Lauren

Only use the correct coolant, as otherwise you will affect it's life expectancy. The OEM coolant is good for 8 years.

Lucky you! Is it the red one that I carefully ran in?

It would be good to add what width the wheels are.

Should have got the pics from the other side, we might have seen the shine then!

In all honesty 7500 miles is not really enough to drop the coolant by much. Mine has been topped up a couple of times in 70,000 miles if that's any help. It does seem to use a very small amount. It being on low when it's cold isn't a time to panic. Did you check it when hot as well? That's normally a better indicator of where it's at as there will be some expansion of course. It terms of dealers YMMV of course. There aren't any big issues and there's no reason to believe a dealer will be reluctant to tell you about anything as such.

We may come in the AE86 would be interesting to see what it puts out with the rebuilt engine.

Seriously, get something to fill the arches. The stock offset is terribly conservative. Go an inch wider on the rims and 10mm less offset. Makes a huge difference. You can paint the stock wheels black, but as soon as wheels are black, they lose their definition and tend to look smaller. I think the stock rims are pretty dull really and they weigh a ton too. Lots of wheel options out there! It will be the biggest visual improvement you make to the car. But, you will want to lower it a bit, always the way I'm afraid.

Welcome aboard, so are you wrapping the whole car? I look forward to the results. Are you refurbing the stock wheels or do you have another set?

I thought it was a realy good comparison test, shows they are quite close and obvious rivals really. Especially if you compare the top MX5 with the Primo. Actually Nigel, I'm pretty sure he said both have an LSD. I'm glad Mazda have upped their game though.

I used to run the AE86 as an everyday car, but it's 30 years old now. It's on a limited mileage policy. My GT86 is my daily car.

The lightweight pulley does not have a harmonic damper on the crank. Whilst most (though not all) have had no issues, I cannot think why Subaru would go to the additional expense of a harmonic damper if it is not needed. I would only fit a lighter flywheel personally. I would say the gain from lightweight pulleys would barely be measurable and is really just bling. Yes I know all about Initial D, I watched it back in 2003! I also own an AE86 which is the same as the Initial D car, but a Kouki (later) spec.

Wicked stuff, James, car looks great.

It is a random picture, but it is a picture of an Initial D replica commissioned by Tec Arts, in front of the old 'Fujiwara Tofu Shop' (the sign was changed for the film) that the anime was based on (they based it on real locations around Ikaho). This Tofu shop was demolished in 2010, but the sign was saved and lives on in a display in the M. Yokota museum in Ikaho, Gunma prefecture. I know as I've been to see it!

Just rev it a bit, Nigel. I find it quite torquey at low revs, even when pootling around it's ample just motoring around town and the like. Maybe it's just a matter of acclimatisation?

The thing is, Adrian, you can up your power, but there'll always be someone else with more, so it becomes an arms race, which just involves more money. I've not done any trackdays in the last year. I've just been doing sprints where you don't get that problem of course! I find avoiding trackdays with annoying Caterhams which all seem to do the straight line junkie thing is a way forward. But really the annoyance of people boosting down every straight only to hold you up at every corner is a problem that will always happen. I think that's why I don't bother with trackdays so much anymore.

Yeah, I think at the moment it comes down to either sticking with Toyota nav if that's what people have. It's okay, but the screen resolution is poor. Or going with aftermarket nav, whatever is the on the head unit. I've got an Alpine INE 925R with iGo Primo 2 software (whatever that is!). I've had it for 2.5 years. I've recently updated the maps too for €40 which isn't too bad. I used Tom Tom on my iPhone before I had sat nav integrated with the traffic updates. I think the Tom Tom traffic is excellent. My Alpine nav does know about traffic as well using the FM thing to receive information. Is it as good? Well, nearly. Sometimes it's great at re-routing, other's less so, but so is the Tom Tom. So six of one and half a dozen of the other. I think comparing mine with the Toyota T&G I would take the Alpine nav any day. In fact it's head and shoulders above the Toyota unit in everyway, but obviously at £800 you'd hope so really. I've managed 70,000 miles now with the Alpine unit, including three Euro trips and twice round the Alps. I like it.

I reckon you should just stick to 200bhp Nigel. After all, it's all you need. What's the point if you can't enjoy all that power without losing your licence. My way of thinking, certainly. Have a car that has a better chassis than the engine. It's the way forward.

And there was me worried, when I hit a rock in the road in Switzerland. A few scuffs underneath, but blimey, that really did some damage to your car. That's the guard over the petrol tank isn't it? Has it deformed the tank much itself?

LOL! The worst of both worlds, a bit like the Arna:

It's even better Church, when you add a separate amp and digitial sound processor. But all a case of how much you want to spend of course. But even just changing the head unit will improve the situation, though the front door speakers are very poor on the GT86. They may only weigh a mere 191g which is impressive, but I honestly think changing the head unit and the front door speakers will reap significant benefits. The rear speakers are useless and pointless, best thing is to simply not use them. I really think Toyota only put them in so they can say the car has X amount of speakers, but saying they are useless is being very kind indeed I think!

Went to Curburough Sprint track yesterday with no intention of running my car. But, seeing as it was pouring with rain, I thought I could, perhaps have some fun with the low grip conditions without hammering the car too much. https://youtu.be/noByXy12Tt0 My suspension leaves a lot to be desired so all I could do really was second gear powerslides. I'll be honest, for those moments I got it properly sideways it was the stuff of absolute nirvana. Nothing feels better! Also the noise of a 4AGE on full chat! In action yesterday. I should also wish my car a happy Birthday, 30 years old this month!

You can put winter tyres on, Ross. I have for the last two years, though it has been utterly pointless as there has been no snow and temperatures have mostly favoured non-winter tyres! I drive mine all year round, no problem. If there's a ton of snow I take a day off. That hasn't happened for three years! Plus a bit of wet weather and cold temperatures makes it more fun in a lot of respects. Use it to practice your skills.

Oh, that's not good. Am suprised they haven't given you a courtesy car.

Doesn't sound like a terrible outcome at all. And to think you'll get a decent set up now.

I think Pioneer are a little low end these days. There are things I love about my Alpine unit and some things I don't (like how complicated it is to tune DAB channels. 2.5 years later and I've still no idea). The sound quality is excellent, though but I admit, I just took out everything that the car came with as standard and had an entire new audio system installed.