grogiefrog

I do not get it, why post here that you are not going to get an 8? You think that the owners are going to say, "Oh I agree with you!" Go buy whatever and go find a forum for it.

I'm not going to buy an 8 until Spring of 2005 (I have to pay off my other two cars first). I visit here often because I like to dream about the 8, and listen to the guys that are lucky enough to own one! As a former owner of two 1st Gen RX-7's, there is nothing like driving a Rotary. No, they weren't perfect, but I did put on almost 200k on each RX-7, and they were very reliable. Just make sure that you take care of them (regular checks by a guy that knows the Rotary). The RX-8 is everything that I wish that my old RX-7's had been.

Owning a Rotary is just special. It's not like everyone else on the road.

RX8Lover

take care, we won't miss you

Rx-Appreci-8

Hey, someday we will all move on -- your just doing it about 5-7 years earlier than me (and without actually getting your feet wet). :D

My cousin has one and he really likes it (I like it too) -- but I let him drive my RX-8 the other day and he went nuts over all the head turning and positive comments he received whenever he parked and got out.

He told me that he still loves his car but now feels like he is driving an "invisible Buick" (his words, not mine) and he only gets noticed in his Subaru wrx Sti by the occasional 'kid at the stoplight' wanting to race.

The RX-8 has more than just looks and great handling. Like other great sports cars it is the latest in a chain. It is classy. It has a history. It has a loyal following. It has traceable pedigree (Mazda calls it DNA)! The Rx-8 is part of something bigger. The issues (MPG, Apex seals, etc.) you read about on the 2004 RX-8 will all be fixed, in time, and the 2005 RX-8, 2006 RX-8, etc. will be even stronger.

Good luck with that rocket. Drive safely!

Sneakyracer

If you care mostly about speed speed and speed, both accelerating from a roll, standing starts ang going through auto x courses and racetracks the STi is the better more capable car by FAR than the RX8!!

But the Sti doesnt hold a candle to the RX8 when it comes to looks both inside and out.

The Red One

The STi is an VERY intimidating car when standing next to you at a light.

Get the Sti. If I had the chance to do it all over again. I'd get the Sti.

Kev

Traffic light racing ... now that says it all!

Zio

*yawn* go street race your rally car.

GodWhomIsMike

If performance is what you really want go with a Mustang Cobra. I went to a tuning session to meet up with a bunch of Mach 1 and Cobra owners this past Saturday, and the Cobra owners were all getting from 450-500+ hp with just a few cheap mods. According to Mustang Monthly, it only takes $1199 in mods to make it an 11 second car, and you don't have to remove seats and **** like a ricer. Also it isn't uncommon to land a 2003 Cobra for around $31-$32K right now, if you wanna spend a little more for a little upgraded interior and also a rarer version of it there is a 10th Anniversary SVT Cobra with a Red and Black interior, special wheels, badging with the standard 390 hp and 390 lb ft of torque. That's just 15 less hp than a Z06 Corvette.

If performance is what you really really want, that should be the car your looking at, not a Sti. I like coming around here, I do like the RX-8, but it isn't what I am looking for, I wanted performance with a really loud ehaust note, big engine. I decided to go with a Mach 1, this weekend was the first time I rode in one and the power and how it roared put a big smile on my face. Although after hearing the Cobra on that dyno, that thing sounded scary as **** - also put a monster grin on my face hearing that supercharger whine over the already loud exhaust - never heard anything quite like it before. :D

RX-8 owners have an advantage that most cars don't have - excellent cornering and handling ability. They are also classy looking, different, has a lot of features, and a beautiful interior. The Sti offers none of that, the handling from what I heard is nervous at high speeds, ulgy interior, ulgy exterior. It basically looks like a riced out Kia Sephia. If I put a big ulgy wing on the back of my Kia and a hood scoop, it'd look almost identical to the STi. $31K for a car that looks like a riced out Kia - no ******* way!!!!! I don't care if that **** was boosting 400 hp. Go with the RX-8 or at least pick a better second choice.

Ike

I rather like the 03 Cobra, but you're coming off like a true muscle head. First, the STi handles great and will detsroy your beloved Mach 1 stock for stock in every performance category, 1/4 mile, road course, skid pad, braking... Get back to us when your car gets a modern day suspension and we'll talk. Fast in a straightline mustangs do pretty well, turns... not so good. Insulting the looks of an STi makes it look like you have no other way of justifying your purchase of an inferior car.

For some of the other haters, believe it or not I get a ton of compliments on my car and have people asking me about it all the time. Just because you don't like the way it looks doesn't mean everyone feels the same way. Some people also put things like acceleration and handling over looks. While the RX-8 and the STi are both great handling cars the STi beats it severely in the acceleration department and to some people that's very important. Reliability, who knows, they are both new cars to these shores so only time will tell.

