If you didn't need 4 seats....
 

With the mood a bit low at the moment, and people looking at their options, I've seen quite a few comments along the lines of "...but I need 4 seats".

So if you've a family I can agree that there does not appear to be anything to touch this car in its price range.

But there are a number of us who don't actually have to have the 4 seats. I for one am single with no kids.

So. If you weren't restricted by the number of seats, would your choice be different ?

I'm guessing that there would be a number of Audi TTs in the list, but what else? And is there a compelling reason for us childless people to stay with the RX-8 ?

What I really want are reasons not to go out tomorrow and spend 17k on a 3 year old S2000, and enjoy an extra summer of convertible fun. I'd benefit from spending less money, lower depreciation (especially as its not new), and I can have it now.

Please help me resist.

Anyone not like the S2000 ?
Or really like the all-too-common TT ?

Wouldnt go near a VaG car at all.

For me it'd have to be a lotus Elise or S2000.

Or maybe a TVR or even MX-5(old one and turbo it :)).

Now with 4 seats.. stolen from honestjohn with bold for ones that could intrest me :
Alfa 156; Alfa GTV; Audi A3; Audi TT; BMW 3 Series, Ci and Compact; Ford Mondeo ST220; Jaguar X-Type; Mercedes Sport Coupe; Mercedes CLK; Mercedes SLK; Mitsubishi Evo VIII; Peugeot 406 coupe; Subaru Impreza WRX; Toyota Celica 190; VauxhallAstra Turbo coupe; VW Golf R32; Volvo C70.

I'm struggling....

I'm not sure what is wrong with VAG, make very solid, well made, quality product cars and although some are relative boring, others have great engines.

If you don't need 4 seats go for the S2000 if you really cannot wait.

I don't have to have 4 good seats, 2+2 will do but from the above list I would go for 157, GTV, A3 and R32 and TTC.

rael

Hold on, I already own a TTC which would suggest i don't need the 8! Mazda better pull their finger out!

rael

Im not a big fan of ragtops, but I do lke the s2000 though Ive never driven one.

I would entertain a Boxster apart from the price, as really I would like the 'S' or at least the newer 2.7

Ive always wanted a TVR, but this would have to be as a 2nd car so it means I would have to buy a second car for every day use. Maybe £20k for the TVR and £5k for a decent runaround.

I do still like the 350Z apart from the fact they're all sold and first ones were nearly £28k

I bought Top Marques last week and nothing really stands out as something I really want.

One wildcard is the BMW Z3M Coupe. I dont like beemers, or the Z3 particularly, but the coupes are going for around the same price as the RX8 and have over 300bhp and only 2 useable seats if I remember correctly.


Mark

I've driven a 225TT. wasnt impressed.

Competent, fast, well put together, nice interior. total let down to drive. (not that I'm keen on their styling either).

Sorry. Oh and the R32 is 1500kg+.

MarkW, you are referring to the Honda S2000 Roadster as your ragtop, but if you brought the GT version, you also get a hardtop. Two cars for the price of one!

I need 4 seats.

AnilS.

I don't actually need 4 seats, but at the end of the day I do like the extra practicality and for 90% of the driving I do I want a bit more refinement and more kit to play with than you get with most 2 seaters.

However, if I was considering a 2 seater I would look at the VX220 (N/A or turbo). I would go for this rather than the Lotus because I think it looks just as good and you can get a good deal on it (as opposed to joining a waiting list and paying full price for the Lotus). I like the styling of the S2000 but the engine is far too noisy (and not in a good way) at high revs. And you do need to use those high revs.

Good Quetion. I've got an MX5 at the moment and I dont need 4 seats. I vave not got kids and my wife has a 'sensible' car. In fact the back seats of the RX8 are rather a tun-off for me. What with one thing and another (power decrease & residuals mostly) I think I'm going to put a deposit on a Nissan 350Z. I really thought I was going to buy an RX8 (HI-Power)but I'm becoming increasingly less keen. I like, the look of the front, the low insurance and the standard equipment. I dont like, the look of the back three quarters, track seems too narrow, relatively uninspiring performance(see Leon Cupra type R £17500) predicted residuals, rear seats. I saw and sat in both cars at Motordrive Live and to be honest I preffered the 350Z. For £24000 I get a faster car with 2 seats, insurance I can just stand (18 I think), similiar equipment (no posh Bose but do get 6 disc CD), better ballanced visually (to me), and slightly better residuals. Oh yes, I almost forgot, A really really stupidly long delivery time (I'm told up to a year!
What do you all think??

For me, it would have to be either a S2000 or a VX220 Turbo.

Haven't really considered any other cars yet, but you never know.

Maybe now is a good time to start considering.......

Shahpor

I am lucky enough to have driven both the S2000 and the VX220 Turbo. I was not really taken with the Honda. Very like a posher version of my MX5 but not really enough low end power for me. A worry I also have about the RX8. The Vx220 on the other hand was very quick. But i would certainly spin off the road one day in a car like that with so little weight, so much power and no traction controll (ask any TVR owner). I want to be able to drive my car in the wet and the dry. Also, its very, very difficult to get into a VX220. The equipment list is poor and the residuals are... well lets just say It's going to be a great second hand buy!

