Well, it'd be nice to hear from some of these satisfied customers from time to time.

They could give the rest of us some valuable feedback about reliability, tuning problems, ease of day to day use, etc.

I'm not saying I need someone to hold my hand and maybe they're just not the forum posting type - that's fine.

However, we're still talking about a handful of cars out of the thousands of RX8's sold. That says to me that a whole lot of people have looked at it and decided it's too exxy and/or too hard to bother with it. Horsley's mob walking away from it also sticks with me as a huge warning bell.

 

Yes but 996 is very soft and sedanish ... It is written in multiple places comparing 996 and 997 Carreras.

Yes I will wait until I have enough money to get a 997 S or a 997 GT3. They are the cars that keep value the best *(although you still loose a big chuck).

I will own a porsche at some stage prob hard to afford it now.

 

Taka, Revolver isn't comparing a 996 to a 997. He's comparing a 996 to an RX-8.

Up against an RX-8 a 996 911 is fairly full house.

 

I know, but 996 is not worth getting. 997 is worth getting. You asked me what Porsche will I consider if there is any Porsche.

That is why I told Dave to stick with his current car.

 

I figured I'd have a look around to see what sort of cars are on the market thats RWD, turbo and looks dead sexy and I definitely want turbo as I'm bored of the RX8 (but not its looks). Absolutely nothing, perhaps the new S3, but then its still an A3 at heart and doesn't scream sex.

So I reckon the only option is to turbocharge the rx8 and I'd be a happy chuppah. If I can find someone who can tune it (GReddy) right and not pay 12K(drive-in drive-out), I might have to do it.

 

Yes but isnt that just a reflaction on the driver? That aside I think that any driver will be able to take an FI 8 and make better times than an NA one.


I agree. But dont take silence as a bad thing. Maybe they are out enjoy those extra ponys

Actually only 1 of the 5 Promaz kits are on this forum. And the one who is has been very busy the last few months.

Cheers

Andrew

 

12k is the drive in/drive out price for te local kits. Thats fully tuned. If you ar egetting a GReddy kit then I believe you are up for around 8.5k for the kit, then install and tunning. I reckon you are going to be in the same vacinity price wise and short a certificate that both MazFix and Promaz offer.

 

Precisely.

I understand Taka's point but it's a no-brainer that the 997 is a big improvement over the 996. Obviously if the 997 was an option $$-wise I'd be all over it.

The real issue is whether there is something between the stock RX8 and the 997 that is worth buying (and we're talking a $150K price gap here!!!).

I know Gibbo ended up plonking down the hard earned for the 335i and seems happy enough. Hopefully he puts his head in here and speaks from his experience of the change.

Meanwhile, the thought of a 996 911 keeps ******* me as the only other practical option besides hotting up the 8.

 

Agreed about the S3. It's still just a hot hatch at the end of the day and resale on those things is terrible. A bloody big sticker to begin with too.

As for turbo-charging the 8, I reckon 12K is the minimum spend if you want it all done properly.

 

Maybe....but all of them? I appreciate that not everyone is into this forum lark but I would have thought that with the number of enthusiastic owners we have had pass through here we would have more than 1 or 2 members who have launched down the FI path by now if it really was such a great idea/good value/etc.

And why haven't more than a couple of dozen people in total gone down that road? When you compare how many people seriously modify other makes and models, the number of people who have done more than play around with exhausts and whatnot with the 8 is incredibly tiny.

I guess that might change as more of the earlier cars come out of warranty but meanwhile the lack of reliable info from a base of owners makes decision making much harder.

 

IMO because its still a $35/40k car. When you can pick up 3rd or 4th hand ones for 20k (where the FD's are now) then I think you will see more. Also have to factor in things like Mazda charging $8000 odd for new engines (plus install), although you can pickup used Jap' ones for about $2500.

 

BMW M3....

 

Is a 3rd car an option?

Keep the 8 and FI it for weekends and track use while buying a nice 4 door something for the day to day duties and family.

The realibility issues are then reduced with the reduced km the 8 would be doing monthly but when you want fun it's there to be had!

 

Come over to NZ - here we get as new Rx8s straight from Japan for less than $35k with less than 20000kms on them .These cars make more sense to mod because the initial cost is very reasonable . In fact they as so cheap to buy that way that Mazda has stopped importing new RX8s at all .

 

Revolver, the decision on what to buy might already have been made for you....

 

The V8 model??!! I wish! They're gonna be about $160K though, which is $60K more than I'll have.

And I'd rather buy a 2nd hand 996 911 than a 2nd hand E46 M3 any day.

 

Not really - no room to keep it.

I only use my RX8 on weekends and track days anyway.

I'm starting to think I'll just keep my RX8 as is until I have more than $100K to splurge on a newer Porka.

 

Yeah - saw that. C'est le vie.

 

I like this one. I'm not a boring *****, I just dont' see any need to get rid of a car unless it's broken or impractical.

 

I think the 8 is an easy car to drive stock. I don't see how it would be any more difficult with more power.

You already know my point of view on power increases. It's a complete waste of cash! $12k is a lot to spend on something that isn't worth anything at the end of the day. I know what I'm spending my $12k on

 

Well I don't know about you revolver but I drive an rx8 because I love rotaries and always have.I have always mantained that even if I was rich and had a Ferrari in the garage I would always have a full house rotary in there too that I would love just as much(tuned by RE Amemiya).I love everything about them. Sound,performance,tunability and price and the fact that so ,many people also don't like them for those same reasons.It's something not so mainstream ans a bit unique and different as everyone else has piston engine cars.So if you ask me, keep the rx8 and make it full house(please!).I respect the performance specs of evos and porches etc but rear wheel drive rotaries are where my heart is at. Definantly not porches(yuk)..Are the prices and power figures out yet for the Hymee s/charger??

 

Drive one.

After the 8 it is a backwards step and it is only a 2 seater with 2 parcel shelves.

IMO the next step up from an 8 is a Cayman.

 

Regardless of what you say about Beemers, the 135 has to be looked very carefully. It has a great spec, will be light (relatively), and hold its value much better than a new 8.

The rear seats will probably be....well, they'll be better that in a Porsche!

I just observe that with the odd exception, all the guys who have gone FI on the 8 suddenly become post shy...and I don't believe Archie's claims!

 

With the exception of the Pettit SC people . They all seem to be happy & trouble free .

HeHe - had to say that . Been having an argument with mysql101 (turbo vs SC)