Am I blinded by infatuation?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Sgaldi

Weird I test drove the limited version of the 86, but bought the premium BEZ and to me the seats are 100x more comfortable

They are exactly the same seats. Maybe the BRZ one was just positioned better.

[EAGLE5]

I tell many people who come here to go get a Camaro or Mustang. You sir should get a twin.

[Sgaldi]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

They are exactly the same seats. Maybe the BRZ one was just positioned better.

That must be it, I did notice of the seat isn’t pisitioned right it can be really uncomfortable

[imprezive]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

Different people have different definitions of a "daily driver," so maybe my perspective will be useful.

@extrashaky Very useful, thank you! Are you driving a MT? If you ever put the cruise control at 80+, is cruising at 3500ish RPMs annoying? Any engine drone? How's your MPG for long periods of 80+ MPH?

Even though I'd greatly prefer a MT, I'm considering the AT for the above reasons. Everyone says it is one of the best torque converted "manu-matics", but I need to drive it for myself still, obviously.

[Sgaldi]

Be careful on the test drive, I don’t know if you’ve ever driven RWD but it is way different. Iv gotten my car almost sideways a couple times in second gear, I think that’s why they only have 200hp, the company didn’t want to be respinsible for people wrecking their cars or killing them selves/others, you have to be willing to drop some $ to get this thing some serious HP, be dedicated, at the price point I think they just didn’t want any driver spinning these things

[ermax]

Originally Posted by Sgaldi

Be careful on the test drive, I don’t know if you’ve ever driven RWD but it is way different. Iv gotten my car almost sideways a couple times in second gear, I think that’s why they only have 200hp, the company didn’t want to be respinsible for people wrecking their cars or killing them selves/others, you have to be willing to drop some $ to get this thing some serious HP, be dedicated, at the price point I think they just didn’t want any driver spinning these things

If they were concerned about people looping these things they would have dialed in a bunch of understeer and used an open diff like most companies do. Even at 200hp people manage to put them in ditches. It’s easy to get this car loose but it’s so incredibly easy to manage a slide in them. But yeah I agree that you want to be reasonable when test driving if you don’t have RWD experience especially with an LSD. But if you lack RWD experience it’s hard to fully appreciate this car.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by imprezive

@extrashaky Very useful, thank you! Are you driving a MT? If you ever put the cruise control at 80+, is cruising at 3500ish RPMs annoying? Any engine drone? How's your MPG for long periods of 80+ MPH?

Even though I'd greatly prefer a MT, I'm considering the AT for the above reasons. Everyone says it is one of the best torque converted "manu-matics", but I need to drive it for myself still, obviously.

I do have the manual, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I seem to be alone in this opinion, but I find a manual less tedious to drive than an automatic. With an auto, you're only driving half the time and trying to stop it the other half. I feel like I'm fighting an automatic more than letting it become an extension of my body.

A manual and a little bit of engine braking skill allows you to drive this car nearly 100% of the time, even when slowing, even when crawling in stop and go traffic. Staying engaged this way makes those lengthy trips a lot easier, and for me the control allowed by the manual makes it easier to negotiate sticky situations in traffic.

Even if you normally find an automatic easier around town, it's really not relevant on a long drive. On the highway you're not usually working the clutch enough for there to be enough of a difference between manual and automatic to justify losing the engagement of the manual.

The cruise in this car is simple, but out of all the rentals I drive it's one of the better ones I've used in actual function. The car has enough torque and high enough compression to hold speed both up and down hills. The cruise stalk is conveniently placed and pretty intuitive. You set it, and it doesn't hiccup until you either cancel cruise manually or touch the brake or clutch. You can downshift right out of cruise to maneuver, then push the stalk up to resume right where you left off.

As much as I drive, the cruise function has just become an integral part of my driving, like using the wheel and pedals. I finger through it without even thinking about it.

