1500 Miles on GR86(BRZ)

[Al]

90% Subaru features.

Pretty much an all out sports/Track car (Yes it has a Track mode..lol). It certainly will not keep up with a Corvett or Charger. But I would guess it would out-corner the 'Vette with the low slung Boxer engine and less height. Acceleration is pretty good with 0-60 5.4 sec.. Michelin Primacy Tires.

The 6 speed Manual is very smooth. The redline is 7500 rpm. It pulls very hard from 3500 to 6500. I have not had it to redline but it hits 7K rpm pretty often. Seating is very comfortable and the vehicle is a top safety pick. BMW Series 8, Corvette and Porsche 911 are not rated..lol. This is the first year that Eyesighrt is offered and that means auto-breaking. You have to drive an equivalent vehicle to appreciate the cornering ability. 1/8 turn of the steering on a pretty sharp curve. Sero body lean. Yet the ride is actually very comfortable.

I have had it on a 120 mile trip and that was fine. It is certainly not a trip car though. Mileage in surburban driving is 27 mpg. Highway depending is at least 32 mpg. Vehicle is build very well. Actually has an aluminum diaper underneath. Dashboard is well laid out with the ability to select multiple dash gauges. I have right now, oil temp, water temp and battery voltage. Naturally it has an app that updates you on all available parameters.

Obviously not for everyone. Rear seating exists in name only. Every time I get into it I get a smile on my face. Surprisingly my wife "puts up with it" and doesn't complain when we go somewhere. Sound system is excellent and A/C with a small cabin is great. The best feature for me is the FA Boxer engine which is normally turboed but not here. The engine is rock solid and was increased from 2.0 liters to 2.4 liters. 228 is the HP and the vehicle only weighing 2,800 bs. It moves right along. It compares favorably in terms of power to weight to a BMW series 8.

But of course the price is spectacular. I paid $30, 400 for it. Can't say enough good about it. Brings be back to my '69 camaro days. But if you want a sports car at 25% the price and 90% the fun of a BMW/Porsche/Corvette this is the one.

 

[drtyler]

Thats great to hear. Saw a black manual in the local Toyota dealer showroom when I picked up brake rotors recently. It was surprisingly nice car for the price, and I really like that a manual transmission is available.

 

[edyvw]

90% Subaru features.

Pretty much an all out sports/Track car (Yes it has a Track mode..lol). It certainly will not keep up with a Corvett or Charger. But I would guess it would out-corner the 'Vette with the low slung Boxer engine and less height. Acceleration is pretty good with 0-60 5.4 sec.. Michelin Primacy Tires.

The 6 speed Manual is very smooth. The redline is 7500 rpm. It pulls very hard from 3500 to 6500. I have not had it to redline but it hits 7K rpm pretty often. Seating is very comfortable and the vehicle is a top safety pick. BMW Series 8, Corvette and Porsche 911 are not rated..lol. This is the first year that Eyesighrt is offered and that means auto-breaking. You have to drive an equivalent vehicle to appreciate the cornering ability. 1/8 turn of the steering on a pretty sharp curve. Sero body lean. Yet the ride is actually very comfortable.

I have had it on a 120 mile trip and that was fine. It is certainly not a trip car though. Mileage in surburban driving is 27 mpg. Highway depending is at least 32 mpg. Vehicle is build very well. Actually has an aluminum diaper underneath. Dashboard is well laid out with the ability to select multiple dash gauges. I have right now, oil temp, water temp and battery voltage. Naturally it has an app that updates you on all available parameters.

Obviously not for everyone. Rear seating exists in name only. Every time I get into it I get a smile on my face. Surprisingly my wife "puts up with it" and doesn't complain when we go somewhere. Sound system is excellent and A/C with a small cabin is great. The best feature for me is the FA Boxer engine which is normally turboed but not here. The engine is rock solid and was increased from 2.0 liters to 2.4 liters. 228 is the HP and the vehicle only weighing 2,800 bs. It moves right along. It compares favorably in terms of power to weight to a BMW series 8.

But of course the price is spectacular. I paid $30, 400 for it. Can't say enough good about it. Brings be back to my '69 camaro days. But if you want a sports car at 25% the price and 90% the fun of a BMW/Porsche/Corvette this is the one.

I am glad you like it, but Vette will come out of the corner with healthy rod bearings, and GR86 won't. So leave that exercise to the Porsche 911, BMW 8 series, and Corvette.

 

[Dave Hess]

Nice review.

I plan on buying a BRZ later this year.

 

[TiGeo]

Always see these at the track. Main concern is oiling system. Several "famous" videos/stories online related to the issue.

 

[RooflessVW]

I am glad you like it, but Vette will come out of the corner with healthy rod bearings, and GR86 won't. So leave that exercise to the Porsche 911, BMW 8 series, and Corvette.

Hmm.

 

[Jkry]

I really like the BRZ, there isn't one in my future anytime soon but glad to hear it's as fun as I imagine

 

[burbguy82]

Main concern is oiling system.

??? What is this?

 

[Jerrysends]

I test drove a GR86 (BRZ) & a low miles E90 BMW. Liked the BMW better for it's power steering system, comfort, & smooth power delivery at 1/3 the cost. AWD is also handy in the PNW. That being said, the BRZ is a cool car.

I would recommend test driving an older BMW 3 Series (E90 N52) if you are in the market foe a BRZ.

 

[TiGeo]

??? What is this?

Google "GR86 oil pressure"....

 

[edyvw]

Always see these at the track. Main concern is oiling system. Several "famous" videos/stories online related to the issue.

I have not seen one here. But my track is very technical, lots of high G corners.

 

[Al]

Well you can find anything negative on the internet. But the FA24 is capable of well over 500HP with turbo. So with no turbo I seriously doubt the validity of bearing/oil Failure. And with a 60K warranty and not tracking the vehicle.

I would find it hard to buy a used vehicle. Used BMW "could" be a huge money pit.

 

[fantastic]

IIHS or Fed's "Top Safety Pick"? Subaru's have had a few models over several decades do pretty well on those tests.

 

[edyvw]

Well you can find anything negative on the internet. But the FA24 is capable of well over 500HP with turbo. So with no turbo I seriously doubt the validity of bearing/oil Failure. And with a 60K warranty and not tracking the vehicle.

I would find it hard to buy a used vehicle. Used BMW "could" be a huge money pit.

It is not about HP. It is an oiling system. You could have 100hp or 1000hp; the problem are high G's, and you would be surprised how fast you will reach 1g in any good, fun car. Simply, the engine gets starved of oil. I pull more than 1G, entering the neighborhood with my BMW for fun.
We discussed this. GR86 was a big deal when it was announced bcs. low weight, small size. But, it is a big letdown for people who really looked forward to this car.

BMW, which was recommended, would not be a big money pit. BMW, in general, is far less expensive to make it track "ready" than Subaru's. They already come with good brakes (something Subaru struggles a lot with), and the chassis is already made for M models with all necessary bolt points for things like an oil cooler. On RWD models, you can add M wishbones and front control arms (AWD models only rear), which are forged aluminum and bearing style solid rubber bushings. That is why the most common cars on track are the Miata and 3 series. You can swap brakes from stronger models, like I did, combine it, etc, etc. And I personally had $300 maintenance cost in last 5 years and 70k (TPMS module).

GR86 will be fun, but down the line, look for improvements in the oiling system just to eliminate that weakness. I know that there is already a cottage industry of aftermarket parts claiming it helps with this issue. Just see which one actually works, but it seems so far there is no silver bullet. What you can do is keep your oil level always at MAX, maybe just a bit over. I'm not sure how that engine reacts to more oil than recommended. Maybe in your case, if you want to push it hard on the road, a baffled oil pan would be sufficient. But don't be dismissive of this issue. It is really bad, as people claim.

 

[RooflessVW]

It is not about HP. It is an oiling system. You could have 100hp or 1000hp; the problem are high G's, and you would be surprised how fast you will reach 1g in any good, fun car. Simply, the engine gets starved of oil. I pull more than 1G, entering the neighborhood with my BMW for fun.
We discussed this. GR86 was a big deal when it was announced bcs. low weight, small size. But, it is a big letdown for people who really looked forward to this car.

