ERicInCal

1 year ago, I decided that I wanted to get into more real estate investments, so I decided to sell my beloved Acura NSX, so that I would have some money to invest. (Good move) But I knew I would miss having a sports car, so I bought myself an old 94 Miata, and decided that I would fix it up and have fun with it. I did some suspension work to it, and it handled really well. A boat load of fun as long as you can get over the fact that you look like you are driving your girlfriends car, or people think you are gay- (not that there is anything wrong with that ) LOL

Well 6 months went by, and I was just itching for more power. Rather than put $5000 into a $3000 car for a turbo, I decided to sell it, and pick up a 2003 Honda S2000. I figured it was like combining the best of the NSX and the Miata. Well, 4 months have gone by, and I have loved every minute with the S2000. I just got back from a 5 day, 2000 mile trip up the California coast. but while I love the 9000 RPM engine, it is also tiring HAVING to always wind it up and have all of that engine noise. (oh my god, Im getting old!) So I found a buyer for the S2000 yesterday, and I decided to get a 2 door coupe with a back seat ( G35, RX-8, 330ci) I decided to test drive the RX-8 so that I could strike it from my list of cars to buy as I was SURE that I wouldnt like it.

WOW.. was all I could say when I was driving it. I had a nice long test drive and I was able to really wring the car out, and I was really impressed. It was so soft and comfortable on the freeway, but in the turns, inspired the confidence levels I had in my NSX. I couldnt believe that even though it was comfortable, it could perform this well. I beleive the car is 90% as capable as the S2000, but in a day to day lifestyle comparison, its a great compromise. The G35/350 cars were great, and I loved the engine, but coming from an NSX, lightness and nibleness was more important to me. Oh.. and an interior that wasnt too plasticy.

People complain about it not having enough power, and honestly, I wish it had more too, but its not all about the power in my book. I loved the miata (underpowered, great handling) ,and the NSX (under powered when compared to its peers, but superior handling) and S2000 and now the RX-8. I see a trend here! I guess I am the type of person who values the way a car makes me feel, and handles the turns, more than a person who needs the raw power in a straight line. When I am describing the RX8 to people, I tell them it drives very similar to my NSX, a great handling car with a stellar engine, but imagine the car with a back seat. The fact that it gives up only about 1 second in the 1/4 mile but not much else really shows what this car is all about.

Im excited to be a part of this board. I should be picking up my Silver GT package in a few weeks. I plan on getting the MazdaSpeed Front end as well. Yumm.. I have some photos on my website (www.erichua.com ) if you are interested in checking out the other cars.

I look forward to discussing this great car with you all.

KrustyKlown

THANK YOU. I am so glad so see another person here that understands it isnt all about about 0-60 and the the 1/4 mile.

rxeightr

Welcome to the club, and I look forward to your continuing comparisons once you get more use to your new RX-8.

Like you, I am truely impressed with the engineers who designed such handling characteristics without compromising daily ride comfort.

Pavehawk

Amen!

Riccio

Same here......have just been sooo completely satisfied with my 8.

Really a nice post - and WELCOME to the club - you're going to enjoy your RX8!!!

rotarygod

OMG!!! Someone with logic! Welcome friend! :D

ERicInCal

LOL-- well I dont know if its logic, so much as its maturity. I think as you grow up you realize any ding bat can go fast in a straight line, but it takes some real finesse and skill to be able to take turns quickly. For me, I know that no matter what you drive, there is always ways something faster than you out there, so enjoy what you drive, and drive it to its maximum potential. I think its a whole lot more fun having the slightly slower car and beating faster cars, than the faster car, and being beaten by the slower...

Saint_Spinner

I"m in a similar position as you...I started off with an FD Rx-7, sold it because I couldn't afford to maintain it anymore (mentaly). I picked up a replacement that I thought could come close to my fairly stock Rx-7...an S2000. Loved the fact that it was a convertible, reliable and tossable like the FD. But like you mentioned, the 9000 RPM redline with lack of torque got real tiring real quick...a year later I sold it, and now I have an NSX and couldn't be happier.

Nimble, more torque, exoticness (kinda), quality etc....

Elara

Congrats on the car, and welcome to the board

zerohour

You know whats kind of funny when I had my RSX I went out 2 months later got my intake and 2 months after that I went and bought my Greddy Exhaust and was prototyping a header.

With my 8 on the other hand sure I want a little bit more power, but if you get the pleasure to take it to the track and to realize what you really have its just awsome.

They truely werent kidding when they said that this car is truely a drivers car. It rewards a good driver with a huge grin as you pass carerras, WRX, Supercharged this and that.

You really begin to appreciate what a beautiful balanced machine you have and what balanced really means on the track. You find that your car is extremely fast extremely agile and the need to mod goes down substantially. I would still like a little more straight line power but honestly this car is just wonderful stock. Im going to enjoy it while i can.

poolsidenaz

Gracefully written and it makes me want to go back out to the Northern AZ twisties. Lovely post - thank you!

