Test Drive Impressions - Need Confirmation

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

OP, you have highlighted the reason why affordable sports cars don't sell in large numbers, to many people the communicativeness and suspension in cars like this are downright negatives giving your first drive impressions a 100% negative tone.

The car was built to be flogged and driven hard, the level of communication a joy, if that's not your goal then this car will never 'click' with you imo, if you'd never consider in a million years rocking a miata (even as just a second/weekend/toy car) then there will always be a nugget of doubt in what the 86 is (again imo).

Plenty of other cars fulfill sporty and fun without major sacrifices to creature comforts and modern torque: GTI, Focus/Fiesta ST, Mustang/Camaro/Challenger, Genesis, BMW 2/3 series, Mini Cooper S, 370Z, a used Porsche, they all tick some very persuasive boxes.



Don't forget you also came from Mitsubishi :P

Very valid point actually.

[computeruser]

The seats being down are a big part of the problem. Try it again with them up.

I've only ever owned one quiet car. The rest were very noisy - Jeeps (CJ and Wrangler), MGs, 1967 Camaro, AMC Eagle - and coming from that background, the BRZ seemed plenty civilized to me. But I can definitely see how someone accustomed to quieter cars would be a bit taken aback by these cars.

I just finished a 1100 mile round trip to TN, and found the car perfectly liveable from a NVH standpoint. A bit more noise than our Impreza, but not annoying except on a couple bits of grooved concrete. Bonus: 37.7mpg on the return trip, 36.5mpg on the trip there, using cruise in the 74-76mph range.

For those of us who don't track these cars, but just enjoy them for their precision on the street, I wish there were a sound deadening package available. 50# of mat would go a long way to quiet things down and make this a better touring car. Maybe they could pair that with 50 extra HP, too, while they're at it, but heck, I'd still take the 50# of mat even without the 50HP.

That said, this car is the closest thing to an MG or other LBC as I have encountered over the years, in terms of making a mundane drive to work or the grocery into an enjoyable trip. It is light, it goes where you point it, it is fast enough to be fun without setting you up for a run-in with the 5-0. You also get to enjoy the benefits of modern safety features, and you don't have fight with to trying to sync up a pair or three sidedraft carbs in order to get the thing to run right...

[soulreapersteve]

I can't say much about the power since I'm currently driving a bathtub that according to Wikipedia, it makes 120 at the crank. Power wise, I'm more than happy with the Twins :P

With regards to cabin noise, there's this material you can use to help filter out the noise. Forgot the name of it but people claim it helps a lot. Adds some weight to the car as you use more of the material.

EDIT: poster above me mentioned the mat. booo

[slimjoe]

Hmm, I'll have to see what I can do about getting another test drive but this time with the rear seats up. Maybe also see if I can plug the sound tube as well. Thanks for all the feedback guys!

[Stang70Fastback]

For the record, I've done long (900 miles each way) road trips in this car and never realyl had an issue. I do indeed wish it was a bit quieter on the highway, but it's not like I had a headache and was going insane by the end of the trip. It was fine!

[krayzie]

Actually the 12V cap inside the glovebox will fit onto the sound tube hole to block out the intake noise.

In Japan it's awesome Subaru actually sells a sound deadening trunk liner:

http://www.subaru.jp/accessory/brz/interior/in_05.html

They also sell a set of floor mats of the same stuff but too bad RHD only and crazy expensive (but at least the rear ones will fit):

http://www.subaru.jp/accessory/brz/interior/in_11.html

To be honest a stock FRS/BRZ is pretty much only as noisy as a stock Integra GS-R IIRC. Okay maybe a little worse but it's really not too bad.

[kberkel]

Definitely agree with the seats down making road noise much louder.

I think you get used to it. I didn't drive my car all winter.. and the 1st day back in, I was literally thinking "This thing is absolutely obnoxious!" My catback is pretty loud.

Then 2 days later I was used to it already.

[Hoahao]

The idea behind a sports car is the noise makes it's own ambience you come to love. Tires squealing, gravel flying , car creaking, engine howling best it can.

Maybe dealers should set up a test room where you can see if you have the "Right Stuff." Go to 10:30, it plays for 2 minutes.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH_9lU7UBHY"]The Right Stuff (Part 3) - YouTube[/ame]

[Speed2th]

Maybe the intake induction tube ( which brings intake noise into the cabin ) was not plugged or removed. I closed it at 2nd day I got the car

[ayilar]

Originally Posted by krayzie

In Japan it's awesome Subaru actually sells a sound deadening trunk liner:

http://www.subaru.jp/accessory/brz/interior/in_05.html

They also sell a set of floor mats of the same stuff but too bad RHD only and crazy expensive (but at least the rear ones will fit):

http://www.subaru.jp/accessory/brz/interior/in_11.html

Interesting. Does anyone carry this product in the States? Searched but could not find any info.

[Vroomin86]

I love the fact that my car is a jukebox of its own... engine is the record and throttle is the needle

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by ayilar

Interesting. Does anyone carry this product in the States? Searched but could not find any info.

Japanparts carries them straight out of Tokyo.

I have the European LHD BRZ carpets (North American ones don't have the correct cutouts) but they are too thin to have any sound deadening properties. I think for LHD it seems the FRS carpets are the best quality (same as stock JDM 86 carpets).

[ashtray]

Its kinda best if you don't think of the Twins as a Subaru - then they make more sense.

The '05 Legacy GT is a heck of a car - one of my favorite years (ok ok, my favorite year for the wagon version bc it was available with a stick). Its a substantial car - solid, comfortable, nice power (250 ft lbs of torque or so? More with some tuning!). The Twins have 152ft lbs of torque - wind the engine out and eventually get 200hp. Lightweight almost to a fault - but does nicely when it comes to handling and moving with such a small powerplant.

LGT is a nice car. Its a CAR. And its got good power. BRZ is a rwd sports car with low weight and low center of gravity and low hp (but 30mpg or so!). Best to not even consider it a "car" but a specialized vehicle.

[Yoniyama]

Of course the Toybaru is noisy. Just read any road test article in Car & Driver.

Anyone not hearing the noise probably has been to too many rock concerts and/or playing his iPod too loudly for too many years.

The good news: about 60lb of sound insulation can cure a lot of it.

The bad news: all kinds of rattles will develop, and no amount of sound insulation can help.