will change to a Corvette
 

I have owned my RX8 for about two years this month and haven't had any significant problems. Perhaps the most unnerving issue was the revision of stated horsepower that followed right after my purchase and sent me back to look at the 350Z. Didn't like the Z stayed with the Eight.

For the first year the Eight wasn't a great driver as far as engine tune goes but it does have excellent handling... a bit soft but a very good balance between ride and cornering. I'm currently at ECU revision M and my cars tune is much improved.
Throughout my ownership of the Eight this forum has generally been extremely helpful. The only troubling kinds of threads are the lengthy horsepower improvement ones. For me the Eight is a good $27,000 semi-sports car. I believe that was Mazda's target. I say $27,000 because that's the High Power base List Price and GT and other options add nothing to the performance. I've never understood why one would buy a car with less performance than they want and then go to such lengths to change it. I like the Eight for what it is and expect to ouitgrow it or simply want a new driving experience. I just don't think any car is the end all that I need to identify personally with.

So with that in mind my next purchase will be different... a high horsepower, high torque dedicated sports car... a Corvette. Different but I will still think the Eight is a good car.

I've read most of the Corvette reviews and would love to hear from anyone who currently owns or has driven the C6. Thanks

i've driven the c6. great look. great handling. great power. great exhaust note. if you decide to get one, i can't think of any reason why you wouldn't enjoy it...unless you were kicking yourself for not getting the c6 z06 :)

Like I said before. You paid somewhere around 27k for your RX8. Ok now if your going to pay at the least 39k for the Vette. You give me atleast 12K because of the difference in price and I'll put so much performance in my 8, it will smoke the hell out of any corvette. Don't get me wrong, the Corvette is a beautiful and fast car(I acutally think its one of the best american cars out today). But your talking about a big price difference there. But hey, its your money, do what you please! :D

I don't agree. There probably aren't $12,000 worth of mod's available and I think the reliability of the result may be suspect even if they were available.

Thanks for the reply :)

You're correct Peter, plus you'll still have a warranty with the Vette. The whole price comparison with mods thing is silly, plus if you want to start playing that game the 8 will lose badly when you start looking at other cars + mods and comparing price vs. performance. Cas was making the same argument months ago with the Rx-8 and cars like the Z, STi, Evo, etc... Just wait til the RX-8 gets aftermarket turbos and they'll smoke those cars he said. Well it still hasn't happened, oh they got turbos, but the turbo cars aren't destroying anything...

I've driven the C6 --
In short, gobbs of torque.
The RX-8 has better, shorter shifting, and better steering wheel feel.

With that said, I'd own a C6 if the money was there.

the 8 is very young and still has loads of untapped potential, it took a while for any worthwhile mods to come out for the z etc. when it first came out and the jury is out on if there are any now. Of course it hasn't happened in months, but give it some time and I think the 8 will surprise a lot of people, and even if it doesn't? At least it brought bac the rotary and is still an amazing car that is in a class all by itself. Sure I'd take a vette, but I don't have 45+ to spend on a car, I'd spend that on a house first.

if i didnt need back seats and hadnt fallen for the 8 i would have a vette/porsche/rx7. the c6 has great performance as expected from a vette and my reveiw would fall in line w/all the other ones ive read. im not sure i like how the window moves when you close the door kinda wierd (but id get used to it)

cas, give up defending the 8 all the time. its not a high power monster

That's ricer math. I'll take my new car smelling, factory warrantied, brand spanking new 2006 Corvette over the most heavily modded streetlegal RX-8 on the planet anyday.

It's been out for over two years, that isn't young as far as the tuner market goes... If the aftermarkets parts market for the RX-8 isn't booming now, it never will be. That's not to say there won't be more and better products for the 8 coming out, it's just not going to be like many other cars that are more popular with the tuner crowd.

Congrats! They finally got the Vette right with the C6, it's hot. I'm confused though. If you could have bought a $50K car in the first place, why a $27K RX-8?

Because some people had hoped that the RX8 will get the kind of aftermarket support to keep up with faster cars.

Unfortunately nothing much has happened except we're seeing great progress from the 350z and G35c.

What to get a performance car with excellent potentials for aftermarket products? Don't get the 8. Want to get a semi performance car that will take you from A to B? Get the 8 and get another car just in case.

