zoomallday

This could be interesting. I'd like to hear how people compare their 8 to their previous rides. Please post if you have an 8 and have had previous rides (that were yours and you drove extensively, not just you sat in a XXX once and compare it).

----

For me,

BMW E30 325i (1987). Have had 2 years and still do, it's in mint condition btw. This is lightweight very fun BMW from the 80's. Much lighter that the current ones. With minor mods, I had 180hp and 150lb. Car weight is about same as the 8. I must say it is a very similar ride except the BMW has different sounds/RPM performance and a little less style, inside and definitely from the outside. Looks nice but more of a sleeper configuration. Mileage 23-28 mpg in practice.

Nissan 300ZX (1st gen, 1984). Had for 7 years. Very fun car. Mine had 2 seats only. Lots of transmission problems. Engine perfect. Stock. 160hp. Fun but not as fun as the BMW or 8. Once did fit 5 people in it . Suspension was not great and car did feel "large and heavy", despite it being smallish. Weird. Mileage: about 26 mpg.

Pontiac Firebird 1982. Had for 2 years. Fun a little, bulky, heavy, bad suspension, not even in the league. Mileage: can't remember.

Dodge Dart 1964 (a sports car of its time). Still have but not drivable anymore. Red. Lots of torque, moves like a tank, Terrible suspension. Super loud horn. Mileage: about 10 mpg.

Toyota 4Runner, SR4 2001. Still have, since 2001. Great SUV, very smooth, lots of low-down torque. Can accelerate equally from 0 to 30mph with one or lots of people and bulk in the car. After 30mph, is peppy but nothing sporty; very comfy for trips, fits everything. For an SUV, can't complain. Mileage: 18-22mpg in practice.

and

Chevrolet Metro (1999). Sold and replaced by the 8. Surprisingly a lot of pep from the 1-liter engine, but basically boring. Was my wife's go to grad school car. Mileage: lots of miles per gallon. Was driven only a few thousand miles per year (3 years).

dmp

hmm...

From the most recent, going back only a couple cars...I've had a number of cars.

1993 Miata - still have...

First off, the miata is 'more fun' to drive. The miata handles much better as well. The Miata has better fuel economy. The miata also is 11 years old with 154k miles.

The RX8 is 'better', however. It's got more style. More 'class'. The RX8 feels tighter; Better built. The Rx8 has A LOT more power down the straights. Unfortunately, the RX8 also has A LOT more body roll; but it rides nicer.

1993 Ford Probe GT - sold in 2003.

First thing that comes to mind is power. The Probe had a LOT more power than the RX8 - i'd wager from a roll, the Probe would walk the RX8 without breaking a sweat - on the freeway, the Probe would pull away quickly, slowed only by gearing, as the RX8 should have a higer top speed. (The Probe was gearing limited to 140mph, but I doubt I'd ever have felt right about keeping the car floored, in 5th gear for ANY amount of time...). The Probe was more of a sleeper...most people didn't notice the 'transmission cooler' behind the front bumper.

The RX8 is 'better', however. It's got more style. More 'class'. The RX8 feels tighter; Better built. The RX8 feels more upscale; I'd feel more pride in having a valet get into the RX8, than the probe. The Rx8 handles better than the Probe. The ride comparison is probably a draw. The RX8, power-wise, feels about like my Probe did with CAI/Exhaust + N2O - consistant mid 14s in the mid-upper 90s mph range. It's nice to have a car with decent power - STOCK. That's the key. No worries about over-stressing anything...no a/f's to worry about...or boost creep, etc. Just get in, and go.

khtm

'86 Honda Accord -> bought for $500 at the start of school, sold for $500 five years later.

Comparison to my 8? Accord was better on gas, more spacious, bigger trunk, more speed holes (ie rust). 8 is much faster, sexier, has CUP HOLDERS (wtf Honda?) , heated seats, more comfortable, a pass-through to the trunk, bigger tires, better handling, more responsive steering. I've yet to see about maintenance though...the only thing I had to replace/fix on the Accord in 5 years was the clutch.

The one thing that I question is if the 8 is actually 80 times better than the Accord, because that's the price difference....hmmmmm.

vectorwolf

(list is from current to oldest)

1.) RX-8 - Solid, smooth, quick, and quiet... In a word: refined. Just an absolutely incredible machine. Only major downside is the fuel economy, but it's still very much liveable.

