02/12/2010 - The MR2
I finally got around to try the GT5 Online mode, after 2 days I got the game. Having being invited into a TTR chatroom by Mad94d, I got to meet some other GTP members from Australia. I was minding my own business when I saw Paulie posting to trade the MR2 G-Limited '97.
I love the MR2 and made a shot to get the MR2! Since I just started playing, I really didn't have anything to trade it for. But Paulie, being such a nice bloke, decided to give it to me with nothing. With Mad94d's help as well, I end up with the MR2 in my GT Mode after about 20mins.
And that starts the journey of this log!
Toyota MR2 G-Limited '97
Specs: Stock
Parts: Stock
Settings: Stock
Right after I recieved the car. So I tried out the events in the Sunday Cup. In my first race, the Autumn Mini Ring, I noticed that I didn't change the oil. Haha. But the races here were easy enough. Having about 200hp proved to be too much for the AI in the very first GT5 career mode.
Sunday Cup, Difficulty Rating = 1/10
03/12/2010 - Part 1 - Loving it
Today I really drove the MR2 a lot. It's really nice to drive something I like, the sense of satisfaction, getting to know the cars characteristics. I noticed that GT5, the physics is better, at least in my impression, when compared to GT5p. In GT5p, I drove the Lotus Elise 111R. I wasn't very good at it and didn't really spend a lot of time on it, since GT5 was going to be out soon. However the Elise is a car which is closest to the SW20 in Prologue. Well, it did seemed easier to drive in GT5. Going out of the track is definitetly more forgiving in GT5.
Anyways, the oil was changed. And I decided to paint the car blue! Haha... I love the color of the MR2 in Blue, I fell in love with the MR2 when I watched Initial-D during my Uni years. And when I saw one in Real Life, well, the rest was history.
So I went into the Toyota Dealership and bought the Toyota Vitz RS 1.5 '07, just for the Blue Mica Colour. I want to stick with a Toyota colour as close I can to the MR2's Tropical Blue Metallic.
TIP: I also found out that Vitz I got can't cut it for the Vitz Challenge! Buy the Vitz RS Turbo '02 or the Yaris RS Turbo '02 and you'll be fine!
Toyota MR2 G-Limited '97
Specs: Stock
Parts: Stock
Settings: Stock
I finished the races in World Compact Car Race. It's pretty easy, apart from a tricky high speed corner at Circuit De Madrid Mini.
World Compact Car Race, Difficulty Rating = 1/10
03/12/2010 - Part 2 - Meet Bob & New Tyres
After doing A-Spec, it's pretty tiring, so I got Bob to drive the MR2. He seemed to be doing fine in most of the races except for Cape Ring Mini, he kept spinning out. So I thought, I'll have a look into it. Seems like the AIs are all using Sports: Hard tyres, the highest spec tyres in the restriction. I thought, maybe it's a good idea. It'll probably help with the grip.
Toyota MR2 G-Limited '97
Specs: Stock
Parts: Sports Tyres: Hard
Settings: Stock
After changing the tyres, I had a go myself. Man, the difference was immense! The car handled so much better with the new tyres! The car became more predictable and I could push it harder. It's definetly a good Cr.6000 spent!
I decided to ditch Bob aside and did more driving! I went back to the Sunday Cup and Tsukuba Circuit and did the runs there. It's really great!
03/12/2010 - Part 3 - Tsukuba Challenge
Toyota MR2 G-Limited '97
Specs: Stock
Parts: Sports Tyres: Hard
Settings: Stock
Some of you guys might be wondering where is all the modifications? Well, I like driving the cars as it is, with minimum amount of modifications. The other reason is that I still want to save those credits to buy the cars I want from the Used Cars Dealership when it appears!
I watched Best Motoring International (BMI) and I like their concept, where they take the cars, as it is and pit them against each other. That way, it's really about the car and driver skill. I'm not that good yet, so I want to be able to drive a stock car fast with good skills, instead of relying on mods to be fast.
I did some research and got some information about BMI's lap time on Tsukuba.
BMI's MR2 G-Limited's Time on Tsukuba is 1:09.57 (From BMI Vol 1) ~
YouTube at 5:20
So I went to find a new challenge, and the Japanese 90's Challenge's Tsukuba Circuit is the place to be. I can get the time 1:10.XX pretty consistently. So it did make me wonder how close is actually GT5s physics to the real thing. Cause I believe I'm not producing the best time with the best driving lines, I'm just driving the circuit the way I would with my current skills.
So I went and did a little bit of research and found some good places with info about Laptimes at Tsukuba.
I will be looking forward to improving my time in Tsukuba. Racing in the Japanese Challenge makes me feel like I'm in the BMI videos, fun fun!
