JmurphRx8

Well Guys after a little over a year of ownership, I traded my rx8 in for a 2004 STI. I got a great deal, the car only has 11,000 miles and is in perfect condition. I was hesitant to test drive it because i knew i would never beable to drive my rx8 ever again, and i was right. Once i test drove it i bought it 30 min later. All i can say is wow, this car is amazing. I do miss my rx8 tho, there was something about the rx8 that just screamed high class, but the raw performance of the sti is simply amazing. Thanx for all your support, this has been a very helpfull forum....now im off to the STI boards :D

czr

iTrader: (3)

Boooo! Good luck though! You can still troll around here, just change your name to JmurphSTI and keep visit us updated and do comparos.

dmp

Good luck! If the insurance price difference wasn't so much, I'd be in an STi now

DreRX8

LOL--WRXs just don't look good--but Love the performance of them. Glad you are happy.

JmurphRx8

well if i were to compare the two cars I would have to say that engine wise, the sti wins hands down, it's just nothing i've ever felt. the sudden surge of boost just pins you to your seat. the handleing has to go to the STI, but the ride quality just doesnt feel like my rx8. it feels a little more harsh, proly due to a stiffer suspension, and I really miss how smooth the engine of the rx8 was, you all know what i mean its like butter. And i miss the 50/50 weight distrubution. looks are subjective and their completely different looking cars, so to say i like the looks of one better just isn't right. The rx8 had pimp factor and sex appeal to it, where as the sti is beautifull in its own way. It screams F**k with me and you'll have your *** handed to you. the rx8 is an amazing car and i still love it, i just love my sti more tho. IMO it's every thing the rx8 was but better. i just wish there was a reliable factory turbo for the rx8..HELLO MAZDASPEED.....who knows maybe i'll be back in a TURBO mazdaspeed rx8 in a couple years, but until then i'll be enjoying my new toy

smrx8

iTrader: (1)

i almost bought one too, but man they are just plain ugly,i could not buy a car just because of the motor but thats just me . did you look at the evos they look a little better and are given sti a @ss whooping on the streets and track ??? good luck man iam sure you will enjoy your sti. i fell in love with that engine (drool)

dmp

STi handles better? wow. That sure surpises me. I wouldn't think a car so prone to understeer would handle better than an RX8 - of course 90% of handling is 'feel'...

DreRX8

Well said--the WRX as well as the EVO have mean Boy Racer looks that I do admire--but lack sex appeal. Also I must demand that you turnover your username back to RX8Club IMMEDIATELY
but seriously--what mods do you have on the way for the STI?

JmurphRx8

fist off i wasn't even looking for a new car, so the evos weren't an option, and second i have a friend with an evo that agrees the sti will take him, now the evo MR/RS is real close however. Like i said i wasnt even looking for a car, i just happened to stumble across this car and took a test drive and was hooked. As for mods, I havent gotten that far yet, I just got it yesterday and im still enjoying it as is.

czr

iTrader: (3)

Yea, I was caught by surprise that you did this reading how much you defend the 8 in other forums. I know you proly still love the 8, but thought you were happy with it so that you'd keep it for a while. Makes sense now; Surprise! Impulse buy!

JmurphRx8

im def impulsive...I still love the 8 dont get me wrong, if i could afford both i'd have both. there is nothing wrong with the 8 IMO (it could use a little more power), I just felt after driving this, that for me this car was more fun, all wheel drive ( I live in MASS ) and gets better gas mileage. I'd still defend the 8 because i know its capabilities, it's def a hardcore machine. and people who havent driven/owned one just don't understand that. best luck with your cars guys/girls

dmp

btw - The EVO would be great, if the interior wasn't so crappy...I think you made the right choice, Murph.

JmurphRx8

~yea the handleing is amazing, theres a few turns and twisty roads i used to drive in my rx8 all the time, and i find myself driving the same roads and turns alot faster than in my 8, and im not even trying to...it feels alot like a go cart, and is surprisingly light and nimble

Ike

Welcome to the darkside Jmurph :p Enjoy your hoped up grocery getter aka 30 grand Impreza

"-Personally i feel the Evo is one of the ugliest cars on the road... I'd rather walk toward my and admire its beauty and sophistication than (in the evo) have to explain to people who have no idea what one is that, "this really a fast car, not just a hopd up grocery getter." You may no like 8 and thats ok, not everyone likes the evo either (me). But to compare it to the celica and rsx and feel those are better cars is rediculous. IMO i can't justify spending 30 grand on a lancer, it may have insane performance but it's ugly as hell and cheap."

