PoorCollegeKid

Spec C, maybe? I'd love to see that car come over...

zoom44

kleggspeed? someone is using the klegg speed mod on something besides an rx-8?:D

Ike

These cars were around long before tf&tf and they will be around long after. Even if they do end up going up in price they will remain performance bargains.

DARKMAZ8

Im not saying they will go away but you have to admit that these cars are not as popular now and I don't see them flying out the showroom floors.

DARKMAZ8

People that care about performance don't drive stock.

I've seen everything from an h22 turbo crx to a twin turbo tesstarosa. If you are performance minded then you want a car that has the most POTENTIAL. Judging cars that are stock is plain gay. Sure there are fast stock cars but they will get blown away by a civic or some cheap economy car with an engine swap or/and a big *** turbo upgrade. On the street, performance is valued by the mods you have not the car.

I think these threads are a complete waste. Buy whatever car that makes you happy. your the one that will have to drive it.

Apophis

I'm not upset about it, I just think that there is a faulty assumption involved. The assumption that they cost about the same isn't really true.

18% IS a big difference... Like I said, picture a car halfway between a 350Z Track and a Vette... you'd be looking at a 350hp sports car that would likely beat an STi in pretty much every performance category... and it SHOULD because that's a pretty big price difference... Kind of like the difference between a V6 Mustang and a Mustang GT... So expecting them to be equal is kind of silly. Beyond that, it's a given that the STi and RX-8 are cars that are built for different purposes. Yes, a car magazine might compare the two but they would also acknowledge the price gap as well as acknowledging the fact that the cars are aimed at slightly different markets.

I say that if you want to compare performance and cost in terms of an STi vs an RX-8, assume that the 8 costs $28K and assume that the STi costs $33k. That makes them comparably equipped. 18% performance difference (even on a logarithmic scale) would be significant, right? So why wouldn't 18% cost difference? At least factor that into your performance value analysis. Either way, we really aren't breaking new ground by pointing out that an STi is "faster" and the RX-8 is "more refined" as if we have to justify why we did or did not choose the RX-8. Buy your car for your own needs.

Maybe others on this board wouldn't care if the 8 "blew the doors off" of a $23K car but if I saw people putting down the other car, I probably WOULD point out that the two cars aren't really in the same price range. I do that kind of thing. I just decided to jump in this time because I know that the 8 is so often compared to STis despite a pretty sizeable price gap.

Ellar

Glad to see you're in a position where you can blow off $7000 like that . Glad you're doing that well. I'd just like to horn in here and see if I can put a stop to this myth that the STi has no options, since I've seen it repeated a few times by other members...

http://www.subaru.com/shop/configura...=WRX_STI_SEDAN

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Select Accessories

(accessory price does not include installation)

Exterior Appearance
Fog Lamp Kit $354

Exterior Protection
Battery Warmer $30
Bumper Corner Molding-Rear (2 pair) $60
Engine Block Heater $30
Hood Protector - Acrylic $61
Wheel Locks (Alloy Wheels) $24

Interior Appearance & Protection
Security System Upgrade Kit $189
Severe Weather Companion $40

Interior Comfort & Convenience
Armrest Extension $117
Auto-Dimming Mirror/Compass $165
Auto-Dimming Mirror/Compass w/Homelink $250
Lighter Element $25

Interior Trunk/Cargo
Anti-Slip Mat $20

Performance
Carpeted Floor Mats - STI $75
Perf Gauge Pack - Turbo Boost, Oil Temp, Volts $568
SPT Decal Set (Blue) $60
SPT Decal Set (Silver/Blue) $60
Short Throw Shifter, 6 M/T - STI $395
Titanium Shift ****, 6 M/T - STI $170
Turbo Boost Gauge $230

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Who the hell buys a $32,870 turbocharged car without a boost guage? Carpeted floor mats are an accessory on a $32,870 car? Does the windshield come with the car?

Ike

Those aren't really options in the traditional sense of the word, they're accessories. Plus a lot of that stuff would be like adding something from Mazdaspeed onto your car as a dealer installed option. But I've never said that STis don't have options... This whole having a problem with the price comparisons is silly to me, there are many many people on this board that have an RX-8 with an MSRP of around or over 33k...

BlueEyes

Thanks. My parents are proud as well.
As Ike mentioned these are accessories not options, there is a difference. Apophis was talking big ticket items that cost a few grand, leather, navi, etc. Not aluminum shift ***** etc. I can accessorize the 8 well into the $50K range in Canada, but with all the options it’s about 44k. Looks like fully accessorized, the cars would be damn near the same price. Though, I can't check because the Canadian Subaru site doesn't show these accessories during the build.

I concede the boost gauge though, I always thought that was an oversight.

Ellar

Neither of you felt just a little silly telling me they're accessories, not options? Tell y'all what - the relative lack of power in the RX-8 is a safety feature, just like the TCS/DSC on the cars optioned out to 33,000. :D

BlueEyes

haha, hey man, I didn't make the lingo up.

