things you notice about the 86 while driving

[NedVargar]

FYI on the chirp noise. There is a repair for... that http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18384

The dealer installs a different injector I believe. I had the crickets when I was using 10% Ethanol (standard gas). I switched to 100% gas (harder to find) and the issue went away immediately.

I still might get the fix done though, I just need to get the other gas and reproduce the problem.

[FRiSson]

For me, it was detectable the first time I drove the FR-S. It was exactly what I had been looking for in other new cars, but had been unable to find - that is, utmost competence and confidence on the road. While other cars sit on the road, the FR-S inhabits its space and brings you along with it. From its down low driving position, the pavement and grip conditions that the car telegraphs to the driver, its lively suspension that seems to "intelligently" find the best geometry in anticipation of your next instructions and the road ahead. This car makes you smarter.

[Rayme]

I've been driving a stock civic DX for 2 years, all those people saying that the FR-S has no torque must have NOT driven a 1.6 civic for 2 years. I find the power pretty adequate all things considered including the price.

The interior is premium, it it of much better quality than my friend's 2012 Jetta TDI in fact, the cabin noise is also very nice. The ride is also very similar to my other friend's MKV GTI, which is a big compliment.

The mechanical noise of the boxer engine is very pleasant compared to most 4 cylinders (maybe except the k20's, which are also very delightful).

The driving position is SPOT ON and so are the seats, I hate leather which makes this cabin almost perfect.

I love the look of the car, much, much more than all the other sports compact offered. Those two humps on the fenders are sexy and obvious when driving in it

[engee]

Originally Posted by SubieNate

Yeah, the chirp very rarely bothers me. Hasn't bothered me enough to want to be without the car to have it fixed.

@engee - I feel that it's quick (not fast) in the straights once you get it in the powerband but it definitely could use a bit more torque in the 3-4k range (Dur, that's where the torque dip is) so that you don't have to wring it out to pass a minivan.

I'm not sure what you mean by "speed of plaid" but it's my experience that when driving in the twisties, the car is so communicative that it feels like you're driving pretty quickly (on the stock tires) because you can feel the limit at all times but that in reality you're not going all that fast (as evidenced by my friend driving behind me on real tires in his Mini keeping up with not too much effort even though I had the power advantage).

Nathan

It's slow depending on what cars you are coming from. (in a straight line) I personally am coming from a faster car. However, I do not regret it one bit.

I'm dating myself with the "speed of plaid" reference. Hopefully another Mel Brooks fan can help you here. What I meant by that reference though is that doing a fast speed in this car feels 10x faster than doing that same speed in a faster car.

[RAWR BRZ]

Stock for Stock:

Softer ride than my e92 M3 I dont have EDC
Less body roll than my e92 M3
Hard time getting my car (BRZ) to slide out during a turn with just more gas
Seat position is perfect makes me go wtf in my M3
Shifter is solid unlike rubbery feel in M3
I HATE the side mirrors its too tall and I can barely see blind zones.
Hate how the black plastic of the mirror housing that is closer to the car blocks my view
Car interior scratches like crazy... Scratches if my feet touches it and cant be rubbed off... maybe with water idk
Very fun on canyon roads I can use it near 100%
Rev matches like a dream compare to M3
Heel Toe very easy compared to M3
etc

[MVJ1975]

"Yes, we're gonna have to go right to ludicrous speed!

What's the matter Colonel Sandurz, chicken?"

The seating position is just fantastic. You just slide down into it, like you'd slide down into a fighter plane. Everything you need is at hand, and nothing you don't.

And I concur with the telepathic steering. You think it, and the car does it, without you even realizing that you moved your hand on the wheel.

[DarkSunrise]

Things that stood out the first time I drove this car:

Positively
- Did not expect the steering to be this responsive.
- Stock suspension is stiffly damped.
- Outward visibility quite good.

Negatively
- The transmission can be notchy going into 2nd (thankfully only when cold)
- High clutch engagement
- Throttle pedal not responsive in the first ~3% of travel

[ewiley]

Originally Posted by ottopilot

I've been driving a stock civic DX for 2 years, all those people saying that the FR-S has no torque must have NOT driven a 1.6 civic for 2 years. I find the power pretty adequate all things considered including the price.

