Seven's Hot Lava FR-S... On the road to the track '13...

[seven]

***NEWS*** - Updating the first post with plans for the car as they are pretty much finalized... I will note weather and item is installed, not installed, or pending shipping also (if there's nothing after it, I haven't bought it yet).

Current Plans...

Engine/Performance
-Injen Intake - Installed
-Perrin Pulley - Installed
-Agency Power Over/Front Pipe - Installed
-Invidia Q300 Cat-back (Ti Tips) - Installed
-Drift Office 92 octane tune - Completed

-AVO turbo kit - Deposit sent
-Upgraded injectors
-Upgraded Fuel Pump
-Tune for turbo on 92 and E85

EXTERIOR
-Tail light tint from Midnight Window Tinting - Installed
-15% Window tint from Midnight Window Tinting - Installed
-Toyota Front and Rear Badges - Installed
-86_ZN6 Center Console "86" plaque (actually interior but its basically the only interior mod I'm doing) - pending shipping
-Modded Headlight housings - DIY Not done yet
-DDMTuning HID kit - Installed
-86_ZN6 shark style antenna - pending shipping
-Downforce CF front Lip
-BaysonR CF sideskirts
-TRD Japan rear spoiler

SUSPENSION/BRAKES
-Koni Yellow Adjustable Shocks - pending shipping
-RCE Yellow Springs - waiting for shocks to install
-OEM Camber/Crash bolts - waiting for shocks to install
-Strano 22mm hollow front sway bar - pending shipping
-Hawk HP+ Front Pads/HPS Rear Pads - Not installed
-Goodridge Speed Bleeders - not installed
-Goodridge Lines - not installed
-Motul RBF600 Fluid - not installed
-Carbotech f/r track pads

WHEELS/TIRES
-(Winter) MK4 Golf 15x6.5in wheels/Michelin X-ice Snow tires - In storage
-(Street) ESM 004 18x9in wheels/Continental ExtremeContact DW 255/35-18 Tires - Installed
-(Track) Enkei RPF1 17x9in wheels /Hankook Ventus RS-3 255/40-17 tires









*UPDATES POSTED BELOW*

MK4 Golf 15s for snow wheels/tires

Injen Intake and Perrin Pulley Installed

Other threads of note...

How to wash your car in an hour or less, make it look like a pro, and not go broke...
Why I decided on Koni+RCE vs coilovers


So I figured I should start a member journal here, perhaps copy it to other forums where member journals are available as well... I'll start my first post with my review/info about me that I posted on another forum...

So a couple guys on another forum asked for a review and I said I'd give them one - Figured I'd post it here too...

I'll try and separate everything into sections to make it a little easier to read and follow. This will cover reasons for buying as well as some background on who I am if you don't know me. I also would like to add this is based off a very short time of ownership. I'd like to do a more long term review in 3 months or so if you guys want one.

About me...

I've owned just about every sports car you can imagine; 2 C5 corvettes, 06 STI, 08 Si COupe, 03 350Z Track Ed, 98 Camaro SS, E46 M3, E36 M3, Couple of Mustang GTs, SR swapped 240, turbo civic, (that named maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of the vehicles I've owned) - I liked variety. I have a handful of track days under my belt with the 2 Corvettes. I'm 27, single (g/f but not married), no kids, etc - Been a car guy since before I had a learner's permit.


Background - How I ended up car-less for a month or so and why I sold my 99 H/C/N2O C5 FRC...

