of their lightweight and nimbleness. Harris Hill Road Course is a 1.8 Mile 11 turn track that is very technical so lightweight and balance in power win this battle.

After dealing with the curious joes around my car, I hopped in with my friend and took it for a recognition lap since I needed to get used to the car. To my surprise the car was so easy to drive and predictable after the first lap I was already pushing it to the limit keeping the revs no higher than 6800 rpms. Fist laps were with the VDC in sport mode but after that i turned it off since the car game me so much confidence and the tires always let me know when i was about to reach their limit. Gear after gear and corner after corner I started to fall in love with the FR-S, I asked my self after pulling into the pits (This must be sorcery a 200hp car that can put a smile on my face just as well as cars that cost more than twice the price?) what’s the catch there had to be a catch since it was so much fun and I seemed to enjoy my self as much as driving any of the other cars that I had…. And then it hit me, this may not be the fastest car ever nor the most luxurious or refined but its pure purpose is to make the driver feel in control feel the connection between man and machine, this car serves the pure purpose of fun and I like fun!! Toyobaru I applaud you for this car, thank you for bringing back the fun in the everyday car.

Car ratings by bullet points:

-Steering Feel: Precise and nimble reminds me somewhat of a porsche caymans steering response.

-Power: Not the fastest but enough for small tricky tracks.

-Handling: Perfect balance , not to hard not to soft just right. I do think that when i upgrade rubber it will roll a bit so i might go with KW V3'S. The car would always let me know when i was about to reach the limit, if the back end stepped out a little steering input would correct it almost immediately.

-Brakes: Great pedal feel, after about 8 laps they would start to fade but remember it was almost 100 degrees outside. I think with ss lines, motul fluid , and better pads the car should be just perfect. If you are just going to be driving it on the street or auto-x leave the brakes alone they work fine.

-Drivetrain: Tranny shifts are short and precise, the clutch never seemed to slip. I would give it a A+

-Exterior: Head turner, everywhere i go people ask me about the car and give me thumbs up.

-Interior: Definitely the cars achilles heel id rather not comment on it lol. But who cares with a car this fun!! Only real thing i can praise are the seats the material is nice and they hold you great at the track!!






BTW: My only problem at the track was that after doing my first 4 laps I stopped in the pits and let the car cool down, when I tried to raise the windows the window motors for the left and right windows did not seem to work, no noise or anything they were not moving. I checked fuses etc and nothing was wrong. After 20 minutes I tried again and nothing so I went out for another 6 laps and mysteriously when I pulled into the pits again the windows worked like if nothing had happened. Weird…..


Here are my lap times, just to give you an idea the fastest a stock mx5 nc miata has gone around this track with the best driver has been 33.1 i am not the same driver but managed a 35.9 bone stock, im sure that i will lower those times as i get used to the car. My fastest lap time in my GT-R was a 1.26.1 and in the C63 was a 1.29.5 Here is my lap time list from my V-BOX




Here is a picture of Harris Hill Raceway





A few laps in the FR-S

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0QhvEs4KyQ"]2013 Scion FR-S Lapping around Harris Hill road - YouTube[/ame]




* Updated video * Here is the Chase against the MX5 NC, the driver is a good friend and great driver. Keep in mind my brakes & tires were still hot since I let the car rest for only 1 minute before going out with the MX5.
2011 MX5: Stock except for intake, rotors, pads, and brake fluid.
2013 FR-S: Bone Stock

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzfBiRO_cbg&feature=player_embedded"]Lap Battle Scion FR-S VS MX-5 Miata NC @ H2R ( Track ) - YouTube[/ame]





Upcoming Videos Teaser!!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY6OVSb-Vxw&feature=g-upl"]Scion FR-S Teaser Video!! Track, Drift, & More - YouTube[/ame]



Pictures in chronological order:

The day i got it at the dealership-


Polar bear in her new home-


On our way to the track damn tailgaters!!-


Track Pictures:









Bonus pics:

Only in Texas, huge gas station there were about 5 more lanes behind us.



My Ex cars

[Toy86]

Awesome write up man, Thanks so much!

[nix]

Car not strapped to trailer?

Looks like you're enjoying it though.

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by ninetysixzee

How did the stock brakes hold up? Any fade?

This is OP's section about the brakes...

-Brakes: Great pedal feel, after about 8 laps they would start to fade but remember it was almost 100 degrees outside. I think with ss lines, motul fluid , and better pads the car should be just perfect. If you are just going to be driving it on the street or auto-x leave the brakes alone they work fine.

[tree fingers]

Originally Posted by nix

Car not strapped to trailer?

Looks like you're enjoying it though.

Of course the car isn't strapped down in the back, he was in the parking lot at the track. :/

[*KID*]

hell yea you live close to Laredo... we shall do a frs/brz meet lol

[phm14]

Thanks for the report. I like H2R, need to get back out there. Last I heard they were planning to correct some bump issues. How's that going?

[bestwheelbase]

Thanks for sharing!

The runoff around that track does not look fun at all. Lots of tall grass and big bushes?

[track_warrior]

Originally Posted by bestwheelbase

Thanks for sharing!

The runoff around that track does not look fun at all. Lots of tall grass and big bushes?

Its not that bad except if you get stuck in it when the grass is dry, a guys Z06 caught on fire because of the grass touching his exhaust pipe, his car was stuck so it almost burned to the ground total loss i think. Normally the parts where people go off its not that bad.

Here is what happened to my c63 when i went of track i tried to correct it as much as i could so that i would not end up sideways off track but it was too late, tire dismounted lol.

Originally Posted by nix

Car not strapped to trailer?

Looks like you're enjoying it though.

It was strapped front and rear we were getting ready to get if off the trailer.

Originally Posted by tree fingers

Of course the car isn't strapped down in the back, he was in the parking lot at the track. :/

Exactly.

Originally Posted by phm14

Thanks for the report. I like H2R, need to get back out there. Last I heard they were planning to correct some bump issues. How's that going?

They are taking donations from the members this month they said it should be fixed by next month. They have fixed a lot of the bumps though, its a lot better than lets say 3 years ago.

Originally Posted by *KID*

hell yea you live close to Laredo... we shall do a frs/brz meet lol

Check out the san antonio thread in the Southwest section, tons of guys are getting Toyobarus.

[Juan@aePerformance]

Loving your past cars! You got great taste.

[spiller]

nice!

[ChrisOkc8]

Very good read!

[bestwheelbase]

Originally Posted by pcasso87

Its not that bad except if you get stuck in it when the grass is dry, a guys Z06 caught on fire because of the grass touching his exhaust pipe, his car was stuck so it almost burned to the ground total loss i think. Normally the parts where people go off its not that bad.

Ouch. I'd rather share lawn mowing duties on a Sunday.

Good to see the Benz being put to use! You've mentioned this track a couple of times. Do you get your money's worth out of the unlimited use membership plan or do you also like pay-to-play weekend events?

[MarkRacerX]

Right on !!!

Enjoy and Thanks for sharing !!!

Def after racing it, I enjoy mine more and more