2013 BRZ vs. 2017 86 (Everyday Driver)

[guybo]

Originally Posted by SuperTom

just watched it, they mostly just trash the power

What I find funny about ED is that they ALWAYS bring up the power. Yes, we know guys, everyone knows. But apparently ED finds something about this car to be pretty special because they won't STFU about it. From what I see on thier YT channel, they have videos about the 86 more than any other car. They throw it into comparos it should not be anywhere near (like a Lotus that costs 2x as much) or other videos not even about an 86.

For a car they claim has too little power, they rank it as the best car in a lot of comparos and compare it to much more expensive cars.

[unhappymeal]

Originally Posted by TofuJoe

The video feels like a cheap shot at the platform. Those guys were late to the game with the car and the supporting mods. They never really understood this car half as much as the people on this forum.

Need more power and to get rid of the torque dip? Header and a tune. $1200. Done.
That's not enough? Forced induction.

Mentioning those things would have lead to a more balanced review instead of this outdated douchebaggery.

What if you live where there's no Magnuson Moss Act or want to keep your factory warranty on your power train?

[dowroa]

Just so people who reply can be informed and so they can have easy mode...

I don't like the latest video, but they have put their money where their mouth is, literally.

Todd has had the car and has done a lot. More than most owners. So, please be informed and be aware:

Modded:


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM_QmVF2-fQ"]Searching for Torque - Header & Exhaust - FR-S Long Term #4 - Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

History:


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9G8zfoW6CI"]Best & Worst of Owning an 86 - Long Term #7 FRS (BRZ/86) - Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf-6rLVeR2o"]Scion FRS (GT86) vs. Subaru BRZ on Track - Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzTTx__QRcg"]FRS (GT86, BRZ) vs Genesis Coupe vs Lotus Elise - Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Review - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jImHTWfj8aM"]FRS (GT86, BRZ) vs RX8 vs S2000 Review - Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkWyyY718AM"]Subaru WRX Review: better than the BRZ? (FRS, GT86)? -- Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iLEoT11-so"]Subaru BRZ Sights & Sounds - Beauty, Exhaust, Fly-by - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa4D2Z3jGDw"]2013 Scion FR-S - Long Term Review #1 - Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqhHPssCXMA"]Tracking & Drifting - Long Term Scion FR-S - Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0om4AKnpOjs"]The Driver's Choice? - MX5 vs FRS (Gt86, BRZ) - Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKBdOE2z4O4"]RWD in a Snowstorm - Are we Crazy? - FR-S Long Term #3 - Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bhnMYvn5S4"]Supercharged vs Tuned - Long Term FRS (GT86) #5 - Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NJtzq8HfSE"]RWD in the Snow - Good Bad & Sliding - Long Term FRS (GT86) #6 - Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

[~el~jefe~]

Originally Posted by unhappymeal

What if you live where there's no Magnuson Moss Act or want to keep your factory warranty on your power train?

you would be screwed. It is foolish to modify a car of this caliber if one does not have a gross excess of disposable income. The car, being a subaru and, being that we have 2017 edition which has a lot of modification to increase quality and longevity, to sink $30k into toilet. The car exceeds 140 mph and the legal limit is about 80mph in a 65mph zone.

[WolfpackS2k]

Originally Posted by ~el~jefe~

Yes, the fluids are an issue. I already want to replace them at 5000 miles "regular" driving (i think my regular is near track at times, pretty sure actually).

the brakes do not fade stomping on them every few seconds at higherish speeds on crazy turns. I am unsure changing the pad after the OEM brembo pads were mated and bedded to the rotor, is a great idea or a really bad one. I know everyone does this, but I think it has some logical issues with changing the pads back and forth. People will probably froth at the mouth for this comment, as it implies a track car can only be a track car and a daily burning around car can only be a daily burning around car.

I highly doubt your regular driving is comparable to a typical track event. Even on mountain roads you cannot recreate the environment found when braking repeatedly from over 100 mph down to 40-50 mph. On that same note, your brake fluid after 5,000 miles is probably fine. It's designed to last 60,000 miles. So maybe you drive aggressively - that's not gonna mean the fluid is only good for one twelfth the interval. All this is assuming that you don't abuse the brakes by dragging them constantly.

Until you actually participate in a track event, and are comfortable enough to push that pedal harder and harder and continually shorten your braking zones, you just don't realize the abuse these cars can take, and how incredibly different it is from anything you can do on public roads. I've turned rotors blue at an HPDE, that's ridiculous haha. And as Tyler mentioned, swapping pads back and forth is no big deal. If you were really concerned you could swap rotors as well. Totally unnecessary, however.

[Anthonyc77]

What I take from the video, is that they seem to be overall upset with Toyota/Subaru for not making more power with the refresh. Which is kind of silly, as I think we should be grateful Toyota/Subaru even kept the platform around. With the killing off of Scion, and only 7-8k sales a year, it would seem that it would be very easy for Toyota/Subaru to have just stop producing the twins all together. What Every Driver seems to forget, is that this car has always been an amazing base platform to build upon, and doesnt need to make a bunch of power from the gate.

