8 lover in Japan

Hi everybody. yes you might see that i live in Japan! I am an Australian though married to a Japanese girl. quite close to Ebisu circuit if anybody is familiar with drifting and team orange!
anyway..i had some time off yesterday and so i was driving to my mates place and i happened to go past a mazda dealer.....outside was a nice black rx-8 type s. just the night before i was talking with my mrs about getting a new car after the registration runs out on my sloooooowwwww nerdy civic. she just happened to mention a black car would be nice. so i always had a soft sot for rotaries and i was looking at the rx8 official website.....bloddy grouse!! even better if you can understand a little japanese. so i wanted to see it in the flesh??!!(steel, aluminium??)
so there it was. this black 6 spd 250ps beauty. to cut the story short I drove it!!!! i must admit its not a drag racer but it was quick enough...just everything about it was beautiful.....the sound, styling, suspension, brakes, the buzzer at red line (although not quite as loud as in other rx's) all perfect....no yes it made my day.
then trying to sleep last night...i couldn't....i was sick.. like a junkie needing a hit.. i want one . the closest ive got now is an r/c rx8! but i have some friends here in the car business so i hope to get a good deal on a second hand type S..from what i can see they start at 1500000yen (hlaf the price of brand new)which is about AUS$18000!! how can i refuse one at a price like that!!?? wish me luck!!
just a question though..
what's the difference between the high power unit and the low power unit that makes a 40ps difference?

OzzieRizz

Bloody oath mate!! AUS$18000? What a freaking steal! I used to live in Australia myself and the last time I checked, aren't they like AUS$55000 or so for a brand new one. I don't see why Australia has to have such freaking high import taxes. Bloody ridiculous if you tell me!

Well anyway good luck on your search! Go "hit" it up for me

Captain Amazing

High power does 0-60 in 5.9 low does it in something like 7.5seconds.

SSJ 909

whats the diff bet high and low power?

Japan8

6 port motor vs 4 port motor and a lot of horsepower.

Think USDM 4spd auto vs 6spd manual...

takahashi

$18000 for a second hand? Japanese depreciation is really huge. I saw a fully modded 8 selling for 2 million yen only

4 port vs 4 port yeah...

Welcome all the Australians above... come down Wakefield Park in Oct to see our "expensive" 8s going around the circuit - it is surely be a festival!

8 lover in Japan

yer..tell me about it.......used car depreciation here in japan is a killer ( for sellers). i got my 37000km 96 civic for 450000yen and if i wanted to sell it id be lucky to get 100000 for it!! but its bloody good for people who want to buy a second hand one!! i just wish i knew the depreciation thing before i bought a crappy civic....but if i get an 8 then i dont see myself getting something else for quite some time

so the whole engine between the high power and low power unit is different?? ok thanks..i thought if it was something bolt on, the low power one might have a chance but its obviously the type S for me. thanks.

takahashi

It is also socially admirable to drive a brand new car right?

I heard that Japanese do not keep a lot of old stuff?... They called 2nd hand RX-7 and RX-8 as 中古車

8 lover in Japan

takahashi san, are you nihonjin desu ka? yes youre right. its not good for japanese`s image to drive a car over about 5 years...(some people even trade it every year as a newer model comes out) and/or over 100000kms (timing belt must be replaced to renew registration). basically any car with these exceded is dirt cheap. i bought an old s13 silvia to go drifting in with 150000kms and no rego for 50000yen!! thats AUS$600!! no-one wants old crappers! and now 8`are getting to be 3 years old so there are quite a few in the `chuukousha` sites (thanks takahashi). anyone interested check this one out.
http://www.goo-net.com

takahashi

Nihonjin dewa alimasan. Boku wa Hong Kong jin desu.

I learn Japanese for 10 years just in case I married to a Japanese. However, 2 of my best friends marrying Japanese and I don't . I should have gone clubbing with my best friend more often *(not). I have a beautiful wife and daughter and one more coming

Chuukousha is the one that I saw in major Jap mag I think.

I also think there is a major car test for cars over a few years in Japan. Adding a lot of costs to keep an old car in Japan - especially modified.

I still want to improve my Japanese.

There is a Mr. Tom (Westerner) who posted his great time in Tsukuba. You may want to speak to him too.

Cheers
Taka from downunder.

rotor_man

When i boughtg my type S in New Zealand there were heaps of the type E's (the 4 port motor version). It turns out there is heaps of differences.

Here's a few that i can remember:
4 port not 6 port
5 speed not 6 speed
suspension
S dias induction
Brake size
16" rims vs 18"
Doesn't have the fancy HID headlights
Different Dif

So you can see there's heaps of differences so don't buy the type E. I gathered from yr post that you figured that out anyway lol. Hope you enjoy yr new car! they are realy great fun!