Man, every time I think I know what I want, someone makes a really good point (about it or something else) and I wind up going “wellll…”
Nooooo! :eek:
So nothing I’ve mentioned fits the “fast and reliable” two? I’d have to be willing to spend more than $30k for that?
Actually, my boyfriend has an '04. It’s not the fanciest trimline, and it’s an automatic (yes, I love him anyway), but it seems like a decent car. I haven’t noticed any problems in the 1.5 years I’ve been driving it home from the bar and borrowing it when mine’s in the shop. And everything I hear/read about the Cobalt – including a thread here last year – says that the fit and finish improve with the trimline, and the SS is the highest so I’m expecting a decent interior. Consumer Reports doesn’t recommend it, but their main complaint seems to be the interior and they tested the lowest trimline. But I’ll admit that if I wind up with one I’ll feel a bit like a 22-year-old guy getting his first car. grin
Ok, now the Z is definitely off the table. Thanks.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m (clearly) not a fan of the hatchback look, but my problem with sedans isn’t that they don’t look sporty: it’s that they’re too big. Four doors – let alone five – is way more space than I need, and I prefer to drive smaller cars. I’ve had my current sedan for 4 years and I often miss my old coupe. It’s why I don’t like the Acura V6 coupe, actually: it’s as long as a sedan!
Well, if that’s the case, then I’d definitely recommend test driving a WRX, Evo (if you can get over your Mitsubishi prejudice), or Mazdaspeed 3. They are not big cars, and I think you could easily get used to them. Also, once you start going to more distant tracks, you’ll appreciate having room in the back seat for your track wheels/tires. (I wish I had that much room in the Z!)
I think you’d be better off trying to shorten a WRX!
Seriously, you’d have to make serious suspension, brake, and power mods just to get to the level of a base WRX or Evo. Whereas if you spent that much time and money on either of those cars, you’d be approaching STi level.
I’d say go out and just test drive some of the aforementioned cars. See if they’re as big as you’re imagining they are. That’s the way to tell for sure.
I know the Mazda speed-3 was rejected but it’s worth a test drive. I think it’s a better bang for the buck. There’s a certain satisfaction driving something that looks innocuous but seats 4 comfortably and hangs with a Mustang GT.
I find the RX-8 a novelty with enough quirks to regulate it to a # 3 spot behind a daily driver and something like a G8. I would buy one if I could afford it as part of a collection of cars.
I just can’t reconcile this logic with the fact that the Cobalt SS and the Civic Si are on your short list. They technically aren’t hatchbacks but they have the exactsame profile as one with the ultra short decklids. Also, both cars come in a Sedan configuration! The Cobalt is actually an inch longer as a coupe and the Civic is only 2 inches shorter.
Both cars are nice and can be fun to drive, but they are more or less souped up economy cars and are in a completely different class than the RX-8 and 350Z. Putting them on the same list is a little confusing. Several of us have recommended cars that fall in between the two genres and you’ve shot them down. Which is totally fair, but to me your criteria has been a little inconsistent.
If you want sporty and reliable, you really can’t not test drive the coupes that BMW, Infinity, Audi, VW and a gaggle of other high end producers make. For example if you settled into this BMW 135i you’d be absolutely rattled by the difference in trim and performance. It’s also a full 4 inches shorter than a Honda Civic SI Coupe.
I understand that perhaps the Sport Coupe versions of the BMW 3-series and Infinity G37 might to close in size and appearance to a midsize sedan, but there’s just a lot of unexplored ground between the RX-8/350Z and Civic Si/Cobalt SS that is your starting point.
Ok, you guys are seriously going to have to forgive me: I’m flip-flopping more than John Kerry and Al Gore combined.
I’m back on the damn RX-8.
I was intimidated by the apparent effort required, plus I’ll admit that part of me feels like a sports car is an irresponsible choice. But I’ve spent the better part of the last two hours doing research: re-reading the Consumer Reports “2008 Best & Worst Cars” issue, re-reading this entire thread, reading the Edmunds review, and surfing three separate RX-8 forums (including the one at Edmunds), and what it comes down to is that the RX-8 is everything I want. And I don’t think the maintenance will be as scary as I’d built it up in my mind to be. Yes, I’ll need to monitor my oil level more frequently than I’m used to, but I think the extra effort will be worth it. And yes, the fuel economy will suck harder than a toothless crack whore, but I’ll just have to deal with that.
