Any way to spruce up the slushbox?
 

Hi all, first post here. My wife and I are looking into getting her a new car and the FR-S/BRZ is on her short list. She doesn't know anything about cars, she just picked it based on looks. I was doing some research and everyone seems to love them, a true "drivers" car. The HP numbers scared me a little, but hey it's not like it will be my DD and HP isn't everything.

However... then I read a review specifically of the automatic... I think MT or C&D renamed it to the autotragic. I mean ouch, the auto is really, really bad.

My question is, what would I be able to do to fix it? Yeah it will be her car, but what is the point of owning one if I can't have fun with it too lol. I assume this is a tall gearing issue? What about sharpening her up in general with a tune?

The automatic is great, don't read into stupid magazine reviews. You will still have tons of fun driving it.

brother it would do you heaps to check out my sig on how to search this site via google

Common search terms for you, ready to drop into google:

- AT upgrades site:ft86club.com

- Auto gearing site:ft86club.com

- Stock tuning site:ft86club.com

- OFT stage 1 site:ft86club.com

- How to make this car fast site:ft86club.com

- ft86club.com site:ft86club.com

A tune won't affect the transmission, but there are ways to tweak it. Expensive ways, because automatic transmission.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53020

She should get some test drives over marginal and rough roads in before purchase, if she's buying the car because it looks cool. It may not ride as smoothly as she would like.

No, it isn't. It's very, very good. In my opinion. I have driven an AT GT86 36,000 km on every kind of road, in all kinds of weather. I absolutely love it.

My advice: Test drive the car before forming any opinion.

I would recommend driving it rather than taking the reviewer's word for it. Most of the complaints come from those that think the car should only come with a manual.

The AT in the 86 is definitely the best AT I've ever driven, sports car or otherwise. The only real "problem" with it is launch control, but unless your wife will be drag racing, I don't see how that should matter.

My post will be followed immediately by a slew of individuals telling you how wrong I am, but that's OK. I have 60,000 miles on the AT so I think I qualify to give it a proper review. I also have several 100,000 miles driving manual transmissions.

I don't miss the MT in the 86 a bit, particularly as a daily driver.

I test drove an automatic because it was the only twin available within 200 miles at the time to drive...and I actually quite enjoyed it. I thought the paddle shifts were damn crisp and there are multiple automatic modes (sport v/s reg) IIRC.

Go drive it with her and see what you think. This car is lightweight and raw...don't be fooled by the numbers...it is a brisk and agile car. But it will never beat a 6 or 8 cylinder engine of course.

And on the flip side...if your wife has any desire to learn that age old art of driving a manual....the manual transmission is quite good in this car as well!

Fucking LOL.

ETA: I mean really. Thanks OP, I nearly sharted.

But that isn't how the internet works

I've read a lot of things about the FR-S, from just about every source and this is, by far, the funniest thing I have ever read about the car. OP has to post pics of his DD Veyron now.

Wait! You mean these cars exist in real life? All this time I thought I was on the Forza Horizan 2 forum you guys were talking about real cars??
Wow how embarrassing is this!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Cover_Art.png

Car and Driver: 2013 Scion FR-S Automatic

"Why would someone pick the automatic version of what’s supposed to be the Amazing Reborn Rear-Drive Sports Coupe? It’s hard to say, but in the interest of thoroughness we’ve tested one anyway, and here’s the surprise: The FR-S’s is actually a pretty good automatic, one worthy of the rest of the car’s promise."

ETA: The only source that shit on the FR-S/BRZ is "The Truth About Cars" and they can't find their ass with both hands.

Man, I feel bad for my car. How should I break the news to it that it's...well you know... an Automatic?!?

I test drove the manual, bought the auto. Sometimes I regret it, 99% of the time I don't. Most of the times I wish I had a manual, it's because someone starts beaking off about how I should have gotten the manual instead of the auto and it's very tiresome to hear again and again. At the end of the day, I don't need to drive stick to prove I have one.

Edit: also I find it's usually people who either a)drive a shit box or b) people who know fuck all about cars, but know just enough to be able to tell me a sports car should be manual.