GrimmSpeed Engineering's Daily BRZ Journal

[Starscream15]

Originally Posted by Juanito08

I thought mine was a scratch as well but after cleaning it very well it turned out ti just be some sticky residue the protective fill left behind.

Ah, you beat me to it! :happy0180:

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by Juanito08

I thought mine was a scratch as well but after cleaning it very well it turned out ti just be some sticky residue the protective fill left behind.

Whew! I could have sworn it felt more like an indent than a raised bump.

[GrimmSpeed]

I'll take another look at it, but I'm pretty sure it's a scratch. I looked at your car, Starscream, and yours definitely looked like adhesive. I'll report back. Oh, the FR-S was parked just outside of the gate. Grey in color.

Oh, customized the Start Up Screen this morning and did a quick DIY writeup for you guys.

Customizing the BRZ/FR-S Start Up Screen



- Matt

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by GrimmSpeed

Ask and you shall receive. I created a flickr account just for this thread, so it should be a good way for folks wanting hi-res images to find them in one spot!

GrimmSpeed Engineering's Daily BRZ Journal Photoset

Thank ya!

[Achpoques]

It's not a scratch, I don't believe.

I had it too, but took a dab of goo-gone and it came off. I agree with Juanito.

[GrimmSpeed]

427mi: Handling

This is my favorite part. I haven't been to an autox or track event yet, so I can only comment on my spirited commute and driving around town. The first thing people ask when they see the car is "Is it fun?" Of course, the short answer is yes, but elaborating can be difficult. It's difficult to explain because it's not something I've ever experienced. My first words are usually, "Everything just feels right." The BRZ is an incredibly well balanced car, not only in vehicle dynamics, but also as a product. The first time you grip the wheel and make a turn out of the parking lot, you know you're not driving just any old car. Something about it feels familiar; not because you've driven a car like it, but because it reacts to your inputs exactly the way that you've always wished other cars would. You feel connected to the car and the car feels connected to the road. The Porsche 911 has a bit of the same feel, but the heavy steering ruins the sharpness and feedback that the BRZ has.

Turn-in is fantastic. Instead of feeling like you're steering from the front of the car, it feels like the car is pivoting right around your driver's seat. Even in stock form, the way that the car grips the road and pulls through a turn is remarkable. The factory tires leave a bit to be desired, but they also help the driver gain an understanding of the car's dynamics. I've always felt that I learn the most about my car at a wet autox and it's a bit of the same feeling. The lack of extreme grip gives a certain level of confidence when you're feeling out the car's limits and allows you to do so and understand the way it reacts without endangering yourself at high speeds. That said, I can't imagine the fun we'll have in this thing with a set of 225 RS-3s or Star Specs. Hard cornering is when you can real feel the benefit of the low center of gravity. You can actually feel that the weight of the car and it's momentum are only trying to push you sideways, not roll you over.

I'll give a more complete review/opinion of the handling after some more time behind the wheel and hopefully a couple of autox events. The other thing that I wanted to comment on briefly were the headlights. I love them! They provide fantastic visibility, have a very sharp cutoff and the leveling adjustment is perfect for putting around town vs. freeway driving. Here are a few pictures that have popped up from Cars and Cafe this weekend.

- Matt

[Moto-P]

That's the adhesive from edge of the PORT WRAP plastic that covered the car till it was removed at the dealership. It will come off easily with light rubbing alcohol or Windex.

If you see this, it is actually a GOOD thing. It means the dealer was knowledgeable enough to NOT do a full detail buffer job on the paint. Ideally you never go over the fresh paint with a polisher and compound till it is fully cured and hardened over 2-3 months.

Just carefully rub it away with alcohol. There should be similar residue on the trunk and along the hood and top of the fenders as well. Lightly...

Or you can just leave it there and in 2-3 months, you can just buff it all off when you detail the car and wax it for the first time.

[Tradewind]

GRIMMSPEED

Love you work, some of the nicest parts in the business of late

[merlin2111]

Originally Posted by GrimmSpeed

You can expect that I'll keep the dry, technical talk to a minimum, but give an honest, open opinion of the car in a wide variety of environments.

Keep the open opinion but add the technical talk! I love hearing from car guys who actually know what they are talking about, even if some of it goes over my head. If guys didn't throw in the technical details over the years then I would never have gained any of their technical knowledge!

[GrimmSpeed]

Originally Posted by Moto-P

That's the adhesive from edge of the PORT WRAP plastic that covered the car till it was removed at the dealership. It will come off easily with light rubbing alcohol or Windex.

If you see this, it is actually a GOOD thing. It means the dealer was knowledgeable enough to NOT do a full detail buffer job on the paint. Ideally you never go over the fresh paint with a polisher and compound till it is fully cured and hardened over 2-3 months.

Just carefully rub it away with alcohol. There should be similar residue on the trunk and along the hood and top of the fenders as well. Lightly...

Or you can just leave it there and in 2-3 months, you can just buff it all off when you detail the car and wax it for the first time.

GREAT info! Thanks! I didn't wanna go at it too hard with my fingernail. I'll just leave it be until the paint is old enough to correct/detail.

Originally Posted by Tradewind

GRIMMSPEED

Love you work, some of the nicest parts in the business of late

Thanks for the support! We definitely intend to bring that same quality and support to the BRZ/FR-S family!

Originally Posted by merlin2111

Keep the open opinion but add the technical talk! I love hearing from car guys who actually know what they are talking about, even if some of it goes over my head. If guys didn't throw in the technical details over the years then I would never have gained any of their technical knowledge!

You got it!

- Matt

[GrimmSpeed]

451mi: WRX Wheels and GTG

Swapped the stock wheels (17x8+53) and tires (235/45R17) from our 2012 WRX onto the car yesterday and they're great. The fit was pretty tight up from with the strut, but it's fine. The extra grip from the larger tires is great and I don't find there to be much of a sacrifice on handling or response. I know it's a matter of opinion, but I really like the look, too.





Also had the opportunity to take the car to a big local GTG and hang out for a bit. It's really fun to see people get excited about the car and ask questions, etc. Here's just one from early in the evening. I'll post more as they start popping up.



Hitting the dyno tomorrow!

- Matt

[Snoopyalien24]

She looks beautiful Grimm!

[Turbowned]

Nice! I'm going to bug my friend with an '11 WRX to swap wheels with me now

[GrimmSpeed]

- Matt