A few questions for experienced drivers of this class of car

[Partial Stall]

Originally Posted by swift996

I've driven many platforms and have owned 13 cars now. From what I read in the reviews I think this car will be pretty close to feeling like a RX8.

I would recommend buying this book if you're serious in learning more about driving and getting the most out of your car.
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Speed...ref=pd_sim_b_1

Thanks, Swift. I'll look into getting this book. I think it would be a good trophy on the back of my toilet or maybe on my bedside table.

I'm almost done with grad school (2-3 more weeks baby), and after that I plan to take the summer off this leave me alot of ability to take the BRZ (or evo if i don't buy the BRZ) to Auto Cross and the like.

One of the things I'm a bit worried about is the fact that NOWHERE in maine does anyone sell 93 octane. I understand that the owners manual says it's possible to drive with 91, but then it goes on to say there might be some "slight pinging." WTF I don't want any pinging. The evo drinks 91 perfectly fine, and suffers about 5 wHP loss as a result.

Does anyone have a link to the OEM tires on the BRZ? I'd love to read reviews on tire rack ect. If they are crappy I will have a full set of new ones on my porch even before the car comes in

[Partial Stall]

Originally Posted by dookie11

This is the only thing I got from the OP: " Banging the vtec."

Seriously dude. That engine (think it was the k20?) in the Si just asked me to take it out back and beat it with a stick. Theres a few roads here that are carved deep into the earth with towering granite on each side. I'd roll down the window in the SI, tack the engine, and then listen to the sound as it reverberates off the stone cliffs.

[Turbowned]

I'd keep the tires. Yes, they're the same thing as you get on a Prius, but they're just right for all the practicing you'll be doing (read: hanging it sideways)! I plan on getting a separate set of wheels and tires, and using the stockers for drift spares. I wouldn't worry about the 91 octane; California only has 91, as well as some other states if I'm not mistaken.

Originally Posted by M-17

I almost bought a G37 rwd coupe, but for some reason I didn't like the drive. It wasn't what I was expecting for nice car that it is.

Yep, that car sucks! I was so disappointed with it and the 370Z!

[Draco-REX]

The tires are Michelin Primacy HP tires. Essentially High Performance tires for the Prius, and economy tires for a Porsche. There are better choices out there (Dunlop Z1 Star Spec for instance) but these should hold up well until you're decided how much money you want to put into the BRZ.

[Racecomp Engineering]

You're gonna love this car. It sounds like just what you're looking for.

Don't worry about trying to hang the ass end out and focus on being smooooooth, consistent, and in control.

Definitely autocross as much as you can.

Also, the OEM tires are not bad at all and have decent grip. They will be a perfect tire to learn on.

Enjoy!

- Andrew

[brianbot5000]

Lots of answers already, but here are my thoughts anyway...

AWD is great if you're doing some spirited driving in wet conditions, or if you want to get through snow. You get this "I can go anywhere in any condition, fast" complex, which can be a nice feeling but you have to keep it reigned in. I loved my '02 WRX for this reason.

FWD is fine for stability, but the moment you ask a lot in terms of power, it gets crappy to even scary. First time I went to pass someone on a two-lane road in my wife's Mazda 3, the torque steer was enough to make me think twice about doing that again. It made using the car's power not much fun.

RWD is great, feeling the tires push you from behind and the car stay pretty much planted in a straight line. But get in a corner, especially on a wet road, and too much power can spin you if you're not careful. The power can put you out of control in other ways, but it's at least controllable compared to torque steer. That was the case with my 300zx TT, but that had a lot more power than the BRZ. That's one reason I think the BRZ will be more fun to drive - harder to push the limits of it's performance with the power you have on hand.

[Bristecom]

As many of you say, the first thing you'll notice is the lower weight, better weight distribution, and the lower center of gravity. The Evo X is still somewhat heavy and you can feel the weight transfer around which may delay your inputs a bit. Also, the active center and rear differentials in the Evo X shift the power around which helps you turn but it can be somewhat unpredictable. The BRZ's power goes straight to the rear and thru a linear Torsen LSD. Of course, this means you will have less traction at times as there's nowhere for the power to go once the rears let up but in a way that can be fun. And then there's the engine. The Evo X has a big turbo that gives you a rush of power mid-range. The BRZ's powerband will be much smoother (albeit much less powerful), which again helps with predictability and confidence.

So yes, they are two very different cars and both are good in their own way. Even though I am really impressed by the speed and grip of the Evo X, I actually prefer the predictability and feel of my Eclipse GSX. And I think the FR-S will be a car that gives me that low-weight, responsive, fun, and confidence-inspiring feeling I like.

