Good Way to Appreciate the Handling and Steering Feel on the FRS Even More!

[Ammonia]

Sometimes I drive the wife's Audi when we do errands or shopping, and its a world of difference.


I do work at a Dodge dealership so I'm reminded pretty much daily about how awesome my car is though.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by Smoke Destructer

I'm in a Chrysler 200 rental while my car is at the body shop.

I'm driving an Avenger right now on a business trip, which is basically the same as the 200 underneath. What a dog. When I checked into the hotel and was instructed to write the make and model of the car on the registration card, I was tempted to write "Dodge Shitbox."

But driving another car is not when I fully appreciate the handling of my BRZ.

It's when there's a big pile of steel chain lying in the road and I dance around it easily but the car behind me hits it.

[Smoke Destructer]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

I'm driving an Avenger right now on a business trip, which is basically the same as the 200 underneath. What a dog. When I checked into the hotel and was instructed to write the make and model of the car on the registration card, I was tempted to write "Dodge Shitbox."

But driving another car is not when I fully appreciate the handling of my BRZ.

It's when there's a big pile of steel chain lying in the road and I dance around it easily but the car behind me hits it.

I've been telling people that I'm in a Chrysler Shitwagon when they ask what I got as a rental.

[BRZnut]

when driving my wife's Honda CRV its like driving a bus compared to my BRZ

[lastexile1987]

Originally Posted by BRZnut

when driving my wife's Honda CRV its like driving a bus compared to my BRZ

I've said the same thing about the crv. It felt like a uhaul van

[zooki]

Or jump out of a 3/4 ton long wheel base, automatic Ford Powerstroke pickup into an FR-S.... wow.

[sofrsnsokleen]

Originally Posted by bobsacamenoh

Rent a Ford Mustang from Avis/Hertz, etc. and drive it for a few days and switch back to your FRS/BRZ. Such a dramatic difference in the steering feel between the 2 cars. When I first test drove the car it felt so precise. Of course, your body adapts to the feel and sort of forgets that feeling. Going from the Mustang back to my car helped me remember one of the main reasons I really like this car!

I actually can verify this as well. Long story short, saw a used mustang gt online and was gonna attempt to trade. Initially scrapped the idea, then had a bad experience at my dealer with a "free " oil change and out of frustration decided stopped at a ford dealer to test the waters, and my credit.

Well after a few hrs of back and forth and me almost walking, they offered to lend me a '14 GT for 24 hrs.

Of course the first few times i revved the v8 getting on the highway or on the streets i smiled, but after going thru my normal commutng routes, and nearby places i frequent, i just felt blah. The handling felt like a crownvic/ice cream truck. If not for that beautiful V8, the mustang gt and i'm guessing all the other american muscle wwe heavyweight cars are huge pieces of shit. sorry, but this is coming from a guy who grew up dreaming of owning a mustang gt with a 5.0, and always assumed it would be my "perfect" car.

Even looking out in my driveway and seeing the mustang instead of my fr-s made me sad. I even grinned like a loser when they pulled my car back up after turning the stang back in.

In a horrifying turn of events, my sister in law literally backed into my right rear wheel wheel shortly after, but i digress.

Someone on here said it well, the fr-s is greater than the sum of its parts.

People who knock it are idiots, and know nothing about what makes a great car great.

[Jegan_V]

Originally Posted by Smoke Destructer

I'm in a Chrysler 200 rental while my car is at the body shop. Going to be a pretty radical change when I finally get my baby back. Probably going to fall in love all over again.

To be fair, the Chrysler 200/Dodge Avenger is so awful I'd be happy to get a Toyota Yaris instead. Today one Chrysler 200 was used for courier duty...the speedometer failed, it was replaced with a more superior car...a damaged Hyundai Accent. I work in rental so I get this feeling pretty much every day. None of my work cars compare to the FRS. Closest thing I get to possibly drive that can even be compared to how it drives it would be a Mustang GT. The problem I have with the Mustang GT though...its awful if you're forced to drive slow, and the handling while actually good...its not memorable.

[ronboogieon]

Try driving a Mazda 2 with 3 other people in the car trying to get up to speed on a California Freeway lol. Rented one when I was down in San Diego. Had to wring that 100HP engine just to get going.

[raul]

Originally Posted by bobsacamenoh

Rent a Ford Mustang from Avis/Hertz, etc. and drive it for a few days and switch back to your FRS/BRZ. Such a dramatic difference in the steering feel between the 2 cars. When I first test drove the car it felt so precise. Of course, your body adapts to the feel and sort of forgets that feeling. Going from the Mustang back to my car helped me remember one of the main reasons I really like this car!

My wife's car is a Mustang. I hear ya'!

[axelo]

It's an amaizing feeling... to drive another car, no matter the car, and when i get back in my frs i feel everything is right in the world, "now thats the way a car should be" feeling.... We frs owners are lucky, we have something that many search their whole life. Drive a 1998 suzuki vitara and then get in the frs.... Magical, truly a engineer wonder

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by sofrsnsokleen

If not for that beautiful V8, the mustang gt and i'm guessing all the other american muscle wwe heavyweight cars are huge pieces of shit.

Nah. It really depends on the kind of driving you're doing. I drive A LOT for my job, and there are times when it would be nice to cruise the highway with a lot more room, a lot of horsepower up front and a softer suspension to handle the terrible Louisiana pavement. That's when it's more about comfort than performance, and the performance is there to serve comfort. You don't really need cornering ability when you're going to spend the next five hours driving in straight lines.

When I was in the market for a new car, oddly enough the choice came down between the BRZ and a Charger SRT, which most people here probably wouldn't have even considered a choice. The Charger would have been a more comfortable car on the highway. I decided that I'm willing to put up with less comfort for the handling of the BRZ when I need it, but I could definitely see the appeal of not having my state's poor roads beating me to death for hours at a time. If I had unlimited funds, I would have both.

The Avenger I have rented is the worst of both worlds, though. Although it has room, it's so weak it makes it less comfortable to drive because I'm constantly fighting the car.

When I bought my BRZ, I kept my Jeep Cherokee and put a 4.6L stroker in it. It's a lot of fun to drive in a very different way. I can jump in and roar and bounce across the city potholes that would rip the bottom off the BRZ at more than 2 mph. It can jump curbs and go places the BRZ just can't go. I can plow through standing water sending up rooster tails that would wash the BRZ down into a storm drain. What's down that dirt road? I won't find out in the BRZ. When I get my lift and axles installed, I'll be able to go practically anywhere a truck can go.

[pasternak]

I wonder if the '15 Mustang will improve meaningfully in any of these areas. I know it's lower & wider & has IRS, but will it actually be fun to drive ? The '12 GT's I tested were bo-ring to drive.

[Tcoat]

Just drove a rental Corolla through the Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee. If you don't know what that is Google it as it is worth it! To say I missed my car for the drive would be the understatement of the century!!!!!!!!!! Next summer and some track time I WILL BE BACK with mine.