Alucardo's 86 Road / Track

[Lauren 2259]

5 hours ago, alucardo said:

I did think about it for a while but the £ to track time is much worse than a trackday. I spent 130 notes including insurance for a full day open pit. TSS sits at blyton sits at 140 at the moment and I imagine 5 runs roughly for the day.
If they where to do sprints in the morning and a trackday in the afternoon Id be tempted.

However Im still thinking about it.

I do it for the competition, rather than getting loads of track time. The fun is in that, having the competition and seeing how you rate against your competitors. Winning is what counts of course.  Having the track to yourself makes a big difference and you have to get your focus on. Timing on track days is of course not allowed as it's non-competitive. 

[Ade 517]

I do it for the competition, rather than getting loads of track time. The fun is in that, having the competition and seeing how you rate against your competitors. Winning is what counts of course.  Having the track to yourself makes a big difference and you have to get your focus on. Timing on track days is of course not allowed as it's non-competitive. 

But can still look at camera footage the next day.

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[Lauren 2259]

9 minutes ago, Ade said:

But can still look at camera footage the next day.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 

You can, but my point being is that a track day is not the place to set a fast lap time. 

[alucardo 55]

29 minutes ago, Lauren said:

I do it for the competition, rather than getting loads of track time. The fun is in that, having the competition and seeing how you rate against your competitors. Winning is what counts of course.  Having the track to yourself makes a big difference and you have to get your focus on. Timing on track days is of course not allowed as it's non-competitive. 

Id like to be competitive if I did TSS which requires more track time. As it stands id probably be off the pace and doing 5 runs for the same amount of money as a full track day in which I can learn and get tuition is probably better for me at the moment.

So maybe not this year, maybe next if I can get more track time. Then id do a round or so to test it out.

[Lauren 2259]

Fair enough, it's good to get more practice and tuition. Though sprinting is quite different that simply lapping on track as you have to contend with cold brakes and tyres and how the grip levels change throughout the lap as you can't warm anything up as such, you have to be on it from the moment you cross the timing beacon. So I would say it will take a few sprints to get the hang of all that. 

It all depends upon your desire to find out how quick you actually are. Ability and experience are of course key when it comes to competitive motorsport. You need both if you are going to win. The N1 class is the biggest class in the series and is very hotly contested at the sharp end, so don't be upset if you're not walking away with silverware straightaway.  Don't let any of that put you off though, relish the challenge I say.  

[alucardo 55]

Just a quick update regarding some driving adventures on the NC500. As you can see the scenery is stunning as where the roads. Highlight of the week was the Old military road followed by single seater experience at Knockhill. The GT86 performed amazingly well and was reliable and quick. I do have a hankering for more power mainly down to safer overtakes and the ease of power on longer runs not having to ring the car by its neck which for small periods of time is great, but does wear you down when you are doing it all day.

I would like to have a good go in a Porsche Cayman/Boxster S as that seems like the next option after the GT86 or look at supercharging the GT86 as I fear a Porsche with its tall gears may not be as fun on the track. Both options I am currently exploring.

The long and short of it if you get chance to drive the NC500 or variation of it you should.

[alucardo 55]

On 22/03/2018 at 12:30 PM, Lauren said:

If you want to see if you're quick at Blyton why not do the TSS round there?

Quick drive by from Donnie a few months back. Love the way the car sounds

[alucardo 55]

Another update of a trip to the Pyrenees via Le Mans. As you can see the roads and scenery are stunning. Its abit of a hidden gem being abit further away than the alps, the roads are quieter and we had 2-30 degree weather all the time we where down there. The GT86 performed well again though the front ball joint or wheel bearing I suspect needs replacing.

I find myself enjoying these road trips much more than trackdays, they are a great laugh and you cannot beat exploring new roads especially when the road surfaces are excellent and the views so stunning.

