BMW Man

After owning a RX-8 Touring Pkg. automatic for 6 months and then getting rid of it for a '04 BMW M3 6-speed manual; I have mixed emotions....

First of all, I wish that I would have bought the 6-speed rx-8 from the beginning, but my dad didn't want me to have a stick. So I got a grey touring pkg. automatic for around $26.5k @ invoice. I put about $4k into it in mods, excluding wheels and brakes but all MS parts, cat-back, intake, midpipe, etc. The biggest thing I hated about this car was it was so slow! The acceleration was horrible, but on the track - this car was king. My buddy had atleast 100 bhp more than me in his 350z and I kept right with him every weekend when we raced at Gingerman Raceway. The RX-8's handling was amazing, even better than my $55k M3. The reason I sold the car was becuase I kept having engine start-up problems and the car was towed into the dealer 4 times.
The M3...
I love the quickness, handling, quality of the M3; but I don't see how the price can justify the differance. Don't get me wrong, my family has 5 BMW's and I believe BMW's are the best cars in the world but damn is that expensive! I have absolutely no money for mod's, and even if I did they are insanely priced. I am looking at a front strut tower bar from AC Schnitzer for my M3, its $899! This car is great, but just way to expensive to pay for the car and do mod's at the same time.
Conclusion...
I should have stayed with the RX-8 and tryed to have the dealer keep fixing my problems because I was only brake kits and wheels away from having my car complete and I lost $7k selling it. I am now in the situation of paying double for a car and having no mods whatsoever besides my newly-acquired snow tires. When you guys/gals get it your RX-8 every day, remind yourself that your are in the best bang for the buck sports coupe on the market. I may drive the king of this market now, but it is much easier on the wallet to drive the RX-8 and have fun modding it.
Also, never buy a black car because you can see swirl marks in the sun on a car with 1,000 miles! Give me back my Titanium Gray.




BMWman ... formerly JeupRx-8

SantozRx8

dude thats a bad azz car that you got now, doesnt that thing have like 340 hp i bet its fun in stock form i dont think id do anything to it if i had one they are great like they are, enjoy the new ride

IZoomZoomI

wow, coming from a m3 which is a benchmark for every fr sports car out there is quite a compliment .

we should all think before we buy a 60,000 car... guess common sense isn't so common. great writeup. Question though did you had the same regrets when you first bought your rx8?

AKS4

good write up. I would agree with you on every point, owning an S4 right now, I'd sure love to be sitting in an 8 with less payments and more mod cash .

As for the benchmarks, I found an interesting link on another board (will try to find it) but is of Top Gear testing the RX-8, they also compared it to the Z and M3, according to the times their master driverr pulled. Each came out with the same time on the same course. Weird...

RXE16T

I'll trade you my 8 for your M3 if you want?

Speed-ER doc

Agreed.

I don't agree with this part, though. :p

And despite the handling of the RX-8, the Cobra still beats it on the track, and is a strong contender for the bang for the buck title (along with the Evo and STi of course), and is exceedingly modifiable as well. Your M3 would give it a run, however. Few are as pretty as the 8 though, particularly for the price. I do miss the well-rounded package and driving feel of the 8 too, and it looks like more power is soon to come.

BMW Man

- I didn't feel the same way when I first bought the RX-8 becuase I was coming off a 2-month ownership of a Michigan Lemon Law 2004 Saab 9-3. I liked the RX-8, but the engine problems were the kicker.
- Also, Mustangs may be fast but who wants to drive a Ford Mustang?
- My car has 333 bhp and 267 lb-ft of torque, weight is 3,300 I believe. 0-60 is 4.8 seconds and roughly .88 g's - the same as the RX-8.
- And yes, the Stig got the same lap times on all 3 cars, but there is one note for the M3's time being the same as the RX-8 and Z-car; the M3 was driven in the rain. I don't agree with their driving of cars in differant road condition, but they also drove the Porsche Carrera GT in the rain, but said they would be 2 seconds faster when dry out.

