Notably balanced vid on the common complaints. After getting the dash amp I discovered the GR Premium speakers are legit good so I cancelled my speaker upgrades. Super fun car is even better with SPC camber bolts on the fronts.
I traded my lexus for the base GR86 and I really miss my lexus speakers. Base model 86 speakers are complete garbage. Thats going to be my first upgrade immediately.
Why on earth would you want to change the camber? First of all, the suspensions on modern sports cars are pretty much optimized to be the perfect blend of street and track performance. It's not like the 70’s when even nice sports car like the 240Z handled like shit until you modified the suspension. I know because I was racing and setting up cars for racing even way back then. These days of course people do modification just for the hell of it and in many cases they actually end up ruining the handling - particularly those guys who dial in clownishly extreme amounts negative camber. Anyway, while changing the camber will in no way make the car more fun to drive, thats not to say that you can’t possibly shave a few tenth of a second off your lap times by optimizing the camber for the track. But then again, who care about a few tenths of a second when the average guy doing track days could shave at least several whole seconds off his lap times simply by improving his skill level. Still, if you do want to find the best camber setting for the track there is only one way to do it. Just do a few hot laps to heat up the tires and then stop and take the tread temperatures at 3 points - center, outside, and inside. If the outside if hotter than the inside, you need more negative camber and if the inside is hotter, you have too much negative camber. If the center is hotter than both the outside and the inside then the tire pressure is too high and if the inside is cooler than the tire pressure is too low. When all three temperatures are the same then you have everything right. So, if you do it, do it right. Don’t just dial it in willy-nilly. And of course, if you are on a very tight track and want more oversteer just get a larger rear anti-sway bar.
I'm in my 30s and I finally bought this car 🤩 it's Sooo well tuned even outta the box and I 100% agree with ya! The camber on cars like these are perfect for the car. But unfortunately the modern "car scene" is filled with a bunch ó kids following ridiculous social media trends for the clicks with no real appreciation for the beauty of the machine But every once in a while you do see people that appreciate the art of it all. 💪
The one thing that really bugged me, is the missing auto door locks. I had those feature in my 2006 Jetta… And moving from a MK7 GTi (which engine unfortunately blew up), I took this feature for granted and was shocked that it was not. Not only the doors do not automatically lock at certain speed, they do not unlock when handle is pulled.
Another thing that may not be a issue for most people, is the temperature unit. US market cars can only display temperature unit in Fahrenheit, while speed,MPG and all other units can be converted to metric. Coming from somewhere that uses Celsius, I need to do a conversion in my head while looking at it. Not a issue when daily driving but it might be headache when looking at oil and coolant temps if on track. My MK7 and 2013 Lexus GS can adjust temperature units easily considering that GS is also a Toyota product.
@@kevinkong6202 let me check that I maybe dreaming for some reason I thought I heard that happen let me get back to you after I check this. When we drive different cars I think sometimes we don’t realize things some little things are not happening. So I just realized what made me think that the doors were locking at 5 mpg is the passenger and trunk not unlocking when you open the driver door, that’s the confusion. So I guess with the road noise I never noticed the click not happening. My mistake so sorry but in my defense I am blonde haha just kidding no offense intended. Actually happy to know it’s NOT locking, I can lock from now on manually.
RTV seems not to be a serious issue, but oil starvation on-track is an issue (especially in high-G right hand turns) and has probably been the real cause of most, if not all, reported engine failures on track. Get an oil pan baffle if you plan to track the car. Tomei makes a good one, and there are others available. The turn signal activation is pretty ordinary on this car. Fuel consumption is fairly poor for a car of this size and weight (though, partly, that may be down to driving style). No spare tyre (some countries do include a spare with this car), get a skinny one off the old BRZ from a wrecker, it fits. There is no good place to put your phone, so you'll probably want a holder of some sort. Wheel fitment is different than the previous generations and it's unlikely you'll get the same wide rubber under the rear guards legally without modification, so be aware of that before you buy new gear. The car is great right out of the box but is fun to mod, too. The minor issues with the car are negated completely by the pure enjoyment of the driving experience.
Out of the 2000 sold, how many will be tracked more then twice a year? Have the same engine in my gr86 cup car. 8 races so far, no issues with the pressure at all. It dips on right turns, but it’s nothing detrimental.
My 23 GR86 gets very respectable gas mileage, 27-34 mpg depending on whether I'm driving local or long distance. Mine is the AT though, I wanted the MT but that was at least a six month wait and the dealership had a premium with every thing I wanted right down to color, Track bRed, but lacking the manual trans coming from Japan and available today. I don't track drive it, just commute to work and back and drive all over New England. I'm about to find out how well it's going to go in snow. Just put a set of snow tires on it and waiting for the snow to come. My three cars prior to this were all rear wheel drive, 12 Mustang, 06 Charger, 97 T-Bird, so I'm used to driving rear wheel drive in snow. My biggest complaint so far is only one 12V power outlet that's buried in the glove box.
Great video. Totally fair to the issues. I have exactly the same one (Steel, manual, base). Only things I have done so far - new tires and shift knob. One issue that has caused a bit of a headache is that the passenger seat does not move up/down, so my wife, who is not the tallest person on earth, finds it frustrating. Other than that, I love everything about it. 👍
The RTV issue isn't the only issue. There are oil pressure dropping issues that are completely unrelated to the RTV issue. The engine, in general, is not a good or reliable engine.
With the exception of the RTV complaint, people want there cake and eat it too. So many people are so wrapped up in the tech stuff. That's not what this car is about and especially at this price point. Nice review! I really enjoyed it.
I owned a 2014 FRS and have since owned many different sports cars. I am currently in the market for a designated track toy and weekend car. The GR86/BRZ is at the top of my list but due to how I intend to use the vehicle I'm going to wait a few years for more data to surface from the the RTV and oil pressure issue regarding hard right turns. I hope it gets sorted out or is discovered to not be that detrimental because I really miss bring in this platform.
Great video. None of the mentioned issues are unsolvable. Plastic is not cheap at all. You should check out the first gen cars. Fake noise? Get a proper exhaust. Every modern car has a fake noise. Road noise? Road noise is a sign of a sports car. If the road noise is a problem, this is not a car for you. If there's no road noise, the car has too much insulation. The more insulation and sound deadening, the less contact with the road, feedback and road feel. You should drive Lotus Elise to experience what the raw driving experience is. RTV? RTV can easily be addressed at low cost. It's not an issue at all. If your engine blows up for this reason, the manufacturer will replace the engine. The pressure drop in the right hand corners on the track is another made-up issue. Anyone who knows anything about how engine works and is lubricated knows that oil pressure can not be constant all the time. This is the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life. It is natural that inertia forces will cause one side of the engine to have less oil than the other side in the sharp turns. This will not cause oil starvation because there will always be a fine oil film left in the cylinders to enable lubrication. This "issue" can be solved by overfilling with 0.5 liter of oil. This is a fine sports car and a great platform for modifying. The raw driving experience this car offers is a thing of the past. None of the current mainstream manufacturers make a car that can hold a candle to GR86/BRZ. Toyota and Subaru should be celebrated for bringing a car like this to the market.
Seriously. I live east coast and I am saving for one. There's a track in my state, but it's the only one, you can still use it though. It also makes a good daily.
I just cannot understand everyone’s complaints with the speakers being low quality. I’ve had my 2023 manual for a few months now and the volume is loud, the bass is very well balanced especially since there are tweeters right next to the speakers, and if you go to the cars separate equalizer then it can get even louder. My usual volume level is 15 and the loudest is 25. Anything over that and it’s literally just too loud for me… and I listen to my music pretty loud on the regular
The quality is very solid for base model speakers and tweeters. I almost left them alone but being a basshead i added 2 12”subs. All around amazing sound from all. I dont typically go above 20 on the dial 65%on amp.
