I'm having a bit of an automotive crisis.

"Decay buys too many beaters" (decay)
03/28/2016 at 22:35 • Filed to: None

I’d like to start this off by saying I love my FR-S. It’s a fantastic car to drive that distills all the best attributes of 70's and 80's sportscars down into one relatively modern package. Yes it’s slow compared to most cars currently on the market, but that’s not the point. It’s a car made to deliver as pure a driving experience as is possible today at that price point, and in that regard it’s a complete success. Over the last few years I’ve autocrossed it, tracked it, taken it on countless adventures through the back roads, and met some truly amazing people in the community. I always thought I’d keep the car forever.

But this weekend was the first break from Northwest rain, and you know what? I didn’t even look at the FR-S. I was too busy trading off between hooning my new (to me) DR-Z and my modified SV650.

It hit me on Sunday night after exploring some forest roads on the dirtbike that between the E39 and the bikes, the Scion (and for that matter sportscars in general) doesn’t really have a place in my garage anymore. I honestly can’t think of a scenario where taking the Scion would be the best option. For a quick blast through the twisties, I’ll take the SV. Exploring? Hands down the DR-Z. And for longer distances or commuting I’d take the BMW without a second thought.

Now I think it’s normal for people for people’s eyes to wander a little when it comes to cars. I mean I’m guilty of coveting the new Miata (as well as the new Mustangs and Camaros) over my FR-S, but now I’m seriously considering selling and not replacing it with something else. This would mark the first time I’ve ever been without an enthusiast/project/sport car and I’m not sure how I feel about it.

A few years ago when I thought about the perfect car on the perfect road, it was always a Catetham or a Lotus on an impossibly smooth technical forest road with no other cars in sight. Today the setting hasn’t changed but I’m almost certainly atop a KTM duke Triumph triple or a Husqvarna supermoto.

Has anyone else struggled with this? I’m finding myself less and less excited about new cars coming out even though we’re in the middle of what is probably the golden age of performance. In the days of a factory 500+ horsepower track beast Mustang, why do I honestly think that one would sit idle in my garage and play second fiddle to my current cheap and decidedly run of the mill collection of bikes?

DISCUSSION (43)

TheOnelectronic > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 22:41

Sell FR-S. Acquire Superduke.

I sat on one the other day. Obviously with ergos YMMV but it was just so... right. Everything felt good.

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 22:44

Hmm, no one is forcing you to sell, correct? I mean some extra cash would be nice, but not necessary. If you sold, you could buy more bikes, if you so desired. If you have time/money/energy you could sell and replace that space in your garage with a project, but not everyone would be willing to part with a shiny modern sports car for a pile of parts.

Sounds like quite the dilemma. Best of luck!

Decay buys too many beaters > TheOnelectronic
03/28/2016 at 22:44

You know, I’m actually considering it, dealer local has one lightly used 1290R asking just under 14. And yeah, went to a demo day, what a freaking machine!

Though it’s a toss up between the lightness and toss-ability of the 690 vs the holyfuckingshit-ness of the 1290. If we got the 690R here that would be my choice.

Decay buys too many beaters > Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S.
03/28/2016 at 22:48

No, I have nothing forcing me to sell, car is paid off and I have the garage space for everything. I just don’t really like the idea of it being a garage queen. I mean I still intend to track it, but I could get an old Miata for that and still have enough left over to basically walk into any local motorcycle dealer with cash in hand.

TheOnelectronic > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 22:51

Personally I’ve been riding a holyfuckingshit bike for a while now, so if I were getting something new I’d lean towards light and tossy.

Did you ride the 690? Is it as smooth as people claim? Had an F800R that vibed so bad my hands would go numb after a few hours. Never again.

bob and john > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 22:51

meh. sports cars. you can get the same fuzzy feeling and be a LOT faster on a bike for WAY less.

my ideal garage? some big cruiser car (like a 5 series or a A6 tdi) or a truck, and a bunch of bikes.

Decay buys too many beaters > TheOnelectronic
03/28/2016 at 22:56

Smooth enough, I mean it’s no 4 cylinder, but unlike the DR-Z all my fillings are still intact after riding. I could see it doing distance rides without much issue.

