psionix

Hi all, this is my first post, but I am not exactly new here.

Just returned to Singapore from Australia not too long ago. My personal favorites would be the GT-R and RX7. As I am still hunting for my career here, I am not going to get a car really soon. But I figured it wont hurt to get some opinions and set my target early (though, being here in this forum, opinions can be biased).

Cars are pretty expensive here in Singapore Insurance, COE, OMV, Road tax!!! Fuel prices are pretty high too!!! It may be quite sometime before I can get my hands on a car here. Please don't flame me on that > <

My long term plan is to get a car at around SGD100k to 120k (new GT-R definitely out). Since I love the rotary as well, I was pretty sure I would want one. However my friends have been blasting me with lots of other ideas. After a hard time siphoning, I am left with these choices.


Mazda Rx8:
+ Rotary powered
+ FR layout
+ Best head turner
+ Low road tax
- Low FC
- Relatively harder in maintenance


Honda Civic JDM Type R:
+ High Rev NA
+ Best FC
+ Honda reliability
+ Most spacious
- FF layout
- Looks like a normal Civic to ippan-jin


Subaru WRX Sti:
+ Turbocharged (can't resist the sound of blow-offs)
+ Most powerful
+ 4WD
+ better FC compared to 8
- highest road tax
- Hatchback

Any other cars I should consider that falls within the 100-120k range?

I know that most of you, being an 8 owner already, will support the Rx8. I myself is also very tempted to just go with what I desire. But I need some sensible and logical reasons, just one or two, to push me towards my final decision.

Cheers

simply8

choosing the 8 and comparing it with type R and STI is already not sensible and logical.................

can you resist it?............ kekeke

Fugu

I feel that they way you have put together your comparison has actually made you more confused. I would recommend that you pick out the top 3 positives which are more critical to you in owning a car. Then pick out the top 3 negatives which you are able to accept.

After you have put this list together, the best choice for you will become obvious.

gliny

another lost fella in this forum who dunno what they want.......just buy whatever you want or you like. ask pple opinion seems like a pointless move. the money is yours, choose yourself. ask so much also no point. If someone gives you an opinion, and turn out you dont like it. how? blame the fella who gives you an opinion? goodness.... Plssssssssssssssssssssss

Just ask yourself what you want.

p.s - whatever you need to know about this car is found in the earlier post or forums. be hardworking a lill bit, read them.

psionix

@simply8
Yeah, logically hard to resist. Curse my friends for "psyco-ing" me with all these deals

@Fugu
Nice. hmmm... I hope its that easy. I guess it comes down to the 8 or the rex.

@gliny
I know what I want. But is it going to be a rational and good choice? And I dun blame ppl for my own mistakes. As you said the final decision is mine, so buying something I dun like is my fault alone. Never hurts to ask for opinions.

I know about the 8 itself, been reading this forum for quite some time too. Just not too sure about all the other stuffs that comes along being in Singapore (ie. PIs, taxes etc.) It was alot easier in Aust |3

Anyway, thanks all for reading and replying.

Veil_Side

my take on the 3 choices

Mazda Rx8: only - point is the FC, the rest i LOVEEEEEEEE it

Honda Civic JDM Type R: "something" is still missing, unlike the 8, once u laid your eyes on it, you'll fall in "love"

Subaru WRX Sti: too common on the road liow, drivebility is not as "smooth" as the 8

CoupeM

for ur info...FC for sti is similar to rx8...hahahahaha....wan FC dun drive powerful car....drive cheryQQ. besides cheryQQ can jiak an 8 anytime wor.

IF wan power...sti
If wan looks....rx8
er...where does tat leave the cibic type r ah? oh it is for boyricer. kekeke

psionix

Hi there Veil_side, yes the other 2 seemed too normal compared to the 8. The 8 is a car the driver can really feel proud of. It is unique and full of pride.

@CoupeM, while it is very true that if one thirst for power, one should not be stingy with FC. But I have seen on a few sources which rate the FC of the Sti slightly (but significantly) higher than the 8. Perhaps I was wrong.

