Nice ride! I missed something somewhere-why is putting a manual in neutral & not riding/wearing out a throwout bearing illegal?? As long as you can get it in gear quick when the light turns green?After 2 weeks I really like the car. It gets around 27mpg in suburban driving. But I drive it very conservatively. Over all the years with many stick shifts...when I am coming to a stop I put in the clutch and put it in neutral (when traffic permits). I know-illegal but so be it.
Probably a safe vehicle, as are all later models. You are really tucked in a relatively small compartment which will likely stay intact. Rear seats are useless. Tires are Michelin Primacy 4.
My '22 Forester needed some services probably costing about $700 (CVT/Front Dif. oil, Brake Fluid, New tires $1400, and now I have a new warranty. So I laid out $6500 but the above values make the loss about $3K (assuming my '22 could need uncovered warranty work in the next 3 years).
Ride is VERY firm but handling is a 10. It has eyesight, automatic breaking, and interactive cruise control. It does not have blind detection or automatic breaking in reverse. It has Strut tower braces. Like all subarus it has crash notification and the SOS, and Info Buttons. Its more like a subaru than a toyota. Obviously the handling is partly due to the low slung boxer engine.
Looking to buy a '24 BRZ or Toyota GR 86.
- Thread starter Al
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2024
- Messages
- 167
Steering was vague. Paint & interior felt cheap. Screens- it needs real analog dials behind the wheel.
I went to Subaru dealer today and test drove a white BRZ Limited with 6 speed transmission.
Very nice drive and package.
Dealer was closed and I had to return an hour later to see the car.
Any upgrades planned for these cars Toyota / Subaru in the near future ?
Model refresh ?
Horsepower?
I’m undecided on the color but won’t buy a white car, too bland.
Yeah, I also prefer analog gauges.
Interior is low tech but it’s a car in the mid 30’s out the door so I’m not expecting BMW or Benz quality.
Do these cars have a short throw shifter from factory….. or dealer installed ?
Window Sticker listed a short throw shifter as an option.
Saleswoman said 3 month wait to get car built and arrive in Florida if I ordered a BRZ.
Have you considered the ND3 Miata?
Unless you need those unusable two seats in the back, the MX-5 would be my choice, as a person drove both of them recently. Yes, it's slightly slower on a straight line (both are slow anyway), but it has a much better steering feel, better shifter, much lighter, shorter wheelbase and more agile, AND it's a convertible. No digital gauges either.
I drove both for at least 1000 miles each in the last few weeks, I'd say the Miata feels more special, and more fun to drive everywhere. Unlike BRZ/GR86, you don't have to drive like you stole it to have fun.
Not saying BRZ/GR86 is bad, they are awesome enthusiast cars. However, they are not as fun unless you regularly go to track/autocross or push them on backroads. Anytime you're in the traffic or drive like a normal person, I'd not want to be in a GR86.
I believe the Miata deserve more credit as I do not see them as often.
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Miata is a nice car but I want a fixed / solid roof coupe and BRZ looks better.
The only thing I don’t like about the BRZ are the extremely large side mirrors.
Reminds me of a baby with very large ears.
LOL.
This was the BRZ that I took for a test drive.
The only thing I don’t like about the BRZ are the extremely large side mirrors.
Reminds me of a baby with very large ears.
LOL.
This was the BRZ that I took for a test drive.
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After 4K miles. I still love the car. The shifter is not a short throw but its very good. Very smooth. What makes the car special is the Boxer engine. Center line is 19" above surface. I don't know how another car could handle better. I am a fan of the FA engine. The engine will not change for 2025.
The only thing I would change is having an automatic. If you want a manual sports car this one is hard to beat. It has positraction and it has automatic braking and a top safety pick. It has a Track mode which gets rid of automatic breaking.
The only thing I would change is having an automatic. If you want a manual sports car this one is hard to beat. It has positraction and it has automatic braking and a top safety pick. It has a Track mode which gets rid of automatic breaking.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
And they are awful choice for that purpose.
For what purpose? If he's (not OP) looking for a BRZ, cross-shopping with a Miata is not uncommon.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Talking about BRZ being choice for track.
Really? I've seen a lot of them with great lap times on different tracks. I've seen a lot of dedicated BRZ/Miatas on track.
If you are taking 100% stock cars to track maybe they wouldn't do great. You have to change the typical tire/suspension setup and add more power. Once you change those, they punch above their weights.
If you are taking 100% stock cars to track maybe they wouldn't do great. You have to change the typical tire/suspension setup and add more power. Once you change those, they punch above their weights.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Miata and BRZ don't have anything in common except that they have 4 wheels.
BRZ has huge issues with oil pressure and, consequently, rod bearings. That is on STOCK vehicle. Improve handling with upgrades, and those issues will come earlier. There is no way around it, except maybe accu sump. The problem is high G loads in the right corners.
So, the more upgrades, the worse it gets. And bare stock is still very limited in what they can do. On some tracks where maybe there are no high G loads, one can get away with it. On very technical tracks, they are junk. Here at HPR, close to Denver, which is a very technical track, you can see them every leap year.
For some reason they seem to have an oil baffle problem here, and can lose oil pressure on the track. But in the ROW they have spec racing with these and the engines don't have that problem? It's something to be aware of anyways.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
It is a poorly/cheaply executed oiling system. It is a car that is designed as a track vehicle, without an oiling system that is capable of surviving track.
It should have a dual oiling system like BMW M models, but.....
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
There are A LOT of lower-priced cars that do well on the track.
BRZ/GR86 are actually advertised as purposefully built track cars, and the whole drama around this issue is because they advertised them that way, and people were eager to get something small, RWD, and "track ready," unlike, let's say, a Miata, which is most popular cheap car on track.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
There are really good smaller BMW’s to get used that are blast. F87 M2 is really fun.
But B/S58 in 3 series and M4 is probably today most reliable 6cyl engine. And ZF8 has impeccable record.
But real star on the track today is E82 128. That is car to get and have fun on the track.
