Nephew has an RX-8. He says it's a serious gas guzzler. That car is simply not on the same level as our Z's. Besides, its style is many years old and it is due for a significant re-style and possible re-engineering. You'll have an out-of-date car with a huge appetite for fuel that will kill the budget. Nephew also talks about the rotary engine in the RX-8 as something to be cautious about.
I'd stay away. The Z is a whole different league up with n one of those problems.

http://www.caranddriver.com/var/ezfl...0b704c7a33.pdf

^Acceleration is pure crap, about like a crown vic, and handling isn't very good either imo. considering all the other compromises this car embodies.

http://www.caranddriver.com/var/ezfl...65b5481d51.pdf

^Acceleration is actually better than most family cars/crown vics, stops the same as the RX8, and in THIS test it gives up 1mph on the lane-change which is probably more a result of the 370Z's 3" greater width than any ability to change lanes/corner better on the RX8's part. The much higher skid-pad rating indicates that long, sweeping corners would put the 370Z FAR ahead of the RX8.


To be fair, the 370Z body style has not changed that much from the '03 350Z. It has gotten more rigid and a few changes to the motor and other tweaks here and there, but all in all, the Z is overdue for a more competitive drive line and maybe some styling changes.

Then again, I like older designs. It takes a while to work the kinks out of things, and that is why I would rather have a last production-run car of an older style than a first production run car of a new style.

having owned an RX7, I also know several folks with 8's. The engines not only return terrible mileage and are low on power and torque, engines on these suckers blow at around 50k miles. I kid you not, 2 of 6 people with 8's here in my small/medium sized town have gotten 2 new engines under warranty. All failed from apex seal deterioration.

The longest I ever heard of an FD lasting was around 110K miles, and everyone was stunned that it lasted that long. It wasn't pushing a ton of boost, pretty mild, running 13's.

As far as comparing the two, it's an apples to oranges comparison. The most elemental difference will be going from FWD to RWD. Beyond that, in regards to the weight difference, the Z is a car that in my opinion drives "small." Visibility out of the Z, put plainly, sucks. You have zero 3/4 visibility and huge blindspots, and have to rely on your mirrors exclusively to check before you switch lanes. The rear glass is also pretty tight to see out of, however if you're cautious or get a new one with the backup camera you will be fine. The handling is significantly better, a combination of the setup and RWD will make it a night and day comparison.

The funny thing about the rx-8 is that it actually uses less gas at the track (8-10mpg) compare to the Z (6-8mpg)

If you are used to the RSX, forget about the handling and all the other stuff. One thing you will miss is the room!

the extra weight is noticeable. i believe the z weighs approx. 500 lbs more than the rsx, which you will feel right away. however, imo it makes the car feel more stable and planted, especially at higher speeds. a few passengers have commented on it too.

the z is actually lower and shorter than the rsx, but it is wider by a few inches. i still find myself double checking that i am in my lane on occasion due to the extra width, but i have become more comfortable over time.

the visibility is way worse. like the above poster said, you have to really rely on your mirrors. the back side windows are worthless and you cannot see out of them. rear visibility isn't horrible compared to the rsx, but not as good.

since i am still in the break in period, my view on the handling differences probably isn't worth as much since i am still feeling out the z's limits. however, just yesterday, i was taking this long 270 degree turn/on ramp that i could usually take at 45mph max in my rsx. i looked down at the speedo, and i was going 55 without even realizing it. it felt like there was room to go faster (but i didn't try). :tiphat:

Thanks for the input everyone, it's really making the decision easier...I see a lot of negativity towards the rx-8 so just to clear things up:

1: I'm sorry for those who had flooding issues etc. but those issues were mainly on the 04-05 models due to last minute changes on Mazda's part. 06-08 isn't as bad, and 09+ (Series 2 aka 2nd gen) is a whole new car (reliability wise) the changed everything, I haven't heard a single flooding issue for the S2 models so far...they even changed the gear ratio so it feels a lot tourquier in 1st and 2nd (remember, I said feels)

2: The rotary engine itself isn't bad, it's hard for people to adjust to it after using pistions..rotary engines are meant to be kept at high revs not only to keep the engine healthy, but it's also reported that you get better gas mileage if you shift at 5k. You also need to redline it often to clear out the carbon, hence the popular saying "a redline a day keeps the carbon away" as for the oil, they use about a quart every 3k miles when isn't all that bad

3: Rotary engines are not low on torque. It's just that torque is pretty much dependant on displacement size..I garauntee you that a 1.3L NA pisiton engine will give you a lot less torque than the Renesis in the rx8. A 5.0L rotary engine will kill the Mustang and both HP and torque. They may not be effecient in mileage, but they are very effecient in size-power. I have to agree though that they do have a short life-span if you don't maintain it. A well maintained rx8's have lasted over 200k miles on the stock engine...they're not like piston engines where you can just "forget about it", they need to be taken care of. And Mazda did up the powetrain warranty to 100k/8 years standard

I did a lot of test driving in the 8 and I can't explain the feeling, it's just so smooth. If you closed your eyes and plugged your ears, you would not be able to tell if you were on 2k or 9k RPM, it's just that smooth.

Anyway I'm pretty sure the 370z is the way to go. I'll drop 1k (will that be enough?) on some decent coil-overs and that should be enough to at least match the rx8. And yea I guess I can't expect a perfect car until I move up to the Cayman's price point, but the Z does seem like a better overall package.
About the spark plugs and everything, I was just quoting what I read at rx8club, they change their plugs every 20k miles, I had no idea they lasted 100k in the Z.

