It can't be much fun to be a sheep. Especially at this time of year.
This afternoon - having collected and brought home the GR86 in the morning, and skipped any kind of lunch - I went for a walk out of the front door at home, through the woods down to the village, and up to the foothills of the Pentlands.
The sun was already diving towards the horizon, and the shaded grass was still covered from last night's frost. The few blackberries not picked by local babushkas (and me) in those warm weeks of autumn had withered; only a few leaves on trees were yet to fall. And everywhere that cold, penetrating dampness that will be with us now until April. Rugby weather, at least until I took up curling in my final years of school (as you were allowed to dress properly for the cold on an ice rink, rather than forced to play outside in only shorts and boots on the stone-hard ground of February).
The animals should really be inside by now. Perhaps it's the cost that's keeping them out in the cold. The poor sheep - now looking like white lions, with their woolly manes - spend the few daylight hours munching through frozen grass. Imagine spending all of your days eating only icy salad leaves.
Yan, chan, tether, mether, pip...
Not fun.
=
After making payment, receiving the three-day insurance documents and confirming everything with my local dealership, I headed out late morning to collect my new GR86.
Upon arrival, the car was ready in the handover bay. The marvellous salesman explained that they had not put the customary sheet over the car for the "big reveal", to avoid any chance of dust or grit scratching the paintwork when whisked off. They really were very considerate and attentive, today and throughout the rather long journey to taking ownership.
I had previously expected to take the car directly to a detailing operation to correct and protect the paintwork with a full ceramic coating. However - due to the time of year, and not wanting to book the detailing treatment until I knew the car was at the dealership - this might not happen for a couple of weeks, so I asked the dealership to proceed "carefully" with their usual vehicle preparation. The detailer had already treated a number of their GR Yarises, and expressed no reason for concern. Indeed, none was warranted - the car looked clean and free of any issues, inside and out. Slight trace lines of residue from the protection stickers were visible on the front wings, and around the protective sticker on the boot sill is easily dirtied, but the salesman explained that they had decided against any more vigorous cleaning to prevent damage before a full detailing. This was perfectly reasonable.
A few brief chats with passing salespeople later - and with my bamboo key box and new fluffy Issho companion - I was ready to head out for the maiden voyage. Though I was quite young at the time, I imagine that this is how the world appeared while being born:
The car was... exactly as you remember it from your test drive. I was surprised again at how easily the gearbox and brakes engage, but the car had been sitting in a toasty showroom for a while. None of the warm-up issues that I have slowly learned to overcome with my older Porsche.
As I have seen the question asked, you do indeed receive fitted "GR86" floor carpets:
And, for the record, I believe I have solved the mystery of the "17.7 mpg" which caused such consternation in an earlier post.
Here is my dash display after driving home:
From leaving the showroom, the "AVG mpg" was climbing from literally zero. I was typically getting about 30-32mpg on my drive home, and the average crept up with every passing mile. (The car had 10 miles on the odometer upon collection, by the way.)
Since I was also the first into the silver demonstrator way back in... November, I suspect that the car takes a while to establish an average fuel consumption. I am assuming that driving as if there is an egg under the throttle pedal will give you a fuel economy in the early-30s. I also suspect that - after your first 1,000 miles running in, and when spring sunshine returns - that number may drop!
Until then, I look forward to many happy journeys with my new friend:
Whether after the last few years of lockdowns and separations from friends and family, or recent economic turmoil, or bafflement at the notion of "European conditions", I am sure each of us has had cause to question our commitment to these cars, and to surrender to the temptation to cancel our orders. I, for one, am glad to have kept faith with Zoo Company!
Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and experiences over these past eight months. Though we are - for now - strangers to one another, this forum has been enormously helpful to me, from placing an order to tracking the boat to puzzling over the fate of our cars after they entered theBermuda Triangle Derby compound. I am also grateful to the wonderful staff at Toyota Buy Online, who have been courteous and supportive throughout the process leading to today. So, thank you.
Please remember that the only car that matters is yours. Please take a test drive, and consider whether you can first provide for all the more important things in life. It doesn't matter what some child writing for a magazine, or your mates at work, or friendly folks on online forums think. And nobody will remember whether they got theirs first, or tenth, or four-hundredth. You will get your car first.
I don't care whether they make 400 or 400,000 for the UK market. "This is my GR86, there are many like it, but this one is mine...".
