My daughter has one of these and I love driving it! More so than my Stinger. Its much more fun driving a slow car fast, than a fast car slow. Throw in some twisties, and its in a world of its own.
Owner here: I'm on my second, the first was written off in a nasty motorway accident (rear ended while stationary on an off-ramp at speed) and I'm sure the safety of it either saved my life or at the very least serious injury. This review is pretty bang on actually, about the only thing it doesn't mention is that the panels are relatively thin so you're forever finding tiny dings in it from supermarket car parks, and that almost across the board the things that are great about it Toyota did, the things which are meh, Subaru did. The drop down glass when you open the doors gets squeaky, the early pre-facelift cars WILL shit their clutch throw-off bearing, but if the owner wasn't a cock they'd have had that fixed when it had they had the valve spring recall done. I also get approx 9ltrs/100km after 45,000km with commuting and the occasional spirited session. I genuinely don't get why people criticise them for being slow - anyone who does simply doesn't get what the car is for - if fun driving equals drag races from traffic lights, firstly WTF and secondly, the car isn't for you. Like at all. If you're into spirited driving in the hills, you're going to need a very, very serious car or driver to put the legs on one of these. It maintains speed and agility in the way that all the best low powered but highly rated cars do (DC2R, 106 Rallye, Clio Williams, base Elise) and if you're prepared to work with it, it just keeps giving. The engine is shit, but it doesn't matter because you're having far to much fun driving. I'd seriously echo the comment about decent mods only. So many of these are bought by fucking idiots who stick dumb, stupid stuff on them and ruin the car completely. For coilovers Ohlins or KW are the way to go, otherwise leave it alone as the stock suspension is great. It can use brake upgrades if you drive hard, either the 4/2 pot or 6/4pot OEM brakes or something decent like AP, Stoptech or Endless. A lot of the other brake kits I've tried change the balance front to rear of the car and subtly ruin it. Genuinely though for most people stock is fine and if you wanna step it up, uprated pads and fluid and you're sorted. For track, get an oil cooler and do those brake upgrades and go have fun. Oh and google for the 'pedal dance' trick to switch all the aids of fully on track (even when you press the buttons they're still hiding in the background) so you don't get really random pad wear on the brakes. Both of mine have been silly cheap to run. Over the 7yrs of ownership, standard servicing, the recalls and tires, that's it. The OEM wiper blades are a bit shit, fit PIAA silicone and be happy. I can't think of anything else for the price that blends cheap running costs, relatively new, reliable and so much fun. Basically you're probably not going to get me out of mine til I can afford to buy and run a 911.
Dave, this is quite possibly the perfect comment and EXACTLY what we love seeing on the reviews. Thanks so much for watching and taking the time out to comment. - AK
This guy gets it, 100%. Going on 7 years for mine as well. Oddly enough, mine was also rear ended while stationary, was parked on the side of a pretty slow road (50 km) with no one in it, but whoever hit it was driving like a maniac. Insurance opted to repair still though, cost was like 60% of vehicle value... Changed the wipers (the sun kills almost any wiper in Qatar though, don't need them very often). Only other thing I've had a problem with is just recently the head unit is having a severe ghost touch problem, but this head unit isn't in most other versions of the car... from what I can gather it might be used in some South American Rav4 models... it's the one made by E-Lead in Taiwan, model EL-827C-TMC1, Toyota part number PZ360-00105. The dealer quoted the equivalent of 3,570.45 USD for a replacement unit... Might upgrade to a Joying unit instead, but I will be losing CD/DVD functionality (they don't make the CD/DVD version anymore, though they used to, it is also lower spec due to being older). No drivetrain problems at all. If I were to upgrade it would probably be in the direction of Lotus, unless I needed a bigger car for some reason, but my dad and brother drive Land Cruisers I could borrow, so no real need for that. Edit: Other parts at the dealer are not crazy overpriced like this, they are not inline with the price I was told for the head unit. There seems to be a lot of confusion about the head unit at the dealer, I think when they look up the head unit for they car they see a different unit. The manual actually describes a different unit, but I also received a 2nd manual with the car just for the head unit.
Toyota built the GT86 to be fun, not fast. If you want fast then get a hellcat. If you want something you're going to enjoy evertime you get it, then get a GT86
As a owner of a 2017, if you want a quick little car that hugs curves and drifts on demand. This is the car for you. It's perfect the way it's delivered, mods are just a ++
7.5 years owner here...great review guys! Engine wise, I've done the normal mods that 80% of the owners do (HKS catted header, AVO coated overpipe, HKS front pipe, stock mid pipe and TRD muffler) and with an ECUTEK tune I have managed to transform the car! Minimal torque dip now and increase in torque and power, ranging to arnd 10%. The increase in torque has decreased fuel consumption, where I can get arnd 7 lt/100km in motorways at speeds of 120-130 km. This means that this little car is also great and economical for daily... Normal services only, no any engine damages and I am happy to say that after 120,000 km engine oil consumption is practically non existent! No any transmission issues, no any fuel pump issues so far, no any spark plugs issues (known problems for early models - 2012-2014). Chapter Handling: Handling is synonymous to 86!! Even by factory!! As far as I am concerned, I have used all the goodies TRD offers on this platform for chassis (front strut tower bar, member brace, door stabilisers) and have combined them with tein flex As (very popular in Europe) and I can say that handling is phenomenal. Of course the amazing steering (I do not know whether any other car of this price range exists with such steering) contributes strongly on this!! The nose is literally stuck on the road (you need to try hard to understeer). A nice puzzle to solve with this platform is the size of the wheels and tires. Depending on what you want, powerslide or sticking on the road, do not forget that this is an under power engine, therefore be wise on your choices. Speaking for myself, I decided to follow Keiichy Thuchiya example, with 18x8.5 wheel and 235/40/18 tire. The 40 profile on 235 tire gives an extra comfort, which is most welcome with the coilover use. Of course this means that powerslide can mostly be accomplished with weight distribution... As far as the inside is concerned, you need to make many compromises. Plastics do show their age. cricking noises are everywhere and every day you notice one new...they are not that disturbing, but they are there. After all, come on, lets be true...its japanese sports car...not luxury car, nor, lets say, AUDI 😁😁 . The solution is so simple though...just raise the music volume 😁😁. Due to this quality issues of the plastics, it is strongly suggested to keep the car away from the sun as much as practically possible (a garage is almost a "must"). Ceramic protection is also strongly suggested, because, as already someone mentioned, the paint film must be quite thin, leading to stone chips signs on the front bumper very easily. This is very irritating to look at...really!!! To finalize, I am really happy with my small, sports car. I love it, its my stress release toy and I intend to keep it for many more years to come! To those out there who want to have one, unless your only concern is to drag race at traffic lights on straight lines, go get it!! Follow carefully the instructions for used 86s mentioned on this video and you will be fine! It will pay you back in triple, with many many smiles on your face!! Cheers from Greece!
Some minor issues on my old one: wheel nuts getting stuck in the studs and needing to be drilled out, condensation and oxidation of the headlights too. Paint was super thin and prone to chips. However, overall reliability is solid, and they won’t leave you stranded or broke. Importantly, if you can appreciate what these cars are all about, they’re a lot of fun too
Best reviewer I've ever seen in my life. He does an amazing job at covering the must-checks on preowned cars and also expressing the true experience of driving an 86. Undoubtedly deserves more subs.
Ex-Toyota service advisor here - there was a bulletin for owners complaining of poor shifting. There were shifter issues that were fixed with updated spacers and bushes, primarily found in first gen 86’s.