@@nadovski I have the premium version so those 2 extra speakers might be what’s convincing me otherwise but other than that I really can’t seem to do anything else to it. My friends can hear me coming down the block and it’s not from the exhaust is because of the bass
@@justinirizarry3010I have a 23 GR86 Premium. I love the car, but the bass, it sucks. I added a JBL powered sound hub, and wired it in myself. It is honestly unbelievable just how good it sounds , and totally transforms the sound. I have a 750 watt amp and aftermarket speakers and a Phoenix gold sub in my 2018 Camry. Honestly, the bass of this JBL sound hub, that goes where your spare tire is, sounds better. Now the rest of the sound system of course does not have the clarity of my after market 750 watt, 5 channel amp and speakers. But it takes it from suck, to pretty damn impressive for around $300
SO happy that they stopped pumping cabin noises in the cabin for the GRC, I noticed they even do this with the IS350. Just less annoying things I need to remove.
The only one of these that's really concerning to me is the potential engine issues. While it may not affect the majority of people, it does seem to exist, and from what I've seen seems to be a bit more involved than simply excessive sealant to basically being a fundamental design flaw of the engine.
@@Gonin60 Going great. I said it before, but I think it's a really great daily driver. I do feel the tires let it down somewhat if doing spirited driving, but for just the normal stuff it's a fantastic little package.
I’m now at 1-1/2 yrs and 17k miles. Zero issues from daily or track driving. This thing is solid. Couple people have engine issues and the internet blows up. Don’t drive them like a 17 yr old and they’ll be a great car for years.
I have owned 3 BRZs and do not track it and never rev it over 7,000 rpms. Yes I drive it like a sports car and my only issue is that all 3 BRZs ( 2020, 2022 & 2023) need the oil topped up. My 2023 had the longest breakin and still uses some oil especially if I’m on the interstate doing 70 mph and over for long distances and driving aggressively on twisty roads using the gears and driving it over 3500 rpms. Low tension piston rings designed by Toyota not Subaru so oil will get past the rings unless you drive it like a granny. Yes it’s well within factory requirements but still, bothers me!!
It's the same complaint in the housing industry. People want twice the amenities for half the price. It is entirely unreasonable to want a 35k car to feel and work like a 70k car. These are great cars for the money.
My main issue is actually the WIRED CarPlay. Not because it’s not wireless but bc it’s glitchy af. Something about the wiring being cheap but I and several other people have had this complaint where sometimes you’ll plug your phone in and the CarPlay just doesn’t work. It’s not the cord, it charges the phone so I know it’s working but it gives you an error message saying “Apple CarPlay unavailable” and it doesn’t matter if you turn the car off and on or restart your phone or get a new cord. It just won’t work that day and you can’t connect to CarPlay. I had a friend who has a 2023 gr86 also get his whole car rewired to fix the issue and it didn’t do anything. He still gets that error message every once in a while.
@@Gonin60for the most part it usually works fine but I just gotta deal with it on the days that my car just decides it’s not gonna work with CarPlay 🤷🏻♀️
Solid video. I’m biased towards loving my 23 86 and still agree with all your points. Mine is a track toy and weekend ride, not my daily. One complaint I have, and it might just be me not knowing how to change this, but every time I get in the car it’s set to recirculate on the climate controls. I hate that and immediately shut it off every time. Other than that, I couldn’t be happier with it. I love it.
If it’s on auto and the target temperature is far from your current temperature it’ll recirculate to get it to temperature faster. Once its working less hard it’ll take outside air again.
What's your main if you don't mind my asking. My husband wants this as his daily, and I'm thinking it'd be better as a weekend drive... So I guess I'm just looking for opinions. Would this be a good daily?
I thought long and hard when I was shopping for my next car, I was between one of these and a GTI. I ended up in a GTI simply because I have a hard time fitting in the GR86 and it wasn't quite practical enough as a daily. If I didn't need as much trunk space I would have probably ended up in a GR86
I have a '15 BRZ which shares many of these issues. I added sound deadening material to the roof, doors, back seat quarter panels, and trunk. The roof is much quieter when it's raining and the doors, back seat, and trunk don't rattle when the stereo is turned up, which brings up the speakers: the OEM speakers may be the cheapest Made-in-China speakers I've ever seen and they are HEAVY ferrite magnet speakers. I replaced mine with high quality neodymium speakers which actually saved 20 lbs. over the stock speakers and countered out the added weight of the sound deadening material. Caveat: it seems that each model year and trim level have a variety of sound system designs, so replacing the speakers while retaining the head unit may be a true research project that will require learning about band pass filters and crossovers. You will need the wiring diagram for your model year and trim level; don't just buy the speakers that fit each hole.
The fact that the door doesn’t unlock when you pull the handle from the inside and the doors don’t automatically lock when you reach a certain speed. Nitpicky but my last car from 2006 had this feature
Biggest complaint for me with my 2023 BRZ premium is the seatbelt warning chime that gets louder and louder and louder that would drive anyone nuts. Fortunately TH-cam videos show you how to disable it in a few seconds. My Audi A6 after 6, not so loud, dings stops dinging. This the way it should be. The sound system in my opinion isn't bad at all. The speakers are on the dash where they belong, not at the bottom of the doors where they don't belong. My BRZ is great.
Mazda MX-5 has a better quality interior a better quality transmission, a Bose radio w/Bose speakers in the headrests, overall better components and more than 30 years of Japanese refinement.
@@Gonin60 I barely have a few months left before it arrives and I still have to buy winter tires too and wheels for them. So I am trying to save a bit more so I can afford it when it arrives.
As a owner of a 2 door Wrangler, I chuckled at the plastic interior, road noise and bad stereo. I put some Hothead Headliners in the Jeep's hard top and it helped more than I thought. I'm thinking about getting their Sound Assassin kit to do the floors/wheel wells next spring. You could probably get the 2 door JL Sound Assassin kit and line the floors and maybe inside the door panels to help with the road noise and resonance.
I just got my 2024 about a week ago. I haven't really noticed any road noise. Also the stereo system isn't bad at all, at least to me it seems like it could be better than my 2021 Honda Accord. The only complaint that I have inside is there is no storage space I wish they had a center console that you could open the store things
On the point of RTV, bought mine in August, within the first 3 days I took it to the shop my buddies work at and re did the RTV, oil pan was absolutely caked. By this point the car had about 100 miles on it and I can say I was pulling some nice sized chunks out of the pan and pickup tube. Something that is not generally mentioned about the RTV tho is it seems to be just as bad around the crank case cover too so if you do the pan you may want to do the cover as well.
With 100 miles on it? Lord. I'm saving for one myself, and this may make me not buy it. Chunks of oil? What oil were you running. I'd be putting premo in their like royal purple etc..
Not having built in satellite navigation is very annoying for a 2023 car particularly when my previous 2017 86 had sat nav. Fun fact that Apple CarPlay does not work when your out of phone network range which is all the time where I am living in country Australia driving to my new GR86 between towns. And lack of storage……I have lost my centre console to the two drink holders and now if I have drinks in the cup holders in the centre console I don’t have anywhere to put my phone when it’s plugged in for the apple car play. . Sounds minor but these basic features are important to me. My wifes 10 year old suzuki swift has room for drinks and phone and sat nav so it Can’t be that hard for Toyota to sort out these issues. Thanks for the video. Cheers
If you're using google maps it's easy to download offline maps, search for 'how to use google maps when your phone is offline.' The car isn't big on creature comforts and it's the first manual transmission I've had in many years (re-living my analog youth) so sipping coffee or playing with the phone requires timing. If you're using an iphone the magsafe mounts are solid and available in different configurations, Amazon is a good place to start.
