I know your comment is 2yrs old, but I just bought a 2013 with 60k miles for $9k. I work at a car lot and we got a super clean trade in. I can't find anything like mine unless you're willing to spend 15-16k still.
I once commented on another car reviewer's video that I don't like/understand how most RUclips reviewers tend to focus much more on the car "enthusiast." However I truly have to say that you guys have made me WANT to be a car enthusiast. This has become my favorite channel on RUclips. Your Fast Blasts are wonderful and I love your style of reviews. Your attention to detail and scenic twisty back roads make each video movie-like quality. Thank you for going weekly now because you guys are a joy to watch.
Only1DrewN - This is honestly one of our favorite comments ever. We can't tell you how pleased we are that our work has increased your interest in cars! Thanks for watching and appreciating the effort we put into our reviews, and we hope you'll be enjoying them for a long time. Somewhere along the way we also hope you get into a car you really love. Thanks again for watching and commenting!
I've had my FR-S for two years, and use it as an everyday driver. For all the boredom that straight mid-western interstates and stop-and-go grid traffic presents, it's still never boring nor busy to drive. It's been a really positive driving experience for me, and whatever I end up buying next will probably leave me wanting more... or put me in a ditch because I'm so used to flooring it in the FR-S.
I own a BRZ. I too, wanted just a little more power. OpenFlash Header and their tuning tablet solved that problem for $1000. I now also use E85, but with or without E85, the change in the car compared to stock is absolutely crazy. Totally different car.
Yuck Foo It adds about 10 wheel horsepower to a tuned car. (20 whp on a stock car) You're right in a sense as the car makes most power with about E60, if i remember correctly, but nothing more with any higher ethanol %. But I don't feel like mixing it with E10 to make the perfect %
Yuck Foo E85 makes a big difference even on a stock FRS (with proper canned tune). But forced induction trumps all. FRS + Forced induction is driving nirvana.
Tomasz Janczak haha I have the same combo - E85 on a OFT tune, Openflash headers, full exhaust, highflow panel. Easy 50hp gain, more importantly a 100nm torque gain. Completely different car
Yuck Foo not the case at all, has been proven at several of our dyno days. Stock cars - 105rwkw, tuned 98octane cars - 120ish rwkw, and on e85 with intakes/exhuast upto 140rwkw, still N/A. A 20 to 25% gain is excellent for a tune and exhaust on a 2L n/A mill.
As someone who's owned a BRZ for a year and a half, I completely understand why you went with this car. It's such an agile, great feeling car. It makes everyday driving fun without breaking any laws.
As someone who has only become seriously interested in cars over the last two years. I am pleasantly surprised Todd picked it up out of all the other cars you guys have reviewed. Noted: I used to really hate driving and not long ago I didn't know the difference between a carburetor and a turbocharger.
I will never understand why people who consider themselves “car guys or a car person” will only consider a car if it has power. Cars have been around for ages and power is not the only thing that has improved, handling and driving experience is what this car focuses on and it nails it.
jo23bulls not a better driver in snow though lol. just make sure you get some snow tires. they can be bought for only $50 each. this light car combined with the very skinny factory tires are a very bad combination for snow
chinchy111 It is sooo much fun in the snow although on the stock tire it isn't fun in fact in an inch- 2 inches of snow its impossible to even get out of my driveway
+851995STARGATE winter tires are more fun than the stock ones. I have done a winter on each and the stock ones aren't nearly as good for fun or normal driving. You can still induce oversteer with a poke of throttle at every opportunity with the snow tires - the difference is that the oem tires lose momentum in the snow after a bit, and you're barely moving (sideways). The winter grip lets you maintain snowy drifts much easier.
Hey Todd. Great choice for the car! That car is a blast to drive. The point of that car is not the power. It's the steering and handling dynamics that make it so much fun to drive. I also love how you stayed true to your needs, both for fun and for your budget. I also recently purchased a used car for 20k. I found a very clean 2011 Mazdaspeed 3 with only 56k miles on it and a few great mods. I hope you love blasting on great roads with your new ride as much as I am. I would love to see you guys film your shoots on the great roads here in Colorado sometime. Keep making great videos.
It's a great car. For as much as people armchair gripe about the thing, it's better than most would lead you to believe. I got to autocross a BRZ and felt it had more than enough power. I spent a lot of the run at partial throttle. In comparison, I also drove a Civic Si on the same course and had that pegged to the floor 90% of the time, even when cornering (sounds wrong, but Honda tunes the car to work this way). I own a couple Subarus: an old, NA Forester and an old heavily modded Forester XT that 2.5x the power. I've autocrossed and rallycrossed both, along with a variety of other cars like a Civic Si, BMW M3, Mustang GT, and even a Viper. The slowest car I've ever owned was an old Jeep Cherokee that would in the winter with its power robbing awd powertrain would literally take about 2 miles, downhill, to get up to 65mph. I've also owned a Ford Ranger with an old, carbed 2L that made about 50hp on a good day that couldn't go 65mph on a windy day. People like power. It's fun. However, it's not useful everywhere. 99% of my driving my FXT is me barely touching the throttle. There's just no place the use the power without being a complete tool. People also like looking at numbers, often alone, without weighing concepts like car weight, gearing, power curve, usage, etc. Toyota and Subaru were pretty smart about the design. It's light but rigid. The chassis is an outstanding platform. The gear box is excellent, one of the best feeling I've used (and I've driven a S2000) and geared very low. If you want to spin tires off the line, it will happily do that, and you don't even have to shock load the drivetrain. It's just geared that low. I will give all the armchair heros one credit. I don't understand them not addressing the torque dip. It can be tuned out through the ECU and is most likely a byproduct of Subaru's intake design (plenum way to small and no "toque box" (air filter box, aka inline resonator) that's normally on most Subaru engines to get rid of exactly that, the torque dip. I can and have generated the same dip in my 02 Forester by removing/modifying the airbox. For the intake manifold design, an inline resonator needs to be there. Handling is excellent, very well balanced and well damped with no real goofiness in behavior around the limit. It's really easy to drive. It's a lot nicer at the limit than a S2000, and you can actually fiddle with weight transfer and the driving line with decent ease. The only gripe I had was the intrusive stability control. Even when off, it's not fully off and applies brake to the outside wheel to negate oversteer. Unfortunately it does it a touch too early in , so if you drive to neutral, you'll always be at the point where the ABS is braking that outside wheel rather than letting the back end drift out a little. You can throw it out, but under smooth driving, it doesn't with the stability control system. I believe you have to at least pull a fuse or possibly mess with some wiring to actually get it fully off.
I’ve owned 3 cars, 2 Scion tc’s, one automatic and 1 manual, i just financed my 2013 frs, my dream car, it’s a manual and im so excited, as someone who’s only driven scions, these are my all time favorite cars.
Hello, my dream car is also a 2013 Scion frs. How’s it’s going for u? Anything that is giving u problems? And how many miles did it have when u got it?
