What do you wish you'd known before owning?

[Silver Supra]

Originally Posted by IceFyre13th

100,000 miles and no complaints......BTW the automatic.....lets just say there are plenty of the manual guys who cannot keep up with me.

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Ah but this car is where driving an auto still shines. It isn't a 1984 slushbox and can still be a blast with the manual shift. All you take away is a foot.

I test drove both manual and auto. The paddle-shifting is great and no manual could come close to shifting at that speed. I found the auto (in manual mode) much more fun that the manual. And yes, it frees a foot - and a hand.

[RallySport]

Probably would have stepped up to a BRZ limited or FRS special series to be the upgraded features.

[NLS8520]

Originally Posted by DandoX

I love this car to a degree some may think it's unhealthy. One thing I wish I knew is NOT to get the paint protection bs the dealership sold me on. Also get a clear bra as soon as possible and have a pro apply it. Now mine has too many nics and scratches to be worth putting on a clear bra now. When I pay off the car in a couple years first thing I will do is get the whole exterior detailed by a bodyshop and then put a clear bra on.

I would seek out a pro detailer rather than a bodyshop fyi.

[Purist]

I wish I'd known how difficult it is to explain to people the difference between a car enthusiast and a driving enthusiast.

Honestly. The thing I dislike most about this car is how poorly understood it is.

[cjd]

Originally Posted by Purist

I wish I'd known how difficult it is to explain to people the difference between a car enthusiast and a driving enthusiast.

Honestly. The thing I dislike most about this car is how poorly understood it is.

By people that own the car, no less...

[Yousend]

I wish I would find a way to shut people's mouth when they say I should have bought something more practical. Works for me, no kids, no need for cargo space (It already has so much, it's unreal!)

In all seriousness, I wish I knew how well it would behave in the snow. Everyone told me it would be unstable and unreliable because it was a low RWD car. I almost didn't pull the trigger then I said "Fuck it, I'm young and I can waste money on Winter tires and if it doesn't work out, I'll get a winter beater". No regrets.

Originally Posted by Purist

I wish I'd known how difficult it is to explain to people the difference between a car enthusiast and a driving enthusiast.

Honestly. The thing I dislike most about this car is how poorly understood it is.

People call me not a real "car guy" when I reveal that I don't work on my car. I agree with them, I'm not. I enjoy driving my car and could careless about anyone else's car or how superior it is. I don't even like talking about my car to people, I like to talk about driving experiences. People find me weird when I say I'm going on a road trip for vacation to drive, they always recommend me places to stop by for sightseeing. Sightseeing does nothing to me, it is a waste of time. If I could see only fun roads, gas stations, restaurants and hotels I would have a great vacation.

[Jordanwolf]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

I wish I had known how much fun I would have with this car. I would have bought one in 2013 instead of 2015.

Been driving mine everyday since I got it last week... I am literally obsessed to the point where some may think I care only about my car. I definitely couldn't have afforded it in 2013, but I definitely could've have worked harder to get it sooner than last week haha.

Car is a dream for me, it's also my first car that I owned, and first standard. Life is great

[Jordanwolf]

Originally Posted by Yousend

I wish I would find a way to shut people's mouth when they say I should have bought something more practical. Works for me, no kids, no need for cargo space (It already has so much, it's unreal!)

In all seriousness, I wish I knew how well it would behave in the snow. Everyone told me it would be unstable and unreliable because it was a low RWD car. I almost didn't pull the trigger then I said "Fuck it, I'm young and I can waste money on Winter tires and if it doesn't work out, I'll get a winter beater". No regrets.



People call me not a real "car guy" when I reveal that I don't work on my car. I agree with them, I'm not. I enjoy driving my car and could careless about anyone else's car or how superior it is. I don't even like talking about my car to people, I like to talk about driving experiences. People find me weird when I say I'm going on a road trip for vacation to drive, they always recommend me places to stop by for sightseeing. Sightseeing does nothing to me, it is a waste of time. If I could see only fun roads, gas stations, restaurants and hotels I would have a great vacation.

Similar experience in that people were telling me rwd won't work in winter and that the car is unreliable, screw what people think, the car isn't for them, it's for me.

Again with people talking about how superior their cars are I could care less, the car is perfect to me, and it's a price that I can afford without having to eat rice and only rice everyday... I eat rice and potatoes.