2.) 1997 Miata - The most fun vehicle I've ever driven. As quick as most domestic V-6s, very attractive, and the ultimate stress reliever when you take it out for a long, top-down drive on a sunny summer afternoon. Superb reliability as well. I'll probably buy another Miata eventually.

3.) 1985 Chevrolet Camaro - Super-reliable (amazingly). Over 150,000 trouble-free miles. VERY under-powered, but fuel efficient. Styling quickly grew old, literally made me fall asleep on long trips, but at least it never broke down.

4.) 1992 Eagle Talon - No. Just... no. Bought the car one day, the next the engine started leaking coolant and nearly blew on me. Spent most of the next 2 months or so sitting in the shop. Eventually limped it to a dealer to trade it in, where it finally died. Oh... and everytime I got moving from a stop, I couldn't shift from 1-2. I had to pick up speed in 1st, press the clutch, move into 3rd or 4th gear, and only THEN could I shift into 2nd. P.O.S.

5.) 1985 Cadillac ElDorado - P.I.M.P.-tacular. I was well-known in high school for being the only kid in town who drove a caddy every day. :D Super-comfy, had all sorts of nifty technology (power seats/mirrors, temperature and fuel mileage displays, etc.). Even (accidentally) ramped the car once, and it kept on trucking. Yet another 140,000+ mile trouble-free car.

UK BLACK

Current to Oldest - (Top 5)

1. 2004 Mazda RX8 -(6sp GT)
Great car, plenty of power, great handling, great styling, lovely interior may not be as fast as STI & EVO or SRT-4 but who in this forum wants to drive around in a ugly box with 4 wheels and a big wing on the back (not me!) they can keep them. And yes I could have bought one. They are great cars for rally fans and kids.

2. 1991 Mitsubishi Ecplise GT Turbo (Auto): Other than my 8 this was my favorite car. Even with the Auto box I used to take out Mustang GT's with this car real fast, I would say on a roll that it would not be far behing the 8. A great car, with awesome styling. Mitsu just keeps making the Ecplise worse each model.

3. (In UK) 1985 Ford Escort XR3I (5-SP) GREAT car way underpowered compared to hot hatches today, but at that time it was a awesome boy racer car and makes my top 5. GREAT handling and fun to drive.

4. 2003 Dodge Stratus Coupe RT - (Auto): Nice car with reasonable power (RX8 would kill it), very comfy with leather etc. Not as well built as the RX8 and Mitsu engine a bit noisy top end.

5. 1999 Chrysler Sebring Coupe LXI (Auto): Same as above with even less power, actually preferred interior of the Sebring to the Dodge.

Great Thread by the way!!

AQA101

Very, very funny - my previous ride was a FIAT Panda which I bought for 280 € at eBay.

It was a special Panda (1,1 l motor and that gearless automatic) though. But it didn't catch up entirely with the RX-8, I mean the 8 has back doors and the Panda didnt.

Before that it was a BMW 320d touring, perfect everyday car, but not even close to the 8 in the fun department (the Panda was closer).

rotten42

Current to oldest (not including cars I've shred with my wife)

1) RX8 - Love it.....even after having the engine replaced. Love the handling and balance of the car...looks good too. It has enogh power for me.

2) 95 Neon Sport - No power but handled better than you would think. Cheap to run. I didn't mind if when me kids threw-up on the seats when they were young. Great in winter. I never got stuck with this car...ever! TheIn winter the engine would warm up within two blocks of my house.

In the last year I owned the car, I tried to drive it into the ground...I couldn't. I would rev the **** out of it....never top up the oil even with the oil leak. I would cgange the oile every 12,000km...the car wouldn't die.

3) 84 Capri RS (5.0) I modified the car - 305 hp w/ nitrous kit (100hp jet) sub frame connectors, koni's all around, Mcleod Racing clutch. The car was very fast. Not the greatest in handling. Atrer I did the mods I blew up two rear end and one 5 speed. Horrible in the winter. Had the big *** sterio (Alpine, ADS amp, Proton amp, Kenwood amp, Boston acoustic speakers.) I also had a jack installed so I or a buddy could plug an electric guitar into the stereo and play along. (Good for road trips) I would go through a set of 2 tires every summer....Had alot of fun with that car

