Thinking about getting a GR86 … any thoughts?

Hello everyone

I’ve been a big fan of Toyota for quite some time.

Right now, I drive a 2020 Corolla and really enjoy it, but my girlfriend needs a new car and I can buy one for myself and let her have mine.

I’ve always appreciated how dependable and well-built both the 06 Camry and the 20 Corolla have been.

I understand the GR86 is a collaboration with Subaru, and I have some questions about its quality.

Has anyone here driven one for an extended period of time … maybe around 5 to 10 years?

I appreciate any information you all can share

If we are discussing the GR86, I’ve been driving mine since it came out in January 2022. I currently have 33k miles on it and use it as my daily driver. I haven’t had any major quality issues.

Just a heads up, be ready for less space inside compared to the Corolla. The fuel efficiency is not great, especially with a smaller tank.

Make sure to get a quote from your auto insurer first. These cars tend to get wrecked quite a bit.

I can only speak about the reliability of the first generation. My FR-S gave me 9 years of worry-free driving. Nothing went wrong with it mechanically or electrically. I didn’t even have to deal with any recalls, which is pretty rare nowadays.

I’ve had the second generation for half a year now, and got the BRZ this time. So far, no problems to report, but it’s still new.

@Devin
Is there anything better on the BRZ compared to the FRS?

Frey said:
@Devin
Is there anything better on the BRZ compared to the FRS?

Are you asking about the first gen versus second gen or comparing the GR86 with the new BRZ?

As a Canadian, I found that price was a significant advantage in both generations. For some reason, Toyota charges more for these cars, like $2K-3K extra for the same model. It was different back when Scion was around since they were always a bit cheaper.

I haven’t driven one.

One thing to watch out for is that I’ve seen online about unexpected engine failure due to oil issues in certain situations. I’m not sure how common that is.

Keegan said:
I haven’t driven one.

One thing to watch out for is that I’ve seen online about unexpected engine failure due to oil issues in certain situations. I’m not sure how common that is.

It’s mainly long right turns at sustained speeds. If you’re not tracking it, you should be fine.

@Wynne
Got it, I’m just looking to use it daily and won’t be taking it to a track. Thanks for the advice

Asher said:
@Wynne
Got it, I’m just looking to use it daily and won’t be taking it to a track. Thanks for the advice

It’s a fantastic car for the price. A 6-speed manual for 29K is hard to beat.

This car is absolutely brilliant. The first generation is great, but the new generation has improved upon almost everything.

For what it’s worth, Toyota makes sure that their partners meet their quality standards. This includes BMW with the Supra collaboration.

They may not have designed the boxer engine, but it still meets Toyota’s standards. You can trust that.

The only issues reported are from those who track the car, which may concern some buyers since it was marketed as a track-ready vehicle. For everyday drivers like you, it shouldn’t be a problem. I haven’t heard of many other issues since it’s only been out for two years.

I only know about the GT86, sorry about that

Arlen said:
I only know about the GT86, sorry about that

No worries, thanks for your input

Asher said:

Arlen said:
I only know about the GT86, sorry about that

No worries, thanks for your input

Of course! I want to mention that I really love the handling. If they continue with a boxer engine, the weight distribution is perfect, just like a hot knife through butter. I’ve heard great things, and we finally got the turbos we wanted, so I don’t expect it to be bad.

I would have loved to buy one if it had five seats. The design is nice but just longer would have been better.

Honestly, it’s the usual issues with boxer engines. Sometimes the oil doesn’t drain to the bottom like it should, which can lead to corrosion or wear. (Think about the common head gasket issues that some Subarus experience). I believe the GR86 uses a Toyota fuel system, but I might be mistaken; this could have only been an issue with the GT86. The BRZ and the 86 are almost identical, but I think Toyota has made their version more Toyota-like, and the GR86 is even more so since it’s a GR model.

I could be wrong as it’s been a while since I read up on the 86/BRZ, so please correct me if I’m off base.

@Lily
What is a boxer engine?

RadiantRaven said:
@Lily
What is a boxer engine?

A boxer engine is a type of engine! Subaru makes most of their engines in this flat ‘boxer’ style. The 86 has a Subaru engine. Porsche also uses flat engines.

@Lily
Thank you for explaining

RadiantRaven said:
@Lily
Thank you for explaining

No problem! I should add that the advantage of this engine type over a standard inline engine is weight balance. Flat engines can lower the center of gravity, which is part of what makes the 86 and BRZ so agile. They’ve focused everything about the car on agility and control.