Good choice, Todd! I know you really want an Elise, but the 86 really wonderful. I know Paul whines about the power, but wringing a car's neck is really fun! My local weekend drive (out by Pine Mountain behind Ojai-- I believe you know it because you guys have shot out there before) takes me up to over 5000' elevation, and while the car does feel like it could go faster on uphill straights you're still averaging at least 60mph up a mountain road where most people probably average 30-something. Just hold that throttle down, make little lifts for turn-in, and slither your way up the mountain at 7000 rpm. The car is really shockingly quick for what it is. Add some proper tyres and a few choice bits (swaybars, some bushings here and there) and you can just charge down twisting roads. My family have an Elise (somewhat modified-- but no engine modes), and my sister is a very good driver (faster than me), but when we both drive that road my BRZ honestly does a pretty good job hanging with the Lotus. The Elise is a few mph quicker on average, but typically by the time we get to the top of the mountain after 20-25 minutes of driving, my sister is only waiting a minute or two for me to arrive behind her. More importantly, it's just as fun to drive hard. Honestly. I like to rotate between cars for weekend outings, but I absolutely don't feel like an idiot when I leave the Elise at home and take the BRZ out for a spirited drive-- it's a lovely, engaging little thing and it's a ton of fun to wring its neck on a good road. The 86 is a stupidly good car for the money, and totally livable as a daily driver as well. It's wonderful.
Was this basically a debate on justifying the car purchase or a review... One would have expected how the does the car feel after these miles, do the suspension, engine handling etc hold on or do they age or change....whats the longevity....
Pankaj Nalavde Replacement parts are really cheap for this car. Only problem I heard about is "cricket noise" coming out from engine compartment. Been reading about it on forums and I think its a defect with Fuel pump and Toyobaru has not come out with a permanent fix yet.
Pankaj Nalavde My car has gotten better with age. The engine is smoother and the car makes far less odd sounds when cooling down. My 2000 Celica GT did not truly feel sweet till 80,000 miles.
I bought my FRS about a month and a half ago and I'm right there with ya. It's slow, and I don't care. I think I have a bit less fun daily driving this car than I would with something else, but every time that I head out for a drive for the fun of it I realize that I made the right choice.
I have a FRS as well and I had exactly the same budget and came to the same conclusion thanks to reviews like this. To be honest, I couldn't be happier -- thanks Todd. More power would be fun, yes, but that's not the point of that car. Like someone said, If you think that the FRS isn't fast enough, then the roads you're driving on are too straight. This car helps you become a better driver. What's good on having 400hp and only knowing how to use 250 of them?
Good choice Todd. A true driving enthusiast will go with what speaks to them and not what others think they should get. When we start talking about "feel" and "balance" as opposed to power and brute force we get the sideways dog stare. Then I give them the head shake. Their loss.
Could use a SMIDGE more torque and/or hp, but trust me when I say, this car will still get you tickets, just like anything else! This car was built for me, I swear.
knowxvill I think you need to understand that there are other places to drive a car besides an interstate right beside your favorite mustang and challenger buddies... This car is meant for curves and you will never touch 90 there.
Finally a real world daily driven long term review. I'll probably never own a brz/frs (s2000 owner) but still a great review video nonetheless. As always, great work guys.
@@nando4life Lol, kinda late but it is still for sale. I probably will not get it, because you know I might as well save my money and get an electric car in 2 to 3 years.
I have a 2013 frs. It is turbod, with an AVO kit. I make 255 whp and it's amazing! It's the best for a daily driver. Great reliability and my gas mileage stays the same. Boost kicks in at 28000rpm and that horrible torque dip is gone. If you're going to stay NA do a full header back exhaust and a tune. Should hopefully be close to 200whp. I would highly HIGHLY suggest either contacting bob wantanabe at drift-office in Auburn, WA about someone to tune it for you in California or actually try to see him. With the port injection fuel system (d4s) people are ruining these cars with their tunes. Please seek a true professional before having it tuned. The horror stories are too great with this car
At the end of the day it's all about how the car makes you feel if your happy in this car awesome that's all that matters. If you complain about the car more than enjoying it then you've made the wrong decision.
I'm really starting to enjoy this channel. And the guy with the longer hair has a voice with calm authority just like Ray Manzarek of the Doors, a vintage radio sort of voice.
Interesting, I used you guy's reviews to pick the frs for me to buy. I got mine December 2013 with 11k miles for 20k even. Must be a big price difference in cali vs NC. Mine is even the same color! Great choice!
Oh dear god... I know this video is old now, but I have an identical FR-S, which just so happens to have 85,xxx miles on it. It runs and drives like a champ. It idles sort of odd compared to other cars I've driven, but it's going strong. I bought it at 75,800, no problems yet. The only thing I've needed is two oil changes, and brake pads. It's an orange little charmer.
I'd love to see a series about force feeding that car. With the FRS and BRZ I keep hearing the same thing from people who drive them. Its the most fun they have had with the amount of power it has.
ryo jeon I got my G37S coupe for 19K. 80,000 miles. One owner; a professional lady. Garage kept, clean as fuck. I don't know how she managed to get 22mpg but I reset the computer to see how much I'm averaging. I get just 15mpg. xD
Sebastian Rosenberg I would of loved to have one of those. I'm actually kinda mad I didn't think about it. I just knew the 370Z was out of my price range, and forgot about that G37 coupe. That even has sortof back seats which would be a plus for me. But I got my frs in my fav color for 19.9k with only 12k miles, and still under factory warranty for 2 years, cant complain.
Sebastian Rosenberg The G is very reliable and fast. Not as light on its feet as the FRS. You wont find a 30,000 mile G under warranty for 20k. Still a wonderful car. It gets almost half the mileage of the FRS in the real world. 1000 pounds more weight almost twice the displacement.
Sebastian Rosenberg only 15 mpg? holy crap thats bad. I assume because its automatic? if its manual then just shift at low rpms and try to keep your speed around 50-60 mph
Why do you need winter tires in SoCal? Do people normally do this? I live in the Northeast and swap my tires out but I didn't think it would be necessary for this kind of climate.
Michael Bailey - The show started in SoCal, and still shoots a lot of things there. But, the guys are now based in Utah... lots of snow here in the winter! The FRS might prove to be the perfect snow-shovel. Thanks for watching and commenting.
After watching your videos, I decided to get a 22k mile FRS. The first thing I did was plug up that soundtube... It helps cut out the booming sound, which I think that is caused by the fact that the car was designed as a RHD vehicle and so the sound tube is in the wrong location for the US market. It comes out bounces around the passenger side wheelwell and you get only the low pitched sounds and not the intake sound...