4) 77 T-bird - Very big, Very red.....great car to make out in. For some reason this car got me the girls. ( Go figure?) Man did this car use gas.

yamajj

hmmmm.......my previous car is my '96 intrepid. i still drive in "questionable" areas and bad weather. before the dodge, '91 miata: total blast to drive and the closest thing to riding a motorcycle without wearing a helmet. '86 celebrity-boring, '78 fairmont-boring, '82 dodge pickup-good on snow, '74 maverick-"three on the tree", my first manual and car.

the thread's idea is of previous "rides." this means motorcycles to me so indulge me:

1990 kawasaki 600r ninja - fun, rode it almost 13k miles.......totalled
1990 yamaha fzr600 - blast in the corners........traded
1993 suzuki gsx-r600 - blast in the corners, too heavy........stolen
1997 yamaha yzf1000 - total blast, very fast, rode it 50k miles........sold in feb '04
2001 yamaha yzf-r1 - total blast, weight of a 600, power of the litre bike.......own
2002 yamaha yzf-r1 - total blast, f/i model......still own

thnx for indulging me, i've owned more bikes than cars.

yamajj

bigblockbeater

well of course comparing the rx-8 to an suv does really seem fair but each vehicle has their perks and problems. i love my 8 and look forward to making it even better.

i traded my previous vehicle for the 8. it was a 2001 isuzu trooper ls 4wd. i tell you i loved that suv! i had that thing in some of the craziest places and twice in up to 3 feet of mud and it was rock solid and could get out of anything. on street tires at that. and when it rained i just turned on the "torque on demand" 4 hi with a push of a button. i never had a problem with grib. witha 210 hp 3.5 v6 it was faster then a lot of ricers too.

it had an ungodly amount of room in the back for my proband bass box and two 12inch audiobahns. oh that was a sweet system. won't fit in the 8 though.

the biggest problem was the high center of gravity. consumer reports did an article about suvs and the value of the trooper jumped off a cliff and i couldn't pay it off fast enough. that's why i got ride of it.

Dlrosie

A Panda!!! I drove a Panda for six years when I lived in Italy. That was my "back and forth to work and soccer game day" car.

I can still remember the whine from when I sped onto the auto-strada......

Zaurin

Before I had my 8 I had a 91 300ZX non-turbo. Damn that car was sweet. Silver with black leather, T-Tops, 5sp, and I know for sure that thing was faster than my 8. Of course I modded my Z, but it trapped 95mph in the 1/4. It's strange, because most Japanese sports car fans are part of one of the two camps: the Z group, or the rotary group. I don't know where I belong now

dwill9578

I had a 2000 SVT contour,then a 03 spec-v. Thereisn't much I can compare, at the time I thought both cars were GREAT, they were in there own ways but my buddy just got a used 03 spec-v-man it blows compared to an 8 so does my old contour, hopefully my next car will be WAY better than the 8---most likley impossibly I LOVE my 8. This forum is also WAAAAY better than Nissanforums.com. just my 3 cents

Shamblerock

1st car - Used 73 Impala - stripped 145 hp/5000 lbs family car 350 2 barrel. F_cking tank. Beat the livoing daylights out of it and it never broke down. Friends even put some deisel fuel in there as a prank and it still went (some valve sounds). nailed curbs in winter going 15 mph and didn't throw anything out.

2nd car- USed 78 Trans Am- T.A. , Auto 400 headers, shift kit, ram air mod. Put 93,000 KMS on it in 1.5 years. Cruised like hell with it. Was a chick magnet for sure. Closest car to the RX-8 but nowhere nearly as refined, stable or powerful. Had a great sound though! Was known on a first name basis by local cops, I was routinely followed and eventually ticketed to death until I lost my licence. Sold car.

3rd Used 77 Cutlass supreme - You would consider this as a winter car. Waiting for insurance premium to come down. Eventaully Died.

4th Used 81 Delta - Same as 77 Cutlass. But it was nicer ahad button padded velour seats.

5th Used 82 Cutlass - same as 2 above. Insurance rates are now back in reasonable territory

6th Fresh 86 VW GTI - This is probably the best car I have owned. Beat it like a rug everyday, all day a=until it saw starts and it never complained once. Power shift, red line and top end routinely experienced. Flat out driving (197KMS per hour) from TO to Montreal and to Ottawa (approx. 350 miles) every 3 weeks or so; No issues (oil coolers came with the car!) 235,000KMS and it was time to get a family car.

7th Fresh 95 Bonneville SLE - Worst ******* car ever made. Replaced almost everything on it by 40,000KMS. Engine, transmission, repaint of various parts of the body, power steering, computer, whole ingition system, dash board. Almost took the owner of the dealership to meet his maker! Traded it in.

8th Fresh 99 VW Passat - An audi A6 in disguise no question about it. Top notch vehicle. Very reliable. Some power and muscle especially on the highway. Great engine sound. Tip tronic transmission was absolutely fabulous with perfect ratios. Beat stock Camaros and Monte Carlos with it on the highway. Brought it up to 210 KM until limiter and it still could have gone more. But no contest for the 8 on the highway.

9th - Fresh RX-8 - After 2003 car show, I became onbsessed with this car. Just had to have it. Traded in the Passat. Would have loved to keep both but the pockets are not that deep. Still owe the wife plenty for letting me get the 8.

ninco

1) RX-8: This car is amazing as a daily driver. Fuel economy is not great, but you make adjustments. Power is good, but the handling more than make up for it.

2) '01 Merc Couger (v6/5spd): Drove nicely, braked and handled decently. After about 1.5 years with the vehicle, developed a serious fuel pump problem. It was so bad, the car cut-off after exiting the freeway, in rush hour traffic! Recall was placed on the fuel pump, which was replaced, but the car never was the same after that. It was okay, as long as you did not rev it past 4K rpms. If you did, the car would just buck and hesitate like crazy. If you let the gas tank get below 1/2, the car would buck like crazy.

3) '93 Eclipse Turbo AWD: This car was seriously fast. Once that turbo kicked in, man O man. On a trip to Tucson car broked down on the road. I had to pay to have it towed the remainder of the way. Turns out the AWD system was not durable after about 65K miles. I had to pay to get it fixed, then a year later a recall was issued. I was re-imbursed, Thank God for the previous bill. Ended up having the AWD system replaced 3x after that. Then the Turbo died and the car was a peice of HUD.

4) Geo Storm Gsi: First new car. Started doing the SCCA thing with friends. They drove VW Golf GTi. Started putting major money into the car. Exhaust, Intake, Brakes: drum-to-disc conversion (rear drums). Put more money into the car than it was worth. Decided to sell to get something that was cheaper to modify (Eclipse).

Grabitquick

Newest to oldest:

2004-? RX-8. Lovely. Refined. Cat-quick. Like driving a 4-wheel motorcycle (I don't sense any body roll at all, but then what do I know?) Practical with 4 seats and usable trunk. Gas? Well, I'll live with it.

1994-2004 Mazda MX-6. Very good car, fun and fast, good-looking, very reliable and what did fail was covered by warranty. Lots of time in body shop over 10 years, but that wasn't the car's fault (or my fault either, for that matter).

1988-1994 BMW 325. Low torque (the old "eta" engine") but I still loved it and it took me all over the Western U.S.

1984-1988 Renault Encore. The less said, the better.

1977-1984 Toyota Corolla. Great basic (and I mean basic) car that barely cost me anything for 7 years.

93rdcurrent

BMW M3 (1995) had to be one of the best built engines around. Loved the hp and torque combination. That car hauled *** for being mostly stock. I still miss it sometimes.

Audi A4 (1999) was pretty luxurious but had some electrical problems. Moon roof wanted to just open up periodically and the ignitor burned out twice with no explanation. We traded this in on the 2004 325xi.

Toyota MR2 (1985) was a fun little car but it wasn't the supercharged model and lacked hp. Still it was a cheap replacement for my previous car to get me around while I saved up for a better car.

Toyota MR2 turbo (1991) was my most fun car. With 575hp at the crank how can you go wrong? I heavily modified this car and loved it. Of course I couldn't let anyone drive it since the oversteer would have you wrapped around a telephone pole quicker than a jack rabbit in a brothel if you gave it too much gas while going around a corner. I miss this car quite a bit too since the fateful day the engine turned into a handgrenade on wheels. That was the shops fault that did my final turbo upgrade. I hate those guys.

VW Scirrocco (1985) which had mostly stereo upgrades but it was a decent commuter. Eventually it developed some overheating but it was killed by a few cars in an icestorm in Portland, OR. It was hit by atleast 5 cars in one weekend while is was parked on the side of the street.