I was working for a company in PA in Jan 2012 and a friend who previously worked with me had moved to Microsoft in WA was telling me about a possible opening there. I sent a resume and kept in touch. Later on in March I was informed the building I worked in would be shut down and I could either take severance, and then unemployment and leave, or simply get paid to relocate to either Colorado Springs, CO or Albuquerque, NM. Being a car guy and not wanting to deal with snow anymore I figure Albuquerque was a good idea... at this point I had heard nothing regarding the job with MS so I just kept on as planned...
I relocated to Albuquerque, NM in Late May/Early June 2012 and took my 99 C5 with me and it was my daily driver. I was thinking of upgrading to a C6 or perhaps a '13 5.0 GT since they looked so nice. So I put the C5 up for sale, figuring if I got bites, I'd sell it. Toward the end of August I got the offer from MS and was told to get up there ASAP. My friend offered me her 3rd bedroom in thier house (has one other roommate) rent free for a month or two to help me get up there easier and such. I still, however, needed some cash for the move itself. I decided to drop the price to a firm but attractive one on the C5 and take the money to move. I did so, packed my things and drove to Seattle in 28 hours straight thru with a U-Haul. I was then car-less for the next 4 weeks while I did some research... Which leads to...

Why I didn't buy a used C6, '13 GT 5.0, or something other than the FR-S... And why the hell would you FLY to Albuquerque to get one and DRIVE IT BACK TO Seattle?!

I decided early on that the C6 was out as it couldn't be had with a warranty for the price point I wanted (under $30k) - I didn't like the idea that my C5 was a money pit and had no warranty on stuff like a/c, window regulators, etc. I could deal with working/modifying the motor/trans/etc but I hated the little stuff that was annoying and time consuming to fix, just wasn't interested in signing up for more of the same, even tho it was the most capable car.
The 5.0 basically worked itself off the map for 2 reasons...
1- I wanted the Track Package, Recaro Package, and Tech package options on a BASE GT. which puts the sticker at like $36k (32k ish with my X-Plan and incentives, over budget a bit - which I didn't like), and I'd have to factory order such a car, which would have left me car-less for another 4-8 weeks on top of the time I was taking to decide what I wanted.
2- After driving a Brembo equipped (not track-pack sadly) GT, I thought the car was great but felt a little numb compared to the C5...
No other cars were on my list... Could justify the cost for a Genesis coupe and wasn't really interested in any other FWD or AWD cars.
The reason for the plane flight and purchase was I decided to get a test drive of the FR-S no matter what. I couldn't get one before I left ABQ, but as luck would have it, the Scion dealer down the road from my new house in WA had a tech who owned one... It was an automatic but I actually enjoyed it - a lot. I'll go into more detail but basically, it made my C5 feel numb in comparison. It was so sharp and responsive, I couldn't get over it. It wasn't fast but it really spoke to me. So I figured a 6MT car would be even better.
All 6 dealers in the Seattle area had no FR-S' on the lot... all were looking for $1000 deposit to hold a spot, and best case scenario was 4 weeks, worst was 10-12ish.
I called the Scion dealer in ABQ, and they had one coming in within 7-10 days in Manual, and in the color I wanted - Hot Lava (a bad name for a good color).
So I decided the $150 plane ticket and $250 in gas would be worth it instead of paying $950+ to ship it. I booked a flight and took a Friday off.


How it was on long distance drives?

Well considering I had 14xx miles to figure it out... Here's my thoughts on it...
It's not terribly taxing on the body. The seats ARE supportive enough for long distance trips if you're of good health. I say "of good health" meaning, if you have back problems, or any stiffness issues etc... You won't like it. It is stiff but definitely tolerable. My C5 (at stock ride height/suspension) was better for a long trip like this, however my C5 was lowered and had suspension modifications so I'd have felt the same either way. The seats in the FR-S are WAY more supportive than a C5 (not saying much there), and very supportive overall compared to a lot of other vehicles out there. Otherwise, besides the fact that occasionally the Cruise Control would creep up 1-2 mph from where I set it, the car gave very little to complain about. It ate up the miles with ease.

How was it in the city/light to light?

After driving it in ABQ for a night and then for the last couple of days in Seattle... The clutch pedal engages a little bit far out for my liking. BMW guys would probably like this (they'd stuff a stopped or something on it - or just like how it is), Corvettes guys won't. This caused me to over-rev the car pulling out at times. The feel on the clutch is light, I'm used to something heavier but I'll get used to it in time I'm sure. The shifter DOES NOT like to be rushed into first above 5 mph (ie you need to be near COMPLETELY stopped before you put it in 1st to anticipate stopping/pulling out from light to light)... this is annoying. It is peppy and takes off with ease, never feels slow or like it is lacking in power. Uneven pavement will be felt, but its not something that will kill your back... you will feel it tho.


