Road trip impressions...

[zooki]

So I'm on an extended road trip for my vacation. I live on the Gulf Coast of Texas, but I've been bombing around northern New Mexico/southern Colorado for a few days now. Just driving wherever I feel like going, no real plan. First, I have to ask, how do you guys who live at altitude do it? My car feels like a pig up here!
Second, I don't think I've EVER seen so many drivers drive EXACTLY the speed limit as in New Mexico. That's just the damnedest thing...
I will say I love, love, love the car, love the roads up here too. We don't have roads like this, with actual curves and hills back home...
The first day I drove right at 12 hours and wasn't uncomfortable at all. Averaged 35 MPG on I 10 across west Texas, and that was at the 80 MPH speed limit(and maybe a little more)
So I'm heading over to Moab tomorrow, never been, then maybe back to Grand Junction and down through Silverton & Durango before I head back home...

[SigmaHyperion]

Just made that drive about 10 days ago myself.

6th gear is a blast at 12,000ft, ain't it? Pedal to the floor and you slow down.

5th gear keeps your steady at highway speeds if you're lucky.

Taking deliver of your car in Colorado sure teaches you how to properly use all your gears to pass in this car, that's for sure. It was a hell of a change of pace from a few years of owning LSx motors with "4th gear is for everything".

That drive south of Montrose all the way down through Silverton to Durango is fucking awesome though. You're gonna love it. Make sure you pull off at Ridgway State Park (about 20 miles south of Montrose) at the Visitor's Center and take the trail out past the teepee to overlook the lake.

My link looking over the lake is dead (FT86Club killed my site bandwidth) but I got this one hosted elsewhere from Ridgway facing the other way:

[zooki]

I understand no power at altitude, I drove a Suzuki Samurai over Imogene Pass on the backside of Telluride...when you START with 66 HP...LOL

[chrisl]

Originally Posted by SigmaHyperion

Just made that drive about 10 days ago myself.

6th gear is a blast at 12,000ft, ain't it? Pedal to the floor and you slow down.

5th gear keeps your steady at highway speeds if you're lucky.

Taking deliver of your car in Colorado sure teaches you how to properly use all your gears to pass in this car, that's for sure. It was a hell of a change of pace from a few years of owning LSx motors with "4th gear is for everything".

In my Outback (2.5i, 2007), loaded down with a few other people and all our ski gear, I have to use 3rd climbing up I-70 from Silverthorne to the Eisenhower tunnel. 4th gear floored isn't enough to keep speed, due to the steepness of the hill and the altitude. Every time I take a road trip to sea level though, I'm pleasantly surprised

[wrxgoose]

i think you need to extend your drive a little bit. Hit the Salt Flats.

[zooki]

Originally Posted by wrxgoose

i think you need to extend your drive a little bit. Hit the Salt Flats.

It's on my bucket list. But not this trip. But I'll be taking my Mustang out there hopefully...

[PabloN]

We just got back from a 3200 mile road trip to Colorado via Badlands and Black Hills. At 12000 f and loaded with luggage the car did better than I expected--luckily we didn't have much traffic. Overall I'm amazed how comfortable the car is--every other car gives me back pains after a few hours. Gas mileage per fillup was 27-36 mpg depending on how fun the road was. Averaging over 4 successive fillups the onboard computer read 1 mpg high. We had two "problems." First, a couple brief incidents of strong burning smells which have been reported elsewhere in this forum--part of normal break-in, though I'd have thought I'd be over that by 3000 miles. Second, very rough engine running at 75 mph for about 5 minutes in Minnesota, perhaps due to bad gas. I slowed & pulled off the highway and it idled fine with no CEL, so I got back on the highway & the problem went away. I might try some fuel additive to make sure the problem stays gone. We got lots of appreciative looks & comments along the way. I don't know why Clarkson hates the looks of this car so much...

[wrxgoose]

Lol. Shocker Rock

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by PabloN

I don't know why Clarkson hates the looks of this car so much...

Good review. Clarkson doesn't "hate" the look of this car, it's just an uninteresting sports coupe that will fade away like the 240sx, 1st/2nd RX7s, S2000, and a host of other cars that pass by without notice. Honestly almost regret getting the dark gray, it blends in too well, I couldn't imagine owning black white or silver of this car, the only thing more beige would have been beige. I told a co-worker I had one and he didn't believe me, said he'd only seen the Rally Blue and white despite me parking here for three months.