VW Rabbit (1972) the engine blew within the first two months I had it... so I dropped in a 1600cc Jetta engine. It had a lot more get up and go after that. This was my 2nd little project car. The radiator wasn't able to cool the new engine down properly so I installed a switch that just left the radiator fan running all the time and that seemed to work.

Pontiac Sunbird convertible (1992) the car a previous fiance made me buy. I hated that car. It didn't want to get up and go and all the features were just lame except the automatic convertable top. Still that hardly made up for the rest it was a POS and she took it when we broke up. I hope she enjoyed it.

Pontiac Fiero (1987) and this was my first car as well as my first project. I think I eventually got it up to around 215-250 hp. We upgraded the suspension and a few other things but I managed to park it under a Ford Aerostar... yes it fit with its' low hood and fiberglass front. I sold it for $800 after that but I think I asked to little for it. I was young and didn't know.

NomisR

1994 Acura Integra LS - Auto. (Sold) The fact that it was an auto says it all. But it was a nice car for the money, was about the same price of a Civic but came with everything that was an option on the Civic with better engine and Acura service (although it still sucks). Handling's nice for the class, had on a set of springs shocks and wheels and rode like it was on rails and adjusted with little to no understeer, but the ride sucks ***!

2003 Acura RSX Type S - Needed a car at the time because I had nothing else to drive, Rx8 wasn't out and was out of my price range at the time, and basically it was the best car for what I wanted and can afford. Overall, it's a well built car without much complaint, except for the tires. The tires are extremely poor where they would scream in pain if I were to push the car a bit and peels out easily without trying, damn FWD. Steering wheel's too heavy for street driving and turning radius is poor however, overall handling's really good with moderate body roll and would definately handle a lot better if it wasn't for the tires. Engine's pretty peppy with enough power to get go but a piston engine is not made to rev as high as rotary and with 3-4k cruise RPM at 70-80, it's too high.

2004 Mazda Rx8 GT - Great car, biggest beef is the huge blind spot compared to my previous cars. However with the steering wheel feedback and adjustability, it make it extremely easy to drive at City speeds and highways. A lot of feedback and extremely predictable making the car easy to drive at the limit, you can feel it's breaking loose and it'll do it gently. However, it would be nice if the steering wheel is slightly smaller.

10000RPM

OK, I'll bite.

97' Trans-Am (LT-1/Auto)- Had for 2 years, I have all ways and still love the over all shape of the Trans-Am. Good power for stock and nice handeling not great but nice, felt heavy at times. Ok MPG 18avg.

94' Trans-Am (LT-4/6-M)- Had 1.5 Years,Were to start an this one? 360HP all motor and 455HP on spray :p this car was crazy fast, best ET was 11.02 @ 125mph
Not the most reliable car I had, went threw many rear ends, clutches, axels,trannys.....ect. you get the idea. Even after many mods still it didn't handle has good as my 8, but boy was it fun in strait line. MPG 12avg

70' SS Nova (454ci Monster/3spd auto) - Had 3 years, This was one of the best looking cars I ever had fully restored Lip stick red paint with black leather on Weld prostare rims. It handled like crap! but it was great in a strait line, it to was in the 11's NO spray needed :D . This car may have got noticed more than my 8 does know it's a toss up. both are great in there own way. MPG 9 on a good day.

03' Chevy Avalanche( "Blown" 5.3L Vortech) -Had 2 years, "BIGEST" truck I have ever had, 11 inchs of lift with Weld Stone Crusher rims & 35" tires. This truck dynoed at 405HP & 385LB. It would spinn the **** out of those huge tires with no problem from a dead stop on dry pavment. I use to love taking this truck to beach, I don't know? there just somthing about big trucks ang girls that go hand and hand I miss it but I don't miss the $500.00 a mounth gas bill This is what I traded to get my 8. Over all it was a good truck, the wheels seals were going out when I traded it but other than that I had know problems.

00' Dodge Dakota ( 5.9L R/T) - Still own, 245HP & 345LB. This is what I drive to work every day. It's a great truck, not the best on gas (MPG 16) but alot of fun to drive. Rides good for a small truck and is very reliable. Some what fast it'll go mid to low 14's stock.

