GR86 What car did you previously drive ?

mike64

mike64

Dedicated member
Joined
Dec 1, 2023
Messages
117
Reaction score
163
I got mine as a weekend toy but now seriously considering selling my current daily driver and using the GR full time as its so much fun.

My current daily is a BMW X3, chalk and cheese but compared to the GR the BM is a bit well - meh :sleep:

Be interesting to see what members were driving before they got their GR's
 
A 2014 BMW 530d.

About the only thing it had in common with the GR was they were both RWD. And that's where the similarities ended.
 
2014 Jaguar F-Type R.

Both front engine and rear wheel drive.

The 86 is way more fun to drive although the power and the noise of the Jag were on another planet.

I don't regret changing for one minute.

IMG_20200702_082537.webp
 
Jaguar ePace… SWMBO loved it but she knew the GR was an itch I had to scratch..

Currently for sale at £200 less than we got from Cazoo so I’m tempted to buy it back.. I wonder if DVLA would still consider me as owner 2 if it’s been in the hands of the trade??
 
2015 A3 Sportback 1.4tfsi CoD s-line

Think I win the slowest previous car so far :D But on same tyres, same torque and same weight as the gr86 I think it's actually faster in the real world (certainly when conditions/roads are bad). Feels like I'm sitting on a bench and the pedals have a foot of travel when I get in after the gr86 though :p
 
I sold my Jaguar XKR and track prepped MGF VVC to get the 86. It splits the difference very well and hasn’t cost a fortune to run, unlike the XKR. I have an R56 mini One D, mostly for when I don’t want to park the 86 at my intended destination. The mini can still be entertaining.
 
kalniel said:
2015 A3 Sportback 1.4tfsi CoD s-line

Think I win the slowest previous car so far :D But on same tyres, same torque and same weight as the gr86 I think it's actually faster in the real world (certainly when conditions/roads are bad). Feels like I'm sitting on a bench and the pedals have a foot of travel when I get in after the gr86 though :p
Click to expand...
I can't imagine any circumstances where on the same tyres the GR86 loses to the A3 when pushed properly.
 
Peugeot 107, the model I drove the rev counter was an optional extra that the previous owner didn't spec. Truly a great poverty spec car to drive though, I do miss it but the whole thing rusted out. There's something quite fun about driving tinpot hatchbacks on back roads, even if you've got no power they're still a joy to throw about a bit. Gloriously cheap to maintain, too.
 
The 86 is used daily, but it's a weekender/mid_life_crisis car.

My previous one was an Alfa Giulia Veloce - brilliant chassis and steering; gearbox and big paddles excellent going up the ratios, software not quick enough for any form of block/quick shift down (auto slow too). Engine brilliant (280bhp, sweet spot for me) but no charming noise/charisma. 38 mpg on 2000 mile roadtrip, inc the Alps and the autobahns. Nothing went wrong in 2 yrs, solid 8.5/10. Would have another definitely.
 
VW Passat (B8) 2.0 TSI Variant, tuned to 415hp/575Nm. Was fun on straight roads, but terrible when driven harder in corners.
Did 12.6s quarter mile and beat one R8 in fair traffic light race. good memories.
 
Hyundai KonaN 2.0 T-GDI DCT, fitted with complete 3” exhaust system from Turbo to Tips including; Sports Cat, enlarged flexi down pipe, Decat mid-pipe and fast flow rear section & 5” CF tips. Modified to 300+ Bhp.
IMG_5880.webp
 
My runabout / commuting car used to be a Fiesta 1.0L Zetec S before the GR86 so a fairly light little nip-mobile. It was a very good little car - composed and light, cheap to run and made you enjoy driving. But I sold that about 4 months before the original Summer '22 delivery date for the GR86 so ended up not having a runabout for nearly a year so slummed it in the RS :cool:

Screenshot_2020-11-18-19-29-36-87.webp
 
Last edited:
My GR86 kind of replaced two cars - an MX5 NC2 (weekend / track car) with some nice additions and a BMW 420d GC (daily) - but I also bought an Alfa 146ti with 27k on it, as I had one when they were new back in the late 90's.

The MX5 with the demo GR86 I drove:
IMG20230901134009.webp


The BMW with the Alfa:
IMG20230707192028.webp


The MX5 was great to drive, with MeisterR suspension and lots of other upgrades. I'm yet to trust the GR86 as much as I trusted that car, but some decent weather should sort that.
The BMW was lovely and pristine, but had awful glassy steering and a (very efficient, but very dull) diesel engine.
Hopefully the GR86 and Alfa will stay for many years to come, even though everyone I know seems to think I change cars every five minutes.....
 
I also had a GT86, before that a 370Z. Got a lot of comments when I went from the Z to the gt86 that I went the 'wrong way' - 330hp to a mere 200ish (180 actual).

Completely different car, much preferred the 86 platform (although missed the lovely v6 with a cobra exhaust ) and so the 86's successor was the only thing I'd have switched to. So glad I did.

Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top