Daily drivers to compliment or replace your brz or 86?

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by dhuang

My Daily Drivers' that complement each other
:

Not impressed with the Alpha. Haven't driven one, but left a couple in the dust in the Santa Cruz mountains in my Exige.

[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by The Red One

I like SILVER Fits!

I have recently considered the current model Jazz (the Fit in Aus).

A couple of things turn me away.
It's longer than I would like. If I buy a small car I want it to be small. It's all relative I know but still.
Also, I am confined to buying an auto (blame the wife) and I'm not sure how a cvt drives.
But having said that it is still a consideration as a base model Jazz is available new at $20k new drive away which is stupidly good value.

And KW dampers are available for the car.

[The Red One]

Originally Posted by Captain Snooze

I have recently considered the current model Jazz (the Fit in Aus).

A couple of things turn me away.
It's longer than I would like. If I buy a small car I want it to be small. It's all relative I know but still.
Also, I am confined to buying an auto (blame the wife) and I'm not sure how a cvt drives.
But having said that it is still a consideration as a base model Jazz is available new at $20k new drive away which is stupidly good value.

And KW dampers are available for the car.

A great site for them : https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/
Never drove a Auto one, not sure if I would want to live anymore if I would have to...


They are bigger inside that out!

[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by The Red One

A great site for them : https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/
Never drove a Auto one, not sure if I would want to live anymore if I would have to...


They are bigger inside that out!

Thanks for the link.
Re the auto: sometimes we have to make decisions we would prefer not to have to make *shrug*. Such is life.

And yes, I agree, the car is a bit of a Tardis.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

I also don't understand the whole "I need a DD for my 86" argument. I've definitely had no issues DD mine for almost 8 years now.

Back in 2012/2013 I had a beater just so the new car wouldn't get dinged up at the shitty parking garage at work.

Now.. yeah dgaf.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

Not impressed with the Alpha. Haven't driven one, but left a couple in the dust in the Santa Cruz mountains in my Exige.

Not sure that means a lot really.

Civics have left my ZL1 in the dust too. Because they thought there was a reason to drive fast or something. :shrug:

[GrabTheWheel]

Originally Posted by korhun

I don't understand why would someone would buy a Mini Cooper S, when he has a Twin. If I had the money and permission to buy one, I would never... OK.. I'd buy it as well.. Or a GTI. even make it stage 2.. But not because they make a better daily drive. They are just fun in a different way.

Totally valid point. Stock or somewhat close to stock twin makes a fairly good daily driver. I considered buying a 2nd one but that seemed redundant. Once you swap in a V8 with a big cam and 9K/11K springs it is no longer a great daily driver. Adding a half cage, racing buckets and a dry sump with a 4 gallon oil tank in the trunk is not going to make it any better.

I also thought about a Golf R or a Focus RS but came to the conclusion that there was no reason to buy a 4 door unless I really needed one and I’m sure there will be plenty of time in the future where I’ll be forced into having 4 doors. I have fond memories of romping backroads in a friend’s 1st gen Mini, have wanted one ever since then. Glad to say that despite the bloated size of the 3rd gen it doesn’t disappoint, curb weight is still relatively light and build quality is WAY better than the previous 2 generations, maybe not on par with VW but car has so much more personality.

Speaking of cars that disappoint, when I was considering 4 doors in preparation for starting a family I test drove a B7 RS4 and talk about not wanting to meet your heroes! Here’s a car I would’ve given my kidney for when it was released when I was in college and I couldn’t find a single thing I liked about it. Shifter felt like rubber, clutch had no feel, engine sounded just ok compared to other V8’s. Handling wasn’t great, pick up was meh. Maybe this one needed the carbon cleaning and I should try to drive a modified one but it reminded me of driving an E39 M5 years after it was released, couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Both cars deliver in the looks department and love the rarity of the RS4 but neither stand the test of time as far as I’m concerned.

For those saying you only need one car, that’s totally true but for me that would be my Tacoma. Being able to own any fun cars on top of that is a blessing. Just glad I realized that the AWD sedans I loved when I was younger are not so great and that you’re way better off with a truck and a RWD coupe as opposed to 1 car that’s trying to do it all.