I Would still pick my 8 over all of them, It's the best most well rounded car I have ever had a pure joy to drive & with the ZEX nos system I just installed it's almost as fast :D

Riggs

Hi all, long time browser, first time poster.
Hopefully I can contribute some constructive comments around the board, and if not, I'll just shut up.

I couldn't afford to get my own car until 28yo so there hasn't been that many but now I am making up for it

2005 350Z - better low end torque, a little quicker 0-60, great exhaust note. RX8 is much smoother, more refined, better build quality, better interior materials and craftmanship, better handling and balance, and most importantly, much better feel and connection between driver and machine. Plus, much better looking and much more fun IMHO

2004 M3 - This is a little bit unfair of a comparison with no dis-respect at all meant to the RX8. Take all the Rx8 good points and its great qualities, and magnify them a bit. With added torque and power, and even better overall build quality. However, in the end, the extra level of enjoyment I get from driving the M3 over the RX8 is very little. Great freakin' job Mazda!

2004 Range Rover HSE - This is my wife's car. Immense levels of luxury, build quality, power, presence and prestige I guess (but I don't give a toss about this).
Unchallenged off-road ability (except maybe from Hummer?) Legendary reputation.
Stupidly expensive, minor problems/issues can be numerous and frustrating, and it gets approximately 2.75 mpg

2004 Pathfinder LE - I love this truck. Drives like a big car (though obviously not as car-like as some of the new SUVs, X5, RX330, MDX etc), powerful and smooth engine, luxury-car level shifts, quiet for an SUV, traditional rugged looks, good off-road ability, beautiful interior which still surprises me for a $35K SUV compared to others in its price range. Bomb-proof reliability. Not great on gas, no auto-dimming rear view mirror, I'm stretching here a little which speaks volumes for the truck I guess. New design sucks IMHO.

Texas 8

Let's see, from 1st car to most recent:

1982 Dodge Colt

1984 Nissan PU

1991 Ford Escort

1982 Dodge Ram 1/2 Ton PU

1980 Buick Regal

1985 Toyota Celica

1987 Chrysler LeBaron

1999 Mercury Sable

1991 GMC Safari

1998 Chevy Suburban--Actually my Wife's car...

and... 2004 RX-8 6sp

As you can plainly see, there isn't much comparison between my RX-8 and my previous "rides"

Brandon

Before the RX-8 was an '97 Honda Prelude Base. It was a great car. Kind of similar to the RX-8 with the big difference being it was fwd (which was my least favorite aspect of it). I always thought it could have used a little more power and I got tired of the VTEC kick so the RX-8 does just what I want it to (okay maybe it could use more HP ). Handled pretty good, but it was getting old and kind of sloppy feeling, even though I had adjustable shocks and tighter springs.

Before that was a '91 Plymouth Laser Turbo (DSM) (fwd). It was fun, but not very refined. You had to have the steering wheel turned straight if you wanted to really push it otherwise you got horrible torque steer and inside-wheel wheelspin. It was also pretty worn down by the time I got rid of it. Burned a ton of oil as well.

Overport

I've only owned two cars. My 2000 Ford Escort ZX2 was a fun little five-speed with absolutely no power. It had a nice stereo, smooth gearbox and it was fun to drive. When I moved up to the RX-8, it was a definite noticable increase in power and I loved it. Still not enough though, waiting on my Greddy turbo still.

RevTo9K

2004 RX-8 Velocity Red, Touring, 6 speed, appearance package, spoiler. 14-17 mpg.
I... LOVE... THIS... CAR...

2003 Acura CL Type S Black, 6 speed
260 HP, FWD with LSD. Bought in '02, it's been reliable. Very comfortable, 0-60 in 5.8 and change. Great highway car for business travel. Acura only made 2700 6 speeds so she's a classic.

2004 Nissan Murano SL AWD Pewter (fiance-mobile)
For those of you who hate SUVs, but need an SUV, you gotta check this thing out. Handling is fantastic for a truck (and the SE model has an even stiffer suspension). CVT is hilarious when you're first getting used to the 'no-shift', and you'll see over 17 MPG in an SUV that does 0-60 in 7.4 seconds.

1997 Acura Integra Type R #198 of 500, Championship White
The SCCA Touring Car championship-winning FWD LSD 1.8L 195 HP mini-monster that gets 33 mpg on the highway. 0-60 in 6.2 seconds. No sunroof, rear wiper or cruise because they are too heavy. This is how I got used to revving past 8800 RPM. Plus, it's an Integra, which means you can drop the back seats and stuff it with gear. Still own her, currently for sale.