I own a 2023 brz for 6 months and here my only complaints : 1) weird transmission noise while decalerating below 2500 rpm, 2) bouncing clutch, 3) scary intake noise above 4000 rpm when the engine is cold and it's below 5 celcius outside, 4) Not enough head room, I am 6'-4", 5) the gear stick vibrate a lot, 6) the engine shakes the car occasionnaly from left to right on idle (maybe because of the horizontal cylinders). Except that, I love the car. The engine love to rev high, not low. I receive a lot of good comments about its look. I drift on every ride lol (you better not be a scared driver because sometime, it surprises you). I really don't mind about the noise or the fake engine sound (it sounds great with it).
Has anyone considered just adding a full layer of the closed cell sound deadening onto the wheel well plastic covers? I don’t have a GR86 so I wouldn’t know the geometries of the plastic wheel liners. Closed cell foam is used to block noises from passing through, but it needs to cover like 100% of the panel. I get these for cheap from Aliexpress. Dynamat or deadening tar-like material is good for minimizing the resonance of thin panels vibrating. That only requires like 25% coverage of said panels.
@@jorgevazquez654 I'm getting it very soon man but its very limited rn and the color you would want won't be for sure made so you gotta hope the factory builds your order.
I owned the '13 FRS, and now a '20 Hakone, with a stage II tune, UEL header (stock muffler), Bilstein PSS10 coilovers, and MIchelin PS4s on aftermarket 18s. For me, the gen 1, mk2 Hakone is the sweet spot...the only thing I like better on the GR, is the nose.
I was just curious, did you get Paint Protection Film put on your vehicle? I should be getting my GR86 in about two weeks and i still have to sit down with the salesman and talk packages etc for the car. Paint Protection Film is one of the options i know he will wanna ask me about, but i don't really know if it's worth the price.
I was getting a squeaking sound coming from around the front speaker area once I'd come close to 4k rpm....disabled fake engine noise and it went away. Not only is the fake noise too loud, but apparently also buggy.
You can reduce road noise by getting a different tire pilot sport 4s is kinda loud and being a low pro isn’t helping if you want it quite get a 17” rim and a thicker side wall without a track tire
Thank you for the honest review. This car along the Hyundai Elantra N (Called the i30N sedan here in Australia) are on the top of my list for my next car to own. Im still trying to find more information about the i30n and elantra n cars on what they are like to own after a few years before I make a decision.
As an owner of a suspension modified 3rd generation Mazda Miata with aftermarket wheels and tires, we have similar issues. There is no perfect car at this price range but it’s a hell of a lot more practical than a Miata. It’s a nice daily and only car, Miata’s tend to be 2nd cars for many owners and we certainly don’t have year round capabilities. I like the style of the current generation 86, very nice. Enjoy it as long as you can, it is the last of its kind.
With the food prices and gas prices people are trying to get a car that is set. I believe the theme for car builders in 2023 is visual. For the first time after building 2 Evos I feel like this car is pretty tuned in and track ready. This car is made for handling not just speed! Every day I get in this car it feel like I am on the track. Wing installed carbon hood ordered And Tomei exhaust on the way :) Amazing purchase and investment GR 86 2023
as a first car bought out of highschool i've been really into the GR86 especially for a young car guy like me. The gr86 is really good for the money you pay. Its not going to be porsche or rolls royce level quality but again, thats what you pay for.
Have a 2023 BRZ and anyone who is thinking about not getting this car because of the doom posters is insane. This car is made for ripping around feeling the road hearing the road and and pulling to 7000 RPMs even if you’re just trying to get up to 40 miles an hour, it is absolutely amazing Agreed this is not a car you would ever buy because you want a comfortable ride, bells, and whistles, all of that stuff has been left out and sacrificed to the driving experience. I added a subwoofer to my car and it’s perfectly acceptable. I agree with other commenters that the auto door lock is the only true miss in this car. Otherwise, there is nothing better than drifting that same corner that you’ve driven 100 times in your Honda Odyssey., And I’m doing it in an automatic, with sequential shifting everyone raves about the manual, but the automatic is absolutely the best of both worlds.
People are so weird going on and on about how awful it is to have this car in an automatic and i really don't understand it at all, I think they are just super proud they can drive manual and it makes them feel like an elite car enthusiast (which is super lame) this is coming from someone who has several motorcycles and definitely understands what shifting is like
Throw in thicker oil if you're tracking it. 0W-30 or something. 0W-20 is perfectly sufficient for street use and is actually preferable, but it's too thin for all-out track days. The thinner oil gets pushed to one side under extreme g-forces and excessive heat, causing oil starvation issues.
That and oil viscosity often gets even thinner pretty quickly due to shearing forces. Some brands are better than overs in regards to resistance to viscosity reduction
I’ve owned my premium track red for over a year. I agree the sound system (speakers) leave lots to be desired. As well, I have a clunky transmission in second gear. No big issues. Keep in mind, as stated, this is a entry level sports car. I really enjoy this car for the price. The handling is amazing. I’m curious if anyone has attempted to increase power. Looking for another 15-20 horses and don’t want to replace brakes and other stuff with a turbo. Anyone install a cold air intake?
@@sfixx perhaps the best way to explain it is that the transmission at times struggles to shift into 2nd gear. And when it does you can hear the transmission struggling.
You'll essentially never get a light weight sports car with a quiet interior. And thats not a bad thing, its just a biproduct of a lightweight sports car. The same goes with sound systems in light weight cars, its usually not the speakers, its that outside noises are overtaking different sound frequencies from the speakers so its percieved to be bad. The issue is the same with miatas too. One way to make a quiet interior and make your sound system sound better is by switching to quieter tires, but the tradeoff is in grip performance. Doesnt really matter though if you just cruise around and occationally flick the car around.
Actually, road noise can def be reduced by adding light-weight closed cell foam everywhere. For thin resonating panels, add a little dynamat. I think manufacturers just use the excuse of lightening to avoid spending extra dollars/yen.
Road noise??? People have you ever been in a sport car before? Noise is part of the package. Don’t want noise, by a Lexus. You people complaining should have your cars taking back.
Good overview. Still a great car, flaws notwithstanding. For me, I needed more storage, more rear legroom, and wanted more engine and just more for my money- so in 2020 a lightly used low mileage '18 FK8 delivered. The $35K I spent looks like a bargain now. RWD is more organic, NA engines are cool, and the GR86 is lighter then my already light Civic Type R. That said, only one was the best value and perfect daily. At that time it was the Honda. No regrets.
Sold mines after 4 months. Reasons as followed : 1. Piss poor audio quality 2. Doors straight up rattle bad when volumes up semi high. 3. Digital cluster is straight up cheap looking. 4. Infotainment is lacking but functional. 5. This one made me sell it… Throttle input lag paired with boosted low rpm throttle modulation. It’s like playing a video game with input lag, drove me crazy
@@Gonin60 I felt like they boosted the low rpm throttle input to make it seem like a torquey v8 but falls on its face up in the rev range. I prefer a linear throttle. The throttle input has a lag and delay… as oppose to a cabled throttle that’s instantaneous. Those two paired together just turned me off so bad.
I have a 2023 trackbRed a/t the complaint I have is stereo we are upgrading that but I knew this before I bought the car. I was leaving my mommy mobile 2019 Rock Creek Pathfinder The car is a great at this price point. I will never track the car. I test drove a jaguar first, the jaguar was not daily driver type of car. I love my GR86. We kept our family pathfinder because 3 adults cannot fit in this car it’s basically a 1 lady and her purse car. Hahaha
Wondering if we should trade in mk7 gti for 2023 brz as a daily...gti has low miles but worried about the current recall with no fix yet (for the ignition switch). Been wanting a brz for a while anyway, but my understanding is people either weekend them or keep them a few years and then get something else. I'm wanting something that'll last a good 10 years Good video. Thank you!!