I think if you’re buying the 86 for speed, you’re buying it for the wrong reason. They designed it to be a fun car to drive, not to beat track times. Give it 10 years I think people will start wanting these again 😂
I personally never had any respect for these cars at all coming from a long term highly modified subaru forester and wrx sti backround. The day it all changed for me was when a mate of mine bought an 86 and i drove him in my STI to go pick it up, we went for a hills run and we swapped keys for a bit having my first drive in an 86. It absolutely blew my mind how much fun the car was to drive and knew id have to buy one 😅 I found a neglected BRZ Ts Edition so it came with all the goodies as standard, like brembo brakes, heated seats, a good headunit etc & i was able to pick her up cheap at the time and cleaned her up, did a couple modifications to take her out ready for track days and Hillclimbs. Ive now had mine for 3 years now and absolutely love it, after the first 12 months i decided it was time to really sink some money into it and fix the lack luster motor with the major torque dip issue & the last 2 years shes been running the SME G25 Turbo Kit with alot of other supporting mods + on e85 putting out 250kw at the wheels and its transformed the car into an absolute animal on the road and track. There is now very few cars out there that are faster in a straight line or around a corner. Mind you i drive like a grandma for the most part and the best part about Turbo over the always running supercharged options is that im only using 12L/100kms If you guys ever want to review a turbo charged BRZ for the channel youre very welcome to message me here or Instagram @stibrz.aus Thanks for making such a great in depth and very Australian take on the twins 👌
I think at this point, those that love the platform and know what it's about will continue to love it. And those that hate it for not having a slew of impossible requirements will always feel that way. It's been a fantastic car for me and I appreciate the small tweaks Subaru & Toyota have done to the cars over the years.
I love this channel, as this is really a unique one. Most car channels review new cars, but there are lots of people who wants to find out review about the old or not so new cars and I bet this is only channel of its kind in Australia. Keep up the good job guys 👌
Sold mine a couple years ago as the kids outgrew the back seats (5 and 3 years old). Now looking at getting another for the dreadful highway drives for work, and some weekend fun! Hands down my favourite platform.
I love my car. 2015 BRZ... owned it for 4 years already. I have modified it to make it more enjoyable sensibly. When I first looked at my car, I fell in love with it. It was so dirty, and rough, but it was calling for me to own it. I am going to have a second hand PSR UEL header installed with a street tune very soon. My BRZ's handling is awesome. Every movement you make, you feel you are king. King of roundabouts.... I can fly through roundabouts and curves if I want to. There is no fear of losing control.
I love my 2014 GTS! Had her since demo. Such a fun car. I enjoy upgrading her year after year. New stereo, new coil overs, new tyres, new filters, new battery, new interior suede, new front and rear lights all blend together to keep the old girl feeling fresh. Exhaust and headers next. Won’t be parting with my 86 for a long time yet, if ever. A modern day classic.
It took me over a year to get used to the throttle in the BRZ. But once I realized what Subaru wanted of the driver and why it's like this, it was a GAME CHANGER! Basically, they wanted this car to be a "slow" city commuter with amazing fuel economy (for the era), hence the torque dip in the lower-middle of the rev range. They ALSO wanted you to turn into a Formula 1 pro (and did their best to make you feel like it) when you hit a corner or a country road. You need to keep the car screaming at 5000+ RPM floor it to 7400 out of a corner and then powershift up and then down every corner -- sometimes two gears in a row. DON'T try to floor it in 3rd at 4000 RPM like a noob. Do the work. It's a car that forces you to learn to drive like a pro and rewards you with some of the rawest, most agile, and most thrilling driving experiences on the market. Sadly, so many dumb people (like myself) and even reviewers try to drive it after getting out of a GTI or a Supra and then complain it doesn't pull. It's ironic because the BRZ is so affordable yet it takes a professional driver to really understand it, which is the opposite of this car's usual buyer. Subaru, I understand now. I understand why you were forced to change the BRZ in 2021. Thank you for making it in the first place.
I have a 86 limited and i love how it looks, its so asthetic and the wing is just perfect😅 it looks better than 90% of cars on the road, especially here in South Africa 😮
Howsit gents I'm looking at getting one, very hard to find in durban at the moment, any thing I need to look out for when purchasing 2nd hand. Ie anything that can affect reliability
I love driving my stock manual BRZ. It's just pure bliss getting behind that thing. The small nitpicks aren't too much of a problem for me when you get to that low speed fun in a racing style package. Great video i think it nails all the pro's and con's without being biased
The car the internet loves to hate. Owned my 2013 86 GTS since new, about to sell. The car is brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Light, RWD, beautifully balanced, cheap to run, room for suitcases/spare wheels/golf clubs and unbelievable fun on the right road. Going to miss it but yeah, the head unit is atrocious and I don't bother trying to connect to bluetooth anymore.
Original owner of a 2013 Scion FRS. Still drive it to this day and its in pretty good shape with only 44k miles. Been pretty reliable and I drive it year round even in the Alaskan winters. I love this car.
That's great news! I'll spoil the video slightly (please still watch haha), but they're a car thing. There's a few things to watch out for, but so long as the one you're looking at hasn't been run into the ground or been poorly modified, it shouldn't give you too much grief. Happy watching!
@@ur2slob724 won’t get beaten by a Camry, I raced my girlfriend’s 86 against my mate’s FG XR6 and they were identical all the way to 150kmh, could not spilt them at any point. I drive a 6.0l V8 and can confirm the power to this lightweight sports car is more than adequate to have serious fun. Definitely more fun than my V8
Love the look of the older 86, which is why i bought one. First car with a screen, so the tech is way more than I'm used to (Bluetooth works fine so far) although the less tech the better for me (All the airbags make me nervous, coming from an '89 CRX that had none) I don't even want cruise control. First car with a 6 speed, push button start, heated seats, fancy.
So I've got a red 2014 stock and even me at 6f2, I'm addicted to this car. Continuously finding myself driving to the furthest shop when I need to go buy groceries. :) One cool thing I only found out last year, the headrest can be removed and then turned around to make space for your helmet when enjoying track days.
Why is this the best edited, written, voiced, and presented group of videos I've ever seen? How am I just finding this channel now? (F-RS owner since it was new in 2012 6 Speed Raven Black)
I love this channel and the work you put in to researching every car you review. On holidays in SA in 2015 my wife and I hired a red 86. Unfortunately an auto. Basically a new car with minimal kms. Yes the engine was underwhelming but the drive was fantastic. The ride particularly was better than my 2011 Golf GTi at the time. Whilst SA has some great roads it conversely has very crazy roads at the time. The 86 just at up every road surface we came across The 86 is an honest no frills sport machine perfect for the Sunday drive.
I’ve had my 2013 BRZ since July of 2012. 106,000 miles…living in 4 states, elevations from sea level in San Diego to 7,000ft in the southwest…snow, torrential rain in the PNW…Californian commutes and countless mountain runs. 6 sets of tires, J1 Recall at 90,000 miles, 1 water pump, 4 plugs…fluids changed religiously and she runs amazing! Shops and techs talk about how nice of a car she is every time! Just upgraded to Bilstein B6 suspension and StopTech brakes…and a handful of suspension bracing, gutted rear half interior, weighs in at 2650lbs. I wouldn’t trade or give her up for anything. Only thing, the stereo/navigation has sucked since day 2. 😂
I picked up a 2015 brz limited with 13000 mi on it for my daughter. It's a great car. It handles, sounds great and she loves the 6 speed manual transmission. I hear people complain about it but for the money its hard to beat. Pure drivers car!!
Loved mine for 5 years, sold it a week ago and the resale is better than I expected 😊 looking forward to seeing the replacement. Never had any issues with it rattling or squeaks worst part about it was that every other car now Drives like SHIT 😂
@@ur2slob724 I had a 420bhp skyline last year that I sold because they had just got so expensive it would be crazy not to sell it and I bought a 2015 gt86 on the cheap because I wanted a car I could modify from scratch myself,replaced the manifold and exhaust and got it tuned and its way more fun than the skyline.i used to just take the skyline to shows or meets but I now just drive the gt86 all the time randomly when I get home from work as I have a work van.il just get the urge to take it for a blast around local roads with loads of corners.its just a car that's a joy to drive and iv had mercs and bmws in the past that were honestly just boring compared to the gt86
@@user-sk4wf3ve6z I think old mate above only thinks fun driving is dragging straight lines from lights to lights. Couldn't turn a corner at speed for anything.
Owner of an 86 since 2013, the only thing negative thing I have to say is that I wish the OEM seats had more back/lumbar support or were more comfortable in general (maybe I'm just getting old) other than that Its a blast, I've used it for long and short trips, moving, I've managed to fit a 50" TV in the trunk with the box and everything, surprisingly spacious with the rear seats down or removed. Small car but big enough to have adult fun(both people in passenger seat works best) I've also survived multiple accidents, very well built and reliable. Plus there's a crazy big aftermarket for it.
Have a GT86 from 2013. Stuck a turbo 1 year ago..totally transforms the car. Anyways as a stock standard car it is very reliable and not expensive to maintain. Cheers and keep up the awesome content
Thanks so much mate. I've driven both a turbo and supercharged versions of the 86 and you're 100% right, totally transforms the car, truly brilliant. - AK
I owned a 2013 GTS for six years. Honestly, the best car I had. Yes, it’s a bit of a nugget from factory, but the aftermarket for this is absolutely huge. It’s a true tuner’s car.
This is what also came free of charge with my 50k mile 2017 GT86 - Creaking noise pressing clutch in (lubed the pivot point. Solved) - Water getting into the boot (repaired seam sealer behind the lights, cleaned the seal, replaced rear light gasket on the left. Solved) - Assuming a previous owner fitted an exhaust because some exhaust gaskets were missing from the OEM that was fitted when I bought it (gasket. Solved) - Battery was toast assuming because the car had sat unsold for so long (you don’t see many in the UK). Completely agree the infotainment is poor. I listen to the engine instead but will fit something with CarPlay soon. FIRST though I’m having quality headers (HKS) fitted with a tune, for the sound as much as (hopefully) improving the torque dip. Plus some track day mods of oil pickup and sump baffle because I want to use the car properly, service properly, and enjoy it. Don’t get an 86 if you need a transport solution, get one because you enjoy driving and live with the impracticality. Parts are cheap and working on the car is easy.
wow what a gem of a channel. this is absolutely perfect for someone like me trying to get into the car scene and understanding what to look for and how to buy one. i really hope you guys blow up, fantastic content!
Awesome vid, I've been contemplating on on 86 for a while and it's great to see a breakdown on it and just makes me want one more and more. I was hoping to go interstate and pick one up but with the used car market inflation and lockdowns right now I'm going to have to wait just that bit longer
I'm looking at a 2015 GT 86. My first car was an Australian delivered AE86 Sprinter. So I know what 86s are about. Will be interesting to see how it goes with my Commodore 6spd manual SV6 that I've modded the suspension and brakes on quite a bit. That handles pretty decent for a hefty big car now.
I own one. I love it. This is a really great looking and handling peppy inexpensive sports car (want a muscle care - look else ware). It's cheap to own. It's reliable, gets good gas mileage, and holds its value really well (if you don't do something stupid to it). I've owned a lot of sports cars over the years. This is the one I've paid off and I'm keeping.
I have a 2016 Scion FR-S. Its my first car ever, so i never had any of over inflated expectations many of the platform haters had, and I must say, it is an absolute dream to drive. Around windy roads and corners you can practically go any speed you desire, especially after some wider wheels and better tires (Ive got on 18x9.5x38mm with nitto nt555 g2's). The lack of power is noticeable and, while it would be nice to have more, the car honestly doesn't need the extra power if your using it as a daily! The car is a great combo of reliability and great fuel consumption and feeling amazing to drive in.
Feel like people just hate this car for being "slow" really it's fun to drive, it's not too slow and not crazy fast off a line. The car is made to drive and made to be upgraded (do it right) you don't even need a turbo for some extra kick, just uel headers, air intake, sticky tires, and a proper tune, you won't even believe it was the same car, then decide to build it properly with a turbo and boy do you really have a fast reliable car (I say it from experience I had a buddy running a turbo for 3 years, 16psi, and barely just blew the stock gasket, he's going mls gasket and it should last ages longer) so I say don't bash on it, it's cheaper, reliable and can make power if you know how to do it properly, then it can actually beat other cars that cost way more even after modding it
The point of reference by excellence for absolutely all types of vehicles that I have tried to buy and every time the videos have all the pieces of information I'm looking for. Keep up the good work, and let's get these guys to 100k before 2023 for their fantastic work. Hats off to ya'll 🧡
Had mine a 2016 model for 7 months and love it ,changed the manifold and cat back exhaust and remapped it and that has improved mid range , increased BHP and torque also fitted gear shift springs so gear change is alot better . It's a fun car to drive and with a few mods side skirts and front splitter it stands out from other everyday cars
Im from Mexico and freaked out big time when he said he was feom Australia. I was ready to end it all until he said dont freak out which calmed me down, this bloke is good
You've gained a new fan.... came across this video at the right time, I want to get this car... I love the look of it and the fact that it is from Subaru and Toyota makes it better for me, it's like meeting a beautiful girl from a good family
I had a particular check list for my sports car Coupe. RWD, manual transmission, big enough to fit a drum kit (2x large duffel bags) Went gen2 for the updated interior and engine, and the warranty Plus there are gen1 everywhere in brisbane
Great car. I've had mine over 10 years with no major issues. Maintenance can be done by yourself if you're mechanically inclined and it's not a PITA to work with
Simple intake, exhaust, KW Suspension, wheels + tires, and strut braces...my 2019 Toyota 86 TuRD Edition absolutely rips! I love my car...it doesnt need 700 horsepower to be fun. *I should note. I bought it brand new and added the mods myself, so I didnt have to deal with the typical used "Project Car" issues.
Absolute doddle to drive quickly and so forgiving on the limit. My son, 11, and experienced on karts, has manged to drift my mate's 86 on wet grass with TCS etc disabled. It's tiring as a daily driver in traffic but for its intended purpose it is absolutely smashing. My two favorite aspects are the direct, cart like steering and the front wheel bulges which allows fronts to be accurately placed.
I'm an owner coming from a mustang. I always thought these were the stupidest cars ever, for years and years. It's cramped, the design has questionably aged, and the majority have been tastelessly clapped out. At least until I drove one and immediately fell in love. These are great, the aftermarket is full of things for every type of taste, its a little rough in a fun way, the 6 speed is badass and every time I drive it I'm having fun. I have the Hakone edition and it regularly turns heads and gets compliments, and is a ton of fun at car shows. Its by no means a drag strip star but it can eat older BMWs and hot hatches of all varieties all day. Its quick enough to have fun without being too crazy to drive every day.
I have a quite powerful 6.0l V8, and at every opportunity I take my girlfriend’s 86 out of the driveway over my Holden SSV because it is a seriously fun car to drive, I have a big smile every time I take it for a spirited drive. I have never driven a Porsche but I find it hard to believe that a Porsche could be as much fun as an 86 on winding mountain roads. I love the light weight and low centre of gravity formula so damn much my next car purchase will be a lotus exige.
Owner here. I just put some minor mods like Wider tires, KW Coilovers, replaced the headers and went to full exhaust and ECU tune.. and boom! Really fun to drive. Will def keep my GT86. :)
They’re ok in standard form but a few well chosen mods make a big difference. UL headers, TRD lowering springs TRD strut brace kit TRD centre armrest…you get the idea, but well worth the effort.
My American head unit works great. Using apple car play tho. For the type of car it is trunk space is actually really good when the seats are down, just the entrance to the trunk is narrow. If you want it to be loud get a muffler and mid pipe delete with headers. All of my friends had expensive exhaust that switched to straight or nearly straight pipe simply because it sounded better. My biggest advice is dont buy this car because your expectation of handling quality on your next car will be un realistically high. Ive gotten a good promotion at work looking at cars 3 times i paid for this one in hopes of the same handling with better power and its really a chore, I simply cannot go back to a heavy car with a lot of power. Also don't hesitate to get the newer automatics. They have become very fast, shifts almost like a 911.
