Anyone else have their eye on the FT86?

[rolla_fxgt]

What the toyota rep stated in the article is utterly stupid.
No-one would make an ECU that would adjust itself for first 100km and them permanently lock itself in.
What I think, the Subaru has no idea what the problem is, and Toyota just relaying what Subaru knows, which is nothing. Now, non-mechanical PR/Management type is translating whole bunch of maybes into something that they think people would understand.
Most likely everything is Subaru designed, so the ECU should be re-flashable. There is possibility in software glitch where it could cause mechanical damage (hence replacement of bits), but I haven't seen any photos of the mechanical damage yet.
Most of dealerships that deal with this issue simply are not trained to deal with it, especially Toyota, since everything is inside is Subaru.

Isn't the ECU toyota designed though? Just like the direct injection, which I read was possibly one of the causes too.
So if its a Toyota ECU, then is it still reflashable?

[2jayzgte]

I see in the latest Aussie mag WHEELS they tested a tuner version of this car and were mightly impressed it was 2nd overall over about 20 other cars in its price range.Beat out its tuner version BRZ and was only headed at the pass by an AWD VW.I was quite impressed.

Warren Luff and Rick Kelly were the test drivers.

[sergei]

What the toyota rep stated in the article is utterly stupid.
No-one would make an ECU that would adjust itself for first 100km and them permanently lock itself in.
What I think, the Subaru has no idea what the problem is, and Toyota just relaying what Subaru knows, which is nothing. Now, non-mechanical PR/Management type is translating whole bunch of maybes into something that they think people would understand.
Most likely everything is Subaru designed, so the ECU should be re-flashable. There is possibility in software glitch where it could cause mechanical damage (hence replacement of bits), but I haven't seen any photos of the mechanical damage yet.
Most of dealerships that deal with this issue simply are not trained to deal with it, especially Toyota, since everything is inside is Subaru.

Isn't the ECU toyota designed though? Just like the direct injection, which I read was possibly one of the causes too.
So if its a Toyota ECU, then is it still reflashable?

I think new Toyota ECUs are reflashable with a "secret" tool. At least Prius had this done as part of recall in the past.
In any case even if it was not reflashable, statement that it learns for first 100km and then locks in sounds very stupid.

[Alex B]

My understanding is most new cars are re-flashable. My Mazda had an issue where it would randomly fall out of Cruise Control, flash update from Mazda fixed it. Rough idle kinda sounds like a software fault to me...

[AE82 FXGT]

We can reflash any Ford/Mazda ECUs but only using the manufacturers diagnostic equipment with the manufacturers tune/update.

So while everyone is asking can you reflash it? You can probably reflash any modern vehicle, but reflashing it with something aftermarket is a different ball game.

[Willdat?]

Parents have 3500 km on theirs now. One interesting/weird aspect is how much of a midget my wife looks in the passenger seat at 5' 4" she can only see the back of the windscreen wipers!

[Timmo]

This rumour coming again....

http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/7852065 ... on-for-BRZ

My understanding is that Subaru/Toyota have rubbished a turbo version in the past....but perhaps only to ensure that initial sales of the NA versions were strong (i.e. so people didn't just hold out for the turbo)

[blindnz]

Saw my first in the flesh, a black one heading in the direction of Browns Bay

[YeMs]

We can reflash any Ford/Mazda ECUs but only using the manufacturers diagnostic equipment with the manufacturers tune/update.

So while everyone is asking can you reflash it? You can probably reflash any modern vehicle, but reflashing it with something aftermarket is a different ball game.

same situation with toyota.

the majority of the problem comes from the vvt setup. it is subaru designed. the way it works is very complicated. its extremely difficult to explain, it requires oil pressure and valve spring pressure to function. This is the main reason for the need for 0w/20 oil.

[Jdawg]

Saw a Blue one in BP in Manukau on Monday. Paint job looked way better in real life than on the Toyota website colour selector

[Kiwi-Corolla]

First one I've seen for sale on TradeMe: http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 076376.htm

EDIT: Make that the second one, didn't realise this one was also on there: http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 537636.htm

[Di]

Now you can buy TRD race ready 86 with roll cage for 2,800,000 Yen, that's just over 40k nzd

http://www.trdparts.jp/86racing/86racing.html

[Leon]

anyone buys a "cage" that looks like that, I'm going to punch them in the throat, and that's if I'm in a good mood that day.

That would be a banana-bendy worlds worst engineered joke "cage"

[GDII]

Is that bolt in or weld in? If that's weld in then that's lazy. I wouldn't want to roll one of them.

[Boost_4_Life]

oh dear trd, not good...

[Leon]

Is that bolt in or weld in? If that's weld in then that's lazy. I wouldn't want to roll one of them.

It will be bolt in (with nice foldy scissor joints for every join). Unfortunately you can get away with a structure that lousy for Japanese domestic use, which is why we see so many of them turn up here in boy racer type road cars.

[TRD Man]

First one I've seen for sale on TradeMe: http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 076376.htm

EDIT: Make that the second one, didn't realise this one was also on there: http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 537636.htm

I see there's a brown one for sale at the local Nissan dealership so you'd assume it's been traded in.
So they've been on the market for 2 or 3 months. They've probably sold half a dozen and half of those are back on the market as used cars. Not a great testamonial is it?

[Leon]

It's the nature of the beast, people get all excited about the newest and shiniest toys, and they won't suit everyone . Certainly not people who want 200kw rather than 200hp.

Though, I have a feeling they've sold more than you think.

[Leon]

They've probably sold half a dozen

Apparently they've sold 96 as of last month

[Alex B]

So possibly 5% brought it and found they don't like it. Jebus halt production.