Paul! Leave Todd alone! That car is terrific, and the genesis is too heavy and sloppy. Plus, it doesn't seem like he will ever get on board with the 2.0t version, though it's hysterical to hear you two bicker about it. There are tons of arguably better choices if it's a garage car play toy - Elise, s2k, old Porsches, etc. but factor in tall driver, a year round 4 seasons car, a reasonable amount of usable cargo room, and the list is lots smaller. There isn't much else that is sub-3000 lbs, less than 5yrs old, rwd and great to drive out there. Plus, I can't wait to see what you think of it once the new tires and camber bolts are in it:-)
I've owned a few Mazda FC's but I was test driving Tundras that day and I came home with a brand new FR-S. It drives awesome, Def saving up for that supercharger for this turtle chaser.
Enjoy! I've got 22k on my BRZ. 3 sets of wheels and tires for it, winter, race, and inbetween. Did "insurance" mods first like Crawford's AOS and an oil cooler. Now that I've added some power in the form of a header and tune, the torque dip feels much better and I can power out of those low speed corners much better in AutoX.
I completely agree with you.....I was also looking for RWD sports car within $20K and last week I bought a certfied 2013 FRS too. I'm loving the car. Haters - This car is not about speed, its all about balance, you have to drive it to believe. You can carry amazing speeds through corners and you feel like you are the best driver in the world:-)
I did the sound-tube plug trick in my first 5 minutes of owning my BRZ. After 12,000km loop to and around the west coast, my BRZ was brilliant and still keeps me happy. Un-tuned. Winter tyres on classic Subaru 16x6.5 are Nokian Hakka Rs. Rockin' in the Canadian winter. Please share the roads this was shot on ... maybe I'll take another West Coast loop :)
As a small car driver 200 hp seems like plenty of power to me, especially from a N/a 2.0 however, I think the BRZ would be just about perfect if the engine was more around the 2.4 mark with a substantial bump in torque
Wow! So Todd bought a Toyota 86. Thats says a lot considering all the cars he's driven. I'm looking forward to seeing more on this one. I'm still very tempted to pick up an 86 myself. I own a '10 Fiesta Zetec so I'm a Fiesta ST fan as well. Very split between the two.
I have a white 2013 F.r.s with t.d.r exhaust and intake, also added koni shocks and springs and I love it ...... very enjoyable since no turbo I went with pilot tires and the koni's so I'm On rails I'm so tired of hearing not enough power ... boo h oo enough power for me and the fat tires and the stiff springs make it a joy to drive I luv it
I just got a 2013 fr-s that came with invida exhaust and for the past week I'm in love with the car, and to me its fast and has a good launch to it and i drove a family car which was a dodge charger before this
I got my German Spec GT86 (got lots of Scion options as standard like Xenon headlights, automatic climate control...) for under 24.000€ last year. It's a 2013 model and had run just 6.000km back then. Compared to the original price that's about 10.000€ less in just one year. It was planned as my allround daily driver. I used it for the drive to work, to the groceries store, whatever. Now my work has moved a lot further away and the car gets dirty as hell in the parking lot. So I got me a Toyota Auris hybrid for that. Did I sell my GT86? No. Even though in summer I have a 91 Supra 3.0i Turbo to drive. And that is absolutely faster in a straight line. Even more here in Germany the insurance for the GT86 is horribly high. BMW M5 territory, lot higher than Porsche Boxster and stuff. But I'll still keep it. Maintenance is cheap, gas mileage is absolutely okay, reliability is good, comfort is still good. You can even move some IKEA stuff ;-) And if all that doesn't get you: Put some sticky tires on it and go around every corner you find. This car pays back everything in smiles on your face. If you want more straight line speed get a big Turbo Diesel and listen to it's Tractor noise engine ;-) ;-) Or use the tuning aftermarket stuff, there's enough of it :-) But cornering wise there's not much in that price range that could compete bone stock.
Some advice from someone who has tuned 23 BRZs. Get an openflash tablet. It will satisfy your power complaints. Also, remove the clutch pedal spring and lower the pedal. Car becomes infinitely more drive able. You made a great choice, enjoy! :)
fatboy19831 Clutch pedal spring removal: www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84622 Clutch pedal height adjustment: www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8040 And yes, the Openflash tablet saves your stock tune, so you can easily return to stock if necessary. Out of the people I've tuned and myself, we've logged over 240k miles on the stage 1 tune with no issues at all. The tune fixes the non-linear throttle mapping, almost completely eliminates the torque dip, adds a good amount of power up top, and gives better fuel economy.
If you guys are gonna end up modifying it, you should look at FT86 SpeedFactory's uel header you can get for the car. It eliminates the torque dip that plagues the mid-range.
The FRS/BRZ and Fiesta ST were the cars I was looking on this price range. I went with the Fiesta because to me is a better daily driver, and I can still kill it at autocross on the weekends.
Cool! I just got a BRZ 2-3 months ago. Are you experiencing the "cricket noise"? I heard about it a lot on forums and just wondering if a permanent fix is available yet?
Glad you're happy with the car. I think for a daily driver/fun car I would have chosen the Fiesta ST new since they're around 22k and you would have a much lower interest rate. At least you have somewhat usable back seats and that car would be a blast I bet with just a Cobb tune to wake it up a bit.
Jackson racing supercharger will allow you to pass california emissions and keep the car stock. OR go my route with UEL header, over pipe, front pipe, cat back exhaust combo with a tune from ecutek or off the shelf tunes from OFT (similar to the accessport for subies) Please keep me updated my fellow 86er!
I totally get Todd's reasons for having the FR-S in the face of the alternatives. And after owning a Mazdaspeed 3 as was mentioned as a likely alternative I have to say that perticular one was garbage. (I had a 2011). The main competitor i'd have looked at was the Genesis Coupe. I was REALLY excited when those came out until I found out how much they were going to cost when I compared what else I could get for similar money. All that being said i'd have a REALLY hard time not getting a 2010 or so WRX hatchback if looking for a ~20k used car. I owned a 2002 WRX and loved it.
looking forward to seeing the modifications, personally I'd go with tires and wheels and some kind of upgraded suspension. forced induction is so expensive and you'll never ever receive any return on that investment. if you choose to own it for five years or longer, then I'd say go for it
Good call. Finding an unmolested 2-year-old one is a trick though. Subscribed to see what happens in 2017. Is it going to eat a head gasket? Dying to know!
Cool car ... But don’t let it distract you from the fact .. Hector is going to be running 3 Honda Civics with Spoon engines. And on top of that. He just went into Harry’s and ordered 3 T66 Turbos with NOS and a Motec system exhaust ...
In my country used ones from 2 years back cost around equivalent of 35-40k $. Which is the same money with a nicely specced used 320i at the same age. I want a sporty drive but could BMW be the wiser choice with its all around capability?
I'd get a Honda S2000 as I prefer it because: 1. It has a better engine. 2. It has more appropriate (read shorter) gearing. 3. It has a better purpose-built sportscar chassis & suspension, rather than the FRS' glorified Impreza platform & suspension. :)
BMW 128i coupe? Although it isn't as raw and agile as FRS, I think it would be a better daily driver and might even be a more satisfying canyon car. That BMW's straight six will put a smile on your face and deliver way more (felt) power.
kr0pp I once saw one of these at the track and you could smell his brakes every time he went past! Anyone looking at tracking a 128i or 135i should definitely look into upgrading the brake pads.