Owned a 2017 GT manual since new, 110k kms, kept full stock except for aftermarket brake pads. Not one thing replaced apart from consumables. Yes even the original clutch is working as new and i've burnt it a couple times reversing on very very steep ramps. Low cost of servicing. Interior does fall apart from heat expansion but what do you expect from a budget interior. Minimal electronics which means minimal things that go wrong. Rear brake pads replaced at 100k kms, still using original front pads but starting to squeal a bit. Getting good tyres is essential for enjoyment
Love the channel guys. Adam, just a point on the technical stuff on the drives. Failed to stop at stop line, left turn. Failed to stop at stop line, right turn. That's about $800 for the NSW government big fella if you get caught.
Had mine for 7+ years and when I sold it there was so little “wear” it was ridiculous. Even with mods and tuning my car never missed a beat & I miss it a lot! It is slow as stock though, so personally I’d encourage some mods 😬
I own a 2020 gt86 and I’ve loved it since day one. She drives good and I have no issue that she’s not fast. She’s more for looks. I’ve modified not too much but more in the future I’ll be getting a widebody kit.
My girlfriend has a 2015 Scion frs passed down from her mom, it’s been in 2 accidents, and has 200k+ miles on it rn, everything is running perfectly fine. They’ve kept up with maintenance and only issue was the clutch bearing.
the truth is that, most of the people who hate or find the 86 to be a bad car are usually the people who dont drive at all, those people would look at high performance sports cars, muscle cars etc and compare it by whats on paper. Even a person who owns a high performance car would still enjoy this 86, a fun, peppy, cool looking sports car. The car has to be appreciated for what it is too, its a great balanced car, just like how the miatas are :)
This thing has o be my next car definately. It has enough power, to get some joy.I think handling is much more important than engine power. And gt86 is a beast in terms of handling, it weights 1250kg because of that has much better feeling than bmw or audi or merc coupes even with less power.
Good video... As they always are.. I am looking at one of these to replace my Gen 6 Toyota Celica when it finally dies... Here in the UK, the speed limit is only 70 MPH (112 KM/H) on motorways... We have very overcrowded slow roads here in the UK. This car would be more than OK for our rubbish roads here in the UK.
I raced one in the Australia series and in Group 3E production car events. Ripper thing, absolutely built like a brick shithouse. In the Australian series we should have written off hundreds, but you just throw some panels at them and they’re right as rain. A couple of bent chassis but you’re talking big speed vs concrete walls. Mechanically incredible. The gearbox is unfortunately the weak link, shifting at redline the synchros on 4th go pretty quickly, then it gets crunchy. 2nd is going in my road from the same abuse I think. Oiling is an issue, the sump empties under heavy lateral load and the engine starves, adding a sump baffle works well. Revving past 7500 you also run out of oil pressure due to cavitation in the pump. But seriously, as a road car, they are epic. Absolutely unbreakable no matter how much you try.
glad to hear this I bought one with a great service history but was def driven hard on stock suspension. I am replacing the stock set up with HKS hipermax units. Some new tie rod ends and end links and im good to go.
As an owner, the entertainment line had me in stitches 😂. As soon as I purchased mine, it was straight back onto Google to look for a decent Kenwood 😂😂
I was able to get one for much cheaper then the listed price do to finding some flaws on the car thanks to this video and with the extra money saved was able to fix said problems. Again Thank You.
Drove one of these for a few days. Great fun to drive, and looks the business in the car park. Just an inch too small in all directions, and the boot was probably a joke left by the engineer.
Early this year I got a GTS86 with just under 74000km for a 2015 model and it was in perfect condition and I love driving it and now I’m looking into small mods for it such as getting rid of that barrel of a muffler
Depends on the driver. If you are the typical American driver, the only thing that matters about "driving" is slamming the gas pedal to the floor and somehow proving you are a better "driver" (or just have more money) to the person next to you (who usually isn't paying attention anyway). If you like a car that accelerates, brakes, corners, is comfortable (in a racing sense) and ergonomic, you cannot beat the 86, the BRZ or the Miata. Those are DRIVERS cars. I autocrossed and did track days back in the 90s, and regularly watched Miatas and hot hatches absolutely dominate with lap times over "numbers" cars.
Had a 2015 GTS 86 Aero (it grows on you), put a smile on my face every time I drove it, each corner was fun especially when you don't slow down too much. It was written off by someone smashing into it one morning while it was parked. Only issue was the GPS unit. It looses connection within 1-2min of a cold start. After that it works for the rest of the day. It was replaced x4 times by Toyota. Common issue. Considering getting 2.5L when it releases or a Nissan Z
I love cars that are not obsessed with just numbers and paper stats. Cars that win on paper are quickly out of date and considered 'slow' injust a few years when next year's cars are even faster. But cars with driver involvement, feedbck and personality are timeless.
Because majority of cars over here got 150 hp or less, GT86 doesn't seems too slow. So yea, go for it. Mine's 2017 with 7000 (yes, seven thousand) kms on the odo when I got it on 2021.
Bought a '14 with 65K miles for 13K earlier this year and it's just the best thing ever. It is tune-up time though and that's not easy in one of these.
Good video guys keep up the good work. Also just a thought but it'd be interesting to see what mass production cars broke the mold in some way (e.g. first with a particular feature or first of its category)
![[#2024MAMA] ROSÉ (로제), Bruno Mars - APT. | Mnet 241122 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dgGqD28J6aQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
My daughter has one of these and I love driving it! More so than my Stinger. Its much more fun driving a slow car fast, than a fast car slow. Throw in some twisties, and its in a world of its own.
My buddy has one and it is a blast to drive
Perfectly put Ricky. 100%. - AK
Truly the ae86 successor
if it's a manual too something about rowing all those gears and the fact you're using all of them it just feels good
Yeah because the power won't scare you shitless... and is fun and cheap.
Owner here: I'm on my second, the first was written off in a nasty motorway accident (rear ended while stationary on an off-ramp at speed) and I'm sure the safety of it either saved my life or at the very least serious injury. This review is pretty bang on actually, about the only thing it doesn't mention is that the panels are relatively thin so you're forever finding tiny dings in it from supermarket car parks, and that almost across the board the things that are great about it Toyota did, the things which are meh, Subaru did. The drop down glass when you open the doors gets squeaky, the early pre-facelift cars WILL shit their clutch throw-off bearing, but if the owner wasn't a cock they'd have had that fixed when it had they had the valve spring recall done.
I also get approx 9ltrs/100km after 45,000km with commuting and the occasional spirited session. I genuinely don't get why people criticise them for being slow - anyone who does simply doesn't get what the car is for - if fun driving equals drag races from traffic lights, firstly WTF and secondly, the car isn't for you. Like at all. If you're into spirited driving in the hills, you're going to need a very, very serious car or driver to put the legs on one of these. It maintains speed and agility in the way that all the best low powered but highly rated cars do (DC2R, 106 Rallye, Clio Williams, base Elise) and if you're prepared to work with it, it just keeps giving. The engine is shit, but it doesn't matter because you're having far to much fun driving.
I'd seriously echo the comment about decent mods only. So many of these are bought by fucking idiots who stick dumb, stupid stuff on them and ruin the car completely. For coilovers Ohlins or KW are the way to go, otherwise leave it alone as the stock suspension is great. It can use brake upgrades if you drive hard, either the 4/2 pot or 6/4pot OEM brakes or something decent like AP, Stoptech or Endless. A lot of the other brake kits I've tried change the balance front to rear of the car and subtly ruin it. Genuinely though for most people stock is fine and if you wanna step it up, uprated pads and fluid and you're sorted. For track, get an oil cooler and do those brake upgrades and go have fun. Oh and google for the 'pedal dance' trick to switch all the aids of fully on track (even when you press the buttons they're still hiding in the background) so you don't get really random pad wear on the brakes.
Both of mine have been silly cheap to run. Over the 7yrs of ownership, standard servicing, the recalls and tires, that's it. The OEM wiper blades are a bit shit, fit PIAA silicone and be happy. I can't think of anything else for the price that blends cheap running costs, relatively new, reliable and so much fun. Basically you're probably not going to get me out of mine til I can afford to buy and run a 911.
Dave, this is quite possibly the perfect comment and EXACTLY what we love seeing on the reviews. Thanks so much for watching and taking the time out to comment. - AK
Couldnt echo this comment enough. If you are into porshes without the kind of money this is your car.
