I am just wondering how members here now feel about their GR86? I would imagine most would have had their cars quite a while now. Has the magic gone or has the spirit risen? In August I will have had mine two years. I can honestly say that I still eagerly anticipate getting in and going for a drive, even just to the shops. I appreciate more now then when I first got the car the old analogue feel and noise. This is not a post of any importance but just a little note from me to share how happy I feel to own this car.
GR86 Honeymoon period over?
- Thread starter Joolone
- Start date
OPC100
Totally Hooked
Nope, definitely not yet over for me. I've had mine coming up to 2 1/2 years and I am now past 43,000 miles. It's actually got better. It's still drives like new, pretty much looks like new and everything has just bedded in so well and I feel like one with the car on a drive. It's currently my only car and I drive it most of the time, apart from when I drive my wife's cx5 or son's Mazda2. I guess driving it for this many miles helps me feel so connected with it. And it's not a motorway mile muncher either. I do use it to visit clients sites, but I always hunt out short cuts / long cuts to avoid motorways when I can, so I get to drive it on some great a and b roads across the country. 
It's got the odd stone chip, but hardly any, as I don't drive close to the car in front. No wear to the seats either, as I use the hands on the sill technique.
I make good progress, but don't rag it, as I tend to use momentum and anticipate other road users, overtaking when it makes sense, etc. Fast and smooth. I feel it is so good at this, and I can drive all day like this and tend to be faster than 99% of the other road users until I do get onto a dual carriageway, or motorway, then I just go with the flow.
The plan is to keep it long term, get something else next year and try to keep the miles down so that the warranty remains as long as possible. The thing is though, will I feel so connected to it, once I have two cars. I won't get something else sensible though, I'll just have two drivers cars, as I can't be done with driving something boring, life is too short.
It's got the odd stone chip, but hardly any, as I don't drive close to the car in front. No wear to the seats either, as I use the hands on the sill technique.
I make good progress, but don't rag it, as I tend to use momentum and anticipate other road users, overtaking when it makes sense, etc. Fast and smooth. I feel it is so good at this, and I can drive all day like this and tend to be faster than 99% of the other road users until I do get onto a dual carriageway, or motorway, then I just go with the flow.
The plan is to keep it long term, get something else next year and try to keep the miles down so that the warranty remains as long as possible. The thing is though, will I feel so connected to it, once I have two cars. I won't get something else sensible though, I'll just have two drivers cars, as I can't be done with driving something boring, life is too short.
Not over for me. There is no other new car that I rather have. Mods are slowing down as I am being made redundant and it seems the job market is pretty crap, need to land a job quickly to keep justifying its presence at home
Sonic
Totally Hooked
We have 2 vehicles and the GR86 is my own occasional plaything. I’ve had it for two years now and I had been toying with the idea of getting rid and replacing it with the new A110 GTS. I can’t see that happening though as I still get a sense of excitement every time I go to take the GR86 out. For the money it’s absolutely up there with the best.
Still love mine. Noticing some of its foibles a bit more after a couple of years, but the fact that I'm willing to try and resolve them or accept them, rather than use them as an excuse to shift the car on, speaks volumes for how much I enjoy it.
I sat in a new Mazda MX5 in a dealership yesterday while my GF was looking at a CX60. That's the only other car which has managed to turn my head as an alternative. But she said I looked "too big for it". Nonsense. But still, the GR86 is still the better option for me I think.
I sat in a new Mazda MX5 in a dealership yesterday while my GF was looking at a CX60. That's the only other car which has managed to turn my head as an alternative. But she said I looked "too big for it". Nonsense. But still, the GR86 is still the better option for me I think.
I hope you find the job you want soon! Were you at Wellington country farm shop a couple of weeks ago? I saw a blue 86 in the car park there.
Its good to see that this car keep our hearts pounding. There's plenty of dull cars out there which do a great job, but for people who enjoy driving something that excites the senses on the twists and turns of B roads then we're definitely winning.Nope, definitely not yet over for me. I've had mine coming up to 2 1/2 years and I am now past 43,000 miles. It's actually got better. It's still drives like new, pretty much looks like new and everything has just bedded in so well and I feel like one with the car on a drive. It's currently my only car and I drive it most of the time, apart from when I drive my wife's cx5 or son's Mazda2. I guess driving it for this many miles helps me feel so connected with it. And it's not a motorway mile muncher either. I do use it to visit clients sites, but I always hunt out short cuts / long cuts to avoid motorways when I can, so I get to drive it on some great a and b roads across the country.
It's got the odd stone chip, but hardly any, as I don't drive close to the car in front. No wear to the seats either, as I use the hands on the sill technique.
I make good progress, but don't rag it, as I tend to use momentum and anticipate other road users, overtaking when it makes sense, etc. Fast and smooth. I feel it is so good at this, and I can drive all day like this and tend to be faster than 99% of the other road users until I do get onto a dual carriageway, or motorway, then I just go with the flow.
The plan is to keep it long term, get something else next year and try to keep the miles down so that the warranty remains as long as possible. The thing is though, will I feel so connected to it, once I have two cars. I won't get something else sensible though, I'll just have two drivers cars, as I can't be done with driving something boring, life is too short.
I've only seen one 86 in Dorset, and that was a grey one in Wimbourne.
