Nightmare driving FR-S vs driving Miata

[Sport-Tech]

OP - if you want to hear the difference between a plugged and unplugged sound tube check out this binaural in-ear recording done by Winding Road (wear headphones for real-life accuracy). Doesn't seem much quieter but the tone is less harsh with the plug in. Compare 2:24 (plug out) with 5:05 (plug in)::

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhXZb4vbOog"]2014 Subaru BRZ Stock Test Drive & Sound Tube Trick - YouTube[/ame]

[Sapphireho]

Again, the problem is you. Sounds like you have no experience with sports cars, or any cars, and no experience with manual transmissions. The 86 is one of the easiest cars to drive. Take a driving class Nancy.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

Again, the problem is you. Sounds like you have no experience with sports cars, or any cars, and no experience with manual transmissions. The 86 is one of the easiest cars to drive. Take a driving class Nancy.

DANG!, @Sapphireho .......that was a bit harsh .......

We all had a learning curve driving a MT ...... didn't we .... ??


humfrz

[anchovy619]

I also learned how to drive MT with this car in january. While I can relate to a lot of OP's gripes, I never felt it was that bad to his extent, even after a month. Maybe because I had lots of friends who also drive stick and I'm asking them millions of questions. Have an experienced driver use your car and hopefully he gives you some solid tips.

[Bodalenko]

In Australia we accuse drivers who basically can't drive of finding their drivers licences in the bottom of a Corn Flakes packet rather than actually sitting a test.

In the US you have people who obviously have no idea of driving a manual car learning how to 'down shift' by watching a YouTube clip. 😝

Me thinks an auto for the OP may have been a better option.

[Vassp]

to be honest, i stalled the car the first time i took off in it, and im an experienced driver. But once i found the clutch everything was great.
The sound was ok, i would not call it bad.(too much over reaction about this car) its a 4 cyl so what do you expect?
seating position is excellent.
What made me not settle on the car was the fact that the ride was a little too harsh for me (on the roads I tested it on) aussie roads can be crap some times.

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by Bodalenko

In Australia we accuse drivers who basically can't drive of finding their drivers licences in the bottom of a Corn Flakes packet rather than actually sitting a test.

In the US you have people who obviously have no idea of driving a manual car learning how to 'down shift' by watching a YouTube clip. ��

Me thinks an auto for the OP may have been a better option.

I actually know someone that has been driving stick shift for over a dozen years and still cannot rev match or heel and toe downshift.

When he got his first stick shift car (a Miata out of all cars), he spent two months trying to learn it himself (YouTube wasn't invented yet) to the point his neighbor got so annoyed and just decided to ring his door one day and said "let me teach you how to drive stick".

But I haven't got the guts yet to say "dude let me teach you how to downshift". Maybe I should recommend him an automatic.

[serialk11r]

1-3 you'll get the hang of it eventually. Took me a while to adapt since I was used to my old MR2. I find the FR-S is actually extremely easy to start on hills and such despite the so so throttle response, since the engine is pretty hard to stall despite not having much grunt.

4 and 5 you're absolutely right. The shifter is so-so, better than some cars, worse than some cars. I actually put in a taller shift knob to increase the throw distance so I could more precisely feel where each gate is. You can plug the sound tube but the engine will still sound awful, it's just how it is. A Corolla with a 100 dollar exhaust sounds better. I've heard a Tomei dual, a track pipe, and my current custom Magnaflow setup, and a TRD at an autocross, and none of them are what I would call good.

[RichardsFRS]

Originally Posted by krayzie

I actually know someone that has been driving stick shift for over a dozen years and still cannot rev match or heel and toe downshift.

When he got his first stick shift car (a Miata out of all cars), he spent two months trying to learn it himself (YouTube wasn't invented yet) to the point his neighbor got so annoyed and just decided to ring his door one day and said "let me teach you how to drive stick".

But I haven't got the guts yet to say "dude let me teach you how to downshift". Maybe I should recommend him an automatic.

Nope you def need to intervine because he needs to know how to match his revs to his shifts. By now he should be able to hear or feel it. I always try for a perfect shift when I drive. Up or down I try to get into correct revs and anyone driving a stick should. Help your neighbor

[RichardsFRS]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

1-3 you'll get the hang of it eventually. Took me a while to adapt since I was used to my old MR2. I find the FR-S is actually extremely easy to start on hills and such despite the so so throttle response, since the engine is pretty hard to stall despite not having much grunt.

4 and 5 you're absolutely right. The shifter is so-so, better than some cars, worse than some cars. I actually put in a taller shift knob to increase the throw distance so I could more precisely feel where each gate is. You can plug the sound tube but the engine will still sound awful, it's just how it is. A Corolla with a 100 dollar exhaust sounds better. I've heard a Tomei dual, a track pipe, and my current custom Magnaflow setup, and a TRD at an autocross, and none of them are what I would call good.

The car is easy to stall. I did it a few times when I got it. My wife stalled it the other day but she hadn't driven it in a while. The nature of the clutch in this car makes it very stallable. Just read all the replies if people.who stalled out and Humfs stalling it after driving manual for 65 years (damn I'm old but I haven't been in earth for 65 years) lol

[Bodalenko]

Yes the 86 manual gearbox can be an absolute prick of a box to move through, especially till warmed, but I mean really!

If you haven't got the hang of it in after 3-4 hours of driving time you probably should have stuck with an auto.

Truth is that within 5 years or less proper manual box cars will be gone and with millisecond gear changes it'll probably result in less weight and better performance.

Perhaps the OP's gearbox has been abused by a previous owner and the synchros are stuffed or almost stuffed.

As for leaning how to shift, up and down, I recommend keeping a changes nice and easy and changing gears around 3000rpm until he has his accelerator off >clutch in> gear selected>Clutch out>accelerator on skills developed and timing down pat. That's about how easy it is. Sit in the car with the engine off and practise it. The wear it causes on the parts would be negligible if any.

[chaoskaze]

86 design to give you lots feels, so it might not be like" user friendly" just so you know.

But it gives you a good feel on how the transmission is when most normal manual mask it.

But ya it's no miata or honda transmission.

OH ya, & change the trans fluid to motul will help you a lot.

[guybo]

I was at a car show this morning doing a 3 point turn to get into a spot and stalled out when I shifted from R to 3rd instead of 1st. THAT'S embarrassing

[Bodalenko]

Originally Posted by guybo

I was at a car show this morning doing a 3 point turn to get into a spot and stalled out when I shifted from R to 3rd instead of 1st. THAT'S embarrassing

The gate can be a little confusing with 3rd and 5th gear. The lever will automatically return to between 3rd and 4th when in neutral. I have done it a couple of time when down shifting from 6th to 5th and accidentally selecting 3rd.

More not paying attention to what I was doing I think and letting the stick centre itself.

You have to be firm and deliberate when selecting gears. This is not a 'change with 2 fingers' gear box. Shift springs from MTEC may help with that, but, I'm not too sure. Someone who has them may be able to assist.

I have a set but just haven't got around to installing.