Got my RX-8 back... and I love it.
09-05-2008, 12:04 PM
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Got my RX-8 back... and I love it.
Well, some of you may remember that I smashed up my car pretty good - if you don't, see this thread here: https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/dont-turn-off-traction-control-if-youre-dumbass-152571/
In the end, they replaced and did:
- the rear right wheel
- the bodywork on the rear right quarter
- the bodywork on the front right quarter
- some of the back suspension components
- front tie rod
- steering rack
And probably a lot more; they're still compiling the estimate but it was roughly $8000 canadian... or, about 40% of the value of the car. Yeesh. Especially considering that I have slashed my resale value by doing this.
But, it's done now, and insurance covers it, so while I will be paying a premium increase it's not the end of the world. The car feels great, no problem, probably a better wheel alignment than it had before. I am going to pay very close attention to it over the next week and try to make sure there's nothing wrong with it; but because there was no frame damage, I don't expect there to be anything which would impact my driving experience.
That said, here's the point of the post, because you probably don't give that much of a **** about my car in particular....
I drove a courtesy car for just over a month. An 05-06 Toyota Corolla, 1.8 liter four-banger with maybe 110 HP. Automatic. The most boring car on the road.
And now that I'm back in the seat of my RX-8, I can more truly appreciate everything that goes into making it one of the best sportscars in its class, and truly a standout car compared to most everything else on the road.
See, you could buy a Camry with a V6 putting out more horsepower and torque than we get out of our Renesis. But that's not what matters when it comes to the driving experience we're all looking for. In the Corolla, I felt isolated from the road, separated from the medium I was plowing over. I drove the vehicle as hard as I could, shifting it like a manual with the slushbox (hold it in L and then 2 until redline), and even so it felt like I was watching someone else drive.
In the RX-8, I feel like I am in control of every single thing the vehicle does. I detemine how fast the engine goes, I determine the gear, I determine how loud my K&N Typhoon roars. I can feel every bump in the road. I can feel the amazing electric power steering as it amplifies my arm movement - as opposed to the mushy hydraulic power steering in the Corolla that felt like I was churning butter to park in my underground stall.
After almost a year of the RX-8 before this accident, I was feeling a little jaded, the car was fast but I wanted more. But now that I have it back, I can see that it really is enough car for me. I might want to change a few small things on it - short shifter kit, new tires - but it's definitely fast enough.
Compared to the corolla, this is a firebreathing monster of a car. And even in the corolla I was driving faster than traffic. The RX-8 is as fast a car as you could ever need in a normal driving condition, and it holds it own on the track (especially for autocross from what I've heard). The only situation where we lose is in a drag race, or a stoplight race with a braindead Mustang.
I think I'm willing to compromise. You can't have everything. You could make it faster, ala the RX-7 FD, but then you sacrifice a lot of reliability. You could make it more powerful, maybe throw in an LS1, but then you're giving up the amazing weight and balance this car exemplifies. You could just go drive something else - a Corvette or an Evo X - but then you're giving up on style, smoothness, or price.
We landed in the right place, friends. Just suck it up and pay the gas bills.
As an aside, it's interesting to see the decline of the Corolla as a fun car.
The first car I ever drove regularly was the 1990 equivelent of that corolla: still a 1.8l 4-cyl, still automatic... but it was a fun car, very light and agile, and it handled like a ************. Almost smashed it into a tree bombing around rallystyle on a dirt road one time.
My wife has a 2001 corolla, and it's still reasonably fun. Not as light as the 1990, and with more creature comforts, but a lot faster because of variable valve timing and other improvements. It's a nimble car and it's great on gas.
The 2005-2006 one I drove was HUGE compared to those two. Literally a foot taller, and a fair bit longer too. It's got a lot of space inside, but it feels chunky in comparison, and the weight has obviously gone up a ton. The interior build quality is amazing, less rattles than my RX-8 (naturally), but it's very bland as you'd expect in an econobox. I sure as hell wouldn't recommend it to anyone that enjoys driving.
In the end, they replaced and did:
- the rear right wheel
- the bodywork on the rear right quarter
- the bodywork on the front right quarter
- some of the back suspension components
- front tie rod
- steering rack
And probably a lot more; they're still compiling the estimate but it was roughly $8000 canadian... or, about 40% of the value of the car. Yeesh. Especially considering that I have slashed my resale value by doing this.
