one of my friends just picked up a nice 04 WRX. here are some pictures of it and the rx8.

They look quite good together.

At first I thought he had just bought the STi Spoiler to put on it till I saw the badges.

They look quite good together.

At first I thought he had just bought the STi Spoiler to put on it till I saw the badges.

that is definately NOT a STi.... :p

Nice pics! IMO the 8 is a far better looking car. :D

that is definately NOT a STi.... :p

yup, its just a WRX

Nice comparison pixs :D

They look quite good together.

At first I thought he had just bought the STi Spoiler to put on it till I saw the badges.

The previous owner swapped trunks with an STi owner. Then he threw an STi badge on the front, kinda sad really.

the WRX has all the parts to make it appear to be an STi: hood scoop, front bumper splitters, sideskirts, wing, and badges. it has an uppipe and a BOV, so it sounds pretty nice (basically like an STi). if only it could move like an STi.......

the WRX has all the parts to make it appear to be an STi: hood scoop, front bumper splitters, sideskirts, wing, and badges. it has an uppipe and a BOV, so it sounds pretty nice (basically like an STi). if only it could move like an STi.......

Those are not STi sideskirts, the STi also doesn't have foglights, nor any of the other STi badging. Just bugs me when people try to portray their car to be something it is not. It's like a Mustang GT with a Cobra rear bumper and badges, pretty ricey if you ask me. But, to each their own...

P.S. Tell your friend to lose the BoV, they aren't good for WRXs unless you have a much larger turbo + supporting mods.

By the way the RX-8 is lookin good, you need some CF or clear sidemarkers though :D

Those look very similear to the pics I made with my RX-8 and my friends STi...

those rims look tiny on the wrx...a friend of mine has an sti with a greddy BOV installed with recirculating pipe. He takes off the pipe just for the sound (dumb ass). It runs like shit..

thanks for the positive comments.

yeah my mistake on the sti sideskirts. those are just WRX sideskirts painted to match the body. also, about the BOV on the WRX....its acting quite odd. the idle on is fine on the car, but the noise the BOV makes on shifts is really different. it doesnt make a full venting sound, just a small shudder. ive heard BOVs arent the best thing for WRXs, but i guess the sound is appealing to my friend.

Don't take this comment the wrong way, they are both great cars, and look great, but when side by side... the Subaru looks like an Echo in comparison, the lines of the 8 look so sleek, and fast even when not in motion. And no, not bashing the Subaru, great cars, was thinking of getting an STI when I was car shopping, but the 8 just looks a cut above the rest.

Don't take this comment the wrong way, they are both great cars, and look great, but when side by side... the Subaru looks like an Echo in comparison, the lines of the 8 look so sleek, and fast even when not in motion. And no, not bashing the Subaru, great cars, was thinking of getting an STI when I was car shopping, but the 8 just looks a cut above the rest.

The key word is "looks," it certainly doesn't perform a cut above the rest.

the WRX has all the parts to make it appear to be an STi: hood scoop, front bumper splitters, sideskirts, wing, and badges. it has an uppipe and a BOV, so it sounds pretty nice (basically like an STi). if only it could move like an STi.......I never understand why people do shit like that. Sorry, but your friend really sucks at life. Why not just buy a neon and put a ferrari bodykit on it? :rolleyes:

The key word is "looks," it certainly doesn't perform a cut above the rest.I think that's why he used the word "looks".

I know, but I find buying a car for looks alone to be silly logic.

So you're saying all the RX-8 has is "looks"? Pleeeeease.

So you're saying all the RX-8 has is "looks"? Pleeeeease.

VS an STI, yeah all the RX-8 has is looks. I could make a strong argument that the STi is as good looking as the 8, but thats a subjective argument and neither of us would ever win.

VS an STI, yeah all the RX-8 has is looks. I could make a strong argument that the STi is as good looking as the 8, but thats a subjective argument and neither of us would ever win.Interesting theory. When I compare the 2 cars this is what I see the 8 having that's better/different:
- looks (big plus for most people, but you'd argue against this obviously)
- 9k RPM redline
- rotary engine
- suicide doors
- better interior
- cheaper

Happy?

Interesting theory. When I compare the 2 cars this is what I see the 8 having that's better/different:
- looks (big plus for most people, but you'd argue against this obviously)
- 9k RPM redline
- rotary engine
- suicide doors
- better interior
- cheaper

Happy?

Looks are always a losing battle becuase they are subjective, and subjective points are not valid in arguments.