Check for yourself

spork

i don't understand why some people can't take praise to other cars very well. it really baffles me.

i mean my original post wasn't meant to be a comparison of which car is better, or which car is a better buy. i just drove it this past weekend and i was talking about what i noticed about the car.

but some people here don't seem to be able to stand the fact that i pointed out that the sti IS much quicker than the rx-8. there really was no need for excuses but yet people here felt like they needed to offer them. there's no denying facts and i wasn't putting the rx-8 down in any way but yet some people got defensive and insisted on pointing out the STi is more expensive or that the STi has a turboed engine. sheesh people, it's not a big deal if the rx-8 is slower than the STi. i wonder if 350z people get so freaked out when someone mentions the STi is faster than their car.

oh as for the shifter... i guess it WAS that shifter. i didn't look at it too carefully but it just felt like a rubber/plastic ball. i still don't like the feel of it much tho. it's a real small thing tho (easily replaced anyways) and just my personal opinion.

DARKMAZ8

Sounds like you have some regrets. :p

Ike

I like weighted ***** myself so I have one from Prodrive on my car. Makes a big difference in the shifting feel for me, others like lightweight shiftknobs.

hogcar

I love the Rx8, I also love my sons 05 Sti both are very nice cars aimed at slightly different markets. His Sti is quick in every sense, acceleration, braking handling etc. The Rx8 is a super and unique (rotory) auto. I will say that none have shown up at any HPDE's that we have attended. Heck for outright speed he can't touch my C5 vette, ----all wonderful performance cars.

Can't we just all get along?

Ellar

Guess it was only a matter of time before we saw the Rodney King quote. Hey, me and Ike both have a thing for weighted *****. As long as you can find common ground on something like that, I don't think anybody's going to be really out to hurt each other.

spork

nah, i like my rx-8 better than the sti. the power of the sti is NICE don't get me wrong. but just the way the car looks and feels is better for me. i'll take the down grade in power for engine smoothness, a nicer ride, suicide doors, and much better (imo) looks.

the sti is a car i'd LOVE to have as a second car or a 1 year/6 month lease (which they don't do especially for a car like that). the rx-8 is one that i think i'd be happy keeping permanently. if i had the choice to make again i'd still go the rx-8 or i'd go a fuel efficient car (stupid gas prices!).

i'm just surprised by how defensive or threatened people get. i'm not putting down either car; both cars are awesome and have their pluses and minuses.

Apophis

My point was that, performance-wise, the 8 is a $28K car. If you are strictly looking at performance vs value, you wouldn't accessorize the car beyond $28K because you don't care about leather or navi. If you want to compare cars with an 8 that costs $33K, you should be comparing the non-performance added value of the options that brought the 8 up to $33K.

It's like comparing a $35K EVO MR to a $25K Mustang GT with a $10K custom paint job. Yeah, they CAN be in the same price range, but if you know that that $10K custom paint job has nothing to do with the Mustang's performance and the same performance can be attained in a Mustang GT for $25K, it's kind of a silly comparison. If you want to compare cars on a basis of costs vs features, you should talk about the minimum costs needed to attain those features and ignore optional costs for optional features that aren't compared.

In other words, yes, you can compare MY $35K 8 to a base $35K EVO MR but, from a performance value perspective, I could have had the same performance for $28K... so if you want to compare "the RX-8" to "the EVO MR" instead of "MY RX-8" to "the EVO MR" you should ignore the costs I paid for leather and navigation if you're going to ignore the advantages of those options in your comparison.

This isn't even really about MY RX-8, or THE RX-8, or even cars in general... I'm just talking about making reasonable arguments.

BlueEyes

You made it perfectly clear in your first post. I was just debating the whole option versus accesory thing with Ellar.

DARKMAZ8

^^^^Good point

There is no difference in performance between the base 6spd and the gt 6spd 8. If anything the base should perform better without the tc,dsc,moonroof,nav,leather,heated seats,power driver seat, ect. probably saves about 100lbs.+

Luftwaffle

I think the Touring package adds about 55-60 pounds to the car. I saw the weight listed for base in Car & Driver as 2950. Mine is 3004 on that little piece of paper I got from the dealership.

DARKMAZ8

sounds about right but the moonroof is an option for both the gs(base) and gt. I assume that's the other 40lbs

TwitchFD

il take on an STi anyday... i hate that AWD crap. besides they suffer horrible understeer unless kept at lower speeds

seriously rotary>sti

the rx-7 is quicker with very few mods

and the 8 handles and rides SO much better

maybe its personal preference but the STi just looks retarded

BlueEyes

what do you mean maybe it's personal preference? there is no question that it is personal preference. I don't think anyone was talking about the 7 in here either.

124Spider

Spoken like someone who's never been in an STi on a road race track, especially a wet one.

Spoken like someone who's never been in an STi on a road race track, especially a wet one.

Of course it's personal preference.

Why do people feel this mindless need to put down other fine cars? Does the fact that the STi is a very, very capable car threaten your view of your car? Sheesh....