This guy gets it, 100%. Going on 7 years for mine as well. Oddly enough, mine was also rear ended while stationary, was parked on the side of a pretty slow road (50 km) with no one in it, but whoever hit it was driving like a maniac. Insurance opted to repair still though, cost was like 60% of vehicle value... Changed the wipers (the sun kills almost any wiper in Qatar though, don't need them very often). Only other thing I've had a problem with is just recently the head unit is having a severe ghost touch problem, but this head unit isn't in most other versions of the car... from what I can gather it might be used in some South American Rav4 models... it's the one made by E-Lead in Taiwan, model EL-827C-TMC1, Toyota part number PZ360-00105. The dealer quoted the equivalent of 3,570.45 USD for a replacement unit... Might upgrade to a Joying unit instead, but I will be losing CD/DVD functionality (they don't make the CD/DVD version anymore, though they used to, it is also lower spec due to being older). No drivetrain problems at all. If I were to upgrade it would probably be in the direction of Lotus, unless I needed a bigger car for some reason, but my dad and brother drive Land Cruisers I could borrow, so no real need for that.
Edit: Other parts at the dealer are not crazy overpriced like this, they are not inline with the price I was told for the head unit. There seems to be a lot of confusion about the head unit at the dealer, I think when they look up the head unit for they car they see a different unit. The manual actually describes a different unit, but I also received a 2nd manual with the car just for the head unit.
J
What do you mean when you say the engine is shit ?
How’s the tech?
“It is shit!”
Don’t hold back AK. Love our Aussie way of expressing displeasure.
Hahahaha cheers mate. - AK
@@ReDriven "How`s the dad?" "Its shit" LOL
I cam right down to the comment secon when he said that. hahaha....
@@ReDriven hahhahaha there was translate to English button below your comments
"it is shit"
#BRZ owner
Toyota built the GT86 to be fun, not fast. If you want fast then get a hellcat. If you want something you're going to enjoy evertime you get it, then get a GT86
As a owner of a 2017, if you want a quick little car that hugs curves and drifts on demand. This is the car for you. It's perfect the way it's delivered, mods are just a ++
only highlight of this car is the amazing handling, Everything else is pure garbage
7.5 years owner here...great review guys!
Engine wise, I've done the normal mods that 80% of the owners do (HKS catted header, AVO coated overpipe, HKS front pipe, stock mid pipe and TRD muffler) and with an ECUTEK tune I have managed to transform the car! Minimal torque dip now and increase in torque and power, ranging to arnd 10%. The increase in torque has decreased fuel consumption, where I can get arnd 7 lt/100km in motorways at speeds of 120-130 km. This means that this little car is also great and economical for daily...
Normal services only, no any engine damages and I am happy to say that after 120,000 km engine oil consumption is practically non existent! No any transmission issues, no any fuel pump issues so far, no any spark plugs issues (known problems for early models - 2012-2014).
Chapter Handling:
Handling is synonymous to 86!! Even by factory!!
As far as I am concerned, I have used all the goodies TRD offers on this platform for chassis (front strut tower bar, member brace, door stabilisers) and have combined them with tein flex As (very popular in Europe) and I can say that handling is phenomenal. Of course the amazing steering (I do not know whether any other car of this price range exists with such steering) contributes strongly on this!!
The nose is literally stuck on the road (you need to try hard to understeer).
A nice puzzle to solve with this platform is the size of the wheels and tires. Depending on what you want, powerslide or sticking on the road, do not forget that this is an under power engine, therefore be wise on your choices. Speaking for myself, I decided to follow Keiichy Thuchiya example, with 18x8.5 wheel and 235/40/18 tire. The 40 profile on 235 tire gives an extra comfort, which is most welcome with the coilover use. Of course this means that powerslide can mostly be accomplished with weight distribution...
As far as the inside is concerned, you need to make many compromises. Plastics do show their age. cricking noises are everywhere and every day you notice one new...they are not that disturbing, but they are there. After all, come on, lets be true...its japanese sports car...not luxury car, nor, lets say, AUDI 😁😁 . The solution is so simple though...just raise the music volume 😁😁.
Due to this quality issues of the plastics, it is strongly suggested to keep the car away from the sun as much as practically possible (a garage is almost a "must"). Ceramic protection is also strongly suggested, because, as already someone mentioned, the paint film must be quite thin, leading to stone chips signs on the front bumper very easily. This is very irritating to look at...really!!!
To finalize, I am really happy with my small, sports car. I love it, its my stress release toy and I intend to keep it for many more years to come!
To those out there who want to have one, unless your only concern is to drag race at traffic lights on straight lines, go get it!! Follow carefully the instructions for used 86s mentioned on this video and you will be fine! It will pay you back in triple, with many many smiles on your face!!
Cheers from Greece!
So with 235 tyres on 8.5j wheels still elt you drift and slide?
Some minor issues on my old one: wheel nuts getting stuck in the studs and needing to be drilled out, condensation and oxidation of the headlights too. Paint was super thin and prone to chips. However, overall reliability is solid, and they won’t leave you stranded or broke.
Importantly, if you can appreciate what these cars are all about, they’re a lot of fun too
So true. I had two broken studs so far. I think subaru studs are more fragile than other manufacturers
You hit the issues I’m currently having with mine, but you can’t go wrong with the reliability that’s for damn sure lol
@@rpons541 Me too...with a broken stud...my 17 Toyota 86 has 100k miles and still going strong...with little maintenance.
Oem wheel studs are known to break when they do replace with ARP much better quality
Tourque spec is only 100 ft Lb
Best reviewer I've ever seen in my life. He does an amazing job at covering the must-checks on preowned cars and also expressing the true experience of driving an 86. Undoubtedly deserves more subs.
Oh wow, thank you so so much! Just made my week! - AK
I’m a proud owner of a BRZ and I gotta say, it’s the sports car that you wouldn’t mind getting gapped by a civic in.
Ex-Toyota service advisor here - there was a bulletin for owners complaining of poor shifting. There were shifter issues that were fixed with updated spacers and bushes, primarily found in first gen 86’s.
I think if you’re buying the 86 for speed, you’re buying it for the wrong reason. They designed it to be a fun car to drive, not to beat track times. Give it 10 years I think people will start wanting these again 😂
I personally never had any respect for these cars at all coming from a long term highly modified subaru forester and wrx sti backround. The day it all changed for me was when a mate of mine bought an 86 and i drove him in my STI to go pick it up, we went for a hills run and we swapped keys for a bit having my first drive in an 86. It absolutely blew my mind how much fun the car was to drive and knew id have to buy one 😅
I found a neglected BRZ Ts Edition so it came with all the goodies as standard, like brembo brakes, heated seats, a good headunit etc & i was able to pick her up cheap at the time and cleaned her up, did a couple modifications to take her out ready for track days and Hillclimbs. Ive now had mine for 3 years now and absolutely love it, after the first 12 months i decided it was time to really sink some money into it and fix the lack luster motor with the major torque dip issue & the last 2 years shes been running the SME G25 Turbo Kit with alot of other supporting mods + on e85 putting out 250kw at the wheels and its transformed the car into an absolute animal on the road and track. There is now very few cars out there that are faster in a straight line or around a corner. Mind you i drive like a grandma for the most part and the best part about Turbo over the always running supercharged options is that im only using 12L/100kms
If you guys ever want to review a turbo charged BRZ for the channel youre very welcome to message me here or Instagram @stibrz.aus
Thanks for making such a great in depth and very Australian take on the twins 👌
I think at this point, those that love the platform and know what it's about will continue to love it. And those that hate it for not having a slew of impossible requirements will always feel that way. It's been a fantastic car for me and I appreciate the small tweaks Subaru & Toyota have done to the cars over the years.
I love this channel, as this is really a unique one. Most car channels review new cars, but there are lots of people who wants to find out review about the old or not so new cars and I bet this is only channel of its kind in Australia. Keep up the good job guys 👌
Mate thank so so much! - AK
Sold mine a couple years ago as the kids outgrew the back seats (5 and 3 years old).
