Some recent observations..
 

I've had my 2013 FR-S for about 6 weeks now, and have put about 2k miles on it. Recently, I've noticed that it's really breaking in beautifully; the transmission, which was always good, is getting smoother and faster, the engine sounds smooth as silk and roars when asked to, the handling is increasingly predictable and strong. This car, once driven for a while, really improves. Then, of course, I woke up and remembered that I had bought the car USED... someone ELSE had already put 22K on it. All those swell improvements and "breakins" weren't the car changing, they were ME changing and getting used to the way THIS car drives. Duh... and yet, we're all guilty of that. Audiophiles constantly talk of the need to "break in" flippin' cables, much less speakers and amps. What MOSTLY is happening is that the listener is getting used to the equipment's sound and learning to like it. Same thing with this car. Those who complain about overly stiff transmissions, difficulty getting into gears, etc... just give it time. You WILL adapt to the car, and it's a GREAT car. Love it. I'm embarrassed to admit I fell into the trap of ascribing the improvements to the car adapting, rather than me adapting to it.

Secondly.. my first real gripe about the car, and it's a very minor one. On my other recent cars (two MB and a BMW), the seats were adjustable in many planes, including the tilt of the seat itself and not just the recline angle of the seat back. I always adjusted the seat so that, when driving, the seat bottom support my from my tailbone all the way down my thigh. For me (5' 8" and fairly short-legged), this meant that most of my thigh was supported by the seat too, which spread my weight from my butt to me knee almost. This is VERY comfortable over long hauls. On the FR-S, you can't adjust the seat tilt, so even with my legs fairly extended my thighs are still off the seat when I'm on the pedals, putting all of my weight (150 lbs) on my butt. Not a big deal, but I didn't notice this issue until I'd driven for a while. Just sayin'. Maybe in the future a seat that adjusts not only in height and front-to-back, but in tilt too, dear ToyoBaru Developers?

As you were.... pass me another egg nog...

Barry

Good points about the ........ "driver break in period" .........:thumbsup:

Have you considered using a wedge shaped seat cushion ... ??


humfrz

Doesn't the front of the seat adjust up and down?

The driver's seat on my 2013 FR-S will adjust up and down, but the bottom will not tilt......:)


humfrz

What we get in return are seats that are super well bolstered and feel good when they do sit right. I gotta say I love these seats even without tilt adjustment

I also love the seats in these cars. They are the most comfortable of any vehicle I've owned (which have only been SUV's, except a short stint in a not so great domestic sub-compact). The biggest surprise was that they fit me just fine at 6'5" and a lot of weight :lol:

I like to move the seat up as far as possible so that I'm one with the car. It's a better driving experience and gives you +32 enthusiasm points... Not sure if that's a big deal for you, but it's a big deal for me since I'm 15 EP away from leveling up to Level 3 and earning the de-badge skill.

Always awesome to hear another person having a good time with their FR-S/BRZ, I too have also noticed the gearbox to be quite notchy going from 1st to 2nd but that's pretty much what everyone says, but after driving for a little while that baby becomes as smooth as silk. Have you gone on any long driving sessions/trips? 4+ hours?

No, because I like everything else about the seats and I'm afraid to lose some of the bolster-ed in/cradled feel of the seat by adding something to it. Maybe I'll try it.. thanks for the push.

No, the seat as a whole will adjust up or down, but not the tilt.

I think the difference in height between the two of us is a big factor. Since you undoubtedly have your seat back farther than I do, the angle between the front of your seat bottom to the pedals is less so your legs are straighter than mine are, probably resting on the seat as I wish mine were.

Three 5+ hour jaunts so far, and very enjoyable. I do like the secure, cradled comfort that everyone else mentions of these seats, don't get me wrong, but I feel more weight on my tailbone than I did/do in my other aforementioned cars. Since the seats really don't encourage a lot of shifting around in your seat, there's really no way to change your load-bearing contact points (say, shifting from one cheek to another, or slouching a bit for a minute or two, or sitting more upright.. all things that help keep circulation moving on long trips). When doing long hauls (I've done over 20 hours non-stop except for gas and a quick bathroom break or two on many occasionas), these little in-seat exercises are life savers. Changing the seat position and angle occasionally during a very long drive helps too. With this car, for me anyway, I have to set the ideal driving location and stick with it. Like I said, it IS very comfortable, but there's only ONE comfortable "setting." I wish I could vary it more. As others have mentioned in other posts, I LOVE how well the car is laid out; you can reach every control almost without taking your hand off the shifter or the steering wheel. Beautiful.

Barry

Put a spacer under where the front of the seat attaches. That'll lift the front. Might compromise safety. I suppose you could have a wedge spacer machined if you wanted it all shiny and nice instead of washers

When I first start it the 1 to 2nd gears are a bit stiff due to the fluid being a bit cold but once temp gauge goes up a bit it's all good. I noticed that a small rev when changing gears minimizes that.

I had the pleasure of driving someone else's BMW 113i for a few hours, and it's a good car.
I could not own one though, because with all its seat adjustments I could not find a comfortable position.
I've had this problem in a lot of cars over the years.
Only brand I trust to always make seats I can occupy for 8+ hrs without back pains etc is Mercedes.

- So imagine my surprise when I drop into the GT86 demo car and discovers that the seat fits me perfectly, with no comfort adjustment at all!

I have seat and steering wheel set according to the Porsche method.
Highly recommended, watch video below.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72qpgA7Cr_4[/ame]

I've also adjusted my seat to this video.

When I was buying, I test drove the MT and at first I didn't like the gearbox, but then by the time I was back on the street the dealership was on, I was very happy with it, and found some of the more common "quirks" about it.

Ended up buying the AT (long story about a girl who is no longer part of my life) and I'm still finding I have to modify my driving habits to get the most of it. Though, I think the AT has more quirks than the MT at this point, until Toyota Canada decides to introduce that stupid TSB for the AT that all the 'Mericans get.

I'm not sure what this TSB or whatnot is but can't you just import it and swap it in?