[alucardo 55]

So after 4.5 years of ownership I said goodbye to the GT86. After all this time I cannot think of a single day I did not enjoy the car even after taking all the parts off the car and putting back to standard it just reminded me of what a great car it was before I started tweaking it. I'm luckey that my wife drives a Giallo so if I ever miss it I can take that for a spin and experience one of the great cars again.

I replaced my gt86 with a not holy unexpected:

981 Cayman S

Once I have done a few miles in it I will come back and add a comparison. 

Have a good Christmas all.

[Rich196 103]

1 hour ago, alucardo said:

So after 4.5 years of ownership I said goodbye to the GT86. After all this time I cannot think of a single day I did not enjoy the car even after taking all the parts off the car and putting back to standard it just reminded me of what a great car it was before I started tweaking it. I'm luckey that my wife drives a Giallo so if I ever miss it I can take that for a spin and experience one of the great cars again.

I replaced my gt86 with a not holy unexpected:

981 Cayman S

Once I have done a few miles in it I will come back and add a comparison. 

Have a good Christmas all.

Happy Christmas to you too! Nice little present to yourself!

Love to hear an on going comparison between new and old when you get some more seat time!

[BRZ-123 174]

Kind of a natural progression as you say, boxer engine is the common denominator and the only other manufacturer to make it. Up the value chain it is. Enjoy and drive safe!

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[alucardo 55]

So I have had a few days in the car on and off, as its essentially like an xmas gift I have had a play although weather has not permitted to much spirited driving. I feel the need to write a up a few thoughts I have had. So I will compare the cars in parts as im sure alot of gt86 owners consider where do I do next after the GT86 or if I feel like a change thoughts that plague a petrols heads mind. I will not write a review based on outright performance laptimes etc as these are two different leagues of cars in terms of price and power more on subjective matters and feel.

Part 1: 

Cost
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Im sure most of us start here on sports cars so we don't extend ourselves or run something that ultimately empties our wallets.

Insurance - For me the average increase of a modified GT86 (N/A) to a cayman S is on average 120-200 this takes into account that the Cayman is 3 times the value of the GT86 so overall imo is perfectly acceptable and I dont intend on changing or modifying the Cayman thats a pretty good deal.

Brakes - This is where the Cayman can be expensive with disk and pads costing 800 for fronts along and rears similarly priced, however as part of my deal I received new disks and pads all round so all being well I will not have to replace these but checking them before purchase is a must.

Tyres - Again the Cayman and Porsche Warranty have an effect here in the fact you need N rated tyres and the difference in size. GT86 will cost you 450 fitted for a set of ps4's (17's) where as the Cayman with the 20 inch wheels will cost you 900 for ps4s all round. So double the cost. I was fortunate again to negotiate new tyres with the car and run Pirelli p-zero's all round.
 

Mpg - On a run around the Alps Pyrenees and Scotland the GT86 averaged 33mpg and the Caymans/boxsters where around 30-32 so on long runs the Cayman is very much comparable to the GT86. I think however in the uk on normal shorter runs it would be more like 25-30 for the Cayman and 28-33 in the GT86.

Servicing - The average cost of servicing for a GT86 from Toyota is around 200-400 with the 60k service being the big hit 600 this is done every year or 10k miles or 1 year. For the Cayman 600-900 is what you are looking at. The service was done on the Cayman as part of the initial deal and is done every 20k or 2 years. So overall the servicing cost is the same. A clutch on a Cayman done by an approved specialist in 800.

I will list any other costs as I go along or enounter.

Interior
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I always liked the GT86's basic structure of the interior everything was functional and served a purpose and all the reviews that said it was lacking where always cast aside as rubbish. The GT86 interior does exactly what you need it to (mini rant). Both cars have a nice air'y feel to them when you sat down with the GT86 having slightly more due to the additional seats. Everything is functional and aimed at the driver in both cars. The 987.2 which is the model previous to mine does suffer from being more slightly crampt which is why I went for the 981 as being 6ft 2 has its downsides in sports cars. There are additional useful toys in the cayman in comparison to the GT86, the PCM system being superior to Toyota's effort but again cost plays a factor in this so I will not dwell.

