I've spent significant time in both cars. They are both really, really amazing sports cars, but in very different ways.

The 370 is really heavy feeling after jumping out of the RX8. The clutch and shifter are suddenly a chore. It's hard to see out of, too. It rides harder. The handling isn't as precise, and you feel as though you have to command the car, rather than the "one with the car" feeling you get with the RX8.

However, the performance is just brutal. The 3.7 kicks hard and revs all the way up, unlike the first few years of the 350. The motor is sick. It feels like there is twice as much tire as the RX8, but you can really feel the weight working the outside front hard. The steering, while lacking feel, is light and quick, with a nice small wheel.

Overall, I'd say in a performance driving scenario, the RX8 is more rewarding, the 370Z is more juvenile fun. In autocross, with my average skills, I'm faster in the Nissan. Never compared them on the track.

I didn't keep track of mileage in the 370, but I get around 19mpg in the Mazda, and I got between 20-21 in my old 350z. I'll call that a wash. The small Mazda tank has me filling a lot more often, though.

Day to day, the Mazda is easier to live with. Easier to drive, quieter, more comfortable, roomier. Dialed back, it turns as benign as a Civic, where the Z never really shuts off. The fiancée thought the Z was sexier, but hated riding in it.

The Mazda fits the Golden Retriever in the back. The Z not so much. That's a big deal for me. Plus, I could have bought my car three times over for the price of a new 370, but that's an unfair comparison.

 

^ very well said!

 

Nissan GT-R!!! & RX-8!!! the G37-S is sicck also.

 

^^ Yeah that. I think the 370 Z is hideous.

 

Nice writeup!

 

This post is not very useful.

1) You got a great deal or a LOT of miles. An 04 with moderate to high miles goes for that now.

2) Congrats on finding the car with a far worse resale value. The blue book value for a 350z comparable to my 8 is thousands more. It's great when you're buying. Sucks when you're selling. I guess it's not too bad for those who bought a car with most of its value already gone.

3) Someone could buy a used 350z, add some mods and beat a 370z too. And for much less. Eventually the 370z will have cheaper used vehicles that will have the same thing happen. I could build a civic that beats an rx-8. Are civics a better car? Modifications change the comparison and varies greatly.

4) I doubt you're getting 220. Maybe around 210 or so as only a couple cars have come close to or hit 220 that I've seen.

I get what you're saying. Just say it the right way. The RX-8 can be said to be a better value for what you pay. Sure you can modify an RX-8 to be faster than a 370z, but then you can modify the 370z to be faster. If you want to go down that road, talk about which car has the most potential.

For me personally, the one issue that eliminates the Z for me is the space. I want to seat 4 comfortably. I like the convenience of the doors on the 8. At this point, I've decided that if I go for anything new, it will have at least the same space as the 8, or more. If I had an alternative car with more space for regular driving and just wanted something for fun, I'd pick the 370z. Admittedly, part of that would be the fact that I've owned the 8 for more than 4 years now and I'm ready for something different. I've test driven quite a few comparable sports cars, including the 370z, and very few had a feel to them that I really liked. The 370z and the S2000 were the only 2 cars that really appealed to me based off of feel, though realistically there are probably other cars I would consider.

 

I thought the 370z totally kill the 8 in every category until I spoke to a friend who owns a 370z, he mentioned about overheat issues and I got curious and found these:

http://www.my350z.com/forum/2009-370...d-courses.html

http://www.the370z.com/engine-drivet...ing-issue.html

http://my350z.com/forum/370z-brakes-...-problems.html

While it is not fair to judge a car solely on track performance, I would assume a 370z labeled as "sports car" would be able to take a few laps with no issues in stock form.

 

I'm not ashamed to say I've been looking at the 350z/370z again.

When I got my Rx8 I kept going back and forth between it and the 350z. I seriously chose the 8 mostly because it had back seats. I was coming from a Corvette and hated having to leave it in the garage and take my wifes ugly mustang when me, my wife and daughter all went somewhere together. My wife has since gotten rid of the mustang, and I dont mind driving her new Avenger........

I'm starting to get the itch for a new car again. My shopping list is new Camaro, another Vette or a 350z/370z. I bet I could make a wicked custom turbo setup for a Z

 

if the rx8 had 300rwhp stock....

 

Cant we all dream, but we are here for one reason... Why should we have to explain the love of our 8's to people. Its a unique car with a unique engine, more unique than a Ferrari, Audi... all of them, sure those cars dominate us going 5/10's of their potential but who cares? Not me, not many cars have a 9k rpm redline or even go to 9.5K rpms... The RX-8 can, please try to keep a piston engine at those rpms and wait and see what happens.