JmurphRx8

...and i still dont really care for the looks of the evo, but def respect these cars alot more now, especially after driving one. a person taste can change...I still dont consider my sti to be a beautiful car like i felt my rx8 was...but iits good looking in a different way

Ike

I felt the same way and was deadset on the STi once my WRX was ready to be traded in, then I drove an Evo and it looks pretty damn good to me now. Now I'm not sure which I will end up with, I'm sure you can relate to how I feel. I'm just glad someone else here gets it.

spork

I think anyone that's been in an STi or Evo gets it. To me they dwarf the 8 in terms of power, around the same in terms of handling (8 better for average drivers), but for me, they lose big time to the 8 in terms of looks and comfort. That's my view of the matter. Personally, I just need good performance (not necessarily great) and after that comfort and looks are the most important so it was the 8 for me.

I don't understand the need some people have to say the 8 is as good or better than the Evo/STi in terms of performance. It's not... yet. Seriously though, if performance was the most important thing, then people should not be getting the 8.

Ike

Agreed spork, it's all about perspective as well. To me the 8 isn't a very fast car since it's about the same speed wise as the DSM I had 15 years ago, my WRX stock isn't all that fast either but I knew how easy it would be to change that. People buy cars for different reasons and people also have different tastes. If you don't like the looks of the Evo or WRX then so be it and state it as an opinion. The people that bug me are the those that say they're nothing but hopped up econoboxes or state they're ugly like it's fact. There are a lot of people out there that think the WRX and Evo look great, and there is a hell of a lot more to them than just throwing some parts on a base Lancer or Impreza.

Steiner

First time I saw an RX-8 it looked ugly to me. Then you see what the car can do and suddenly it looks a little better. LOL. I still think the front fender well are goofy looking though.

Congrats to the original poster. I'm getting an Evo RS next month myself. The STi would be my second choice though. I was actually close to getting a used '05 white on gold w/only 6,500 miles on the clock in late November. The car was a trade in on a new Vette. The dealership wouldn't come down from $29k though. For another $1k-$2k I could just buy a new one so I said adios and they haven't called me back. Maybe they sold the car. I dunno.

I'm not one of those people who would ever criticize the "interior" or "the looks". Not only are those things subjective, but who the hec can see their car from the outside when they're driving it anyhow. The only cars I've truly enjoyed owning are fast, handle well, and hold you in the seat. If I can easily read the gauge cluster, reach the shifter and adjust the radio I consider that interior a 10/10. If I wanted to ride around in luxury I'd still have my Buick Park Avenue. But life is short and work sucks. Buy something that you look forward to driving every morning and getting up in the morning becomes that much easier. Life's about little pleasures.

JmurphRx8

hey guys, just thought i check in with you and let ya know how things are going. After about two weeks of owning the STI i must say i'm very pleased, but I'm starting to really miss my rx8. I mean i know it wasnt the fastest car on the road nor the best handleing, etc... but there was just something about it that made me feel so connected to my car. the STI is a screamer tho, the surge of power and the sound of the turbo still bring a smile to my face. And i'm loving the snow with this car, and the slight increase in gas mileage. If i had to catagorize the two cars i'd say the RX8 felt like home where as the STI feels like a penthouse hotel room. the STI has that fun exciting feeling where as the RX8 had that personal special meaning. I still dont regret trading in the 8 but if i had it my way i would def have both in my driveway...oh well, just thought id share wit you guys, I miss being a part of this board. you guys are great....enjoy your 8's, zoom zoom

RX Renesis

wow i'm surprised that u should be used to the interior or the 8(high quality) and got now u turn ur to to a STi(not as high quality) interior..... if the STi's interior weren't like that i'd get a STi.... but i jsut can't get rid of the 8's handling and interior.... it's just so much nicer than the STi's interior.... but i don't mind the looks of the STi AND it's power... whooww...

dmp

The STi has a 'better' interior than the RX8. They are equal as best, but the STi seemed more 'luxurious' - at least more so than my cloth-seated RX8.

DreRX8

Unfortunately for me--the RX8s sex appeal is worth the lack of power when compared to the STI--I think it looks cool--but its not quite the head turner the 8 is, especially not with the ladies.

JmurphRx8

actually i find the interior very nice....in comparing it to the rx8,i feel its built better...the doors in my rx8 felt hollow and would rattle, but the STI's doors feel solid...riding over bumps I can feel/hear a huge difference. and I owned an 8 with cloth seats (so this may not apply to the ones with leather) and i felt they were a little cheap, especially in comparison to the STI...but one thing i have noticed is that every civic, neon, accord, etc... feel the need to try and race me.. i don't know if they just dont know what kind of car it is and think i'm some riced out suby or they just want to see how the car performes...either way it's pretty annoying

RX Renesis

yes stupid ricers... even a stock WRX can out run them anyday.... and as for the interior... i said the STi seems not as good was cause i liked the leather seats in teh 8, but the STi don't offer leather.... so thats y i thought it kinda suck.... but hey... it's a really bred car... u don't see rally drivers sitting on leather do u? oh and how about the stereo in teh STi? better or worst than the 8?