And so, if you'll please excuse me, I have a thousand miles to cover before the snows arrive.
This afternoon - having collected and brought home the GR86 in the morning, and skipped any kind of lunch - I went for a walk out of the front door at home, through the woods down to the village, and up to the foothills of the Pentlands.
The sun was already diving towards the horizon, and the shaded grass was still covered from last night's frost. The few blackberries not picked by local babushkas (and me) in those warm weeks of autumn had withered; only a few leaves on trees were yet to fall. And everywhere that cold, penetrating dampness that will be with us now until April. Rugby weather, at least until I took up curling in my final years of school (as you were allowed to dress properly for the cold on an ice rink, rather than forced to play outside in only shorts and boots on the stone-hard ground of February).
The animals should really be inside by now. Perhaps it's the cost that's keeping them out in the cold. The poor sheep - now looking like white lions, with their woolly manes - spend the few daylight hours munching through frozen grass. Imagine spending all of your days eating only icy salad leaves.
Yan, chan, tether, mether, pip...
Not fun.
=
After making payment, receiving the three-day insurance documents and confirming everything with my local dealership, I headed out late morning to collect my new GR86.
Upon arrival, the car was ready in the handover bay. The marvellous salesman explained that they had not put the customary sheet over the car for the "big reveal", to avoid any chance of dust or grit scratching the paintwork when whisked off. They really were very considerate and attentive, today and throughout the rather long journey to taking ownership.
I had previously expected to take the car directly to a detailing operation to correct and protect the paintwork with a full ceramic coating. However - due to the time of year, and not wanting to book the detailing treatment until I knew the car was at the dealership - this might not happen for a couple of weeks, so I asked the dealership to proceed "carefully" with their usual vehicle preparation. The detailer had already treated a number of their GR Yarises, and expressed no reason for concern. Indeed, none was warranted - the car looked clean and free of any issues, inside and out. Slight trace lines of residue from the protection stickers were visible on the front wings, and around the protective sticker on the boot sill is easily dirtied, but the salesman explained that they had decided against any more vigorous cleaning to prevent damage before a full detailing. This was perfectly reasonable.
A few brief chats with passing salespeople later - and with my bamboo key box and new fluffy Issho companion - I was ready to head out for the maiden voyage. Though I was quite young at the time, I imagine that this is how the world appeared while being born:
The car was... exactly as you remember it from your test drive. I was surprised again at how easily the gearbox and brakes engage, but the car had been sitting in a toasty showroom for a while. None of the warm-up issues that I have slowly learned to overcome with my older Porsche.
As I have seen the question asked, you do indeed receive fitted "GR86" floor carpets:
And, for the record, I believe I have solved the mystery of the "17.7 mpg" which caused such consternation in an earlier post.
Here is my dash display after driving home:
From leaving the showroom, the "AVG mpg" was climbing from literally zero. I was typically getting about 30-32mpg on my drive home, and the average crept up with every passing mile. (The car had 10 miles on the odometer upon collection, by the way.)
Since I was also the first into the silver demonstrator way back in... November, I suspect that the car takes a while to establish an average fuel consumption. I am assuming that driving as if there is an egg under the throttle pedal will give you a fuel economy in the early-30s. I also suspect that - after your first 1,000 miles running in, and when spring sunshine returns - that number may drop!
Until then, I look forward to many happy journeys with my new friend:
Whether after the last few years of lockdowns and separations from friends and family, or recent economic turmoil, or bafflement at the notion of "European conditions", I am sure each of us has had cause to question our commitment to these cars, and to surrender to the temptation to cancel our orders. I, for one, am glad to have kept faith with Zoo Company!
Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and experiences over these past eight months. Though we are - for now - strangers to one another, this forum has been enormously helpful to me, from placing an order to tracking the boat to puzzling over the fate of our cars after they entered the
Please remember that the only car that matters is yours. Please take a test drive, and consider whether you can first provide for all the more important things in life. It doesn't matter what some child writing for a magazine, or your mates at work, or friendly folks on online forums think. And nobody will remember whether they got theirs first, or tenth, or four-hundredth. You will get your car first.
I don't care whether they make 400 or 400,000 for the UK market. "This is my GR86, there are many like it, but this one is mine...".
And so, if you'll please excuse me, I have a thousand miles to cover before the snows arrive.
Last edited:
