Going from a '19 Audi TTRS to a '22 GR86...what should I know?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Spektyr

Not that I would 100% recommend this, but you don't actually buy a car until you sign the paperwork.

Dealerships should let you show up to "buy the car" and then do a quick test drive before you sign. Assuming all goes well, you buy. But you're not on the hook until then, so if there's something that's a deal-breaker you can back out.

It's not like they're going to have trouble finding a buyer in the next few days...

Many dealerships will not allow test drives even if you are buying that car. If the customer doesn't buy it and another comes along and wants a test drive and doesn't take it then another and another it soon becomes a demonstrator and sells for less.

The fact that they won't have trouble selling it was exactly my point as to why I was surprised they agreed.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Surprising that with the demand and backlog of orders they will let anybody test drive one!

The dealership near me had no problem with me taking a 2022 for a test drive last month. And I didn't show up in a TTRS lol.

[emblem84]

Originally Posted by alphasaur

IMO the biggest downgrade will be power. I would describe the 86 as adequate.

I had a big turbo mazdaspeed 6 a few cars prior to this one making about ~380hp/~400+tq to the wheels and it was AWD. It was a very comfortable car with leather, heated seats, moon roof, keyless entry and start etc. With AWD, e85, engine mounts, and ~23lbs of boost from a 3071 coming on by ~3200 RPM the car felt violently quick in 1st and 2nd.

The 86 is still one of my favorite cars. IMO it also sounds quite good if you carefully select your exhaust set up.

Getting ready to post my initial impressions of the car, as I did buy it, but you are spot on. The ONLY thing I miss about the Audi is the torque, but I'll get used to it!

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

As long as you aren't a roll racer on the highway, I think you'll enjoy the twin.

Ha, I do enjoy the occasional roll race, but AWD + launch control is also a riot on the street!

So, quick update, I bought the 86! Audi is gone! Initial impressions:

Car was MUCH louder/more aggressive sounding than I expected it to be... then I found out after test driving it that it had the GR Performance Exhaust optioned.. so that explains that! Car also had the auto-dimming rear-view mirror, which was weirdly a big plus for me (do all of the 86's/BRZ's have this?). Upon initial drive, I could immediately tell that the car was MUCH lighter than the Audi and felt WAAY more agile. I think the lower center of gravity plays a huge part here. Interior quality was better than I expected, although the shifter seems kinda "flimsy" compared to my previous Porsche/Audi 6-speeds. Also, brakes feel very unresponsive and kinda mushy with little feedback... any tips on how I can fix this with aftermarket upgrades? The brakes are honestly the biggest "complaint" I have about the car. The seats are WAY more comfortable than I expected, and in my opinion, the car is quite a bit more comfortable than my TTRS in terms of seats, ride quality, etc. But, keep in mind the Audi was on factory 20" wheels with 30-series tires... so a lot of that may be the wheel/tire sizing and the larger side-wall providing a level of dampening that I am simply not accustomed to. Road vibrations and cabin noise were VERY acceptable... but the car only has ~270 miles on it and as noted above, also has the GR Performance Exhaust so maybe that's drowning out some of the noise? Aside from the brakes and major step down in torque/power levels, the car is an absolute RIOT to drive and extremely compliant when letting the back-end step out (I've missed being able to do that SOO much!). I will certainly enjoy this car for however long I decide to keep it!

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by emblem84

Getting ready to post my initial impressions of the car, as I did buy it, but you are spot on. The ONLY thing I miss about the Audi is the torque, but I'll get used to it!



Ha, I do enjoy the occasional roll race, but AWD + launch control is also a riot on the street!

So, quick update, I bought the 86! Audi is gone! Initial impressions:

Car was MUCH louder/more aggressive sounding than I expected it to be... then I found out after test driving it that it had the GR Performance Exhaust optioned.. so that explains that! Car also had the auto-dimming rear-view mirror, which was weirdly a big plus for me (do all of the 86's/BRZ's have this?). Upon initial drive, I could immediately tell that the car was MUCH lighter than the Audi and felt WAAY more agile. I think the lower center of gravity plays a huge part here. Interior quality was better than I expected, although the shifter seems kinda "flimsy" compared to my previous Porsche/Audi 6-speeds. Also, brakes feel very unresponsive and kinda mushy with little feedback... any tips on how I can fix this with aftermarket upgrades? The brakes are honestly the biggest "complaint" I have about the car. The seats are WAY more comfortable than I expected, and in my opinion, the car is quite a bit more comfortable than my TTRS in terms of seats, ride quality, etc. But, keep in mind the Audi was on factory 20" wheels with 30-series tires... so a lot of that may be the wheel/tire sizing and the larger side-wall providing a level of dampening that I am simply not accustomed to. Road vibrations and cabin noise were VERY acceptable... but the car only has ~270 miles on it and as noted above, also has the GR Performance Exhaust so maybe that's drowning out some of the noise? Aside from the brakes and major step down in torque/power levels, the car is an absolute RIOT to drive and extremely compliant when letting the back-end step out (I've missed being able to do that SOO much!). I will certainly enjoy this car for however long I decide to keep it!

