I have a 2004 manual RX-8. It’s not a daily driver for me so I only have 5-6k miles on it. In the summer it is a blast to drive, great pickup, great handling.
But, there are a couple downsides I learned the hard way:
[ul]
[li]RWD, so you will need to switch to snow tires each winter if you live somewhere with snow.[/li][li]Easily flooded engine – There are warnings in the owners manual and everything about this, they are not joking. If you start the car up, it needs to run for at least 5 minutes. Once I moved the car from my parents driveway to the street and totally forgot to let it run. Had to get it towed to the dealer for a de-flooding.[/li][/ul]
Unfortunately for me, I don’t think I can handle the RX-8 through another brutal Chicago winter so I’ll be selling it this summer.
Good point about the snow. Living in England, that’s not usually a problem - I only had to drive in lying snow once the whole time I had it, and it was interesting!
I got a bit blasé about the flooding issue after a time, even just moving the car off the driveway and then switching off after a token 30 second wait. Never flooded once, but maybe I was just lucky. I did hear that the 190hp model was less prone to flooding than the 230.
FYI, the 350Z’s mileage is about the same as what the RX-8 owners are reporting. I get 20-24 on the highway, 18 in city driving, and about 9 or 10 on the track. Premium 93 octane, now around $50/gallon. :eek:
Since I work at home, I don’t have to do much driving, but I also have an old Accord that I use for most of my 'round town travel, to keep the miles off the Z and the track tires and brake pads, and reduce consumption of that expensive gas.
Thanks much to everyone who has participated so far. This has helped a great deal: much as I love the idea of having a true sports car, now I’m wondering if I’m really ready to have one as my daily driver. I need to do some test drives ASAP!
I was hoping/figuring you’d pop in here.
The NISMO version of the 350Z is definitely too expensive, and the style is too testosterone-y for me (if that makes any sense). There was one on the showroom floor when I recently got my Sentra serviced, and frankly I like the lines of the “regular” Z much better. I’d be going for the Touring trim line, to get the heated seats.
I definitely plan to go to the track with the new car, but can’t see going more than 2-3 times a year – at most. This will be my 3rd year and so far I’ve only made it once each season; I’m hoping to go twice this time, though (personal aside: I’m registered for the 7/25 FATT, if you’ll be there). I’m not very interested in modding any car that I get, partly because it will also have to be my daily driver. I could see getting performance brakes, maybe, someday, but not much else.
I know. But I’m pretty serious about the “no sedans” thing.
Yes, and yes. My cousin sells Mazdas up in PA, and when I told him I’d considered a Miata but didn’t like the lack of space he suggested the RX-8. I’ve always loved the look and size of Miatas, but because the new car will be my daily driver I realistically need something that I can fit my SO and two (small) dogs in. Which is also why I’ve ruled out the Solstice, another car that makes my heart skip a beat.
That might drive me a little mad. There’s really no audible/tactile cue from the engine for when to upshift?
I would be getting the heated seats, btw: I’m looking at the Grand Touring trim level. (Can you tell that’s an option I’m very interested in? It kills me that the Si doesn’t offer it!)
The DC area definitely gets snow. That’s something I’d considered, but folks I know who have/had RWD cars say it isn’t that bad.
There are plenty of clues as to when to shift. The problem is (if you can call it that) is that the rotary just keeps pulling and pulling. Unlike a piston engine I have never felt a torque drop off on a rotary. So if you are listening to the engine you will know when to shift before the beep comes in. If on the other hand you are just reving the shit out of it cause it is so damn fun, the beep comes in.
How’s the cost of ownership in terms of maintenance? Poor mileage + oil changes every 2k miles are what’s putting me off the RX-8 a little bit right now. I don’t mind staying on top of things, and the part of me that loves to drive and go to the track is saying “get sports car now!”, but I’m just not sure if I’m ready to commit to spending that kind of money – on top of insurance and whatever my annual VA property tax will be. Does the Z use a typical amount of oil? A few quarts every 3-4k miles?
