Impressions after road trip

[MuseChaser]

Hey, all..


Pardon the diarrhea of the fingers, but I figured I'd jot down a few impressions after recently completing our longest road-trip so far in the FR-S. We traveled about 1400 miles round trip from central New York state for a weekend on the OBX in North Carolina, as far south as Hatteras. The trip down was done driving non-stop through the night and took about ten and a half hours, while the trip home was during the day and took about an hour longer due to increased traffic especially around Dover, DE and Philly, PA.


First, some random observations. OK, they're all about Pennsylvania.


What the heck is WRONG with the Pennsylvania highway authorities? I saw one sign that pretty much sums up what appears to be the "thinking" behind their construction project designs and implementation. This was a real sign.. I'm not making this up...


"$197 Million Thruway Widening Program! Left Lane Closed"


Yeah, I know. You've got to break a few eggs to make an omelet, and when doing construction things frequently need to get worse before they get better, but really... folks.. they've been building this turnpike, LITERALLY, since I was a kid. Fifty years. Get a clue. Build one section. Build it well. THEN move on. I have yet to drive through PA without encountering constant work zones, but the only time anyone is actually working is in the middle of the night, using lights so bright that they make bright oncoming headlights look like candle flames. One dose of those worklights and my vision's shot for a few minutes. REALLY safe. Excellent thinking. Kudos. Those constructions guys are taking their lives in their hands with all the blinded drivers feeling their way past them.


"Speed limit 70. Maybe 55. Maybe 70, but 55 ahead.. or not. We're not sure; pick one."


The basic speed limit is 70 on the PA 'pike. However, it drops (as it obviously should) in the constant construction zones. Sometimes they put burlap over the "55" lower limit signs when the zones aren't active, but will occasionally miss one. For a few hours, I had no idea what the speed limit really was most of the time. Folks around me were driving between 40 mph and 85 mph. Guess your best, friends. Dear PA DOT; please learn to post your limits clearly. Love, Barry.


"Construction 3 miles." Another real sign quoted verbatim. Does that mean that for the next three miles there will be construction, or that construction begins three miles ahead? Why be clear when you can be vague.


OK, those were some of the signs that DID exist. Do you know which ones DON'T exist? You know those helpful signs that virtually very other state has on their thruways that tell you what services are available at each exit.. you know, gas, lodging, bathrooms, food, etc? Not a SINGLE one on the PA 'Pike, baby. You better hit PA with a full tank of gas and an empty bladder, because they're gonna reverse roles by the time you get outta that state.


Pennyslvania's motto should be "Welcome To Pennsylvania, Now Get the Hell Out."


Both sets of my grandparents lived in PA. My parents were born in PA. As a kid, I loved PA. My Dad used to say, "Son, it takes a certain thickening of the skull to live in Pennsylvania." Never understood why he said that until I was all grown up. Dad is a wise man.


OK, enough ranting about the Gallstone State. On the FR-S.


Things I love about FR-S roadtripping:


1. Gas Mileage. Holy Sippage, Batman. 40.4 mpg on the way down (night, no traffic), 38.4 back home (day, traffic).


2. Handling. We all know how well the car corners, but what I had failed to REALLY appreciate prior to this trip is the cars unfailing tracking. This car tracks straighter and with less effort than any car I've ever driven. The electric power steering feel is solid with, at least to me, a perfect amount of feedback and resistance for long hauls. An incredibly fatigue-free car. My wife spelled me for an hour on the way down, but other than that I drove the entire time and not once felt even remotely tired.


3. Seat Comfort. I'm sure this won't apply to every body shape, but for me (5'8" 155lbs) and my wife (5' even, 120ish), they were surprisingly enjoyable. I'm not a "sitter;" I don't own a recliner, almost never sit down at home (I'm standing now), and fidget constantly when I drive. This seat doesn't allow for a lot of movement because of how it cradles you and I was worried about being too confined, but it gave support in all of the right places. Not a single back issue, no stiffness. My wife slept comfortably (and loudly) at times. I would have liked to have been able to increase the tilt of the seat bottom by raising just the front of the seat a bit, but that's being picky. Sitting for 11 hours in those little seats was my biggest worry about the trip, but they far surpassed my expectations.


4. Climate Control. While very basic and simple, it worked great. The A/C kept the car comfortable w/ outside temps between 50 degrees and 98 degrees (F). It wasn't exactly a deep freeze in the car on the 98degF day, but it was fine.


5. Headlights. Typically, I like to do long-haul night driving in vehicles with some height so you're looking down at an angle to the beams your headlights are throwing. Think van, truck, or large SUV. That's easiest on the eyes for me, anyway. Well, the visibility in this car knocked me out. I didn't even use my brights. I've got astigmatism and wear progressive lens glasses that work well, but after a few hours of night driving my eyes usually get tired and I start to see double. That didn't happen once on this trip. Visibility was outstanding.