The 8 is how it is... id prefer my 8 over a new 370Z, sure the 370Z would be a nice car to have with gobs of torque and fun, but its not really for me. I wouldnt mind having one for a second car, but if it came down to it id pick the 8 every time.


P.S. RX-8 with Pettit S/C > 370Z

 

A civic is not in the same class as a 350z or RX-8. If you took the same amount of money and dumped that into a used 8 and a used 350 the 8 would wind up on top, every time. They come from the same class. you cant go comparing cars out of class. aka a civic...

My point is this. Why go spend the money for an overheating 2 door ugly car when you could get an 8? Which again is in the same class. Then drop even 8k into it and wind up with a better performing machine that's 10 grand cheaper.

Do you see the logic in that?

P.S.I was guesstimating on the HP but it is certainly going to be over 210. Im hoping for 215-220

 

I've said it in the beginning of the thread, and I'll say it again, each cars have pros and cons.

When it comes down to the bottom of it, the RX-8 was a better sports car than the 350Z.

When it comes to the next generation, the 370Z is a better sports car than the RX-8 R3.

Fellow 8 owners, it's okay, it's not our fault. We're not the ones paying the Mazda designers and engineers, we didn't come up with the idea of simply improving on the car's strongest point, handling; while not touching the car's weakest point, power.

We should applaud Mazda's effort of the Series II RX-8. Series I did not sell well, but did not stop Mazda from giving it a fresh look, change up some of the interior, improved oil injectors, better location for the oilstick and many more subtle but helpful tweaks.
I
But I just think we should applaud Nissan even more for providing an incredible performance car for its price despite not catering to the trackers that makes up a small percentage of their buyers. It's Cayman S performance for V6 Accord price. And Cayman S is already a performance bargain IMO. The brakes issues should not stop the average buyers, and if you are serious about tracking, buy the issue of Car and Driver that covered the problem as it had suggestions for owners in the last paragraph of the article before they head out to the tracks.

Nissan just did a better job than Mazda on this one, oh well. I love Mazda, but this tiresome topic probably won't pop into my mind until this thread is resurrected again sometime next year.

 

I wouldn't put the Z in the same category as a Porsche. The Z is not nearly as well balanced as a Cayman/Boxster. Balance is what makes a sports car, not power or outright numbers.
The Z is a Japanese Camaro. Not a sports car.

 

It's closer to a heavier, less powerful Corvette.

 

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...ng_lap-feature

Too bad C&D didn't follow through, have ducts installed, and tried again. As it is didn't resolve the problem they discovered, they just have "Suspicions".

Where my life is at stake, as it was for this person, 'suspicions' don't cut it. I'd never buy a 'sports car' I couldn't trust a few laps on a track out of the box. Between engine, oil, water, and differential over heating issues, and overheating/dissappearing brakes issues, yea "Nissan just did a better job than Mazda on this one, oh well." You go ahead I'll be along later

 

huh? You are serious making that statement as a car enthusiast?

This is very true.
Not the most dynamic sports car, but does what it's built to do at $30K better than any other car at 30K.

You're right, since you track.

I'm right, since I do not.

Although if I was doing a lot of street racing though, I suppose the brake issue would be very important if not critical, with all those brake pedal to the floor power stops.

On my spirit drives, I don't remember multiple back to back all out high speed braking. In fact, my ABS has only came on during emergency cases on three occasions. Call me a vagina driver I guess

 

 

 

When was the last time you saw a Rx-8 crash into a church?

 

why compare a z with a 8??? the Z=6 cylinders the 8= 4 cylinders, if anything i get flater everytime somebody compares my car with a Z and if i was a Z owner i will be embarrazed to compare the Z with a car that is half it's cost.

 

the R3 and the 370 are 2k off in price.

 

Meh, I stick by my comments. When the Japanese companies get into pissing contests over HP the cars get heavy and less communicative. Look at the last iteration of the Supra. Its a bus.

If I was going to spend $30k range on a vehicle with an utterly useless interior, it would be a lightly used Exige.

Good thing RX8's are almost free these days...

 

I didn't know Z's cost nearly $65,000. :facepalm:

 

LOL I didn't know anyone paid sticker for an RX8

/new R3 $25K

 

Haha really? your going to compare a R3 to a BASE MODEL 370Z, with a open diff? lol dont try to compare prices... its stupid...

If your going to be comparing the top of the line models why not include the GT option of the 370Z or even the Nismo 370Z, if not then make the RX-8's price a base model as well.