1 last thing, anyone here ever drive a MT gen coupe? Maybe I can get a comparison of the gearboxes

EDIT: RX-9 FTW! They may have the electric motor, but it's for gas mileage, not power. The rotary will still suppy a large majority of the power. Anyway I don't mind it being a hybrid if it can still get the rumored 300hp, ~280tq and 30mpg highway while still remaining NA.

EDIT 2: Holy s**t did I really just type all that =O

Thanks guys, +rep. I don't mind the blind spots since I rarely ever turn my head anyway, I always lean forward and look in the side mirrors (gives you a different angle)...as long as the front and rear visibility is good, I can live with it.

you guys also have to remember that the 8 is not exactly in the same price range. They might be close in MSRP, but you can get huge discounts on the 8. I was at some dealerships a few weeks ago and they were practically begging me to take the 8's that have been sitting on their lots forever. I barely negotiated and they were offering 25 and 26k for the R3 (closer to 20k for the base), that almost 10k off MSRP :eek:. The RX-8 is a slow selling car, come December and I'm sure you can get an even better deal with the Mazda end-of-year cash bonuses.
So you really have to ask yourself if its worth spending the extra 8 or 9k on the Z (the answer is yes :tup:)

I own a 370z and have owned an RX-8.

The RX-8 has ok power on the top end due to the high-reving rotary engine, however it doesn't have the torque and low-end power the Z has. It also is setup for passengers which I never had more than 1 of. Handling-wise it does pretty well but I prefer to have more power behind the car to get it through the turns and such smoothly.

The 370z is pretty raw. It can jump off the line quite easily, has pretty good power until you hit towards 5500-6000 then it sort of goes limp. Handling-wise it does well in corners and straights however VDC is pretty amazing in corners even if it makes your car a bit under-powered. Turn it off and your car will take corners a bit faster but you better know how to drive :)

In the end it's all about what you want and what makes you happy. I obviously went with a Z and am happy.

True, but your question was about the RX8, which is a 1.3L if I remember correctly... same as my FD. Besides, you can't GET a 5.0L Rotary commercially...maybe if you build one. So yes, the 1.3L Rotary is VERY low on torque compared to a 3.7L V6 in the Z.

Most RX-8s sold were 2004 and 2005, that's how they got the bad rep. I had a 2004 and a 2006, the 2004 had way more problems.

coming from a X rx8 r3 owner, i got the car right when it came out. the handling and the looks of the car is what got me. when i got it there was no camaro or 5.0L mustang or 370z out. it was the 350z that was still at dealerships. i miss that car everyday. they fixed most problems in the 2009+ rx8s.

pros- handles like a dream
- fun 9.5k redline
-the seats are BA
-the R3 rims go great with the car
- VERY all around smooth car
- you think the 370z is a rare car ? think again rx8 r3. i have seen one in my area. not including mine.

cons
- no power what so ever in a straight line. still fun when cornering
- bad MPG, but who really cares its a sports car right ? but its still pretty bad for how much power the car has.
- the car is not mod friendly at all. engine wise.
- the suspension was pretty rough, and i live in MI roads which are not good.

veridic

the car is very rare, and looks cool. its a fun car, but i feel the 370z is a better buy because it has both ok handling and power in the straights. and thats what makes a great sports car.

I've owned a ton of different cars including a DC5.

I did a LOT of shopping around before I chose my Z... I drove:

350Z
370Z
S2000 (04+ AP2)
Genesis Coupe 2.0t & 3.8 GT
Mustang GT (2010 model as the 2011 wasn't out yet)
RX8
EVO X GSR( I sold my STi slightly before the Z so I wasn't really interested in owning another Subaru so soon)
Camaro SS (although it was a bit out of my price range)
BMW 335i Coupe
BMW 135i Coupe

I looked into all of them, did all of my research and honestly, the RX8 was out of the picture from the beginning. I would rather own a Genesis 3.8 before the RX8.

When I did the math, considered what I wanted and what I was buying, my choices were narrowed down to the 370Z, S2000 and the Gen Coupe 3.8.

I've come from a heritage of Hondas (about 10 or so in the last few years,) I wanted something new (to me.)

The S2000 is a great car. It has a great engine, great gearbox and it will last forever. It is pricey to get big power out of them and the rear ends blow up with the slightest of hard launches. It is small and somewhat under powered if you're used to torque.

The Gen coupe is just garbage IMO... but I know people frown upon hearing the truth so I will make this brief. It's cheaply made and the technology and heritage just isn't on par with the Z. I drove the first 3.8 Track that came to my local dealer ship the DAY they unloaded it.

I was disappointed with the clutch and the gearbox. The power wasn't really there either until you rev'd the piss out of it.

I really thought about buying the Hyundai because of the value, but then I asked myself... what is important to me?

I went back and saved up a little more cash and planned out my purchase of the 370Z for a few months. I was a member on this forum for a few months before I ever found the car I own today.

Everyone is different, but the Z has the quality of Nissan (they make one of the best supercars in the world, yes I called the GTR a supercar) and some of that technology is going to trickle down into there other cars.

Long story short (I know I wrote a book just now) but I got out of the Gen Coupe, went across the street and drove a Z and it was so obvious, I felt like an ******* for thinking of spending my hard earned money on an inferior car.

I love my Z. I would suggest going to a dealership and driving one for yourself. Try to drive them both in the same day to really keep the comparison open.

:tiphat:

double posssssssssst