The Marginal FR-S Final Review | Part 3

[Dezoris]

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

Believe me, if there was a faster version available I'm sure a lot of us would have bought it instead.

Well I hope to find out if people actually would/will.

[naikaidriver]

I must say your filmmaking skills are getting better. You still struggle with a cohesive vision and the shop segment dragged for what felt like an eternity.

And please don't take this the wrong way, but listening to Ben Stein give a dissertation on paint drying would be riveting compared to your monotone drone. You just talk like every day of your life is the worst day of your life. Most people get their heart pumping while driving around a race track and yet you sound like Eeore coming down from a 2 week heroin binge. Are you ever happy or excited about anything?

Still, nothing really of any surprise here. All of the info you presented was 100% accurate, factually but I don't think I agree with your impressions on the rear-end feeling "sloppy". But that's just me.

Not hating on you or the very significant amount of time and money you've put into this Dezoris. I'm just chiming in with my two cents with my usual "flair".

Scott

[Sonolin]

@OP: Thanks for the review. This part is much better than the other 2 parts of the series (IMO). Some useful bits here, and I can't wait for the next part.

Please make sure to do an e85 tune, that stuff works great on these cars and is one of the best things you can do to this car IMO. That's probably where a lot of people will stick N/A, assuming they have access to it. And with F/I its even better.

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

You left out one of the most obvious reasons a lot of us bought the car. It's LIGHTWEIGHT and RWD. You can count the number of lightweight rwd coupes sold these days for less than $30k on one hand. Miata (only if you cold the retractable hardtop) and FRS/BRZ. And neither is fast.

Thank you. I've been saying this for a while now. Its a lightweight, good looking, fun, rwd driver's coupe. That's hard to find nowadays, in any price range, really (new). Sure you can buy an hold miata/s2000 for less money, but new there's not much lightweight rwd sports cars.

[Norkoastal]

My thoughts on this "series." The car has proven itself as a best buy for the entire package even with all the shortcomings you like to add all kinds of bland color to.. Your nitpicking on the compromised individual elements of the car doesn't take away from the framework/build point of the car being sound. This board is full of tinkerers and modders who dont mind wrenching to dial everything in to their liking, so these drawn out "wallowing, slow, boring" comments are subjective to your opinionated slanted taste. The stock car isn't perfect.. We get it.

The fact you're putting more money into the car sings praises your other videos try to hide . This last 30 minutes of "analysis" covers obvious things we all are well informed about... Tires = bad, brakes need changing before track day, you drive better than your friends... bla bla bla.. Have fun modding, but don't try putting a price on "perfection", because you are clearly trying to prove some point that the car you develop is the "one" that should have left the factory.

[Lonewolf]

Upgraded brake pads, fluid, and grippier stock size tires make the FRS capable of hanging with a stock s2000...what's expensive about that?

[HotLeopardMama]

Originally Posted by Lonewolf

Upgraded brake pads, fluid, and grippier stock size tires make the FRS capable of hanging with a stock s2000...what's expensive about that?

^^all that stuff would still be less than the $10K+ sticker price that a new S2000 would cost if it were still sold, right?

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by HotLeopardMama

^^all that stuff would still be less than the $10K+ sticker price that a new S2000 would cost if it were still sold, right?

Heck, that stuff can be had for about a thousand bucks (less than) if you snag some good deals. The straightaways will still be a problem for the FRS vs. a stock s2000 though.

[Dezoris]

I have talked to so many people about this car. The most common question I get asked is how it stacks up against an S2000. And for the most part it does pretty well and is more practical.

But then the obvious hits that the S2000 was on the design table 15 years ago. That's when it sinks in how great the car was/is 15 years after design that we are comparing a new car to it.
The same will not be said about the FR-S in 15 years as it stand, I would bet my best underwear on it.

Wwhen you have owned and driven the cars that are either close competitors or cars that are better it's easy to want more from this model.

That's what the next series is about. The most frequent comments and messages I get are:

"What do you expect for 25k?"
"Get a Porsche, S2000, Mustang, Genesis, etc."

I want to see exactly if this car could be better than those cars for a modest investment, or is it just destined to be just another "could have been" model designed around attracting younger buyers back to Toyota.

[Sonolin]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

I have talked to so many people about this car. The most common question I get asked is how it stacks up against an S2000. And for the most part it does pretty well and is more practical.

But then the obvious hits that the S2000 was on the design table 15 years ago. That's when it sinks in how great the car was/is 15 years after design that we are comparing a new car to it.
The same will not be said about the FR-S in 15 years as it stand, I would bet my best underwear on it.

Wwhen you have owned and driven the cars that are either close competitors or cars that are better it's easy to want more from this model.

