cars people have test driven before deciding for the rx8
 

Just as a matter of intrigue and boredom sitting here at work doing diddly squat at the moment.....

What made you decide for the rx8 ? and what cars have to test driven leading up to you making the decision...



for me it was the following:

initially it was a Lexus SC430 - (plan scuppered because got married and bought a house instead - couldnt justify 52 grand on a car)

Jaguar X Type - nice car but just really a poor mans jag if a jag at all.

then it was the Passat V V 8 - stonkin car but ....

Lotus Elise - incredible car you get what you pay for a stunning car - again two seats and no cd player or air conditioning.


honda S2000 - souped up hair dressers car two seats and a bit dated design. And when i saw it parked outside a hairdressers in St Albans, wasnt easy to change my mind.

I've also looked at the x-type. I can get ford grp discount on one making a 2.5/3.0 sport a bargain. But its not the car I want. To big to heavy and 4WD. Wife loves Jags so will prolly end up with one oneday, old XJS or XK8 or something :)

Test drove an MX-5 to see what there like , RX-8 supposed to me similar-ish.

Part from that I havnt tested anything specificaly in competition. Theres very few cars that fit the RX-8's profile that I'd consider owning.

I currently have a 325ci and whilst tempted by the 330 ci there are just too many around now.
I considered the Imprezza but didn't like the interior or the look of the car particularly.
Golf R32 briefly until I saw it and thought - looks the same as all the other golfs.
Focus RS - same reason as golf
Merc CLK - great look but sluggish performance.

Ed

Whilst I havn't test driven the cars, as they haven't been available until fairly recently, the alternatives I did consider were

Golf R32
Alfa 147 GTA

I think I made the right choice all those months ago.

Chris

:D

Didn't consider anything else.

If it was not for the RX , nothing would have grabbed me.

Morgan.

I didn't get round to a test drive but the cars I was considering were ;

New Impreza STi - I can get one for the same price as the 8 but I think they are a bit ugly - it was the performance that attracted me.
Used Nissan Skyline R32 v-spec - the car I've always wanted but it was proving to difficult to find a good one for my budget.
Nearly new Mitsubishi Evo - again the performance was the attraction but I couldn't get past the 'Halfords / Max Power' look of it when I looked at a few.

When I was looking at cheaper cars with decent performance I did test drive a Skoda Octavia VRs but the interior was bland and there was a terrible flat spot in the performance. I also considered A Leon Cupra R.

Th RX8 fits the bill in what I need in so many ways - it's only the fuel economy that really hurts it for me.

here i tell you something my old man in law, has a leon Cupra R and boy does it shift.

The interior space for a hatch back is huge. Legroom in the back was amazing and surprisingly comfortable. Performance wise i couldnt see much wrong with it. handling was good as well.

But then comes the critical factor.....its a SEAT.


Dashboard and console for looks takes some beating for a car that comes in around 18 grand.

I did consider the Leon Cupra R myself but the fact that the VAG group are replacing the A3, Golf, Leon, Skoda Octavia on a rolling programme as of recently, the car would be dated fairly soon.

To be honest that was one of the reasons for not going with the Golf.

But that said none of the alternatives can beat the RX8 for looks, handling and performance (well at 231ps we shall have to see)

Chris

Bah, its just another car brought to you by VAG.

Its hard to not buy a VAG car thesedays.

But list cars that are :
Rear wheel drive
Seats 4
Purpose built sports car

Alfa 147 is nice but FWD

Same for FocusRS (already have a focus, cant wait to get rid, been
a good car tho).

Evo & STI both a but max power. 4WD and turbo.

Golf R32 to heavy, 4WD, and its a golf, I aint that old. VAG have stated ther gona grow their cars with the origional buyers (i.e. gold GTI mark1 buyers). So it'll get bigger and comfier for ever...

Merk CLK, olf duffer merc image, looks OK to me tho, but needs a BIG engine in it to get it going fast = very heavy. Merc are into big engines in cars that cant corner, but do their best to convince you its a performance car.

Closest competition I htink is prehaps Toyota celica or volvo c70?

Rob,


You been doing your homework i see :D

Well, currently in a 225 TT, and I have to say there are only 2 reasons I am changing;

No room in the back
Getting common/reisduals starting to soften

Like the S2000, but dont want cabrio in london (used to have Mx-5's and got roof slashed).

R32 was a possibility, but as has been said, they look pretty much like every other lardy golf.

Wouldnt touch an alfa with a barge pole!

Not a fan of Mercs, everyone has a 3 series.

Now what did impress me at Motordrive live was the S60 T5 volvo - very impressed (got 150 on the high speed bowl!) Even better was the ride on the handling circuit in an S60 R (300hp). But I think I am not old enough for a volvo yet!

Ed

Ithink what we have discovered in this short and unscientific experiment that there isn't any direct competition.