[dhuang]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

Not impressed with the Alpha. Haven't driven one, but left a couple in the dust in the Santa Cruz mountains in my Exige.

Drive one, especially with a tune, they wake up compared to stock. A bit under-tired from the factory with a very Italian alignment.

My buddy has an Exige S 240 w/ the InoKinetic shifter and was impressed with the 4C as an overall package.

Not as raw / pure as the Elige's, but more of a budget 570S / 488. You could daily a 4C.

[Spuds]

I swap between my FRS and Buick Regal TourX, depending on how I feel on a particular day. So they are both daily drivers? I got the Buick when I did a lot of highway commuting and it's pretty good at that.

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by bfrank1972

Yep, didn't say it was impossible or implausible. It's going to take a toll. The salt. The gravel. The guy in front of you kicking up salt + gravel.

Don't tailgate people, especially the salt trucks. Gravel? Is there gravel mixed with the salt? These have never been a problem for me. Well, salted roads does accelerate underbody corrosion, but true with any car.

Not to mention, if caught in a heavy snow downpour and I slide off the road, I have much better odds of re-entry in my 4Runner

You also have better odds of ending up on your side or upside down... Every year I see SUVs off the roads and on their sides off of snowy roads.

Meanwhile my FR-S is pristine and warm in the garage, for nicer days. Yeah it's not some priceless collectible, but I like keeping my 'nice' cars nice.

They're still making them, can replace with brand new any time! For the next couple of years anyway...

[bfrank1972]

Originally Posted by ZDan

Don't tailgate people, especially the salt trucks. Gravel? Is there gravel mixed with the salt? These have never been a problem for me. Well, salted roads does accelerate underbody corrosion, but true with any car.


You also have better odds of ending up on your side or upside down... Every year I see SUVs off the roads and on their sides off of snowy roads.

They're still making them, can replace with brand new any time! For the next couple of years anyway...

To your points:



"Don't tailgate people, especially the salt trucks." - Well...I don't tailgate, especially in terrible weather, false assumption. I drive pretty carefully in bad weather, but there are always the daredevils who fly past, throwing all sorts of debris. Hear that sound under your car as you drive? That's your tires "sand blasting" your undercarriage. Salt, sand, gravel, I've seen it all dropped on roads. None of it is good for your car.


"You also have better odds of ending up on your side or upside down" - not really. I drive pretty slowly, and the bigger risk is something happening ahead of me that I have to avoid. By avoid, I mean I might have to veer into a snowy median. Try getting out of that in an 86, even with snow tires. If I'm unfortunate enough to veer down a steep embankment, well not so sure my "low center of gravity" in my FR-S will save me at that point. I'm surely not making a point to choose my FR-S over a 4Runner in the snow for that specific reason



"They're still making them, can replace with brand new any time" - True but I value taking care of my things, rather than considering them as disposable. I also consider resale value.



I didn't even raise the concept of dragging snow/mud/salt inside your car. You can't realistically refute the fact that the corrosive stuff they put on the roads here is slowly dissolving them. From underneath. From every tiny exposed rock chip in your paint. I think the point of a beater is - to get beaten. So your other cars don't have to be.



Anyways, not trying to convince you to get a beater. You said "I don't understand", so I conveyed my rationale, which I believe to be quite... rational. YMMV
Correction: the other poster said they don't understand, not you, sorry

[Sasquachulator]

Originally Posted by Captain Snooze

I have recently considered the current model Jazz (the Fit in Aus).

A couple of things turn me away.
It's longer than I would like. If I buy a small car I want it to be small. It's all relative I know but still.
Also, I am confined to buying an auto (blame the wife) and I'm not sure how a cvt drives.
But having said that it is still a consideration as a base model Jazz is available new at $20k new drive away which is stupidly good value.

And KW dampers are available for the car.

