No sweet cars for sale, so time for a turbo I think.
 

I've been mulling over getting a new (to me) car, but I love my baby too much, it would be like cheating. It also doesn't help that no car for sale in my price range is sweet enough to buy. Here is what I have been looking at lately:
- I drove a 335i coupe (manual of course). Pretty fun, but it is big, and it is still kind of a douchebag car (or as Jeremy Clarkson says, a car for cocks).
- Also drove a Genesis coupe. It was pretty fun too, but also just felt big.
- Although I could probably get used to it as a daily driver, a Lotus Exige S is just too expensive. At least 45k used.
- The announcement of the new RX-7 was interesting, but it will take forever to come out, and probably cost an easy 50k.
- The Camaro SS is gigantic. My coworker has one, he let me drive it. Fun, but still so-so interior, and its 4000lbs.
- I could probably find a used C6 vette, but everyone and their mom has one here. Also never been a fan of the interior.

So I'm thinking lets go with the way cheaper option - turbo! ~1/6th the cost and I get to keep my baby! I think it's the logical choice.

Evo X, 135i, 370z, 350 nismo, STi, G37s, should I keep going?

Here are my baseless opinionated objections to those:
Evo & sti - I don't want a 4-door
350z - Too ugly.
370z - much better, but expensive, and what is with that retarded screen where a gauge should be?
g37s - 40k, and also everyone here in Phoenix has one. Well, G35 anyway.
135i - it looks retarded, and costs pretty much the same as a 335i

^ man you and i have very similar taste! i would say turbo the 8 and keep her youll miss her if you get rid of it

You are driving a 4 door.

:)

Doesn't look like one though =p

What about a Lotus Elise? It's much more affordable in used forms than the Exige S.

E46 BMW M3?

Personally, I'd never have a FI RX-8 for a daily driver.

I'd imagine an Elise would be straight off the bat hard to use as a DD. The M3 is a great car though.

The problem with the elise is that is not an exige s. It would feel like getting a v6 camaro, and missing out on the v8. Terrible comparison I know, but I always feel like I should have the more powerful edition.

M3 has the same Clarkson problem as the 335i.

Lol, it really depends on your area. Generally, M3's are rare around me, so we don't think "what a c*ckhead" when we see one.

Mercedes SL55s however....

Turbo's a great idea, I would do the same as opposed to getting a replacement to the 8.

There are three daily driven turbo RX8's here in Phoenix. Mazdamanics, AZLizards and Bnosaj. No one is having any thing but fun. And three Nitrous RX8's (Charles R Hill, Flashwing and yours truly) as daily drivers.
I don't know what the rest of the country is doing, but the RX8 owners here in AZ are having fun!

Yea once u get used to the light and nimble 8, its hard to foresee yourself driving a bigger/heavier car, regardless of higher hp. Until something comes out that matches the 8's balance, i just couldnt see myself in anything else....maybe that will change when i have kids:)

Turbo? I say go for it. Just do it right and spare no expense. You are right there by BHR, the best place you can be if thinking of goin FI.

And OP is from AZ too!

I can't imagine the 8 being bad as a DD when you turbo it. It's not like you're running maximum boost all the time... and you can make the turbo give you any sort of powerband you want (well, almost any).

You gentlemen are very brave, especially if you don't have a second car.
Again, personally, I wouldn't do it.
I am however, very envious :worship:

I thought Audi had overtaken BMW in the douche department?

What about S2000? That's a little different from the 8, while still providing that excellent feel. You'd probably end up wanting to turbo it too, but if you just wanted to change things up a little, that would be a good choice.

Depends on the audi, I guess. Although the image I have for audi is this:

A series - Boring business people
S series - People who would get a 3 series BMW
RS4 - Older people who didn't want to look as douchy in the Mercs and Beemers
RS6 - Older people who didn't realize it was a damn tank
R8 - Sub zero.

So it's not AS bad...

The "4 series" has been a little off track in recent years in my opinion. The B5 series (A4: 1.8t engine S4: 2.7 bi-turbo) were great cars. The newest S4 is back to a FI 6 cylinder engine which I really like.

RS6:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8Kry1CbTkM

It might be heavy and large, but it's pretty damn impressive. For what it's built for, it's an awesome car in my opinion.

Admittedly, not sure at what point it happend, but I've become a bit of an Audi fan... at least towards the cars I really like. I'm not so much of a fan that I like the bad cars as well. The new S6 sounds amazing... uses an engine derived from the lambo gallardo. As time goes on, the more I like AWD as well. There's just something about audi that I think separates it from BMW. Plus, their new headlights are really cool.

I agree that the RS6 is very impressive, just a tad on the heavier side. If they continued the RS4, I'd be much happier. But I always liked Audi, as they aren't as flamboyant as Merc, or as commonly advertised as BMW.

OP, what about Porsches?

Still quite expensive for what it is. And I've never been a fan of convertibles.

I am planning on installing the kit myself, just very carefully. I also have a motorcycle to hold me over while the car is taken apart.

My issue with Porsche is that the cool ones are too expensive. I would never consider a Boxter (no hard-top, butthole tailpipe, kind of a chick car), and the Cayman just isn't pretty. 996 GT3 would be sweet, but that's even more than a used Exige.

Nope...sorry Mich...BMW still holds the title! Woohoo! :)

Screw what other people think about you and your ride...get what makes you happy.

That's the problem... your taste in cars is off. :p: The cayman is beautiful car.

IDk dude i'm looking at the E92 M3.... Even a low mil E46. I think the 8's time is done lol. but i wish we just had more successful boosted DD's up here in NY. We have 2... its tuff having the 8 as a DD, because all you want to do is turbo it. Because damn Honda civic SI's give hard comp in a straight line.