Hey, Im really looking into this car and I think it looks really nice. But before I have been driving a 03 350z for about a year, but then it got totaled so I am now looking for a new car in the 15k-20k range. Do you think this care will satisfy me in terms of speed and driving enjoyment?
+MrDrCapnMonty Not if you really loved that 350z. I own a BRZ and before i bought it, i looked at soo many sports cars. I also had a budget to stick to. I live in the city and i needed a trunk, i didnt want sun roof, and i wanted rear wheel drive. This car "feels" like your in a more expensive sports car. Its comfortable. It drifts at 30 mph without trac-control. I added a Airrid cold air intake immediately. Its fun to drive on curvy hwys or in downtown streets taking corners at night when theres no pedestrians.. makes alot exhaust noise too. But it does lack power, its about 200hp. Im at 80% satisfied with this car. But wont be 100% till i get it supercharged next year. I was driving a used camaro RS. Huge difference in power and price there. For what i sold the RS i bought the BRZ and then some. The RS is way higher on gas spending for the same drive distance. The BRZ is easier on gas for the moment.
I sense some hyperbole in the lack of power comments. On the road or in highway traffic where you can rev the engine high, this car feels plenty quick. Believe it or not, I think the AT feels quicker because it's able to downshift and put you near peak torque much faster than the stick.
Could have gotten into an LS1 WS6 trans am easy for that budget. You can find one for probably 10. Gonna be reliable and it's still fast and actually pretty agile. If you wanted you still got another 10000 left over to do some serious suspension work to it.
GMdrivingMOPARguy As somebody who loves trans ams, why the FUCK would you get that? They have lots of power, sure, but unless it's full race prepped like my formula V8 then it's utterly useless in the corners.
MrSlowestD16 I've driven an FR-S, my buddy has an S2000 I've driven a lot, I personally have a CTS-V. I know what a good handling car feels like, and I love the WS6 Trans Ams. I think they are a blast to throw into corners and you have torque to motor out of them. I personally think it's the BEST car for the money you can buy right now.
GMdrivingMOPARguy Yeah, they're fun to throw around, agreed, but they don't handle well out of the box. I had to do serious mods to mine to get it to handle properly for race use and the best CP cars out there will still never be as quick as a properly set up S2K or BRZ. I agree that they're fun, 100%, but they're pretty poor at handling compared to roadsters and similar setup chassis like this.
So I wonder if umpteen years on will there be a focus of finding unmodified FRSs in the collector's market as this is turning into the ricer of this generation? And being King Contrarian, I wonder how viable it is to mod this effectively, but keeping it NA?
***** Very viable to keep it NA. Headers and a tune (maybe E85) make an enormous difference. Makes the car every bit like it should have been from the beginning.
EverydayDriver prolly a very random question but whatever happened to Todd's Z32, i remember your videos of it and the z comparison and subsequent chat convinced me to get one some years ago... Jus got me wondering now that ive seen this if he got bored of it...and/or the engine pulls 😂
EverydayDriver well what about 330Ci e46/e92? its not only the m3 that you could consider as fun to drive especially taking into consideration the price of used ones
Crazy. Watching this now in 2022, this car had 30k miles for less than 20k dollars. Now 2013 frs with 60-80k miles cost 18-22k dollars
Just bought mine! It has 81k miles on it, and I got it for $14k out the door. Though I did get a discount since I work for a Toyota dealership!
@@pinoyzlayerhey my dream car is an FRS. How’s your doing so far?? Has it given you any problems lately?
1 year later theyre still this price nationwide
I know your comment is 2yrs old, but I just bought a 2013 with 60k miles for $9k. I work at a car lot and we got a super clean trade in. I can't find anything like mine unless you're willing to spend 15-16k still.
The shape of the brz/frs is really nice
Samzilla looks better in person than in picture
Samzilla yes, the frs/brz definitely looks even better in person. try driving one too they are very fun
Chinaman Champ chinchy111 I know my neighbor has a frs modified looks great
It is attractive.
The shape of your mom is really nice
I once commented on another car reviewer's video that I don't like/understand how most RUclips reviewers tend to focus much more on the car "enthusiast." However I truly have to say that you guys have made me WANT to be a car enthusiast. This has become my favorite channel on RUclips. Your Fast Blasts are wonderful and I love your style of reviews. Your attention to detail and scenic twisty back roads make each video movie-like quality. Thank you for going weekly now because you guys are a joy to watch.
Only1DrewN - This is honestly one of our favorite comments ever. We can't tell you how pleased we are that our work has increased your interest in cars! Thanks for watching and appreciating the effort we put into our reviews, and we hope you'll be enjoying them for a long time. Somewhere along the way we also hope you get into a car you really love. Thanks again for watching and commenting!
Best video to watch a minute after I walk out of my frs and realize how much I love it.
SkrawnyJonny I plan on buying one as soon as I can, do you still love it and is it reliable?
The thing is ridiculously reliable. There's been no notable weak points in reliability in all the years that it's been on sale.
I've had my FR-S for two years, and use it as an everyday driver. For all the boredom that straight mid-western interstates and stop-and-go grid traffic presents, it's still never boring nor busy to drive.
It's been a really positive driving experience for me, and whatever I end up buying next will probably leave me wanting more... or put me in a ditch because I'm so used to flooring it in the FR-S.
What kinda parts does it take to fix
@@Joefresh111 What do you mean what parts? If you have any questions I'll reply.
@@taillightsandtachometers5861 I genuinely mean like can u still find replacements parts for the car
@@taillightsandtachometers5861 I'm thinking of buying one but I wanna know if they still make replacement parts
@@Joefresh111 yes, they continue to make replacement parts for these cars because they are still pretty popular
I own a BRZ. I too, wanted just a little more power. OpenFlash Header and their tuning tablet solved that problem for $1000. I now also use E85, but with or without E85, the change in the car compared to stock is absolutely crazy. Totally different car.
I too am blown away with the OpenFlash Tablet and a set of UEL Headers. My car pins me back in the seat MUCH harder now :)
Yuck Foo It adds about 10 wheel horsepower to a tuned car. (20 whp on a stock car) You're right in a sense as the car makes most power with about E60, if i remember correctly, but nothing more with any higher ethanol %. But I don't feel like mixing it with E10 to make the perfect %
Yuck Foo E85 makes a big difference even on a stock FRS (with proper canned tune).
But forced induction trumps all. FRS + Forced induction is driving nirvana.
Tomasz Janczak haha I have the same combo - E85 on a OFT tune, Openflash headers, full exhaust, highflow panel. Easy 50hp gain, more importantly a 100nm torque gain. Completely different car
Yuck Foo not the case at all, has been proven at several of our dyno days. Stock cars - 105rwkw, tuned 98octane cars - 120ish rwkw, and on e85 with intakes/exhuast upto 140rwkw, still N/A. A 20 to 25% gain is excellent for a tune and exhaust on a 2L n/A mill.