The rotary engine is unique but not better. The STi engine puts more to the wheels than the Rensis puts to the crank. The STi engine is also better on gas.

Suicide Doors, not even close. They are hard to get in and out of, While the STi has 4 doors

I don't agree with the interior. Aside from leather I can't think of anything that the RX-8 has which is better. The STi also comes with climate control something the 8 does not offer

You win on the price argument, but they are close enough that cost really shouldn't be an issue, unless of course your getting into a base model. But if someone is interested in both cars, i wouldn't thing price was as issue.

You didn't mention the 9K RPM redline. So that's 2 valid points.

VS an STI, yeah all the RX-8 has is looks.
Disproven. Thanks.

You didn't mention the 9K RPM redline. So that's 2 valid points.


Disproven. Thanks.

I think thats covered in the Rotary section. What good does a 9 k redline do you? I would rather have that power down low.

I think thats covered in the Rotary section. What good does a 9 k redline do you? I would rather have that power down low.Less shifting. Why not just have a 500 rpm redline? That would make driving A LOT of fun! :rolleyes:

K I'm done. No more of this.

Looks are a major factor in the average carbuyers decision. Looks are subjective and i would still bet a good sum of money on a national looks test kind of like the old Pepsi/Coke thing they had going around on the RX8. I don't even think it would be close once all the numbers were in.

Personally I think the 8 has a nicer looking interior than the wrx...

Here we go again. IMHO STI is a well engineered car with a relatively good track record of reliability. But unfortunately, it looks like a toyota corolla (inside and out) on steroids from any angle. Afterall, it is the lowest priced car Subaru offers that they they sell modified substantially to be a true performance threat at any level in any kind of conditions at any price range. Bravo. Job well done indeed, if pure performance primarily drives you. However, the RX8 is no competitor to the STI in the performance department but provides a very decent package of looks, performance, relaibility and practibility. However, it is exceptional in terms balance, easy of driving and manouver and cutting edge engineering. Afterall, they can squeeze 4 adults in a car that looks like a 2 seater and is the same length as a 911 and still handle like a dream without 4 wheel drive. The rx-8 was built and engineered from scratch with a specific purpose where as the STI was an afterthought to a car that was designed to compete with a honda civic. I could have bought the STI but was willing to give up some performance for styling and cutting edge engineering and design.

Here we go again. IMHO STI is a well engineered car with a relatively good track record of reliability. But unfortunately, it looks like a toyota corolla (inside and out) on steroids from any angle. Afterall, it is the lowest priced car Subaru offers that they they sell modified substantially to be a true performance threat at any level in any kind of conditions at any price range. Bravo. Job well done indeed, if pure performance primarily drives you. However, the RX8 is no competitor to the STI in the performance department but provides a very decent package of looks, performance, relaibility and practibility. However, it is exceptional in terms balance, easy of driving and manouver and cutting edge engineering. Afterall, they can squeeze 4 adults in a car that looks like a 2 seater and is the same length as a 911 and still handle like a dream without 4 wheel drive. The rx-8 was built and engineered from scratch with a specific purpose where as the STI was an afterthought to a car that was designed to compete with a honda civic. I could have bought the STI but was willing to give up some performance for styling and cutting edge engineering and design.
Well said.

one other thing people (especially subie fans) overlook is that the STI/WRX/whateveryouwantotcallit was designed as a rally car where the RX8 is first gen of its kind and was designed with a totally different purpose. To me it's like comparing a steamroller with a dumptruck, sure they both have their advantages and disadvantages but does it really make any sense to compare them? Both cars do what they were designed to do exceptionally well, perhaps we can all agree on that and stop this pointless crud of the 8's better, the sti's better, my daddy can beat up yor daddy etc etc etc

Fff, my daddy CAN beat up your daddy!!!!!three!!1!! You're just scared! :p

LOL, I guess I should have been careful where I post my thoughts. As stated, I agree both are great cars. My main comment was that in those pics, the way the 8 looks compared to the WRX makes the subaru look more akin to an echo.
Car wise, I have never driven a WRX through mountain twisties at an avg cornering speed of 130km, but I have done this in the 8, and it is stable, and you feel as though you are barely pushing the limits on control. It is a pleasure to drive. Inner appearance, the STI is nice, better then the EVO I checked out, but the 8 felt more like you were meant to be in there driving it. I made my choice on what to get, and I dont regret it, which most people on this board will agree with me on.
I was disapointed when I could no longer get the EVO since the government or whatever decided that no more were allowed up here after the guy I was buying my car from bought the last EVO they could get.... URGH... damn border. But, after a month in this car... I haven't looked back.
Though I do wish when I drive through the coquihalla highway and a sudden snowstorm pops up that the 8 would have had AWD. Oh well....

