Although I was sad to say goodbye to my Prelude, I'm very happy with my new BRZ.
It has all the traits of my ideal car: weighs less than 3,000 lbs., handles great, seats four people if needed and priced around $25,000 (pretty close, I paid $26,680).
My final requirement was that it's got to be quick. How fast is fast enough? A six-something 0-60 is all I need. It's all relative, so if we're comparing the BRZ against the Dodge Challenger SRT8, then yes, by that comparison it's underpowered. However, in the real world, the BRZ is plenty quick for most drivers.
As one of my earlier posts stated,the FT-86 can definitely use some better tires for even crisper steering and improved dry grip. I'm actually a little surprised at how firm the car rides. The car definitely rides harder than my old Prelude SH, so I'm inclined to change the tires to the smoothest Extreme Performance Summer tire, the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11.
The optimum size for a BRZ or Scion FR-S running the 7" wide 48mm offset Original Equipment wheels is 215/45R17 because compared to 225/45R17 it provides better steering response and gearing. I'll probably run 225/45R17 because it's a very common tire size. I like to run common sizes so I can get seat time with different tires.
Have you been waiting for Eibach to release Pro-Kit Springs for the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ? Well, they are now in stock and one of my co-workers has already installed them on his BRZ.
Eibach makes the same Pro-Kit Springs for both the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ. The average lowering is about an inch for both the front and rear. In addition to looking great, the Eibach Pro-Kit provides a great balance between ride and overall handling. Compared to his BRZ on stock springs, my co-worker has noticed the following:
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The car feels like it is stuck to the road, especially when the road is smooth.
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There is much less body roll with the Eibach Springs and the car corners better. You can dive into a corner and feel very safe and comfortable with the car.
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The feel is very tight when going in and out of corners.
Eibach Pro-Kit FAQ:
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What are the Pro-Kit's spring rates? The Eibach Pro-Kit Springs are progressive rate springs. Their rate varies with the amount of spring compression. The more compression, the stiffer the spring. Therefore, minor road imperfections cause less spring compression and will result in the springs working at a lower rate for a better ride compliance.
During fast cornering, hard braking and rapid acceleration you'll get dynamic weight transfer from front to back, and side to side. Greater weight compresses the springs more so they act at higher rates for better vehicle control.
The actual spring rate range is 48-200 lbs./in for the front and 103-274 lbs./in for rear.
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What wheels and tires are on your co-worker's vehicle? He's running 245/35ZR18 Michelin Pilot Super Sports with 18x8 ET48 5-100 gold O.Z. Racing Alleggerita wheels.
Since the release of the Subaru BRZ and its twin the Scion FR-S, we have been able to get both vehicles to Tire Rack's headquarters for measurements. First indication is that these very capable cars have been very "under tired" from the factory. Despite its excellent poise and impressive skidpad numbers, the BR-Z and FR-S are shod with a narrow 215/45-17 all-season tire from the factory. Such a fitment, although good for fuel efficiency and tread life, severely inhibits the cars' true performance. The wheels also seem a bit too narrow and use a very conservative high offset which makes them appear sunken into the fenders.
Based upon our measurements, these two cars are capable of running a 245 width tire on all four corners -- utilizing anywhere between a 17"-19" wheel. If you're wanting to run a staggered set-up, the rear fender arches can accommodate a width up to 265mm with the correct wheel.
Autocross and track driving participants will likely wish to use a square set-up to maintain the car's balance. The hot set-up for these, in my opinion, would be a 17x8 wheel using a 245/40-17 tire at all four corners. This tire size allows for many popular street tires to be installed including the Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD08, Bridgestone Potenza RE-11, Kumho Ecsta XS, Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec and Hankook Ventus R-S3. Are you looking to utilize a purely competition tire? You may find interest in the Hankook Ventus Z214, BFGoodrich g-Force R1, Hoosier A6 or Hoosier R6
With many tire choices available, as well as a large inventory of wheels from manufacturers like Enkei Racing Series, O.Z. Racing and Sparco, the best way to start looking for your desired set-up is to view our Tire & Wheel Packages.
Scion has always been proud about their wide choice of accessories and options that let you personalize your vehicle. However, can you really get a one-of-a-kind look with dealer options?
If you want to take your Scion down the path less traveled, go beyond the dealer catalog. Focusing on wheel choices for the tC, the vehicle offers a good combination of low weight, decent handling and Toyota reliability. We provide a wide variety of unique options for both the original tC (2005-2010) and second-generation models.
Four distinctive wheel choices that you won't see on every other Scion tC are the 18x8 ET45 anthracite painted Borbet LV5, the 18x8 ET45 black with red accent Axis Xcite, the 18x8 ET45 machined with graphite accent O.Z. Racing David and the 18x8 ET 45 Sparco Assetto Gara available in black, blue, bright silver, bronze, gold, green, matte graphite, orange, red and white.