We are the honoured few that have had the foresight to order a unique vehicle that will appreciate in value as those less willing to trust their instincts want one and are willing to pay a premium to avoid the inevitable wait.

Chris

Tested:

R32
S2000
TT 225
330 bmw
EVO VII

TRYING Z4 BMW next week.

However, I'm sold on the RX8 due to:

Looks
Performance
4 seat and doors
Rotary engine
High spec

The others are playing about really:D

Cheers
Oilman

My other options were;

TTC 225 - keep existing car
147 GTA - Just love the engine but everything else is terrible
A3 - like the understated new shape
XK8 - 2nd hand and no fun

but still hanging in there with the RX8.

On another note, looking through some car mags yesterday I flicked through a copy of Which Car (I think..or What Car) and in the 'coupe' section the 8 beat everyone with 5 stars. I have read the actual report before via this site but not seen the comparison to its class. I presume this is old news.

rael

The mags been out for about a month - it's the What Car buyers guide and the RX8 is one of he few cars to get the full 5 stars. The others a mainly supercars and the M3 and M5. Esteemed company that the RX8 keeps.:D

Exactly the same as Morgan, nothing out there was pressing the right buttons.

But then I picked up a brochure on the RX-Evolve at a Mazda dealer, and thought, WOW! I'd love one of those. Shame its only a prototype.

But then along came the RX-8!:D

Ivve got the issue with it in - its about a page and a half. No scanner though :(

RX8 was the only car that grabbed me too
At 6'4" there are some cars that are just out (have you tried getting in and out of a TT when you're tall?)

Can't stand Impreza's - can't fault their performance but hate the look and everyone and their brother has one

Had BMWs for 5 years -want something different

Need 4 seats as half of my family are blind (well enough that they are not allowed to drive anyway), so I'm a chauffeur. Hence no s2000 etc.

Elise too impractical, but I did like the feel of it

Don't want a 4x4

Not a merc fan, way past my boy racer days (well maybe not a boy racer, but do not want a car like the honda civic type R)

Well, I'm back to the RX8 again......






:D

BTW happy birthday MR Craig Wallace :D (CW007)


Hic!

STU

I haven't test drove any other cars as yet!

Still tempted by the supercar looks, sound and performance of a used TVR cerbera 4.2 or 4.5, but the reliability worries me greatly.

I previously had a lotus elise, what a car, impractical yes, but with 40mpg, even when driven hard and surprisingly cheap servicing costs, it's quite a sensible choice cost wise. Alas, baby on the way, so four seats and a boot needed!

Roll on September, or whenever!

I might go and try a few over the next few months, but like most poeple its the RX-8 or nothing for me.

When I bought my Impreza, the other cars I test drove were:

Honda Accord Type-R
Jaguar X-Type 3.0 Sport
Mitsibushi Evo VI
Several Impreza's

Once I drove the scooby, I knew thats what I wanted so didnt bother with anything else. Hopefully the RX-8 will make me feel the same.

I have got it in the back of my head that I should get 2 cars instead as Ive always fancied a TVR. Get 2nd hand TVR for around £20k, and a £4-5k runabout. Maybe next time.

Stu,
for a laugh you should visit a MG dealer and try to get into an MG-F, even with the roof down i couldn't manage it.

back on topic though, the closest competition (or am i the only one here buying beyond by budget) is the TT, only problem is that i've considered them to be one of the ugliest cars ever to clutter these shores.

jag is interesting (i like 4WD but hate Max Power STI's and Evo's) but recent price cuts by dealers with too much stock could really hurt residuals

s2000 sounds fun, but sounds like you need a couple of corpses in the boot just to keep the tail in check (my old man spun one on a test drive)

Whislt on this long wait I have test driven the following, all of which are still on my "short list";


1. BMW M5 - Used (Brilliant but heavy clutch)
2. BMW 530i - Nearly new
3. SL 320 - Used
4. Alpine A610 - Used (if you can find an unabused one).

AnilS.

I have tried this as a mate had one - all I could ever do was awkwardly squeeze into the passenger seat

Has anyone ever test driven or even just driven the RX7? I must admit I'd like to, but they are obviously well old now. Still would not have the 4 seats though. :cool:

STU

I've not test driven anything yet - I'm afraid if I do I will end up buying it, with the RX-8 still being a few months off. Will probably try one or two alternatives just before I have to decide on the 8.

I was seriously thinking about a Celica 190. I really like the styling, the handling is supposed to be really good and the hatchback is useful. However, I was worried about refinement, particularly noise levels on motorways.

I shifted my interest to the RX-8 because it seemed to have lots more performance for not much more money, and also has more equipment and should be quieter on the motorway. Unfortunately with the power reductions and the weight increase the performance advantage is now fairly modest, and factoring in the fuel consumption increases the Celica's cost advantage (plus Toyota will probably give you a reasonable discount).

However, baring any further power reductions (God forbid), price increases or really disappointing reviews when the magazines get to test the Euro spec production models, I'm still planning on getting the 8.