6. Audio System. I'm amazed out how good and natural the stock stereo sounds. As a jazz and classical musician, I appreciate accuracy of timbre over thump and artificial high end "sparkle." This stereo sounds right and accurate, and I've got the subwoofer adjusted to be helpful to the system w/out being too obvious. The bluetooth phone is great.. after the first failed call of the day. For whatever reason, the first call never comes through the car. After that, it's fine for the rest of the day. Who knows.


7. Visibility. With the side mirrors adjusted properly, traffic flows from your rear-view mirror to your side mirrors to your peripheral vision seamlessly; no blind spots. Great for highway driving.


8. Haulability. You can pack a surprising amount of stuff, conveniently, into this car.


Minor Minuses -


1. Road Noise. This is not a quiet car to drive on the highway. Wind noise through the window seals, tire noise, engine/exhaust (all stock on mine)... it all adds up to a pretty good constant dull roar. Listening to music with any kind of dynamic range at all on the stereo requires a pretty high volume level. Eleven hours of that probably isn't too good for your ears. I may be a bit more sensitive to noise than other folks; my wife's vehicle is like a sensory deprivation chamber.


2. Side Mirror Housing Location. In parking lots, around town, and anywhere else where there are curbs or other things to be avoided in tight maneuvers, the driver's side mirror seems to constantly block my view of the very thing I'm trying to avoid. Could be because I'm shortish, but don't like to crank the seat up too high.


3. Mechanical "Hash" Sound. Not sure how to describe this. The car just sounds somehow more "raw" than the last rash of cars I've owned or currently own (BMW 325i, MB ml430, ml500, 560sl, Audi 80, Volvo 240). On most of those other cars, you heard the rpms change but that's about it. I love the FR-S engine and transmission; plenty of pull from the engine for the kind of driving I do, and the transmission behaves predictably, consistently, and very precisely. Having said that, there's a very distinctive mechanical sound, sort of like some excited frat boy saying "arrrrggggghhhhh" through clenched teeth while lifting a keg, as each gear is engaged and you accelerate towards the next gear. Maybe it's just the ol' "because race car" thing. I don't mind it, but it ain't real refined sounding. Grainy brown as opposed to Grey Poupon.


4. Headrests. If I could tilt'em back just ONE more inch, they'd be perfect.


That's about it. To be honest, I've been thinking ahead to my next car ever since I bought this one, and I'm not one to do that. Typically, I buy a car used w/ between 20k - 80k on it, put another 200k on it over decade or so until it's just too rusted or tired to be practical to keep running, then buy another one. I loved my previous car ('93 BMW 325i), but couldn't afford a newer one (and don't like the newer ones as much), so I "settled" for the FR-S because I NEEDED a car I could count on quickly and it was one of the only RWD manual cars I could find. The car has continued to grow on me for the 8 months and 10k miles I've owned it, and my opinion of it has taken a quantum leap forward since this trip. It was comfortable, non-fatiguing, fun, reliable, and I spent more on tolls than I did on gas. We may very well be together a lot longer than I had originally thought...


Best to all..


Barry

[mdm]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

3. Mechanical "Hash" Sound. Not sure how to describe this. The car just sounds somehow more "raw" than the last rash of cars I've owned or currently own [...] Having said that, there's a very distinctive mechanical sound, sort of like some excited frat boy saying "arrrrggggghhhhh" through clenched teeth while lifting a keg, as each gear is engaged and you accelerate towards the next gear. Maybe it's just the ol' "because race car" thing.

It might be, by design, or a side effect of weight reduction and putting very little sound deadening material in the car.


But, do you know that there is a "noise tube" in the car that intentionally delivers intake noise right into the cabin? You may block it to alter/reduce engine sound. The tube is connected to the cabin in the right footwell, under the floor mat. It can be blocked with the power outlet cap (from the glovebox), people also used a plug purchased at a home improvemnt store.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by mdm

It might be, by design, or a side effect of weight reduction and putting very little sound deadening material in the car.


But, do you know that there is a "noise tube" in the car that intentionally delivers intake noise right into the cabin? You may block it to alter/reduce engine sound. The tube is connected to the cabin in the right footwell, under the floor mat. It can be blocked with the power outlet cap (from the glovebox), people also used a plug purchased at a home improvemnt store.

Shit ,MDM stole my kazoo post!
Plug that thing up.

[Hot-Lava_Dave]

I drove mine recently down to North Carolina and back. Great road trip car!

[bee-jay]

all I can say is you pretty much hit the nail on the head.
could have written it myself.

oh, and I'm hoping for the day when I can move out of this state. Lived here all my life, but I can't take it anymore.....

[KendallH]

Completely disagree about the seats. After driving about 2 hours my back starts to hurt.

[MuseChaser]

Originally Posted by mdm

..

But, do you know that there is a "noise tube" in the car that intentionally delivers intake noise right into the cabin? You may block it to alter/reduce engine sound. The tube is connected to the cabin in the right footwell, under the floor mat. It can be blocked with the power outlet cap (from the glovebox), people also used a plug purchased at a home improvemnt store.