If I were to jump ship and get something else it would be something that I can test drive right now and guarantee delivery of in a month or two. No way am I going through this waiting all over again.

The 350Z does seem really nice though. I assume the US and Japan are full of them by now. Europe gets left until last (just like with the RX-8)

You know ChrisW you've goyt a very good point. I cant believe how much effort I'm putting into finding out about 2 cars that no one has driven, least of all me. Having said that, I dont want to drive one, decide i cant live without it, and end up with an even longer b****y wait! The only car I acn realistically buy now that has most of my wish list is a 225TT. However, I don't want to spend £27000, everyone has got one, I have test driven one and the words competant but dull spring to mind. Oh yes, theres a waiting list of 3 to 4 months I think. I really want a 911 but I've not got £65000 to spend on a car and guess what... theres a waiting list!!!

hear hear

been in my mates TT today, when I sit in it 6'2", and I do generally sit with the seat back, well there was just enough room for me to slide my hand between the back of the front seat and the back seat. Hmm, not much room even for a 3 year old.

"Stop kicking, stop kicking....****ing stop kicking!"

Xtype sport still #1 option as an alternative methinks. Still a boat though.

for me i dont need the 4 seats as the wife has the sensible car.


I just cant convince myself to part with 30 grand on a 2 seater.

besides i want the practicality of the rx8 with the 4 seats.

Im test driving the evo 8 on Sat morning. More of a laff really as i dont seriously consider parting with 30 grand for a car that means having to carry spart boxer shorts in the glove box all the time.

Hate Beamers, no offence to anyone here who owns one but those that drive around greater London are total dickheads. I know thats generalising but i cant pretty much say with certainty that in a days driving around its always a beamer (3 series) that either cuts you up or forces you to brake suddenly or any other combination.



Mercs possibly but not after the wifes friend had us running around for 3 hours one night cause she left the keys in my wifes glove box only to find out that she had a spare set in her handbag.



S2000 great car but it has the "hairdresser owner" look about it.

TT common as muck now and over priced as is the 2000 in my opinion.

I keep thinking Scoobydoo (standard not WRX) what a performance bargain. Theres a dealer near me . They have a black one, metalick with quite a nice cloth interior, even air-con. Insurance is 19 and servicing costs are ok. But, and its avery big but, its still one of the ugliest cars of all time.

I think it is apparent, well to me at least, there is no real alternative to the RX-8 and that I will just have to wait out the next 18 weeks.

Chris :)

I'd be tempted to go as far to say that the TT is much more a hairdressers car than the S2000. Just IMO of course.

I've never thought of the 2000 as a hairdressers car, but the TT has been the brunt of quite a few jokes....


-andy-

Style over function maybe?

I think that negative reviews about its handling and a couple of very public 'aerodynamic' failures have damaged its reputation a bit.

Still I applaud any manufacturer that tries to be different and you have to admit that it is unlike any other car out there at the moment.

Shahpor

Never heard of a Golf then ?:D

Obviously I didn't mean under the skin as it seems half the cars out there at the moment have parts that are also in the Golf! :D

You can't say it looks anything like a Golf though! :D

Shahpor

It is a shame. I remember the first time I saw one on the road, and I thought .. ooh. But that lasted about a week, and ever since them I've looked on them as pretty dull cars. The styling has been diluted by the fact that they are just about everywhere (victim of its own success in this department), so to say that there's nothing else like it on the road is a bit pointless, since you see five every minute.


-andy-

Actually I think that is the key to the 'problem' with the TT.

Because it has to use the same floorpan and underpinnings as so many other VAG cars, there are just too many compromises that had to be made along the way. This is probably why the handling is not all it could be.

I haven't driven one myself yet, but I hope to give one a try soon, just to see what people are talking about.


But in theory this is a key thing that should make the RX-8 such a great car.

It is not sharing anything with any other Mazda car. It has a new engine, new gearbox, new chassis etc.

You won't find anything from the Mazda 6 lurking under the skin.

I know what you mean about them being everywhere.

However, what I actually meant was that I admire the manufacturer for trying something different. This has little to do with the number on the road, although I have to admit that too many of them does lessen the impact the different design has.

Shahpor

Yeah, that is a problem.

I wish that the VAG group would do some more development instead of just re-using the same parts over again.

It is getting silly when you get the same items in Audi's, Skoda's, Seat's and VW's. I wouldn't mind too much, but they are exactly the same parts!

When you pay all that extra money for the Audi, are you really getting a car that is that much better than, say, a Seat?

Every car review that I have read has said that apart from residuals, the Seat Leon is a better car than the Golf.

I am one who believes that each car should have an individual character and I am not too sure I like the way this is heading.

I agree with you in the fact that this is the other reason why I like the 8 so much. Original thinking from the ground up.

Shahpor