This car could cost 50k, has all the issues you outlined, and I'd still get it in a heartbeat. In fact, I had just learnt today that we're getting the GR Yaris (which is more expensive) where I live, but I'm not going to cancel my BRZ allocation lol
@@Gonin60 Different but not better. There aren't many sports cars that weigh less than 3000lbs these days. For the same amount of practicality, there's the prev gen Mini Cooper S and Abarth 500. The Elantra N is 3100lbs and so is the Type R. And the Miata is a second car for most.
I’m really looking to buy one of these but how are the grip levels on this car? I always get mixed reviews that it has a ton of grip or that the back end can get you if your not careful
GR86 is not for everyone. A good price point to take you from point A to point B. People will always complain about something when there is really nothing to complain about when wanting something simple and affordable. 💯👍🏽
RTV is not the cause. Drops in oil pressure due to high G turns is. The oil does not return to the oil pan fast enough so you'll have loss of pressure.
I'm in the UK and the indicator (turn signal) is annoying. Doesn't seem to automatically go off when you'd expect and you have to flick it to the opposite side to cancel the signal (rather than return the lever to neutral).
Great vid.. BUT missed is the GREATEST issue.. MASSIVE.... The manufacturers service schedule. A light weight alloy high revving engine running light weight engine oil with a first service at 15000km. WTF. Worry less about RTV and more about oil interval and viscosity. Imagine doing a track day in your BRZ-GR86 after running it around town for 14000km on 5 litres of sewing machine oil.. I changed mine at 1500km and 5000km (continuing) using 5w-30 oil. Manufacturers are not on the same page as a long term owner.
@@Gonin60Exactly. They don't want people doing preventative maintenance. They want people to follow the manufacturer recommended intervals so the vehicle barely makes it across the warranty finish line.
this car is similar to the cobalt 2dr LS (not SS), and the ford escort coupe (~1998). i don't understand why people want to believe its something its not. its a 2dr compact with decent mpg, lightweight, and basic barebones build, with a sporty look. it does what it was designed to do.
I couldn’t own this car unfortunately. Traded it in after a year sadly having two recalls in one year isn’t the best for a future with the car. Infotainment system was was buggy and I had a transmission issue. On a longevity point of view I couldn’t own this. Was becoming annoying as a daily
Strangely enough, one of the things I like about my gr86 is because the infotainment is basic. Have used many different types, new and old from different manufacturers over the years. I just like that its basic, unintrusive, and only for entertainment.
What about getting in and out of the car? It sits awfully low, which most folks are not used to nowadays. That is a concern of mine and for my passenger (girlfriend). It would not be a concern if I were in my 20's, but I am not. The other big problem I see with this car is finding one to buy, especially without $2k of dealer add-ons to run the price up. I have also read that the insurance is very expensive relative to other cars. Good job but I will add those.
Rent a lotus elise for a couple days and you both will appreciate how easy it is to get into a GR86. Just a little bit of truth. I had a lotus and my gf at the time loved it. She’s still with me 19 years later and i know she would still want me to have the lotus exige again. I bought it from a lotus dealer at the time for i think $28k
@@Gonin60 if i still had it i would love to let you drive it. I used let strangers drive it all the time. My fiance and friends also drove it on track. It feels very different from almost all cars out there
Bro I almost got distracted by the background 😂 it’s beautiful as heck
Thank you!
@@Gonin60where is this if you don't mind me asking?
@@itslukechen UT
same here
Great video, well spoken….subscribed
That initial view of the street and the mountains in the backgroud: BEAUTIFUL!!!
Thanks!
The seats are amazing in this car. Also I love the placement of the infotainment system because it isn't blocking my field view.
Okay
I had the dealer turn off the fake engine noise with the computer before I even drove it.
Nice!!!
Notably balanced vid on the common complaints. After getting the dash amp I discovered the GR Premium speakers are legit good so I cancelled my speaker upgrades. Super fun car is even better with SPC camber bolts on the fronts.
Thanks for sharing!
what dash amp are you speaking of? i have a GR Premium coming in a few weeks.
I traded my lexus for the base GR86 and I really miss my lexus speakers. Base model 86 speakers are complete garbage. Thats going to be my first upgrade immediately.
Why on earth would you want to change the camber? First of all, the suspensions on modern sports cars are pretty much optimized to be the perfect blend of street and track performance. It's not like the 70’s when even nice sports car like the 240Z handled like shit until you modified the suspension. I know because I was racing and setting up cars for racing even way back then. These days of course people do modification just for the hell of it and in many cases they actually end up ruining the handling - particularly those guys who dial in clownishly extreme amounts negative camber. Anyway, while changing the camber will in no way make the car more fun to drive, thats not to say that you can’t possibly shave a few tenth of a second off your lap times by optimizing the camber for the track. But then again, who care about a few tenths of a second when the average guy doing track days could shave at least several whole seconds off his lap times simply by improving his skill level. Still, if you do want to find the best camber setting for the track there is only one way to do it. Just do a few hot laps to heat up the tires and then stop and take the tread temperatures at 3 points - center, outside, and inside. If the outside if hotter than the inside, you need more negative camber and if the inside is hotter, you have too much negative camber. If the center is hotter than both the outside and the inside then the tire pressure is too high and if the inside is cooler than the tire pressure is too low. When all three temperatures are the same then you have everything right. So, if you do it, do it right. Don’t just dial it in willy-nilly. And of course, if you are on a very tight track and want more oversteer just get a larger rear anti-sway bar.
I'm in my 30s and I finally bought this car 🤩 it's Sooo well tuned even outta the box and I 100% agree with ya! The camber on cars like these are perfect for the car.
But unfortunately the modern "car scene" is filled with a bunch ó kids following ridiculous social media trends for the clicks with no real appreciation for the beauty of the machine
But every once in a while you do see people that appreciate the art of it all. 💪
The one thing that really bugged me, is the missing auto door locks. I had those feature in my 2006 Jetta… And moving from a MK7 GTi (which engine unfortunately blew up), I took this feature for granted and was shocked that it was not. Not only the doors do not automatically lock at certain speed, they do not unlock when handle is pulled.
Another thing that may not be a issue for most people, is the temperature unit. US market cars can only display temperature unit in Fahrenheit, while speed,MPG and all other units can be converted to metric. Coming from somewhere that uses Celsius, I need to do a conversion in my head while looking at it. Not a issue when daily driving but it might be headache when looking at oil and coolant temps if on track. My MK7 and 2013 Lexus GS can adjust temperature units easily considering that GS is also a Toyota product.
I didn’t pay attention to that. That’s crazy. Thanks for sharing!
My doors lock but is a premium
@@Lilredridinghood555 mine is a premium too, is yours a US spec car? The door can lock if I push the lock button but it does not lock itself at speed🤣
@@kevinkong6202 let me check that I maybe dreaming for some reason I thought I heard that happen let me get back to you after I check this. When we drive different cars I think sometimes we don’t realize things some little things are not happening. So I just realized what made me think that the doors were locking at 5 mpg is the passenger and trunk not unlocking when you open the driver door, that’s the confusion. So I guess with the road noise I never noticed the click not happening. My mistake so sorry but in my defense I am blonde haha just kidding no offense intended. Actually happy to know it’s NOT locking, I can lock from now on manually.
I have the premium. Road nose. Didn’t even notice it, stereo sounds perfectly fine to me and the interior feels good and seats are comfortable
That’s all that matters
The background is awesome. These are all valid complaints. That said, I still don't think there's a more fun choice under $50k
My MK8 golf r at sticker would tend to disagree
@@Gonin60 uh oh! Did I miss a video?!
@@QueTheChaotic haha nope!
@@Gonin60 congrats man!
@@QueTheChaotic thanks!
