The Random E46/ZHP Question Thread

[t.er]

BRZ/FRS is as close as it gets

Honestly, back when I was shopping around for my first car back in 2015 I would've been thrilled with one of those but they were too expensive. The electric power steering is insanely good, so much so that I was questioning that it was electric and not hydraulic. And it's such a competitive platform too, both those and the ND Miata usually occupy the top 1/4 of the times at most autox's I've been to.

However I'm still glad I have my ZHP, it's really the embodiment of what a BMW 3 series was designed to do - just be a good all-around car. When I did my road trip to and from California, I'm not so sure my mom would've wanted to sit in the back of one of those for that long.

[Galapolis]

One of my friends has a BRZ. It definitely encapsulates that classic simple sports car feeling, and it feels far superior to the E46 in corners (not to mention it's track ready without oil pump or subframe issues). But as a daily driver, it really pales compared to the E46. The E46 interior isn't exactly the epitome of luxury, but damn that BRZ interior is bad. From the cheap switches to the hard plastic surfaces, it just looks and feels terrible from every angle. And that sound system is atrocious too.

The suspension and ride are good, but it's nowhere near as smooth as a decently maintained E46. Still, I've contemplated a GT86 or BRZ as my next car for some time, but in Germany, decent used ones still go for 25k+. I'd rather just get a 1.5 ND Miata for far less (<15k) and enjoy a car that's similar to the luxury of the E46. Hoping they will drop to under 10k in the next 2-3 years.

[das boots]

They do. It's called the Mini Cooper.

I'll take a Mini. Unfortunately, they are FWD. Too bad.

[az3579]

I'll take a Mini. Unfortunately, they are FWD. Too bad.

Why is that a problem?
They are very fun to drive and can be practically controlled by your right foot, just like a RWD car.

[Will]

As a DD, I would definitely prefer the e46 over the FRS.

One of the funnest cars I had was FWD. I should have never sold it. '90 CRX Si. No power steering with lots of feedback. One of the most comfortable seats I've sat in (I think they were made by Recaro, not confirmed), and one of the smoothest shifting transmissions I've driven. Zipping around up and down the hills and still getting 30+ mpg was fantastic.

Hondas from the late 80s through the early 2000s were awesome. But so were BMWs of that era.

[holyc0w]

Honestly, back when I was shopping around for my first car back in 2015 I would've been thrilled with one of those but they were too expensive. The electric power steering is insanely good, so much so that I was questioning that it was electric and not hydraulic. And it's such a competitive platform too, both those and the ND Miata usually occupy the top 1/4 of the times at most autox's I've been to.

However I'm still glad I have my ZHP, it's really the embodiment of what a BMW 3 series was designed to do - just be a good all-around car. When I did my road trip to and from California, I'm not so sure my mom would've wanted to sit in the back of one of those for that long.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the next gen one works out. Hoping for a bit more power, less torque dip, and not a whole lot more weight. You gain a chunk of weight if you look at the next tier of cars (Camaro and the like).

[t.er]

I'm looking forward to seeing how the next gen one works out. Hoping for a bit more power, less torque dip, and not a whole lot more weight. You gain a chunk of weight if you look at the next tier of cars (Camaro and the like).

I was initially excited and have been following news on ft86club and gr86.org. But as I read more into it my excitement starts to fade for the following reasons:


- It looks identical to the gen 1 car above the beltline, so it's likely the same platform. I'm not sure how much tweaking they will do to the suspension. Which is not a bad thing, but why not just get the gen 1 car if that's the case

- I'm hearing peak power figures of 206 HP, which isn't much gain over the FA20. But it's hard to say if that's true until we can see a torque and power curve

- If the latest renders of the interior are true, then I'm not a fan as it follows the trend of having a glued-on iPad screen on top of the dash. I greatly prefer the aesthetic of the old interior, though I'm sure quality will be improved

I guess we'll wait and see how much better this new car is to the old, but if there's not much difference then why not get a 2015+ BRZ for >$10k cheaper, then you have so much extra mod money and existing aftermarket support for the gen 1 car

[das boots]

Why is that a problem?
They are very fun to drive and can be practically controlled by your right foot, just like a RWD car.

Just old school. That's just me.

[stephenkirsh]

Just old school. That's just me.

I mean... the mini pre-dates the 3 series by decades.

First gen of the BMW-era Cooper S models are just as fast on track as a zhp.

[holyc0w]

I was initially excited and have been following news on ft86club and gr86.org. But as I read more into it my excitement starts to fade for the following reasons:


- It looks identical to the gen 1 car above the beltline, so it's likely the same platform. I'm not sure how much tweaking they will do to the suspension. Which is not a bad thing, but why not just get the gen 1 car if that's the case

- I'm hearing peak power figures of 206 HP, which isn't much gain over the FA20. But it's hard to say if that's true until we can see a torque and power curve

- If the latest renders of the interior are true, then I'm not a fan as it follows the trend of having a glued-on iPad screen on top of the dash. I greatly prefer the aesthetic of the old interior, though I'm sure quality will be improved

I guess we'll wait and see how much better this new car is to the old, but if there's not much difference then why not get a 2015+ BRZ for >$10k cheaper, then you have so much extra mod money and existing aftermarket support for the gen 1 car

Yeah, they're kind of stuck. They don't want to deviate too much from the original formula. But as it's not changing much there's no reason to get the latest model with the prices as they are. I also like the updated ND Miata.

On the electric side, the Honda E seems pretty cool, but we're not getting that in the U.S.