BMW, which was recommended, would not be a big money pit. BMW, in general, is far less expensive to make it track "ready" than Subaru's. They already come with good brakes (something Subaru struggles a lot with), and the chassis is already made for M models with all necessary bolt points for things like an oil cooler. On RWD models, you can add M wishbones and front control arms (AWD models only rear), which are forged aluminum and bearing style solid rubber bushings. That is why the most common cars on track are the Miata and 3 series. You can swap brakes from stronger models, like I did, combine it, etc, etc. And I personally had $300 maintenance cost in last 5 years and 70k (TPMS module).

GR86 will be fun, but down the line, look for improvements in the oiling system just to eliminate that weakness. I know that there is already a cottage industry of aftermarket parts claiming it helps with this issue. Just see which one actually works, but it seems so far there is no silver bullet. What you can do is keep your oil level always at MAX, maybe just a bit over. I'm not sure how that engine reacts to more oil than recommended. Maybe in your case, if you want to push it hard on the road, a baffled oil pan would be sufficient. But don't be dismissive of this issue. It is really bad, as people claim.

An Accusump takes care of it and is a relatively inexpensive install.

I love BMWs as much as the next guy but we were just talking about the M54 oil pump nut. They also have rod bearing failures, rear subframe failures, etc etc etc.

Heck, I could make the oil pressure drop on my 996 on command by trail braking in a LH corner.

Cars have problems, man.

 

[Nessism1]

My son had a latest gen BRZ for a couple of years. Sold it for what he originally paid. I drove it a little, and while fun, I'm way too old for a car like that. It's great fun to rev out, and shift.
He read countless forum reports of oiling problems. As I recall, Toyota won't warranty any issues that occur during trackday use, even though they advertise the car as being a great trackday companion. My facts are second hand, though... At any rate, he sold it, and doesn't regret.

 

[Kalle.J]

Well you can find anything negative on the internet. But the FA24 is capable of well over 500HP with turbo. So with no turbo I seriously doubt the validity of bearing/oil Failure. And with a 60K warranty and not tracking the vehicle.

I would find it hard to buy a used vehicle. Used BMW "could" be a huge money pit.

Oil system (in this case) is not affected by HP. Rather oil starvation issue.
Too be fair I don't know if/when Toybaru implemented a fix for the issue. Baffled sump and something
At least look it up and fix it before goin on track with tyres stickier then Michelin Primacy

 

[edyvw]

An Accusump takes care of it and is a relatively inexpensive install.

I love BMWs as much as the next guy but we were just talking about the M54 oil pump nut. They also have rod bearing failures, rear subframe failures, etc etc etc.

Heck, I could make the oil pressure drop on my 996 on command by trail braking in a LH corner.

Cars have problems, man.

The rear subframe is not E90 problem, it is E46, and not really hard to fix.
But, I was specifically mentioning E90, which was recommended above. N52 does not have those issues.
Imo, best used fun car currently is E82 128. That thing is small, can use a bunch of M3 parts, and depending on know-how, one can bump power from 230ho easily to 260, and with some gymnastics, to 300-310hp.
I'm not sure Accu sump is practical unless he tracks it, which I don't think he will do.

 

[TiGeo]

Well you can find anything negative on the internet. But the FA24 is capable of well over 500HP with turbo. So with no turbo I seriously doubt the validity of bearing/oil Failure. And with a 60K warranty and not tracking the vehicle.

I would find it hard to buy a used vehicle. Used BMW "could" be a huge money pit.

This is an actual known issue, please have a look and read up. I go to the track regularly and this is a discussion topic. Have a search here, it's been disussed several times in some lengthy threads if I recall.

 

[TiGeo]

My son had a latest gen BRZ for a couple of years. Sold it for what he originally paid. I drove it a little, and while fun, I'm way too old for a car like that. It's great fun to rev out, and shift.
He read countless forum reports of oiling problems. As I recall, Toyota won't warranty any issues that occur during trackday use, even though they advertise the car as being a great trackday companion. My facts are second hand, though... At any rate, he sold it, and doesn't regret.

Two of the "famous" cases of this were eventually handled by Toyota after internet shaming basically forced the issue.