Congrats on the FRS and welcome to the club!
You car looks great in that color.
Looking forward to future updates and mods.....
RNM AutomotiveAddiction lol the slow club. My eclipses smokes frs's and brzs all day
As someone who's owned a BRZ for a year and a half, I completely understand why you went with this car. It's such an agile, great feeling car. It makes everyday driving fun without breaking any laws.
As someone who has only become seriously interested in cars over the last two years. I am pleasantly surprised Todd picked it up out of all the other cars you guys have reviewed. Noted: I used to really hate driving and not long ago I didn't know the difference between a carburetor and a turbocharger.
I will never understand why people who consider themselves “car guys or a car person” will only consider a car if it has power. Cars have been around for ages and power is not the only thing that has improved, handling and driving experience is what this car focuses on and it nails it.
Can't wait to get one. This seems like a car that will make you a better driver.
You have no idea. You're gunna love it.
jo23bulls not a better driver in snow though lol. just make sure you get some snow tires. they can be bought for only $50 each. this light car combined with the very skinny factory tires are a very bad combination for snow
chinchy111 absolutely. Chicago winters are unforgivable.
chinchy111 It is sooo much fun in the snow although on the stock tire it isn't fun in fact in an inch- 2 inches of snow its impossible to even get out of my driveway
+851995STARGATE winter tires are more fun than the stock ones. I have done a winter on each and the stock ones aren't nearly as good for fun or normal driving.
You can still induce oversteer with a poke of throttle at every opportunity with the snow tires - the difference is that the oem tires lose momentum in the snow after a bit, and you're barely moving (sideways). The winter grip lets you maintain snowy drifts much easier.
Hey Todd. Great choice for the car! That car is a blast to drive. The point of that car is not the power. It's the steering and handling dynamics that make it so much fun to drive. I also love how you stayed true to your needs, both for fun and for your budget. I also recently purchased a used car for 20k. I found a very clean 2011 Mazdaspeed 3 with only 56k miles on it and a few great mods. I hope you love blasting on great roads with your new ride as much as I am. I would love to see you guys film your shoots on the great roads here in Colorado sometime. Keep making great videos.
It's a great car.
For as much as people armchair gripe about the thing, it's better than most would lead you to believe. I got to autocross a BRZ and felt it had more than enough power. I spent a lot of the run at partial throttle. In comparison, I also drove a Civic Si on the same course and had that pegged to the floor 90% of the time, even when cornering (sounds wrong, but Honda tunes the car to work this way). I own a couple Subarus: an old, NA Forester and an old heavily modded Forester XT that 2.5x the power. I've autocrossed and rallycrossed both, along with a variety of other cars like a Civic Si, BMW M3, Mustang GT, and even a Viper. The slowest car I've ever owned was an old Jeep Cherokee that would in the winter with its power robbing awd powertrain would literally take about 2 miles, downhill, to get up to 65mph. I've also owned a Ford Ranger with an old, carbed 2L that made about 50hp on a good day that couldn't go 65mph on a windy day.
People like power. It's fun. However, it's not useful everywhere. 99% of my driving my FXT is me barely touching the throttle. There's just no place the use the power without being a complete tool.
People also like looking at numbers, often alone, without weighing concepts like car weight, gearing, power curve, usage, etc. Toyota and Subaru were pretty smart about the design. It's light but rigid. The chassis is an outstanding platform. The gear box is excellent, one of the best feeling I've used (and I've driven a S2000) and geared very low. If you want to spin tires off the line, it will happily do that, and you don't even have to shock load the drivetrain. It's just geared that low.
I will give all the armchair heros one credit. I don't understand them not addressing the torque dip. It can be tuned out through the ECU and is most likely a byproduct of Subaru's intake design (plenum way to small and no "toque box" (air filter box, aka inline resonator) that's normally on most Subaru engines to get rid of exactly that, the torque dip. I can and have generated the same dip in my 02 Forester by removing/modifying the airbox. For the intake manifold design, an inline resonator needs to be there.
Handling is excellent, very well balanced and well damped with no real goofiness in behavior around the limit. It's really easy to drive. It's a lot nicer at the limit than a S2000, and you can actually fiddle with weight transfer and the driving line with decent ease. The only gripe I had was the intrusive stability control. Even when off, it's not fully off and applies brake to the outside wheel to negate oversteer. Unfortunately it does it a touch too early in , so if you drive to neutral, you'll always be at the point where the ABS is braking that outside wheel rather than letting the back end drift out a little. You can throw it out, but under smooth driving, it doesn't with the stability control system. I believe you have to at least pull a fuse or possibly mess with some wiring to actually get it fully off.
Posted on GT86 day :) 8/6
Austin Poynter Nice! Totally done on purpose... ;)
Nice catch!
I’ve owned 3 cars, 2 Scion tc’s, one automatic and 1 manual, i just financed my 2013 frs, my dream car, it’s a manual and im so excited, as someone who’s only driven scions, these are my all time favorite cars.
Hello, my dream car is also a 2013 Scion frs. How’s it’s going for u? Anything that is giving u problems? And how many miles did it have when u got it?
Good choice, Todd! I know you really want an Elise, but the 86 really wonderful. I know Paul whines about the power, but wringing a car's neck is really fun! My local weekend drive (out by Pine Mountain behind Ojai-- I believe you know it because you guys have shot out there before) takes me up to over 5000' elevation, and while the car does feel like it could go faster on uphill straights you're still averaging at least 60mph up a mountain road where most people probably average 30-something. Just hold that throttle down, make little lifts for turn-in, and slither your way up the mountain at 7000 rpm. The car is really shockingly quick for what it is. Add some proper tyres and a few choice bits (swaybars, some bushings here and there) and you can just charge down twisting roads.
My family have an Elise (somewhat modified-- but no engine modes), and my sister is a very good driver (faster than me), but when we both drive that road my BRZ honestly does a pretty good job hanging with the Lotus. The Elise is a few mph quicker on average, but typically by the time we get to the top of the mountain after 20-25 minutes of driving, my sister is only waiting a minute or two for me to arrive behind her. More importantly, it's just as fun to drive hard. Honestly. I like to rotate between cars for weekend outings, but I absolutely don't feel like an idiot when I leave the Elise at home and take the BRZ out for a spirited drive-- it's a lovely, engaging little thing and it's a ton of fun to wring its neck on a good road. The 86 is a stupidly good car for the money, and totally livable as a daily driver as well. It's wonderful.
Got my FRS about 2 yrs ago and it's still a lot of fun to drive. Made my daily commute much better for what at the time was a little over 20k.
The Toyota 86 really does put a smile on your dial iv owned mine for 2 years and I still love it like the same day I bought it :)
These cars are an absolute blast in the snow. I drive mine in the winter (with snow tires) and even with 8 or so inches of snow, never got stuck once.
I saw an FRS parked at my school once. Red looks amazing on it
Was this basically a debate on justifying the car purchase or a review...
