Open Letter to Potential FR-S Buyers & Disillusioned Owners

[tahdizzle]

He said numb steering. Lol

[JTOFJPN]

I hate seeing everyone say how they spent 25k on their FRS, my final sale price was $33,000. Without upgraded stereo.

#canada

[P86RAVES]

Originally Posted by tahdizzle

He said numb steering. Lol

Yea, numb.

It's about as communicative as an E46, but more so than a GD Impreza. A Miata has better shift-feel, steering feel, and brake feel. All of these are feel, which doesn't translate well to superlatives, of course.

[AVodka14]

Originally Posted by P86RAVES

Yea, numb.

It's about as communicative as an E46, but more so than a GD Impreza. A Miata has better shift-feel, steering feel, and brake feel. All of these are feel, which doesn't translate well to superlatives, of course.

So, what do you like about your FRS?

[Vracer111]

Originally Posted by P86RAVES

*Wall of mostly hilarious text with some points*

[cough]...TRD Griffon...[cough]

I also have to say my FRS scares me somewhat in the corners...because of how fast it snakes through them while fully under grip and still perfectly stable. Wayyyy too much grip! I seriously can get it to 70 mph+ through tight winding feeder roads leading to overpasses when there is no traffic while easily staying within my chosen lane. Changing the car from laughable to serious is just a set of wheels/tires away. That's why I'm taking a step back and going to a skinnier, less grippy Max Performance tires (205/45-17) with my set of less offset wheels (+40mm verses +36mm), so I can be semi-serious... if the car had more power to accelerate quicker it would be insane and I'd have to sell it! It's already way too easy to get it to triple digit speed going up my favorite overpass and turn-in tight easy peasy...especially since it's riding on track tires that are near slicks now. It needs to be handicapped to more reasonable speeds! I will use what I have at my disposal - especially the longer its been since I've gone to a track day; there's no way you can drive an FRS 10/10 or even 8/10 on the street and keep it remotely reasonable with non-stock tires, which is why I must handicap the car...it's just too fast with sticky tires (and wheel combo that reduces the unsprung mass nearly 5lb a corner from stock)!

Even on the stock 'Prius' tires its capable of a roadholding grip of .96G's in the dry on concrete...

[Tromatic]

Originally Posted by P86RAVES

A serious car makes lots of noise while doing lots of speed, accelerating like mad. The FT86 makes lots of noise while doing about nothing and then pipe it into the cabin as though it were a friend giving you that look because they know you're in on the joke.

Not sure if serious for most of your post. Curious if LFA owners are in the joke of the three systems intentionally tuned for sound as well. From all indications, the designers of the car hit the target they were aiming at, but somehow it's a failure? I either totally misunderstood you post, or you really need to sell your car.

[Tromatic]

Originally Posted by Pfdallas

I hate seeing everyone say how they spent 25k on their FRS, my final sale price was $33,000. Without upgraded stereo. #canada

Yeah, but in addition to having fresh Kicking Horse coffee, you Canadians don't seem to whine about your car like many here in 'Murica do. Tada snuck one over on Toyota and Subaru and we are lucky to have the thing at all.

[FRSRAVEN]

The more I think about this, the more it becomes apparent that in pure driving nirvana the GT86 platform is an exceptional car. I'm talking about those places you see on car shows where those tiny winding mountain roads and beautiful vista's of endless hillside never seem to end. Those places where its just you, your car, and a wonderful road...no other traffic or distractions.

The GT86 instills this sense of driving excitement that few if any cars can match...at least those affordable to "everyman."

But here is the problem. I don't live in an ideal world and my morning commute doesn't take me across a swath of slithering pavement that was forged by the driving gods. No, I live in the real world surrounded by crappy public roads, SUV's piloted by distracted drivers, and an endless swath of monotone concrete that's always just a little bit overused and a little bit undermaintained.

The problem with the GT86 is on the page of a magazine it instills this wondrous excitement and boyhood fantasy that few cars in the price range can match. But when you transcribe the car from the page and onto your average urban road, it becomes a whole lot less....well, just less.

The issue as I see it is that cars like the Focus ST, Genesis Coupe and Mustang V6 may not reach the level of the GT86 on the pages of car and driver, but on the roads of America they posses more utility while still offering a little something special.

I test drove my FR-S for 40 minutes. That was 40 minutes of fun. I didn't spend that 40 minutes thinking about the other 1400 minutes in the day when I was going to the store or commuting to work.

My friend, when referencing my FR-S, said it would make an excellent track car. He was absolutely right, an excellent track car. If it was my second or third car, I'd still have it and still love it. But on a modest income, with room for only 1 car, I need something that's just a little bit less compromised. Perhaps I've just grown up...

I drove 10k miles over the course of 1 year with my FR-S, and I don't regret it. The car just wasn't the right fit for me, and I have a feeling there are lots of people like me who for one reason or the other took the plunge and only later realized that they didn't bring their swim trunks.


But this is usually always the case with sports cars. They are marvelous to think about, but only marginal to own

[Davey]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

So wait, you're cool with building a 300 hp Toyobaru, but not with owning a 5-10 year old Porsche with less than 50k miles on it? At least, that's the impression I get from your past two posts.

No, I wouldn't say I'm cool with building a 300 hp Toyobaru at all. What I'm saying is, there aren't any cars that are what I want that you can buy new for ~$40K or so.

A used Porsche is only cheap to maintain if you never drive it.

[Tromatic]

Originally Posted by FRSRAVEN

I drove 10k miles over the course of 1 year with my FR-S, and I don't regret it. The car just wasn't the right fit for me, and I have a feeling there are lots of people like me who for one reason or the other took the plunge and only later realized that they didn't bring their swim trunks.

That is NOT the fault of the car. I'm getting old as well could have chosen from a long list of transportation appliances or a much "better" car. I'm tickled pink every time I get in mine and consider myself lucky to have one. Not ragging on you, but I've said before that there is something wrong with people who dislike this car, not a problem with the car.

[Tromatic]

Originally Posted by Vracer111

[cough]...TRD Griffon...[cough] FR-S = For Race & Street...

I call mine the Full Retard System. Never go full-retard.

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

No offense to anyone but this post really is an unnecessary and drawn out way of saying "Get this car, and yes it is as good as you thought if not better".

[UltramarineLuck]

Originally Posted by Davey

A used Porsche is only cheap to maintain if you never drive it.

This is largely the opposite of true. Porsches are purpose-built driving machines that are notorious (especially in the 996/986 models) for having issues when they turn into garage queens.

Compared to a 300hp aftermarket FI Toyota that sees parts break from unintended stress? They're pretty cheap to maintain.

[italy7]

Originally Posted by FRSRAVEN

The issue as I see it is that cars like the Focus ST, Genesis Coupe and Mustang V6 may not reach the level of the GT86 on the pages of car and driver, but on the roads of America they posses more utility while still offering a little something special.

My friend, when referencing my FR-S, said it would make an excellent track car. He was absolutely right, an excellent track car. If it was my second or third car, I'd still have it and still love it. But on a modest income, with room for only 1 car, I need something that's just a little bit less compromised. Perhaps I've just grown up...

Your points are understood, however, i don't think the cars you mentioned above have much more utility than the Twins, besides the focus st of course.

I can also say exactly what you state above about having a modest income, room for 1 car, HOWEVER, this car fits just fine for me. Note: i do not have kids or cart people around.