GT86 as a daily

Lleyn elec

After spotting one of these in the north which was sold I’m considering one as a daily driver. Currently have no children and I have my own van aswell.
It would be used for work related cross country travel to sites with a fair amount of single track roads.
Most of the driving the last few years was in a Golf which was brilliant but very boring plus I can count on one hand the amount of times I had more than two people in the car.

Pros.
1. Toyota reliability and service costs, cheap tyres etc
2. Something interesting to look at and sit in every day on back roads
3. Cheap insurance
4. Over 1600cc so better km rate for claiming back mileage
5. Relatively decent size boot
6. If buying from NI low nox charge
7. Not rocket ship fast like a golf R etc so less chance of getting caught unknowingly doing some stupid speed.
8. Most examples seem to have really low mileage

Cons
1. Tax at 750
2. Strange car for a 35yo guy?!
4. Unusable back seats
5. Not the best for motorway driving
6. Poor selection in the south for sale

Anything I’m missing? Would be looking at a face lift one so a 2017+.

Midnight_EG

It's not toyota reliability, engine is Subaru

Lleyn elec

Midnight_EG wrote: »

It's not toyota reliability, engine is Subaru

Yes there is that, but with the exception of a valve spring recall on earlier ones I haven’t seen much bad reports on forums.

Midnight_EG

Lleyn elec wrote: »

Yes there is that, but with the exception of a valve spring recall on earlier ones I haven’t seen much bad reports on forums.

Mate of mine had one, got a new box, fuel pump and door locks from Toyota

Tr_18

I'm holding out to get one of these too when they drop in price another bit.
Your age might just about put you in mid life crisis territory but life's too short to drive boring cars
I'm sure you've done research on the cars but try to get a 2014+ car which hasn't been effected by the valve spring recall.
Have you got an insurance quote for one already, I'm surprised that you said they're cheap to insure?

Lleyn elec

Tr_18 wrote: »

I'm holding out to get one of these too when they drop in price another bit.
Your age might just about put you in mid life crisis territory but life's too short to drive boring cars
I'm sure you've done research on the cars but try to get a 2014+ car which hasn't been effected by the valve spring recall.
Have you got an insurance quote for one already, I'm surprised that you said they're cheap to insure?

About 600 through a work a scheme so not too bad.

Notch000

i dailyed an NB mx5 in my 30'd for several years, definitely do able, you said you have a Van too, what more do you want for practicality. No rear seat = no extra passengers and that not a bad thing a lot of the time

Eoinbmw

They are a tame old thing really so no problems as a daily!
Rear seats will do for the shopping!

cpoh1

Absolutely grand as a daily driver, fine boot, back seats in an emergency, fine on the motorway and perfect for shorter journeys as a petrol.

Go for it, lovely car to drive. BHP isint everything.

MetzgerMeister

cpoh1 wrote: »

BHP isint everything.

:pac:

Andrewf20

Tax is only 2 euro a day. I have a NC MX5 as a daily. Depends what you are used to but I find it fine so gt86 would be similar or better. Im not doing crazy mileage in it in fairness.

nsnoefc1878

Lleyn elec wrote: »

After spotting one of these in the north which was sold I’m considering one as a daily driver. Currently have no children and I have my own van aswell.
It would be used for work related cross country travel to sites with a fair amount of single track roads.
Most of the driving the last few years was in a Golf which was brilliant but very boring plus I can count on one hand the amount of times I had more than two people in the car.

Pros.
1. Toyota reliability and service costs, cheap tyres etc
2. Something interesting to look at and sit in every day on back roads
3. Cheap insurance
4. Over 1600cc so better km rate for claiming back mileage
5. Relatively decent size boot
6. If buying from NI low nox charge
7. Not rocket ship fast like a golf R etc so less chance of getting caught unknowingly doing some stupid speed.
8. Most examples seem to have really low mileage

Cons
1. Tax at 750
2. Strange car for a 35yo guy?!
4. Unusable back seats
5. Not the best for motorway driving
6. Poor selection in the south for sale

Anything I’m missing? Would be looking at a face lift one so a 2017+.

