Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

The interior compared to what I current own and drive on a day to day basis, yes.

The current Jetta/GLI interior isn?t exactly brilliant either. Only the dash top is soft touch- door cards and other interior plastics remain low - rent.

If you want a nice feeling compact VW interior, you?re looking at something in the Golf family.
 
I mean, I can envision some bizarroworld way for bad shit to happen.

The negative battery terminal in the BRZ has an ammeter built into it (why?)

In theory, charging across that could cause the ECU to make dumbassed decisions if it's trying to do something based off that info. No idea what, but it's a window of opportunity.

I, of course, connect both cables to the terminals because I am a bad boy and don't hunt around for a good ground elsewhere, handily working around that.

A car that has an ammeter on the negative battery terminal needs to have the charger connected to a good grounding point, not the battery.
 
Installed aftermarket speakers in my friend's Crosstrek today.

What the fuck was Subaru doing? The factory speakers had voice coil assemblies the size I would expect for... I dunno, 1.5 inch PC beeper speakers. No wonder they fell off the cliff into apocalyptic distortionland if you turned the radio more than halfway up.
 
It would be better than the people's car.

No, probably not :lol: I just wouldn't be caught dead in a BR-Z/FR-S. Would probably rather drive a Pinto. ;)
 
No, probably not :lol: I just wouldn't be caught dead in a BR-Z/FR-S. Would probably rather drive a Pinto. ;)

What's your beef with them? Not something I would personally go for but I have no dislike for them. Certainly more reliable than Ze Germans. (not to mention much cheaper)
 
Those are not cheaper. Not around here.
 
What's your beef with them? Not something I would personally go for but I have no dislike for them. Certainly more reliable than Ze Germans. (not to mention much cheaper)

Ok I'll spill it. :D Slow, cheap interior build quality, uncomfortable, horrible factory radio, slow, not aesthetically pleasing, and too expensive for what it is. Reliable? Probably, but not much else worth it. These cost too much and there are a few better RWD options in that price range. ;)
 
JCE;n3422693 said:
Ok I'll spill it. :D Slow,
It's fast enough for what it needs to be, it's a momentum car, it was never meant to win red light drag.
cheap interior build quality,
It's a budget sports car, something has to give. 05-09 S197 had a horrendous interior, so did my Z.
uncomfortable, horrible factory radio,
It's a budget sports car, not a GT cruiser.
See above
not aesthetically pleasing,
Better looking than a Jetta... but that's a personal preference
and too expensive for what it is.
That's only because of pony car performance bargains. But they are not aiming for the same driving experience. That's like saying that a Cayman is too expensive for what it is because a GT Mustang with performance pack would walk it on pretty much any course.

Reliable? Probably, but not much else worth it. These cost too much and there are a few better RWD options in that price range. ;)
Like what? Miata is the only other car in that price range that is similar. 370z is kind of similar but it's a much heavier car.
 
The BRZ/FR-S/GT86 has some of the ugliest detailing on any coupe in history. The front is particularly offensive.
 
prizrak;n3541425 said:
It's fast enough for what it needs to be, it's a momentum car, it was never meant to win red light drag.

It isn't just about red light drag. Accelerating out of a corner is also slow. Yes the entry speed is exceptional but powering out of it is a chore.

It's a budget sports car, something has to give. 05-09 S197 had a horrendous interior, so did my Z.

True.

It's a budget sports car, not a GT cruiser.

Still doesn't excuse these items. But that's personal opinion. :)

Better looking than a Jetta... but that's a personal preference

Personal preference yes. Because even a Jetta looks better to me. Honestly, these twins look HORRENDOUS.

That's only because of pony car performance bargains. But they are not aiming for the same driving experience. That's like saying that a Cayman is too expensive for what it is because a GT Mustang with performance pack would walk it on pretty much any course.

Exactly. Why buy this little tin can with above average steering and fast corner entry speed when you can buy pretty much a whole package elsewhere in a pony car. Yes the pony car in that price range won't have as good of steering or probably cornering grip but everything else is better. Everything.

