Home Forums Chat Forum Toyota GT86 – Anyone got one/driven one?

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  • Toyota GT86 – Anyone got one/driven one?
  • thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    My first car was (and still is, in the back of the garrage) an MG Midget.

    I can confirm that narrow tyres imparting the ability to slide arround roundabouts without setting off speed cameras using a modest engine is very grin induceing.

    deviant
    Free Member

    Having been on emergency driving courses for both bikes and cars the position of the bike on a bend is crucial. As others said trying to stop a bike in the distance you can see on a tight bend would involve braking hard while leaned over or taking the corner at walking pace, neither being practical.
    I was taught to take a left hander on the right side of the lane which gives the best visibility and allows space round anything parked on the nearside, reverse the position for right hand bends but due to us driving on the left, visibility is much improved.

    (I may have reported engineers post by mistake while tapping to zoom on my phone, apologies!)

    Aristotle
    Free Member

    The GT86 is like a modern interpretation of one of these:

    …no bad thing.

    failedengineer
    Full Member

    Oooo, you’ve got me longing for some motorcycling weather …..

    nicko74
    Full Member

    hora – Member
    Weirdly the thought of a Nissan GT-R makes me as hard as a ships mast.

    How do these things ALWAYS get onto the subject of Hora and his manhood?!

    If your list includes GT86 and a BMW 1-series, I’d have to say go for the 1-series. The consensus appears to be (as noted above) that the GT86 is overpriced for what it gives you, and if you still have a nipper it may not be that practical.

    The 1-series, on t’other hand, has a bit more space in the back (relatively), and apparently in 135 or similar guise is pretty good.

    King-ocelot
    Free Member

    If your list includes GT86 and a BMW 1-series, I’d have to say go for the 1-series. The consensus appears to be (as noted above) that the GT86 is overpriced for what it gives you,

    The GT-86 is more of a lower spec/power/price 370, Cayman. It’s a GT really. If your considering it against a 1 series then the 1 series is certainly for you. I think the Toyota is great value.

    theteaboy
    Free Member

    I sat in one while waiting for the dealer to do a recall for my tedious family runabout.

    It looks ace from outside but, when inside, I couldn’t really see the point.

    The back seats are unusable (for anyone over the age of 2). Taking these out of the equation it’s basically a 2-seater, the rest of the inside wasn’t as nice as my mother-in-law’s MX5, I can’t imagine it driving as well as her MX5 and it cost nearly £10k more.

    Fantombiker
    Full Member

    Aristotle – Member

    Fantombiker – Member

    I was looking at them as well. Not going to go for it because it is underpowered.

    Do you need/use more power or is it just a case of “because I can”?

    I used to be in the “more power!” camp for cars and motorbikes, but I’ve seen the light and realise that ride, handling (and tyre & suspension setup) are more important

    Agree ride and handling are important but you do need power and correct torque delivery. But I don’t agree with using such cars for fun on the road, pointless and dangerous, so personally I need a practical, comfortable car that’s a beast on track days. 200bhp in that weight will not cut it on a track day.

    I just don’t see the point for example of buying a Nissan GTR and never either tracking or racing it. It won’t get you from Manchester to London any quicker…not in rush hour anyway….

    beardo
    Full Member

    I’ve got a BRZ, the better looking and faster equivalent:-)

    As for space then it really depends on how tall you/the misses are?

    I have 2 kids and we can get all four of us in it but it’s a squeeze and i have to drive with my knees round my ears.

    The main problem with smaller kids with it is that the back seat squab is actually too long for their little legs and they end up sticking straight out in to the back of the front seats.

    My 4 or 7 yr old can fit behind the misses at 5’6 no problems and its actually more comfortable in the ride department than most hot hatches. But its not really family friendly and you ideally need a hatchback to go with it if you can.

    As for performance, its not slow but its not going to rip your arms off. Its very similar to a clio 200/golf gti sort of performance. Most Yank car mags got 0-60 in 6.5 ish and 0-100 in the 16s which isn’t bad.

    Aristotle
    Free Member

    nicko74 – Member
    How do these things ALWAYS get onto the subject of Hora and his manhood?!

    Because Hora always seizes the opportunity to mention his manhood?

    Aristotle
    Free Member

    beardo – Member
    As for performance, its not slow but its not going to rip your arms off.

    I should hope not, if the seat stays in place under acceleration 😉

    wurzelcube
    Free Member

    I had the “mis-fortune” to be taken for a quick blast in a GT86 with my mate driving… frightened the sh*t out of me on country lanes, feels quicker than the paper statistics suggest and stuck well to the road (fortunately).

    Would I buy one? For 20 to 25K I’d rather sink my money into a used Boxster, Caymen or even 911.

    The benefit of the Toyota is that the running costs are likely to be low and reliability excellent.

    hora
    Free Member

    I simply said the GTR excites me more.

    Lower running costs? Toyota wont be cheap.

    However I would rather own a Cayman etc. It just has no presence. No sense of drama/adventure. Its just a two door car.

    Toyota’s influence is spreading into Subaru and I dont like it.

    wurzelcube
    Free Member

    My definition of cheap running costs is cheaper than Audi or BMW, plus the small tyres can’t be too expensive either.

    sparkyrhino
    Full Member

    that 3dr brake sod how many bodys how many bikes in the boot,looks nice,nearly as nice as an aged Volvo

    JCL
    Free Member

    It has a lower COG than a Cayman.
    It has an LSD.
    It runs Prius tyres.
    The driving position is perfect.
    It has revy, normally aspirated Boxer 2.0 litlre.
    It has a peach of a 6 speed manual.

    The concept is exactly what the performance car market needed.

    tonyplym
    Free Member

    My GT86 now has 4000 miles on the clock, and after every drive I’m still smiling just as much now as I was when I first got the car. It’s great FUN to drive – and with the traction/stability stuff turned on its as easy to drive as any other boring car. Turn the electronic aids down though and it is sublimely engaging at sensible (legal) road speeds. Agree that the rear seats are of limited value (I’m 6′ 2″ and a baby seat is all that would fit behind me when I’m sitting comfortably behind the wheel) but having said that I reckon that four 5′ 6″ people could fit in reasonably comfortably. Practicality ? – fold the seat back down, take the bike wheels off and a full suspension bike (XL size Stumpjumper 120) fits in through the boot opening quite easily, with lots of room left for other luggage. Surprisingly reasonable to insure, and getting 40 mpg on a run (but this dips to 35 or so if you’re driving enthusiastically). Experience of local Toyota dealership has been good so far. Looking forward to driving many more miles . . . . . .

    King-ocelot
    Free Member

    Nice to see some sensible grounded opinions appear on this thread. Tonyplym, how easy are getting bikes in? Could it take two? I won’t be fortunate enough to buy one for a couple of years, but can’t see anything else other than a BRZ/86 I would replace my celica with. Im not too fussed about rear seats as they rarely get used & have no intention of planning a family. Sounds like your enjoying it too!

    TheFlyingOx
    Full Member

    Can’t really see the place of the GT86/BRZ at its price point. If it was hovering around £20k it might make more sense, but for £25k the Megane 265 Cup looks a much better option. All the fun of the GT86, more power (for the all-important willy measuring contest down the pub) and useable back seats.

    JCL
    Free Member

    Can’t really see the place of the GT86/BRZ at its price point. If it was hovering around £20k it might make more sense, but for £25k the Megane 265 Cup looks a much better option. All the fun of the GT86, more power (for the all-important willy measuring contest down the pub) and useable back seats.

    But all that power is driving the wrong wheels…

    TheFlyingOx
    Full Member

    Well, if Gran Turismo has provided the majority of your driving experiences, I suppose it is 😉

    Seriously though, pretty much every road test comparison says the Megane is ace, the GT86/BRZ is balls. And anyway, FWD cars can provide some top-level fun.

    It’s academic for me either way. I’ve found the perfect blend of driven wheels, power, handling, seating arrangements, bike space, economy, etc.

    the_lecht_rocks
    Free Member

    bought mrs TLR a new MX5 roadster in July 2012 – most fun we’ve had in a car for years [ooh errr….]….

    in fact, so good the VFR1200 is retired from touring duties…..

    the BRZ / GT86 is a great car imo. back to basics, entertaining and an element more practicality than the mx5……no bad thing…

    will a mountain bike fit in the boot easily ? also, what are the wheel PCD / offsets ? i have spare winter wheels in the shed on steelies – might buy one for fun :L)

    teamhurtmore
    Free Member

    Fun car that is practical enough to get 5 adults or Mtb inside. Easy.Golf R32 or whatever latest version is called. The best bit is it doesn’t look like a knob’s car either!

    the_lecht_rocks
    Free Member

    golf is a 4wd. feels numb in comparison, albeit faster with more outright grip and betterr materials. rather missing the point teamhurt.

    tonyplym
    Free Member

    King-ocelot – as the seat back folds in one piece to give a completely flat uninstructed boot floor you might be able to slide one frame in as far as it’ll go, then the second . . . . If I get a minute later today I’ll give it a try.

    Shame that many seem to think that you can’t have fun driving on UK public roads without having excessive amounts of power under you right foot, or without driving at excessive (illegal / license-threatening) speed. Me – I’m happy enough with 200 bhp going to the right pair of wheels, suspension which works well on the majority of road surfaces (so not rock-hard firm), and a nice selection of useful standard fit “goodies” (such as dual-zone climate control and HID headlights) to play with. Toyota/Subaru build quality is also pretty good, and their after-sales service has a good reputation – as my car purchases tend to be for the long term (last car kept for 11 years, 7 years for the one before that) factors such as reliability, warranty and service costs are all important to me too.

    King-ocelot
    Free Member

    the BRZ / GT86 is a great car imo. back to basics, entertaining and an element more practicality than the mx5……no bad thing…

    This^

    King-ocelot
    Free Member

    Cheers Tony, I found the Toyota network to be fantastic too unlike Mazda which was another factor in replacing the MX5 with an MR2. The build quality is fantastic on both our celica and mr2, neither rattle inside despite age but plastics are cheap feeling, however that was never high up on my list of priorities.

    teamhurtmore
    Free Member

    4wd? Numb? Must be thinking of a different car! Anyway just trying to be helpful, if missing the point!

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    Some good interesting comments above!

    I went and sat in a GT86 yesterday and liked the general cockpit etc. The back seats looked to be a bit of a joke though, im not sure you could even get a car seat for a 3yr old in there.

    The sales man was crap, didn’t even know how to open the boot! He couldn’t tell me if the roof would take a bike rack either, does any one know if it can?

    Also done more research about the Subaru. Apparently they handle quite differently so would have to drive both.

    Re all the comments about the lack of speed. Its plenty for me, I prefer driving bends, rather than flying down a straight as fast as you can in a hot hatch which then disappoints in the corners. I’ve also driven some very fast Impreza’s and a couple of 300 + BHP rwd cars and all great fun until you realise all you can do is drive them very fast in a straight line, but get no where near the edge of grip on the roads, which makes them dull IMO.

    Having said that I had a Mk3 MX5. Technically it was flawless, but it had no soul or character, and I could never buy one again.

    I’m going to give it another 6 months or so and see what 2nd hand values are like, see if it can actually takes roof rack and car seat etc,and then test drive the Toyota and Subaru versions.

    hora
    Free Member

    Buy a turbo Forester

    tonyplym
    Free Member

    Roof rack – don’t think so – no mounting points, and roof is aluminium (so suspect it could be vulnerable to damage). Also no towbar options (again, no fitting points). Might be possible to rig something like a Saris Bones, but the boot spoiler is almost bound to get in the way.

    Boot opening – use the release button on the dash (next to interior lighting adjuster – above your right knee if you’re in the driving seat; key/remote can also be used (button on key fob) – can also hold it close to the boot and the release button concealed above the number plate will work.

