Ophitoxaemia

i teach at the san francisco region autocross school each year, and this year had a student with a 6 speed 350Z "performance" model. i had brought my rx8 street car so i had a chance to drive them back to back on the course. both cars were on stock rubber. my 8 has all the luxury high-weight stuff.

the 350 is a lot of fun, but it doesnt turn or transition as well. the LSD isnt quite as tight as the 8 which makes it hard to make up for those deficits with its superior torque. the rx8 loves to be driven hard. the brakes are, as you know, AWE-some. results were i was about a second faster in the 8 than the 350 on a 60 second course- a big difference in autocross. one big problem in the Z was i lost a little power steering boost in slaloms. the Z might have "felt" a little faster, but you had to slow just a little more in tight transitions and couldnt lay down the superior power in corners.

i still like both cars, and the Z looks great, but the 8 is a cut above in performance AND in back seat room

james

pret

thank you for your expert opinion!

threeputtwash

I think this is a little biased, considering the RX-8 is yours, and you've had a chance to "bond" with it.

It would be far less biased if you didn't own an RX-8, and drove them back-to-back. Or if you owned a 350Z, and said straight out the RX-8 is better.


Lots of experience with a slightly slower car should be faster than no experience with a slightly faster car.

I'm not saying that the 350Z is faster. But assuming that the above statement is true (to a certain extent), your "conclusion", to me, is inconclusive......

zoom44

yeah how many times had you driven the z as opposed to your 8. that would make some difference.

poison123

When will people stop comparing the 2 cars. Its really getting old.

Ophitoxaemia

thats a good point- but i dont really know the 8 very well at all, its a street car and i dont push it hard enough on the street to get a sense of how it acts at the limits. i virtually never drive production cars or on street tires so i think i was pretty evenly handicapped in both cars

the 350Z is actually more similar to my regular autocross car, i drove it more that day, and i felt more comfortable in it, i just wasnt as fast. i am not at all used to driving a car with no torque like the rx8.

the problem is, with the S2000 having such a big weight advantage, no one is going to develop either of these cars in B-stock.

here's another comparison: i let my student drive my rx8, and she was faster in it than her 350Z (only a tiny bit faster). that might only show the 8 is easier to drive, which i think probably is true.

but hey, we are lucky to have such great cars to choose from! my first car was a 1976 chevette!

james

XDEEDUBBX

this is true

Squidward

do you suppose the mazdaspeed miata will have similar performance with its weight advantage and improved suspension, as well as increased HP?

just curious... I'm told miatas kick *** in the twisties and are hella fun..

Ophitoxaemia

i have a lot of experience with miatas, stock and modded, and stock they handle more like a race car than any other type of stock production car i have driven. the rx8 is a pig of a street car in comparison (well i havent driven one on race tires- that might change my mind). the mazdaspeed miata sounds like a kick!

james

Butt Dyno

Unless both cars are prepped to the limits of the stock classes (shocks, front bar, race tires, etc) your comparison isn't that meaningful for autocrossers

john

neit_jnf

Motortrend tested the MSP Miata and matched the RX-8 quarter mile!! I was very surprised.

0-60mph 6.2
quarter mile 14.5

GeorgeH

iTrader: (2)

One of our local "hot shoe" autocross drivers (a real natural - shows up after a 3 year hiatus and beats everyone except drivers with much faster cars) also did an instruction stint recently, and got to drive a student's RX-8. His comment was that it was the only car he drove all day that he was instantly comfortable driving fast in, and he drove quite a few cars that day (didn't mention which ones, though). He drives/races a Miata normally.

I think this is one of the advantages of the RX-8 - it's incredibly exploitable. Looking at the Top Gear video, I'd say thats why the RX-8 put in a lap time on par with an E46 M3. You can absolutely flog it and it won't bite you.

Another one of our local members was at the Houston National Tour, and watched Tim take 3rd in BS using an RX-8. The comment I heard was that the RX-8 was being driven incredibly fast, with lots of eye-opening drifts and recoveries that would have an S2000 driver panicking. Of course, and S2000 did take the win (weight will do that), and conventional wisdom states that will continue to be the case at the national level as the season unfolds. But I could see a lot of regional RX-8s (with mortal drivers) beating regional S2000s just becasue the RX-8 is so much more forgiving.

