I know someone in the states has done it with an aftermarket seat and rails. I doubt you'll get far with lowering the OEM stuff. I have mine all the way back and it's touching the rear seats so that's pretty much your limit.

 

I only just fit in mine at 6'5" tbh, my head is close to the roof with the chair fully back and down.

 

I'm with Stu on this one, plus there's hardly any space under the seat as it is, you canbarely squeeze a foot under it when sat in the back.

 

Might be worth looking here:
Click

 

Might be worth looking here:
Click

... and here:


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28530

 

Thanks guys.

At 1k per seat for those Recaros it's looking like I might be best sticking with my Clio 200!

 

No, once the convertible comes out just leave the top down

Alec

 

Haha! good thinking. Although, oddly, head room is ok. It's my left leg thats tight for space between centre console and wheel. Mainly a problem when using the clutch. Means I need to take my left hand off the wheel if I'm turning left and using the clutch.

 

It's funny you mention that. I was dicking around with the seat position and angle last night as i'm not 100% happy yet. I'm either right back or one click forward and then it comes down to seat angle, which isn't super detailed in where you can place it. The more comfortable position for me leaves barely enough room for my left hand on the wheel between my leg and the wheel (6'1" and FB). I'll get there in the end!

 

I was dicking around with the positioning yesterday as well when stuck on the M40 for 4 hours (grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....but you get lots of rubbernecking in a big jam). Seat position not such a problem for me as I'm 5'11, so all the way back is perfect. It's the steering wheel position I'm not sure about. Is it best closer to the chest? Maybe the new arm rest will help!!

 

I've always been taught that you want the wheel where your wrists are when your arms are extended forward.

 

I was picking up a package last night that just happened to be right beside a Toyota dealer so it would have been rude not to stop by and play around some more!

I sat in the car for a good 10-15 minutes and had a right good play with the settings. I got myself quite comfortable and the only issue is my hand touching my leg. When I got back in my Clio I noticed that the same thing happens! I just never really noticed it before.


Going to arrange another test drive in the next couple of weeks. I'll always have the option of an aftermarket seat if I really need it.

 

Coming from a Clio 200 too, I found that if some barstool decided to park right next to me in a car park, I was usually still able to squeeze in and out of the car, but now in the 86, I really do need to open the door up wider in order to get in and out comfortably, and I'm only 5'9/10....definitely not the most graceful car to get in and out of.....how have you found getting in and out of the 86 being such as tall fella?

 

Getting in and out of the GT86 isn't particularly graceful for me! Its not too bad though. Not nearly as bad as when a colleague used to give me a lift home in her Elise. I'd sit there with my gym bag in my lap and have to chuck it out onto the pavement then pretty much crawl out after it! Was better when the weather was nice and the roof was off.

I'm sure I'll develop some sort of partially graceful technique of getting in and out eventually. I've pretty much mastered the clio


How are you finding the GT86 after the Clio? Do you miss it at all?

 

Yeah, I've kinda mastered atechnique in getting in and out. Getting in isn't difficult, even in a tight squeeze to be fair as I just drop in but getting out does require me again opening the door wider than I would need in the Clio, use my right hand and the bottom door seal/plate to push myself up....only problem with this is sometimes I get a bloody static shock

For the best part, not missing it at all, just regretted not tracking it. I've not needed to lug much around yet so not missing the extra space (but the 86 still has a pretty decent amount, just less height but more depth), the only thing that I miss a little bit is how hard I can push it, I'm new to RWD so I'm a little hesitant to really throw it around a corner at speed in the worry of not being able to fully control the rear (throwing the rear out at low speeds though is a hoot), where as in the Clio, I had the confidence then as it would just grip and throw you around it like you were on rails......but that's only a very little thing I miss.


I'm guna be honest, I wasn't blown away during my test drives, I could have easily kept the Clio but I wanted a change and took a chance and I've got to say, the car has rapidly grown on me and I'm sure after a trackday of experimenting with the car at high speeds, I'm sure I'll gain the full confidence in the car and never miss the Clio again. They're really not that much different on the surface, both great driving handling cars, about the same power and weight but when you look a little deeper you get some real differences. Handling wise, GT feels more dynamic, more playful i.e. so easy to get the back end out with the ability to steer with the throttle. Even though it has the same power the delivery is very different, the Clio's torque starts low and gradually rises but drops a lil early where as the 86 rises quickly but then stays pretty flat (bar the dip) and stays up further than the Clio, just not as high. And because the 86 is sooo much lower and has such a low center of gravity, the car has very little roll yet it still has pretty soft suspension....especially compared to the Clio with the Cup Chassis.

 

Thanks, interesting reading!

My initial test drive wasn't mind blowing either. I don't like the piped engine sound, I thought it felt quck enough but not quite on par with the clio (although that could be down to the demo only having done around 100 miles!) I definitely thought the ride was better than the clio (with cup suspension).


I got the feeling the 86 is more refined overall and will be more interesting to drive hard than the clio. I love the driving position and sitting really low. It feels much more sporty than the clio, which is understandable given that its just a tweaked shopping car.


I still keep thinking I should keep the Clio because its so much fun to drive and is perfectly civilised for city driving where I do most of my driving (mpg is terrible though at 24!) but I think the 86 is a good move. All the standard gadgets like bluetooth, cruise/climate control will be a nice change as well after my basic clio cup

 

Yeah, I think the Clio will feel a lil quicker because of the rising torque, but I definitely find the 86 has better low down talk....and I wouldn't believe the official quoted 0-60 time, I'm sure it does better.

But I agree, the driving position is great and very comfortable, don't get me wrong, the Clio was still pretty comfortable, even for standard seats, but the 86's seats are even better, the only downside initially was that the steering wheel wouldn't go high enough in the 86 but I've gotten used to it now.


I was thinking same with regards to keeping the Clio but again, no regrets, I do a mix of town and dual carriage driving with no problems at all, it's still small and nimble like the Clio and you'll probably get a lil better MPG (I can get over 40 odd on a steady long motorwar journey where as I cold only get 30 odd in the Clio).


I made the sensible choice with the Clio and got the full version with the Cup Chassis as an extra rather than the completely bare Cup version, so as standard gadgets goes, I actually have a couple of gripes with the 86 compared to the Clio like the trip computer not telling you the range of what you've got left, completely cutting power when you turn the car off so no music and no way of retracting the wing mirrors without having get the power back on!!!


Get it ordered my friend

 

I think I'm sold. Going to wait until the summer so I have more of a deposit. Will discuss figures when I test drive again in the next couple of weeks. Then I'll be back on here looking at some different mods I reckon. Haven't modified a car before but I don't like the standard wheels, the spoiler or the sound pipe!

 

All easy fixes, except maybe the spoiler....

 

Yes ideally I'd just go without one. It'll probably need replacing though to avoid holes in the boot. Will likely get a simple lip style one. Shame you can't order one without it.

 

Might be worth asking your dealer if you could? Might be a special order with a lengthy delivery time though.

 

Possibly, definitely worth asking. I prefer the TRD one. I imagine they could supply it with that.

 

Lowering a seat in the GT isnt a do-able job just looking at our car. Seat is already super low.

 

Unfortunately I came to the same conclusion the other night. Only option will be aftermarket seat and rails if I need it. Reckon I can survive with standard at first though

 

you need to look into a Low Max Bride seat and rails.

We can look into this if needed.




Mark