1995 Honda Prelude VTEC Blue-Green with Tan Leather
Basically, think of a 190 HP FWD RX-8 and you'd have this car pegged. 0-60 in 6.5 seconds. I'll always love Preludes.

1993 Honda Prelude VTEC Milano Red
This was my first new car straight outta college.

1986 Honda CRX Blue/Silver
This was my college two-seat dorm gear hauler.

1983 Ford EXP Silver/Gray
This was basically a two-seater Ford Escort with 10 extra horsepower, shaped like a miniature Mustang. High school ride. Ate two power-steering racks and a valvetrain before I shot her and got the CRX.

Some observations:
- I've never had four doors until the RX-8.
- I've never had an automatic.
- I'm a hondaholic.
- My next car needs to be yellow.

MI_FamilyMan

New to old:

2004 RX-8 GT - Looks great, feels great driving it, and tons of fun-to-drive quotient yet still mild-mannered enough to drive in commuter traffic. Best vehicle I've owned by a longshot. I plan on hanging onto this one forever, or as long as I can.

2004 MPV ES - This is my wife's van. She had wanted one for a while. Nice ride, everything seem's put together well, and it's smaller size is a nice alternative for those who don't want one of the bigger minis and don't like the other "crossover" offerings. Only complaint is an occasional balky shift from 2nd to 3rd and 200hp is barely enough. It's Tsunami Blue, a really cool color for a van, kinda like Winning Blue. And cool 17" rims!

2000 VW Jetta VR6 5-spd - Solid car, nice styling in and out, a lot of features for the money. Acceptable performance, good steering feel, but low limits. It's 174hp felt a lot more powerful than my '98 Ford. Funny thing is, when I think about it, I can barely remember what it was like to drive it. So much for Fahrvenugen (sp?)...

1998 Ford Contour SE - My current beater while my 8 is avoiding the inclement weather. It starts, but that's about it. The only car I've ever owned that's ever had problems. 170hp Duratec V6 is manageable, but nothing to write home about. I believe that because it is a Ford.

1997 Honda Prelude - This was a silver/blue with a spoiler. At the time, I was in heaven with this car. Decent power at 195 hp, great handling for a FWD car, and unique styling that really grew on me. Like the 8, you would see very few on the street and I really liked that. Put together really well, but didn't have a whole lot of creature comforts/luxuries. Really nice engine, but unlike the 8, I eventually got tired of revving it anywhere near redline. Only car I wish I still had.

1993 Honda Civic Si Hatchback - My first VTEC experience and first 5-spd. This was my college car and did a great job at that. The clamshell liftgate was kinda cool, and it was a pretty cool car for that stage of life. And again, for Michigan it was a very unique car to own. The only one on campus while I was at school. Got dubbed, "The Jellybean" by all the ladies. Decent zip for 125hp.

1990 Acura Integra GS - 130hp 4-cylinder 4 door auto. This was my dad's car that I got to drive when I was a teen. This was the first car purchase my parents made where I was able to influence their decision on what to buy. Otherwise I'm sure they would have bought something goofy like a Chevrolet Lumina or something like that.

1986 Ford Tempo GL - Crummy 98 hp 4-cylinder auto. Learned to drive on this thing. What a piece of junk. I don't think it ever had a smooth shift, when it started that is. Worst car I've ever driven. What a surprise, another Ford.

1981 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Station Wagon - This one brings back memories. This was a beater by the time I started driving so I avoided it. But a lot of childhood memories riding in this wagon in the rear facing seat. Plus my Dad ended up having to replace the engine in the late 80's and whatever V8 he put in there really had a lot of zip. Wish I knew where that engine came from.

Sorry for the long post.... but sometimes when you get to thinking about past vehicles, it really gets nostalgic.

Slims8

Ha... I had a 91 5-speed and a 92 Turbo. The 91 lasted 1 week. The timing belt broke. I started fixing it at 9 pm and finished at 6 am the next morning. I wrecked it before 8 am!

The 92 blew a hole in the piston on the way home from the dealership! 1 attempt at fixing it and it blew again 2 days later

Other Vehicles: Many rangers... Like them, wish I still had my '02 edge. Run forever and outrun stock S10s. All the rest of my vehicles were junk so no need in comparing.