Twigman

This? https://www.part-box.com/hks-stainless-steel-front-pipe-toyota-gt86-amp-subaru-brz-33004-bt002

@Adi It might be worth talking to @Deacon - he runs HKS Spec-L and has a custom Rogue Motorsport EL header with resonated front pipe:

@Adi Your manifold will make a big difference, I suspect. Is it possible to add resonators to the front end of the system? I'd be surprised.

I woudn't call it drone. It's a sweet sound. At my motorway cruising speeds it disappears almost completely. I love the sound when accelerating through that rev range. I found plugging the sound hole from the airbox improves the experience no end. The 'drone' is nothing compared to my Spitfire with extractor manifold, 3" centre pipe and twin straight through...that droned. And my FireBlade on full Yoshi race pipe.......perhaps I'm used to 'drone'. To me the Spec-L just sounds a bit sportier than std - I bought it because I wanted to hear the exhaust, if that's 'drone' then won't all sports pipes have it? My manifold, overpipe and frontpipe are stock, mind, I suspect it might get intrusive if you go catless.

I suppose I am thinking ahead. This year my winter car (Mazda6estate) was written off. This leaves the GT86 as my only car, for now. I live in an area that always suffers worse winter weather than the surrounding area. They call my part of town 'Little Siberia'. We have lots of hills and I must navigate fairly steep hills to get anywhere. I also have a very steeply sloping driveway - so steep that lowering the car is out of the question! So I am looking to stick the 17s back on at the end of October through to March and looking to equip them with some winter tyres which might keep me mobile throughout, even when the snow falls -and it will. So which winter tyres work best? I'm not bothered about longevity as they've only got to get through the winter - I'm prepared to replace them every year.

I'm growing to love my HKS Spec-L - it sounds awesome now I've blocked the sound hole.

Fitted the winter wheels/tyres last night. First impressions: The Dunlop Winter Sport5 (215/45-17) are much quieter and give a comfier ride than the PS4s (225/40-18). I'm quite surprised by this as the Dunlops are directional and have lots of grooves. I haven't pushed them yet so can't really comment on what kind of grip they give but the feedback is good so far.

Me too and the main reason why i can't lower mine at all.

It's a Toyota cost but involves effectively a full engine rebuild and from what I've heard they've not been 100% successful.

I have a private plate which has been on the car since it was first registered. If I want to take the plate off the car and hold it on retention, how do I get an appropriate plate assigned to the car? What's the process? It's the only plate the car's ever had - if that makes any difference.

Surely UK insurance is valid EU wide, isn't it?

I just find that in 6th at high continental cruising speed it feels like it would be more comfortable with a few hundred fewer revs. I often find myself reaching to change up when I'm already in 6th.

Thank you. At last someone agrees with me! I couldn't accept that I was the only one!

and that would be a problem, why? As it is we're running at uncomfortably high revs on the level or downhill.

and I was talking 90-100 120+ cruising is just not possible, even on the autobahn. The roads are too crowded.

Of course there is - you don't need oodles of torque to maintain a constant speed. Clearly none of you have driven cars from the 60s or 70s that couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding but could do 70mph with no problem.

yes - it's a completely different experience. Have you done either?

I have a bike (Honda FireBlade) and have owned an open 2 seater sports car (Triumph Spitfire) and can categorically say that bikes do not deliver the open top motoring experience. They are completely different - there is nothing like the wind in the hair experience of an open top car. Motorcycles don't deliver that at all.

It could do with a 7th longer gear.....keeping the 6 it already has. Cruising at 90-100mph (140-160kph) puts the engine right where I don't want it (MT). It has GT in the name, which stands for 'Grand Tourer' in most peoples' dictionaries.....it should be capable of doing some 'grand touring'. Clearly the designers had 70mph cruising as their priority when selecting the top ratio - some of us like to cruise a bit faster. Often 70mph feels like I could get out and walk faster. Perhaps I crave an Aston Martin?

I've got a StopLock steering wheel lock which I used for a while but have given up using it primarily because, when it's not being used, it rattles so loudly I can hear it even when it's in the boot.

What's funny? The GT86 is seriously short geared for high speed motorway cruising.

I often find myself looking for a 7th gear, particularly on the motorway, in Germany, at about 90mph

I just drove home and pressed the TRC button for longer than usual and the VSC light went out! Well I never! 5 years and that was the first time. Gave it sone welly on the way home coming off roundabouts...not a twitch! I wonder if it’ll rain before my car goes in for repair? I’m quite looking forward to it raining now!

So manufactured 1 week apart? Could even be 3 from Friday and 1 from Monday - I'd wager they're a set that all went on together.

I've bought 2 sets from them in recent months. My Michelin PS4s were manufactured the month before I bought them. My Dunlop WinterSport5s which I bought last month (yet to be used) were manufactured wk29 2018 so are 'last years' stock.....