Does it live up to the hype regarding handling and response...

In a word - YES! It's incredibly engaging to drive, even at 20mph, no really, it is. You can't make it feel numb and even just put-ing around a parking lot, you know the car is sharp. The steering is well weighted and very easy to get feedback from. The suspension works very well and is predictable. The car really does make a C5 FRC feel numb (Stock vs stock). It's so nimble it makes you smile about how great it is to drive, all the time. I will say I didn't care for the brake pedal feel, It's a little squishy, and the brakes don't feel as strong as I'd like - It *could* be because I had Hawk HP+/HPS pads on the Corvette tho... I might have been a bit spoiled by that.

Is it slow / Do you think it needs more power?

It's not slow. It's definitely no drag car, but it has torque thats usable and a gearbox that helps you utilize that torque. I found myself rolling in/out of traffic on I-90/I-405 in the final stretch coming home... and I never had to downshift below 5th. The car always had power available to get in/out of traffic.
I will plan to add some power tho. I think 275-325whp would make the car probably borderline into territory of some very expensive name plates on a track - provided the suspension is set up to handle and put down said power. I do think 200whp would be just fine for 90% of enthusiasts, and for people who just want a fun car to drive every day... stock would be fine. I'm in the small percentage that has a well defined goal of how I want a car.

Could you do better for the $25k you spent?

I really don't think you can. $25k will buy you a WRX which will be a little faster (and definitely more practical), but what you gain in practicality is at the cost of appeasing the consumer masses and that makes the WRX less enjoyable. I don't think you can buy a Miata worth having for $25k, and if you can I wouldn't buy one anyway. They're as heavy as an FR-S is now and have less power. You're left with a Focus ST, GTI 2.0T (both in stripper form, no options really), a Civic Si, Mazdaspeed 3, and maybe a Lancer Ralliart - I will say a GTI has without a doubt the best interior of the bunch, but is fat, numb, and FWD. The Mazdaspeed is the best handling FWD (could be argued now that the Focus ST is here - I haven't driven an ST)... but ultimately... Everything is FWD, and won't have the feel a FR-S will. The only car I've ever driven that felt so light and sharp as an FR-S is a Lotus Elise, which is rare air for a $25k car.

What do you think of the interior?

It's definitely basic. But it works VERY well. It's usable as an every-day car without a doubt. The controls are easy to read and use, and everything is in a decent spot. The Audio controls are my only qualm; they're a little unintuitive and annoying. Fit and finish is as good or better than anything at the price point I'd say (besides maybe a GTI/Jetta).

Recommendations for mods for anyone who wants to get the most from the car?

You CAN add power, but to be honest... I'd add stickier tires as they're a huge shortcoming on the car and one of the few compromises. I'd add a better set of pads with stainless lines and good fluid. I'd add the plug and play HID kit that's out now. Otherwise, I'd see what Race Comp or Ground Control is offering for suspension mods at a budget price and use it. The car needs really nothing else beyond that, however I can't ever leave well enough alone... we'll see how the car turns out.



Hope this helps people... feel free to ask questions if you have something specific I didn't cover.

[seven]

Pics after doing a clean up since the drive from NM to WA... Optimum No-Rinse, Clay'd it, Meguair's #205, Opti-Seal, Dodo Juice Supernatural wax. Vacuumed and dressed the tires... Stock with an old polished stubby antenna a friend put on without me seeing haha.

[seven]

Since Monday was my b-day... g/f got me this...

[chaotichoax]

thanks for the detailed opinion of the car...I'm looking forward to mine arriving

[seven]

To add on to the first post...
Basically all I really do think the car needs (non-cosmetically) is sticker/wider tires and pads/lines/fluid. Those are the first planned mods besides the pulley that my gf bought me.

