Hi all,

I'm considering selling my 1997 Nissan 240sx and buying a used RX8. Although I'm maddly in love with my 240 a great sales opportunity landed in my lap.

Honest opinions please: does the stock torque in an RX8 suck? I've heard this is a serious problem with this car (no low end torque what so ever). Also, how many km does the rotary engine last for before it dies?

Thanks!

W.

Also - Any of you who live around Hamilton/ GTA may have seen me buzzing around. It's a red '97 240 with a Skyline R32 body kit. Very VERY sick looking, yet very clean looking at the same time.

 

Go and test drive one and see what the buzz is.

 

Does the torque suck?...hmmm, I guess it depends on what you want to do with the car. The car has enough power to do everything I want to do in traffic and more.

You need to test drive the car...there is so much more to this car than looking at it from such a narrow point of view.


...besides once you do a few 9000prm shifts, you won't be worrying so much about the torque.

A rotary should last as long if not longer than a normal piston engine if you take care of it...less parts.

 

I was going to buy a 98 240SX, but got the Prelude instead cuz of the higher horsepower. The RX-8 feels a bit like the Lude at lower RPMs, but once you get to the 5000-9000 rpm range, its a becomes a completely different machine. The power build up is much faster and there's much more RPM room to play with. Not bad and from the sounds of it, you're into looks... and the RX-8 can get mad looks with the right body kit.

 

Always listen to Rotten42. He speaks the truth.

Get the RPM over 6500 and torque doesn't come into play as much as you think and you will quickly forego any short comings on the torque side. Over 6500 RPM all 238 ponies are in attendance and collaborate very well together. The best part of this car is it's driving feel and handling, not its power. You want to drive a "very well connected to the road" car with great balance that you could throw around easily with maximum control/feel/recovery, get the 8. If straight line acceleration is your thing, but a Mustang.

 

For the torque question, I'd say the RX-8 doesn't have the monster torque you would find in V8's. The weak range is at 1000 - 2900 RPM. After that, it will pull away just as good as any V6 out there. That weak range, by the way, will only last for a second or two, so you will barely notice it when you are driving.

If you want to skip that weak range, just do what most of us would do, launch at 3000 RPMs from a stop :D

It's a great car to drive around. It matches your mood and your feel. It's like a suit that makes you take 30-mph curves at 50 mph with ease while still having 4000 RPMs and 3 gears left to enjoy.

 

as for your reliability question.... Being a former 240 owner myself, I can say the KA is NOT a very dependable motor, so in comparison to your former car, the 8 will be much more dependable. They both are beautiful cars, but eventhough ive been a 240 fan/driver for a long time, I don't plan on ever going back to one as long as there is an RX out for me to drive!

 

Gotcha. Test drive is the way to go.

Any of you guys from Ontario?

 

Many of us are.

 

Certainly test drive is the way to go, if possible, more than one. I have test driven the 8 four times now, driven it at shannonville race track and driven a freinds fathers around for a couple hours. Each time I hop in I appreciate the car more. I am now certain it is the right car for me right now. With the solaras lease up, I need to find a GS and I'll be good to go D:D

 

and as soon as you grab one up, I better see you reppin the 8's at our meets!! :D

 

that's like comparing a 22RE and an S2000 motor. nothing wrong with the KA24DE, they are capable of making decent hp (depending on how much money you put into it). but bottomline is the KA24DE is like the 5FSE motor in the non-turbo MR2 and 4 cylinder camry's. it really isn't that great of a motor. if there were a list of the top OE japanese motors, you wouldn't find the KA24DE anywhere on that list. the 13B however will be on that list.

 

Cool Shannonville. I need to get to that track.
The main reason I'm clinging to the 240 is price. It's cheaper for me to swap in an SR20DET next summer - but if I can sell it and find an RX8 for <$20000 CAD (with under 150,000km) then I really want an RX8.

 

 

Here's a bad pic from my Auto Trader ad:


I DO NOT want to sell this car. But if I do then I want an Rx8.
Next week I'll see if I can get some better pictures.