What Do You Want To Know About The Subaru BRZ's Twin? (FR-S Edition)

"Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow" (chriskf)
04/16/2015 at 17:27 • Filed to: None

Inspired by Justin Hughes's AMA about his !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , which was inspired by Damon Lavrinc's AMA about the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , I decided to do my own AMA about the BRZ's better half. My 2013 FR-S.

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Now I know these two cars are incredibly similar and a lot of the questions will likely be the same, but really I'm just trying to kill the last hour of a slow day at work. Also, I love talking about my car. haha

For a little bit of background, in case you have questions specific to my situation. I live in the northern suburbs of Chicago, and the FR-S is my only means of transport. I autocross it in CS so it's been lightly modified with a few more things planned, and I have also taken it ice racing a couple of times too. I've owned it since June 2014 and it's been on long-ish road trips to northern Wisconsin and central Michigan. And I really love driving it.

So ask away!

DISCUSSION (28)

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 17:30

What exhaust is the car running?

CB > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 17:32

If you could change one thing about the car, what would it be?

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
04/16/2015 at 17:33

Berk single-exit muffler delete. Bought it used off a guy in my club for $90. It made the car sound quite a bit better with minimal drone. For the cost, the value can't be beat.

I grew up following the '90s import scene, when dual exit exhaust on a 4cyl was considered rice. So I knew I had to switch to a single-exit exhaust. It also helped me shed about 22.5lbs in the rear. Going to add a cover over the passenger side exhaust hole as well.

Tim > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 17:35

Do you wave to other FRS owners?
Do you wave to BRZ owners?
How often does someone in a V8 American Car rev their engine at you?

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > CB
04/16/2015 at 17:35

Heated seats.

Illinois is effin' cold, man! As an Arizona native and all around skinny guy, I am not built for these Midwest winters. lol

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > CB
04/16/2015 at 17:36

It'd also be nice if there were less hard parking stance kids within the community, but that's not really a gripe with the car.

CB > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 17:37

Man, I feel that. Heated steering wheels and heated seats are a godsend.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Tim
04/16/2015 at 17:41

Yes to both the first two. There's actually a really great car scene in the Chicagoland area, and a really strong community around the Toyobaru out here. It actually kind of saved me from a bit of depression. When I took my new job out here, I learned how hard it is to make friends in your mid-20s when you don't know anyone. haha It was pretty tough for awhile, but once I got the FR-S I ended up meeting a lot of awesome people and have made some really great friends through the club.

Surprisingly, I don't get challenged to many races. The most recent incident I had was some high schooler in a fart-can equipped mid-90s Stratus revving next to me while I was parked outside of a girl's house. haha

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > CB
04/16/2015 at 17:42

I think I'd be ok without the steering wheel, because I've got some nice gloves. But I do wish I could toast my buns on those sub-zero mornings. haha

CB > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 17:43

I feel like every car sold north of the Mason-Dixon line (and Canada) should come with heated seats.

Tim > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 17:45

I tend to get guys who hate getting passed on the freeway. "I'm using cruise control and I happen to have it set a couple MPG over yours! Get over it!"

Haha, I have someone at least once a week rev up, or pass me and then slow back down just to re-assert their awesome manliness. It's pretty funny.

(BTW: I wave to any of the 86's models as well)

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Tim
04/16/2015 at 17:47

Nice. haha

Since my car is red, I tend to drive fairly conservatively to avoid unwanted attention from the police. So maybe since I put less douchey-ness out there I get less back. Idk. haha

nermal > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 17:48

How is it for longer road trips? Say > 2 hrs.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > nermal
04/16/2015 at 17:51

Great actually. I've been on a few 6+ hour trips to both Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as having done a few club cruises that have been like 12 hour days.

The seats, despite being somewhat aggressive for stock bucket seats, are surprisingly comfortable and the gas mileage is pretty good too.

Honestly, the seats in my '05 4Runner (previous vehicle) were way worse on long drives. No lumbar support, so my back would feel like crap if I drove for a long time.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Tim
04/16/2015 at 17:57

my car is significantly faster than any other car traveling 30mph and I'm doing 60

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 17:58

To be fair, most 4 cylinders that would have had that done, would not have had two cylinder banks.

Tim > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
04/16/2015 at 17:58

I support this message.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
04/16/2015 at 17:59

True. haha But I also have yet to hear of anyone running a true-dual exhaust on a Toyobaru. I'd be really interested to see that done though!

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 18:02

How many times do you drift on a daily basis?

What's the gas mileage like?

What's it like to live with it?

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!
04/16/2015 at 18:08

All day, e'ry day!

Just kidding. I drive fairly conservatively on normal roads, but when I do want to step the rear end out it's very easy to. Although during winter I was doing it around pretty much every turn. haha

I'm averaging 28.4 overall. Highest averages have been around 31-32mpg, and my lowest has been around 26.

It's very livable, for a mid-20s single guy with no pets or any real responsibilities beyond himself and his job. Can't speak for anything beyond that. haha The ride isn't too rough, even with the awful Illinois roads. Interior storage is fairly good; I can get all four extra wheels/tires and my autox box in the car. There are times I wish I had a bit more storage, but the majority of days it's not an issue.

I may pick up a late-80s to early-90s Toyota pickup or 4Runner as a winter/camping vehicle to supplement the FR-S before next winter though.

Manic Otti > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 18:27

I have nothing against either car, but I really wish one company or other had tried to do more to differentiate the styling. People give Lincoln shit for badge engineering, but this is basically the same thing. If it wasn't for the badges, I wouldn't be able to tell which is which.

Kinja'd!!!

Lekker > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 18:50

so much for superior to the BRZ :P an option is heated seats for the premium/limited IIRC. Ahoy from a fellow former Arizonan that moved to the midwest and dislikes the cold.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Manic Otti
04/16/2015 at 19:02

Most of the differences are in the front end. It's pretty easy to tell a BRZ apart from the FR-S/GT86, but with the Toyota and Scion the differences are much more subtle.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Lekker
04/16/2015 at 19:03

Lol that is the only instance where I think the BRZ has an advantage. Otherwise it's heavier (very slightly), more expensive, and the suspension is tuned to be more neutral and understeery while the FR-S is prone to oversteer more (e.g. be more fun). haha

Isn't the Midwest just terrible? lol

Manic Otti > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 19:24

Yeah, but aside from grille shape, they are virtually the same.

Lekker > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/16/2015 at 21:16

I was totally just giving you crap haha. I do however like the interior of the Subbie better, feels slightly nicer, but its marginal.

And hey, I just said I hate the extreme cold :P As much as I hate extreme heat? HELL NOO

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Manic Otti
04/16/2015 at 22:42

Grille, fog lights, headlights, and the markings on the side of the front quarter panel. But yeah. haha

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Lekker
04/16/2015 at 22:45

Haha I know. :)

Yeah, there interior is nice. But I just always tell BRZ owners that it's because the FR-S has more "beacause racecar." hahaha

Honestly, I'd rather deal with the heat. It was easy to escape. In AZ it was a 2 hour drive and I'm camping near Flagstaff, 6 hours to San Diego, 4 to Vegas, and 6 to Colorado.

Here, it's cold as fuck in every direction and with the snow storms it will take you 6 hours just to reach the state border. haha