Will I be happy with the 86/BRZ?

[squelchy451]

I called a bunch, no such luck.

[mrg666]

Originally Posted by squelchy451

Hi all, I'm regretting going with a boring car (2017 Mazda3) to replace my 2014 mk6 GTI.

Things I miss from the GTI
1. Sound deadening.
2. Stability on the highway
3. At its best when driven easy, can hold its own when driven hard

It had the best signal-to-noise ratio. Offered feedback where it counts (steering clutch, brakes, suspension, etc) without being jarring or loud.

The Mazda3 doesn't do anything really well. Interior material is nice, but quite loud on highway, steering is too light, ride is too stiff for something so slow.

I am considering trading it in and getting either

1. 10th gen Civic Si--not as refined as the GTI or maybe not even as much as the Mazda3, but I'll have a lot of low-end torque going through a real LSD (helical though). More practical and probably more daily-friendly than the BRZ/86

2. GTI. Had it as a Turo over the weekend. The mk7 is more refined but became more numb compared to the mk6 that I had.

3. BRZ/86. I haven't driven it yet, so we'll see what happens.

Has anyone considered selling the car due to the the lack of torque, the stiff ride, and loudness on the highway? I think those would be my only only concerns with the BRZ/86

Get something else. An 86 is not your thing for sure.

[TooSlow]

Lot of people complain of noise, but maybe the car is too new (picked up this June), that I think it is pretty quiet. Drove from the dealer in LA up to the Bay Area with 95% freeways and around 400miles and I could hear the radio and converse with my wife just fine. I have a RAV4 and 4Runner which may be a little more quiet, but not by much.

Maybe if I drove the car hard all the time it would be annoying loud, but I drive normally so the noise is non issue for me.

[pcguru2000]

Originally Posted by Brayden_23

Yeahhh you should probably steer clear of the 86 platform. It doesn't sound like it meets any of your desires in a car. Mostly basing that on your desire to drive a refined sports car (which I gathered from your post).

1. There is very little sound deadening. If you can't stand hearing what the road sounds like at every moment, this car will drive you nuts.
2. I'd say the car is fairly stable on the highway. It does get light and darty when pushing higher speeds though. But for the most part, the car just goes where you want.
3. IMO, the car does not like being babied. People will say there's no power, and you definitely get more of your money's worth if you play around in the higher revs. Not saying you can't drive it softly, but the car truly comes alive when you push to the limits.

The 86 provides a visceral experience. You will hear all the strange noises and you can feel it all through your feet, butt, and fingertips.

Best advice: go drive one.

Very well said! A few weeks ago, I went moshing (dog sledding) on a glacier. The dogs were not happy at a stand still, or when you try to slow them down, but as soon as you let them go, it's like they come alive. That's the 86. I"m on the freeway, put the pedal to the metal, the auto downshifts fast and blam the car jerks forward I'm at 6000 rpm and climbing and the car just loves it.

[Smalaihollo]

Love driving it every single day! Super fun and connected, and with the right mods, even more fun.

Noise is not the best but my OEM Audio + Dynamat cancels it out I guess

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Leonardo

Most? Meaning some will actually rent you one? This surprises me.



@Tcoat The way-too-happy CTD is very disturbing to me!!!

They aren't usually so happy in real life but sometimes... Just sometimes...

[ToySub1946]

'Test drove it yesterday, but not enough to get a feel for the car.
Nothing on Turo, most dealerships around me don't seem to offer a pre-purchase rental.'


First time I drove one, a used one at a Toyota dealership, I felt right at home in the car immediately...even before I got it off the lot, I knew it was for me, as it fit my body perfectly, like no other car ever had before. A few months later, when I had the money, I bought a new one.

If you've driven one on a test drive, even briefly, and you're not yet sure, then the car is NOT the perfect car for you. When you find the perfect car, you'll know almost immediately, somewhat by looks, yet mostly by feel, with all your senses.

Three years after owning an FRS I drove a new Honda Civic Si. I knew quite soon that the Honda was not for me. Too quiet inside, could not clearly hear the engine reving, Honda seemed cavernous inside, after owning an FRS. It does not take long to find out you don't like a particular model car.

[ToySub1946]

Possibly go back to your preferred German Engineering.

Used Porsche Cayman. Surprisingly affordable if one picks the right year and model.

Average sale pricing here:

https://bringatrailer.com/porsche/cayman/

[Larphraulen]

I'm going to provide a different perspective here.

I drive a Mk6 VW GLI (manual). It drives pretty similarly to the GTI. My GF has a 2018 Mazda 3 with the 2.0L. I've test driven the 2018 86, and Turo'ed the 2017 BRZ for a weekend. FWIW, the BRZ had 18k kms on it.

I get what OP is saying, on a lot of accounts.

It was hard for me to get a feel for the 86 on the test drive. The clutch feel was super vague (probably because it was brand new).

Stock VWs have dulled throttle inputs and jerky movements are smoothed out by the ECU. Both the 86 and BRZ have snappy, organic-feeling throttle response but this weird delay at idle before I'd start to engage the clutch... More than I was used to as a VW driver on a test drive. I felt like I was learning manual all over again.

Got used to all of this pretty quickly with the Turo BRZ though. If I had to do another test drive, I'd take 1-2 minutes just practicing light revs while stationary. The throttle mapping is completely different than the way VW or Mazda does it.

Sound. At idle, the BRZ/86 is louder. Under acceleration, the BRZ/86 is louder. When cruising, the Mazda 3 IS louder -- especially on the highway. Those Ecopia tires they put on the Mazda do not do NVH any favours. My stock GLI rides HARSHER and louder than both the 86 and BRZ I drove. However, I have some cupping on my tires, and am 115k km on the stock suspension.

VW Soundaktor induction noise is cool but feels fake after a while. The BRZ/86 noises feel organic and engaging. Even feeling the transmission underneath feels normal after a short while. At the longest, I only did a 1 hour continuous drive with the BRZ. Didn't feel any discomfort (and this was after a couple hours of hiking).

Try another test drive. These 2017+ twins ride well and are pretty comfy when all said and done.

[g e]

The alacantra seats in the limited BRZ are really nice. I find them more supportive yet more comfortable than any of my 3 VWs I have owned. 85 golf, 2000 Passat, 2009 GTI.

700 mile trips have been comfortable.

[meadowz06]

As I have stated many times, the FRS/BRZ won’t thrill you with power. It’s the handling, low center of gravity, and shear driving fun that you get. I now own 2 FRS’s again, and they are superb. I sold a super rare, 520hp corvette, to buy my 16 FRS. That says it all!

[rcm47]

A few years ago I had a dream, more like a nightmare, that I traded my FR-S for a Mazda3 hatchback. In the dream it was the biggest regret I ever made and told myself to get back into an FR-S as soon as possible. When I woke up I told myself I would never trade the FR-S for anything dull. If you do like more a more luxurious interior I don’t recommend you getting anything less than a BRZ limited. I do however think maybe a BMW M235 or M240 will fit all your needs and wants.

[meadowz06]

If straight line speed is on your list, don't buy the FR-S. I have 2, and love them both. The GTI is much different. The low center of gravity alone, will give you a more thrilling experience in the FR-S. They handle amazing, the steering is in the top 10 of any car MADE, and it drives like a go kart. Good luck.

[GrantedTaken]

@squelchy451 has checked out of this thread
In the real world, he will suck it up and keep his Mazda.
Should never have gotten rid of his GTI.