But, it's done now, and insurance covers it, so while I will be paying a premium increase it's not the end of the world. The car feels great, no problem, probably a better wheel alignment than it had before. I am going to pay very close attention to it over the next week and try to make sure there's nothing wrong with it; but because there was no frame damage, I don't expect there to be anything which would impact my driving experience.
That said, here's the point of the post, because you probably don't give that much of a **** about my car in particular....
I drove a courtesy car for just over a month. An 05-06 Toyota Corolla, 1.8 liter four-banger with maybe 110 HP. Automatic. The most boring car on the road.
And now that I'm back in the seat of my RX-8, I can more truly appreciate everything that goes into making it one of the best sportscars in its class, and truly a standout car compared to most everything else on the road.
See, you could buy a Camry with a V6 putting out more horsepower and torque than we get out of our Renesis. But that's not what matters when it comes to the driving experience we're all looking for. In the Corolla, I felt isolated from the road, separated from the medium I was plowing over. I drove the vehicle as hard as I could, shifting it like a manual with the slushbox (hold it in L and then 2 until redline), and even so it felt like I was watching someone else drive.
In the RX-8, I feel like I am in control of every single thing the vehicle does. I detemine how fast the engine goes, I determine the gear, I determine how loud my K&N Typhoon roars. I can feel every bump in the road. I can feel the amazing electric power steering as it amplifies my arm movement - as opposed to the mushy hydraulic power steering in the Corolla that felt like I was churning butter to park in my underground stall.
After almost a year of the RX-8 before this accident, I was feeling a little jaded, the car was fast but I wanted more. But now that I have it back, I can see that it really is enough car for me. I might want to change a few small things on it - short shifter kit, new tires - but it's definitely fast enough.
Compared to the corolla, this is a firebreathing monster of a car. And even in the corolla I was driving faster than traffic. The RX-8 is as fast a car as you could ever need in a normal driving condition, and it holds it own on the track (especially for autocross from what I've heard). The only situation where we lose is in a drag race, or a stoplight race with a braindead Mustang.
I think I'm willing to compromise. You can't have everything. You could make it faster, ala the RX-7 FD, but then you sacrifice a lot of reliability. You could make it more powerful, maybe throw in an LS1, but then you're giving up the amazing weight and balance this car exemplifies. You could just go drive something else - a Corvette or an Evo X - but then you're giving up on style, smoothness, or price.
We landed in the right place, friends. Just suck it up and pay the gas bills.
As an aside, it's interesting to see the decline of the Corolla as a fun car.
The first car I ever drove regularly was the 1990 equivelent of that corolla: still a 1.8l 4-cyl, still automatic... but it was a fun car, very light and agile, and it handled like a ************. Almost smashed it into a tree bombing around rallystyle on a dirt road one time.
My wife has a 2001 corolla, and it's still reasonably fun. Not as light as the 1990, and with more creature comforts, but a lot faster because of variable valve timing and other improvements. It's a nimble car and it's great on gas.
The 2005-2006 one I drove was HUGE compared to those two. Literally a foot taller, and a fair bit longer too. It's got a lot of space inside, but it feels chunky in comparison, and the weight has obviously gone up a ton. The interior build quality is amazing, less rattles than my RX-8 (naturally), but it's very bland as you'd expect in an econobox. I sure as hell wouldn't recommend it to anyone that enjoys driving.
09-05-2008, 12:23 PM
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grats on getting the car back. That was pretty close to being totalled
09-05-2008, 12:42 PM
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09-05-2008, 10:05 PM
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(Begin ramble...)
Gratz on getting it back. Interesting seeing someone else with the same year Corolla knowledge as mine. MY first and second cars were 1991 Corollas, and my first brand new car I purchased was a 2002 Corolla (no changes from 2001), and I did love the balance and handling of that car, especially after putting in a front strut bar. The power wasn't incredible, but for a 4-cylinder manual it had surprising acceleration. It balanced well, it rode well, it responded well, and had great gas mileage. Until my 8, I really did miss that car. My disgust with the 2003+ was summed up nicely by one review on Edmunds.com I read: "I like the Corolla, and it's SUV-like stance."
WTF.