RTV seems not to be a serious issue, but oil starvation on-track is an issue (especially in high-G right hand turns) and has probably been the real cause of most, if not all, reported engine failures on track. Get an oil pan baffle if you plan to track the car. Tomei makes a good one, and there are others available.
The turn signal activation is pretty ordinary on this car.
Fuel consumption is fairly poor for a car of this size and weight (though, partly, that may be down to driving style).
No spare tyre (some countries do include a spare with this car), get a skinny one off the old BRZ from a wrecker, it fits.
There is no good place to put your phone, so you'll probably want a holder of some sort.
Wheel fitment is different than the previous generations and it's unlikely you'll get the same wide rubber under the rear guards legally without modification, so be aware of that before you buy new gear.
The car is great right out of the box but is fun to mod, too. The minor issues with the car are negated completely by the pure enjoyment of the driving experience.
Thanks for sharing!
Out of the 2000 sold, how many will be tracked more then twice a year? Have the same engine in my gr86 cup car. 8 races so far, no issues with the pressure at all. It dips on right turns, but it’s nothing detrimental.
My 23 GR86 gets very respectable gas mileage, 27-34 mpg depending on whether I'm driving local or long distance. Mine is the AT though, I wanted the MT but that was at least a six month wait and the dealership had a premium with every thing I wanted right down to color, Track bRed, but lacking the manual trans coming from Japan and available today. I don't track drive it, just commute to work and back and drive all over New England. I'm about to find out how well it's going to go in snow. Just put a set of snow tires on it and waiting for the snow to come. My three cars prior to this were all rear wheel drive, 12 Mustang, 06 Charger, 97 T-Bird, so I'm used to driving rear wheel drive in snow. My biggest complaint so far is only one 12V power outlet that's buried in the glove box.
Great review ty. Just bought my BRZ 2023 today as my 97 Acura Integra was stolen on Saturday. Drives just like it but better in every way.
Congrats! Sorry about your Acura
Great video. Totally fair to the issues. I have exactly the same one (Steel, manual, base). Only things I have done so far - new tires and shift knob. One issue that has caused a bit of a headache is that the passenger seat does not move up/down, so my wife, who is not the tallest person on earth, finds it frustrating. Other than that, I love everything about it. 👍
It’s a great car for sure!
Suggest a booster seat, then duck
@@mikekoenig9950 Great advice - both bits! 😂
The RTV issue isn't the only issue. There are oil pressure dropping issues that are completely unrelated to the RTV issue. The engine, in general, is not a good or reliable engine.
Time will tell and the oil dropping issue is not RTV related.
With the exception of the RTV complaint, people want there cake and eat it too. So many people are so wrapped up in the tech stuff. That's not what this car is about and especially at this price point. Nice review! I really enjoyed it.
Thank you!
I owned a 2014 FRS and have since owned many different sports cars. I am currently in the market for a designated track toy and weekend car. The GR86/BRZ is at the top of my list but due to how I intend to use the vehicle I'm going to wait a few years for more data to surface from the the RTV and oil pressure issue regarding hard right turns. I hope it gets sorted out or is discovered to not be that detrimental because I really miss bring in this platform.
Thanks for stopping by!
The pressure and rtv are big nothing sandwiches. Get an extended warranty if you’d feel better.
@@michaeljohn1160 wouldn't do me much good since I plan on heavily modifying the vehicle.
@@michaeljohn1160 If they don't honor the standard manufacturer warranty what makes you think and extended one would make any difference?
Great video. None of the mentioned issues are unsolvable.
Plastic is not cheap at all. You should check out the first gen cars.
Fake noise? Get a proper exhaust.
Every modern car has a fake noise.
Road noise?
Road noise is a sign of a sports car. If the road noise is a problem, this is not a car for you. If there's no road noise, the car has too much insulation. The more insulation and sound deadening, the less contact with the road, feedback and road feel. You should drive Lotus Elise to experience what the raw driving experience is.
RTV?
RTV can easily be addressed at low cost. It's not an issue at all.
If your engine blows up for this reason, the manufacturer will replace the engine. The pressure drop in the right hand corners on the track is another made-up issue.
Anyone who knows anything about how engine works and is lubricated knows that oil pressure can not be constant all the time.
This is the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life.
It is natural that inertia forces will cause one side of the engine to have less oil than the other side in the sharp turns.
This will not cause oil starvation because there will always be a fine oil film left in the cylinders to enable lubrication.
This "issue" can be solved by overfilling with 0.5 liter of oil.
This is a fine sports car and a great platform for modifying.
The raw driving experience this car offers is a thing of the past.
None of the current mainstream manufacturers make a car that can hold a candle to GR86/BRZ.
Toyota and Subaru should be celebrated for bringing a car like this to the market.
Thanks
great perspectives and explanations. beautiful area, must be some nice open roads to enjoy you GR86!
Thank you!!
Seriously. I live east coast and I am saving for one. There's a track in my state, but it's the only one, you can still use it though. It also makes a good daily.
I just cannot understand everyone’s complaints with the speakers being low quality. I’ve had my 2023 manual for a few months now and the volume is loud, the bass is very well balanced especially since there are tweeters right next to the speakers, and if you go to the cars separate equalizer then it can get even louder. My usual volume level is 15 and the loudest is 25. Anything over that and it’s literally just too loud for me… and I listen to my music pretty loud on the regular
It’s bad
The quality is very solid for base model speakers and tweeters. I almost left them alone but being a basshead i added 2 12”subs. All around amazing sound from all. I dont typically go above 20 on the dial 65%on amp.
@@nadovski I have the premium version so those 2 extra speakers might be what’s convincing me otherwise but other than that I really can’t seem to do anything else to it. My friends can hear me coming down the block and it’s not from the exhaust is because of the bass
@@justinirizarry3010I have a 23 GR86 Premium. I love the car, but the bass, it sucks. I added a JBL powered sound hub, and wired it in myself. It is honestly unbelievable just how good it sounds , and totally transforms the sound. I have a 750 watt amp and aftermarket speakers and a Phoenix gold sub in my 2018 Camry. Honestly, the bass of this JBL sound hub, that goes where your spare tire is, sounds better. Now the rest of the sound system of course does not have the clarity of my after market 750 watt, 5 channel amp and speakers. But it takes it from suck, to pretty damn impressive for around $300
You're talking about how loud it is, not the quality of the sound.
SO happy that they stopped pumping cabin noises in the cabin for the GRC, I noticed they even do this with the IS350. Just less annoying things I need to remove.
Right on
The only one of these that's really concerning to me is the potential engine issues. While it may not affect the majority of people, it does seem to exist, and from what I've seen seems to be a bit more involved than simply excessive sealant to basically being a fundamental design flaw of the engine.
Yeah it very well could be. Only time will tell! How is your Mazda 3?
@@Gonin60 Going great. I said it before, but I think it's a really great daily driver. I do feel the tires let it down somewhat if doing spirited driving, but for just the normal stuff it's a fantastic little package.
@@saviordream right on! Good to hear!
I’m now at 1-1/2 yrs and 17k miles. Zero issues from daily or track driving. This thing is solid. Couple people have engine issues and the internet blows up. Don’t drive them like a 17 yr old and they’ll be a great car for years.
I have owned 3 BRZs and do not track it and never rev it over 7,000 rpms. Yes I drive it like a sports car and my only issue is that all 3 BRZs ( 2020, 2022 & 2023) need the oil topped up. My 2023 had the longest breakin and still uses some oil especially if I’m on the interstate doing 70 mph and over for long distances and driving aggressively on twisty roads using the gears and driving it over 3500 rpms. Low tension piston rings designed by Toyota not Subaru so oil will get past the rings unless you drive it like a granny. Yes it’s well within factory requirements but still, bothers me!!
