How Does Driving Experience Compare?

[Manettino]

I don’t know if they’re necessarily better, just different. Everyone has their own tastes and preferences. I’m not a huge power guy so the E series chassis from BMW M were more fun for me than the F or G series chassis.

Same thing with Porsche, I strongly prefer the cayman driving experience over the 911. You eventually have to drive them and make up your mind for yourself. As others say here, the civic is more my daily, do everything car. Rarely if ever gets driven on weekends and I’ve tracked it one since owning it earlier this year while I’ve tracked my cayman 3 times in the same time period.

But for someone just starting their journey, the Type R is an incredible one car solution and you can definitely learn a ton as a driver on this platform. Everything is 20-50% cheaper from brakes to oil changes (I pay $600 at my local Porsche dealer). Enjoy it for what it is and when you get bored or get that itch for something new, move on.

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[optronix]

Thanks!!!! I love these responses! Honestly, the question stemmed from me having so much fun in the type R. I started to think…should I aspire to buy another car later…like an M2. So getting all of this insight is pretty neat!!!! I appreciate it!!!!!

Well... that answer still lies with you. No, the experience will probably not be "more fun", unless your idea of fun is serially owning a bunch of different cars. I thought that was fun at one point until I realized it wasn't. Materially though, no- I didn't have more fun in any of my other cars on a nice back road than what I experienced yesterday in my DE5.

But, there is joy to be found in those other experiences- and that will bring us back around to the discussion around preferences. I don't want to conflate points too much. But as an example and while we're already talking about rotating, a 911 rotates through a corner in a "pendulum" sort of way that is pretty much unlike any other car and must be experienced to be able to comprehend. A mid-engine Porsche offers an entirely different experience, in that it offers a sensation of the car literally rotating around the driver. A good M car will flip the rear around if you want it to, almost telepathically if you've got enough skill and seat time (and balls- which is why I don't own an M car because I would never try to get sideways on public roads or even most track scenarios). My DE5 as others have said can be convinced to bring the rear around and "caught" in a very rewarding way with lift-off oversteer.

All of these are different, but enjoyable experiences. In their own ways.

(FWIW, the steering in my DE5 is worlds better than the steering in any M car I've driven since my E36. Including an M2 CS. Others may disagree and I'm not saying the steering is intolerable but steering is pretty subjective but people know what they like, and it is super important to some people and less to others... Pretty important to me.)

No. I could honestly have as much fun going through a nice set of twisties in a Chevy Sonic. What is fun is riding the limits of the car you're in. When you increase the limits of the car it actually gets less fun or at least diminishing returns. Slow car fast as they say.

I disagree, as per my previous comments about rental cars. I actually think it may have been a Chevy Sonic I had once on a great road somewhere between Monterey and Santa Clara, wishing desperately I was in a better car. A mountain drive in Colorado in a Pacifica hybrid also comes to mind.

The only point I'd agree on is I'd rather be on fun roads than a boring stretch of highway, but what a killjoy it was to be on those great roads in those heaps of shit.

 

[Ac12]

Cool cool lol really direct answers…

My boy who has an mk5 supra, prefers the type R over it, says it's more fun and utilitarian...

 

[TurboZed-R]

The "higher end" cars will have more power but not necessarily be a better drive, or more fun. I sold my 2023 Amg Cla 45 for my 2024 FL5 and am very happy with it. The 45 was a rocket and the awd vectoring was pretty neat, but all the tech removes some of the rawness. The FL5 is something very special and way more fun to drive imo.

 

[Higgs Boson]

I disagree, as per my previous comments about rental cars. I actually think it may have been a Chevy Sonic I had once on a great road somewhere between Monterey and Santa Clara, wishing desperately I was in a better car. A mountain drive in Colorado in a Pacifica hybrid also comes to mind.

ha, well it was just to illustrate a point, I have never driven a Sonic.

Either way, I bet I could still make it fun!

 

[TylerTypeR]

I had an FK8 I sold during the pandemic. I bought the new M240i with awd. It was a rocket, way faster than the type R. It was just so refined that it got boring quickly. The steering had no feel, suspension was great and much smoother over road imperfections. After about 6 months I started missing the rawness and light weight of the type R. I sold the BMW after 2 years and bought the fl5 in March. I plan on driving this one for a very long time. There is just nothing else like it with 4 seats and 4 doors. Everything is either too small and underpowered or too heavy. This Type R is likely the last of its kind. I think it will be a classic in 20 years.

 

[Atom3S]

Amazingly well considering you’re asking the front wheels to do everything

 

[Cornercarver]

As someone who has owned or driven a wide variety of cars - not mega-million dollar hyper-cars, but pretty much everything else, the FK8 in my garage, and no doubt the FL5 and DE5, hold their own quite well, thank you.

By all means drive other cars when the opportunity presents itself. But don't kid yourself into thinking that there is an all around better enthusiast daily driver out there. There isn't - I looked.

All cars have tradeoffs - I honestly think the CTR and by default the Acura Type S platform have less than the others.

The more you drive these cars, the more you will get out of them. Can't ask for more than that.
And they won't kill you while you are perfecting your skills, unlike some widow makers out there.

 

[JCZ5]

This weekend, I finally got the chance to test drive a FL5. And this was after completing a roadtrip in a 992 GT3, so I had plenty of experiences to pull and compare.

I am really impressed with the FL5, some people have made the moniker, "baby GT3 feel". And I don't necessarily disagree.

The seats are absolutely superb and gives me the feel of the LWB seats in the GT3. The shifter feel, wow...in a previous thread I asked which was better and many commented one or the other. In my mind, they are both the best, but different. Not necessary one is better than the other. FL5's shifter was much smoother, but the GT3's was significantly more notchy. For me, I would want to have both feel vs. saying one is "better" than the other.

The steering was also great, but you can't really put it up against a GT3. However, I would say it is much better than the M4 I also test drove.

I took the FL5 around some backroads and again it handled very well, despite some who argue the FWD limitations. Yes, I felt some of the drawbacks, but it made up for it because it felt smaller than the GT3.

Overall, ignoring the engine sound or performance metrics, but just focusing on the "experience", I would wholeheartedly agree it was a fantastic car to drive. I mostly compared it against the M4, because I was toying with the idea of a "daily". I came out of it preferring this to the M4. The steering feel was definitely more "connected" (as much as it could be with EPAS) than the M4. The shifter...no question FL5 wins here.

OP, maybe this was much more than you bargained for, but here is my thoughts and for <$50K, I would be hard pressed to find another car that does everything so well, compared to the german marquee brands.

 

[momo3605]

Thanks!!!! I love these responses! Honestly, the question stemmed from me having so much fun in the type R. I started to think…should I aspire to buy another car later…like an M2. So getting all of this insight is pretty neat!!!! I appreciate it!!!!!

driving other cars that are more expensive will generally get you more speed. I think the type R handles a lot better than an M2 which is a heavy pig, BUT that car is way way faster.

I think short of a Porsche it’s hard to get a better driving experience in suspension, grip, gearbox. Engine is the worst part of the equation in the type R, but excels everywhere else!

Porsche 911/718 have it all! Except the ones you want cost 2-4x as much, and you get 1/2 the utility.

 

[MooMoo]

I sold an M2 comp for the Type R.
Judge is still out because I need to get it on track but so far I think that on the street the Type R is way more fun. It just feels more communicative and connected. RWD is fun if you get the rear loose no doubts about that though. I loved the M2 comp, its a great car but I don't feel that the type R is slower at all, 0-60 sure but through corners it seems comparable, we will see at the track next weekend.

Things I miss from the M2, the emergency break, real tach over the digital (even though I am warming up to the digital), infotainment (BMW is one of the best in the industry), RWD when I want to get sideways at the track. Things I love about the FL5, seats are incredible, its not even close, they are some of the best stock seats I ever used. Shifter is also not even close, the type R shifter is amazing and it is true what they say that the M2 shifter sucks.

I actually like the interior of the type R better, the new M2 does have a nicer interior but don't love the gigantic ipad that goes across. People say the S55 on the M2 sounds bad but at least sounded like something, the FL5 is way too quite and the sound pipped to the speakers is horrible, bmw had it too but was way better and could be turned off through an app and obd2.

I will probably get another bmw in the future but will not be one made after 2013. Porche of course but I would only consider a gt4 or above and that comes at a price. For the price I really think its hard to beat the type R

 

[Kuhal]

I own a CT4-V blackwing manual. Compared to the Type R it has a lot of differences in specs/mechanics, including notably big difference of the 4v being RWD. I've also driven some other luxury cars including the 5-V BW, M3 and RS3 (almost bought an M3, but the 4v felt better for the price), which have their own differences.

But stats/mechanical differences don't tell you about "driving experience" really. The Type R definitely quite good, the road feedback is amazing, maybe almost as good as the miata's (top tier imo), and the transmission is smooth, it just feels good to shift -- so does the blackwing's tbh, but I'll give the Type R a slight edge on it. The handling is good, great even, and it feels just super fun to navigate turns. I did some light driving in the mountains and it was great fun to just take it around the corners. The stock seats are amazing!

Overall it's fun to drive, I would say it's "as fun" as my blackwing but in some different ways. I've not taken it to the track/autoX because I'll wait until it's a bit more broken in but I bet it will do great and be super fun.

 

[heartbeat91]

I got my FL5 2 weeks ago. Before that, I had a porsche 981 S with the PDK for 4 years. I loved the mid-engine balance, especially as a weekend car where I'd take it to canyons every other week or so. I mainly switched out to the FL5 because I wanted a go at a manual transmission JDM car one final time before I go back to porsche or better yet, EV land once the porsche cayman/boxsters go EV. (sure, call me crazy. But I like EVs, just waiting for one with a soul.)

Yes, the balance is different vs a mid engine car. But capability wise, the turn-in in the FL5 makes me question physics due to how well it corners - I would say on the canyon twisties, I can corner 80-90% as fast as the porsche, but with waaay more confidence given that I could power out mid-corner, rather than being conservative with the throttle and not to total my 80k$ car.

It's also nice getting a lot more torque down low. Although obviously, I do very much miss my flat 6 howl. But the 6 speed in the FL5 is truly amazing and I've been truly enjoying it. And also the tech in the FL5 is super welcome. adaptive cruise + laneassist is awesome in 4+ hour road trips on the highway.

 

[Clark_Kent]

This weekend, I finally got a chance to test drive a FL5. And this was after completing a roadtrip in a 992 GT3, so I had plenty of experiences to pull and compare.

I am really impressed with the FL5, some people have made the moniker, "baby GT3 feel". And I don't necessarily disagree.

The seats are absolutely superb and gives me the feel of the LWB seats in the GT3. The shifter feel, wow...in a previous thread I asked which was better and many commented one or the other. In my mind, they are both the best, but different. Not necessary one is better than the other. FL5's shifter was much smoother, but the GT3's was significantly more notchy. For me, I would want to have both feel vs. saying one is "better" than the other.

The steering was also great, but you can't really put it up against a GT3. However, I would say it is much better than the M4 I also test drove.

I took the FL5 around some backroads and again it handled very well, despite some who argue the FWD limitations. Yes, I felt some of the drawbacks, but it made up for it because it felt smaller than the GT3.

Overall, ignoring the engine sound or performance metrics, but just focusing on the "experience", I would wholeheartedly agree it was a fantastic car to drive. I mostly compared it against the M4, because I was toying with the idea of a "daily". I came out of it preferring this to the M4. The steering feel was definitely more "connected" (as much as it could be with EPAS) than the M4. The shifter...no question FL5 wins here.

OP, maybe this was much more than you bargained for, but here is my thoughts and for <$50K, I would be hard pressed to find another car that does everything so well, compared to the german marquee brands.

Glad to read you were able finally get behind the wheel. It's also good comparison to be able to hop out of a Porsche GT product and directly into an FL5 and then back. There's a lot of hype around the FL5, for better or worse, but I can say unequivocally it's a phenomenal car, faults and all. And like many here, I've owned and/or driven quite a few cars from mundane commuter cars to sport compacts to proper sports cars to supercars, foreign and domestic. The FL5 is very good and history will be kind to it.

It's interesting you mentioned the shifter feel. That's the #1 item I called out in the other thread about the feel of the shifter. The notchiness you reference in the GT3 transmission is the "mechanical" sensation I referred to. You can feel the gear shift selector engaging with the selector fork and output shaft. The FL5 is very smooth and much of that you don't feel in your right hand. My preference is to feel more of the transmission. Less sim rig and more natural or "real". A personal preference item for sure.

Completely agree on the seats. They are indeed superb. They are a liveable LWBS, if that makes sense. They're just to the right of center for a bucket seat. Not hardcore, but not unsupportive - it's like the Goldilocks.

So, what's the verdict? When are you picking one up?!

 

[JCZ5]

Glad to read you were able finally get behind the wheel. It's also good comparison to be able to hop out of a Porsche GT product and directly into an FL5 and then back. There's a lot of hype around the FL5, for better or worse, but I can say unequivocally it's a phenomenal car, faults and all. And like many here, I've owned and/or driven quite a few cars from mundane commuter cars to sport compacts to proper sports cars to supercars, foreign and domestic. The FL5 is very good and history will be kind to it.

It's interesting you mentioned the shifter feel. That's the #1 item I called out in the other thread about the feel of the shifter. The notchiness you reference in the GT3 transmission is the "mechanical" sensation I referred to. You can feel the gear shift selector engaging with the selector fork and output shaft. The FL5 is very smooth and much of that you don't feel in your right hand. My preference is to feel more of the transmission. Less sim rig and more natural or "real". A personal preference item for sure.

Completely agree on the seats. They are indeed superb. They are a liveable LWBS, if that makes sense. They're just to the right of center for a bucket seat. Not hardcore, but not unsupportive - it's like the Goldilocks.

So, what's the verdict? When are you picking one up?!

Our previous discussion and your inputs were spot on. But it took experiencing it myself to really understand what you wrote.

The verdict is eventually the FL5 will be in the garage. However, since I live in NYC, it is harder to justify another car, unless something else in the garage leaves. After all, I don't need a "daily" and every time I go outside of the city to drive, it is a very intentional act (albeit a huge PITA).

Not to derail the thread, but here are my two scenario:

1. Keep everything status quo, continue to take public transportation to outside of the city for drives
2. Reduce the garage size, pick up the FL5 as my car commuting to the garage or even use it as an in-between for some fun roads right outside of the city

...we shall see, in no rush.

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