What does "besides cheryQQ can jiak an 8 anytime wor." mean???
jiak = eat?
(My singlish quite rusty liao, my bad)

While we love our 8s, we really should also give other cars some credit. The Honda Civic JDM Type R itself is a pretty credible car. Its a shame to have a 'boyricer' tag on it. Though its FF platform doesn't help it at all to be considered a "REAL" sports car, its 8800 rpm 225 bhp i-VTEC engine is still quite respectable. Allowing the driver to have good (relatively) FC if he is light footed and high performance if he is heavy footed. Anyway the "boyricer/ ah beng car" stereotyped image is still a turn off :P

PS: just saw your sig about the Swift Sport. The Swift wasn't stock right?

wen pin

just buy a normal sedan that can brings u from A to B will suffice. no worries where u park or will get dinks or knocks.

buy an 8 then will think wat to mod and worry for FC, worry for smell, worry for heat, worry for vibrations, etc etc...... tai chi liao liao!

i just like to throw wet blanket hor!

PitchBlaC

1. One is a coupe.
2. Second is a saloon
3. Third is a hatchback.

How to compare?

coupe07

The STi is a totally different league from the rx8 and the CTR. Lets leave the STi out, i dun see y u shld fancy a car with a carbody shared by many models, that is everywhere on the road agree? (the imprezas, the wrxes and the STIs)

U mentioned above that the JDM CTR has a high NA rev range. Rx8 has a high rev range too. The 6MT tachometer is up to 10,000rpm. Effective revving range is about 0 - 9300-9500 rpm.

The 6MT rx8 hp has abt 238 to 250hp, depending who u buy the car from. However the hp figures in black n white often are exaggerated to make the car look impressive.

The JDM CTR is not bad, parts are cheap, everyone can do a Honda, easy to mod and easy to extract horsepower, tons of pple driving and getting very common on the roads. Looks are shared with normal civic.

The rx8, of cos, oso getting very common becos the ATs are getting cheaper n cheaper, and it is sadly, the cheapest sports looking car u can buy in the mkt. Parts for the rx8 is expensive, and the car is very choosy. Gets the wrong parts, more often than not, ur car will be slower than stock. RX8 is problematic, with steering rack issue, heating issue, coolant reservoir issue, flooding issue.. many other issues.

Of cos, the rotary is a totally different type of engine with different characteristics. It may or may not be a head turner. There are nice and ugly rx8s ard. Sit in one of our rx8 if theres a meetup, then decide for urself whether u wan one or not.

The price different between a 6MT and a 6AT maybe quite a difference and cld be a factor to decide whether u wan the 8 or not. Actually the choice is not hard. Maybe the best time to decide will be the time u decide u wan to buy the car. Now may be a little too early to determine wat u wan, no harm coming to the meetups.

psionix

@wen pin, you mean a Mazda 6? lol

@coupe07, I totally agree with you on the part about the STi sharing chassis with many other non-sport models. It doesn't have the flavor that the 8 has.

About the JDM CTR, I was just trying to point out that its still respectable. Of course, when placed along side a rotary, its ability to rev will be severely overshadowed ;P And yes, Honda after market parts are all over the market but I like my cars stock so I wouldn't be too worry about the 8's modding difficulties.

"The 6MT rx8 hp has abt 238 to 250hp, depending who u buy the car from."
This is the part that I am not sure about. Which and where. I still have much to learn especially when there are so many parallel imports around. I thought of just getting from MM since I have read some threads about PI mechanics not very apt with the rotary. Well, I guess I will leave these questions till after I decide to buy it.

As for handling the problems of an 8 as a potential owner, I am still very much a green horn. I might know the theory, but nothing beats the practical side of things. Will probably seek some advises from you guys then

I would definitely want an MT 8 (be it 5 or 6), I always wanted it to be my wedding transport lol...

And I would love to tag along on a meet up if there is one, (if non-rx8 owners are allowed to join). I am sure I can learn alot from you guys.

Many thanks.

PS: Anyone here owns a red RX8 in Ellington square?

Fugu

Ellington Square - No..

Hougang Central / One George Street - Yes

Velocity Red 6AT

You are cordially invited to join us in our next meetup. Send me a private message with your 1) Name 2) Email Address 3) Mobile number and indicate your preferred mode of contact for meetup updates.

airworm

I had the same 3 choices when I wanted to get a ride, I chose the RX8 after test driving the other 2..
my obvious decision maker..#1 head turner..so the gals told me..
the other 2 doesn't appeal at all...
#2 reason is the sweet purring sound of the rotary engine...

IcarusX8

choice 1 - yes

choice 2 - NO

choice 3 - better not be a 2008

Before my purchase, I was debating between my 8 the STi and a GTO. Maybe you could consider that too since you kinda have track/drag/rally mixed together and not a specific kind of car...? Anyway, I'm happey with my 8 if that helps.