One would have expected how the does the car feel after these miles, do the suspension, engine handling etc hold on or do they age or change....whats the longevity....
Pankaj Nalavde Replacement parts are really cheap for this car. Only problem I heard about is "cricket noise" coming out from engine compartment. Been reading about it on forums and I think its a defect with Fuel pump and Toyobaru has not come out with a permanent fix yet.
Pankaj Nalavde It's still a fairly new car and as far as I can tell it has zero problems. This car will get beat on lol
Chinaman Champ they have a fix.....New high output fuel pump. They are giving some customers a hard time about it. Unlike Subaru.
Pankaj Nalavde My car has gotten better with age. The engine is smoother and the car makes far less odd sounds when cooling down. My 2000 Celica GT did not truly feel sweet till 80,000 miles.
@@fatboy19831 Well...Subaru did make Toyota original part number SU003-00328 so there's that.
I bought my FRS about a month and a half ago and I'm right there with ya. It's slow, and I don't care.
I think I have a bit less fun daily driving this car than I would with something else, but every time that I head out for a drive for the fun of it I realize that I made the right choice.
Know you made this comment 4 years ago, but how old were you when you got your FRS?
I am jist wondering if it is a realistic option for my first car.
@@quinngoodman1078 did you end up getting the frs?
@@masterroshiiii5968I hope so I’m turning 18 this year so I was thinking to get this 😅
@@3zek0 im thinking about buying one too tho im 21 right now
I have a FRS as well and I had exactly the same budget and came to the same conclusion thanks to reviews like this. To be honest, I couldn't be happier -- thanks Todd. More power would be fun, yes, but that's not the point of that car. Like someone said, If you think that the FRS isn't fast enough, then the roads you're driving on are too straight. This car helps you become a better driver. What's good on having 400hp and only knowing how to use 250 of them?
Cannot wait for this tuning series!!
Good choice Todd. A true driving enthusiast will go with what speaks to them and not what others think they should get. When we start talking about "feel" and "balance" as opposed to power and brute force we get the sideways dog stare. Then I give them the head shake. Their loss.
you forgot to mention its one of the nicest looking cars
I agree, the car is a beauty. I fell in love with it since it came out, and when I got one, I have been falling in love every day!
The shape of the 86 is timeless,it will never get old🤗
Congratulations on the new car Todd! Paul, you have good taste. I thoroughly enjoy your guys' videos. Keep up the good job!
Could use a SMIDGE more torque and/or hp, but trust me when I say, this car will still get you tickets, just like anything else!
This car was built for me, I swear.
Yeah at least 180
TVinmyEye headers/exhaust, intake and tune. 190+whp
knowxvill I think you need to understand that there are other places to drive a car besides an interstate right beside your favorite mustang and challenger buddies... This car is meant for curves and you will never touch 90 there.
I'm genuinely excite you got one! I don't see very many on the road and I love that color!
Finally a real world daily driven long term review. I'll probably never own a brz/frs (s2000 owner) but still a great review video nonetheless. As always, great work guys.
I just bought a '13 FR-S with 18,000 miles for 16,000 just today. they don't hold value well in Minnesota
Just got one with 60 for 10
@@camelvids10 Im looking at one with rebuilt title 60k miles for 6500, should i get it?
@@superbros1690 yes
@@nando4life Lol, kinda late but it is still for sale. I probably will not get it, because you know I might as well save my money and get an electric car in 2 to 3 years.
Superbros An electric car? No dude! This is one of the last pure sports cars left. Get it while ya can!
If you guys are reviewing older cars, you should review the fox body 5.0! I think tons of people would love that!
I have a 2013 frs. It is turbod, with an AVO kit. I make 255 whp and it's amazing! It's the best for a daily driver. Great reliability and my gas mileage stays the same. Boost kicks in at 28000rpm and that horrible torque dip is gone. If you're going to stay NA do a full header back exhaust and a tune. Should hopefully be close to 200whp. I would highly HIGHLY suggest either contacting bob wantanabe at drift-office in Auburn, WA about someone to tune it for you in California or actually try to see him. With the port injection fuel system (d4s) people are ruining these cars with their tunes. Please seek a true professional before having it tuned. The horror stories are too great with this car
At the end of the day it's all about how the car makes you feel if your happy in this car awesome that's all that matters. If you complain about the car more than enjoying it then you've made the wrong decision.
I'm really starting to enjoy this channel. And the guy with the longer hair has a voice with calm authority just like Ray Manzarek of the Doors, a vintage radio sort of voice.
You guys make a great show! Keep it up!
Good job, bros!
Thanks for this video. I trust your guys' reviews
Very cool guys. Looking forward to more coverage about this car. I for one chose the Fiesta ST over the FRS, but I do like the FRS a lot!
frs is so much fun with little upgrades. looks awesome too i wouldn't get anything else in 20k budget
Interesting, I used you guy's reviews to pick the frs for me to buy. I got mine December 2013 with 11k miles for 20k even. Must be a big price difference in cali vs NC. Mine is even the same color! Great choice!
Oh dear god... I know this video is old now, but I have an identical FR-S, which just so happens to have 85,xxx miles on it. It runs and drives like a champ. It idles sort of odd compared to other cars I've driven, but it's going strong. I bought it at 75,800, no problems yet. The only thing I've needed is two oil changes, and brake pads. It's an orange little charmer.
i'm honestly curious about the repair bills + problems the panamera has faced since you've started owning it
Ryukachoo Cayenne*
I'd love to see a series about force feeding that car.
With the FRS and BRZ I keep hearing the same thing from people who drive them. Its the most fun they have had with the amount of power it has.
what about g37s coupe? Is that around 20k?
ryo jeon in general those cost more, like 25-27k, but it can be around 20k depending on mileage and location.
ryo jeon I got my G37S coupe for 19K. 80,000 miles. One owner; a professional lady. Garage kept, clean as fuck. I don't know how she managed to get 22mpg but I reset the computer to see how much I'm averaging. I get just 15mpg. xD
Sebastian Rosenberg I would of loved to have one of those. I'm actually kinda mad I didn't think about it. I just knew the 370Z was out of my price range, and forgot about that G37 coupe. That even has sortof back seats which would be a plus for me. But I got my frs in my fav color for 19.9k with only 12k miles, and still under factory warranty for 2 years, cant complain.
Sebastian Rosenberg The G is very reliable and fast. Not as light on its feet as the FRS. You wont find a 30,000 mile G under warranty for 20k. Still a wonderful car. It gets almost half the mileage of the FRS in the real world. 1000 pounds more weight almost twice the displacement.
Sebastian Rosenberg only 15 mpg? holy crap thats bad. I assume because its automatic? if its manual then just shift at low rpms and try to keep your speed around 50-60 mph
Why do you need winter tires in SoCal? Do people normally do this? I live in the Northeast and swap my tires out but I didn't think it would be necessary for this kind of climate.