So, it never matters whos car is technically better than another. It is how the driver/owner feels about the car they have.

The previous owner swapped trunks with an STi owner. Then he threw an STi badge on the front, kinda sad really.The hood scoop looks taller than the WRX as well...is that easy to swap?

I know, but I find buying a car for looks alone to be silly logic.

I guess im just silly then.

The RX-8 looks handsome and ready, the WRX looks like a very thin fish.

Well said.

Yet very wrong... The STi and WRX exist as a result of homologation, it was not an afterthought and was introduced with the intention of making it a world rally champion. If anything these cars were engineered from from the rally cars, not the other way around.

So the rally car was out before the road car?

if you guys dont care about looks, then you would've bought an STi no?
power, awd, speed, 4 doors, bigger trunk, easy to mod compared to an 8.

the STi is in another league, unfortunately a league above

So the rally car was out before the road car?

The Legacy was originally the rally car campaigned by Subaru, when they realized it wasn't an ideal platform they started work on the Impeza to be its succesor so the road car and the rally car coincided. They had to because at the time in rally racing their were homologation rules and a certain number of street cars had to be produced in order to allow a manufacturer to compete.

Throughout the years the knowledge gained by the racing team has been incorporated into the cars in just about every aspect, from safety, to performance, to ease of maintenance. The Imprezas are incredibly easy to work on and well thought out because of the need to change things quickly on their rally cars between stages. Don't forget, in the WRC if you can't drive the car on public streets to the next stage within a certain amount of time you're disqualified.

The hood scoop looks taller than the WRX as well...is that easy to swap?

Very easy

if you guys dont care about looks, then you would've bought an STi no?
power, awd, speed, 4 doors, bigger trunk, easy to mod compared to an 8.

the STi is in another league, unfortunately a league above

Of course its in another league and a better one from a performance point of view. But that's where is stops solid. Answer a question, por favor, without BS'ing: How many rallys per month/year have you entered with your STI or know someone who owns one or rally races it competitively while also using it as a daily driver?

If your answer is many, then your got more money to throw around to fix ding and dents and broken/bent powertrain parts on a fairly expensive car than probably anyone on this forum. If your answer is very little or none, then I wonder why you bought a rally car that looks like a basic sedan for a daily driver. Its like most people who buy SUV's never go off roading? So why the huge tires and and 4 X 4 etc... when they never really use the equipment it was designed for.

Your money, your satisfaction. As I would not enter rallys, If the STI came with 500HP and cost $5,000 less than the RX8, I still wouldn't buy it because I don't like the way it looks and would get no satisfaction from its interior/exterior designs and materials.

Enjoy your STI and we'll enjoy the RX-8. Because each of us likes different things. No big deal.

one other thing people (especially subie fans) overlook is that the STI/WRX/whateveryouwantotcallit was designed as a rally car where the RX8 is first gen of its kind and was designed with a totally different purpose. To me it's like comparing a steamroller with a dumptruck, sure they both have their advantages and disadvantages but does it really make any sense to compare them? Both cars do what they were designed to do exceptionally well, perhaps we can all agree on that and stop this pointless crud of the 8's better, the sti's better, my daddy can beat up yor daddy etc etc etc

I understand your argument, and compartmentalizing cars works, but your category is way to narrow, and therefore invalid. For instance, comparing an SUV to a Honda Civic would be a bad comparison. The SUV is made to carry large groups of people, over rough or hazardous terrain (assuming this SUV is equipped with 4wd). The SUV sacrifices gas mileage and nimbleness for utility. The Civic on the other hand is a good daily commuter, designed to be gas efficient, and when necessary a little peppy. The Civic sacrifices utility to be cheap. The STi and the RX-8 are both designed for sport and therefore are fair cars to compare.

First and foremost both the STi and RX-8 are sports cars. I understand that the RX-8 is generally classified as a coupe, and the STi is sports sedan, but those are just sub categories of the same genre. I would even go as far to argue that the RX-8 and the STi are more similar than the RX-8 and the Z, two cars that are often compared. The RX-8 and the STi are both 4 passenger cars that aim to be sporty. The Z was built as a sports car from the ground up. While the Z absolutely sacrifices utility for sport the STi and the 8 sacrifice some sport for utility. Both cars would be much better of with the added weight of a back seat.