Thanks for taking the time to try and help out. Yeah, I found out about that tube and plugged it during the second week of ownership and it's been plugged ever since. I used the plug from the glovebox electrical socket, then routed my GPS power cord into the glove box. The plug made a little bit of difference to the engine sound and I guess every little bit helps, eh?

Thanks again..

Barry

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Shit ,MDM stole my kazoo post!
Plug that thing up.

+2 on the kazoo



That's probably the source of your noise. I didn't mind it when stock, but plugged it after swapping out the exhaust.

[MuseChaser]

Originally Posted by KendallH

Completely disagree about the seats. After driving about 2 hours my back starts to hurt.

I can see how they wouldn't fit everyone. The lumbar support just happens to be in exactly the right spot for me, as are the thigh and shoulder bolsters. I've been taking better care of my back and hips the past year or so, too, which probably doesn't hurt any... daily stretches and strength exercises. It would be nice if the seats were more adjustable, for sure.

[MuseChaser]

LOL at all the kazoo posts. Yeah, good point, but I'm not talking about engine exhaust sound; I've had that thing plugged up since I bought the car. Piping engine noise intentionally into the cockpit seemed about as dumb a thing as I'd ever heard, so I nixed it right away.

It's so hard to describe sounds. What I'm talking about seems to be more transmission-related; you hear it when each gear engages and you accelerate. It's not a grinding noise or anything that sounds like something's wrong, just sort of an aggressive "OK, GEARS.. we're MESHED and we've got WORK to do" kind of thing. FR-S tranny sound is to BMW tranny sound as Skilsaw sound is to aquarium pump sound, sort of?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

LOL at all the kazoo posts. Yeah, good point, but I'm not talking about engine exhaust sound; I've had that thing plugged up since I bought the car. Piping engine noise intentionally into the cockpit seemed about as dumb a thing as I'd ever heard, so I nixed it right away.

It's so hard to describe sounds. What I'm talking about seems to be more transmission-related; you hear it when each gear engages and you accelerate. It's not a grinding noise or anything that sounds like something's wrong, just sort of an aggressive "OK, GEARS.. we're MESHED and we've got WORK to do" kind of thing. FR-S tranny sound is to BMW tranny sound as Skilsaw sound is to aquarium pump sound, sort of?

Most apt description ever.
Personally I would have the sounds no other way. It reminds me of my old cars in a raw sort of RWD manner and was something I missed in all my FWD cars. If I wanted silence I would be driving a Genesis coupe or something like that. In fact I went out of my way and spent money to have a catback that makes it even noisier.
The only experience I don't care for is when running snow tires.
WhooooWhooooWhooooWhooooWhooooWhooooWhoooo

[MuseChaser]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Most apt description ever.
Personally I would have the sounds no other way. It reminds me of my old cars in a raw sort of RWD manner and was something I missed in all my FWD cars. If I wanted silence I would be driving a Genesis coupe or something like that. In fact I went out of my way and spent money to have a catback that makes it even noisier.
The only experience I don't care for is when running snow tires.
WhooooWhooooWhooooWhooooWhooooWhooooWhoooo

Yeah, I get that, and am glad that I'm not just imagining that sound. You hit the nail on the head when you said it reminds you of the sound of your older RWD cars; that's exactly it. I just haven't driven anything that made that sound in a long time, and I had almost forgotten about it!

T, I know you do a lot of driving, too, and that we're of the same... ahem.. vintage. After a long drive, especially w/ your catback, do you experience any sort of hearing exhaustion.. sort of audio-numbness or fuzziness? I really worry about that, I guess mostly because of my profession. I love driving with the windows down, feeling the air, but the darn windnoise is SO loud in my left ear that I can't take it very long. It's much worse than on my bike w/ a full helmet.

Just curious.. thanks for the reply.

Barry

[strat61caster]

Cue two more pages of people disagreeing with each bullet point (note: seats and noise were already contradicted so 2 down 10 to go)

Try flipping the headrests around, it's more than an inch but might be what you're looking for.

3 Down.

Edit: Add dynamat for road noise, there's DIY's on the forum.

4 Down

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

Yeah, I get that, and am glad that I'm not just imagining that sound. You hit the nail on the head when you said it reminds you of the sound of your older RWD cars; that's exactly it. I just haven't driven anything that made that sound in a long time, and I had almost forgotten about it!

T, I know you do a lot of driving, too, and that we're of the same... ahem.. vintage. After a long drive, especially w/ your catback, do you experience any sort of hearing exhaustion.. sort of audio-numbness or fuzziness? I really worry about that, I guess mostly because of my profession. I love driving with the windows down, feeling the air, but the darn windnoise is SO loud in my left ear that I can't take it very long. It's much worse than on my bike w/ a full helmet.

Just curious.. thanks for the reply.

Barry

My highway drives are always with window up. I spend 14 hours a week at about 75MPH so would not enjoy the window down at all since I agree that the wind noise is something to be experienced to be understood. I have zero issues with any of the noises with the windows up though and even the little bit of drone the TRD has I have just tuned out at this point.