I used to have 2015 fit/jazz CVT. Its a good little car, fun, easy to drive, handles decently (ive heard the older generations handled better and were
a bit more fun though).
Kinda looks like a tiny minivan. Very spacious inside and the magic seats are amazing. Wicked good gas mileage (The NA spec one comes with the 1.5L earth dreams with 130hp)

As far as the CVT goes...well...its there, it gets the job done, nothing more, nothign less. CVT's suck to begin with but you just have to get used to how they works (revs to a certain spot and sits there until you reach your desired speed, so its got a wierd droniness to it). The one in the Fit is pretty good as far as CVT's go. Its pretty responsive but theres no real 'pull'. Even in the
sport" mode (which is just moving the shifter to S from D) didnt feel all that different from regular D mode. In overtaking scenarios on the highway the car just doesnt have any urgency, it'll accelreate but it just doesnt pull you.

CVT's are the sleeping pills of all the automatic transmissions.....it really is a boring transmission. If you think an automatic is boring...it gets even more boring with a CVT.

Overall i still liked the car, but i probably would have preferred to get the manual (i opted for the CVT because my GF at the time doesnt know how to drive stick, and i thought it would be better for designated driver scenarios since most of my friends dont know how to drive stick either)

Oh the other thing of note:
-I hated the touch screen entertainment controls. The system isnt the most sensitive/responsive so there is a bit of a delay. the volume slider sucked in that regard.
-The seats are not the best.
-Interior materials are pretty good for a cheap car. IMO the honda interiors tend to LOOK cheaper than they probably are. In the Fit it looks cheap, it feels cheap, it IS cheap but its perfectly fine.

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by bfrank1972

"Don't tailgate people, especially the salt trucks." - Well...I don't tailgate, especially in terrible weather, false assumption. I drive pretty carefully in bad weather, but there are always the daredevils who fly past, throwing all sorts of debris. Hear that sound under your car as you drive? That's your tires "sand blasting" your undercarriage. Salt, sand, gravel, I've seen it all dropped on roads. None of it is good for your car.

Whether it's a BRZ or a 4Runner. FT86 isn't a bauble to be coddled, IMO. It's a fun car, to be DRIVEN

"You also have better odds of ending up on your side or upside down" - not really.

Yes. Absolutely. Really. Much much higher c.g. is much more likely to end up on its side, it is just a brute, geometrical, mechanical FACT. *IF* you end up leaving the road, a BRZ is way way WAY more likely to keep all four tires on the earth. Again, I see it every single year, SUVs on their sides off the snowy road. Never seen a car on its side like that...

"They're still making them, can replace with brand new any time" - True but I value taking care of my things, rather than considering them as disposable. I also consider resale value.

IMO this is usually a false economy. Owning one car is cheaper than owning two. And what's happening to the resale value of your winter car? And if it's a low-value beater, you are still paying more for insurance, and it's taking up space.

I didn't even raise the concept of dragging snow/mud/salt inside your car. You can't realistically refute the fact that the corrosive stuff they put on the roads here is slowly dissolving them. From underneath. From every tiny exposed rock chip in your paint. I think the point of a beater is - to get beaten. So your other cars don't have to be.

I love cars, I love my BRZ, but it's not irreplaceable. For me, I'd rather drive it in the winter than a beater.

To each his own! But on point #1, I hold firm though.

[bfrank1972]

Originally Posted by ZDan

Whether it's a BRZ or a 4Runner. FT86 isn't a bauble to be coddled, IMO. It's a fun car, to be DRIVEN

Yes. Absolutely. Really. Much much higher c.g. is much more likely to end up on its side, it is just a brute, geometrical, mechanical FACT. *IF* you end up leaving the road, a BRZ is way way WAY more likely to keep all four tires on the earth. Again, I see it every single year, SUVs on their sides off the snowy road. Never seen a car on its side like that...

IMO this is usually a false economy. Owning one car is cheaper than owning two. And what's happening to the resale value of your winter car? And if it's a low-value beater, you are still paying more for insurance, and it's taking up space.

I love cars, I love my BRZ, but it's not irreplaceable. For me, I'd rather drive it in the winter than a beater.

To each his own! But on point #1, I hold firm though.

I drive my FR-S every chance I get This winter has been especially forgiving - yay climate change!