You also have the history of the Impreza wrong. The Impreza was first built as a passenger car, and then engineered into a rally car. The drive of the WRX, was to bring some of the Impreza’s WRC tradition to the streets, but at its heart the Impreza is a passenger car. If you buy the 2.5 liter Impreza you don’t have a sports car, you have a passenger car. Transversely to say the RX-8 has no racing lineage is to completely ignore the rotaries racing history. Although the 8 is new from the ground up, it owes many of its innovations to the accomplishments of Mazda race cars. It is even possible to argue that at its heart the 8 is more closely related to its racing lineage than the STi, because the STi break the cardinal rule of WRC, having a 2.5 liter engine.

While I can’t argue that the 8 doesn’t do what its designed to do, I can argue that the car fails to meet the publics perception of the rotary engine, and a sport car. If the average America craves a sports car with power, and you design a car that lacks it, then you’ve marketed the car incorrectly. I don’t understand who is doing Mazda’s research, but they completely missed the mark with the 8. The cars horsepower would have been acceptable 10 years ago, but in today’s market power sells. If you don’t have the ponies, you don’t move the units. I find their lack of vision disappointing because if the 8 doesn’t make it, there is a good chance the rotary engine dies.

Your money, your satisfaction. As I would not enter rallys, If the STI came with 500HP and cost $5,000 less than the RX8, I still wouldn't buy it because I don't like the way it looks and would get no satisfaction from its interior/exterior designs and materials.

Enjoy your STI and we'll enjoy the RX-8. Because each of us likes different things. No big deal.

I applaud your argument because it’s the right one to make, and there is very little I can say to debunk it. However I do take offense to your insulting the STi’s/WRX interior. Every time I read a thread comparing the 8 to something else, that something else always has cheap interior. I don’t understand what is so nice about the 8’s interior. It’s not like the car is lined with Wood Paneling and Gold plating. Everything inside the RX-8 is plastic, like 90% of the other cars out there.


The interior design is nice, but it’s not head and shoulders above the rest. With the exception of the availability of leather seating I can’t think of one thing inside the 8 that is nicer than the STi/WRX. Heck the STi/WRX has climate control, that’s something you can’t get in the 8.

Of course its in another league and a better one from a performance point of view. But that's where is stops solid. Answer a question, por favor, without BS'ing: How many rallys per month/year have you entered with your STI or know someone who owns one or rally races it competitively while also using it as a daily driver?

If your answer is many, then your got more money to throw around to fix ding and dents and broken/bent powertrain parts on a fairly expensive car than probably anyone on this forum. If your answer is very little or none, then I wonder why you bought a rally car that looks like a basic sedan for a daily driver. Its like most people who buy SUV's never go off roading? So why the huge tires and and 4 X 4 etc... when they never really use the equipment it was designed for.


I personally do not rally or rallyx my car but know dozens of people that do with various Impreza models. They are not wealthy, nor do they carr much about little dents and dings as a result of their weekend events (though the worst thing rallyx does is get the car dirty). All but a couple of them daily drive their cars, with those couple having converted their cars into deidcated rally cars. A lot of these people also use the same car for track events and autox and change little else besides the tires and wheels. In addition, even though my car has some fairly expensive aesthetic ehhancements I can't help but take a few trips down a twisty dirt road when I come across one, same goes for twisty backroads when it's snowy out.

Also, if you had any clue what you were talking about you'd realize that there are many many rally events held on tarmac, the same tarmac that is used as public roads when the event is not being held. Which could make them about the ultimate car for driving aggressively on our countries less than perfect roads. Imprezas/Subarus are not some off road dunebuggy, they're very capable on just about any surface and that's part of the appeal for many people.


Your money, your satisfaction. As I would not enter rallys, If the STI came with 500HP and cost $5,000 less than the RX8, I still wouldn't buy it because I don't like the way it looks and would get no satisfaction from its interior/exterior designs and materials.

Enjoy your STI and we'll enjoy the RX-8. Because each of us likes different things. No big deal

That's fine, just realize that there are people out there that think your car is ugly and the WRX/STi looks great.

I applaud your argument because it’s the right one to make, and there is very little I can say to debunk it. However I do take offense to your insulting the STi’s/WRX interior. Every time I read a thread comparing the 8 to something else, that something else always has cheap interior. I don’t understand what is so nice about the 8’s interior. It’s not like the car is lined with Wood Paneling and Gold plating. Everything inside the RX-8 is plastic, like 90% of the other cars out there.


The interior design is nice, but it’s not head and shoulders above the rest. With the exception of the availability of leather seating I can’t think of one thing inside the 8 that is nicer than the STi/WRX. Heck the STi/WRX has climate control, that’s something you can’t get in the 8.

Its not just the leather and I am well aware that there is plenty of plastic, but it has a much sportier/modern and sleeker appearance than the STI's. There are many interior's that are certainly nicer and better appointed, but for the kind ofg car it is and the price, its very eye catching and inviting with all the things in the right place. Pretty much every review I read says the same thing. It all flows smoothly. Look at the back seats for example. The 8's seats are contoured and leaned back with 2 tone leather. Its almost like a cockpit back there without gages and you get a sense of privacy without feeling too cramped. STI is more functional without the eye candy and sense of sportiness. Just my opinion.

Its not just the leather and I am well aware that there is plenty of plastic, but it has a much sportier/modern and sleeker appearance than the STI's. There are many interior's that are certainly nicer and better appointed, but for the kind ofg car it is and the price, its very eye catching and inviting with all the things in the right place. Pretty much every review I read says the same thing. It all flows smoothly. Look at the back seats for example. The 8's seats are contoured and leaned back with 2 tone leather. Its almost like a cockpit back there without gages and you get a sense of privacy without feeling too cramped. STI is more functional without the eye candy and sense of sportiness. Just my opinion.

A majority of the leather in the RX-8 is not 2 toned, the center and outside are some other material.

I have also seen several reviews where they felt the RX-8 interior was a bit loud, and the speedometer was hard to see. One example of this was Jeremy Clarkson's review from Top Gear. He loved the car, but hated the interior.

A majority of the leather in the RX-8 is not 2 toned, the center and outside are some other material.

I have also seen several reviews where they felt the RX-8 interior was a bit loud, and the speedometer was hard to see. One example of this was Jeremy Clarkson's review from Top Gear. He loved the car, but hated the interior.

Yes, certain patches are not leather. They are some sort of rubber which aparently won't wear out nearly as quick, especially on the side bolsters. Time will tell if it works well or wears out faster than leather. But having had leather before, I know the side bolsters wear out because of the entry/exit motion.

Yes, at first its hard to get used to the speedometer, but I tell you, now that i have gotten used to it, I read it real easy and I prefer it to analog any day.

I can see someone saying the interior looks cheap because, as you said, there is a lots of plastic and shiny pieces (bezels) which we know are not metal or smoked glass which is plastic. But hey, its a fairly inexpensive car and they have to cut costs somewhere. If that interior was on a $60,000 BMW, I would not have been a happy camper if I bought it. My Passat had a much better interior, but you expect that for a German car.

Yes, certain patches are not leather. They are some sort of rubber which aparently won't wear out nearly as quick, especially on the side bolsters. Time will tell if it works well or wears out faster than leather. But having had leather before, I know the side bolsters wear out because of the entry/exit motion.

Yes, at first its hard to get used to the speedometer, but I tell you, now that i have gotten used to it, I read it real easy and I prefer it to analog any day.

I can see someone saying the interior looks cheap because, as you said, there is a lots of plastic and shiny pieces (bezels) which we know are not metal or smoked glass which is plastic. But hey, its a fairly inexpensive car and they have to cut costs somewhere. If that interior was on a $60,000 BMW, I would not have been a happy camper if I bought it. My Passat had a much better interior, but you expect that for a German car.

Hey don't get me wrong I loved the RX-8's interior, in fact I loved just about everything the car had to offer, with two noteable exceptions.
The reliability, my RX-8 was constantly in the shop. I had more stickers (from ecu flashes) under my hood than most girls have in their sticker books. Mazda promptly fixed all my problems, but it was annoying to give up a couple hours of my day driving it back and forth to the dealership, just to be given a mini van for a week.
The car was just to slow in the strait. I knew going in that the car was slow, but I never realized how much it would bother me.


If Mazda ever makes a faster version I will be the first person on line to buy it, but I just don't think thats ever going to happen.

The speedo is one of my favorite aspects of the dash. Analog speedometers are so hard to read now. :)

That's right. The 8 is not for everybody. The newer STI's is one thing, and the 06 promises to improve the exterior a bit by making it look a little sportier but the regular WRX is a complete joke. Sorry but that is how I feel.