Ike

Nice writeup, and welcome to the site.

AltecLansing

wow, thats cool! some how hard to believe one would switch from NSX to RX8 :D when my frans hear people switching from M3 to RX8, they are like "WTF?!"
i hope u can enjoy ur 8! cheers!

Roaddemon

It's great to welcome another experienced sportscar enthusiast who chose the rx8. It says alot for our car. Good to have you onboard.

OKRX-8

I've been lurking here for quite a while now and I thought I'd like to put in my 2 cents worth; I had a 2002 M3 with SMG ; It was a great car but it always felt 'heavy' to me. It was so refined that it was almost boring to drive.... I know that sound strange but forum members here likely understand; In September I was a guest at a 'Z club of Texas' drivers education class and rolled my M. After the smoke and dust cleared it was pretty obvious (to me at least) that I had totaled it. After about a month the insurance company finally paid up and I bought my black RX8. I'm 44 y/o and looked at several cars, but the only one that really caught my eye was the 8. It's honestly more fun than my M3. The blind spot is huge but other than that.........

Spin9k

Life is a journey, and if lucky, things get better with age. I guess you have honed in on smthg that really suits your fancy with this great little car!

Welcome and may the smile be with you! :D

LightEmUp

Welcome to the site, great post. One thing bothered me, when you said you were getting the mazdaspeed front bumper, I hope you meant to say the whole body kit, it just wouldn't look right without the complete kit.

ERicInCal

Well.. when I bought a Miata after the NSX, THATS when they all said WTF to me. LOL Honestly though, I really dont care these days what people think about what I drive. Even when I had the NSX, Ferrari people would think "its no Ferrari" , Muscle car and Corvette drivers all thought it was underpowered, import drivers thought it didnt have enough power for the price, etc.. But for me, it was all about the experience, engine sounds and great handling (ok, the reliability and low maintenance costs were GREAT too.)

To me, the RX8 feels like my NSX in so many ways (comfort, quietness, power delivery, balance). Yes, it doesnt have the head snapping power of some cars but that engine sound is so freaking intoxicating. When Im driving it, I forget that it even has a back seat, but then I realize how much space there is back there and it impresses me even more. The 3rd time I went to test drive it, I decided to bring my girlfriend, her son, we had a 240lb sales person, and I was thinking, boy, this is going to suck, and to my surprise, the car still accelerated and handled really nicely. A little more understeer, but great fun! In a year when I am wanting a new car, Im sure my girl will lovethe RX8 she is going to get as a hand-me-down :P

ARGH.. I cant wait to get mine.. I was thinking of waiting till my home refiance was completed, but if I cant stand it much longer, Im going to get it this weekend!

kidcas

i looked at the RX8, G35, BMW and acrua rsx.... i liked the interior and exterior of the RX8 over all 3..... but the RSX was a great value, the G35 had alot of HP, and the BMW was,... well a BMW.... i liked the RX8 's appeareance, as well as the suicide doors, the airbags, the rotary engine, and 4 year warranty....

artmt

I owned a Miata, BMW 325, and RX-7. What I loved about the Miata and RX-7 is that every inch of the car felt like an extension of your body. RX-8 comes close, but not quite. I miss that feeling (as well as top down fun).
I also like BMW's interior better than the 8's. It is not bad overall, but to me cheap and poorly thought out piecies here and there do stand out.
What I did not like about the S2K is that despite very good performance, when pushed hard the car felt like it was being raped.

Despite a few shortcomings RX-8 is a great and truly unique car. I am sure you will love it.

gusmahler

So you hate having to rev an engine, yet you are getting an RX-8. Huh? The RX-8 isn't exactly a torquey car.

ERicInCal

gusmahler: I am guessing you havent driven the s2000. Yes.. it can rev to 9000+ rpm, but its sounding like a formula one engine. VERY fun when you are on a back road, not so fun droning along for 1.5 hours straight at 5000 rpm on the highway. The RX8 while also high reving engine, feels much more smooth and quiet while its spinning at 5-9000 rpm. When the RX8 is at 8000, if you dont look a the speedo, you cant tell if its 6000, 8000, or 9000. with the S2000 you KNOW its at 9000. Also, at say 3000 rpm on the s2000, the engine feels like its choking so you have to keep it wound up, or its just not very smooth.

Senseny

I gotta say that I like your taste in cars. Welcome to the rotary community.

brothervoodoo

Nice write up!! I was like WTF after looking at your sig but then took a good look at your website and saw some cool stuff. In closing, all I have to say is welcome and lastly "pimps up, hoes down!".

ERicInCal

hhahaahaha... yeah.. I was trying to figure out what photo to use, so I thought I Would use something silly. That photo was of me and my girl at the Pimp and Ho in Vegas. Totally different from the professional image that I have in my personal life, but then again, who really knows me here! LOL. Ill be 32 this year, and still play harder than I ever did in my 20s! Thanks for checking out my site.. Its due for an upgrade .... probably in a week or so.