Thank you for sharing info on disconnecting the fake engine noise 😃
You bet
It's the same complaint in the housing industry. People want twice the amenities for half the price. It is entirely unreasonable to want a 35k car to feel and work like a 70k car. These are great cars for the money.
Thanks Donald
Still waiting for my 23 premium mt to arrive. Ordered in May, so probably close to Xmas. Haven't been this excited about a car in a while.
Congrats!!
$30,000!! Y'all make it sound like it's nothing!! It's $30,000!
You’re right
Great vid. Our 86 arrives next week. Oh, and that's Utah. No question.
Congrats!!!
My main issue is actually the WIRED CarPlay. Not because it’s not wireless but bc it’s glitchy af. Something about the wiring being cheap but I and several other people have had this complaint where sometimes you’ll plug your phone in and the CarPlay just doesn’t work. It’s not the cord, it charges the phone so I know it’s working but it gives you an error message saying “Apple CarPlay unavailable” and it doesn’t matter if you turn the car off and on or restart your phone or get a new cord. It just won’t work that day and you can’t connect to CarPlay. I had a friend who has a 2023 gr86 also get his whole car rewired to fix the issue and it didn’t do anything. He still gets that error message every once in a while.
Dang sorry to hear that! I have poor experiences with CarPlay in general
@@Gonin60for the most part it usually works fine but I just gotta deal with it on the days that my car just decides it’s not gonna work with CarPlay 🤷🏻♀️
Solid video. I’m biased towards loving my 23 86 and still agree with all your points. Mine is a track toy and weekend ride, not my daily. One complaint I have, and it might just be me not knowing how to change this, but every time I get in the car it’s set to recirculate on the climate controls. I hate that and immediately shut it off every time. Other than that, I couldn’t be happier with it. I love it.
Thanks for sharing! I bet you can google an answer I would think. Sorry to hear you are having that issue.
If it’s on auto and the target temperature is far from your current temperature it’ll recirculate to get it to temperature faster. Once its working less hard it’ll take outside air again.
I think it recirculates to get fresh air. My T Roc does the same.thought it was a health issue
What's your main if you don't mind my asking. My husband wants this as his daily, and I'm thinking it'd be better as a weekend drive... So I guess I'm just looking for opinions. Would this be a good daily?
Man I'm all about enjoying the sun set... and know I'm ruined... congratulations beautiful view
Very kind. Thank you!
I had the dealer turn off engine fake noise before I took delivery. You don’t have to unplug it. Although that obviously works.
I did not know that. Right on
I thought long and hard when I was shopping for my next car, I was between one of these and a GTI. I ended up in a GTI simply because I have a hard time fitting in the GR86 and it wasn't quite practical enough as a daily. If I didn't need as much trunk space I would have probably ended up in a GR86
Fair assessment!
I have a '15 BRZ which shares many of these issues. I added sound deadening material to the roof, doors, back seat quarter panels, and trunk. The roof is much quieter when it's raining and the doors, back seat, and trunk don't rattle when the stereo is turned up, which brings up the speakers: the OEM speakers may be the cheapest Made-in-China speakers I've ever seen and they are HEAVY ferrite magnet speakers. I replaced mine with high quality neodymium speakers which actually saved 20 lbs. over the stock speakers and countered out the added weight of the sound deadening material.
Caveat: it seems that each model year and trim level have a variety of sound system designs, so replacing the speakers while retaining the head unit may be a true research project that will require learning about band pass filters and crossovers. You will need the wiring diagram for your model year and trim level; don't just buy the speakers that fit each hole.
Thanks for sharing!
dude, forget the car, look at the background, just stunning!!!
Thanks!
The fact that the door doesn’t unlock when you pull the handle from the inside and the doors don’t automatically lock when you reach a certain speed. Nitpicky but my last car from 2006 had this feature
Yeah this has been mentioned by a few in the comments section.
Biggest complaint for me with my 2023 BRZ premium is the seatbelt warning chime that gets louder and louder and louder that would drive anyone nuts.
Fortunately TH-cam videos show you how to disable it in a few seconds.
My Audi A6 after 6, not so loud, dings stops dinging. This the way it should be.
The sound system in my opinion isn't bad at all. The speakers are on the dash where they belong, not at the bottom of the doors where they don't belong. My BRZ is great.
Keep enjoying it! Thanks for commenting!
Mazda MX-5 has a better quality interior a better quality transmission, a Bose radio w/Bose speakers in the headrests, overall better components and more than 30 years of Japanese refinement.
Fair points I can’t argue with!
And 2 seats plus it’s a Miata I know Miata drivers yuck
It’s 6-10k more expensive and tons less practical. Also better quality transmission is simply false with how many synchro failures have been reported.
is not as much as a daily driver as the gr86
Toyota’s 6-speed gearbox is bullet proof from what I’ve read
I am still waiting for my GR86 which I ordered in December 2022. I am really excited to have it despite the complaints I hear.
It’s a good car
@@Gonin60Weighting to pro and con, I feel like the GR86 is still so much worth it.
@@alekporier it’s worth it but I would go to another dealer to try to get one faster
@@Gonin60 I barely have a few months left before it arrives and I still have to buy winter tires too and wheels for them. So I am trying to save a bit more so I can afford it when it arrives.
@@alekporier got it. Has the car gone to the build stage yet?
As a owner of a 2 door Wrangler, I chuckled at the plastic interior, road noise and bad stereo. I put some Hothead Headliners in the Jeep's hard top and it helped more than I thought. I'm thinking about getting their Sound Assassin kit to do the floors/wheel wells next spring. You could probably get the 2 door JL Sound Assassin kit and line the floors and maybe inside the door panels to help with the road noise and resonance.
Okay
Thanks
A couple of sheets of sound deadening behind the door cards will help improve both the road noise and sound quality 😊
Yeah
I’m 30 with no kids, been shopping and immediately fell in love with this car! Great vid thanks
Right on!
Awesome man! 👌
Beautiful view of the temple & you live in a nice neighborhood thats rad
Thanks!
I love mine, thank you for your honest representation of the pros and cons.
You bet!
I just got my 2024 about a week ago. I haven't really noticed any road noise. Also the stereo system isn't bad at all, at least to me it seems like it could be better than my 2021 Honda Accord. The only complaint that I have inside is there is no storage space I wish they had a center console that you could open the store things
Got it. Thanks!
On the point of RTV, bought mine in August, within the first 3 days I took it to the shop my buddies work at and re did the RTV, oil pan was absolutely caked. By this point the car had about 100 miles on it and I can say I was pulling some nice sized chunks out of the pan and pickup tube.
Something that is not generally mentioned about the RTV tho is it seems to be just as bad around the crank case cover too so if you do the pan you may want to do the cover as well.
Good points!
With 100 miles on it? Lord. I'm saving for one myself, and this may make me not buy it. Chunks of oil? What oil were you running. I'd be putting premo in their like royal purple etc..
Thank you for the review sir!!!
You bet!
Great Video and totally fair. Thanks for posting man!
Thank you!
Not having built in satellite navigation is very annoying for a 2023 car particularly when my previous 2017 86 had sat nav. Fun fact that Apple CarPlay does not work when your out of phone network range which is all the time where I am living in country Australia driving to my new GR86 between towns. And lack of storage……I have lost my centre console to the two drink holders and now if I have drinks in the cup holders in the centre console I don’t have anywhere to put my phone when it’s plugged in for the apple car play. . Sounds minor but these basic features are important to me. My wifes 10 year old suzuki swift has room for drinks and phone and sat nav so it Can’t be that hard for Toyota to sort out these issues. Thanks for the video. Cheers
Thanks for the comment
If you're using google maps it's easy to download offline maps, search for 'how to use google maps when your phone is offline.' The car isn't big on creature comforts and it's the first manual transmission I've had in many years (re-living my analog youth) so sipping coffee or playing with the phone requires timing. If you're using an iphone the magsafe mounts are solid and available in different configurations, Amazon is a good place to start.