As usual, you spend all your time here talking about the 8 because you are dissapointed that Mazda didn't do this and that and fell short in the power dept blah blah blah, but you still show up here all the time. You must be a sucker for punishment or a sucker outright. Oh I forgot, you have "freinds" here. Right!!!

Exactly how is the regular WRX a complete joke? I'm curious how you justify such a bold statement.

I spend my time on here in various discussions, and not all of them involve Mazda, the RX-8, nor Subaru cars. However, every time I get into a discussion such as this one it's guaranteed someone will resort to personal attacks, thanks for not letting me down!

Exactly how is the regular WRX a complete joke? I'm curious how you justify such a bold statement.

I spend my time on here in various discussions, and not all of them involve Mazda, the RX-8, nor Subaru cars. However, every time I get into a discussion such as this one it's guaranteed someone will resort to personal attacks, thanks for not letting me down!

I would like to hear why the WRX is a complete joke? By the way the 05 STi has the same interior as the WRX.

Hey don't get me wrong I loved the RX-8's interior, in fact I loved just about everything the car had to offer, with two noteable exceptions.
The reliability, my RX-8 was constantly in the shop. I had more stickers (from ecu flashes) under my hood than most girls have in their sticker books. Mazda promptly fixed all my problems, but it was annoying to give up a couple hours of my day driving it back and forth to the dealership, just to be given a mini van for a week.
The car was just to slow in the strait. I knew going in that the car was slow, but I never realized how much it would bother me.


If Mazda ever makes a faster version I will be the first person on line to buy it, but I just don't think thats ever going to happen.


I read something similiar in another thread you posted in. Your situation with your 8 having so many mechanical issues is the exception not the rule.
Except for a couple minor things(break squeal,headlight lens) I have had zero problems with mine. Your taking your bad experiences with yours and making a general assumption that the car is unreliable. That's just not true.

I read something similiar in another thread you posted in. Your situation with your 8 having so many mechanical issues is the exception not the rule.
Except for a couple minor things(break squeal,headlight lens) I have had zero problems with mine. Your taking your bad experiences with yours and making a general assumption that the car is unreliable. That's just not true.

Every time edmunds, or R&T comments on the long term reliability of the 8 they don't give it a good review. There are enough problems with the 8 to seriously call into question its long term outlook. My car was brand new, and some of the problems I was having were not exceptions to the rule. Whenever I had an issue there was a flurry of responses to my post, telling me exactly what was wrong with the car, and what they were going to do to fix it.

The speedo is one of my favorite aspects of the dash. Analog speedometers are so hard to read now. :)

I agree! I wasn't voicing my opinion on the Spedo, I actually liked it.

was introduced with the intention of making it a world rally champion.Which brings me to the point....how is it possible the Frenchies are kicking butt???!!?! :eek:

Oh I forgot, you have "freinds" here. Right!!!Believe it or not....yes he does.

I was having were not exceptions to the rule. Whenever I had an issue there was a flurry of responses to my post, telling me exactly what was wrong with the car, and what they were going to do to fix it.

hmmm, would that have been the time the oil cap fell off or the time when the heater control knob broke. Oh, and how is the peanut butter theory going? :rolleyes: Sorry, I don't buy it.

hmmm, would that have been the time the oil cap fell off or the time when the heater control knob broke. Oh, and how is the peanut butter theory going? :rolleyes: Sorry, I don't buy it.

The peanut butter worked, look at the pictures yourself. The heat control knob pissed me off, becuase I could not change the temperature in the car for almost 2 weeks, while I waited for the part to come in. The oil cap was likely user error. There were other poblems, such as constant CEL's, terrible radio reception, water in both head and tail lights ( a problem that they were never able to fix). Listen the car was brand new, and very expensive, these are not issues that I want to deal with. I don't work at K-mart, I can't just take off of work and bring my car to the dealership every time there is a problem.

What is it that you don't buy?

Which brings me to the point....how is it possible the Frenchies are kicking butt???!!?! :eek:

They are throwing obscene amounts of money into, it was so obscene that they have pulled out of the WRC for the coming season. Don't forget, they are at least 10x the size of Subaru. Also we don't really have a decent second driver so the manufacturers championship isn't possible no matter how good your car is. Burns was supposed to be our second driver, then they discovered he had a major health issue after he signed. Lastly, Loeb is one hell of a driver. I think next year we'll see who the new king of WRC really is when Loeb gets a new ride.

haha interesting how this thread turned into an rx8 vs. sti argument. also, my friend just got the car last week. he bought it used so it came with all the sti parts. he took off all the sti badges the other day to avoid posing as an sti.