I guess what im saying is that Everyday Driver should be happy the car still exists and they kept the platform going for others to enjoy, instead of nagging about it "being slow" which has already been beaten to death the last 4 years.

[DandoX]

They make it seem like the torque dip is such an issue and its massive. Personally I don't really notice it and I often pass people on B roads in the middle of that torque dip. Maybe I'm not a good enough or experienced enough driver to notice the torque dip. Either way I don't think it's a big enough deal to even mention more than once let alone every 86 video they have. I never really thought this car really needs much more power because that's what down shifting is for.

[Is Always Angry]

Originally Posted by DandoX

They make it seem like the torque dip is such an issue and its massive. Personally I don't really notice it and I often pass people on B roads in the middle of that torque dip. Maybe I'm not a good enough or experienced enough driver to notice the torque dip. Either way I don't think it's a big enough deal to even mention more than once let alone every 86 video they have. I never really thought this car really needs much more power because that's what down shifting is for.

I'm in the same boat with you. I can feel it though, a bit, if I run all the way through like 2nd gear from almost lugging it to redline... It feels like an extra surge after 4.5k to me, not so much a fail at 3.5k.

I really noticed after owning it for a while then riding in my friend's MR-2S. Such a linear power band, it felt like 4k-redline in the BRZ but all the way through.

Still, doesn't bug me. I'm no racecar driver.

[dowroa]

If I may, isn't it safe to say that they do put all these `problems` in place to meet federal mandates?

We do have room in the wheel well for 255s on a car that comes with 215s without rolling the fenders.

We go get 7.5" rims (on PP models) that can easily fit a 235/245 even though it comes with 215s to meet EPA fleet requirements.

I don't personally know enough about the torque dip, but with headers and a tune, it does seem solvable.

All of these issues do.

For those who don't intend to modify their vehicle, I can see this as annoying and frustrating. Comparing stock to stock, yes, it is annoying like throttle hang on the WRXes.

However, we do have solutions and the car is still made.

For the world we live in, at least work arounds are still possible and `designed` to be worked around.

[~el~jefe~]

What I noticed is not the torque loss, but the what-the-hell amount of torque at 2000-3000 rpm. It shoots me between cars if I am in 3rd or 4th gear. Not many cars rip through 1800-3500 as fast as my car. It then tables off for a 1000 rpm, and then goes psycho. if the car had worse low end torque people would praise it for its "great power band". This is how i see it, not that the dip is bad on my 2017 manual, but that low end is some sci-fi shit going on. it is a classy car to drive around a city or traffic due to that low and smooth power low down.

[unhappymeal]

Originally Posted by ~el~jefe~

you would be screwed. It is foolish to modify a car of this caliber if one does not have a gross excess of disposable income. The car, being a subaru and, being that we have 2017 edition which has a lot of modification to increase quality and longevity, to sink $30k into toilet. The car exceeds 140 mph and the legal limit is about 80mph in a 65mph zone.

Do you not see the irony in your post?

[unhappymeal]

Originally Posted by DandoX

They make it seem like the torque dip is such an issue and its massive. Personally I don't really notice it and I often pass people on B roads in the middle of that torque dip. Maybe I'm not a good enough or experienced enough driver to notice the torque dip. Either way I don't think it's a big enough deal to even mention more than once let alone every 86 video they have. I never really thought this car really needs much more power because that's what down shifting is for.

In my opinion, the torque dip is not a practical issue for acceleration. I think any sane person would just downshift and floor it if they truly needed to move. What I find is that it's an enjoyment or convenience issue. The engine just does not feel as linear or responsive as something like the K20, K24 or SkyActiv in the Miata. This is especially true when driving around town where you're unlikely to rev the engine out.

[LotsaMiles]

Originally Posted by funwheeldrive

Thanks brah



I don't think it's so much trashing the power as much as it's comparing the powerband between the original and the refresh. Besides, the 86 is slow when it comes to straight line acceleration, we can all admit that.

I do a 150 mile round trip to work every day in my 2013 FR-S, about 2/3 of it on spectacular Kentucky twisties where there are no cops but I have to watch out for deer. It has all the power I need. It is the perfect mix of power and economy.

I've said many times that if I lived in a city I'd not be the least bit interested in owning this car. But as is, it is as if they called my wife a few years ago and asked her what kind of car her husband would like for his daily commute.

[LotsaMiles]

Originally Posted by ~el~jefe~

What I noticed is not the torque loss, but the what-the-hell amount of torque at 2000-3000 rpm. It shoots me between cars if I am in 3rd or 4th gear. Not many cars rip through 1800-3500 as fast as my car. It then tables off for a 1000 rpm, and then goes psycho.

This^^

I've learned to milk that power curve for all it's worth in city traffic before I get to the fun part of the commute.