Now looking at getting another for the dreadful highway drives for work, and some weekend fun! Hands down my favourite platform.
I love my car.
2015 BRZ... owned it for 4 years already. I have modified it to make it more enjoyable sensibly. When I first looked at my car, I fell in love with it. It was so dirty, and rough, but it was calling for me to own it.
I am going to have a second hand PSR UEL header installed with a street tune very soon.
My BRZ's handling is awesome. Every movement you make, you feel you are king. King of roundabouts.... I can fly through roundabouts and curves if I want to. There is no fear of losing control.
I love my 2014 GTS! Had her since demo. Such a fun car. I enjoy upgrading her year after year. New stereo, new coil overs, new tyres, new filters, new battery, new interior suede, new front and rear lights all blend together to keep the old girl feeling fresh. Exhaust and headers next. Won’t be parting with my 86 for a long time yet, if ever. A modern day classic.
basicly a new car
It took me over a year to get used to the throttle in the BRZ.
But once I realized what Subaru wanted of the driver and why it's like this, it was a GAME CHANGER!
Basically, they wanted this car to be a "slow" city commuter with amazing fuel economy (for the era), hence the torque dip in the lower-middle of the rev range.
They ALSO wanted you to turn into a Formula 1 pro (and did their best to make you feel like it) when you hit a corner or a country road.
You need to keep the car screaming at 5000+ RPM floor it to 7400 out of a corner and then powershift up and then down every corner -- sometimes two gears in a row. DON'T try to floor it in 3rd at 4000 RPM like a noob. Do the work.
It's a car that forces you to learn to drive like a pro and rewards you with some of the rawest, most agile, and most thrilling driving experiences on the market.
Sadly, so many dumb people (like myself) and even reviewers try to drive it after getting out of a GTI or a Supra and then complain it doesn't pull.
It's ironic because the BRZ is so affordable yet it takes a professional driver to really understand it, which is the opposite of this car's usual buyer.
Subaru, I understand now. I understand why you were forced to change the BRZ in 2021. Thank you for making it in the first place.
Best 86/brz comment ever!
@@hamishbartholomaeus Thank you.
I have a 86 limited and i love how it looks, its so asthetic and the wing is just perfect😅 it looks better than 90% of cars on the road, especially here in South Africa 😮
Totally agree with you, I also own one. It's an amazing car to drive
Howsit gents I'm looking at getting one, very hard to find in durban at the moment, any thing I need to look out for when purchasing 2nd hand. Ie anything that can affect reliability
Thank you 🙏 for the Toyota 86 video, I asked for it 2-3 weeks ago y’all came alive now. All love from 🇿🇦SA
Our pleasure Leon. We actually fast tracked doing the 86 after you asked, wrapped you enjoyed it. - AK
I love driving my stock manual BRZ. It's just pure bliss getting behind that thing. The small nitpicks aren't too much of a problem for me when you get to that low speed fun in a racing style package. Great video i think it nails all the pro's and con's without being biased
The car the internet loves to hate. Owned my 2013 86 GTS since new, about to sell. The car is brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Light, RWD, beautifully balanced, cheap to run, room for suitcases/spare wheels/golf clubs and unbelievable fun on the right road. Going to miss it but yeah, the head unit is atrocious and I don't bother trying to connect to bluetooth anymore.
@Soul not sure yet, keep an eye out on carsales.
@Soul expect to pay between $20-30k for a 2nd hand gt86/brz nowadays, depending on condition and milage.
I’ve owned a 2020 86 for a bout 6 months and ive had the most fun driving this car. And I may or may not go sideways often 🤪
Original owner of a 2013 Scion FRS. Still drive it to this day and its in pretty good shape with only 44k miles. Been pretty reliable and I drive it year round even in the Alaskan winters. I love this car.
I swear! This is the exact video I need! I’m looking at a 2014 86 this weekend!
That's great news!
I'll spoil the video slightly (please still watch haha), but they're a car thing. There's a few things to watch out for, but so long as the one you're looking at hasn't been run into the ground or been poorly modified, it shouldn't give you too much grief.
Happy watching!
Get one if you like getting beaten by a Camry from a set of lights 🤣
I just picked up a ‘13 a couple of weeks ago.
@@ur2slob724 won’t get beaten by a Camry, I raced my girlfriend’s 86 against my mate’s FG XR6 and they were identical all the way to 150kmh, could not spilt them at any point.
I drive a 6.0l V8 and can confirm the power to this lightweight sports car is more than adequate to have serious fun. Definitely more fun than my V8
@@xkimopye 6L v8? Mate you don’t know what power is 😂😂😂
Slugs those ls all noise no go heck an 86 will prob keep up with those boats
“it’s not so big that it will make you look like a complete dickhead.”
I spit out my coffee, that was funny, and truer words were never spoken.
Love the look of the older 86, which is why i bought one. First car with a screen, so the tech is way more than I'm used to (Bluetooth works fine so far) although the less tech the better for me (All the airbags make me nervous, coming from an '89 CRX that had none) I don't even want cruise control. First car with a 6 speed, push button start, heated seats, fancy.
So I've got a red 2014 stock and even me at 6f2, I'm addicted to this car. Continuously finding myself driving to the furthest shop when I need to go buy groceries. :) One cool thing I only found out last year, the headrest can be removed and then turned around to make space for your helmet when enjoying track days.
Why is this the best edited, written, voiced, and presented group of videos I've ever seen? How am I just finding this channel now? (F-RS owner since it was new in 2012 6 Speed Raven Black)
I love this channel and the work you put in to researching every car you review. On holidays in SA in 2015 my wife and I hired a red 86. Unfortunately an auto. Basically a new car with minimal kms. Yes the engine was underwhelming but the drive was fantastic. The ride particularly was better than my 2011 Golf GTi at the time. Whilst SA has some great roads it conversely has very crazy roads at the time. The 86 just at up every road surface we came across The 86 is an honest no frills sport machine perfect for the Sunday drive.
I’ve had my 2013 BRZ since July of 2012. 106,000 miles…living in 4 states, elevations from sea level in San Diego to 7,000ft in the southwest…snow, torrential rain in the PNW…Californian commutes and countless mountain runs. 6 sets of tires, J1 Recall at 90,000 miles, 1 water pump, 4 plugs…fluids changed religiously and she runs amazing! Shops and techs talk about how nice of a car she is every time! Just upgraded to Bilstein B6 suspension and StopTech brakes…and a handful of suspension bracing, gutted rear half interior, weighs in at 2650lbs. I wouldn’t trade or give her up for anything.
Only thing, the stereo/navigation has sucked since day 2. 😂
I picked up a 2015 brz limited with 13000 mi on it for my daughter. It's a great car. It handles, sounds great and she loves the 6 speed manual transmission. I hear people complain about it but for the money its hard to beat. Pure drivers car!!
Had mine since late 2012. I still loved driving to this very day. So easy to control and let the tires get loose.
Thanks to you guys, I bought a Toyota 86.
Enjoy!
At 24, I finally saved up and got the 2018 BRZ tS auto. RIP bank account (Woohoo, was totally worth it!)
Loved mine for 5 years, sold it a week ago and the resale is better than I expected 😊 looking forward to seeing the replacement. Never had any issues with it rattling or squeaks worst part about it was that every other car now Drives like SHIT 😂
100% mate. - AK
You mean every other car you drive has more power 😂
@@ur2slob724 More power yes but its impossible to find this handling at this price point with power too.
@@ur2slob724 I had a 420bhp skyline last year that I sold because they had just got so expensive it would be crazy not to sell it and I bought a 2015 gt86 on the cheap because I wanted a car I could modify from scratch myself,replaced the manifold and exhaust and got it tuned and its way more fun than the skyline.i used to just take the skyline to shows or meets but I now just drive the gt86 all the time randomly when I get home from work as I have a work van.il just get the urge to take it for a blast around local roads with loads of corners.its just a car that's a joy to drive and iv had mercs and bmws in the past that were honestly just boring compared to the gt86
@@user-sk4wf3ve6z I think old mate above only thinks fun driving is dragging straight lines from lights to lights.
Couldn't turn a corner at speed for anything.
Owner of an 86 since 2013, the only thing negative thing I have to say is that I wish the OEM seats had more back/lumbar support or were more comfortable in general (maybe I'm just getting old) other than that Its a blast, I've used it for long and short trips, moving, I've managed to fit a 50" TV in the trunk with the box and everything, surprisingly spacious with the rear seats down or removed. Small car but big enough to have adult fun(both people in passenger seat works best) I've also survived multiple accidents, very well built and reliable. Plus there's a crazy big aftermarket for it.
You are probably getting old ;-p. Would you say they are not that comfortable compared to other cars, or compared to other sports cars?
Have a GT86 from 2013. Stuck a turbo 1 year ago..totally transforms the car. Anyways as a stock standard car it is very reliable and not expensive to maintain.
Cheers and keep up the awesome content
Thanks so much mate. I've driven both a turbo and supercharged versions of the 86 and you're 100% right, totally transforms the car, truly brilliant. - AK
I love mine, the handling is phenomenal. I enjoy driving this over a scat pack just because this car really makes me feel in control
Got to love a NA rear drive sports car - kudos that this exists and can’t wait for the new one ☝️
I owned a 2013 GTS for six years. Honestly, the best car I had. Yes, it’s a bit of a nugget from factory, but the aftermarket for this is absolutely huge. It’s a true tuner’s car.
100% Danny. - AK
You forgot it has hillstart assist as a safety feature also on the manuals, which can help a lot of drivers.
This is what also came free of charge with my 50k mile 2017 GT86
- Creaking noise pressing clutch in (lubed the pivot point. Solved)
- Water getting into the boot (repaired seam sealer behind the lights, cleaned the seal, replaced rear light gasket on the left. Solved)
- Assuming a previous owner fitted an exhaust because some exhaust gaskets were missing from the OEM that was fitted when I bought it (gasket. Solved)
- Battery was toast assuming because the car had sat unsold for so long (you don’t see many in the UK).
Completely agree the infotainment is poor. I listen to the engine instead but will fit something with CarPlay soon. FIRST though I’m having quality headers (HKS) fitted with a tune, for the sound as much as (hopefully) improving the torque dip. Plus some track day mods of oil pickup and sump baffle because I want to use the car properly, service properly, and enjoy it.
Don’t get an 86 if you need a transport solution, get one because you enjoy driving and live with the impracticality. Parts are cheap and working on the car is easy.
wow what a gem of a channel. this is absolutely perfect for someone like me trying to get into the car scene and understanding what to look for and how to buy one. i really hope you guys blow up, fantastic content!
Richie thank you so so much! - AK
Awesome vid, I've been contemplating on on 86 for a while and it's great to see a breakdown on it and just makes me want one more and more. I was hoping to go interstate and pick one up but with the used car market inflation and lockdowns right now I'm going to have to wait just that bit longer
Thanks so much mate. It's worth the wait. - AK
I'm looking at a 2015 GT 86. My first car was an Australian delivered AE86 Sprinter. So I know what 86s are about.
Will be interesting to see how it goes with my Commodore 6spd manual SV6 that I've modded the suspension and brakes on quite a bit.
That handles pretty decent for a hefty big car now.
The little tray under the AC controls is for the key fob - if your fob runs out of juice, you put it there and it should allow you to start the car.
Ahhhh brilliant Oliver, great tip. - AK
I own one. I love it. This is a really great looking and handling peppy inexpensive sports car (want a muscle care - look else ware). It's cheap to own. It's reliable, gets good gas mileage, and holds its value really well (if you don't do something stupid to it). I've owned a lot of sports cars over the years. This is the one I've paid off and I'm keeping.
I have a 2016 Scion FR-S. Its my first car ever, so i never had any of over inflated expectations many of the platform haters had, and I must say, it is an absolute dream to drive. Around windy roads and corners you can practically go any speed you desire, especially after some wider wheels and better tires (Ive got on 18x9.5x38mm with nitto nt555 g2's). The lack of power is noticeable and, while it would be nice to have more, the car honestly doesn't need the extra power if your using it as a daily! The car is a great combo of reliability and great fuel consumption and feeling amazing to drive in.
Feel like people just hate this car for being "slow" really it's fun to drive, it's not too slow and not crazy fast off a line. The car is made to drive and made to be upgraded (do it right) you don't even need a turbo for some extra kick, just uel headers, air intake, sticky tires, and a proper tune, you won't even believe it was the same car, then decide to build it properly with a turbo and boy do you really have a fast reliable car (I say it from experience I had a buddy running a turbo for 3 years, 16psi, and barely just blew the stock gasket, he's going mls gasket and it should last ages longer) so I say don't bash on it, it's cheaper, reliable and can make power if you know how to do it properly, then it can actually beat other cars that cost way more even after modding it
The point of reference by excellence for absolutely all types of vehicles that I have tried to buy and every time the videos have all the pieces of information I'm looking for. Keep up the good work, and let's get these guys to 100k before 2023 for their fantastic work. Hats off to ya'll 🧡
Had mine a 2016 model for 7 months and love it ,changed the manifold and cat back exhaust and remapped it and that has improved mid range , increased BHP and torque also fitted gear shift springs so gear change is alot better . It's a fun car to drive and with a few mods side skirts and front splitter it stands out from other everyday cars
Im from Mexico and freaked out big time when he said he was feom Australia. I was ready to end it all until he said dont freak out which calmed me down, this bloke is good
You've gained a new fan.... came across this video at the right time, I want to get this car... I love the look of it and the fact that it is from Subaru and Toyota makes it better for me, it's like meeting a beautiful girl from a good family
For the 0,06% wondering: The iPhone 12 Mini fits perfectly in the phone part of the cup holder. 🤟
I had a particular check list for my sports car
Coupe. RWD, manual transmission, big enough to fit a drum kit (2x large duffel bags)
Went gen2 for the updated interior and engine, and the warranty
Plus there are gen1 everywhere in brisbane
Great car. I've had mine over 10 years with no major issues. Maintenance can be done by yourself if you're mechanically inclined and it's not a PITA to work with
This channel is such a find wow. keep up the great work guys
Thanks heaps Andrew!!
I love this better than the new ones. My boosted 86 was reliable. I hear an oil starvation issue in the new ones sadly. =(
Simple intake, exhaust, KW Suspension, wheels + tires, and strut braces...my 2019 Toyota 86 TuRD Edition absolutely rips! I love my car...it doesnt need 700 horsepower to be fun.
*I should note. I bought it brand new and added the mods myself, so I didnt have to deal with the typical used "Project Car" issues.
Absolute doddle to drive quickly and so forgiving on the limit. My son, 11, and experienced on karts, has manged to drift my mate's 86 on wet grass with TCS etc disabled.
It's tiring as a daily driver in traffic but for its intended purpose it is absolutely smashing.
My two favorite aspects are the direct, cart like steering and the front wheel bulges which allows fronts to be accurately placed.
I'm an owner coming from a mustang. I always thought these were the stupidest cars ever, for years and years. It's cramped, the design has questionably aged, and the majority have been tastelessly clapped out. At least until I drove one and immediately fell in love. These are great, the aftermarket is full of things for every type of taste, its a little rough in a fun way, the 6 speed is badass and every time I drive it I'm having fun. I have the Hakone edition and it regularly turns heads and gets compliments, and is a ton of fun at car shows. Its by no means a drag strip star but it can eat older BMWs and hot hatches of all varieties all day. Its quick enough to have fun without being too crazy to drive every day.
I have a quite powerful 6.0l V8, and at every opportunity I take my girlfriend’s 86 out of the driveway over my Holden SSV because it is a seriously fun car to drive, I have a big smile every time I take it for a spirited drive.
I have never driven a Porsche but I find it hard to believe that a Porsche could be as much fun as an 86 on winding mountain roads.
I love the light weight and low centre of gravity formula so damn much my next car purchase will be a lotus exige.
