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Thread: YW's 2013 BRZ

  1. #1
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    YW's 2013 BRZ

    Placeholder - info to be added when I am less busy.

    Upgrades:
    2012
    Alpine stereo of some sort (plays ipod, has aux-in) - since 2012
    iFi speakers and sub
    Sound deadening material in the doors and a bit near the sub (which is between the rear door panel and the interior, such that it doesn't take up much room)
    2013
    Milltek exhaust (resonated)
    Avantree Saturn USB Bluetooth receiver, plugged into Aux-in when I need to stream from Spotify
    2014
    Michelin Pilot Super Sports, stock size on the stock rims

    For the people complaining about lack of pics...


    Original image (C) Keith Mulcahy, All Rights Reserved (see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4000038...tolist-dL9MWy/)
    Last edited by Yw-slayer; February 13th, 2014 at 11:18 PM.

  2. #2
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    Right, so I stuck the PSSes on and what I found was:

    1. Pay USD692 for 4 tyres inc. installation. Initially quite disappointed but was just driving randomly around town at lowish speeds and not attacking anything serious with any real attitude. However there was definitely more grip, better steering feel at anything more than 5-10 degrees. Hardly any decrease in ride comfort. Stiffer sidewalls for sure though. Minor buyer's remorse but it did get better after about maybe 40-50km.

    2. Took it out early one morning to the HK Nurburgring (along with a friend who has a 2008 Cayman S on PSSes (stock 18") with Cayman R suspension and which has been fully re-aligned etc.) and did 6-8 runs. Findings:
    a. HOLY CRAP SO MUCH MORE GRIP WITH EVEN MOAR ADJUSTABILITY THAN THE STOCK TYRES
    b. HOLY CRAP SO MUCH MORE STEERING FEEL ANYWHERE YEEESSSSSSS
    c. HOLY CRAP SO MUCH EASIER TO GET DOWN THE POWER WHILE STILL MAINTAINING ADJUSTABILITY WHHEEEEE
    d. HOLY CRAP WHY DOES THE CAYMAN'S STEERING FEEL SO MUCH LIKE A BUS (really)
    e. HOLY CRAP THIS CAR FEELS SO MUCH BETTER, AND MORE FOCUSED NOW (tyres now complement the awesome gearbox, steering, etc.), YET STILL WITH T3H FUNZ

    3. On the way back home, come to a junction, clear all around, tail skips out (even with all aids on) as and when I KNEW it would, but without the usual tyre-squealing, drama, or fear. I catch it with a dab of oppo and head off.

    4. ...?

    5. PROFIT by using AWESOME VALUE

  3. #3
    Ask me about my bottom br FaultyMario's Avatar
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    What is the HK Nurburgring? I thought there wasn't a track in your general vicinity. Is that a closed road, or is the loop you've talked about before where boys with cool toys go on weekends?
    acket.

  4. #4
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    Glad to hear that you are enjoying good tires.

    Please clarify the bus comment on steering, kinda confused.

  5. #5
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    It is a "mountain/hill" road, where not that many boys with cool toys go (I suspect because it is too twisty/difficult/dangerous for some of the more exotic machinery). The place for car-spotting is also a good drive, but is more long sweepers with a lot of unfortunate blind corners, is more for looking at cars than really enjoying them, and now has way too many speed cameras to be enjoyable. It's actually not too dissimilar to some of the roads from Initial D.

    Re: Bus. The Cayman had a much slower steering rack which felt much less lively. Obviously it feels much more stable, and has great body control. The steering was good but just very different. Lovely sound when that flat six lets rip, and more than enough power on tap. The gearshift was still nice. Brake pedal travel was interesting - you need to push down quite a lot more to get anything from it, I suppose the reason is that it allows you to modulate more? Still, it caused me a bit of a scare within 10 seconds of pulling out of the car park.

    Obviously I'm biased, but I think the BRZ has just enough power and grip at present for that road to derive sufficient enjoyment from it. Either car, though, is more than enough for enjoying that road. Then again, almost any car is great for enjoying that road.

    ----

    Related things I noticed from hiring an (auto) 86 in Australia, which was before I changed my tyres, and even bearing in mind it was a rental with 16,500km on the clock (as opposed to a manual like mine with 6,500-6,600km on the clock):

    1. I really can't stand the automatic with the car. It's not a bad gearbox, but it just doesn't suit the car, and once I go manual in this car, I'd never go back (unless it's for physical reasons), etc. etc.

    2. The Australian roads I was driving on were probably too long and wide for a car like the 86. To be fair, though, even though I hit the Putty Road, I suppose unfamiliarity, Aussie cops' famous love for speed traps, and the auto conspired to make me less enthusiastic about it there.

    3. Steering and the whole car didn't feel as sharp as the BRZ, but it's obviously still a good car and miles better than most of the shitty rental econoboxes I usually end up renting to try while on holiday.

    ----
    Why does my HK-market BRZ (RHD market and car) have the indicator stalk on the left, when my Japanese friend's BRZ in Japan (RHD market and car) has it on the right, as does the Aus 86 (RHD market and car)??!!! WTF...
    Last edited by Yw-slayer; February 4th, 2014 at 09:04 PM.

  6. #6
    mAdminstrator Random's Avatar
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    Because left is correct.
    Whoomah!

  7. #7
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    I have driven a Cayman S before, I was just confused about the bus-like steering comment.

    It's kinda like my M3, which has a slower (but variable speed) steering rack in it than the 325/8 BMW. The slower rack allows for more precise steering inputs when at speed on a racetrack. Glad to hear you are enjoying the car

  8. #8
    mAdminstrator Random's Avatar
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    Slower rack than a 328? Unpossible!
    Whoomah!

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    The sad thing is my Colorado had a faster steering rack than my M3...

  10. #10
    mAdminstrator Random's Avatar
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    Just looked it up, the variable ratio rack in the 95 M3s was in fact slower than the later racks (which were identical between the M/non-M, other than the rack limiter being slightly narrower on the M). [wayne]I did not know that.[/wayne] Neat.
    Whoomah!

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