And yes, I’ll be taking it to the track, but not more than a couple times a year – definitely not often enough to warrant modifications like upgraded brakes. I don’t have the money, leave, or spare time required to become a track junkie. On track days I will just have to figure additional fuel and oil into the cost of the event, and will do the same pre- and post-event maintenance checks that I do now on my Sentra.
The only thing that sucks is that the nearest Mazda dealership is 16 miles away from where I spend my weekends (and where I’ll be living as of next month), but I think I might take a ride out there – or to the dealership near work, keeping future servicing in mind – this Saturday. It’s time.
So, please forgive/bear with me, and I promise not to make any more “I want this car” claims until I’ve done some driving.
I’ll tackle Omniscient’s questions/comments in the following post…
The “exact same profile”? You really don’t see a difference between them and this?
But they *look *shorter – to me, anyway. And I have never claimed to like the styling of the Civic Si, in fact it’s something I’ve mentioned several times. I’ve seen Cobalt coupes on the road (sans ugly rear spoiler) and to me their styling is better than either the Si or a hatchback.
Exactly! There aren’t really any cars in the middle that I like.
How? Small and sporty/fast have been my criteria all along, and I completely disagree that the Si and Cobalt look just like hatchbacks. Besides which, they’re my criteria: I’m the one who’ll be paying for and driving the car, and if I decide that I only want either a Ford Escort or a Chevy Corvette that’s really up to me, isn’t it? I know that this thread has turned into a discussion of the relative merits of many other cars, but I really did start out just wanting to hear about experiences with RX-8s. I can justify and explain for a year, but what it comes down to is that these are the cars I like.
It’s not unexplored at all: I’ve been thinking about this new car decision on and off for a year, and have been all over Edmunds, Consumer Reports, and Vehix. As I’ve said, there just aren’t a lot of new cars out there these days that both appeal to me and are less than $35k. Please don’t assume that “I don’t like it” equals “I haven’t thought about it.”
I see a difference between that hatchback and the 2 that I posted, but that’s just one style. Certainly there are more than a few hatchbacks that go with that stubby rear-end approach but there are also a ton that look almost identical in profile to the fastback style of the Civic and Cobalt like the Scion tC, Hyundai Tiburon, Mitsubishi Eclipse and (you are going to love this one) the Nissan 350Z. Perhaps you should say instead that you like the fastback style, which occurs on hatchbacks and non-hatchbacks alike. Incidentally, is there a term for that stubby rear-end look that that VW and Subaru STI have?
You dislike the styling of the Civic Si but like the styling of the Cobalt SS?
You picked two cars that lie about as far apart on the sports car spectrum as is possible. Yet you’ve shot down all suggestions in the middle. I guess people are just sort of scratching their heads here, there’s not to many people who would have an RX-8 as their first choice and a Cobalt SS as their second. It’s certainly your prerogative but because the issues with the RX-8 aren’t really “sports car” issues but instead Wankel Engine issues everyone has offered up other sports car options that don’t have that rotary engine detail. You were looking for RX-8 experiences which is fine, and no one is suggesting that your tastes aren’t valid, but considering that the biggest stumbling blocks to you owning a true sports car seem to be related to the unique engine people are eager to point to other cars that are a hell of a lot more sporty than the Cobalt and Civic.
Spark plugs cost $150 per set and need to be changed at least every 10K miles.
Anyway, if you really truly want the 8, go for it. When buying a car with a rotary, you’re going to get a lot of naysayers. Dang pistonheads. But just think of the cool, exclusive club you’ll be joining. We all wave to each other on the street. We have car clubs and everything. Nothing sounds like a rotary when its shrieking through a canyon. And the RX-8 chassis is really, really fantastic.
Just don’t be like those people (mainly women, sorry) who drive an 8 and have no idea what is under the hood. Wouldn’t know what a rotary engine was if it fell on them.
Yep. They look the same in those photos, but the Cobalt coupes I’ve seen on the street look different. Maybe I just haven’t seen any '08s, though…
I picked four cars on the car spectrum. I was never limiting myself to sports cars, just small and sporty/fast cars.