An yeah, my only real concern about the 690 is that I wish the suspension had adustability. The gsxr1000 swap I did on the SV has spoiled me a little when it comes to shocks.

nafsucof > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 22:56

I’m just so damned scared of idiot inattentive drivers it scares me to get back into motorcycles. I dabbled with dirt bikes growing up and moved to mtn bikes after a broken throttle cable ghosted my Ktx125 and broke things...it's just other drivers on the road, atleast around here in ct. Atleast you know what you want. So many people throw money at things to try and find happiness, seems like you found your happy place happy!!

TheOnelectronic > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 22:57

Heh. My shocks are adjustable but I’ve never messed with it since I wouldn’t have the first idea what to adjust.

Decay buys too many beaters > bob and john
03/28/2016 at 22:59

Which is where I’m at right now, got my 5 series, which is comfortable, fast, and most importantly dry, along with the sportbike and the dirtbike. Only thing I really need to round out the collection is an old cruiser for touring duties.

I can see the FR-S sitting around a whole lot this summer.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 22:59

You appear to have another vehicle pictured in the garage, so you obviously don’t “need” the FRS. I think you’ve given this some good thought. If you find you feel this way for a while longer, I say sell it. Or trade for my pickup, it’s up to you.

bob and john > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:01

yep.

honestly, if I were you, i’d sell it and use the money to get a motorcycle lift and some tools and a project. start sink some $ and time into that, then sell it for (maybe) a profit

Decay buys too many beaters > TheOnelectronic
03/28/2016 at 23:02

A really fast racer told me once to adjust everything to full hard and go out for a ride, then adjust everything to full soft and repeat. Then it becomes simply a matter of playing around in the middle ground to see what you like best.

Decay buys too many beaters > nafsucof
03/28/2016 at 23:04

You know, I hear you there. I try to avoid highways and multi-lanes as much as possible. Especially here in Oregon.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:06

I’d say use the FR-S for shenanigans when you can. Sure, bikes are fun but I personally don’t think you can drift one.... :P

On a side note, here’s an example from my dad: at one point he owned
-1999 BMW K1200LT (awesome bike)
-1997 BMW E36 M3 (euro spec, and modified. awesome car)
-2004 VW Bora TDI (euro car again, decent car, but great driver)

My dad rode the bike every nice day he had.
every other day? M3. every. time. the bora was the better driving car for work, but he still used the lowered, loud, thirsty M3 because he wanted smiles on his commute.

I say keep the FR-S as a second daily and fun car. it can do the duties of both, and be there for you when some of the other vehicles are down

Decay buys too many beaters > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/28/2016 at 23:08

Yep, that’s my E39 540i, one of the reasons the Scion sits around as much as it does. And I’ve actually been toying with a pickup for a little while, would make bike transport a whole lot easier! Plus as a recent homeowner, I’m finding more and more things that would be easier with the addition of something with a bed.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:12

Then it’s a deal! Hope you like the color red and carburetion.

Kinja'd!!!

Decay buys too many beaters > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
03/28/2016 at 23:12

Perhaps with some de-trackifying that would be a good option, but as it sits the straight piped, spherical bearing-ed FR-S has me reaching for the keys to my 540i 9/10 times.

Decay buys too many beaters > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
03/28/2016 at 23:13

And dirtbikes drift better than cars!!

Decay buys too many beaters > bob and john
03/28/2016 at 23:14

Got plenty of tools, a lift on the other hand, no you’re talking!

Decay buys too many beaters > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/28/2016 at 23:15

:( if the picture in the article didn’t make it obvious, it must be blue...

Steve in Manhattan > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:16

Huh ... if it doesn’t get driven, you’re paying (at least) the money to insure it. You can reduce it to a collector car (or similar) and say you’ll just put 5K a year or less on it .... If it’s something you thought you’d keep, you should keep it. You just might find yourself buying another one in 15 years.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:17

Damn. So close to a deal. Well you ain’t getting my Celica, so you can forget the whole thing!

Decay buys too many beaters > Steve in Manhattan
03/28/2016 at 23:23

Yeah, car is paid for so it isn’t costing me anything besides insurance and depreciation, and I can totally see these going the same way as the 240sx where clean ones are impossible to find.

Decay buys too many beaters > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/28/2016 at 23:24

i really feel like Toyota chickened out by not calling the FR-S/GT86 the Celica

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:24

(I mean my Celica isn’t blue either, but I do have a couple of blue dry erase markers on my desk)

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:25

maybe it’s the fact I’m 17, but I’d take the FR-S and show off like no other 7/10 times :P

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:27

Lineage is important! They also chickened out by making a Scion tC, which also could have been a relaunch of the line. And now the ongoing rumors of the Supra as a collaborated car with BMW... Oh well. I’ll just keep living in the 80s it seems.

