The Semi-Unofficial Pistol-Forum Car geek, gearhead, hot rodder, and vehicle thread

[HeavyDuty]

Funny, there's two cars that seem to be the standard to be judged against in the $30k to $40k sport car price point. The Miata and BRZ/GR86. One reason is twenty something dudes can have a reasonably priced base vehicle to tune into a really good "track car". But without doing anything they're both are legit drivers cars. I won't be spending money on a CAI, headers, exhaust and a tune on mine. I purposely chose this car to not spend as much as my Lexus. But soon I'm getting a better set of tires and brake pads. Eventually may put a strut tower bar and rear sway bar to tighten the chassis just a bit more.

But again... it's plenty quick. It's a little sluggish for some reason 1st gear to about 30mph. But in 2nd, 3rd, 4th in the 3-5k rpm range its easily as quick/responsive as my IS350.

NOW, the Miata... that super light/small car with a 180ish horsepower engine. A damn fast car.

My Miata was an older one (a NC) - the new ones seem a lot quicker. I just am less likely to use a convertible down here in Hell.

[CraigS]

The BRZs, 86 or whatever they call them this year, have turned into every bit the equal of Miata in the autocross world. While they are not in the same class they are really great cars. One friend who went from Miata to a 86 I asked how they differed. Answer was he could carry his AX tires inside the 86 while had had to beg friends to carry tires for the Miata. BTW as much as I bought a 19 Stingray so I could get the last of a manual trans, it is unfortunately true that in most cases the autos are now the faster version.

[Spartan1980]

I’ve been thinking about getting a BRZ for a while. My son needed a new car, so I sold him mine and went ahead and grabbed this 2023. My old car was a Lexus Is350, and it made me appreciate an automatic with paddles. I found 6 automatics in the country and this was the closest at about 250 miles from me. Some feel it’s sacrilegious to not get a manual in these. But with 228hp and it’s so light and such low center of gravity it’s plenty quick. Even better, it handles like crazy.

Now I just have to be patient enough to have my EQ, amp and sub installed next week. The stock stereo is the worst I’ve ever heard.


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If that came in AWD I'd leave a vapor trail on the way to the dealer.

[HeavyDuty]

If that came in AWD I'd leave a vapor trail on the way to the dealer.

Same. That in AWD would be the gold ring.

[mmc45414]

If that came in AWD I'd leave a vapor trail on the way to the dealer.

Same. That in AWD would be the gold ring.

I am not as worried about AWD (as long as it would be a third vehicle in the family), but if they start putting the 300hp turbo triple in the Toyota version it might have me thinking impure thoughts...

[Doc_Glock]

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Congrats they are super cool.

[rawkguitarist]

I am not as worried about AWD (as long as it would be a third vehicle in the family), but if they start putting the 300hp turbo triple in the Toyota version it might have me thinking impure thoughts...

Man, if they’d just make an STI version with the WRX engine or just put a turbo on the BRZ engine, it’d be bad ass.

But from a market segment standpoint, seems like they keep these models in their respective performance segment to push people into the other cars if they want more. They could’ve put out a turbo version of the BRZ/GR86 years ago.

I still can’t for the life of me understand why they completely outsourced the Supra to BMW. They could have built a sick Supra around the 310hp engine in the Lexus IS350.

[0ddl0t]

I think the LFA's poor sales (Toyota finally sold the last one last year - 11 years after production ended) made them a bit wary of developing the Supra in house.

[mmc45414]

Man, if they’d just make an STI version with the WRX engine or just put a turbo on the BRZ engine, it’d be bad ass.
But from a market segment standpoint, seems like they keep these models in their respective performance segment to push people into the other cars if they want more. They could’ve put out a turbo version of the BRZ/GR86 years ago.

I woulda thought that AWD would be adequate differentiation between the BRZ and WRX, no reason they couldn't have the same engine. And I think they will if Toyota breaks ranks and does the 300hp triple.
When most guys my age (just got approved for Medicare!!) want a supercharged Mustang, that they never take to the drag strip, with more power than they could possible hook up with street tires (not that there is anything wrong with that... Really!!...), I would rather have a 2800 pound car with 300hp. If it was a funky 1.5L triple, that would just be bonus points!

But right now I am probably moving backwards, we have a Focus ST I got in 2016 and drove a lot for work, and now it has with 140k on it. The good news is that between my car allowance and mileage my job bought it, the bad news is that while waiting for the Transit Connect cargo van we ordered for my wife she started driving the Focus with predictable results. So now she will probably daily the car (fine, use it up) and our new mobile kennel can spend most days in the garage waiting for our next adventure. That is OK, the tiny van with the trailer hitch might be handier for me and I just bought a lite duty trailer for moving motorcycles and ATVs and such, and we still have the F-150 for towing the boat. And my wife has the added benefit of nobody expecting her to stop what she is doing and go deliver something (poster and banner printing business), because "I drove the car today".

And turns out the tiny van might be a pretty cool gun nut buggy, plenty of room for three gun carts, and here is my faithful girl dog patiently waiting for me to finish shooting (at...) the skeet targets:

[shane45]

I remember reading you cant put the turbo in the brz to make it wrx power do to physical space limitations?