Each of the four options will work with your 225/45-18 Original Equipment tires and accept the O.E. Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors. If you prefer the look a wider tire, both 235/45-18 and 245/40-18 are compatible sizes. The 235/45-18 won't provide enough increased width to make a noticeable difference.
Scion TC FAQ:
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What does 18x8 ET45 mean? 18x8 means the wheel is 8" wide and ET45 means the wheel has a 45mm offset. Your second-generation tC O.E. wheel is 7.5" wide with a 39mm offset. This means the edge of an 18x8.5 ET45 wheel will be in the same place relative to the fender compared to the O.E. wheel. The edge of the wheel will be .35mm "out" towards the fender compared to the O.E. wheel. I calculated .35 mm by adding one-half of the 1/2" wheel width difference (6.35mm) and subtracting 6mm higher offset difference. Higher offsets push the wheel "in" towards the rotor and lower offsets push the wheel "out" towards the fender.
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I'm concerned about the replacement cost of Scion tC O.E. tires, are there other choices that'll work for my vehicle? Most first-generation TCs came with the 215/45-17 Yokohama S32A that currently sells for $274* each, while second-generation models are running the 225/45-18 Toyo Proxes A20 ($290*) and Yokohama AVID S34F ($217*). When it comes time to replace the O.E. tires, you'll find several options that may work better with your budget including the Kumho Ecsta 4X, Yokohama AVID ENVigor and Bridgestone Potenza RE970 AS Pole Position.
*Prices subject to change
After what seems to be decades of waiting, the first Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ are beginning to arrive.
Initial vehicle availability will be tight. Here at Tire Rack, we're still waiting to get them in our studio to be photographed. Thanks to the help from our suppliers, we've been able to post a preliminary list of compatible wheels for the FR-S and BRZ (fitment is obviously the same for both). The Original Equipment wheel is 17x7, 5-100 48mm offset. Many drivers will prefer a wider, lightweight wheel with the same offset.
If you prefer a wheel that weighs less than 18 lbs., the list is narrowed down to: the 17x8 45ET Enkei Racing Series RPF1 in black or bright silver, 17x8 48ET O.Z. Racing Alleggerita HLT available in matte graphite silver, white, black, orange, blue, gold and red, the Enkei RP03 in bright silver (the black painted version is estimated to arrive in June) and the Ultraleggera HLT in black, bright silver, matte graphite silver and gold.
As for tires, I'd go with 225/45-17 sizing to complement the wider wheels. Personally, I prefer the 25" overall diameter better than the slightly larger 25.3" 235/45-17 tires. When making your tire choice, consider the best value Extreme Performance Summer tires discussed in a previous blog post, as well as the Toyo Proxes R1R and Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD08.
If you visit Europe or Asia, you'll notice a wide assortment of very small microcars you never see in the United States. Conventional wisdom says that since we don't buy these types of vehicles often, many major manufacturers won't sell microcars in the U.S. So why has Toyota, builder of the steady and reliable Camry, Corolla and Sienna launched the 10-foot-long Scion iQ?
Do Toyota's executives know something we don't? Is it now hip to be small? We'll see, but I wouldn't bet against Toyota. After all, this is the same company that took Lexus from the 1989 ES250 to the $400,000 2012 LFA "halo" car and also created one the world's toughest vehicles, the indomitable Hilux. The vehicle is so tough that even Top Gear can't kill it.
Regardless if you drive one of these aforementioned vehicles, the wheels still make the car. If your iQ came equipped with a set of the steel wheels, we can improve its look. Ideally we want wheels that maintain spoke symmetry on a 4-lug wheel, flow with the car's styling and work with your iQ's body color. To view the wheel options for your iQ and see what they look like on your vehicle, visit our Upgrade Garage.
I like the bright silver Borbet BS4 especially on the black currant, black sand and pacific blue iQs. For the blizzard white, classic silver metallic and magnetic gray vehicles, I'd consider the machined with anthracite accent MSW Type 21. I'm also a fan of the new Rial Murago. The anthracite painted finish would be ideal for the hot lava, pacific blue, classic silver metallic and black sand options.
After selecting the wheel, what tire should you consider? The 195/55-16 Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 is a great choice for overall performance and tire efficiency. Ecopia EP422 tires combine year-round traction, handling and comfort with reduced environmental impact. The tire is designed to enhance vehicle fuel economy by reducing tire rolling resistance along with the vehicle's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions while delivering year-round, all-season traction. It's important to note that if you're using your Original Equipment 175/60-16 tires, they are too narrow for the options listed earlier, and can only accommodate a maximum rim width of six inches. The sole compatible option if you're sticking with O.E. tires is the 16x6 Rial Flair.
*Prices subject to change
2010 Scion tC