Seating position is something the GT86 excels at, once you have driven a GT86 no other seating position seems to fit quite right and that for me includes several driving experiences in 458's Gallardo's GTR's MX5'sCivic Type R's etc etc. I was always pleased to return to the GT86 and sit in it. Good news for me is that the Cayman does exactly the same as the GT86 which for me was a huge factor in the purchase. You have to feel right in the car and the GT86 and Cayman are both Perfect and I have lots of room in both for a helmet aswell

Exterior
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Both great looking cars and I like the look of them both equally, when people ask why I never considered a BMW140 or M2 etc Its because as a sports car you should want to look over your shoulder at your car when you've parked up and both of these cars do just that. Right ow for obvious reasons being my new toy I prefer the Cayman

Brakes
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The standard brakes on a GT86 are excellent on the road and provide great feed back but for me on track they faded so I bought APracing and so I will try and compare both experiences as I have done so far with the Cayman. So yes the Cayman brakes are better in terms of stopping power and provide excellent road feedback, initial feel of them under hard braking the 'feedback' is as good as the APracing/standard ones if not slightly better but thats my initial impression and I will need to hit the track to really have an idea. So for those worrying about loosing feel that is initially not the case.

Handling
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This is probably the toughest aspect of this for me to write or compare. The engine layouts of the car are different, tyre sizes are very different, power is very different however the connection between you and the car and road can always be quantified in how the car makes you feel when driving it. The GT86 is alive lightweight(ish) in your hands and the rear yaw of the car makes every switchback tight corner feel as though you are on the limit of grip when pushing along. Its an exciting drive designed for the back roads of the UK. The only ever real downside was the perceived lack of shove but this really only mattered in comparison with other cars in isolation anyone who drives or has driven a GT86 have loved it. I kept mine for 4.5years and I regret no day owning it and the joy it brought me was great but we all know this.
So the Cayman, the limits on the car are high so initial feel at lower speeds are not as good as the GT86, now this is not super high speed difference but for example 0-40 my Cayman suffers initially from being a heavier bigger wheeled car. Once beyond 40 and you find a country road (specifically my test road im sure we all have one) the Cayman becomes surprisingly agile the whole car becomes alive and everything goes next level to the GT86 in terms of brakes power grip but the feel of the car and how it makes me feel is comparable to the GT86, the smiles per hour remain the same through out. I have driven other cars before the Cayman M2's Type R's etc looking for a replacement but this has been the only car which made me grin as much through the handling as the GT86. Some aspects such as the turn of the Cayman are just unbelievable making a switchback so enjoyable.
I have not taken the Cayman to the edge of grip and I do not think ive come close but if you where worried as was I on the feedback from this car I can safely say dont be its as good as or better than the GT86 which indirectly tells you how good the GT86 is. I will say however that the steering on the GT86 has a slight edge on the Cayman but I believe that difference is wheel size, having not driven a GT86 on 18's or Cayman on 19's I think its basically just that difference at lower speeds that gives the 86 on 17's that additional feel.

Experience
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(This section might be biased by new purchase  )
The GT86 Experience is based around is driving ability and smiles per hour but the one thing it did not have for me was noise and presence and that is where the Cayman has it completely beaten, going out to the car and seeing it on your driveway is just amazing and when the flat 6 fires up it awesome. The noise of the engine which is one of the downsides of the 86 makes this car seem very special and add's something to an experience which I have been missing for a while since the high rev'ing days of my RB26 at high revs. Everything feels special in the Cayman and next level in terms sports car hierarchy in comparison to the GT86 . This section here is why I believe the GT86 is a 4/5 car and the Cayman is a 5/5 car.


I hope to give more information as the experience with the Cayman continues (Track, Road trips),so if you where to want a new car you might have a a Cayman on your list as a possible hopefully I can give you a GT86 V Cayman comparison based on subjective matters as per my favourite review of the GT86 by Chris Harris which was also one of the reasons I wanted to try a Cayman