Dadhawk's FR-S (6AT Firestorm)

[Tansey86]

[Dadhawk]

(mileage chart updated in OP)

Well, passed the first of my "Milestones" driving the FR-S. I have officially driven it the distance of once around the globe (24901 miles at the equator). I unceremoniously passed that mile marker on 9/4/2013, and unfortunately did not notice or take a picture.

It took me 401 days more than Philleas Fogg (481 days) but I made it with none of his troubles.

Updated predictions based on current mileage run:

Once Around The Earth..24,901 9/4/2013 (COMPLETE!)
Warranty...............32,000 1/5/2014
PowerTrain.............60,000 6/17/2015
......................100,000 7/11/2017
......................200,000 9/10/2022
Distance to the Moon..238,857 9/12/2024
Astro (last DD) Miles.289,000 4/16/2027
Ultimate Goal.........300,000 11/9/2027

[Dadhawk]

Wow, these last 10,000 miles went fast, about 156 days. Hard to believe I've had Olivia for that many miles already. With less than 2,000 miles on the b2b warranty, I still haven't had any issues. Nothing even minor to complain about really.

I still love driving the car, enjoy it every day which is a good thing since I'm averaging 54 miles a day (and really 80 miles on weekdays).

The most unexpected delight has been the fuel mileage (see OP of this thread for details). I never expected to be averaging over 30MPG, I was hoping for low 20's. I realize I'm "helped" by very little of my driving being "City" driving, but regardless, I don't exactly baby the car, and I still am getting great gas mileage.

Here's an update on the "Milestone" measurements. As you can see when compared to ^above^ the extra miles are definitely moving the dates closer in:

Once Around The Earth..24,901............09/04/2013 Complete!
Warranty.....................32,000.............12/25/2013
PowerTrain...................60,000........... 05/27/2015
.................................100,000.......... ..06/06/2017
.................................200,000.......... ..07/02/2022
Distance to the Moon...238,857............06/20/2024
Astro Miles (last DD)....289,000............01/05/2027
Goal...........................300,000............ 07/28/2027

[Wheelsoffracing]

I've finally got around to reading all your journal. I got my Firestorm 6AT FR-S in August 2012 after seeing my 1st at the dealer showroom (about the time you took delivery), test driving both the MT & AT and ordering the red AT. We have commented on each other's posts a few times and I generally agree with your observations. I'm a bit older than you and am fortunate enough to not need a DD anymore so I have 4,800 miles on Trixie now. I have installed a Works ABM ( she sounds like she should have from the factory), K&N drop in air filter, MOMO shift knob (red leather - looks great & I use this in manual mode - can't get used to the floppy paddles) and Zeta Products arm rest. I also admit, on a whim, I replaced the Scion badges with Toyota ovals & took off the FR-S. I probably wouldn't do that again. The GT-86 badge does look good...
I love driving car and have only seen 3 others on the road! It's great not seeing yourself coming at you all the time. Thanks for the posts!

[Dadhawk]

Thanks for the comments.

Originally Posted by Wheelsoffracing

...I also admit, on a whim, I replaced the Scion badges with Toyota ovals & took off the FR-S. I probably wouldn't do that again. The GT-86 badge does look good...!

I have the GT-86 badge and the Toyota badges sitting on a shelf, keep debating about whether to do them or not. The only reason I am considering it is I don't like the chrome badging but like even less the Scion badges when they are blacked out. The Toyota badges just seem cleaner when darkened. I think if I add the GT-86 badge I'll do it on the opposite side of the FR-S badge on the trunk and leave both.

[Wheelsoffracing]

I liked how clean the look was after I was finished. I was thinking about blacking out the emblems, but I found the chrome looks good ICW the chrome around the headlights & taillights - better than the Scion frosted look does - kind of like it was designed that way.
One thing to look out for is, if you take off the FR-S after it has been on for as long as you have kept it on, there is bound to be a shadow where it has been removed. The GT-86 badge would hide that.

[Dadhawk]

(Lifetime Fuel economy numbers updated in post #1)

I know, I know, us Southerners and 3 inches of snow don't mix....

During Georgia's first snowfall a couple of weeks ago that shut down the city, I was one of those idiots caught off-guard. In fact, in a post in the "Random Thoughts Thread" I even took credit for the whole event.

I ended up with the FR-S at work (with the OEM summer tires) because I had planned to head home before the storm hit. Unfortunately, it hit while I was in a meeting, in a windowless conference room.

By the time I was out, the roads were already bad and getting worse.

I headed out, and was actually doing OK except for all the fellow idiots around me. So, I ended up turning around and heading back to the office. On the way back, I ended up in a line of cars in a neighborhood that wasn't going anywhere fast.

I pulled into a driveway, knocked on the door, got permission to leave my car there, and walked the rest of the way back to the office where I slept on the floor. Turns out I was a genius since a couple of fellow employees that live in the same area I do, with 4WD, ended up spending 12 hours in their cars.

Next day as the thaw happened I finally headed home. I-20 looked like a scene from one of those post-end-of-the-world movies.

FR-S did fine with the remaining slush and ice patches on the roads, not a single slip, even with the wrong tires, with the exception of a completely iced over and shaded on-ramp to I-20 where I got to practice my s-turn drifting. It was actually fun since there wasn't anything to hit.

A few of things I did learn about it through the experience:

• Summer tires really are.
• Snow mode on the 6AT actually does help with launch.
• But Manual mode is better than snow mode once you start to slip.
• The way the car communicates with you was a big help in staying straight.
• My MK1 MR2 was much better in this mess than the FR-S can ever be.
• I made the right decision by turning around the first day. Get-thereitis would have probably landed me in a ditch somewhere.
• My office seriously needs a couch/emergency bed space.

Those of you that live in the Frozen North that drive your 86 (equipped properly) all the time in that type of mess and worse have my respect. I do think that with proper winter/snow tires it would be fine as long as you didn't have to use it as a snow plow.

[mweidner311]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Got to do my first emergency lane change yesterday.

I'm driving to work in the morning on I-285 in Atlanta when I detect the distinct smell of melting rubber. The truck in front of me pulls to the left lane, and there in front of me is a old Tercel doing 70MPH with a flat tire!

The driver either has no clue, or has decided she can't pull over. I can't believe she doesn't know because the tire is completely flat.

I'm thinking OK, I'll pull over to her right and wave her over. Unfortunately, there is a semi on both sides of me, no where to go. Just about this time, the tire decides to shred itself. Just as the tire completely leaves the rim, and heads straight back for me, I'm able to dodge left out of the way just in time to avoid the road alligator that used to be her tire bouncing past the right side of my car.

Lady is still clueless, now driving on the rim, sparks flying! I pull up, try to wave her over but she's got the 1 mile stare thing going out the window.

Fortunately, about that time a cop comes up behind her and pulls her over.

The good news is that she was unharmed and the FR-S survived the event.

I felt like stopping and saying "Really, Lady, you didn't think the fact that your ass end was dragging the ground there was a problem?"

That is nuts! There are some "special" people driving around here glad you missed it.

[Dadhawk]

(Fuel Economy updated in OP)

Just passed the two year mark with my FR-S. My how time flies.

The car has met or exceeded all my expectations as a daily driver. It had zero warranty issues, and has delivered an astonishing (to me) 32.5MPG average despite my inability to drive it gently.

She is definitely showing her near 40,000 miles, no longer pristine and new, but really other than a few paint chips, not much worse for the wear.

Best memory so far, watching my youngest son taking his driving test in it. Also, watching my other two sons take it for a spin.

Worst memory so far, having to park it in a stranger's driveway during Snowmeggedon 2014 for 36 hours and walking back to work that last couple of miles because there was no way we were going to get (safely) home.

The original question, could it produce the fond memories I had of my MK1 MR2, the original Olivia. Honestly, it's hard to say. I like the FR-S in different ways. The FR-S is more practical, and is 99% as much fun. If there was a modern day equivalent of the MK1 MR2 though, I'd find it difficult to pass up.

It is interesting, as I look back through my log here, and at others, how time has settled us all into "run mode" with the cars. A lot of us "early adopters" have accepted we have said about as much of value as we can, and our posts have become fewer and further between.