Michael Bailey - The show started in SoCal, and still shoots a lot of things there. But, the guys are now based in Utah... lots of snow here in the winter! The FRS might prove to be the perfect snow-shovel. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Michael Bailey I believe they live in Utah, but do a lot of their videos here in the LA / Santa Clarita area.
EverydayDriver makes sense- thanks. Should make for some very fun winter driving.
They're parts of SoCal that snow man
EverydayDriver watched another channel and the guy in Germany said this car sucks in winter :P
After watching your videos, I decided to get a 22k mile FRS. The first thing I did was plug up that soundtube... It helps cut out the booming sound, which I think that is caused by the fact that the car was designed as a RHD vehicle and so the sound tube is in the wrong location for the US market. It comes out bounces around the passenger side wheelwell and you get only the low pitched sounds and not the intake sound...
Paul! Leave Todd alone! That car is terrific, and the genesis is too heavy and sloppy. Plus, it doesn't seem like he will ever get on board with the 2.0t version, though it's hysterical to hear you two bicker about it.
There are tons of arguably better choices if it's a garage car play toy - Elise, s2k, old Porsches, etc. but factor in tall driver, a year round 4 seasons car, a reasonable amount of usable cargo room, and the list is lots smaller. There isn't much else that is sub-3000 lbs, less than 5yrs old, rwd and great to drive out there.
Plus, I can't wait to see what you think of it once the new tires and camber bolts are in it:-)
I've owned a few Mazda FC's but I was test driving Tundras that day and I came home with a brand new FR-S. It drives awesome, Def saving up for that supercharger for this turtle chaser.
Enjoy! I've got 22k on my BRZ. 3 sets of wheels and tires for it, winter, race, and inbetween. Did "insurance" mods first like Crawford's AOS and an oil cooler. Now that I've added some power in the form of a header and tune, the torque dip feels much better and I can power out of those low speed corners much better in AutoX.
I completely agree with you.....I was also looking for RWD sports car within $20K and last week I bought a certfied 2013 FRS too. I'm loving the car. Haters - This car is not about speed, its all about balance, you have to drive it to believe. You can carry amazing speeds through corners and you feel like you are the best driver in the world:-)
EverydayDriver Why didn't you get a low milage C5 or C5z06 for 20k? Double wishbone suspension, lots of power, can get 30mpg?
dowroa he wanted back seats I think.
I did the sound-tube plug trick in my first 5 minutes of owning my BRZ.
After 12,000km loop to and around the west coast, my BRZ was brilliant and still keeps me happy. Un-tuned. Winter tyres on classic Subaru 16x6.5 are Nokian Hakka Rs. Rockin' in the Canadian winter.
Please share the roads this was shot on ... maybe I'll take another West Coast loop :)
I dont think the FRS is slow at all.. It's pretty damn quick, there is that dip but it definitely is not slow.
Funny, you guys posted this on 86 day, nice! EverydayDriver
As a small car driver 200 hp seems like plenty of power to me, especially from a N/a 2.0
however, I think the BRZ would be just about perfect if the engine was more around the 2.4 mark with a substantial bump in torque
Wow! So Todd bought a Toyota 86. Thats says a lot considering all the cars he's driven. I'm looking forward to seeing more on this one. I'm still very tempted to pick up an 86 myself. I own a '10 Fiesta Zetec so I'm a Fiesta ST fan as well. Very split between the two.
Looking forward to hearing more from this car once you given it a tune and some tires
Utah in the summer is a joy to drive those canyon roads.
I have a white 2013 F.r.s with t.d.r exhaust and intake, also added koni shocks and springs and I love it ...... very enjoyable since no turbo I went with pilot tires and the koni's so I'm On rails I'm so tired of hearing not enough power ... boo h oo enough power for me and the fat tires and the stiff springs make it a joy to drive I luv it
I love em, but a little boost goes a long way!
getting one soon, they go for 12k now
I just got a 2013 fr-s that came with invida exhaust and for the past week I'm in love with the car, and to me its fast and has a good launch to it and i drove a family car which was a dodge charger before this
I got my German Spec GT86 (got lots of Scion options as standard like Xenon headlights, automatic climate control...) for under 24.000€ last year. It's a 2013 model and had run just 6.000km back then. Compared to the original price that's about 10.000€ less in just one year.
It was planned as my allround daily driver. I used it for the drive to work, to the groceries store, whatever.
Now my work has moved a lot further away and the car gets dirty as hell in the parking lot.
So I got me a Toyota Auris hybrid for that.
Did I sell my GT86? No. Even though in summer I have a 91 Supra 3.0i Turbo to drive. And that is absolutely faster in a straight line.
Even more here in Germany the insurance for the GT86 is horribly high. BMW M5 territory, lot higher than Porsche Boxster and stuff.
But I'll still keep it.
Maintenance is cheap, gas mileage is absolutely okay, reliability is good, comfort is still good. You can even move some IKEA stuff ;-)
And if all that doesn't get you: Put some sticky tires on it and go around every corner you find. This car pays back everything in smiles on your face.
If you want more straight line speed get a big Turbo Diesel and listen to it's Tractor noise engine ;-) ;-) Or use the tuning aftermarket stuff, there's enough of it :-)
But cornering wise there's not much in that price range that could compete bone stock.
Some advice from someone who has tuned 23 BRZs. Get an openflash tablet. It will satisfy your power complaints. Also, remove the clutch pedal spring and lower the pedal. Car becomes infinitely more drive able. You made a great choice, enjoy! :)
Ben Fearn Clutch pedal mod? I have to look that up. Any way you can tun without voiding the warranty?
fatboy19831 Clutch pedal spring removal: www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84622
Clutch pedal height adjustment: www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8040
And yes, the Openflash tablet saves your stock tune, so you can easily return to stock if necessary. Out of the people I've tuned and myself, we've logged over 240k miles on the stage 1 tune with no issues at all. The tune fixes the non-linear throttle mapping, almost completely eliminates the torque dip, adds a good amount of power up top, and gives better fuel economy.
I had that choice also an went for the fiesta st. maybe will go for an fr-s in the future
I change out my summer tires with dedicated snow/ice tires during winter. It's treacherous in the snow and ice.
If you guys are gonna end up modifying it, you should look at FT86 SpeedFactory's uel header you can get for the car. It eliminates the torque dip that plagues the mid-range.
Those are great cars to take corners in.
The FRS/BRZ and Fiesta ST were the cars I was looking on this price range. I went with the Fiesta because to me is a better daily driver, and I can still kill it at autocross on the weekends.
Getting a car that makes you happy is the whole point.
Cool! I just got a BRZ 2-3 months ago. Are you experiencing the "cricket noise"? I heard about it a lot on forums and just wondering if a permanent fix is available yet?
Chinaman Champ Fuel pump upgrade. Check with several dealers. Should be under warranty.
Glad you're happy with the car. I think for a daily driver/fun car I would have chosen the Fiesta ST new since they're around 22k and you would have a much lower interest rate. At least you have somewhat usable back seats and that car would be a blast I bet with just a Cobb tune to wake it up a bit.