My last car was an '02 corolla. The FR-S is a luxury car compared to that

[SubieNate]

I notice that compared to my old car, the shift lever has much stronger centering. Meaning I have to remember to push it over into 5th from 4th and hold it over into 6th from 5th a bit more than I'm used to. My old car had a really loose transmission with very close gates so once I learned it it was almost as if all I had to do to go from 4th to 5th was push up and it'd just scoot over on it's own. In the FR-S I grab 3rd or hit the gate occasionally when shifting lazily.

It's never a problem when actually driving hard and the overall feel of the transmission is 100x better. Just something I noticed.

Nathan

[Razor]

Having owned a third generation RX7 for over 18 years, the FR-s stood out since the first time I drove it by:
Positively:
The balance of the car on curves ( not tail happy )
The aerodinamics at speed ( very little wind interference, how poised it stays )
The looks of it ( sexy at any angle )
How snug I fit on the driver seat ( I'm 5'8" and weight 165 pds. )

Negatively:
Too much road noise at speed ( Dinamat to doors and rear panels will help)
The wimpy toyota horn ( nobody is perfect )
THAT IT IS !

[LeeMaster]

I came from a 1997 Impreza Brighton 5spd and 1998 Honda Civic and 2006 TSX(which I traded in for the BRZ-eh), needless to say this car is very luxury compared to the 90s car that I currently have but I sure do miss the K24(Sounded like Takumi's AE86 Initial D).

Pros
- Stiffy suspension
- Superior handling (low center of gravity)
- Responsive steering wheel
- Smooth clutch
- Front field of vision is superior
- adequate torque and power
- Looks good especially when turning
- Raised fenders gives you confidence and lets you know how close you are to the walls etc.

Cons
- Clutch engagement is very sensitive, meaning that if I screw up just a little bit with rev matching then the car will jerk a little. I have driven my friend's 2005 WRX and it never does that and I can release the clutch without ever getting a jerk even when I didnt perfectly rev match.
^ The point is that it just takes a while to get use to it which I get it right about 85% of the time.
- Boxer engine only rumbles with UEL headers(Someone has to invent rumble w/o UEL by now)
- Lots of blind spots from left and right which can be dangerous especially at night or early mornings when it is still dark out(Highly recommend you get those convex side mirrors)

Note: Road noise is tolerable, car drives perfectly fine in the rain if you drive easy, discipline is the key if you want to keep it steady. A good place to practice perfection is GT5 Academy using a steering wheel.

[Splat]

Originally Posted by Razor

Having owned a third generation RX7 for over 18 years, the FR-s stood out since the first time I drove it by:
Positively:
The balance of the car on curves ( not tail happy )
The aerodinamics at speed ( very little wind interference, how poised it stays )
The looks of it ( sexy at any angle )
How snug I fit on the driver seat ( I'm 5'8" and weight 165 pds. )

Negatively:
Too much road noise at speed ( Dinamat to doors and rear panels will help)
The wimpy toyota horn ( nobody is perfect )
THAT IT IS !

I just started laughing my ass off at the horn thing. As just this weekend I actually tried it out, then showed my wife and even she laughed. First mod may be a more bully horn upgrade to something more.... "get out of my way"

[FRiSson]

The horn is awful, but a too powerful horn in a very small car isn't good either. A ferrari horn would be perfect. What would you guess $3,000?

[einzlr]

Originally Posted by whaap

I come to the FR-S out of a Miata so the "everything fits me well" is nothing new. Since I don't push the edge of the envelope I find the suspension just the way it comes out of the box is fine with me. The only thing I find a little bothersome is the short first gear.

I haven't had the pleasure/privilege of driving one yet, but given the lack of low-end torque that everyone talks about, do you suppose the short first gear is intentional to help the car get started?

Originally Posted by engee

I'm dating myself with the "speed of plaid" reference. Hopefully another Mel Brooks fan can help you here. What I meant by that reference though is that doing a fast speed in this car feels 10x faster than doing that same speed in a faster car.

One of the car journalists expressed that by saying it makes 60mph seem like mach 1.7