I found/was reading an RX-8 owner’s forum last night, and now I’m wondering if I’m one of those people who only thinks they’re ready for a sports car but should really just stick with a Civic Si. If the Z’s main “problem” is the mileage, that might push it above the RX-8 for me – though the cost of the trimline I want is still right at the edge of my budget.
Is it better to regret getting a Civic or regret getting a sports car?
I also know that test drives are key, but I like to try to have as much of the common sense/logical stuff figured out before then as possible.
Ahh, ok, that sounds much more tolerable.
To each their own.
I’ve always loved how different cars appeal to different people, and have never understood the people I’ve encountered who just assume that I like, say, the (new) Mini. I have never found that car attractive, despite knowing that they’re great fun to drive, and I really can’t imagine ever wanting to buy one. Yet so many people just can’t believe that I don’t like them.
Have you looked at the Honda Accord coupe? Mind you, there’s no sunroof, that I saw, but it looks pretty sweet, IM(ns)HO.
V6, 268hp @ 6200rpm, 6-speed manual, doesn’t even need premium fuel! Just regular!
Also, there’s the Nissan Altima coupe, with 270hp @ 6000rpm, 6-speed manual…
One more round of thanks to everyone who has participated in this thread, and a reitertaion that it’s been very helpful to me: I tend to kind of obsess over decisions like this, and a lot of thinking this weekend (combined with the thinking/research I’ve been doing for the past few months) has made me realize that I’m not quite ready to have a sports car as my daily driver. So the RX-8 and 350Z are off the table for now: next month I’ll get a Civic Si or Cobalt SS, and will look at getting my sports car in a few more years – maybe when it can be a second car, and/or when I have a garage.
(This seems to be the right thing to do, but still: :(.)
Plus, I read a note on Wikipedia that Mazda is working on a next-generation Renesis engine that should be released by 2010. The link for the cite doesn’t work, and I couldn’t find the article with a search on SpeedTV, but if it’s true I’d rather wait a couple years and see what the new engine brings in terms of fuel economy, etc.
I have, actually, but I really don’t like the way they look. I don’t like the styling of any of the recent Hondas, frankly. But the EX-L V-6 would be the trimline I want, and it does have a sunroof (and heated seats, which the Civic Si is lacking). IMO the Accord coupe is even uglier than the Si (and why have a coupe that’s as long as a sedan??), but I’ll definitely check one out while I’m at the Honda dealership.
Yeah, I’m just not interested in that car. shrugs At this point I’ve ruled out the 350Z, so I won’t be going to a Nissan dealership anymore, and I’m not interested enough in the Altima to make a trip just for that. But thanks!
I was about to tell you that maintenance for the Z has been no problem at all: oil consumption is virtually zero, and that’s with up to 17 track days a year. Of course, I change the oil regularly. There’s been practically no other maintenance issues except the transmission design flaws that have led my dealership to replace mine three times under warranty. But that won’t be a problem with the 2008 model year.
If you were still thinking about the Z, I would recommend that you consider the Grand Touring instead of the plain Touring. The extra $3,500 gets you the Brembo brakes and the lightweight alloy wheels, which is a real bargain. It will cost you at least $4,000 to do that with aftermarket parts, and that’s without the labor to install the brakes.
But apparently it’s all moot now. I’d be interested in hearing more about the reasons for your decision. But you’ll enjoy the Civic or the Cobalt, and you can certainly have plenty of fun with them at the track, as you build up your skills in preparation for getting a more serious track car.
Good choice to skip the sports cars. If your big concern with either of the cars is gas mileage, you are not ready for a sports car. Just as a reality check, I pump 100 octane @ $5.59/gal into the 7, and I get about 12MPG, since I am pretty much always on it, and my PowerFC is tuned really rich. So, a stock RX-8 wouldn’t be bad at all. But if these numbers scare you, stick with a Civic.
Actually, based on my auto show experiences last week, there are several cars I would put above a Civic Si. I would get a Mini Cooper S or VW R32 before the Si. Have you taken a look at the new BMW 1 series? The 135i would be a lot of fun, both on the street and at the track… IMHO, skip the Cobalt SS, especially if you are buying new. Your resale value will be nonexistent. If you want an American contender with track skills, I would strongly encourage you to consider used and buy a previous-gen Dodge SRT-4.