Here’s the list of cars that have been recommended to me in this thread:[ul][li]Pontiac G8[/li][li]used Boxster[/li][li]Certified Used cars from the elite Europeans[/li][li]GTI or R32[/li][li]Mazdaspeed3[/li][li]WRX or an Evo[/li][li]Acura TSX[/li][li]Mustang GT[/li][li]Infinity G37 Coupe[/li][li]Honda Accord coupe[/li][li]Nissan Altima coupe[/li][li]BMW 1 series[/li][li]previous-gen Dodge SRT-4[/li][li]Mitsubishi Eclipse[/li][li]Audi A3[/li][li]Hyundai Tiburon[/ul]Some are used, many are sedans, others are way more than $30k, and a few I simply don’t like the looks of (and two I’m prejudiced against). I don’t have many criteria, but I’m serious about the ones I do have, and there just aren’t a lot of cars that fit it. I’m aware of the limitations I’ve placed on myself. How many times/ways can I say that?[/li]
The Cobalt has never been my second choice: the Civic Si is. But really, who cares?
Thanks.
You know, quite frankly, along with part of me feeling that a sports car is an irresponsible choice, I think that part of me also feels that I don’t “deserve” one. Like, who am I to get a sports car? Even though I love to drive, I feel that I drive well (though don’t we all), and the 1-3 times a year when I go to the track I’m happier 'n a pig in mud (even with my zero-power Sentra). Anyway, part of my “conversion” the other night was finally realizing that it’s perfectly ok for someone like me to get a car like the RX-8 or the 350Z, because I do know what’s under the hood – and I’ll respect and take care of it. I want fast, I’m 99% sure I can handle fast (and I’ve been driving a stick for 20 years; how hard can it be to get used to the rotary?), and I can afford fast, so gosh darnit I’m going to get fast!
I don’t think it’s irresponsible to own a sports car. You could even say that sports cars can be safer because they generally brake and handle better than most cars. However, IMO a RX-8 is somewhat irresponsible as a primary daily driver because it gets such poor gas mileage, especially with gas prices set to get worse. How many miles a year do you drive?
A little more than 10k (which is another reason I’ve decided to go for it despite the lack o’ fuel economy). That said, I’m sure that I’ll drive a little more with a car like the RX-8, and my commute is about to go from 15 miles per day to 30 miles per day.
If the miles start racking up I can always let my SO do the weekend driving every now and then.
Thanks!
That’s actually one of the forums I checked out while doing research.
Lakewood Mazda, outside of Denver, last time I went in to buy plugs for my RX-7 (which were only ~$50 for four). Not sure what they are wholesale. I assume install is extra. I change my plugs every 10K miles, and from what I have read, 8 owners should probably do the same…
Misnomer, I’ll be interested to see if you end up taking the plunge on the RX-8.
I have a pretty limiting set of criteria for my next car as well, one of which is: It must appear to be doing 35 mph while parked in the driveway.
I had to rule out the RX-8 (even though I only drive about 2 miles a day–I live that close to work), because I just could not justify the gas mileage.
I have another suggestion, that might fit the bill for you, except it’s outta your price range. And mine. I’m hoping to pick one up that’s a year or two old, for somewhere in the $30K range. May I introduce you to the Audi TT Coupe? I want that car. It looks almost as cool as the RX-8 and gets slightly better mileage, but can only fit small dogs in the back seat.
But yeah… you’re probably stuck on the RX-8. I understand. Took me like three years to get over wanting one. I just kept my Honda del Sol for the moment until I can find an Audi I can afford.
ETA: BTW, I hate the 2008 model. They completely ruined the back end. Now it just looks like a $35K suppository. :smack:
Just because you change your plugs every 10K this does not mean it is required to do so on an RX-8 every 10K. I know people that change their oil every 1,000 miles. That does not mean it is required that everyone change their oil that often. According to this service schedule (PDF!) plugs on a rotary are due every 30K.
Oh, BTW at this dealership they are $159.20 installed. Since I can pretty well guarantee that no dealership will install a set of plugs for $9.20 cents labor, I feel safe is saying that SR Motorsports is porking the hell out of their customers.