Exactly how is the regular WRX a complete joke? I'm curious how you justify such a bold statement.

I spend my time on here in various discussions, and not all of them involve Mazda, the RX-8, nor Subaru cars. However, every time I get into a discussion such as this one it's guaranteed someone will resort to personal attacks, thanks for not letting me down!

You are welcome. If you throw a stone, expect one to be thrown back.

The regular WRX looks funny to me. No meat on that bone.

Hey don't get me wrong I loved the RX-8's interior, in fact I loved just about everything the car had to offer, with two noteable exceptions.
The reliability, my RX-8 was constantly in the shop. I had more stickers (from ecu flashes) under my hood than most girls have in their sticker books. Mazda promptly fixed all my problems, but it was annoying to give up a couple hours of my day driving it back and forth to the dealership, just to be given a mini van for a week.
The car was just to slow in the strait. I knew going in that the car was slow, but I never realized how much it would bother me.


If Mazda ever makes a faster version I will be the first person on line to buy it, but I just don't think thats ever going to happen.

This is true. I haven't had many problems but others have had similar to yours. I get your drift 100%.

Shut up Ike. You suck. :D

Don't try and change anyones mind on a Subaru... they don't know.... oh well.

I can't wait for the 06 WRX actually... :)

--kC
(My 8 is not daily driven and the only time it's off the trailer is to race it, fix it or to sell it.)

I understand your argument, and compartmentalizing cars works, but your category is way to narrow, and therefore invalid. For instance, comparing an SUV to a Honda Civic would be a bad comparison. The SUV is made to carry large groups of people, over rough or hazardous terrain (assuming this SUV is equipped with 4wd). The SUV sacrifices gas mileage and nimbleness for utility. The Civic on the other hand is a good daily commuter, designed to be gas efficient, and when necessary a little peppy. The Civic sacrifices utility to be cheap. The STi and the RX-8 are both designed for sport and therefore are fair cars to compare.

First and foremost both the STi and RX-8 are sports cars. I understand that the RX-8 is generally classified as a coupe, and the STi is sports sedan, but those are just sub categories of the same genre. I would even go as far to argue that the RX-8 and the STi are more similar than the RX-8 and the Z, two cars that are often compared. The RX-8 and the STi are both 4 passenger cars that aim to be sporty. The Z was built as a sports car from the ground up. While the Z absolutely sacrifices utility for sport the STi and the 8 sacrifice some sport for utility. Both cars would be much better of with the added weight of a back seat.

You also have the history of the Impreza wrong. The Impreza was first built as a passenger car, and then engineered into a rally car. The drive of the WRX, was to bring some of the Impreza’s WRC tradition to the streets, but at its heart the Impreza is a passenger car. If you buy the 2.5 liter Impreza you don’t have a sports car, you have a passenger car. Transversely to say the RX-8 has no racing lineage is to completely ignore the rotaries racing history. Although the 8 is new from the ground up, it owes many of its innovations to the accomplishments of Mazda race cars. It is even possible to argue that at its heart the 8 is more closely related to its racing lineage than the STi, because the STi break the cardinal rule of WRC, having a 2.5 liter engine.

While I can’t argue that the 8 doesn’t do what its designed to do, I can argue that the car fails to meet the publics perception of the rotary engine, and a sport car. If the average America craves a sports car with power, and you design a car that lacks it, then you’ve marketed the car incorrectly. I don’t understand who is doing Mazda’s research, but they completely missed the mark with the 8. The cars horsepower would have been acceptable 10 years ago, but in today’s market power sells. If you don’t have the ponies, you don’t move the units. I find their lack of vision disappointing because if the 8 doesn’t make it, there is a good chance the rotary engine dies.

holy crap talk about missing the mark, there are so many incorrect statements in this post I'm not even going to bother to retaliate, how in the world can you say they have no vision or missed the mark etc.? are you just trolling and looking for an argument or ? are you ike's alias? :D maybe you're a soobie salesman or?

holy crap talk about missing the mark, there are so many incorrect statements in this post I'm not even going to bother to retaliate, how in the world can you say they have no vision or missed the mark etc.? are you just trolling and looking for an argument or ? are you ike's alias? :D maybe you're a soobie salesman or?