I own a 2023 brz for 6 months and here my only complaints : 1) weird transmission noise while decalerating below 2500 rpm, 2) bouncing clutch, 3) scary intake noise above 4000 rpm when the engine is cold and it's below 5 celcius outside, 4) Not enough head room, I am 6'-4", 5) the gear stick vibrate a lot, 6) the engine shakes the car occasionnaly from left to right on idle (maybe because of the horizontal cylinders). Except that, I love the car. The engine love to rev high, not low. I receive a lot of good comments about its look. I drift on every ride lol (you better not be a scared driver because sometime, it surprises you). I really don't mind about the noise or the fake engine sound (it sounds great with it).
Fair points!
Yes! Support the makers of these vehicles since they are not making much money from them compared to sub compact SUVs.
Thanks!
luckily for me, in my country, everything is close together. reaching 50,000km would take me 5 years!
Haha
Has anyone considered just adding a full layer of the closed cell sound deadening onto the wheel well plastic covers? I don’t have a GR86 so I wouldn’t know the geometries of the plastic wheel liners.
Closed cell foam is used to block noises from passing through, but it needs to cover like 100% of the panel. I get these for cheap from Aliexpress.
Dynamat or deadening tar-like material is good for minimizing the resonance of thin panels vibrating. That only requires like 25% coverage of said panels.
Please help Johnny out. Thanks for the question.
Preordered mine last month. Can't wait man!
Nice!!
How long you gonna wait? I ordered week ago and they said it can take up to 18 months.
@@jorgevazquez654 I'm getting it very soon man but its very limited rn and the color you would want won't be for sure made so you gotta hope the factory builds your order.
I owned the '13 FRS, and now a '20 Hakone, with a stage II tune, UEL header (stock muffler), Bilstein PSS10 coilovers, and MIchelin PS4s on aftermarket 18s. For me, the gen 1, mk2 Hakone is the sweet spot...the only thing I like better on the GR, is the nose.
Right on
I was just curious, did you get Paint Protection Film put on your vehicle? I should be getting my GR86 in about two weeks and i still have to sit down with the salesman and talk packages etc for the car. Paint Protection Film is one of the options i know he will wanna ask me about, but i don't really know if it's worth the price.
Yes I did. It was $1300 for the front half
Be careful with those packages and read everything. Alot are complete scams.
@@analogueoverdigital929 Toyota's paint protection film is a scam? Or going to some local business is a scam?
Car aside...can we talk about your neighbourhood? its so nice, so roomy, i like it alot.
Thanks!
I was getting a squeaking sound coming from around the front speaker area once I'd come close to 4k rpm....disabled fake engine noise and it went away. Not only is the fake noise too loud, but apparently also buggy.
Interesting
I really like the way you are encouraging consumers to purchase these cars, but they are over priced and hard to find. Dealers mark them up.
Yeah that’s true
Yes, Like many others, beautiful staging. Utah is nice , much thanks from Syd, Aus.
Thanks
You can reduce road noise by getting a different tire pilot sport 4s is kinda loud and being a low pro isn’t helping if you want it quite get a 17” rim and a thicker side wall without a track tire
True! Mine is a base so didn’t have the pilot sports. Just a common complaint from people about road noise. I don’t mind it.
@@Gonin60 can confirm. swapped my tires for all season michelin tires and also got new wheels as well. road noise completely dies down
great video, btw where do you live it looks so picturesque! love the area
UT
Thank you for the honest review. This car along the Hyundai Elantra N (Called the i30N sedan here in Australia) are on the top of my list for my next car to own. Im still trying to find more information about the i30n and elantra n cars on what they are like to own after a few years before I make a decision.
Best of luck
As an owner of a suspension modified 3rd generation Mazda Miata with aftermarket wheels and tires, we have similar issues. There is no perfect car at this price range but it’s a hell of a lot more practical than a Miata. It’s a nice daily and only car, Miata’s tend to be 2nd cars for many owners and we certainly don’t have year round capabilities. I like the style of the current generation 86, very nice. Enjoy it as long as you can, it is the last of its kind.
Thanks
With the food prices and gas prices people are trying to get a car that is set. I believe the theme for car builders in 2023 is visual. For the first time after building 2 Evos I feel like this car is pretty tuned in and track ready. This car is made for handling not just speed!
Every day I get in this car it feel like I am on the track.
Wing installed carbon hood ordered
And Tomei exhaust on the way :)
Amazing purchase and investment GR 86 2023
Congrats!!
WHICH TOMEI??? I have the dual 😎
as a first car bought out of highschool i've been really into the GR86 especially for a young car guy like me. The gr86 is really good for the money you pay. Its not going to be porsche or rolls royce level quality but again, thats what you pay for.
Congrats!
Im picking my new 2024 next week...i was gonna try to get a 2025 but lol didnt wanna wait 4plus months....
Don’t blame ya!
Have a 2023 BRZ and anyone who is thinking about not getting this car because of the doom posters is insane. This car is made for ripping around feeling the road hearing the road and and pulling to 7000 RPMs even if you’re just trying to get up to 40 miles an hour, it is absolutely amazing Agreed this is not a car you would ever buy because you want a comfortable ride, bells, and whistles, all of that stuff has been left out and sacrificed to the driving experience. I added a subwoofer to my car and it’s perfectly acceptable. I agree with other commenters that the auto door lock is the only true miss in this car. Otherwise, there is nothing better than drifting that same corner that you’ve driven 100 times in your Honda Odyssey., And I’m doing it in an automatic, with sequential shifting everyone raves about the manual, but the automatic is absolutely the best of both worlds.
Thanks
People are so weird going on and on about how awful it is to have this car in an automatic and i really don't understand it at all, I think they are just super proud they can drive manual and it makes them feel like an elite car enthusiast (which is super lame) this is coming from someone who has several motorcycles and definitely understands what shifting is like
@@TouchofKarma1 totally, I miss mine everyday. I still have my manual BRZ…not as fun.
the only complaint that mattered to me was the oil pan issue
Cool
i have a gr 86 premium and i have to say the road noise is not as much as i was expecting, i think people who complain about it are over reacting
Sounds good
Throw in thicker oil if you're tracking it. 0W-30 or something. 0W-20 is perfectly sufficient for street use and is actually preferable, but it's too thin for all-out track days. The thinner oil gets pushed to one side under extreme g-forces and excessive heat, causing oil starvation issues.
Thanks for sharing
That and oil viscosity often gets even thinner pretty quickly due to shearing forces. Some brands are better than overs in regards to resistance to viscosity reduction
I’ve owned my premium track red for over a year. I agree the sound system (speakers) leave lots to be desired. As well, I have a clunky transmission in second gear. No big issues. Keep in mind, as stated, this is a entry level sports car. I really enjoy this car for the price. The handling is amazing. I’m curious if anyone has attempted to increase power. Looking for another 15-20 horses and don’t want to replace brakes and other stuff with a turbo. Anyone install a cold air intake?
Can’t really speak to power adds
Please describe clunky. Like on and off the throttle the car jerks back and forth a bit? Slop in the drivetrain, or soft motor mounts?
@@sfixx perhaps the best way to explain it is that the transmission at times struggles to shift into 2nd gear. And when it does you can hear the transmission struggling.
You'll essentially never get a light weight sports car with a quiet interior. And thats not a bad thing, its just a biproduct of a lightweight sports car.
The same goes with sound systems in light weight cars, its usually not the speakers, its that outside noises are overtaking different sound frequencies from the speakers so its percieved to be bad. The issue is the same with miatas too.
One way to make a quiet interior and make your sound system sound better is by switching to quieter tires, but the tradeoff is in grip performance. Doesnt really matter though if you just cruise around and occationally flick the car around.
