I've been mulling over getting a new (to me) car, but I love my baby too much, it would be like cheating. It also doesn't help that no car for sale in my price range is sweet enough to buy. Here is what I have been looking at lately:
- I drove a 335i coupe (manual of course). Pretty fun, but it is big, and it is still kind of a douchebag car (or as Jeremy Clarkson says, a car for cocks).
- Also drove a Genesis coupe. It was pretty fun too, but also just felt big.
- Although I could probably get used to it as a daily driver, a Lotus Exige S is just too expensive. At least 45k used.
- The announcement of the new RX-7 was interesting, but it will take forever to come out, and probably cost an easy 50k.
- The Camaro SS is gigantic. My coworker has one, he let me drive it. Fun, but still so-so interior, and its 4000lbs.
- I could probably find a used C6 vette, but everyone and their mom has one here. Also never been a fan of the interior.

So I'm thinking lets go with the way cheaper option - turbo! ~1/6th the cost and I get to keep my baby! I think it's the logical choice.

Evo X, 135i, 370z, 350 nismo, STi, G37s, should I keep going?

Here are my baseless opinionated objections to those:
Evo & sti - I don't want a 4-door
350z - Too ugly.
370z - much better, but expensive, and what is with that retarded screen where a gauge should be?
g37s - 40k, and also everyone here in Phoenix has one. Well, G35 anyway.
135i - it looks retarded, and costs pretty much the same as a 335i

^ man you and i have very similar taste! i would say turbo the 8 and keep her youll miss her if you get rid of it

Evo & sti - I don't want a 4-door

You are driving a 4 door.

:)

You are driving a 4 door.

:)

Doesn't look like one though =p

What about a Lotus Elise? It's much more affordable in used forms than the Exige S.

E46 BMW M3?

Personally, I'd never have a FI RX-8 for a daily driver.

I'd imagine an Elise would be straight off the bat hard to use as a DD. The M3 is a great car though.

The problem with the elise is that is not an exige s. It would feel like getting a v6 camaro, and missing out on the v8. Terrible comparison I know, but I always feel like I should have the more powerful edition.

M3 has the same Clarkson problem as the 335i.

Lol, it really depends on your area. Generally, M3's are rare around me, so we don't think "what a c*ckhead" when we see one.

Mercedes SL55s however....

Turbo's a great idea, I would do the same as opposed to getting a replacement to the 8.

Personally, I'd never have a FI RX-8 for a daily driver.

There are three daily driven turbo RX8's here in Phoenix. Mazdamanics, AZLizards and Bnosaj. No one is having any thing but fun. And three Nitrous RX8's (Charles R Hill, Flashwing and yours truly) as daily drivers.
I don't know what the rest of the country is doing, but the RX8 owners here in AZ are having fun!

Yea once u get used to the light and nimble 8, its hard to foresee yourself driving a bigger/heavier car, regardless of higher hp. Until something comes out that matches the 8's balance, i just couldnt see myself in anything else....maybe that will change when i have kids:)

Turbo? I say go for it. Just do it right and spare no expense. You are right there by BHR, the best place you can be if thinking of goin FI.

There are three daily driven turbo RX8's here in Phoenix. Mazdamanics, AZLizards and Bnosaj. No one is having any thing but fun. And three Nitrous RX8's (Charles R Hill, Flashwing and yours truly) as daily drivers.
I don't know what the rest of the country is doing, but the RX8 owners here in AZ are having fun!

And OP is from AZ too!

I can't imagine the 8 being bad as a DD when you turbo it. It's not like you're running maximum boost all the time... and you can make the turbo give you any sort of powerband you want (well, almost any).

There are three daily driven turbo RX8's here in Phoenix. Mazdamanics, AZLizards and Bnosaj. No one is having any thing but fun. And three Nitrous RX8's (Charles R Hill, Flashwing and yours truly) as daily drivers.
I don't know what the rest of the country is doing, but the RX8 owners here in AZ are having fun!

You gentlemen are very brave, especially if you don't have a second car.
Again, personally, I wouldn't do it.
I am however, very envious :worship:

The problem with the elise is that is not an exige s. It would feel like getting a v6 camaro, and missing out on the v8. Terrible comparison I know, but I always feel like I should have the more powerful edition.

M3 has the same Clarkson problem as the 335i.

I thought Audi had overtaken BMW in the douche department?

What about S2000? That's a little different from the 8, while still providing that excellent feel. You'd probably end up wanting to turbo it too, but if you just wanted to change things up a little, that would be a good choice.

I thought Audi had overtaken BMW in the douche department?

Depends on the audi, I guess. Although the image I have for audi is this:

A series - Boring business people
S series - People who would get a 3 series BMW
RS4 - Older people who didn't want to look as douchy in the Mercs and Beemers
RS6 - Older people who didn't realize it was a damn tank
R8 - Sub zero.

So it's not AS bad...

Depends on the audi, I guess. Although the image I have for audi is this:

A series - Boring business people
S series - People who would get a 3 series BMW
RS4 - Older people who didn't want to look as douchy in the Mercs and Beemers
RS6 - Older people who didn't realize it was a damn tank
R8 - Sub zero.

