Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community - FT86CLUB - View Single Post - Thinking of an FRS

benlevy3 · 09-07-2012, 05:43 PM

Well, I took an FRS out for a test drive. Very nice car. Impressions below..

I have a few questions.

1) I turned the Traction control off, but as soon as the car wheels slipped, the traction control turned itself back on. This is really dangerous! Is there some trick to really turning it off? This is a must for the track.

2) Other then the actual head unit, is the BeSpoke system any different? Are the speakers etc. the same?

3) Is the head unit a standard double din? Is it pretty easy to put an aftermarket system in?

--- Impressions --
These are my impressions from the 20 minute test drive!!

The car drove much better then I expected. I found it a bit under-powered off the line, but pretty responsive once it got going. If it had an additional 20 or 30 HP (still naturally aspirated) it would be fantastic! A supercharger and a different cam would really liven this up. (By the way, I am a former Lotus Exige S owner). A turbo will probably help a lot, but may be a bit twitchy.

I really liked the stock suspension. Was comfortable, but still predictable and had very little roll. The car felt very planted, but I think the front to back weight ratio could be better. That being said, it is more fun the way it is. I did not drive the car that hard.

The shifting was bang on. Really liked it. Seating position and general interior ergonomics are great.

It took me a while to figure it out, but the car drives like an older Subaru. It does not drive like any Toyota I have driven. You get a great feel for the car, but it is not killing you.

I bought a Miata last year (2012). I was considering a 370Z, but the could not stand all the buttons. It was like being in a cockpit of a passenger jet. Had the FRS been around then, I would have gone for one. I like a simple car that makes you feel connected to the road.

-- History (if your interested) --
Previous cars (in the last 4 or 5 years!) are:
Lotus Exige S. Fantastic car, just a real pain and not so reliable !!
Camaro 2SS RS. Comfy, Tons of Power, goes straight very well !!
Miata. Yea, should have remembered the lesson from Goldilocks. Fun, reliable.

My plan was to put a supercharger in the Miata. The problem is that I am just a tad too tall for the car. The convertible is great, but I ride too and on a nice day, I would prefer to be out on the bike.

09-07-2012, 05:43 PM	#1
benlevy3 Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: FRS Location: Houston, TX Posts: 42 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Thinking of an FRS - Question and Impressions Well, I took an FRS out for a test drive. Very nice car. Impressions below.. I have a few questions. 1) I turned the Traction control off, but as soon as the car wheels slipped, the traction control turned itself back on. This is really dangerous! Is there some trick to really turning it off? This is a must for the track. 2) Other then the actual head unit, is the BeSpoke system any different? Are the speakers etc. the same? 3) Is the head unit a standard double din? Is it pretty easy to put an aftermarket system in? --- Impressions -- These are my impressions from the 20 minute test drive!! The car drove much better then I expected. I found it a bit under-powered off the line, but pretty responsive once it got going. If it had an additional 20 or 30 HP (still naturally aspirated) it would be fantastic! A supercharger and a different cam would really liven this up. (By the way, I am a former Lotus Exige S owner). A turbo will probably help a lot, but may be a bit twitchy. I really liked the stock suspension. Was comfortable, but still predictable and had very little roll. The car felt very planted, but I think the front to back weight ratio could be better. That being said, it is more fun the way it is. I did not drive the car that hard. The shifting was bang on. Really liked it. Seating position and general interior ergonomics are great. It took me a while to figure it out, but the car drives like an older Subaru. It does not drive like any Toyota I have driven. You get a great feel for the car, but it is not killing you. I bought a Miata last year (2012). I was considering a 370Z, but the could not stand all the buttons. It was like being in a cockpit of a passenger jet. Had the FRS been around then, I would have gone for one. I like a simple car that makes you feel connected to the road. -- History (if your interested) -- Previous cars (in the last 4 or 5 years!) are: Lotus Exige S. Fantastic car, just a real pain and not so reliable !! Camaro 2SS RS. Comfy, Tons of Power, goes straight very well !! Miata. Yea, should have remembered the lesson from Goldilocks. Fun, reliable. My plan was to put a supercharger in the Miata. The problem is that I am just a tad too tall for the car. The convertible is great, but I ride too and on a nice day, I would prefer to be out on the bike.