Thanks
Actually, road noise can def be reduced by adding light-weight closed cell foam everywhere. For thin resonating panels, add a little dynamat.
I think manufacturers just use the excuse of lightening to avoid spending extra dollars/yen.
Road noise??? People have you ever been in a sport car before? Noise is part of the package. Don’t want noise, by a Lexus. You people complaining should have your cars taking back.
I think you mean taken back. Might want to take that back…
Great video!
Thank you!
I think people forget this is a budget sports car, if u want a perfect one go by a german branded one like BMW
Yeah
Good overview. Still a great car, flaws notwithstanding.
For me, I needed more storage, more rear legroom, and wanted more engine and just more for my money- so in 2020 a lightly used low mileage '18 FK8 delivered. The $35K I spent looks like a bargain now. RWD is more organic, NA engines are cool, and the GR86 is lighter then my already light Civic Type R. That said, only one was the best value and perfect daily. At that time it was the Honda. No regrets.
Congrats!!
Great car I’m kinda stuck deciding between this rwd or the Hyundai N cars that are fwd and are advertised as track ready
Tough choice
Sold mines after 4 months. Reasons as followed :
1. Piss poor audio quality
2. Doors straight up rattle bad when volumes up semi high.
3. Digital cluster is straight up cheap looking.
4. Infotainment is lacking but functional.
5. This one made me sell it… Throttle input lag paired with boosted low rpm throttle modulation. It’s like playing a video game with input lag, drove me crazy
Thanks for sharing! Talk more on point 5 and what you mean.
@@Gonin60 I felt like they boosted the low rpm throttle input to make it seem like a torquey v8 but falls on its face up in the rev range. I prefer a linear throttle. The throttle input has a lag and delay… as oppose to a cabled throttle that’s instantaneous. Those two paired together just turned me off so bad.
I have a 2023 trackbRed a/t the complaint I have is stereo we are upgrading that but I knew this before I bought the car. I was leaving my mommy mobile 2019 Rock Creek Pathfinder The car is a great at this price point. I will never track the car. I test drove a jaguar first, the jaguar was not daily driver type of car. I love my GR86. We kept our family pathfinder because 3 adults cannot fit in this car it’s basically a 1 lady and her purse car. Hahaha
It is a one lady and purse kind of a car haha. Congrats and enjoy!
Compared to my '13 FRS, my '22 86 interior is much improved.
Good to hear!
Wondering if we should trade in mk7 gti for 2023 brz as a daily...gti has low miles but worried about the current recall with no fix yet (for the ignition switch). Been wanting a brz for a while anyway, but my understanding is people either weekend them or keep them a few years and then get something else. I'm wanting something that'll last a good 10 years
Good video. Thank you!!
It could be an okay daily. Mpg will be better on your GTI
@@Gonin60 really good to know, thank you so much!!
This car could cost 50k, has all the issues you outlined, and I'd still get it in a heartbeat. In fact, I had just learnt today that we're getting the GR Yaris (which is more expensive) where I live, but I'm not going to cancel my BRZ allocation lol
To each their own but for 50k I could name slot better performing cars
@@Gonin60 Different but not better. There aren't many sports cars that weigh less than 3000lbs these days. For the same amount of practicality, there's the prev gen Mini Cooper S and Abarth 500. The Elantra N is 3100lbs and so is the Type R. And the Miata is a second car for most.
@@WhatisaLee🤦♂️
@@Gonin60agreed 👍🏽
It's 60000 dollars in My country,(Portugal)and I still got one anyway....
With a 5 sided pickup screen and with the amount of RTV I’ve seen that have been opened up I think the RTV is a Non Issue.
Great
What mountain cluster is that?
Rockies - wasatch mountains
@@Gonin60 nice!!
The fake engine noise can be shut off in software with a high-end scanner.
Yes it can or unplug it
I’m really looking to buy one of these but how are the grip levels on this car? I always get mixed reviews that it has a ton of grip or that the back end can get you if your not careful
The base model like mine the tires have more play. The premiums tires are more sticky. This is a rear wheel drive car so any car can get away.
Is that a church in the background? What city is that?
Yes
That's St. Augustines Church. The city is Mogadishu
@@braetonwilson4296 nailed it
GR86 is not for everyone. A good price point to take you from point A to point B. People will always complain about something when there is really nothing to complain about when wanting something simple and affordable. 💯👍🏽
Thanks
RTV is not the cause. Drops in oil pressure due to high G turns is. The oil does not return to the oil pan fast enough so you'll have loss of pressure.
@@Kev_N_1976 yeah
I'm in the UK and the indicator (turn signal) is annoying. Doesn't seem to automatically go off when you'd expect and you have to flick it to the opposite side to cancel the signal (rather than return the lever to neutral).
Yep
Great vid.. BUT missed is the GREATEST issue.. MASSIVE.... The manufacturers service schedule. A light weight alloy high revving engine running light weight engine oil with a first service at 15000km. WTF. Worry less about RTV and more about oil interval and viscosity. Imagine doing a track day in your BRZ-GR86 after running it around town for 14000km on 5 litres of sewing machine oil.. I changed mine at 1500km and 5000km (continuing) using 5w-30 oil. Manufacturers are not on the same page as a long term owner.
Hmm interesting
@@Gonin60Exactly. They don't want people doing preventative maintenance. They want people to follow the manufacturer recommended intervals so the vehicle barely makes it across the warranty finish line.
this car is similar to the cobalt 2dr LS (not SS), and the ford escort coupe (~1998). i don't understand why people want to believe its something its not. its a 2dr compact with decent mpg, lightweight, and basic barebones build, with a sporty look. it does what it was designed to do.
Okay
I don't think road noise comes down to cost as you say, like is certainly the case with the interior.
It comes down to light weight.
Probably both
Road noise is often due to less sound insulation and deadening. Both can be added yourself later
All right, I agree with you. Is nice car
Thanks
I couldn’t own this car unfortunately. Traded it in after a year sadly having two recalls in one year isn’t the best for a future with the car. Infotainment system was was buggy and I had a transmission issue. On a longevity point of view I couldn’t own this. Was becoming annoying as a daily
Oh wow. Was it an auto or manual?
@@Gonin60 auto
Great info. Thanks.
You bet
I have no problem with stock sound system
@@kyorosubaru1508 first
Strangely enough, one of the things I like about my gr86 is because the infotainment is basic. Have used many different types, new and old from different manufacturers over the years. I just like that its basic, unintrusive, and only for entertainment.
Right on
I cant stand the door chime. I disabled it by removing the cluster it’s reasonably easy. I also have the GR Corolla, and I enjoy my 86 much more.
Thanks for sharing!
Is the road noise worse than in (Camry - sonata - Altima) ?
I would say yes but I haven’t driven all three of those
What about getting in and out of the car? It sits awfully low, which most folks are not used to nowadays. That is a concern of mine and for my passenger (girlfriend). It would not be a concern if I were in my 20's, but I am not. The other big problem I see with this car is finding one to buy, especially without $2k of dealer add-ons to run the price up. I have also read that the insurance is very expensive relative to other cars. Good job but I will add those.
Insurance wasn’t bad for me on this
Rent a lotus elise for a couple days and you both will appreciate how easy it is to get into a GR86. Just a little bit of truth. I had a lotus and my gf at the time loved it. She’s still with me 19 years later and i know she would still want me to have the lotus exige again. I bought it from a lotus dealer at the time for i think $28k
@@johnnypolex never driven a lotus but would love to
@@Gonin60 if i still had it i would love to let you drive it. I used let strangers drive it all the time. My fiance and friends also drove it on track. It feels very different from almost all cars out there
@@johnnypolex that’s cool of you!
Thank you
You bet!
GR86 has baffles to help with oil starvation during cornering. Supposedly..
I don’t think so