bigblockbeater

the reason the srt is the cheapest is because it has the least to offer. sure anyone can take a base model car and drop a turbo on it and be fast. add all wheel drive and then we can talk. but awd doubles the price of the lancer. and the mitsu is just as poor on quality as the neon. i would only consider the subie if it were the sti. i looked at one and it still seemed like the entry level car it is. just faster.

now look at the rx-8. similar performance numbers as the 3 above. sure the N/A rx-8 is a little slower. put any boosted car up against a similar N/A and of course it will be faster. where the 8 is better is in the design and build. i think it looks way better then some tuned four door grocery getter any day.

i wonder what the renesis would do with 20lbs of boost! when you step into the 8 you are stepping up in class from the others mentioned. simple as that. the rx-8 is in the 350z, g35, M3 family. and its the least expensive of them too.

if you are worried about straight line performance maybe the srt is the one you want. but most people look at it and see a neon with a goofy wing.

khtm

I think the US 8s have different options...I read somewhere that the side curtains are an add-on? I dunno...my car has 8 though :D

khtm

Hahhahaha :D way too funny for me to be reading at work!

raji

wow so many replies!! I'll try to reply to as many of them as i can. I really felt a lot of these answers were more objective than expected too! Thanks guys (and girls if there are any)!! I tried posting this at the automotiveforums.com and got a reply from some kid who can't spell tell me to get the SRT (without having driven the 8)... nice of him to want to help, but still not any help hehe.

ok here we go:

I was hoping for the same, but apparently here in Utah this doesn't apply... I didn't exactly research this to death though, so any Utah resident who can prove me completely wrong is very welcome to do so.

YES, that's exactly what i've been considering doing. My wife thinks it's too much of a waste and i should either buy it or not. I'll have to look into the option though.

i've had to consider that aspect of it all too... we don't get too much snow where i live (Salt Lake City area) but it's enough to make me wonder how the 8 will handle itself. An SRT would most likely give me no real trouble, given that it's a FWD. I could be wrong. And a WRX or an EVO would have me excited about the snow hehe.

hahaha i'm a shallow little bastard when it comes to looks!! In fact that's what got me with the 8 among many other things.

Thanks for the suggestion, but any car that i buy will remain 100% stock for its entire life with me. I'm not at all mechanically inclined and have no interest in paying any kind of money for anything other than maintenance. In that respect at least, i can proudly say i'm easy to please. But i'll keep the used WRX option in mind, so thanks!

that's why after my test-drive in the SRT, i went home hoping to find reviews that praised it in the handling department as well as in its power department. The few reviews i got to read (it didn't have many... what gives?) did say that it handled great until pushed to the very limit, where the test drivers got some wheel hopping. Scary. I didn't get to really push its limits in terms of handling because... well, american roads aren't built that way unless you're in the middle of nowhere trying to get somewhere. I did flip a U-ey and found the tires squealed for a fraction of a second, which i thought to be a little premature. It also felt a little heavy while turning, despite being lighter than the 8 and feeling very light in acceleration.

actually, from 60-0mph, the 8 only beats the SRT by 2 feet. Everything else you mentionned though, the 8 is much better.
that's why i'm going to see if i can get a REAL test drive in the 8. Driving in 30mph zones doesn't let me keep the 8 in any kind of useful rpm range. I never got a chance to really let the 8 shine.

trophymaker, hahahahaha. I'm not sure if you're being phenomenally sarcastic or serious. In either case it was very entertaining!! :D

you're right... but the hard truth is that one can't always reach life's dreams in time to enjoy them. It's like always wanting a mountain bike as a kid but only ever getting one when you're 30. lol. The bike lost its appeal over time and by the time you could afford one, it wasn't as cool anymore. I'm worried the same will happen to me and my dream of the 8. At the rate i'm going, i'll only be able to afford an 8 by the middle of 2006, by which time many more sports cars will be floating around for the grabbing...

one more car i'm adding to the list. Thanks

rowteree

the neon will definately be fast no doubt but do you wanna ride in a NEON? Rx-8 i would say atleast 10X more attractive than the srt4. But if you want pure speed go for the neon. If you want the entire package go for the 8. Your choice

khtm

With snow tires, the 8 is an absolute PLEASURE to drive in the snow. The low torque and awesome weight balance make it a breeze to drive. Make sure you get DSC / TSC though.

raji

call me crazy, but i actually prefer the base RX-8 to the RX-8 with any of the packages installed. To me the base 8 looks and feels better. So i'm looking at an absolutely base 8. This means no DSC. Isn't the TSC a standard feature? Or am i just confusing it with something else?

GT350C

As some know we have both cars (and several others), my opinion is:

SRT (Pro)

- Price ($20K for a 2005 with livin sound and sunroof)
- Usefulness (seats 5 in a pinch, large trunk)
- Brakes and handling
- Economy (22-25 mpg)
- Exhaust sound
- Acceleration (dont magazine race the SRT will demolish an 8)

SRT (Neg)

- Intercooler catches everything
- Power delivery is binary
- Ride is choppy
- Seats bolsters (do not wear jeans with rivets)
- Car is jerky at low speed
- Insurance ($300 more than the Z06, $500 more than GTO)

RX8 (Pro)

- Style and Kit
- Handling/Ride
- Engine note
- Power delivery
- Comfort
- Braking
- Hi speed touring capability
- Price ($28K 6MT-GT)

RX8 (Neg)

- Low RPM response
- Fuel Mileage (17-20 mpg Z06 gets 21-23 mpg, '05 GTO gets 22-26 mpg)

Judging by your comments the SRT seems to be a better fit for you

khtm

I don't know exactly what y'all have down south, but most of your options come standard up in Canada. Like if you get the 6sp MT GT, you get DSC / TSC, the big brakes, 8 airbags, leather, etc. I think we really only have 4 options: MT GT, GT GS, AT GT, AT GS.

EDIT: DSC / TSC work in conjunction with each other, but you can turn them off individually. I'm not sure if US 8s can get each as a separate option, but believe me...if you're driving at all in the snow, you'll want them.

czr

iTrader: (3)

I love it when people who actually have both cars chime in on these comparos. The RX8 in general, present and past owners, seem to bring car owners of all over the specturm- from Corvettes, Bimmers, STis, Civics, pickup trucks etc. etc. Pretty neat.

The main thing is it will be up to the 'potential buyer' to weigh both sides and finally make his decision.

GT350C, What's the insurance price difference between the 8 and the SRT-4? and from your previous post I am assuming that is a 1 year difference.

cas2themoe

Don't we have RX8Club Members that have time slips of low 14's? I think so. I think I saved one...... I'll see if I can find it. Even most magazines have us in the mid to low 14's in the 1/4 Mile.

I found this a little while back.

SRT-4:http://www.car-stats.com/stats/shows...tsgivenid.aspx

RX8:http://www.car-stats.com/stats/shows...tsgivenid.aspx

Your never going to get accurate results, only an estimate of around certain times.

Wish everyone had the chance to take each car their looking at to a track to see which one they truly like. To each, their own. It's up to you, we can only tell you what we think. Me personally, have no appeal in the SRT-4. And its very small gap of faster acceleration doesn't make up for everything else the 8 has to offer that's better. One thing to always remember, most cars come and go. The SRT-4 is one of those cars. It's here for now but in about 5 years people will forget about that car. Not the case with the 8. People will always love that car, even if its not the fastest on the road. I'm yet to find someone to sit in my car and not like it instantly. People will always remember a car that's stands out and has something different to offer. Just like the RX7 did.

It's up to you man, choose wisely my son...................... :D

Heres something interesting about the SRT-4 and others like it.

GT350C

We do not have the same primary driver listed for both so that will account for some differences but it is around $760/yr vs. 1240/yr (RX vs. SRT). The explanation that we got for the high rates is that many young people are buying and wrecking SRTs,

these cars are very affordable and can be modded easily to produce 350 HP - way more power than most drivers can control in all conditions. Here in the UP there have been a few problems with these cars and the wildlife not to mention the wild- life.

AbusiveWombat

I've had 0 problems with my EVO compared with my wife's Mazda 6 that has had countless problems. I think it was consumer reports that listed the RX8 in the top 10 worst sports cars for reliablility. The thread is on this forum somewhere. My brother owns a 2003 SRT and the only problem he's encounted is a bad spark plug.

C6/C5 is faster than a Supra TT and 300zx TT, S2000 is faster than a WRX, Viper is faster than many super/turbo charged cars. Some go with a cheaper engine and use FI while others build a more expensive engine and make the same power NA. They're just two different ways of solving the same problem.

POP

Ike

1.) There is a lot more to the SRT-4 than throwing a turbo on a regular engine and calling it a day. The engine in very very strong and can handle 500+ hp with the stock block and internals, it has an FMIC and a nicely upgraded fuel system, and it has great brakes.

2.) The 04+ SRT-4 comes standard with am LSD, and a good one at that.

3.) Cas, yes it is that much faster, it traps 8-9 mph faster than the RX-8 and that's huge. No one has run a really low 14 on the forums, Ito ran a high 14.3 with no slips and also claimed he broke his tranny doing so. The only other person to get close to the mag times is Polak, everyone else has run high 14s to low 15s. Lastly no mag has bettered 14.5 that I've seen.