[GalloVecchio]

Originally Posted by fierostetz

Oh and if anyone has to give me flak for dd'ing an Abarth, go ahead and get it out of your system :P the thing is dumb fun, and I drove it off the lot for under 14k new :P still makes me laugh every time I drive it, even after a year.

Anyone who would give you flak hasn't driven one. First time I heard it start up, I knew I loved it. I had one too, but traded it in for an STi. Now I'm in the BRZ. I wish I could have them all.

[fierostetz]

Originally Posted by GalloVecchio

Anyone who would give you flak hasn't driven one. First time I heard it start up, I knew I loved it. I had one too, but traded it in for an STi. Now I'm in the BRZ. I wish I could have them all.

Hehe the abarth isn't "smart" fun, or "classy" fun... It's just juvenile hooligan "pound a beer, crush the can on your head, and light off fireworks" type fun. It's also a tardis - there's a ridiculous amount of room inside :P

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Yousend

I wish I would find a way to shut people's mouth when they say I should have bought something more practical. Works for me, no kids, no need for cargo space (It already has so much, it's unreal!)

In all seriousness, I wish I knew how well it would behave in the snow. Everyone told me it would be unstable and unreliable because it was a low RWD car. I almost didn't pull the trigger then I said "Fuck it, I'm young and I can waste money on Winter tires and if it doesn't work out, I'll get a winter beater". No regrets.



People call me not a real "car guy" when I reveal that I don't work on my car. I agree with them, I'm not. I enjoy driving my car and could careless about anyone else's car or how superior it is. I don't even like talking about my car to people, I like to talk about driving experiences. People find me weird when I say I'm going on a road trip for vacation to drive, they always recommend me places to stop by for sightseeing. Sightseeing does nothing to me, it is a waste of time. If I could see only fun roads, gas stations, restaurants and hotels I would have a great vacation.

I need a car for myself, my laptop and my coffee cup. This works very, very well and there is nothing that would be more "practical" for me. On those very rare occasions when I do have to move one or two passengers I still have the ability which was a deciding factor in my getting this car over something like a Z.


My one very brief temp ban (the longer term guys may recall that) was due to a very heated argument with some asshat that told me that if I didn't work on my own car I must "pay people to sleep with my wife". I spent decades working on my own cars including a couple of full off frame restorations on some classic but I no longer have the desire to do that. Because I don't work on my car does not mean for one second I lost my love of them or am any less of an "enthusiast" but simply I have better things to do with my time. Being a "car guy" does not require you to work on them and the term "enthusiast" does not mean you have to like one certain type of car. There are raised truck mudders, Prius mileage misers and minivan ride enhancing guys that think our cars are a joke and they are every bit an "enthusiast" as anybody here.

[Silver Supra]

Originally Posted by fierostetz

Hehe the abarth isn't "smart" fun, or "classy" fun... It's just juvenile hooligan "pound a beer, crush the can on your head, and light off fireworks" type fun. It's also a tardis - there's a ridiculous amount of room inside :P

How would you describe the GN? One of my favorites!

BTW - I think you are hearing that owners like driving their 86's which is a huge plus. I mean, why not drive something fun!!

[bcj]

Had mine since March '13 and it's now just under 60k.
Still stock other than a shift knob and an oil pan Fumoto drain valve. And tires.
Modding isn't my focus. I prefer to drive it too. It's held up well with no mechanical problems.

High pressure fuel pumps make noise. Light weight can make this more noticeable.
AT/MT still have six gears with similar-ish final drive ratios. One is a switch, the other a lever.
Both do what they say on the tin when in manual mode. I don't recall any fails with the auto other than high power mods.
Can't find anything detrimental in the stickies or on the first page.

I've said before that the 86 is the car I'd been waiting 20 years for, as nothing similar has been offered in that time frame.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by bcj

Had mine since March '13 and it's now just under 60k.
Still stock other than a shift knob and an oil pan Fumoto drain valve. And tires.
Modding isn't my focus. I prefer to drive it too. It's held up well with no mechanical problems.

High pressure fuel pumps make noise. Light weight can make this more noticeable.
AT/MT still have six gears with similar-ish final drive ratios. One is a switch, the other a lever.
Both do what they say on the tin when in manual mode. I don't recall any fails with the auto other than high power mods.
Can't find anything detrimental in the stickies or on the first page.

I've said before that the 86 is the car I'd been waiting 20 years for, as nothing similar has been offered in that time frame.