Fortunately, you are highly unlikely to have a problem if you buy a Corolla.
Unfortunately, if you do have a problem, like blowing the engine at 67,000 miles after 2.5 years from a lack of lubrication, about 2-3 years before the recall for that engine occured, and then are unfortunate enough to deal with a dealership that was such a POS that it took 2 months to rebuild the 4 banger of one of the most purchased cars of all time (6hr job btw), and then re-install the transmission incorrectly (transaxle seals in the wrong locations), and the transmission frys at 97,000 miles 8 months later...
...you are pretty much screwed, cause Toyota couldn't give a crap about the customers after they purchase the car. That is Toyota Corporation, Toyota Financial (owned the extended warranty), and 2 different dealerships. Each one refusing to have anything to do with the shoddy repair work, and saying they had no control or influence on any of the others. Yes, Toyota Corporation says they have no control or influence on what one of their dealers does. They said that officially on a court statement when I sued them.
(/end ramble)
But gratz on the 8 back!
Gratz on getting it back. Interesting seeing someone else with the same year Corolla knowledge as mine. MY first and second cars were 1991 Corollas, and my first brand new car I purchased was a 2002 Corolla (no changes from 2001), and I did love the balance and handling of that car, especially after putting in a front strut bar. The power wasn't incredible, but for a 4-cylinder manual it had surprising acceleration. It balanced well, it rode well, it responded well, and had great gas mileage. Until my 8, I really did miss that car. My disgust with the 2003+ was summed up nicely by one review on Edmunds.com I read: "I like the Corolla, and it's SUV-like stance."
WTF.
Fortunately, you are highly unlikely to have a problem if you buy a Corolla.
Unfortunately, if you do have a problem, like blowing the engine at 67,000 miles after 2.5 years from a lack of lubrication, about 2-3 years before the recall for that engine occured, and then are unfortunate enough to deal with a dealership that was such a POS that it took 2 months to rebuild the 4 banger of one of the most purchased cars of all time (6hr job btw), and then re-install the transmission incorrectly (transaxle seals in the wrong locations), and the transmission frys at 97,000 miles 8 months later...
...you are pretty much screwed, cause Toyota couldn't give a crap about the customers after they purchase the car. That is Toyota Corporation, Toyota Financial (owned the extended warranty), and 2 different dealerships. Each one refusing to have anything to do with the shoddy repair work, and saying they had no control or influence on any of the others. Yes, Toyota Corporation says they have no control or influence on what one of their dealers does. They said that officially on a court statement when I sued them.
(/end ramble)
But gratz on the 8 back!
09-05-2008, 10:41 PM
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im scared it is going to happen to me too! because here we get alot of snow here and i know i like to slide and i dont have that DSC option (i have a GS)
it is my first year in my 8 and im enjoying to explore its handling limits
anyway glad to see they everything feels back to normal for you!
have fun!
it is my first year in my 8 and im enjoying to explore its handling limits
anyway glad to see they everything feels back to normal for you!
have fun!
09-06-2008, 12:30 PM
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Not in the way you seem to be taking it. I'm trying to say, while you could theoretically get a lot of cars with more HP than ours, that doesn't make 'em sports cars, and it sure as hell doesn't make them competition.
CanOfWorms, you're bang on with the Corolla talk. Front strut bar, you say? I have been intending to beef up the suspension on the wife's '01 for some time now - it's old enough that it's time to do the shocks anyway so I think I might actually throw a bit of coin at it and try to improve it rather than just make it as good as stock again. Lot of body roll on those cars, I bet a bar would really make a difference.
CanOfWorms, you're bang on with the Corolla talk. Front strut bar, you say? I have been intending to beef up the suspension on the wife's '01 for some time now - it's old enough that it's time to do the shocks anyway so I think I might actually throw a bit of coin at it and try to improve it rather than just make it as good as stock again. Lot of body roll on those cars, I bet a bar would really make a difference.
09-06-2008, 02:33 PM
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Originally Posted by topgear8
Compairing our car to a Camery? Ha..
Our 8 is king, but that doesn't mean that 1 4-banger isn't allowed to be significantly better than another 4-banger. We can look down on the minions fighting it out below us and talk about the selling points of one over the other without actually dropping into the ring ourselves
Just trying to help him out.
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