Well, commasense, looks like you’re getting my reasons in-thread after all.
Actually, I just finished explaining to a friend that it’s not the cost of ownership I’m worried about: it’s the time required for the maintenance. I’m still in the mindset of a car that I can mostly forget about for 3-6k miles at a time, and that just ain’t the RX-8 (with its frequent trips to the pump and oil changes every 2k miles). Add that to the quirks of a rotary engine and the idea of a next-gen Renesis being available by 2010, and I just don’t think it’s the right time for me.
The 350Z ultimately got knocked out for price: I decided that I’d rather not live with that kind of car payment if I don’t have to, even though I can afford it. The Touring trimline is at the edge of my budget, and the Grand Touring that commasense recommends is out of the question.
I don’t like either of them (as I’ve said in other posts in this thread).
I’m not really a BMW person, unless you’re talking the Z4.
I don’t care about resale value: I plan to drive this next car until it falls apart.
As I’ve said many times in this thread, used is out of the question.
So you don’t have to have functional back seats? I would assume no if you are looking at the 350Z. What do you need to fit back there? Almost every two-place car is going to have a trunk.
Unfortunately, you seem to be the person the 7th gen Celica was designed for, but they don’t make it anymore. As a longtime Celica owner, I am very disappointed in Toyota lately.
Have you considered a Mitsubishi Eclipse? Or maybe an Audi A3 (although it is hatch-y)? And, if you don’t mind the FWD, a Hyundai Tiburon? Although if you can hold on for a short while, you should be able to get the newest RWD Tib.
It is very difficult finding a new four-seat sporty car in your price range that doesn’t look like a hatch. Maybe the Civic Si is what you really need.
I need to fit two small Beagles back there, and with the 350Z I was thinking there’d be a way to have them ride in the hatch. Of course I hadn’t done more than just think about that, so once I saw one up close and personal I might have realized that it was out of the question for dogs and the Z would be off the list anyway.
It seems that a lot of automakers used to have coupes that I would have been interested in but don’t make them anymore. Meh.
I am prejudiced against Mitsubishis, and the A3 doesn’t seem to be available as a coupe (but yeah, it’s too hatch-y).
If I were going to say “what the hell” and stop caring about how hatchbacks look, I’d most likely get the VW GTI.
I don’t like the look of the new Tiburons. But how is a Hyundai any better than a Chevy?
Tell me about it! I’m also very picky, about both looks and options, which doesn’t help. If Hondas weren’t so fugly these days I think the Accord V6 coupe would be an excellent fit for me: I want small and fast, but the Accord is even uglier than the Civic. Maybe someone will have a few '09s already and they’ll be prettier.
No, you don’t. The old truism is “cheap, fast, reliable…choose two.” It seems you have chosen your two. BTW, a Hyundai will be better than a Cobalt because it has a crazy-good warranty, and Hyundai’s build quality and reliability has been on the rise for about 10 years now.
The Z’s hatch area won’t do for the doggies, I’m afraid. The rear has a lot more space than the trunks of most sports cars, but it’s not like the rear seat area of the RX. You can’t reach it easily from the front and it’s too low. I’ve never owned any dogs, but I don’t think it would be a good idea to put them back there.
I think what Necros is saying about two out of three is right. And if I were you, I’d relax your requirements on the sporty appearance. The WRX, Evo, or a few other hot hatches (even the Mazdaspeed 3, although it’s FWD), will give you the room, the reliability, the speed, all at a non-budget-busting price. All it will cost you is giving up on the look you were hoping for.
Think about it this way: the Cobalt and Civic look sporty, but aren’t all that quick. The WRX and Evo look a little boxy, but are really quick and handle great. Would you rather look fast and not be, or be fast and not look it? The choice would be easy for me.
This has helped a great deal: much as I love the idea of having a true sports car, now I’m wondering if I’m really ready to have one as my daily driver. I need to do some test drives ASAP!
IMO the Accord coupe is even uglier than the Si (and why have a coupe that’s as long as a sedan??), but I’ll definitely check one out while I’m at the Honda dealership.