You can put cheap tyres on anything.
You're 35, not 135.

Lleyn elec

nsnoefc1878 wrote: »

You can put cheap tyres on anything.
You're 35, not 135.

True! By cheap I meant small size!

nsnoefc1878

Lleyn elec wrote: »

True! By cheap I meant small size!

Hahaha, well of course :D

fryup

but the VRT will cripple you...unless of course you're on a good wage

athlone573

Check the ground clearance, as you mention single track roads (which I take to mean boreens)

Dilbert75

Friend of mine has one as his daily. I find the suspension quite hard on bumpy roads. He does a lot of motorway driving and it's a great cruiser but I'm not sure I'd like to spend too much time on back roads in it.

Eoinbmw

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Friend of mine has one as his daily. I find the suspension quite hard on bumpy roads. He does a lot of motorway driving and it's a great cruiser but I'm not sure I'd like to spend too much time on back roads in it.

It's literally designed for back roads?

colm_mcm

Eoinbmw wrote: »

It's literally designed for back roads?

Not to be comfortable on them.

Eoinbmw

colm_mcm wrote: »

Not to be comfortable on them.

Comfortable is subjective!
If he's looking at a gt86 I'm sure he's expecting a more performance orientated ride quality!
They are perfectly compliant in standard form no harsher than an sline or msport!

Dilbert75

I've driven cars that had more compliant rides that I could enjoy more because I could push on without discomfort.

athlone573

I'm thinking if I wanted to hammer something down the back roads I'd be looking at a performance saloon, M sport, Accord, Impreza something like that, just for comfort, but fair play for thinking of something different.

Andrewf20

Most backroads today are still pretty smooth unlike the 1980s. My MX5 has a stiff setup and its perfectly comfortable pretty much everywhere. Its the pot holes or damaged surfaces that are the issue but you can usually spot them coming and steer around them.

athlone573

Andrewf20 wrote: »

Most backroads today are still pretty smooth unlike the 1980s. My MX5 has a stiff setup and its perfectly comfortable pretty much everywhere. Its the pot holes or damaged surfaces that are the issue but you can usually spot them coming and steer around them.

I'm thinking of farm /forestry tracks and bog roads I suppose hence the query re typical road type.

Lleyn elec

Attached would be an example of the single track roads, surface can vary a lot depending.
Thanks for all the info, I’ll just have to wait and see if I can get a decent test drive and make up my own mind.

Midnight_EG

fryup wrote: »

but the VRT will cripple you...unless of course you're on a good wage

What a strange thing to say?

passatman86

Not sure of his job title but i regularly see a man going into a housing development site in a blue 2020 bmw m8. Funny seeing him drive off when he keeps his safety hard hat on. If you want a 2 door "sports" car as a daily and the odd work commute - then get one. Why not is the question. Fair play for having the want for one

fryup

Midnight_EG wrote: »

What a strange thing to say?

why?

if he's on a big salary...go for it

you didn't highlight the word *unless...which is strange on your part

Lleyn elec

fryup wrote: »

why?

if he's on a big salary...go for it

you didn't highlight the word *unless...which is strange on your part

Can’t see why the salary would matter in this case, the car is hardly super expensive and I see the VRT ranges from 3k for 2013 to 7k for a 2017 for NI reg cars so not unreasonable.

fryup

well for those of us on a modest income 3 to 7k for vrt alone would be unreasonable

Lleyn elec

fryup wrote: »

well for those of us on a modest income 3 to 7k for vrt alone would be unreasonable

Probably nothing got to do with this thread though.

Tr_18

fryup wrote: »

well for those of us on a modest income 3 to 7k for vrt alone would be unreasonable

God forbid the OP wants to spend a few bob on a car :rolleyes: