What You Actually Get When You Buy A Used 86
The Toyota 86 came out around 2012 as a collaboration between Toyota and Subaru, using a flat-four boxer engine that's actually built by Subaru at their Gunma plant in Japan. The platform is shared with the Scion FR-S and the first-gen Subaru BRZ. Three virtually identical cars, same chassis, same basic running gear, different badges and slight trim differences. That matters because parts are mostly interchangeable, which keeps ownership costs down. The FA20 engine is a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder making somewhere between 197 and 200 horsepower depending on the year and market. It revs to 7,000 RPM and has a low center of gravity from the flat layout. Driving it feels light and mechanical in a way most modern cars don't. The steering is electric but reasonably weighted for what it is. The manual gearbox has short throws but the notchiness in first and second gear is something you just accept early on.
Toyota 86 2nd Hand The Complete Buyers Guide To Owning A Fun And Reliable Sports Car
When I bought my first one in 2015, I thought the biggest worry would be finding a clean example. That turned out to be the easy part. The real complications show up later and they're the kind of thing that doesn't appear on any checklist. Engine oil consumption is the first thing most owners ignore until it becomes a problem. The FA20 can burn oil at a rate of maybe half a liter per thousand kilometers on higher mileage examples. It's not catastrophic but it's worth checking. Do a cold start and look for blueish smoke from the exhaust. Tap the gas a few times at idle and watch the smoke level change. Some oil consumption in the first year or two was normal due to piston ring break-in, but sustained consumption past that point means you should budget for an engine inspection or consider walking away. I saw a 2013 example with 68,000 kilometers on it that had been burning roughly a quart every thousand kilometers. The seller called it normal wear. It wasn't. I bought a different car that month instead. Timing chain tensioners are another hidden issue on early models. The 2013 and early 2014 cars used a particular generation of hydraulic tensioner that could lose pressure when the engine is off overnight. On a cold start you might hear a brief rattling noise from the timing area for about two seconds before the oil pressure builds. That rattle itself won't destroy the engine immediately, but if it's loud or prolonged, the tensioner is failing and the chain can skip timing under load. Later 2014 and 2015 models got an updated tensioner design that resolved most of this. If you're looking at a pre-2014 example, listen carefully on cold start and ask if the issue was ever addressed. I replaced both tensioners on my 2013 as a preventive measure around 55,000 kilometers. Total parts cost was under two hundred dollars and the job took about four hours with basic tools.
Transmission choices matter more than people realize. The six-speed manual is generally solid but the bushings in the shifter assembly wear out, especially if the car has seen hard use or track days. The result is a vague, mushy shift feel that makes it harder to find neutral when you're trying to skip shifts. It's fixable with aftermarket bushings or a refurbished shifter assembly but it degrades the experience noticeably. The automatic version uses a conventional torque-converter six-speed that Toyota considers one of their more reliable automatics. It shifts adequately but you lose the connection that makes the manual fun. Most people who buy these cars want the manual regardless. Clutch longevity varies wildly depending on how the previous owner drove it. A normal street-driven 86 can get 80,000 to 100,000 kilometers out of a clutch. Track use or aggressive launch starts will halve that. Check the bite point of the clutch pedal. If it's very high in the travel or if the pedal feels spongy, the hydraulic slave cylinder may be leaking internally. The slave cylinder on these cars is internal, meaning you have to drop the transmission to replace it. That adds significant labor cost. Factor in roughly six hundred to nine hundred dollars for a full clutch and slave cylinder replacement if the original hasn't been done yet. Underbody corrosion is surprisingly common on examples from colder climates. The 86 doesn't have extensive underbody protection and road salt eats into the rear subframe mounts and suspension attachment points faster than you'd expect. I found surface rust on the rear control arm bushes of a 2014 I was considering purchasing in Minnesota. It looked fine from a casual glance but once I got under there with a flashlight, the mounting bolts were starting to fuse. I walked away from that one. Always put the car on a lift or use jack stands before signing anything and inspect the underbody thoroughly, especially around the rear differential mount and the front strut towers.
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Suspension components are generally cheap to replace because the 86 uses fairly standard parts. The factory struts and shocks tend to last around 60,000 to 80,000 kilometers before they start leaking or feeling loose. The rear multi-link setup has several bushings that can wear, producing a clunking sound over bumps. These are replacement items, not failure points, but they do affect the crisp feel that makes this car enjoyable. Budget roughly three to four hundred dollars per axle for a full bushing and control arm refresh if the original components are showing their age. The brakes are adequate for street use but you'll want to upgrade them if you plan any track time. The stock pads and rotors fade quickly under sustained heavy braking and the pedal feel is mediocre to begin with. For everyday driving though, the brake system is fine. Just check pad thickness and rotor condition during your inspection. Warped rotors are a known issue on higher mileage cars, especially if the owner tended to leave the car sitting with the handbrake engaged in humid conditions. Electronics on these cars are generally trouble-free but there are a couple of known gremlins. The infotainment system can freeze or become unresponsive, particularly in colder weather. It's annoying but doesn't affect driving. More relevant is the instrument cluster. On some 2013 and 2014 models, the tachometer needle would stutter or stick at certain temperatures. Dealership programs addressed this on a few VIN ranges, so check whether your candidate has had the cluster reprogramming or replacement done.
Insurance and registration costs for a used 86 are moderate. Insurers sometimes categorize these as sports cars even though they're slow by modern standards, so premiums will be higher than a Corolla but lower than an actual performance car. Expect to pay somewhat more for insurance if the car has any aftermarket modifications, especially if they're performance-related. Clean stock examples get the best rates. One thing most guides don't mention clearly: the 86 benefits enormously from regular use. These cars were designed to be driven hard and they show it when they sit around. If you're buying one that's been garaged and driven infrequently, check the fuel system for varnish buildup, inspect the tires for dry rot even if the tread looks fine, and listen for any valve train noise that might indicate an engine that's been sitting for long periods between oil changes. I once considered a 2012 with only 31,000 kilometers on the clock. The previous owner had driven it maybe once a week for two years. The oil had sludge buildup in the valve cover and the fuel injectors were partially clogged. Low mileage isn't always better on a car like this. The 2017 model year brought some meaningful updates. The steering rack was retuned for better feel, the suspension got minor recalibration, and Toyota added more sound insulation. The interior quality also improved slightly with better materials. These changes are subtle but noticeable if you drive both generations back to back. If you're choosing between a 2015 and a 2017, the later car is worth the extra money if the price difference is reasonable.
The biggest mistake people make when buying a used 86 is focusing only on the cosmetic condition. The car looks great in photos. The paint is shiny, the interior is clean, the wheels look good. None of that tells you whether the timing chains are healthy or whether the previous owner was gentle with the clutch. Get a pre-purchase inspection from someone who actually knows these cars. It will cost you two hundred to four hundred dollars and it will save you from buying a car that looks perfect and turns into a money pit within a month. I spent three hundred dollars on an inspection before buying my second 86 and it caught a small but active oil leak at the rear main seal that the seller had conveniently cleaned up before listing it. Running costs are genuinely low for a sports car. Oil changes every five to seven thousand kilometers with full synthetic, replacement plugs every sixty thousand, and you're looking at annual maintenance costs in the four to six hundred dollar range for a well-maintained example. Tires will be your biggest periodic expense since the lightweight chassis and low weight mean they wear faster than you'd expect, especially on the rear. A set of quality summer tires will run you roughly eight to twelve hundred dollars and last about fifteen to twenty thousand kilometers of mixed driving. The 86 is not fast in a straight line. Zero to sixty takes around six and a half to seven seconds with a manual, and the power band doesn't really open up until 5,000 RPM. But the chassis is well-balanced, the steering communicates enough information, and the low center of gravity makes it feel much quicker through corners than the numbers suggest. That's the entire point of the car. It's not meant to be a quarter-mile hero. It's meant to be a car you enjoy driving on roads that actually require skill.
If you're looking at examples with aftermarket modifications, be selective. Coilovers, intake systems, and exhaust upgrades are common and generally harmless if done properly. But big turbo kits on these engines require supporting modifications and they often get installed by people who don't fully understand the engine. A modified 86 with a turbo is not necessarily a bad car but it's a significantly higher risk purchase unless you have a mechanic who can evaluate the build quality. Stock or near-stock examples are the safest bet for a first purchase. The aftermarket support for the 86 is extensive because the platform is so popular in the drift and time attack communities. This means parts are available for everything from suspension components to engine internals, and prices have come down significantly as the cars have aged. You can find used parts in decent condition for very reasonable prices on forums and marketplaces. This isn't the case with every sports car from this era, and it makes ownership more affordable than you might expect. Find the right example, check the things that actually matter, spend the money on a proper inspection, and you'll end up with a car that's genuinely rewarding to drive and expensive only in the ways that matter to the people who actually enjoy this type of vehicle.
