Jump to content

Leaderboard


Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 12/28/20 in all areas

  1. 4 points
    Stutopia

    Stubaru BRZ

    I've been a bit quiet on here as the last few months I've left the BRZ alone and been on the prowl for something slightly different. It's taken a while and a couple of disappointing trips to dealers, in between stinking lockdowns, but last month my new 'practical daily' arrived, Klaus. Klaus (we might rename later) is a 2014 Cayman GTS and fits the 'practical daily' category because it's a PDK 😉. Since lockdown, most of my driving has been city based and motorway cruising, so I've been wanting to try out one of these fancy autos for ages. Needless to say, after an initial test drive on some very pleasant A & B roads in North Yorkshire, I was hooked. A quite different drive to the BRZ and although I'm a big defender of the BRZ from the 'it's not got enough power' brigade, I must admit it's nice to have a bit more oomph on tap for the odd overtake and occasional motorway burst. Other than that, it's quite a bit smoother on our less than perfect tarmac (even though it's on 20s and has the lowered sport chassis) and a lot quieter indoors too. So far, this added refinement is a bit alien to me, it has the effect of feeling less knowledgeable of the surface beneath you, which has plus and minus points, depending on what you're up to. Currently it is totally stock and the only possible change to that might be to drop down to 19s, to further relax the ride and perhaps a cheeky little ducktail to jazz up the back end. I genuinely have no intentions of doing much else, as it is pretty much sorted right out of the box (and much more capable than I am). Annoyingly it was not spec'd with Cruise Control, which I might get Porsche to retrofit - I miss it on the motorway in the ever increasing number of average speed area, but it had all of my other shopping list of extras; PTV, black dials, black alcantara interior plus the usual GTS refinements of the sports exhaust and sport chrono. Perversely, it sees about 4mpg more than the BRZ, for a similar driving mix, but other than that, I don't expect to see many cost savings, other than no mods. The only gripes I have are the paint is in bad shape, so it needs a correction in the new year and I really, really do not like the Pirelli P Zeros. Maybe it's because I've got more grunt and carry more speed than I'm used to but the grip in the wet and dry does not inspire confidence at all, they also make the most horrible noises and judders manoeuvring in car parks. Annoyingly they have about 6mm left on them. If I can't make up my mind on 19s soon, I'll stick with what I've got and get some lovely Michelin rubber on ASAP. Where does this leave the BRZ then? As it's only cost me about £135 a year extra to go mutlicar on the insurance, I'm very tempted to keep hold of it and scratch my modifying itch by adding some lightness, maybe some coils and having a dedicated track car that I am not worried about needing for a daily. For the time being, I'm keeping my powder dry to see if this stinking pandemic is ever going to end...
×