I sold my GR86 this week. I did really enjoy it but I had an opportunity at another GR Yaris last week which I've gone for. There was nothing wrong with the GR86 it's an incredible machine at the price point. I just slightly preferred the Yaris in a few ways and it's a touch more useable car for me. If anyone is interested it's a Neptune Blue one on 2900 miles and should be for sale at Inverness Toyota 
No, that wasn't me. I do have to take it out today annoyingly to a crowded and tight parking as I have extended family and we don't all fit in our main car.
MorrisM
Dedicated member
- Feb 4, 2024
- 151
- 203
- 43
I bought my GR86 to keep the miles off my 1997 MR2 which is sat at below 35,000 as I didn’t have the chance to drive it much over the last 20 years. Having used the GR86 daily for the last 12 months I’d like to avoid having to run it on the salty winter roads again (even though it’s been sealed/cavity waxed) so man-mathing to see about getting something less treasured for those days, but struggling to find something that isn’t boring or expensive, and I also don’t want to have another low mileage car that I wished I’d driven more…The plan is to keep it long term, get something else next year and try to keep the miles down so that the warranty remains as long as possible. The thing is though, will I feel so connected to it, once I have two cars. I won't get something else sensible though, I'll just have two drivers cars, as I can't be done with driving something boring, life is too short.
Yeah the honeymoon period is over for me but that's probably because I've driven an 86 chassis for 10 years, I still enjoy the car and appreciate it for what it is but I am tempted to try something else and could do with usable rear seats, I just struggle with the concept of letting go of something thats so rare and pretty unique.
The replacement for me would almost certainly be an FL5 Type R.
The replacement for me would almost certainly be an FL5 Type R.
Still all good. 23k miles in 20 months and loving it on every drive... It's a three car (and one bike) two person household and I know what keys I go for first, every time. Apart from the skip runs, that is always the wife's car
Silver Fox
Totally Hooked
- May 7, 2022
- 3,428
- 7,740
- 428
Sorry to hear about the redundancy my friend - good luck with the job hunting. Hope the Supra is well too.
Silver Fox
Totally Hooked
- May 7, 2022
- 3,428
- 7,740
- 428
KobayashiMaru86
Totally Hooked
I enjoy it when I use it but finding the opportunity to is tricky. If weather is crap I have the Swift so use that. If it's dry on a work day, I use the bike. If it's a nice weekend I'm up a mountain so again I take the Swift as I don't care about it picking marks up rallying through single track lanes. On a purely logical standpoint, I should sell it and think this a lot, especially over the winter months, almost like a feeling of guilt that I have money sitting there not doing much. But the second I get reacquainted again it reminds me how marvellous it is. It isn't perfect and there's more and more things that annoy me about it like interior rattles, the soft paint, soft glass, seat could be lower, still need to improve the brakes. But for the money there's nothing I'd swap for. I've put too much into it with the wheels and other bits for me to change and there's plenty of aftermarket support. The next step would be too big and too much money than I'd be happy to do and almost all of it carries luxury car tax.
People spend the same money and more on boring white goods which I find baffling. The main reason I'll buy it outright eventually is because this isn't happening again. The ultimate plan is to keep this, run the Swift until rust claims it and get either one of the very last FK8's or an FL5 to daily. PPF the whole thing and I'll never need another car. Got two of the best of their drive types and do all I would ever need them to.
People spend the same money and more on boring white goods which I find baffling. The main reason I'll buy it outright eventually is because this isn't happening again. The ultimate plan is to keep this, run the Swift until rust claims it and get either one of the very last FK8's or an FL5 to daily. PPF the whole thing and I'll never need another car. Got two of the best of their drive types and do all I would ever need them to.
TigerJim
Obsessed member
I’ll have had it three years come December and I’m only just coming up to 10,000 miles. I’m still very much in a honeymoon period, maybe because it only gets used once or twice a week. The more I use it though the more I get in tune with it and I’m starting to get less precious about stone chips, etc - after all, it’s there to be used!
Just completed the 500 mile round trip to Plymouth and back with the wife and four year old in the back, and we’ll be off to Brussels and Rotterdam in a few months. Is it the perfect car to do that? No. But could I do that in an MX5/Vantage/Alpine/Cayman/370z? Nope. And are the more practical alternatives (Civic Type R/Yaris/Alfa Quad/M2) ‘me’? Not really.
My next step will likely be an RCF as it felt (and looks) like a natural step from the GR, but not for a while.
Just completed the 500 mile round trip to Plymouth and back with the wife and four year old in the back, and we’ll be off to Brussels and Rotterdam in a few months. Is it the perfect car to do that? No. But could I do that in an MX5/Vantage/Alpine/Cayman/370z? Nope. And are the more practical alternatives (Civic Type R/Yaris/Alfa Quad/M2) ‘me’? Not really.
My next step will likely be an RCF as it felt (and looks) like a natural step from the GR, but not for a while.
Another reason i went back to Yaris. I found on nice days I'm walking/cycling/mtbing or on the motorbikes so it wasn't getting used. At least with the Yaris i now have a winter toy
Sold it early in the year as I never found the time to use it, good thing too as that money keeps us afloat for a few months
Renzokuken86
Devoted member
Have had mine since last August and although it put a big smile on my face every time I drove it I found I wasn't enjoying little local commutes over winter - 1st and 2nd gear didn't feel as easy to get into and felt the engine was a bit 50/50 until it warmed up. The (until recently) amazing weather up in Scotland over the last few months absolutely turned that on it's head though. Above 12 or so degrees the transmission and engine feel buttery smooth and I'm enjoying it more than ever! Hoping the sun peeks out again over summer for some twisty road drives!