    My experience of Toyota sales staff is that they’ve forgotten how to sell sports cars – their day-to-day customers buy Toyota solely for reliability – they struggle to cope with savvy customers.

    Majority of cars destined for UK are Toyota GT86; Subaru BRZ has long delivery schedules and will be much rarer – probably would have bought one myself but didn’t want to wait 4 months or more for it.

    hora
    Free Member

    Try finding a Subaru dealer. My local official one operates out of a tiny industrial estate and charges BMW main dealer rates.

    Insulting as he doesnt have a glossy showroom/reason to justify the pricing.

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    Tony what’s under the rubber strips on the roof line? Didn’t think it was wise to start pulling the car apart in the showroom.

    I’ve seen pics of a rack in the states that apparently is GT specific, but it does not fit rails but uses in a sense the door frame as leaver to create pressure on the side of the roof. Would be much nicer just to use a Thule rack!

    I doubt weight would be an issue as there must be some solid stuff under any thin ally body.

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    There’s a Subaru dealer in Peterborough.

    King-ocelot
    Free Member

    I’ve seen a rack somewhere on google that sounds as described above that goes horizontal over the roof from the door opening.

    Subaru dealer in Chester too.

    King-ocelot
    Free Member

    Asked mate Toyota Mechanic said the rubber strips protect the joining seem underneath its held in by 2 clips

    Aristotle
    Free Member

    wurzelcube – Member

    I had the “mis-fortune” to be taken for a quick blast in a GT86 with my mate driving… frightened the sh*t out of me on country lanes, feels quicker than the paper statistics suggest and stuck well to the road (fortunately).

    That’s an important point. Once a car has a level of overall performance that is the maximum can be practically/legally/safely used on the roads of the UK (and anywhere, other than top speed on unlimited highways in few countries), more is not necessarily important. A Megane 265 might be ultimately quicker around a track or along a closed tarmac special stage, but it might not be as pleasant, responsive or satisfying to drive on the roads and how often the maximum horsepower be used? (on a related note, I ride a 600cc bike that will reach a ton fairly quickly compared to most cars and I’m very often rolling off the throttle before completing an overtake …1000cc road bikes with twice the power are available…. Awesome, but much use when we’re all limited by the same visibility?)

    Other than www/pub bores, who cares which is theoretically “faster”?

    To be honest, very few people these days are actually interested in cars -beyond image, gadgets, mpg and tax band.

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    I love the concept!

    Regarding tyre size, 215/45 17″ is only small compared to current marketing/styling led tyre choices. And more important is how large the contact patch is under hard cornering – a very low CoG and good suspension geometry means that you keep plenty of tyre on the road. And if the contact patch stays consistent then it’s easier to drive close to the limit safely.

    The classic Civic Type R wears 205/45 17″ tyres, weighs ~80kg more than a GT86, had a higher CoG, similar power and I’ve never heard anyone bemoan its cornering ability. My car’s on tyres another size smaller, and is a bit taller and heavier and is never short of grip on the road. Also, skinnier tyres make long motorway journeys in the wet a less scary prospect as they’re less prone to aquaplaning.

    Aristotle
    Free Member

    chiefgrooveguru – Member

    I love the concept!

    Regarding tyre size, 215/45 17″ is only small compared to current marketing/styling led tyre choices.
    Marketing bs for the ignoranti. It seems to be working though…

    The classic Civic Type R wears 205/45 17″ tyres, weighs ~80kg more than a GT86, had a higher CoG, similar power and I’ve never heard anyone bemoan its cornering ability.

    But that was sooooooooo last decade…. Nowadays 250bhp turbo, 19″ rims and rock hard suspension are must-haves in a hot hatch. Anything else is, of course, too compliant, comfortable and dangerously slow …for a bad driver.

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    Another plus point is that less huge tyres and wheels and low-ish weight (and thus smaller discs) means lower unsprung mass which is such a good thing on British roads!

    Can I have a 5-door hatchback wife-approval-friendly version please? 😉

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