On the cosmetic side. The tailights and the chrome on them is atrocious. So I plan on getting the lighter tinted overlays from bluebat and then also HIDs for the head lights. Tint and a clear bra should round out the exterior mods for the foreseeable future.

[seven]

As small update of sorts... I'll be installing the Perrin crank pulley I have (most likely) this weekend.

Today I also started some ordering...

As I stated earlier, my biggest gripe with the car's driving feel is squiahy brake pedal and quickly fading, not very aggressive brake pads.... I plan to remedy this first, with that in mind I made the following purchases today...
@Pekingduck had some NIB stainless brake lines for sale - so I picked those up (Thanks again!)

I also bought HP Plus front pads and HPS rear pads from @Rev Works (Great to deal with!)

I'll be picking up a pint or two of ATE SuperBlue for the street... and a pint or two of Motul RBF600 for track days next year.

After looking at the intake design on these cars and thinking $125 + shipping for what amounts to be a giant silicon hose with a 90 degree bend on it... I'll probably make my own intake out of a coupler, a 90 bend, and a pipe with a grommet for the emissions tube - then a drop-in filter for the airbox itself. I figure the $125 + $50 for a cone filter ($175) total could be done DIY for probably about $80 or less.

Suspension... Been slowly researching AST, Ground Control, and after asking about AST from a forum memeber... KW as well. I will be going with coilovers, and definitely a set that has dampening adjustability as this will be a double-duty car.

On the cosmetic side of things...
I plan to order a PnP HID kit of the 5-6k variety and some Bluebat 3/10 tail-light tint.
Will also probably buy the Toyote badges for the car since they're fairly cheap... Will also be removing the FR-S badge and put something else in it's place.
Researching local places for Window tint and Clear bra as well.

Also some wheel-related developments

For winter...

I'll be selling my stock wheels and tires (there's a thread in the classifieds if you're interested) and taking a set of MKIV VW Avus wheels as they fit without issue (and I have easy access to them), will fit 15in snow tires (which are cheap!) and buying some good snow tires for winter... thread about the Avus fitment here - http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19403

Track/Summer

I'll be looking into ESM wheels (BBS LM replicas) for my street/3 season wheels - pics of those here http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7746 - They're doing a 18x9 square setup now with a +38 offset which should work fine with coilovers. Not sure on tires yet. Also probably going to go with Mach V Awesomes for track wheels... http://www.fastwrx.com/mavawwh.html - light and still 9in wide - which in 17in diameter should leave tire options wide open

[rice_classic]

I'm only a couple miles from you. I used to live in Kirkland too.

WA State has some great tracks with Pacific Raceways only a 40 minute drive away.

Welcome to WA, hope you brought your rain gear and Vit D supps.

[seven]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

I'm only a couple miles from you. I used to live in Kirkland too.

WA State has some great tracks with Pacific Raceways only a 40 minute drive away.

Welcome to WA, hope you brought your rain gear and Vit D supps.

You sent me a PM a while back (after my tirade on the real/fake wheel thread) and welcomed me already... But I appreciate it

Can't wait to get this thing out to the track in spring.

[dareo]

That photo is totally Right click, Set As Desktop Background.

[Bluebatmobile]

The lighter tinted overlays will definately set the car off .

B@t™

[seven]

Originally Posted by dareo

That photo is totally Right click, Set As Desktop Background.

Originally Posted by Bluebatmobile

The lighter tinted overlays will definately set the car off .

B@t™

I agree. ...Sooon!

[seven]

Been getting some interesting PMs regarding the future of this car. I always knew forced induction would be in cards eventually. Looks like sooner rather than later.

[Bluebatmobile]

Originally Posted by seven

I agree. ...Sooon!

B@t™

[seven]

Originally Posted by Bluebatmobile

B@t™

I replied to you email - Wanted to see if there's a price diff for 2 piece and how glossy the finish is as I don't want a matte finish - tends to make the car look dirty.