Rumboo

I see where you're coming from... there are so many things to like about cars that it is hard to narrow down the appeal of 3 different cars to just a few factors..Just forget about your friends' opinions.. most ppl (incl us) know about piston engines, but very few (not incl them) know much about rotaries. :lol2

1) 2) 3) Like what Icarus said

Also, my friend with an 07 sti says his FC is around 9km/l.. but you have a much better chance of improving FC in the sti by driving lightly than the 8. Turbo cars consume much less if you don't get on boost. The 8 seems to consume almost as much whether you rev hard or not....(rounding is not the same, since you brake hard and often.. different than if you just rev hard to attain your normal target speed, from an energy standpoint.)

But seriously, if you like cars, i think you would be happy with whichever one of the 3 you eventually choose.

psionix

Thanks all for the replies.

@Fugu, a pity. I thought maybe the owner was also a member here. Thanks heaps for the invitation, I had forwarded you the required details. Looking forward to SG's own Rotary club.

@airworm, yah I do agree that all the girls I know give the 8 a thumbs up but totally dislike the aesthetics of the STi or even Evo. As for the JDM CTR, they couldn't differentiate it from the normal civic > <

@IcarusX, Hmmm, I haven thought of the GTO, been in Australia too much and was saturated with all those V8 muscles. Nonetheless, is the GTO also around 100-120k here in SG? It would have to be imported right, being a Pontaic?

Is there something wrong with the 08 STi? The reviews are pretty good so far. Apart from the more mature looks, the interior has improved and I like the idea of variable wheel bias.

@Rumboo, Yes, as a car lover, its hard to choose sometimes :P Your point about improving FC in STi by feathering the pedal and how the Rotary almost consume as much whether we feather or not... I sort of agree. I haven read any thing which claimed otherwise yet. Kind of sad though. But the high frequency hum of the engine is like the song of a siren, too seductive.

IcarusX8

I'm not 100% sure on the conversion I have so I can't give you exact figures. However, I can say, judging by the cars you're debating over, the GTO fits perfectly in your range if you are to consider that. Imported? Don't quote me, but I believe there is at least <b>1</b>Pontiac Manufacturer in Australia...

As far as the STi... reviews range from terrible to perfect depending on your source. One of the strongest reasons people dislike the new STi is simply the fact it is now a hatchback, I am one of those people. It is also much more expensive, your insurance company will spit on you, no dramatic power increase, and overall, regardless of the new look, just is more targetted for a family man/women. I won't go any further. If you want an STi, no higher than 2007.

Happy huntings mate!

IcarusX8

^

I guess I'm a n00b at quoting....

psionix

The hatchback chassis was chosen as they claimed that it was the way to remain competitive in the WRC. Well yes it is much more expensive because of having slightly more gizmos. Gizmos which average petrolheads like us probably dun need. The looks became more mature. Unlike the that old boyish looks.

coupe07

238hp comes from MM, which is the euro model. Detuned for euro emission standard. Only 6MT available from MM.

250hp is JDM model and only 6MT has 250hp on paper, 5MT is sharing the old 4AT engine and difficult to extract hp. As for general servicing, everyone can do the job, juz tell him to use the right oil. other than that, major problems dun come so soon unless u r unlucky.

maxfoong

238hp comes from MM, which is the euro model. Detuned for euro emission standard. Only 6MT available from MM.

250hp is JDM model and only 6MT has 250hp on paper, 5MT is sharing the old 4AT engine and difficult to extract hp. As for general servicing, everyone can do the job, juz tell him to use the right oil. other than that, major problems dun come so soon unless u r unlucky.

How bout 6 speed auto

Rei

Actually, the sti fuel consumption is a worse than an rx8 if we're talking abt
stock to stock, 6mt vs sti based on the same style of driving...

Rumboo

Mai tu liao! Buy a 8!

....Just not stormy blue colour... get red like Fugu!

psionix

@Rei, thats news to me. Gotta do more research on my part.

@Rumboo, yah I am pretty much convinced. And yes I would get a red one if I am ever gonna get one :P

Thanks everyone.

PS: Saw an article on how CNG can save the earth.
Emailed CNG, got the reply, cant have CNG on a rotary.
And here is an off topic question which pops off my head during my lunch today, Does engine breaking consumes more fuel than just fully relying on brakes to stop?