Have you really bedded in the brakes? Mine felt kind of soft until I really went through a nice bedding procedure with them, now they feel great.

[emblem84]

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

Have you really bedded in the brakes? Mine felt kind of soft until I really went through a nice bedding procedure with them, now they feel great.

I have not, I'll be out driving the car shortly so plan on running through a good bedding routine then and will report back!

[LancePower]

Originally Posted by emblem84

Getting ready to post my initial impressions of the car, as I did buy it, but you are spot on. The ONLY thing I miss about the Audi is the torque, but I'll get used to it!



Ha, I do enjoy the occasional roll race, but AWD + launch control is also a riot on the street!

So, quick update, I bought the 86! Audi is gone! Initial impressions:

Car was MUCH louder/more aggressive sounding than I expected it to be... then I found out after test driving it that it had the GR Performance Exhaust optioned.. so that explains that! Car also had the auto-dimming rear-view mirror, which was weirdly a big plus for me (do all of the 86's/BRZ's have this?). Upon initial drive, I could immediately tell that the car was MUCH lighter than the Audi and felt WAAY more agile. I think the lower center of gravity plays a huge part here. Interior quality was better than I expected, although the shifter seems kinda "flimsy" compared to my previous Porsche/Audi 6-speeds. Also, brakes feel very unresponsive and kinda mushy with little feedback... any tips on how I can fix this with aftermarket upgrades? The brakes are honestly the biggest "complaint" I have about the car. The seats are WAY more comfortable than I expected, and in my opinion, the car is quite a bit more comfortable than my TTRS in terms of seats, ride quality, etc. But, keep in mind the Audi was on factory 20" wheels with 30-series tires... so a lot of that may be the wheel/tire sizing and the larger side-wall providing a level of dampening that I am simply not accustomed to. Road vibrations and cabin noise were VERY acceptable... but the car only has ~270 miles on it and as noted above, also has the GR Performance Exhaust so maybe that's drowning out some of the noise? Aside from the brakes and major step down in torque/power levels, the car is an absolute RIOT to drive and extremely compliant when letting the back-end step out (I've missed being able to do that SOO much!). I will certainly enjoy this car for however long I decide to keep it!

Regarding the brakes; I have the same issue going back and forth between my 2020 BRZ (Brembo) and 2021 MINI JCW. The MINI's brakes are very grabby at the top of the pedal while the BRZ is a more linear brake pedal.

See if you don't get used to it after a spell.

If you don't, try the TRD/GR brake pads that they offered on the Gen 1 if those are still available. I loved those on my 2016 FR-S.

[imnotsureaboutbrz]

I didn't read through everyone's responses but having come from a 997 Porsche 911 to a 2023 BRZ I'll tell you one thing that caught me off guard at first. The BRZ is LOUD in comparison, little to no sound deadening, lots of road and tire noise. Now we know its all in the name of weight savings, but its something that made me appreciate the old 911.

[emblem84]

Originally Posted by LancePower

Regarding the brakes; I have the same issue going back and forth between my 2020 BRZ (Brembo) and 2021 MINI JCW. The MINI's brakes are very grabby at the top of the pedal while the BRZ is a more linear brake pedal.

See if you don't get used to it after a spell.

If you don't, try the TRD/GR brake pads that they offered on the Gen 1 if those are still available. I loved those on my 2016 FR-S.

Appreciate the insight! I think that is what's throwing me off, as the Audi's brakes were VERY grabby at the top of the pedal and having to apply a LOT more brake pressure in the GR86 makes them feel 'disconnected' to me... hopefully a proper bedding procedure and the good ol' fashioned "getting used to it" serve me well.

Originally Posted by imnotsureaboutbrz

I didn't read through everyone's responses but having come from a 997 Porsche 911 to a 2023 BRZ I'll tell you one thing that caught me off guard at first. The BRZ is LOUD in comparison, little to no sound deadening, lots of road and tire noise. Now we know its all in the name of weight savings, but its something that made me appreciate the old 911.

Yea, the GR86 is certainly louder than my previous Audi's and Porsche, but I happen to enjoy it!

Also, forgot to post about the sound system... going from the Bang & Olufsen setup in my Audi to the GR86 was a BIG difference. So, I'll certainly be looking to upgrade the speakers in the GR86.

[PBR]

You will finally get to experience oversteer lol.

[imnotsureaboutbrz]

Originally Posted by emblem84

Also, forgot to post about the sound system... going from the Bang & Olufsen setup in my Audi to the GR86 was a BIG difference. So, I'll certainly be looking to upgrade the speakers in the GR86.