The stock exhaust does not drone at all at any RPM. When I first installed my Corsa, it had an alarming resonance at exactly 3200 RPM that seemed to ring the whole car like a bell. That faded quickly as the exhaust burned in, and now there's just the slightest hint of resonance. While it was happening, I just made sure I didn't set the cruise with it on 3200 RPM. Running 80 MPH at 3500 is fine.

However, keep in mind these are inexpensive sports cars that pick up other rattles and noises. If you're the type who freaks out and obsesses over every noise the car makes, this car could potentially damage your calm.

I just turn the radio up.

[extrashaky]

Just realized you also asked about mileage at 80 MPH. It's fine. Back when I was on stock tires and rims I averaged 30-31 MPG with mostly highway miles and some city driving mixed in. When I went to 18x9.5 wheels with Michelin PSS tires, I dropped to 25 MPG. So your choices definitely matter. If you go to forced induction, you'll see a drop. And you won't get the best mileage if you romp on it.

But if mileage is your biggest concern, buy a Prius. Our cars provide excellent economy for what they are.

[Sgaldi]

Originally Posted by ermax

If they were concerned about people looping these things they would have dialed in a bunch of understeer and used an open diff like most companies do. Even at 200hp people manage to put them in ditches. It’s easy to get this car loose but it’s so incredibly easy to manage a slide in them. But yeah I agree that you want to be reasonable when test driving if you don’t have RWD experience especially with an LSD. But if you lack RWD experience it’s hard to fully appreciate this car.

Yea it’s really easy to get this thing squirrelly, can you imagine with another 100hp, there be hundreds of “just bought my twin, and totaled it” threads

[alphasaur]

my car history: mazdaspeed 6 tuned on eth, mazdaspeed 3 tuned on eth, supercharged NA miata, big turbo ep3, mazdaspeed 6 with a 3071



I own a 17' 86 and I've put about 11k on it since I bought it in november. I primarily drive back roads for work and the car is fantastic for this purpose. It lets me fit my work bag and gym bag and still have a fair amount of room if I stop at the store for groceries. The only other car I'd consider for this purpose would be a miata, but they're just too small.



If you're primarily driving highway though I might consider something like a mustang gt instead. The highway is the only place where I feel like the 86 is too slow (though a tune and header may completely remedy this). Street driving and driving back roads I don't miss the power at all.

[soundman98]

I bought this car for the mechanical interaction. When I'm on the highway, there isn't anything much more fun than dropping from 6th to 3rd one gear at a time simply to get around a semi. I know the rev point, i know i could drop straight to 3rd, but it's so much more entertaining to me to hit every gear.

I've got no plans for more power. I sort of like the torque dip, as it provides a physical separation between cruising and beating it like it owes me money.

[gravitylover]

Jeez people, the dip! the dip! the dip! A couple of hundred $$ to tune it out and give you a proper lightweight and fun to drive little sports car. So what it's not a powerhouse, what it does have is enough giddyup to make it fun. Did you ever drive cars made between 1972 and ~2005? They were mostly slugs even the best of 'em.

This car is reasonably economic and comfortable enough on the road, I do 30k miles a year and prefer it over the other cars in the driveway every time. It's thoroughly engaging, the mt is geared just about perfectly, the steering is spot on and best of all is it entertains the shit out of me

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Sgaldi

Yea it’s really easy to get this thing squirrelly, can you imagine with another 100hp, there be hundreds of “just bought my twin, and totaled it” threads

Every single pickup truck on the road... Don't forget the fact that the stock tires were also picked to make it a little squirrely. Doesn't take much to make the car stick like glue, which is boring.



People spinning into curbs are doing it because they're fucking around, not because the car is tricky to drive.

[Sgaldi]

True it’s not tricky to drive at all, but I think if it were significantly more powerful you’d see a lot more people wrecking these cars while fucking around, like this car tends to make you want to do...I dunno just one of the reasons I think they never beefed it up