reQunix's GT-86

[reQunix]

My car is a High Spec (Automatic) Pearl White 86. Current picture:



I've added every option that we in South Africa get from the dealer, which isn't that much actually. We get some TRD parts, but we didn't get any actual TRD cars, so this is the closest we can get without spending insane amounts of money to bring it all in ourselves.

List of parts, planned and current, below:

Installed:

Wheels
Advan RZ 18x8J (Dark Gun Metallic)
TRD Security Lug Nuts

Aero Parts
TRD Front Spoiler
TRD Side Skirts
TRD Rear Boot Spoiler
TRD Rear Diffuser and Rear Under/Bumper Spoiler
Sharkfin Antenna

Exhaust
TRD High Response Muffler and Muffler Garnish

Suspension & Handling
TRD Front Tower Bar
TRD Member Brace Set

Engine Bay
TRD Sports Air Filter
TRD Sports Oil Filter
TRD Oil Filler Cap
TRD Radiator Cap
TRD Sound Changer (red)

Interior
TRD Security Film
TRD Fuel Cap Cover
TRD Push Start Button
TRD Shift Knob (A/T)
TRD Carbon-style dash panel
JPM Coachworks Leather Instrument Cluster Console

TRD Winker Bulbs
TRD Sunshade for GT-86
Parrot Asteroid Smart Head Unit

Planned:

OEM RHD Armrest [arrived]
Tein Street Basis Coilovers [arrived]
TRD Door Stabilizers [arrived]

[reQunix]

I walked into the dealership just over a week ago, tested a Silver GT86 High Spec MT. Needless to say I was quite happy with it, but they had no stock except that used one and another black used Standard Spec. I was looking for a High Spec Auto, preferably in Black.

The dealer told me they have a Satin Pearl White one on order coming in 6 weeks, but there are two Dark Grey Metallic (DGM) ones that register on the dealer network at other dealerships.

I wasn't keen on waiting and I won't buy a car without seeing the colour in person first. So she organised that another customer to whom she sold a DGM one bring it 'round the next day so I could see it.

Turns out I quite like the DGM so I told her I'll take the Pearl White, but if she can get one of the DGM ones before that, that I would be happy with one of those as well.

Spoke to her again last week. Seems both of the DGMs are spoken for - so as it stands I'm waiting for the Pearl White one coming in April.

I also got them to add on every part they offer, even the stupid R2,000 (~$250) TRD push start button. Unfortunately, we don't get a lot of the TRD parts, like the wheels (love those) and brakes.

Spoke to her again today to ensure that they order the parts before the car comes so they can be fitted immediately and so I'll have stock parts in perfect condition as I won't have to drive around with them whilst waiting for the other parts.

They've been pretty cool about it. Finance's been approved, no deposit required, not even for the TRD parts which is, from what I hear, not usual.

Now I'm just waiting anxiously, watching Keiichi Tsuchiya videos, reading FT86.com and hoping nothing goes wrong. 5 - 6 more weeks.

Since everything is hard for us to get here in South Africa, I'll probably need to order wheels so long as well, since I find the stock ones hideous.

[Vladror]

what dealership did you use? always good to know which ones provide good service..

[reQunix]

Originally Posted by Vladror

what dealership did you use? always good to know which ones provide good service..

Barloworld Toyota Tygervalley

The dealer gave me a call on Friday. I had asked them to order all the extra parts so that they'd be available when the car arrives thinking that they might have to come from Japan. It seems all the parts have arrived. So now I'm just waiting on the car.

They said best case end of the month, but more likely a little into April.

Being... So... Patient...

[reQunix]

Dealer called again. The 86 has landed in Durban and will be in Cape Town tomorrow. Will go in to sort out all the numbers and registration tomorrow.
With registration and parts fitment she should be ready for collection early next week.

[reQunix]

So despite a couple of delays with work being performed on the car I finally managed to take delivery this morning. Of course, today would be one of the few days we have horrible rain and everything is quite dirty.

I managed to take a few pictures at the dealership before leaving, but the floor was pretty full and cramped so no decent full car shots.

The service I got from Barloworld Toyota Tyger Valley was quite good and I can't fault them there. The only thing I wasn't happy about is the spoilers don't match 100% (more white than the body) and sections that were meant to remain black were colour coded, making for a much less aggressive look overall. Not too much of a problem, I know someone who will sort it out for me.

