Coming from GTI, what to expect out of the rotary
My best friend had a '00 GTi with about the same mods as above. It was a lot of fun to drive. It had TONS of torque as compared to my RX8. It also had about 15mpg lead on my in city driving. We raced "heads up" several times. It was typically a drivers race. If he didn't get his launch just right, he'd spin, and have a hard time playing catchup. If we had ANY sort of curves to tackle (like a freeway on ramp), I'd whip him every time. I can dive this car further into the corner, brake later, and get back on the gas sooner than he could. I would be 2-3 cars ahead of him on a regular basis in those cicumstances.
Since you're a VW guy......I have a suggestion......He recently dropped his GTi in favor of an Audi A4. With the Quatro AWD system, a tune and exhaust he'll walk right away from me in a straight line. Not sure what "stage" his car is setup at, but it's fast. I can still hang with him easily in the twisty backroads around here though. If we both know the road, I'll walk away from him. If he doesn't know the road it gets worse quick. If I don't know the road then it's a bit more of a drivers race again as I can lean on my car a bit more than he can lean on his to make up time in the corners.
We're still waiting on a good Sunday Autocross to really settle the "whos a better driver" debate :D :D
Since you're a VW guy......I have a suggestion......He recently dropped his GTi in favor of an Audi A4. With the Quatro AWD system, a tune and exhaust he'll walk right away from me in a straight line. Not sure what "stage" his car is setup at, but it's fast. I can still hang with him easily in the twisty backroads around here though. If we both know the road, I'll walk away from him. If he doesn't know the road it gets worse quick. If I don't know the road then it's a bit more of a drivers race again as I can lean on my car a bit more than he can lean on his to make up time in the corners.
We're still waiting on a good Sunday Autocross to really settle the "whos a better driver" debate :D :D
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It sounds like the OP really wants an Evo or STi, not an Rx-8. Evo and STi have everything the GTi lacks... no wheelspin problems, more displacement and more power potential (especially the Evo). An Rx-8 is a different direction altogether performance-wise considering its low torque, very high revving nature, and refined suspension that is meant to be liveable. The interior are much closer to what the GTi offers though. Evo and STi interiors are meh.
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Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Canberra, Australia
Where you live/drive is something you should strongly consider.
If you have the opportunity to drive on long winding twisites then the Rx8 will shine and you will be over the moon; it will feel fast because it will be fast and it will handle all the while. If however you doing short stints in and around town with frequent stops you might hate the Rx8 and it will definitely feel slow compared to your current car. I had a lot of fun with my Rx8 but 90% of my driving in reality was short trips around town, so it was a totally wasted car (for me). I can't stress this enough. I had to get rid of it as a result. A Golf GTI with it's low torque is an example of a far better suited car for that application. You will kick yourself if you buy such a car and be stuck with this sort of driving. I'm actually now in a considerably less powerful car, an MX5 NC, BUT, I am going faster around town than I ever could in my Rx8 because its so chuckable and nimble. Choose wisely!!
If I could afford it, an Mx5 NC as a daily and an Rx8 as a weekend warrior
If you have the opportunity to drive on long winding twisites then the Rx8 will shine and you will be over the moon; it will feel fast because it will be fast and it will handle all the while. If however you doing short stints in and around town with frequent stops you might hate the Rx8 and it will definitely feel slow compared to your current car. I had a lot of fun with my Rx8 but 90% of my driving in reality was short trips around town, so it was a totally wasted car (for me). I can't stress this enough. I had to get rid of it as a result. A Golf GTI with it's low torque is an example of a far better suited car for that application. You will kick yourself if you buy such a car and be stuck with this sort of driving. I'm actually now in a considerably less powerful car, an MX5 NC, BUT, I am going faster around town than I ever could in my Rx8 because its so chuckable and nimble. Choose wisely!!
If I could afford it, an Mx5 NC as a daily and an Rx8 as a weekend warrior
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From: Louisville, KY
Just a suggestion, keep the street stories off these boards, although 98% of the members here goof around on the streets with their 8's; its the fastest way to get banned off the forum. Just a tip, Ive had my share of slaps on the wrist for making mention of 'illegal' driving.
Why?
That single 4 letter word: "Chip".
There are no "chips" for the 8. At absolute best it will be like putting a bumper sticker on the underside of the hood. At worst, it will cause you problems, power loss, and possibly frying the ECU, dependant on installation. There is only 1 solution for ECU reflashing, the COBB AccessPORT and that is being discontinued in 3 days, but if it isn't ordered today, then you won't be able to. There are a couple piggyback ECU options, but none of them are cheap, none of them are even close to being called a "chip", and none of them are all that great.
So the if the previous owner knew so little as to buy a "chip", and then still never learned that it was worthless at best to market the 8 as having one, then I highly suspect that the 8 has been either molested or neglected.
I also find it funny that it has wheels. I didn't know 8s had wheels?
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