I hope you get many enjoyable miles out of the FRS.
Interesting shade of green on the windshield tint band.
My pops picked-up one in this color too. I think it reminds him of the Saab Sonnet he had in his 20's.
Jackson racing supercharger will allow you to pass california emissions and keep the car stock. OR go my route with UEL header, over pipe, front pipe, cat back exhaust combo with a tune from ecutek or off the shelf tunes from OFT (similar to the accessport for subies) Please keep me updated my fellow 86er!
I totally get Todd's reasons for having the FR-S in the face of the alternatives. And after owning a Mazdaspeed 3 as was mentioned as a likely alternative I have to say that perticular one was garbage. (I had a 2011). The main competitor i'd have looked at was the Genesis Coupe. I was REALLY excited when those came out until I found out how much they were going to cost when I compared what else I could get for similar money. All that being said i'd have a REALLY hard time not getting a 2010 or so WRX hatchback if looking for a ~20k used car. I owned a 2002 WRX and loved it.
looking forward to seeing the modifications, personally I'd go with tires and wheels and some kind of upgraded suspension. forced induction is so expensive and you'll never ever receive any return on that investment. if you choose to own it for five years or longer, then I'd say go for it
Good call. Finding an unmolested 2-year-old one is a trick though. Subscribed to see what happens in 2017. Is it going to eat a head gasket? Dying to know!
Looking forward to this LT Review...
I own one also and really enjoy ii Nice review I enjoyed it and will be watch to see your tune ideas for it
Where do you guys film? I watched your vids a lot before making my purchase. Would love to hit up the roads you guys test drive in and film!
Taek Won We bounce between Utah and Los Angeles. This one was near Sundance, UT.
Cool car
...
But don’t let it distract you from the fact .. Hector is going to be running 3 Honda Civics with Spoon engines. And on top of that. He just went into Harry’s and ordered 3 T66 Turbos with NOS and a Motec system exhaust ...
Im in the same budget but looking at a C5 Z06
"I have a few little things I wanna do with it"
*Re-builds the engine and installs a Garett with a cat-less exhaust system*
In my country used ones from 2 years back cost around equivalent of 35-40k $. Which is the same money with a nicely specced used 320i at the same age. I want a sporty drive but could BMW be the wiser choice with its all around capability?
I'd get a Honda S2000 as I prefer it because: 1. It has a better engine. 2. It has more appropriate (read shorter) gearing. 3. It has a better purpose-built sportscar chassis & suspension, rather than the FRS' glorified Impreza platform & suspension. :)
BMW 128i coupe? Although it isn't as raw and agile as FRS, I think it would be a better daily driver and might even be a more satisfying canyon car. That BMW's straight six will put a smile on your face and deliver way more (felt) power.
kr0pp I once saw one of these at the track and you could smell his brakes every time he went past! Anyone looking at tracking a 128i or 135i should definitely look into upgrading the brake pads.
Chance Hales Anyone looking at tracking any car should definitely look into upgrading the brake pads.
SICEM_Rex True. Some cars can get away with stock brakes.
If I had 20k budget, it would be between FRS or M3 E46.
20k seems a little steep for this car am I right? I would have stretched a bit for a 5.0 Mustang or clean E46 M3.
Hey, Im really looking into this car and I think it looks really nice. But before I have been driving a 03 350z for about a year, but then it got totaled so I am now looking for a new car in the 15k-20k range. Do you think this care will satisfy me in terms of speed and driving enjoyment?
+MrDrCapnMonty Not if you really loved that 350z. I own a BRZ and before i bought it, i looked at soo many sports cars. I also had a budget to stick to. I live in the city and i needed a trunk, i didnt want sun roof, and i wanted rear wheel drive. This car "feels" like your in a more expensive sports car. Its comfortable. It drifts at 30 mph without trac-control. I added a Airrid cold air intake immediately. Its fun to drive on curvy hwys or in downtown streets taking corners at night when theres no pedestrians.. makes alot exhaust noise too. But it does lack power, its about 200hp. Im at 80% satisfied with this car. But wont be 100% till i get it supercharged next year. I was driving a used camaro RS. Huge difference in power and price there. For what i sold the RS i bought the BRZ and then some. The RS is way higher on gas spending for the same drive distance. The BRZ is easier on gas for the moment.
I sense some hyperbole in the lack of power comments. On the road or in highway traffic where you can rev the engine high, this car feels plenty quick. Believe it or not, I think the AT feels quicker because it's able to downshift and put you near peak torque much faster than the stick.
if you're happy with it, that's all that matters.
cheers!
Could have gotten into an LS1 WS6 trans am easy for that budget. You can find one for probably 10. Gonna be reliable and it's still fast and actually pretty agile. If you wanted you still got another 10000 left over to do some serious suspension work to it.
GMdrivingMOPARguy As somebody who loves trans ams, why the FUCK would you get that? They have lots of power, sure, but unless it's full race prepped like my formula V8 then it's utterly useless in the corners.
MrSlowestD16 I've driven an FR-S, my buddy has an S2000 I've driven a lot, I personally have a CTS-V. I know what a good handling car feels like, and I love the WS6 Trans Ams. I think they are a blast to throw into corners and you have torque to motor out of them. I personally think it's the BEST car for the money you can buy right now.
GMdrivingMOPARguy Yeah, they're fun to throw around, agreed, but they don't handle well out of the box. I had to do serious mods to mine to get it to handle properly for race use and the best CP cars out there will still never be as quick as a properly set up S2K or BRZ.
I agree that they're fun, 100%, but they're pretty poor at handling compared to roadsters and similar setup chassis like this.
Shiv...i know you were running e85 on your FRS. Have you experienced any issues, engine wise, if so what?
I'm happy for you, Todd. Shame you didn't get an S2000 though!
So I wonder if umpteen years on will there be a focus of finding unmodified FRSs in the collector's market as this is turning into the ricer of this generation?
And being King Contrarian, I wonder how viable it is to mod this effectively, but keeping it NA?
***** Very viable to keep it NA. Headers and a tune (maybe E85) make an enormous difference. Makes the car every bit like it should have been from the beginning.
EverydayDriver Possible update on Todd's Nissan 300ZX??
Steven Salazar He sold that car a few years ago I think. He hasn't owned it since I've known him anyway.
EverydayDriver prolly a very random question but whatever happened to Todd's Z32, i remember your videos of it and the z comparison and subsequent chat convinced me to get one some years ago... Jus got me wondering now that ive seen this if he got bored of it...and/or the engine pulls 😂
Tatenda Jinya I believe he sold it a few years ago. He hasn't had it since I've known him anyway.
Tatenda Jinya - Todd had his Z32 for a while, and enjoyed it, but sold it a few years ago. Next he had his 9-2x "Saabaru", and now this FRS.
EverydayDriver well what about 330Ci e46/e92? its not only the m3 that you could consider as fun to drive especially taking into consideration the price of used ones
Didn't consider the S2K?