4.) Bigblock, want to know what happens when you put 20lbs of boost in a Renesis... I'll tell you, it goes boom if you do it on anything resembling a stock engine. The srt-4 comes stock with a turbo so it's silly to say you can't compare a boosted car to an N/A car. Also the performance numbers of the RX-8, STi, Evo, and SRT-4 are hardly similar. That would be like saying the RX-8s performance numbers are similar to cars like the Celica GT, Saturn Vue V6, Honda Pilot EX, Focus ZTW, and Acura TSX. The time differences are about the same...

5.) The SRT-4 handles pretty damn well and is handles better than most drivers will be able to test the limits of, same goes for the RX-8.

6.) Respect the SRT-4 for what it is. It may not be the best car for most of us here including myself but it's a damn impressive car for the price, especially if bang for you buck is what you're after.

7.) Those of you that keep saying the RX-8 is the total package and the others are not need to take a step back. The RX-8 lacks something that the other cars in this thead don't, speed. So for those of us that place acceleration high on our ist of needs it's not all that complete of a package. It is however a great overall package, but I feel the same way about the Evo and STi.

TODreamer

lol... you talk about the RX8 like its a Pinto

You talk about speed like its an "absolute".... its more "realtive" than anything else.. other cars that you imply do not lack speed will appear to lack speed when compared to something else.

I think it would be safer to say that some cars are just faster than others

khtm

The RX-8 has been out for a year and a half. I really doubt there's much data to suggest that it's unreliable. Many people on this forum have had little to no problems.

EDIT: and how many sports cars (in the RX-8 price range) are currently being produced? I can't even think of 10.

Hornet

If I remember correctly they even noted the oil consumption as a problem even though rotary owners know it is what the car is supposed to do! So they were speaking with some unfamiliarity as well!

TODreamer

Further, you gotta also remember that its the consumer in us that make the decision on what car to buy and more often than not there are more factors than just performance

Now I'm not knocking the Neon.... everybody has their own likes and dislikes. But when someone says "yeah but its a Neon"... I'm sure they are not knocking its performance ability because the numbers don't lie... its just that as "consumers" we have other factors in place that help guide our decisions... whether it be, styling/looks, comfort, bad experiences....

as a car entusiast I wouldn't knock the SRT4, I've never driven it but I'd like to and I'm sure its a big thrill and would have a fun time with it.... but ask me to buy it?? and the answer is a flat out "NO" for many personal reasons

Steiner

My God. What a bunch of homers. I guess it's to be expected on the RX-8 website.

I own an SRT-4 and my good friend and coworker has an RX-8. We've driven each others cars on many occasions over the last 18 months. Yes the RX-8 handles much better. Yes the SRT-4 pulls much harder. But the other arguments about the SRT-4 being just a "Neon", choppy at low RPM, having a bad tranny, poor quality shifter, etc are just a bunch of subjective bullshit most of these RX-8 fan boys couldn't substantiate with anthing more specific than "my friend knew a guy", "one time I heard", or "in this magazine I read". Blah. It's a lot easier to regurgitate hearsay than speak from experience WHEN YOU HAVE NONE.

So far the only point with any real validity I've seen is the subject of daily driveability in the Salt Lake City snow. My brother lives in Bountiful, UT and all of his cars are FWD and get spiked snow tires for the winter season. RWD is rough. His truck doesn't get muich use in the winter. AWD is the best choice. In fact I would recommend a used WRX personally based on your budget, desire to mod, and local climate.

I'm not going to discuss the RX-8. Plenty of other owners here that are more than eager to discuss its strongpoints. And rightfully so. It's a killer little canyon car that sticks to the road like tar and looks good doing it. It however does not have the huevos of many other domestic and foreign cars in its price range...WRX, Evo, STi, 350Z, R32, etc.

As far as the "Neon"...I've put 23k miles on my '04 SRT-4. I haven't had a single problem. The 2.4L turbo engine/transmission combo was over engineered in order for the car to withstand the Mopar mod frenzy Daimler Chrysler accurately anticipated before the car was ever released. Lots of people with bigger turbos are over 400whp on the stock internals. Plenty of people on the stock turbo pushing well over 300whp too. I'm pretty close. Mopar's staged upgrades made it cheap and easy. After less than $1,000 in plug-and-play power adders, my car is well over 300hp/320tq at the crank. It's totally streetable and a very fun daily driver. Of course I live in a much more mild climate. We get a little rain in the Bay Area in the winter months but it's nothing like the roads out there.

I've owned 8 cars over the course of my twelve years on the road. My '66 Barracuda was a blast. My '02 Spec V was nimble. However the SRT-4 is by far the most fun to drive. I can honestly say I look forward to my commute every morning. Hearing that distinct snarl bark out of the mufflerless exhaust when I start up the car still brings a smile to my face. This car is a toy.