Are you saying with atleast 12k in the RX8 you cant put the same or better numbers up than a Vette? I've only seen one Turbo RX8 at the Drag Strip that was running 14 flat and that was running at a low boost and also had a leak. I've never seen any posts or anything from members having a Turbo RX8 on an actual track racing against other cars. Stock RX8's stay up with alot of them now, what makes you think we wouldn't smoke them on a track with atleast 12k in performance parts? As for me saying "wait for the aftermarket turbo's months ago", you'll have to refresh my memory because I don't remember that.

Like I said Peter, its your money! I love the Vette as well.

the vette is nice, and fast, and american muscle, gobs of torque.......and yes the 8 could be faster than a vette (with the right mods). however; if I was in your situation I would keep the eight and mod it if you feel like it (I do, it has lots of potential) and save that 45k your planning on spending on the vette........wait a little over a year and save a little more money...........AND GET THE NEXT SKYLINE.

The skyline is here aleady; teh G35 goodness. If you're referring to the GTR35, it might be a while :cool:

There is no GTR35.

Corvette is a GM. I'll never buy one just for that fact. I want a car I can rely on.

Good luck with your decision, I certainly would have taken a C6 over the RX-8 in a heartbeat if that were a feasible option.

As far as turbo 8s not destroying anything...folks are just now getting around the ECU. Before I start writing off the 8's aftermarket appeal I'll wait and see what an ECU cracked 8 will do; but I've come to expect nothing less from Dr. Talk Down Ike :rolleyes:

As far as the C6 goes--I really am not liking its design like I did the C5--the back looks brutally tapered--car is nice but I prefer the C5 design. A Vette would be my stepping stone to a 911.

I'd just mod the 8 and wait for the new nsx, supra or rx7.

I won't say that it can't be done, but it would be a costly nigntmare just trying to make it as fast as a vette. Think realistically here. You're taking a car like RX8 and trying to build it to beat a 400hp stock Vette. First of all, the car won't be worth much more then it is stock when you modify it. If you did build one to beat a vette, it will be extremely unreliable and costly, and more of a nightmare then you could ever imagine to maintain. After all that expense and headache, you still only edge out a car that came off showroom floor, and is worth more money in the market then your 40k+ rx8, and when all is said and done, you'd have paid more money for the rx8. Sadly enough, a vette only would need one small modification, and it would smoke the highly modded, unreliable RX8, and you'd never catch up. If you want that kind of power, you just do not buy an rx8, or even try and modify it. You can't touch a vette when it comes to that kind of performance when owning an rx8. You're gonna be behind the game all the time. The rx8 just isn't the type of car you are trying to agrue it to be.

Was'nt there an RX 8 for sale on Ebay last year that was modded to well over 300hp. I Can't remember Who did the work but it was done by some aftermarket company just to show what can be done with the Renesis. I personally will not mod a car. If it does'nt come in stock I don't want it. Modding negates warranty and shortens the life of the car.

Mod or no mod 12k or not, I think Peters point was that he liked his 8, but wants a true dedicated sports car w/0 the hassle of modding or spending sleepless nights worry about how to tweak an extra HP. The vette gives him that.....kudos to him for it, and good luck, its a sweet ride and if I had the money and didn't need a tad, just a tad extra room...I'd get one too. :)

While you're waiting you can also get in line for the charriot of christ himself because that's about as realistic as waiting for the return of those cars.

I'm surprised by all of the replies! Just so the RX8 modifiers know I still really like the Eight for what it is. All I was saying was I want the high power high torque driving experience for a change. I don't believe the Eight was intended to be that kind of car and I think that forcing it to be so is a mistake.

I've always been intrigued by the Rotary's design and the balance it offers because of it's weight to horsepower ratio. I think the promise is there but realizing it may be beyond Mazda's resources, maybe most carmaker's abilities. If I were to take a gut level guess I'd say that the Rotary is an emotional not a practical committment for Mazda and many enthusiasts. I fear that eventually the difficulties will outweigh the promise. The next 18 months are critical and if Mazda does not introduce modifications that substantially increase horsepower and torque (300 HP/ 220 fp or more) the sales will not be there. Making it smaller and lighter like an Elise ( a Rotary MX5,) would be another interesting car.

Other than this issue the Eight is a very good sportscar/daily driver. I knew that as soon as I drove it and it will be hard to part with but it will soon be time to move on. :)