93rdcurrent

Great write up. I traded in my E-36 M3 to get my RX-8. I noticed that the 8 handled as well as the M3 and the price was the winner in the end. I really love my 8 but I also miss my M3. I was going to get an '04 M3 when I found the 8 and I am still going to get it but most likely not till next year. I want to mod my 8 quite a bit (looking for 350-400 hp) and I will leave the M3 stock except maybe the Dinan chip and exhaust. What a beautiful car the M3 is. What options did you get? The main difference between the car you bought and the one I was going to buy is the stick. I was going with the SMGII

Speed-ER doc

Me. If the Cobra was wrecked, I would maybe try to buy another one. I didn't feel that way about the 8. The Mustang has much better A/C, stereo, and seat support, blazing acceleration (0-60 in 4.6 sec, 12.90 quarter mile stock, "easily" turned the best lap times on the track, has 390 HP/torque and soon will have over 450 RWHP and torque. The 8 is pretty inside and out, and feels good when you drive it, but it will never keep up... no my friends, not even on the famous "twisties." Sorry.

The 8 is a much better-looking car, and the interior is nice if you are parked having a snack at a drive in, I guess, but when you are driving, who looks at the inside of the car? While the RX-8 driver is admiring the upholstery, I'm gonna be smoking them. :D

93rdcurrent

You're making me wish I still had my MR2... I woulda smoked you hard in that car (even in the twisties :D )

kid in bus

you guys got nothing.. my old 92' camry XLE will smoke all of you :p

Speed-ER doc

There is no substitute for horsepower.

Kurt Bob

Man...this a really strange thread!

I guess I'm confused why you would sell an automatic RX-8 for a manual M3. And, why would you let your dad dictate your choices? The direct competitor to the RX-8 is the BMW 330. The E46 M3 is more for the wealthy man. The RX-8 is more a sports car for the average guy.

Overport

An RX-8 is a fun car no doubt, but the E46 M3 is the damn king of the road. You really dont have to do anything to the M3 when you buy it...It'sperfect from the factory.

And there's not alot of cars I say that about!

BMW Man

I traded the RX-8 in because of my engine stalling issues. My dad dictates the choice of my car because I am 18 and he is my employer as I go to college. The BMW 330ci is nice, but with the performance package, it is $42k. An M3 starts at only $5k more.
An to the Cobra guy... there is a substitute for Horsepower, and that is weight. On a track, weight, handling, and brakes are more important that Horsepower.

Speed-ER doc

Agreed.

zomzomp5

Wait till the Mazdaspeed RX8 comes out. Then you will see what a complet car this baby is.

czr

iTrader: (3)

A sports car for the average guy would be mustang gt (Ok doc Cobras, SVTs, Rouschs, Saleens are exceptions). Come on, the RX8 is for not your average driving sports car experience. I'd like to think we are unique as the car in our decisions

I wouldn't even say 330 as those can run upwards of $40k, more like 325i @ $30k.

The M3 is a beast though, very nice. Good luck! I'm an S4 guy myself because we've had 3 bimmers and 3 problems. I'm wondering if you are driving an M3 what is your pops driving a Z8 or a M5?

Roaddemon

Great to hear from an experienced BMW and M3 owner no less. I was an rx8 fan before I bought and now even more so. Thanks for your honest impression of the rx8 value compared to more pricey sports cars. the rx8 is in it's infancy and who knows what the future will bring in refinement, power and handling. Right now the 8 is the only sports car for me. Eat your heart out Porche and other exotics. The rx8 is a great car stock. It's all I need. I hope the future rx8 continues to give us the most for our money too. Mazda is known for this.

Cobra Mustang here's my take

Cobra=no class
rx8= class
BMW M3= lots of class

canaryrx8

iTrader: (3)

for the money you spent you could have had a C6 or a used Viper, I just don't see why people spend so much $$ on BMW's when there are so many worthy alternatives. I guess it's the name or the rep or both, Maybe someday I'll go test drive one and see what all the hoopla is about.

Roaddemon

Maybe I can answer that

A BMW,Saab owner once expressed it this way to me. His BMW is an automobile, American and jap vehicles are just cars. Aparently owners of european cars think their rides are much more refined in heritage and taste. We don't make true automobiles here. Just cars. Hard to argue with that kind of thinking. I just laughed.

93rdcurrent

I had it built up to 575 hp at the crank...

Ninja

Well, as far as I'm concerned for me and my feelings: my 8 is an "automobile". I was out of town for a week and couldn't wait to get back to it. My first drive to work was just as much fun as my first test drive.

IcemanVKO

http://www.topgear.com/content/misc/TV/lap_times/

This shows the M3 at 1.28 and the 350z and Rx8 at 1.31

AKS4

yeah, that is what I was referring to, here, found the vid clip of it as well.

It's a nice video, includes some british humor as well.

http://www.gofastvideo.com/gallery/g.../209/1/aar.wmv