I do agree though that the original poster was rubbing it in for no apparent reason...

GodWhomIsMike

Sorry man, I retract the negativity I stated in the post above yours. I shouldn't have condemned the STi like I did. It has a ton of strong points and all I pointed out was based on my subjective opinion on looks. Yes I am into the whole muscle car thing, I guess being that my Uncle, who I am really close with, always had an extreme muscle cars - from Saleens to now a really beefed up Grand National. I will admit I looked closely at the STi, but the looks are which didn't sell me (big rear spoiler). I will admit, it has to be fun to have a car with a great deal of preformance that could be driven in any weather situation, on road or off road, and is made to man handle the twisties. The looks aren't my cup of tea, but the performance it has and its ability to handle anything is definitely a huge plus. I would take a regular WRX over a $20K+ SUV anyday that's for sure.

Again, sorry for being an ******* about your car. Guess I got all caught up with that original post.

Ike

No worries, I love the GN along with a lot of other muscle cars. I may some day be the owner of a 71 Hemi Cuda which is sitting in my deceased uncle's garage collecting dust along with about 15 other cars... My dad may end up taking ownership and it will stay in the family so I guess I would be next in line. I also have another uncle with a lesser Cuda from the same year and my brother owned a 7?MY AMX so I've got an appreciation for american muscle as well. He traded it on on a Fiat X19 hahaha, poor guy, he never was good at picking cars that didn't fall apart or polute the neighborhood :p

FYI, I somewhat agree with you about the wing on the STi, part of me loves it because of my love for the WRC, the other part of me hates it because of it's gregarious nature. If I ever own an STi the trunk will be swapped with a regular WRX, which many STi owners have done already.


Take Care,
Ike

GodWhomIsMike

Ike - I was wondering why Subaru didn't offer a rear wing delete option or at least a standard WRX wing, I actually like the wing on the regular WRX, I feel it flows a little better with the car.

oh btw that's sweet with the Cuda man - goodluck with that.

Ike

Not sure why, I guess they just wanted to keep the rally car heritage alive. It's usually pretty easy to get someone to swap their WRX trunk and give you cash as well, so it's not that big of a deal if you don't want it. I'll see if I can find a pic of soemones STi with the trunk swap.

Ike

Ike

Silver wingless STi

Ike

WRX wing on blue STi

Ike

and the reason why I just can't quite hate the STi wing... It looks so damn mean

zthang

Man that hood scoop is absolutely GIGANTIC!!

But regardless, I still wouldn't mind having one...before I got my Z, my best friend had a WRX wagon, and that car was FUN to drive.

Ike

Yeah it's quite large on the STi, you almost need thw wing just to balance it out.

Skyline Maniac

Both STi and Evo8 are 'too much' for me. I think the best looking of the bunch would be an Evo8 with 'normal' tail lamp and spoiler. I really can't get used to the headlights on the Imprezza..... The Legacy STi will likely be a hit, I'd consider that.

Ike

I wouldn't expect an STi Legacy any time soon. Honestly I miss the bugeyes, the new headlights are a little too generic for me. I really like the silver without any wing, but should I ever own one it will be white with the gold wheels. The EVO will certainly be considered as well, but if I end up getting another Subaru it will probably be the Legacy with some mods. Assuming Subaru gets the specs right on that car for the US. The other option will be keeping my WRX for a loooooong time and getting a project car once it's close to being paid off.

SDFLY

Love the Subaru WRC heritage (Big WRC fan!)but the hood scoop (small animal catcher) and rear wing pretty much say "hey, I'm 20something and hate ricers!" or another-words, no class....Got to agree with posters above, for the money, you can't touch Dodge's little square box.. the SRT-4 for performance. I've got an old beat up V-Max if I want to feel superior at the stop lights, it can still squeeze out a 10 sec 1/4 mile and surprises an occaisional uninformed crotch-racer.

Ike

I used to have a V-Max, but it was a snowmobile... :p At least I think that's what it was called By the way the scoop on the STi is at least functional which you can't say for the SRT-4. But if you want to go fast in a straight line and don't mind the "it's still a neon" stigma then you can't go wrong with the SRT-4.

moogle

Join Abusive wombat, revhappy, and me IKE. I think that's about it "people who considered the 8 than went for the evo"...

SDFLY

Now were talking about "functional scoops"? Next it'll be a factory "slammed look" and subwoofers....your on the wrong threads if that's whats important in a car to you. Do a little research and see what you find out about the Yamaha V-Max, it might surpise you if not educate you a-bit. Functional hood scoops....aren't we talking about 4 cylinders here?

revhappy

Don't forget about G-Man. However, based on his past history, he has probobly dropped the EVO and a few Porshes and is now onto something else(we haven't seen him for awhile).