Japanese 90's Challenge - Tsukuba Circuit, Difficulty Rating = 5/10, Fun Rating = 8/10
04/12/2010 - Can't Keep Up!
Toyota MR2 G-Limited '97
Specs: Stock
Parts: Sports Tyres: Hard
Settings: Stock
Today, I tried the Clubman Cup, I did the Tsukuba Circuit and the Cape Ring Periphery with not much problem. But for the Tokyo R246 race, I was really surprised. My G-Limited is having problems keeping up with the cars there! And I am utterly surprised! From the start-line to the first corner, I'm already left right at the back of the pack. I thought, is it some kind of mistake by PD? But you know, GTP has everything! haha.. I asked it in here in GTP and someone has already answered it. Look
Here. The AI cars in Clubman Cup is actually tuned. So that is an acceptable explanation of being left behind.
Will I tune my car now? Urmm... not yet, I think my skills are not polished enough yet. =)
05/12/2010 - Twin Brother
Toyota MR2 GT-S '97
Specs: Stock
Parts: Sports Tyres: Hard
Settings: Stock
I came across a Toyota MR2 GT-S '97 two days ago and bought it from the Used Dealership. (Woohoo, I had enough credits still!) Wow, there is really a difference in Power, the turbo really has a different characteristic. Now I felt that I couldn't turn properly, I can't really step of the gas, the rear breaks easily (I upgraded to Sports: Hard Tyres). It's really fast and too fast for the A-Spec competition in the Japanese 90's challenge.
However, I'll like to take a lap time with it and compare it with my G-Limited time. I couldn't get a good laptime with the GT-S, the driving style is just too different at the moment. So I'll leave that aside for a while. (Even Bob has problems with the GT-S). I decided to paint the orange mica GT-S I have to Black! Just like my real car in my garage. haha...
06/12/2010 - "D" Rival
I also came across the Shuichi Shigeno Sprinter Trueno AE86 in the Used Dealership! I didn't have enough in the bank, so I had to bring my MR2 onto Tsukuba again to cash in on some Cr. to purchase it. I got it and I have it run on Tsukuba. I noticed it already came with Sport: Hard tyres. And man was it fast.
When I have time, I'll be running the SS. AE86 to see what lap times it can do. I'm a big fan of Initial D and the race between the SS. AE86 and the SW20 is what made me love the MR2 so much. I'm gonna tune the SW20 to be as competative as the stock SS. AE86. Just like the race in the Third Stage. So my tuning benchmark will be based on the SS. AE86. My tuning concept is really to tune a car realistically, one which can still be considered a daily ride, not a full blown D1 drift machine or dedicated track car.
Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX '00 (SS Ver)
Specs: Stock
Parts: Stock
Settings: Stock
07/12/2010 - Back to Comfort
Toyota MR2 G-Limited '97
Specs: Stock
Parts: Comfort Tyres: Soft
Settings: Stock
Today I slap on the Comfort Tyres again and try to see the difference. To my surprise, the handling isn't as bad as I thought, although it understeers if I push the car like I was using Sports: Hard Tyres. However it seems that the car can be put into a slide/drift easier.
Back in the Japanese 90's Challenge Tsukuba Challenge, man it's really getting tough now. I ended up last a couple of times. And the leading car is really very challenging to catch up now. It really tests your patience and concentration. The Race which was easy, now turned to be challenging again. There isn't much room for mistakes. And you can have a good mix of grip and drift driving with the Comfort Soft. With Sports: Hard, it's more grippy but you can still drift, but I think there isn't enough power to really hold the drift when using Sports: Hard. The consistant Laptime I can get now is 1:13.XX.
Japanese 90's Challenge - Tsukuba Circuit, Difficulty Rating = 8/10, Fun Rating = 7/10
08/12/2010 - Online Battle
Toyota MR2 G-Limited '97
Specs: Stock
Parts: Sport Tyres: Hard
Settings: Stock
I went online and joined a room and have a chance to use the MR2. It was on the Grand Valley Speedway short course. Here, I realise that track knowledge is so important. I find myself spinning out a fair bit, not knowing the map well enough. Even at Tsukuba, I lose control sometimes. I have to up my game here. First to know the car well, I need to know the track well too. Tsukuba is still a good place at this moment at least for me. Helps me earn a little bit of credits as well while practicing!
Online Mode - Grand Valley Speedway, Needs more practice!
09/12/2010 - Younger Brother
Toyota MR-S S Edition '99
Specs: GT-Wing
Parts: Sport Tyres: Hard
Settings: Unchanged
Today I tried the MR-S. The gear ratios seems to be shorter than the SW20, and it seems to have more power from the lower end of the RPM. It could also be the lightweightness of the Car itself. It's has similar characteristics to the SW20, but a bit more stable, could be due to the GT wing. I'll like to compare the two directly and see the difference. SW vs ZZW.