Or just get the new GR86 and modify it to your likings, it is fun, individual and reflects your personality ;)
@@jansonb482 new GR86 will be a great car, but the lotus has been a long ambition
Owner here. I just put some minor mods like Wider tires, KW Coilovers, replaced the headers and went to full exhaust and ECU tune.. and boom! Really fun to drive. Will def keep my GT86. :)
People who complain about them being slow have no idea the history and cult status of the original AE86.
They’re ok in standard form but a few well chosen mods make a big difference. UL headers, TRD lowering springs TRD strut brace kit TRD centre armrest…you get the idea, but well worth the effort.
My American head unit works great. Using apple car play tho. For the type of car it is trunk space is actually really good when the seats are down, just the entrance to the trunk is narrow. If you want it to be loud get a muffler and mid pipe delete with headers. All of my friends had expensive exhaust that switched to straight or nearly straight pipe simply because it sounded better. My biggest advice is dont buy this car because your expectation of handling quality on your next car will be un realistically high. Ive gotten a good promotion at work looking at cars 3 times i paid for this one in hopes of the same handling with better power and its really a chore, I simply cannot go back to a heavy car with a lot of power. Also don't hesitate to get the newer automatics. They have become very fast, shifts almost like a 911.
Only get the newer autos otherwise go manual.
Love how authentic and Aussie this vid is with the slight comedy hahaha great video and helps when looking for a 86 or BRZ great vid
Cheers mate. - AK
Owned a 2017 GT manual since new, 110k kms, kept full stock except for aftermarket brake pads. Not one thing replaced apart from consumables. Yes even the original clutch is working as new and i've burnt it a couple times reversing on very very steep ramps. Low cost of servicing. Interior does fall apart from heat expansion but what do you expect from a budget interior. Minimal electronics which means minimal things that go wrong. Rear brake pads replaced at 100k kms, still using original front pads but starting to squeal a bit.
Getting good tyres is essential for enjoyment
Love the channel guys. Adam, just a point on the technical stuff on the drives. Failed to stop at stop line, left turn. Failed to stop at stop line, right turn. That's about $800 for the NSW government big fella if you get caught.
This channel is being slept on. Deserves way more subscribers and views
Ah thanks so much Mark. - AK
@@ReDriven don’t be to thankful..I was drunk, you are ok. Jk. I enjoy your videos. Keep it up.
Had mine for 7+ years and when I sold it there was so little “wear” it was ridiculous. Even with mods and tuning my car never missed a beat & I miss it a lot!
It is slow as stock though, so personally I’d encourage some mods 😬
I have a '17 model and love it everyday
I own a 2020 gt86 and I’ve loved it since day one. She drives good and I have no issue that she’s not fast. She’s more for looks. I’ve modified not too much but more in the future I’ll be getting a widebody kit.
Shines in the corners
I still think this design looks so much better than the new one. Especially the STI versions from Subaru.
As a gen2 owner. I half agree with you
My girlfriend has a 2015 Scion frs passed down from her mom, it’s been in 2 accidents, and has 200k+ miles on it rn, everything is running perfectly fine. They’ve kept up with maintenance and only issue was the clutch bearing.
Too late, I already bought one, and I love how it drives, how it looks, how it sounds...
A lot of people forget to realize if theyuse forced induction to this car for more power factory it won’t handle as well as in its n/a for now
the truth is that, most of the people who hate or find the 86 to be a bad car are usually the people who dont drive at all, those people would look at high performance sports cars, muscle cars etc and compare it by whats on paper. Even a person who owns a high performance car would still enjoy this 86, a fun, peppy, cool looking sports car. The car has to be appreciated for what it is too, its a great balanced car, just like how the miatas are :)
Greetings from the Republic of Ireland. love the video, keep up the good work.
My TS is on the way and I am so excited!!! Moving on from my old RX8.
This thing has o be my next car definately. It has enough power, to get some joy.I think handling is much more important than engine power. And gt86 is a beast in terms of handling, it weights 1250kg because of that has much better feeling than bmw or audi or merc coupes even with less power.
Good video... As they always are..
I am looking at one of these to replace my Gen 6 Toyota Celica when it finally dies...
Here in the UK, the speed limit is only 70 MPH (112 KM/H) on motorways... We have very overcrowded slow roads here in the UK.
This car would be more than OK for our rubbish roads here in the UK.
I raced one in the Australia series and in Group 3E production car events. Ripper thing, absolutely built like a brick shithouse. In the Australian series we should have written off hundreds, but you just throw some panels at them and they’re right as rain. A couple of bent chassis but you’re talking big speed vs concrete walls. Mechanically incredible. The gearbox is unfortunately the weak link, shifting at redline the synchros on 4th go pretty quickly, then it gets crunchy. 2nd is going in my road from the same abuse I think. Oiling is an issue, the sump empties under heavy lateral load and the engine starves, adding a sump baffle works well. Revving past 7500 you also run out of oil pressure due to cavitation in the pump.
But seriously, as a road car, they are epic. Absolutely unbreakable no matter how much you try.
Mate, awesome insight and thank you. This is exactly the sort of commentary we love to see on the channel. - AK
glad to hear this I bought one with a great service history but was def driven hard on stock suspension. I am replacing the stock set up with HKS hipermax units. Some new tie rod ends and end links and im good to go.
“Unmolested version” is fucking amazing
As an owner, the entertainment line had me in stitches 😂. As soon as I purchased mine, it was straight back onto Google to look for a decent Kenwood 😂😂
This video was AMAZING, I think you just convinced me to get one!
I was able to get one for much cheaper then the listed price do to finding some flaws on the car thanks to this video and with the extra money saved was able to fix said problems.
Again Thank You.
This is hilarious, yet a great review. Subbed
Welcome aboard!
Great quality content guys, you deserve far more subs. Amazing humour, very well structured video, covers everything you need to know. Keep it up!
Thanks so so much mate. - AK
Drove one of these for a few days. Great fun to drive, and looks the business in the car park. Just an inch too small in all directions, and the boot was probably a joke left by the engineer.
Early this year I got a GTS86 with just under 74000km for a 2015 model and it was in perfect condition and I love driving it and now I’m looking into small mods for it such as getting rid of that barrel of a muffler
I love it to bits it’s just I need to put more personal care into it
Depends on the driver. If you are the typical American driver, the only thing that matters about "driving" is slamming the gas pedal to the floor and somehow proving you are a better "driver" (or just have more money) to the person next to you (who usually isn't paying attention anyway).
If you like a car that accelerates, brakes, corners, is comfortable (in a racing sense) and ergonomic, you cannot beat the 86, the BRZ or the Miata. Those are DRIVERS cars.
I autocrossed and did track days back in the 90s, and regularly watched Miatas and hot hatches absolutely dominate with lap times over "numbers" cars.
Had a 2015 GTS 86 Aero (it grows on you), put a smile on my face every time I drove it, each corner was fun especially when you don't slow down too much.
It was written off by someone smashing into it one morning while it was parked.
Only issue was the GPS unit. It looses connection within 1-2min of a cold start. After that it works for the rest of the day. It was replaced x4 times by Toyota. Common issue.
Considering getting 2.5L when it releases or a Nissan Z
Thanks so much for watching and taking the time out to write this mate, really appreciate it. - AK
Get the Z
E85 and full exhaust system is a must for this wonderul sports car.
I recommend Cobra Sport.
I love cars that are not obsessed with just numbers and paper stats. Cars that win on paper are quickly out of date and considered 'slow' injust a few years when next year's cars are even faster. But cars with driver involvement, feedbck and personality are timeless.
Because majority of cars over here got 150 hp or less, GT86 doesn't seems too slow. So yea, go for it. Mine's 2017 with 7000 (yes, seven thousand) kms on the odo when I got it on 2021.
Bought a '14 with 65K miles for 13K earlier this year and it's just the best thing ever. It is tune-up time though and that's not easy in one of these.
Why may I ask?
The Alcantara on the door panel and above the dash are there specifically for preventing the glare that you usually get from the plastic.
Good video guys keep up the good work.
Also just a thought but it'd be interesting to see what mass production cars broke the mold in some way (e.g. first with a particular feature or first of its category)
Thanks man!
Again, great idea. - AK