Like what? Miata is the only other car in that price range that is similar.

I'd rather walk or get a disease from public transport. Hell I'd rather own the BR-Z/FR-S than a Miata. Fuck that, even a Yugo.

370z is kind of similar but it's a much heavier car.

370Z is a vastly superior car vs these things. Not even a contest. So is the Genesis Coupe for that matter.

But those are my reasons so rather than drag this along with my opinionated disdain for these things I'll stop after this post commenting about it. :D
 
JCE;n3541437 said:
But those are my reasons so rather than drag this along with my opinionated disdain for these things I'll stop after this post commenting about it. :D
Fair enough but I think you are judging it based on what it isn't rather than what it is meant to be. Like I said I am not a big fan of those cars, simply because like you I would rather give up a little bit of handling to have a better overall package. but I do think they achieved what they set out to do. Also in this specific situation he wanted to go for something different from the 'murrican V8 so a light underpowered car that's mostly meant for handling might be a good solution.

Completely unrelated:
Changing air filter and cabin filter on the Xterra was a massive pain in the ass, the fram OE replacement has a slightly thicker rubber gasket so getting the airbox back together required a lot of persuasion and the cabin filter is in a very annoying spot that requires a lot of blind pushing. Though admittedly both were aftermarket OE replacements and not OEM parts, likely would have been easier with the latter. Mustang took me 5 minutes for both and cabin filter in that car requires popping off the cowl under the windshield wiper, but they were Motorcraft parts so everything fit easily.
 
prizrak;n3541475 said:
Fair enough but I think you are judging it based on what it isn't rather than what it is meant to be. Like I said I am not a big fan of those cars, simply because like you I would rather give up a little bit of handling to have a better overall package. but I do think they achieved what they set out to do. Also in this specific situation he wanted to go for something different from the 'murrican V8 so a light underpowered car that's mostly meant for handling might be a good solution.

The problem is that the similarly priced (and now sadly gone) Genesis Coupe was better appointed, actually had better ergonomics, and was better engineered for the real world.

Completely unrelated:
Changing air filter and cabin filter on the Xterra was a massive pain in the ass, the fram OE replacement has a slightly thicker rubber gasket so getting the airbox back together required a lot of persuasion and the cabin filter is in a very annoying spot that requires a lot of blind pushing. Though admittedly both were aftermarket OE replacements and not OEM parts, likely would have been easier with the latter. Mustang took me 5 minutes for both and cabin filter in that car requires popping off the cowl under the windshield wiper, but they were Motorcraft parts so everything fit easily.

Your first problem is using Fram. They suck. Stop using them; you can often find the Nissan OE filters at about the same price online and they don't have a nasty history.
 
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Spectre;n3541490 said:
The problem is that the similarly priced (and now sadly gone) Genesis Coupe was better appointed, actually had better ergonomics, and was better engineered for the real world.

The Genesis Coupe is a fat pig next to a BRZ. More comparable to a G37C/370Z or a Mustang V6.
 
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Spectre;n3541490 said:
The problem is that the similarly priced (and now sadly gone) Genesis Coupe was better appointed, actually had better ergonomics, and was better engineered for the real world.
I've driven one and I agree with Rd it's more of a Z/V6 ponies competitor than Toyobaru/Miata

Your first problem is using Fram. They suck. Stop using them; you can often find the Nissan OE filters at about the same price online and they don't have a nasty history.
That's what Rockauto had and I was too lazy to scavenge around. I've had fram on stuff before, didn't have any issues. I might try to cut some rubber off this weekend just so it fits better.
 
The little bit of driving I did today in the snow confirms that I need new tires on the truck. I also need a limited slip differential. Or I can park it for the winter.
 
Yokohama Advan Sports are amazing... But possibly bad luck. Put them on the Hyundai and got rear ended a couple days later (almost a month ago now). The car has since been repaired, but the urge to sell/trade it and get something new is growing. It might be time to set some more money on fire and get a new more exciting car.

Left over 2017 Mustang GT?
 
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