We shall see.

George

Ophitoxaemia

oh i dont mean to compare the cars for autocrossers, thats why i put the thread in the general discussion section. fully prepping even a stock class car takes time. but i dont see anyone seriously finding out, since no serious competitor would choose anything except the S2000. (or would they )

i will be driving at the SCCA national tour coming up in atwater california may 1-2. i won my class last year. (but not in an rx8!)

james

Navybeardbb

You know what's getting older than people compairing things....when people get mad and post a complaint about someone compairing something. If someone wants to post about a 350z and an 8...or engine flooding...or ECU questions...and sometimes even exhaust questions. Who cars don't read it, some people like to read and post to that even if its a simple "search" reply. I get more tired of people putting down eachother on our own forum when we are supposed to be buddies.

GeorgeH

iTrader: (2)

Agree with Navy.

And to James - good luck! There will be some locals from PDX at Atwater - one of them in an S2000.

I'd love to toss some 265-35 Kumhos on my RX-8. It may not be the hot car to have in BS yet, but it would be fun to toss it around. And if all the S2000s get moved to AS it just might end up the BS car de jour.

George

G8rboy

James-

Thanks for the info- I'll be taking my RX8 autocrossing this weekend for the first time. I had taken my 96 Miata a few times and loved it, and am hoping the RX8's balance and handling make it a natural transition. By any chance did you do any runs with the RX8's DSC or TCS turned on? One of the reasons I want to take the RX8 out is to really learn it's limits without the computer stepping in, but I'm also interested in seeing if it's of any value while racing.

Also, my $.02 on the Mazdaspeed Miata- I had a chance to drive it a few times at the rev-it-up in Chicago last weekend. While the turbo is a kick in the pants once it got moving, I didn't care for how long it took to spool up. I drove the test drive course fairly agressively, and it seemed like the turbo was just kicking in when I had to let off on the throttle for a corner. I'm sure it takes some practice to use the turbo to your advantage on a tight course, but I personally thought the M2 non-turbo Miata's (140-155hp) had more usable power for autocrossing.

Thanks...

-Sean

Ophitoxaemia

i have made a run with the DSC on by accident, and i have to say that the mazda DSC must be one of the best ever- it really helps (unlike, for example, the BMW's that completely kill the fun). its not faster than a good driver, but it works amazing well in most situations. i actually leave it on it i am driving a twisty mountain road. i'd autocross with it off those- the car is extremely stable and doesnt need it normally.

without the S2000 the rx8 might well be the car to beat in B stock.

james

rx8miami

I am going to use this thread for another forum in which I have been battling some nissan freaks. thanks!

Butt Dyno

Why bother? It doesn't prove anything..

john

Leeg0512

I am becoming a huge fan of the rx8 and will be buying one soon. Are there any common flaws about its performance that current owners are not pleased with? I drive spirited and autox.

jasonrxeight

why you bump up a 7 year old thread?
as we all know the rx8's chassis could easily handle more power and torque. the rx8 would be nice if it had more.

04Green

iTrader: (1)

Re-read this thread.
Read the mag reviews.. It is a great car to drive hard. There is a top gear on it from 2006 or so that was great too. I cannot talk about complaints. I bought mine with 60K on it, all original everything (except motor, read up on that one for early models), took it to my first HPDE and was passed by very very few cars. Added brakes and shocks (they were worn out), springs while I was at it, progressed a level, still only passed by race cars, my neighbors boxster S (working on that) and a lambo (go figure). I got sway bars for Christmas from my wife and the Boxster better look out. If there are complaints, it is power, but I do not have issues, except on a half mile straight at the track, then not much, because I can out brake and out turn most of what has more power. And, there is one NA 8 that is over 6 seconds faster than I am on a 2 mile course, he ran neck and neck with my instructors modified Subaru STI.

I have no complaints. There are 2 links in my sig, read them both, one is for before you buy it, one is for after. Good luck.

mscamp02

iTrader: (3)

these thread rez's lately are getting nuts. is there anyone that checks dates anymore. op from 04...

zoom44

how do they find these but NOT the sticky foamy oil thread?