That's what the next series is about. The most frequent comments and messages I get are:

"What do you expect for 25k?"
"Get a Porsche, S2000, Mustang, Genesis, etc."

I want to see exactly if this car could be better than those cars for a modest investment, or is it just destined to be just another "could have been" model designed around attracting younger buyers back to Toyota.

Ill be a happy man when a light rwd car comparable to the frs can be had for 15k new of today's money.

[Dezoris]

Originally Posted by naikaidriver

I must say your filmmaking skills are getting better. You still struggle with a cohesive vision and the shop segment dragged for what felt like an eternity.

And please don't take this the wrong way, but listening to Ben Stein give a dissertation on paint drying would be riveting compared to your monotone drone. You just talk like every day of your life is the worst day of your life. Most people get their heart pumping while driving around a race track and yet you sound like Eeore coming down from a 2 week heroin binge. Are you ever happy or excited about anything?

Still, nothing really of any surprise here. All of the info you presented was 100% accurate, factually but I don't think I agree with your impressions on the rear-end feeling "sloppy". But that's just me.

Not hating on you or the very significant amount of time and money you've put into this Dezoris. I'm just chiming in with my two cents with my usual "flair".

Scott

I always think about you every time I set up a shot, I don't think I will win you over but after the next series is done I think it will provide info and more that has not been available yet, its possible just raw content logically laid out will do it for it.

It's extremely difficult, because after a while of looking at what you are trying to accomplish and what is good vs. irrelevant you realize there are plenty of things some people will never care about or find interesting.
Thats why when you went off before it never phased me because the harshest words are sometime the best.

Regardless, I am not here to talk trash, I want to attempt to back it up whether its a straight up failure or not.

[Dezoris]

Originally Posted by Sonolin

Ill be a happy man when a light rwd car comparable to the frs can be had for 15k new of today's money.

I have no idea why this has never happened. The internet is littered with rumors of b-segment RWD cars like a mini MX5 and similar rumors for a smaller S2000 replacement. This is why the FR-S has always kind of left me wondering where the real players are in this game.

Because that will be the test of how good this car is or isn't.

[naikaidriver]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

I always about you every time I set up a shot, I don't think I will win you over but after the next series is done I think it will provide info and more that has not been available yet, its possible just raw content logically laid out will do it for it.

It's extremely difficult, because after a while of looking at what you are trying to accomplish and what is good vs. irrelevant you realize there are plenty of things some people will never care about or find interesting.
Thats why when you went off before it never phased me because the harshest words are sometime the best.

Regardless, I am not here to talk trash, I want to attempt to back it up whether its a straight up failure or not.

I'm flattered that you thought of my comments on your previous films!

While I am not even remotely arrogant enough to claim credit, I meant what I said about your cinematography being much better as a whole. It really is. And technically there was nothing "wrong" with your shop segment since all the information was there, (sometimes your mechanic bordered on offensive) it hit all the right notes. If there had been just a bit more editing of some of the more repetitive/mundane parts, it would have flowed better. Still, I am no Stephen Spielberg so feel free to discard my opinion if you see fit.

We've both been around here a long time Dezoris. I should think you know me enough by now that I don't mean ill to anyone (except maybe the stance crowd or people who remove their steering wheel while driving). I just enjoy putting a more elaborate flourish on my statements.:happy0180:

It would be significantly hypocritical of me to refer to your screen presence as "dreary" (it is... sorry) if all I could muster in retort is "you suck". I would never dream of saying something so droll. Perhaps you should find someone with more "energy" than yourself to be a presenter.

Scott

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

But then the obvious hits that the S2000 was on the design table 15 years ago. That's when it sinks in how great the car was/is 15 years after design that we are comparing a new car to it.
The same will not be said about the FR-S in 15 years as it stand, I would bet my best underwear on it.

I think it says more about the last 15 years of the industry than it does about the product of it. We can only HOPE that in 15 years the FRS becomes an afterthought because there are newer better cars that can be had for equivalent prices. I bet any S2000 fan would be a bit disappointed at the time if you told them that this was the best thing to come out for the next decade, most people like competition.

My money says this is the best we're going to get, sports cars are on the way out. I had a lovely discussion with a guy working on electronic steering this past weekend, the days of google driving you to work are not far off, hold on to this baby while you can.
:happy0180:

PS I would love to be wrong.

[orthojoe]

The amount of time and effort put into this video production is truly impressive. I think the OP did his best to put forward an HONEST and FAIR review, which is exceedingly rare to do.

I find it very interesting that ft86club does not find your productions 'worthy' of front page headlines. I guess it's because it's too honest and fair. Videos of guys 'hunting' cripplingly horrible GT3 drivers at the track are more worthy... :-P

Your efforts are to to be applauded. Thank you!