I'm with you on that, I enjoyed the Bose system in the 911, I currently have the OEM Audio+ speaker upgrades sitting in the garage waiting for me to find time to be put on.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by emblem84

Appreciate the insight! I think that is what's throwing me off, as the Audi's brakes were VERY grabby at the top of the pedal and having to apply a LOT more brake pressure in the GR86 makes them feel 'disconnected' to me... hopefully a proper bedding procedure and the good ol' fashioned "getting used to it" serve me well.



Yea, the GR86 is certainly louder than my previous Audi's and Porsche, but I happen to enjoy it!

Also, forgot to post about the sound system... going from the Bang & Olufsen setup in my Audi to the GR86 was a BIG difference. So, I'll certainly be looking to upgrade the speakers in the GR86.

To be fair, I'd much prefer a linear pedal. Or at least not grabby at the top. And in the Audi, you're comparing fixed calipers to sliding calipers, so the feel is never going to be the same.

Not installed yet, but I've already purchased the front 6 speakers from OEM Audio+. Just waiting for the sub/amp setup to be released so I can do them all at once.

[emblem84]

So, having had the car for a few days now and putting a few hundred miles on it, this car is an ABSOLUTE RIOT!! Holy FUN! I'll be honest, I was NOT expecting this car to be this fun coming from the TTRS... but whoever equated it to a go-kart with enough panels and airbags to be registered with the DMV, that is SO true! I'm not sure if it's the power levels, going from AWD to RWD, or stepping back into a manual... but I'm having WAY more fun with this car than I EVER had with the TTRS. Very glad I decided to pull the trigger and buy this car and get rid of the Audi!

Also, after a proper bedding procedure and just getting used to the sliding vs. fixed calipers, I no longer have an issue with the brakes.

Still going to upgrade the sound system, but I often find myself driving with NO music at all and just enjoying the sound of the car.

Also, I have already started buying parts, lol. First order of business will be the OEM/JDM clear side markers, window tint, and a professional detail and ceramic coating.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by emblem84

So, having had the car for a few days now and putting a few hundred miles on it, this car is an ABSOLUTE RIOT!! Holy FUN! I'll be honest, I was NOT expecting this car to be this fun coming from the TTRS... but whoever equated it to a go-kart with enough panels and airbags to be registered with the DMV, that is SO true! I'm not sure if it's the power levels, going from AWD to RWD, or stepping back into a manual... but I'm having WAY more fun with this car than I EVER had with the TTRS. Very glad I decided to pull the trigger and buy this car and get rid of the Audi!

Also, after a proper bedding procedure and just getting used to the sliding vs. fixed calipers, I no longer have an issue with the brakes.

Still going to upgrade the sound system, but I often find myself driving with NO music at all and just enjoying the sound of the car.

Also, I have already started buying parts, lol. First order of business will be the OEM/JDM clear side markers, window tint, and a professional detail and ceramic coating.

Awesome! Glad you're enjoying it!

I had the OEM Audio+ speakers, GR premium ducktail, and coilovers all here before I even picked up the car! Had it ceramic coated and the front bumper and lights and rear rockers done with PPF within a few days of picking it up.

Still need to drive it more. I've had it two months and it only has 430 miles on it.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by emblem84

Getting ready to post my initial impressions of the car, as I did buy it, but you are spot on. The ONLY thing I miss about the Audi is the torque, but I'll get used to it!



Ha, I do enjoy the occasional roll race, but AWD + launch control is also a riot on the street!

So, quick update, I bought the 86! Audi is gone! Initial impressions:

Car was MUCH louder/more aggressive sounding than I expected it to be... then I found out after test driving it that it had the GR Performance Exhaust optioned.. so that explains that! Car also had the auto-dimming rear-view mirror, which was weirdly a big plus for me (do all of the 86's/BRZ's have this?). Upon initial drive, I could immediately tell that the car was MUCH lighter than the Audi and felt WAAY more agile. I think the lower center of gravity plays a huge part here. Interior quality was better than I expected, although the shifter seems kinda "flimsy" compared to my previous Porsche/Audi 6-speeds. Also, brakes feel very unresponsive and kinda mushy with little feedback... any tips on how I can fix this with aftermarket upgrades? The brakes are honestly the biggest "complaint" I have about the car. The seats are WAY more comfortable than I expected, and in my opinion, the car is quite a bit more comfortable than my TTRS in terms of seats, ride quality, etc. But, keep in mind the Audi was on factory 20" wheels with 30-series tires... so a lot of that may be the wheel/tire sizing and the larger side-wall providing a level of dampening that I am simply not accustomed to. Road vibrations and cabin noise were VERY acceptable... but the car only has ~270 miles on it and as noted above, also has the GR Performance Exhaust so maybe that's drowning out some of the noise? Aside from the brakes and major step down in torque/power levels, the car is an absolute RIOT to drive and extremely compliant when letting the back-end step out (I've missed being able to do that SOO much!). I will certainly enjoy this car for however long I decide to keep it!

Brake pedal: Better pads and fluid will make up some of that difference. If you still want a stiffer pedal, then a big brake kit will be the next step. If you want the audi "bite", then the pads will get the job done.

Did you turn off the fake noise?