Here are the pros and cons of buying, owning, insuring, modding and now selling the SRT-4 as I have exprienced them.

Pros...

1.) Relatively inexpensive
2.) Incredible torque and responsiveness
3.) 4 doors and plenty of cargo space
4.) 25-30mpg when you lay off the boost :D
5.) inexpensive to modify either via the OEM or other aftermarket vendors
6.) huge aftermarket
7.) seeing the look on people's faces when a Neon beats their $30k-$50k "sports" car.

Cons...

1.) many insurers have tagged this car as "high risk" so the rates are high
2.) 6" pizza cutter wheels/tires are a nightmare for traction
3.) car sits too high from the factory...especially in the rear
4.) factory sway bars are too weak...body roll is minor but annoying just the same
5.) people assume you are a punk kid because of the SRT-4 owner stereotype
6.) loud exhaust and spoiler attract police and boy racer types
7.) it's impossible to stop modifying the car :D

I hope this helps. I'm not here to sell you on one car or the other. Both are awesome cars and a blast to drive. In all honesty though I'm actually selling my SRT-4. I'm planning to buy either an Evo RS or dewinged/debadged STi. Neither the RX-8 or SRT-4 handle as well as those 2 cars. Furthermore, trying to effeciently launch a 300whp/3000lb FWD car is harder than spooning a fat chick. I want more power but I'm more or less at the limits of FWD. Feel free to PM me with anymore questions. I'm not going to bullshit you or play favorites.

BlueEyes

haha, I'm using that one!

khtm

It's not hearsay when it's your own opinion. I'd NEVER buy a SRT-4. My biggest reason: they look stupid. Second biggest: Not a big fan of American cars. I'm not into street racing - more of a road-trip guy, so the 8 is perfect FOR ME. I'm not an RX-8 fanboy...I'm a fan of my own opinions. I have driven an SRT-4 and I do think they're fast, I'd just never want to own one.

Raji should make his own decision after driving each car and looking at his financial options.

You're generalizing ALL RWD cars. All cars are not equal. The tires make a big difference and with proper tires, the 8 is great in the snow. Believe me, I live in Calgary and it's frickin -30 C today

VikingDJ

Hello Mcfly. The Srt-4 is considerably faster. I know because I drove one. In fact, I even hate to admit this. It's just as fast as my STI on highway roll. Argue that all you want but I know the truth. In overall performance, not taking anything else into consideration, the srt-4 gets the nod. Overall, obviously it's not even close. RX8 all the way. However, the rx8 will empty your wallet much faster. I'll say it again. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. I guess you can't avoid bias Dodge HATAS.

Steiner

Well now you showed your hand. If I was cross examining you in a court of law your previous testimony would have just been thrown because you are, admittedly, prejudiced.

Of course. Nobody has argued against that. Problem is it's the middle of winter right now and SLC just got dumped on. You think Mazda is gonna let him take an RX-8 for a spin. I'd be surprised if Dodge would let him take an SRT-4 for a spin. Although I've never bought a car in Utah so I may be wrong.

raji

that's what i was gonna do no matter what in the end. The reason i checked in here and will check with many others before making a decision, is because i like to have other people's opinions and/or technical knowledge of both or one of the cars. It just helps me make a more educated decision. I mainly use my "gut" for eating and puking :D

yeah sorry dude, i already test-drove the SRT (which is essentially what made me rethink the purchase of an RX-8)!! Next week, if the weather stays the way it has been (it's snowed a little lately but for the most part it's been relatively dry and warm), i'll be test-driving an 8 and then the SRT one more time. Just so i can have both test-drives close enough to one another that i can make a more accurate comparison of how i feel in each car.

Here's my list of pros and cons for the SRT-4 from what i remember of my drive:

Pros:
-- freakin' fast off the line and in slow-moving traffic
-- no turbo lag in the sense that there's no point that I can tell the turbo kicks in. It felt like a smooth transition
-- practical (holds 5 people)
-- big trunk
-- good gas mileage

Cons:
-- high insurance rate (at progressive.com i get the same rate for both)
-- seats although really nice at first, can get tiring
-- same with exhaust note
-- gear lever/stick/whatever you call it is too long. It almost touches the seat in 1st!! Plus the seat bolsters get in the way of shifting comfortably
-- seating position a little uncomfortable for someone of my size 5'5"
-- looks like crap

khtm

Sigh. Are you trying to tell me that anyone who has an opinion on how a car looks is prejudice? Of course yourself, being of such high integrity, would never judge a car on its appearance; only what's underneath the surface, right? Actually don't even answer...you do own an SRT