Mazda RX8 - Waddaya say??

[SilviaEvo]

the Skyline is the way to go! btw to whoever said get an M5 it costs a lot more than the M3, Skyline, WRX, etc. and i know a 45 year old lady that drives one!

[Mezevenf]

How a car drives is an important issue, not just power and stats.

If a car is fun to drive but less powerful than another, I'd know which car I'd go for.

WRX handle horribly, they just have an insane amount of grip. 350Z has the most boring V6 I've ever heard and Skylines here are just too common (although I doubt thats a factor where you are) but I'm not sure how Skylines drive, I've never driven one. Apparently the RX8 drives very nicely and is highly enjoyable, but I've only ever ridden shotgun in an RX8, never driven.

Buy what you think drives the best in your hands.

[XfirstbloodX]

Rotaries are not really known for great gas mileage but the rx8 is definatley a killer car I mean 238 n/a horsepower and redline a 9k thats definatley awsome. Watch out though rotaries burn oil pretty bad too.

[Sir_GT]

The RX-8 has the worst running costs of any modern car. It has poor mileage, and the lack of torque means that once the car is actually filled up with either passengers, groceries, or both, the performance suffers. Plus, the 9k rev limit is practically useless for a daily drive, only time you'll ever get to enjoy that is on a track, which would cost you another hefty sum (tires, brakes, oil, petrol, the works).

If you fancy topping up the oil every other fuel stop, then by all means, burden yourself with the RX-8. But if you want to be sensible, and drive a car which is generally hassle-free (or at least, the hassle would only be equivalent to a regular car), and you want performance, go for either a Skyline, an M3, or a 350Z.

RX-8 = bad choice.

[Vansquish]

Originally Posted by Sir_GT The RX-8 has the worst running costs of any modern car. It has poor mileage, and the lack of torque means that once the car is actually filled up with either passengers, groceries, or both, the performance suffers. Plus, the 9k rev limit is practically useless for a daily drive, only time you'll ever get to enjoy that is on a track, which would cost you another hefty sum (tires, brakes, oil, petrol, the works). If you fancy topping up the oil every other fuel stop, then by all means, burden yourself with the RX-8. But if you want to be sensible, and drive a car which is generally hassle-free (or at least, the hassle would only be equivalent to a regular car), and you want performance, go for either a Skyline, an M3, or a 350Z. RX-8 = bad choice.

I beg to differ. The RX8 sitting outside has been nothing but a joy as of yet. The gas mileage is definetely not terrific, but I wouldn't expect a car of this performance caliber to have particularly good economy. The 9k limit is not all that important, as during daily driving anything up to about 6k is plenty to dispatch any other slow-moving vehicle. 159 foot-pounds may not sound like much, but in a car as light as the RX8 it's quite tolerable. It doesn't have the big lusty V6 thrust of a 350Z or the Turbocharged torque of a WRX/STi/EVO, but again, in daily driving conditions it's never a worry.
I'm on the University of Michigan Fencing Team and when we travel to tournaments, I usually take 2-3 people with me in the RX8 along with all their swords, masks, and assorted other equipment (toolboxes included) and while the performance is definetely affected, again, it's not so bad as one might think. As far as oil consumption, yes, it does consume more oil than a standard reciprocating piston engine, but, I now have more than 1400 miles on the car and the dipstick is still reading full and the oil is clear and shows no signs of particles of any sort.

What you get with the RX8 is a unique vehicle with an engine unlike any other on the market today. It's generally hassle-free, reasonably (mind you I said reasonably) cheap to run, uniquely styled, fits 4 in comfort without being a true saloon, sounds good, goes well, corners really nicely, has a perfect 50:50 weight balance that actually shifts slightly rearward as more people occupy the car, AND it has a trunk that's large enough to swallow most anything one would need under normal circumstances (or abnormal - fencing for instance). The RX8 has been nothing but a joy and a boon so far. It looks great in black, has a pretty sweet interior and a decent sound system (granted it's not as good as the M3's Harmon Kardon, but it doesn't cost nearly as much either). On top of all that, the RX8's handling balance is nigh on to perfect. If the back end starts to step out you can easily countersteer or balance it with the throttle. Grip is never a problem (unless you're on summer tires in the snow...thaaat's fun), and since it's so light you can easily hit 75mph on a 25mph entrance ramp without the tires squealing, and without understeering into oblivion.

[Sir_GT]

^^^ Part of my reason stems from the fact that oil and petrol (hell, anything) costs more here than it does there in the US. Whether it is the same with where the chap's from, I have no idea. The RX-8 ends up becoming ridiculously expensive over time, and that little fact has been reflected in it's resale value. You will see a lot, and I mean a lot, of barely used RX-8's for sale in the second hand car parks over here, with a large chunk of their value knocked off, simply because owners found out what a pain it is to maintain.

Let's put it this way. I don't disagree with anything you've just said, but if you changed the RX-8's engine to something less "fussy" (i.e. conventional), you would have the perfect car, instead of a unique one.