Shopping between BRZ and MX-5. Can't get over torque dip.

[Jordanwolf]

Um bro. How are you managing 30 MPG in city? What is your city driving like.. Because my city driving is equal to 25 MPG. Unless your numbers are imperial?? dumb american measurements. why can't they just keep up with the rest of the world.

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

On fuel mileage, here are my stats (also available in my Owner's Journal). It should be noted I have an AT, that I drive in manual about 50% of the time. The AT does get slightly better mileage than the MT. I am always the first off the light, and have never met a curve I don't take as a challenge, zero effort to hypermile.

355 Fill-Ups with an average of 33.12 MPG
My lowest mileage for a tank was 27.6MPG (1 instance)
At total of 8 tanks were below 30MPG (all city driving or stuck in traffic)
My Best was 40.6MPG (1 instance)
121 tanks were 32.6 to 33.6 MPG

Full history:

[Summerwolf]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Anybody that owned a turbo car from the 90s should not even notice the "dip". Just pretend that it's very brief appearance is turbo lag and all of a sudden it becomes a feature not an issue.

Ehhh, I can't even compare it to turbo lag. You had nothing and then it hit until it fell off.


This is like shitty VTEC. Some, none, crescendo of power.


It IS noticeable, but you learn to drive around it.

[gravitylover]

In 5 years that I've been driving this car the torque dip has never been an issue but I've never tracked the car so maybe... I did get a stage 1 tune a while back that almost completely eliminated it and I've noticed it a few times but again it's not a factor (for me). The difference in mpg's between the two cars is pretty small and I bet in real world use is even smaller unless you drive hard frequently and have a heavy foot then this car falls off pretty quickly. When I had a long daily commute and when I do mostly hwy driving it's easy to get 32+ mpg with this car. The handling is spot on and the car is easier to drive than the shorter wheelbase Miata, it also rides better over rough pavement due to the slightly longer wheelbase. Not much but it's there. I don't know what the stats are but I bet this car is also safer in a potentially catastrophic accident than the smaller topless car.

[gravitylover]

Originally Posted by Jordanwolf

Um bro. How are you managing 30 MPG in city? What is your city driving like.. Because my city driving is equal to 25 MPG. Unless your numbers are imperial?? dumb american measurements. why can't they just keep up with the rest of the world.

I find it pretty easy to run 26-28mpg around town but I'm not a stop light dragster kind of guy, 30 is a stretch unless I'm on the open road.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Jordanwolf

Um bro. How are you managing 30 MPG in city? What is your city driving like.. Because my city driving is equal to 25 MPG. Unless your numbers are imperial?? dumb american measurements. why can't they just keep up with the rest of the world.

I'm not, those were the one's below 30MPG

[Jordanwolf]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

I'm not, those were the one's below 30MPG

Apologies for my confusion then, I just read it like you were implying most of your tanks are at 30+ with the inclusion of city.

Originally Posted by gravitylover

In 5 years that I've been driving this car the torque dip has never been an issue but I've never tracked the car so maybe...

I think this is the key right here. Track exposes your skill level as a driver when it comes to the torque dip. The minute you hit that at corner exit, you know you need to improve. It's a real eye opener, but fortunately unrelated to real world driving.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Jordanwolf

Apologies for my confusion then, I just read it like you were implying most of your tanks are at 30+ with the inclusion of city..

No worries. About 20% of each tank is used in what falls into "city driving" but it more like "rural town driving", slow speeds, stop at lights, occasionally stopped by trains and the random cow, deer, or turkey. I do occasionally go into the "big city" (Atlanta) and see a drop accordingly. Even in my worst tank though I've not gone below 27, and that one involved all day city driving and sitting in traffic jams. Of course, the car uses very little fuel just idling, it's that 5 to 35MPH stop and go that kills it for you.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Jordanwolf

. Track exposes your skill level as a driver when it comes to the torque dip.

This is where I will agree that the torque dip does make a difference. If you are trying to shave a hundredth of a second off your lap time or break the world drag race time for a stock FR/BRZ/86 then yep the dip will have an effect. During daily driving that 10% drop for a fraction of a second when rowing through the gears really should not have any impact. There are 6 gears available there is no reason why that vey brief drop in torque should slow you down on the streets.

[Jordanwolf]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

This is where I will agree that the torque dip does make a difference. If you are trying to shave a hundredth of a second off your lap time or break the world drag race time for a stock FR/BRZ/86 then yep the dip will have an effect. During daily driving that 10% drop for a fraction of a second when rowing through the gears really should not have any impact. There are 6 gears available there is no reason why that vey brief drop in torque should slow you down on the streets.

But the masses will be there to complain when they think that torque dip is slowing them down on the streets trying to drag race EK9 Civics, when in reality it's their brain.

And thus, the stigma lives on, proud and strong.

[ZDan]

Torque dip is zero issue at the track, you're above 4500rpm all the time.
For me, it hasn't been an issue on the street either. But then I drive pretty normally on the street. You do have to keep the revs up if you need to accelerate.
No big deal...

[Sasquachulator]

Originally Posted by ZDan

Torque dip is zero issue at the track, you're above 4500rpm all the time.
For me, it hasn't been an issue on the street either. But then I drive pretty normally on the street. You do have to keep the revs up if you need to accelerate.
No big deal...

what? I thought in a car with a 2.0L high revving engine with 151lb/ft of torque...I could accelerate in 4th gear faster than a corvette! Because that's normal driving....

But that damn torque dip...….

[Summerwolf]

6, 6000.... same difference. This forum really sucks, sometimes.

Just drop twenty three gears and floor it, bro.

[Vracer111]

If you are in the torque dip band on track you are doing it wrong for the most part...after warmup lap(s) you should be staying in the 5k - BELOW redline band when on track. MUCH worse to hit the rev limiter than be in the torque dip on track though...rev limiter on this car will cost you time severely - one of the stupidest rev limiters I've ever experienced (maybe the fixed it in the newer models?) My Nissan Frontier has a much better rev limiter.

Will be selling my FR-S soon (I keep saying this... LOL) and if I do eventually get another sports car it will be an NA miata (1.8L) with hardtop permanently mounted... because dirt cheap, proper easy maintenance and access I4 motor, inexpensive suspension parts are pretty much sorted out and a known quantity (absolute MUST upgrade on those floppy leaning boats - ONE thing I absolute can't stand about them - my Nissan Frontier is much better behaved with less body roll in hard cornering...does have a nice aftermarket suspension on it though) and know I can fit well with a race seat and my NOS 280mm MOMO Monte Carlo steering wheel [I 've had sitting in box forever other than test fitting for a civic sedan track car many, many years ago] installed (stock seat FORGET IT!.) Love the FR-S and wouldn't be selling it if hadn't made some bad personal finance decisions. Will miss the FR-S dearly, but I have to live with the choices I've made.

If only Toyota would stop teasing and commit to make the S-FR there would not be any dilemma to be had in choosing between an MX-5 or a Twin, S-FR all the way! Assuming they would be sold globally and a non-Japanese person could fit comfortably in one... LOL

[humfrz]

Hello - ol humfrz here.

I drove a NC Miata for 8 years and a FR-S for 5 years now.

Which one to choose?

If you want a roadster, I suggest you get a Miata, if you want a coupe, I suggest you get a BRZ or 86.



humfrz