What did I miss the mark on? No I am not trolling.

So all sports cars should be classified together and should all perform exactly the same functions as well?

Can you compare a 1969 MGC spyder to a 1969 Road Runner? They are both sports cars....



What did I miss the mark on? No I am not trolling.

Can you compare a 1969 MGC spyder to a 1969 Road Runner? They are both sports cars....Later is a muscle car by today's standards.

So all sports cars should be classified together and should all perform exactly the same functions as well?

Can you compare a 1969 MGC spyder to a 1969 Road Runner? They are both sports cars....
All sports cars can be compared to each other, but if something about them is drastically different, concessions must be made to make the comparison fair. For example, a Miata can be compared to a Mustang. The Miatia is a roadster, and the Stang is a Muscle Car, and if you take away from the Miata's handling and the Stang's ponies, you can find a happy medium where the two can be compared.

You would make the same concessions when comparing a 100,000 dollar car to a 30,000 dollar car. You would expect the 100,000 car to be better, but you would compare the two with that in mind. For example one of the car mags (can't remember which one) just did a comparisons between the Magnum and the AMG Wagon. The cars were drastically different in price, but they managed to do pretty good comparisons.

As for comparing the 8 and the STi, I don't see what the big deal is. The 8 is designed to be an all around sports car. It doesn't focus it's attention on any one attribute, it's just designed to be good at them all. The STi has the same goals. Admittedly the cars go about it in drastically different ways, but they aim for the same thing. The STi/8 comparison is not done frequently, simply because it's not a competition. If the 8 had the 7's power numbers you would see the comparison a lot more frequently.

If you would like it we can have the discussion making the necessary concessions. You tell me what you want to take from the Sti, and I’ll tell you what to take from the 8, and then we can evaluate them on a more level playing field. However I just don’t think it’s necessary in this instance.

What did I miss the mark on? No I am not trolling.

lack of vision....public perception etc. etc. unless of course by public you're not including the automotive press, which has been overhwelmingly impressed with the 8, you tell me which takes more vision:

a) taking an existing 4 door sedan and suiting it to one's needs (aka wrc from an impreza et.)

or

b) desiging something from scratch that has never been done before (successfully)utlizing a powerplant that has never been used before. (yes I know the rotary has been around since at least the 60's, but the renesis has not)

Those are for starters, I do appreciate your comments/opinions etc. but I don't understand some of your reasoning, and that's fine. My sole opinion is that the 2 cars are really in different classes with diffrent design goals which makes them incredibly difficult to fairly compare with one another, just seems like apples to oranges etc. I'm not knocking the STI at all, it's almost as good as the EVO in some cases (which is a more legit comparison in my opinion), but I don't think it leaps above the 8 in all the areas you or anybody else may have mentioned, even if it did it's only because it has a good couple of year's head start. The 8 is still brand new, and I'm sure 7-8 years down the road when it's evolved a bit it will be in the same shape as the STI (or better for that matter)with all the little quirks fixed or whatever. We could go back and forth on this mess forever, but it just doesn't make sense to me in my opinion, to compare the 2. I think that's all I've got to say on the subject, I rescind my hijack and I would like to publically declare I do like both cars and if I lived in a diffrent climate, I might even have an STI. Luckily I live in a climate that lets me enjoy rwd w/o any setbacks :)

This thread is retarded!

Firstly, The 8 is not for everyone. It needs more TLC and is a car that encourages the driver to learn. Aside from the usual "it's not fast in a straight line" argument, it does exactly what it was made to do. The car handles better then the FD and with a finesse that I have never experienced with any other car.

The WRX/STI is a brute. It thrashes its way through anything in its way and does this extremely well. Comparing both cars doesn't do justice to either. Both are great performers. One focuses on finese while the other with force. Someone that likes the drive of a rotary will not enjoy the wrx/sti and vice versa.

Secondly, looks are always in the eye of the beholder. I like the sexy lines that the rx8 has and how I get constant looks as if I'm in an exotic. On the other hand, the STI looks is all business no pleasure. It looks as if it were designed to be sliding around and tearing pavement. The important thing is to buy what pleases you and don't turn back.

Lastly, comparing/buying either of these cars for straight line performance is plain slapping these manufactures in the face. If you want straight line performance, there are many other cars that are cheaper and faster.

sound slike a good point to close the thread on