To me, that means the cars don't produce a lot of drama. They are good, solid, dependable cars that met most of the intended mission statement. Sure, there's the crickets, the condensation, and a few rattles here or there that some of us have and others don't, but that's true with any car. For a totally new car in this price range, I'd say we've been pretty fortunate as a whole, and Toyota/Subaru did themselves proud.

I'll continue to post more as things come up, but know that silence just means I'm busy driving and enjoying my car, with nothing new to add, and that's a good thing.

An update to my checkpoint items, based on miles to date:

Once Around The Earth..24,901 9/4/2013 Complete!
Warranty...............32,000 1/6/2014 Complete!
PowerTrain.............60,000 5/27/2015
......................100,000 6/6/2017
......................200,000 7/2/2022
Distance to the Moon..238,857 6/20/2024
Astro Miles...........289,000 1/5/2027
Goal..................300,000 7/28/2027

[Dadhawk]

This past week my 17 year old bought his first car with his own money, with a little assistance from me.

We picked up a jet black 1998 Volvo C70 as a "project car" for him. He decided as a senior project in high school to purchase a car and rehab it (Finally a kid that loves cars! but I digress). The C70 has really good bones but needs some minor cosmetic work, and a detailing, exactly what he was looking for. It's a beautiful car for its age, and sold for $45,000 when new (we got it for less than a 10th of that, with right at 100,000 miles on it).

Some really cool things about this car that every car should have:

The Radio. It pulls out of the dash by pushing two recessed buttons built into each side of the radio. You don't have to disassemble anything to remove it, and the cables are long enough you can actually reach them. Every radio should work like that. Examples of how it shouldn't be done: In our '05 Mustang you have to remove the entire center console top, a dash panel and 4 bolts to get to it. In our Suburban you have to remove the entire dash facia.

The Taillights. To change a tail light when its burned out, you remove one cover panel, one thumb screw and all five lights for each side come out for replacement. In our Mustang you have to remove the spare tire cover, the rear trunk facia, three nuts on each side and then remove the entire tail light assembly!

The OBDII connector. It is part of the center console between the seats, under a panel cover clearly marked OBDII. Now that's convenient!

Now, I just have to convince him not to but a giant Batman symbol on the hood!

[Dadhawk]

(Fuel log updated in original post)

On a recent trip between Atlanta and Perry, GA I hit a new "all time high" fuel mileage of 35.72MPG over 395.9 miles.

The trip was almost entirely Interstate highway with speeds at or above 70MPH, primarily on cruise control. Had I remembered to fill up immediately after the trip the number would have most likely been higher as I did commute one way to work before filling up making about 50 miles of it non-highway.

The gas economy, particularly given I make no pretense of hypermiling, still amazes me.

[Dadhawk]

Finally paid less than $3.00 per gallon for fuel last week. (OK, $2.999 but that still counts!). Here is a chart of the fuel cost per gallon for every tank I've purchased since 5/11/2012.

[Koa]

Look at that TAIL OFF! that's what I like to see. You're going to need to revise future graphs with a new y-axis internal set ha

[Dadhawk]

Thanks to a purchase from @mynameis940 for the base radio, and an eBay vendor for the GPS module, I have swapped out my plain-Jane 2012 OEM Pioneer radio with a 2014 AHA Radio with GPS.

It took about 20 minutes to add the GPS unit to the headunit, pull the old radio out, transfer the brackets, install the GPS antenna (it installs to the underside of the Dash) and put the new radio in place.
It powered right up with no issues. I did have what I thought was an issue with GPS. It was seeing 9 satellites but still thought I was somewhere in KY (even though I was definitely in GA, MomHawk verified that for me!).

I messed around with that for about an additional 15 minutes trying settings, etc. I finally moved the car about 3 feet and Bam it knew where I was. Kind of odd but OK.

The radio actually sounds better than the old one, and it definitely has a better iPod interface. I like that it has real knobs and buttons for most functions as well.

I decided to go this route because it was plug and play, it fits the dash and it was less expensive than any of the aftermarket radios I was looking at, all of which required a lot of futzing with to get right. I also like that the lights on it match the color of the A/C controls. I'm not a huge audiophile, the sound is great for me.