Don't get me wrong, it looks good, just not great. It will always be desirable but credit where it's due, the Mustang, Miata, Camarao, Challenger, and RX8 are all much more striking and leave an impression that an 86 just can't match for equivalent prices, performance and availability.

It looks great on the open road and pulling into an empty gas station (which seem to be the common factors in getting compliments) but when you're walking through the parking lot or in traffic the 86 blends in unless it's bright red blue or orange.

Sorry I have to get that rant out every once and awhile with everyone fawning over what I think are relatively unimpressive aesthetics. Like I said, good, very good even, but not great.

[dem00n]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Good review. Clarkson doesn't "hate" the look of this car, it's just an uninteresting sports coupe that will fade away like the 240sx, 1st/2nd RX7s, S2000, and a host of other cars that pass by without notice. Honestly almost regret getting the dark gray, it blends in too well, I couldn't imagine owning black white or silver of this car, the only thing more beige would have been beige. I told a co-worker I had one and he didn't believe me, said he'd only seen the Rally Blue and white despite me parking here for three months.

Don't get me wrong, it looks good, just not great. It will always be desirable but credit where it's due, the Mustang, Miata, Camarao, Challenger, and RX8 are all much more striking and leave an impression that an 86 just can't match for equivalent prices, performance and availability.

It looks great on the open road and pulling into an empty gas station (which seem to be the common factors in getting compliments) but when you're walking through the parking lot or in traffic the 86 blends in unless it's bright red blue or orange.

Sorry I have to get that rant out every once and awhile with everyone fawning over what I think are relatively unimpressive aesthetics. Like I said, good, very good even, but not great.

Miata is interesting looking?

Women love the look of the S2000, that's why i see them driving it the most.

But you are the guy who says this isn't striking enough.



Sex.


Sorry for off topic.

But yes, this car is quite great for road trips. A little bit loud with the lack of some good sound deadening but still good.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by dem00n

Miata is interesting looking?

But you are the guy who says this isn't striking enough.



Sex.


Sorry for off topic.

To each their own:


I can spot a Miata 100 yards away and know exactly what it is, I once got a 370z confused for a BRZ across a four way stop as I was driving my FRS home, (pointy headlights all look the same to me I guess). I don't know what to make of your S2k comment other than some people dig it?

Agreed on the RX7 on a personal level, but it will never be considered a classic look in my mind.


(Sidenote: very nearly bid on this out of lust but couldn't justify the use of space, the FRS will be more fun and less headache in the long run)
http://bringatrailer.com/2013/08/13/...mazda-rx-7-gs/

A great looking car will look good to EVERYBODY, not just enthusiasts, when's the last time your girlfriend pointed out an early RX7? An S2000? I know none of mine ever noticed those kind of cars, but I did notice the double takes on old Jags, a perfectly maintained NA Miata, or gleaming firebreathing Challenger. The 86 is not something that will catch the eye in a few years time except for the people who care, the people who notice early RX-7's and 1st gen Celicas and Alfa 164's and beautifully maintained Preludes or M6's.

Sorry for the Like I said, personal issues on my end.

Edit: Now that I think about it, I think I may have gotten a handful of non-enthusiast comments about it but none in the last couple of months, but then again in my area I see at least two a day.

[lickitysplit]

Great story, I'd love to do this. I also have to say this is not the car to take to the salt flats, at all. Twisty mountain roads is the correct place.

On the other note, saying that those other cars are more visually striking than the FRS is confusing to me. Id say the FRS stands out more alone based on the fact that all the cars you mentioned are dime a dozen.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by lickitysplit

On the other note, saying that those other cars are more visually striking than the FRS is confusing to me. Id say the FRS stands out more alone based on the fact that all the cars you mentioned are dime a dozen.

More 86s' have been sold in the last year than Miata's in the past 4 years combined or any 3 year stretch of the S2000:

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_S...and_production
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10766


The 86 could very well be considered a "dime a dozen" car at this point. Yeah there were double and quadruple the number of Integras sold per year than the 86 but who can mistake those four circular headlights? There's no such feature on the 86, I maintain that in terms of timelessness and staying power the 86 is above average at best. When's the last time you mistook an RX8 or Miata or Mustang for anything other than what they are?

[PabloN]

When we were in a tourist trap in South Dakota I was standing near my car and overheard a guy telling his girlfriend "now that's what a sports car oughta look like." Here we go again, I thought, but then he took out his i-phone and snapped a 90s Mustang 5.0 parked next to my car. Differences of opinion what makes the world go round.