So now some pictures until I can take better ones. I also did a video on the drive from the dealership but I haven't gotten around to checking it and I'm not sure it came out great.

[Kelbyat07]

Its pretty cool seeing what the frs look like in different countries. Wish they offer the same options like this one.

[*KID*]

Is it me or is the color a little off.

[Sargy]

Im gunna guess and say they ordered it unpainted and color matched it from a different car.

Congrats regardless!

[reQunix]

Yip. Colour is slightly off. It doesn't bother me as much as them filling in the parts that wasn't meant to be colour coded. Busy arranging for that to be undone.

[Laser69]

Spotted you this afternoon near canal walk. The body kit looks good.

[reQunix]

Yeah, I work around there so I'm usually there around lunch.
Without the black highlights the kit looks much less aggressive. I like that the front grille surround almost looks a bit like that of the Mitsubishi's. Or is supposed to anyway. I'm going to sort it out soon.

For those that are interested, once my air filter's in and I do an oil change, I'll do a dyno to see what kind of change the TRD parts in total make to performance along the coast. It shouldn't be anything, but you never know. At least I'll have a baseline in case I do anything later.

[reQunix]

I decided since this is the first Saturday I've had my baby, that I was going to stretch her legs a little. So I got up early and set up a route that included 3 different passes. I was going to film each of the three passes, but alas, my video camera was out of power.

First off I headed out some back roads, then took a bit of highway to play around with the cruise control. Either I don't know how to work it or it doesn't work, will have to RTFM. Then as I reached the Huguenot Tunnel I took a detour over the Du Toit's Kloof pass a winding uphill pass with one or two tighter corners, but mostly a steady 100kph pass. I got lucky and got a clean road most of the way up until I finally got stuck behind a truck near the top so I decided to stop and take some pictures.


^ The view ^

^ The car ^

I then continued on, having cleared some space between the truck and myself. After cresting, on the way down there was a troop of baboons crossing the road near the apex of a concealed turn. Luckily I didn't have any trouble missing them despite the pace I was going.

I then continued on the N1 for a bit until I got near Worcester and turned over towards Villiersdorp where I intended to stop for coffee, of which I hadn't yet had any. This road was mostly straight and I didn't have much cars in my way. There is a short, fun set of twisties in one spot but as I got close there was an i10 in my way going about 50kph that I couldn't pass until after so I dropped down to 30kph for a while to open a gap so I could take the double U-turn at my own pace. When I got to Villiersdorp I was more interested in driving than coffee so I pushed on towards the second pass, the Franschhoek pass.

This pass has two sides: the eastern is slower with incredibly tight corners and some rockfall; the western is a steadier, straighter section with a great view of Franschhoek.

I went up the eastern side which was a lot of fun. The 86 cut through the roads. I was very comfortable doing extremely tight turns at relatively fast speeds. About midway through I had a Nissan Micra in the way but caught a gap after a few corners. Just as I went over the crest I stopped to take these.


^ The view ^

^ The car ^

What followed was a nice couple of tight turns down and then I stopped for some good breakfast at Franschhoek.

The final stretch was some straight road with traffic to Helshoogte pass. Got there and stopped to take this.


^ The start of Helshoogte pass ^

By now my car was looking pretty dirty. Some bikers stopped there as well and warned me about some diesel on the road. They really liked the car.

This is the pass I know best, but is also the least eventful. Bikers like it because most of it has double lanes and if they get there early enough they have plenty of space to gun it. As it was getting late-ish there were plenty cars and I just cut through them at a moderate pace.

After the pass there's some roads and the bikes like to go through there cutting between cars. I saw the guy that warned me about the diesel and I followed him in between the cars as well. He seemed impressed I was able to stick to him, giving me a thumb's up when we stopped at the light.

Overall it was very enjoyable and noticed quite a lot of people rubbernecking on the highway to see what was coming past.

The car was quite dirty after all this so I washed her up nice and polished the exhaust tips again. I like shiny!




If anyone in Cape Town is interested in doing a run like this some time, let me know. It was tons of fun!

[reQunix]

Oh, I also fitted the TRD gear knob and TRD Sports air filter this week, so here are some new pictures of the interior, albeit not great ones.