[Bristecom]

Originally Posted by Partial Stall

Madfest, I apperciate your take on the power issue. It's on my mind as well, and I'm not trying to bash the evo in anyway, but lets face it: the car drives itself. You could put a monkey at the wheel of an evo and make good track times. I'm a thinking man, and require constant stimulation to keep me inpressed. Do i respect the evo for its abilites? Yes. Is it fun to drive? Yes. Does it make me think about how I will take a 25 mph rated corner at 60? No. I just smash through the damn thing and watch the pretty AWS lights come on

I wonder about how the BRZ will feel under lateral and straight line acceleration. Being RWD, your being pushed by the rear tires. In the evo and using the "TARMAC" setting, 70% of the power is diverted to the rear so I bet it feels about the same. Lateral acceleration, or gforce will probably feel divergent to my evo experience. I'm intereted in finding out

It annoys me when people say the Evo drives itself. The Evo is a quick car so you have to pay very close attention to everything you're doing. You have to get used to the way it drives and master it like any other car. It will often understeer like a pig if you don't get a turn right or get on the power too early on a tighter turn. Sure, it will work its way thru some of the driver's slopiness but you can very easily crash this car if you are not experienced and are relying on the electronics and differentials to handle everything for you.

And BTW, where did you hear that it sends 70% to the rear? As far as I know, the maximum it ever sends to the rear is 50% and the Tarmac/Gravel/Snow settings do not effect the power distribution at all - only the reaction time. There are detailed articles on how this diff works online.

[86fanatic]

Originally Posted by Partial Stall

I wonder about how the BRZ will feel under lateral and straight line acceleration. Being RWD, your being pushed by the rear tires. In the evo and using the "TARMAC" setting, 70% of the power is diverted to the rear so I bet it feels about the same. Lateral acceleration, or gforce will probably feel divergent to my evo experience. I'm intereted in finding out

This is not an accurate understanding of how the Evo's AWD system works. The transfer case locks torque at 50/50. All the "AWC" button does is change how the electronic differentials lock to give more or less slip in different driving conditions.

In terms of handling, involvement, and fun to drive factor, I would say the jury is still out on whether the BRZ will actually be better then the Evo. The comparison against the Miata was very interesting in that referenced article.

You seem to not like the "mountains of grip" the Evo offers as you can just floor the throttle through corners, but the BRZ also aims to offer very high grip limits with an extremely low center of gravity. It's basically two different approaches to the same problem.

If you really want to be a better driver try a 911 from the 70's. Cars like the AP1 S2000 also has a take no prisoners mentality. You can pick either up for under 10 grand these days and make it a dedicated track car.

Cars like the Miata, Evo, and I'm assuming the BRZ are actually very very forgiving and paritially designed to not get you into trouble.

Just my two cents.

[DEC1]

Originally Posted by Turbowned

I'd keep the tires. Yes, they're the same thing as you get on a Prius, but they're just right for all the practicing you'll be doing (read: hanging it sideways)! I plan on getting a separate set of wheels and tires, and using the stockers for drift spares. I wouldn't worry about the 91 octane; California only has 91, as well as some other states if I'm not mistaken.



Yep, that car sucks! I was so disappointed with it and the 370Z!

Now come on...if you didn't own one you don't really know. the g coupe has/had a lot of things going for it including one of the sexiest shapes out there still. It's got tons of power but tons of weight to go with that...even with the weight penalty its still plenty fun...with an exhaust note that is the best I've heard for a six. The interior layout and the driver interface is still above and beyond most makes including AUDI and BMW....

[swift996]

I'm not 100% certain and certainly this isn't the only measure of success, but I can't remember an AWD platform ever winning LeMans. The BRZ is the absolute essence of sports cars. Unfortunately, manufactures stopped producing them some time back unless you go up market to a Porsche or Ferrari. I think you will find a RWD platform much more rewarding to drive. The weight is a big issue, it's hard to find an AWD system on a chassis under 3200lbs. I love the way an evo drives (I've never driven an Sti) but at the end of the day you leave with a feeling of you own an econo box. It's really up to your individual preferences. People have their own priorities. For me it's engineering, styling, and performance. I really love engineering above anything else. The fact the car was developed specifically for a vision is a powerful thing to me.

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by swift996

I'm not 100% certain and certainly this isn't the only measure of success, but I can't remember an AWD platform ever winning LeMans. The BRZ is the absolute essence of sports cars. Unfortunately, manufactures stopped producing them some time back unless you go up market to a Porsche or Ferrari. I think you will find a RWD platform much more rewarding to drive. The weight is a big issue, it's hard to find an AWD system on a chassis under 3200lbs. I love the way an evo drives (I've never driven an Sti) but at the end of the day you leave with a feeling of you own an econo box. It's really up to your individual preferences. People have their own priorities. For me it's engineering, styling, and performance. I really love engineering above anything else. The fact the car was developed specifically for a vision is a powerful thing to me.

Audi's R18 will likely be the most recent example. But the thing is, AWD is usually banned or penalized out of competition in most racing series. The ability to get on the throttle so early in a corner is just too much of an advantage, while the complexity means development costs are much higher.