Decay buys too many beaters > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
03/28/2016 at 23:29

Maybe I’m getting old, but my BMW is just so damn comfortable lol

Decay buys too many beaters > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/28/2016 at 23:32

The joke we had when the car first came out was that tC stood for “Toyota Celica”

Wow, just thinking about it now, the 80's were one hell of a time to be buying Toyotas

WRXforScience > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:33

Start taking the FRS to the track/autocross. It’s the perfect car to learn to drive in a more competitive/technical environment. The balance and communication help you learn technique while the comparatively low power keeps the mistakes easier to manage, recover, and eventually avoid. Plus it’s cheap; low weight and power make consumables cheaper.

You’ll fall in love with it all over again, then you’ll start modifying, and after some time and money you’ll have a completely differnt car and relationship with it.

Decay buys too many beaters > WRXforScience
03/28/2016 at 23:36

All done, been tracking and auto-crossing and modifying it for almost 3 years now. That’s actually all I’m using it for since around this time last year.

Steve in Manhattan > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:36

I suppose you could take it out weekly and get the exhaust up to temperature (so it doesn’t rust out) and do the required maintenance yearly whether you get to the mile marker or not .... And I agree - these cars will be like Supras and 240SXs - in the future it will be difficult to find a clean one.

Decay buys too many beaters > Steve in Manhattan
03/28/2016 at 23:41

Exhaust is all coated 304 stainless and titanium, no rust issues at all ;)

Steve in Manhattan > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:46

Still, get the inside heated up ... I’ve seen the results of neglect, and it wasn’t pretty.

Decay buys too many beaters > Steve in Manhattan
03/28/2016 at 23:47

Oh yeah, I buy LOTS of barn find scooters, time and lack of use is absolutely brutal on vehicles.

WRXforScience > Decay buys too many beaters
03/28/2016 at 23:53

Well, if you don’t get enough use out of it on track/parking lot then it might be time to move on. I’m recommending a 996 Porsche 911 or e46/e92 BMW M3, I believe that they are at the bottom of their depreciation curves and are looking to increase in value soon (3 pedal versions only). You could park some funds in one short term without losing anything or keep one for a few years and make some cash.

The luster on the new pony cars will fade as quickly as the new car smell, and the Miata is a convertible FRS with more body roll. Let someone else take the initial depreciation hit and allow for time to temper the worth of the flavor of the day.

Decay buys too many beaters > WRXforScience
03/29/2016 at 00:07

Oh yeah, I agree completely there. I as a rule, never buy new, hell even the FR-S I picked up 6 months old from a guy who was “trading up” to a WRX.

Now the 996 doesn’t really impress me beyond the whole “it’s a Porsche” thing wasn’t as fun to drive on the limit as the FR-S and didn’t feel very special (was shopping for them right before I bought the scion). Now I never really looked too hard at BMWs, but after owning my 540i/6 for a while I should totally give an M a shot. Probably an E46, the 92 is waaay to big for a 3 series.

That said, I can’t really think of a car that does fun better than my bikes and my fear is that whatever I fill my garage with would see the exact same amount of disuse as the FR-S

TheOnelectronic > Decay buys too many beaters
03/29/2016 at 00:25

Hmm. Not a half bad idea.

I should maybe put an extra zip tie on my oil cooler first.

Decay buys too many beaters > TheOnelectronic
03/29/2016 at 00:30

Just use metal zip ties and accept it a a permanent feature ;)

That’s how the headlight is mounted on the SV!

samssun > Decay buys too many beaters
03/29/2016 at 04:50

A turbo kit, nothing fancy, just to make the FRS hit about tree fiddy, would almost certainly change your mind.

Decay buys too many beaters > samssun
03/29/2016 at 10:24

I don’t know, have you ridden a fast bike? A grarhead’s life changes the first time they hit the throttle stop on a 1000cc sport bike.

bob and john > TheOnelectronic
04/01/2016 at 12:30

yea. we had that issue. threw on a HEAVY set of bar ends. helped, but still needs some more. a gearing change and a bar snake looks to be in the future for that bike