So it's not AS bad...

The "4 series" has been a little off track in recent years in my opinion. The B5 series (A4: 1.8t engine S4: 2.7 bi-turbo) were great cars. The newest S4 is back to a FI 6 cylinder engine which I really like.

RS6:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8Kry1CbTkM

It might be heavy and large, but it's pretty damn impressive. For what it's built for, it's an awesome car in my opinion.

Admittedly, not sure at what point it happend, but I've become a bit of an Audi fan... at least towards the cars I really like. I'm not so much of a fan that I like the bad cars as well. The new S6 sounds amazing... uses an engine derived from the lambo gallardo. As time goes on, the more I like AWD as well. There's just something about audi that I think separates it from BMW. Plus, their new headlights are really cool.

I agree that the RS6 is very impressive, just a tad on the heavier side. If they continued the RS4, I'd be much happier. But I always liked Audi, as they aren't as flamboyant as Merc, or as commonly advertised as BMW.

OP, what about Porsches?

What about S2000? That's a little different from the 8, while still providing that excellent feel. You'd probably end up wanting to turbo it too, but if you just wanted to change things up a little, that would be a good choice.

Still quite expensive for what it is. And I've never been a fan of convertibles.

You gentlemen are very brave, especially if you don't have a second car.
Again, personally, I wouldn't do it.
I am however, very envious :worship:

I am planning on installing the kit myself, just very carefully. I also have a motorcycle to hold me over while the car is taken apart.

I agree that the RS6 is very impressive, just a tad on the heavier side. If they continued the RS4, I'd be much happier. But I always liked Audi, as they aren't as flamboyant as Merc, or as commonly advertised as BMW.

OP, what about Porsches?


My issue with Porsche is that the cool ones are too expensive. I would never consider a Boxter (no hard-top, butthole tailpipe, kind of a chick car), and the Cayman just isn't pretty. 996 GT3 would be sweet, but that's even more than a used Exige.

I thought Audi had overtaken BMW in the douche department?

Nope...sorry Mich...BMW still holds the title! Woohoo! :)

Screw what other people think about you and your ride...get what makes you happy.

and the Cayman just isn't pretty

That's the problem... your taste in cars is off. :p: The cayman is beautiful car.

IDk dude i'm looking at the E92 M3.... Even a low mil E46. I think the 8's time is done lol. but i wish we just had more successful boosted DD's up here in NY. We have 2... its tuff having the 8 as a DD, because all you want to do is turbo it. Because damn Honda civic SI's give hard comp in a straight line.

how about a 95 rx7

Those are insanely hard to find in good condition. And then they cost a fortune. And besides, I wouldn't be able to resist modding it, and inevitably blow an engine.

Those are insanely hard to find in good condition. And then they cost a fortune. And besides, I wouldn't be able to resist modding it, and inevitably blow an engine.

I don't think you'd run much more of a risk on the 7 than you will on the 8. Mind you, I think if properly done and maintained, you aren't running too high of a risk to start with. The problem with the 7 is that everything is running the risk of breaking more so than the 8. You can find a 7 with a fresh engine... but that doesn't mean anything about all the other little things that could get worn down over time.

The problem with the elise is that is not an exige s. It would feel like getting a v6 camaro, and missing out on the v8. Terrible comparison I know, but I always feel like I should have the more powerful edition.

M3 has the same Clarkson problem as the 335i.

What the hell do you care what Clarkson has to say? Is the car for you or for him?And if you think Porsches are too expensive, you haven't really checked out the 911 prices lately.

I don't think you'd run much more of a risk on the 7 than you will on the 8. Mind you, I think if properly done and maintained, you aren't running too high of a risk to start with. The problem with the 7 is that everything is running the risk of breaking more so than the 8. You can find a 7 with a fresh engine... but that doesn't mean anything about all the other little things that could get worn down over time.

I'd be scared of moding and blowing the 7. you'd have to do all sorts of reliability mods to the FD before you can be sure you're not going to overheat/break something else. If I ever get a 7, It's going to have those reliability mods done to it, along with a single turbo. Forget that five million yards of vac tubes :lol2:

the E46 looks like a chick car, only the side gills and rims set it apart from a 330Ci, boring sitting next to the 8 imo. 370 is a good but expensive choice for a 2 seater, one day you might need to haul 3 people. same for the S2000. The 8 occupies a niche market of 1, a sports car with 4 real seats.

The Audi A5/R5 has some nice curves and a manly front end but the V6 is $36k for not much of a sporty car and the V8 is $50k, not that it matters but the V8 gets worse mpg than an RX8 at 14/22mpg. What does matter is its 4000lbs and handles like the Challenger RT that looks better and can be had w/ nearly identical performance for half the price.

Id test drive a Mustang GT Track edition, reviews say it handles or just add FI to the 8 and probably be the happiest with.

Crossfire anyone?

Sounds like the OP is stuck with his current ride with FI and various reliability mods since nothing else quite stacks up.