Razz1

You can't compare Fordia to dry parts of the country.

The humidity in the sir makes a big difference. It makes the AC function better.

I live in Costa Mesa at the beach. I have 5 cars now and have owned several.

The AC just plain sucks. It is marginal at best. I have to keep it at full anytime I;m in Riverside Calif. or someplace inland where its hot.

Very disapointing.

Rob Tomlin

When was your car built Razz?

takahashi

S4 is a very good car but I doubt it would be very much faster than the RX-8 on track though...

With the money why not get a Porsche GT3? They are similar in price in the US right?

Painless

In AZ, it gets really damn hot. The A/C works pretty well at night but during the day and in the omnipresent sunshine, it lags pretty badly and you have to put it all the way up and have it blowing on you to stay cool. Granted, it does get upwards of 115 here, but this is a bad cooling system as well.

RussellP

You spent twice the money for a heavier, uglier car. But hey, I hear the air conditioning works great in it!

Grabitquick

Just drove mine home after closing the deal and parked in the garage the first time this evening. Hard to criticize when I'm not in the other person's shoes, but my AC was super and it was a warm afternoon here in L.A. I do have a recent build date, which may make a difference. Either way, good luck to the O.P. I still think that I'll keep my 8 for a bit.

RX-Hachi

This a/c thing is a bit of a mystery. Some cars seem fine, others not. Kind of like rattles, some have 'em, some don't. My car is very tight and rattle free (thank god, knock on wood), I hate rattles, they drive me nuts. My a/c on the other hand is ok, but a little inconsistent. Sometimes it just freezes my butt off and seems too cold. Other times, in the middle of a hot humid hawaiian day, it's not as strong if I have it on "fresh". But then just fine if I put it on "recirclulate". But overall it seems ok, usually just keep it on 2. I'd rather have a slightly quirky a/c unit than rattles. Other than that, the car has been absolutely flawless.

BasenjiGuy

Getting a little gray around the muzzle? J/K

Not that I don't like Audis, and German cars in general (miss my 3-series and used to have an A4 2.8 QSM), but forget about power oversteer with your new S4. Its Haldex system has the car running a 60% front/40% rear torque split! That's not the old school Quattro initial 50% F/50% R split with variable F/R torque split we've all come to love.

You'll be understeering in curves where the 8 was hanging its puny little 238hp tail out! Forget about tossability. You'll have a very torquey, heavy, albeit more spacious car.

But that begs the question: If you bought the 8 for it's attributes, why get an AWD car for your next one? If I was going to spend $40k or more I'd get a RWD 3-series with Performance Package (0-60 in 5.8 sec) or look for a deal on an M3. These cars are still RWD and much more like the 8 but in their driving dynamics but have the added utility of rear seats and easier ingress and egress.

Did you get the 8 just because it was new and different, or did you specifically want a high revving, tossable RWD sports car with a seating for 4?

RenesisPower

I got the RX-8 because I have alway been fascinated with the rotary engine. Don't get me wrong, I think very highly of the RX-8, it is wonderfully designed and great handling car but the lack or power bothered me the most.

Few cars could catch up on freeway on/off ramps with the 8 although the Boxster S's came close. I got tired of getting smoked by 3 ton SUVs at stop lights unless I reved up to 7K RPM and dropped the clutch, kind of embaressing .....

I hope my former 8 finds a good home, I took care of her well.

irish8

Renesis....congrats!!

Photo's please.

- Irish

RX-Dreamer

Why not get a Lotus?

For $50,000 equipped with everything...

They go 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, and do 13.4 1/4 mile. They also have .98 lateral G, and stop faster than the 8.

Not to mention they look like a Ferrari 360 Spider.


I really wonder what people are thinking when they buy overpriced crap like BMW and Mercedes. And Audi isn't too far off.

RX-Dreamer

Not to mention BMW's Mercedes and Audi's do not look half as expensive as they are. It's like you're paying 50% for the logo on it.

takahashi

I second the Lotus idea... especially the Exiege.

I am sure about the "equipped wit everything..." comment though. :p

It at least have no ABS and traction control.

I will buy the M3 CSL though RX-Dreamer.

RX-Dreamer

The Lotus Elise costs 39,9 starting, and costs like 50,3 with everything, including tax.

RX-Dreamer

I'm talking US Dollars... Not Aussie currency. :o

downshift

Hahaha.. Incubus rocks! (well, up until their latest album)

Fanman

RX-Dreamer have you ever been in a Lotus. The numbers sound great, but that car is tiny, and outside of the track is pretty much unusable. The interior is very cheap, and personally I think it is hidously ugly. The S4 would be a great everyday car. It really depends what purpose the car is being used for. The quality of the interior is very nice, and the engine is very torquey. Overall it is a nice package.

RX-Dreamer

I know it's tiny... But don't say that buying an S4 is practical... Spending $50K+ on a car isn't practical to begin with, so why buy one that looks like $20,000?

Fanman

I have no idea what your financial situation is, but when I talk about practicality I am talking about the physical dimensions of a car, and it's usefulness in transporting multiple people, cargo, etc and still do so in a rapid fashion (that I like). In this case the Audi can transport 4 people and much more cargo than a Lotus can. That to me means it is more practical. In terms of looks, or performance that is an opinion stated by you. In your case you do not see a "value" in a name of car or that it might have a higher quality of material. Some people do.

RussellP

wow I thought the Lotus was way more expensive.

RX-Dreamer

If you're so rich, buy two cars, a practical one, and a sporty one... Why have a half-sporty car that looks like an econo-box and costs more than a sporty car.

I can go to McDonalds and buy two big macs for 6.58+tax, or I can go down the street, and get a really nice sub sandwich for 3.99 that is made of better stuff, and tastes alot better too. It just doesn't have a big M on the bag.

Fanman

RX Dreamer, I think you are getting way too paranoid. I'm not saying anything about your financial situation, so please don't say anything about mine. For a lot of people (myself included) they would rather a nice all around car that can be semi sporty & semi usable rather than have two cars. They can have just as much fun carving corners (albeit at a slightly slower speed) with their car, yet transport the kids in it when they want. I really don't need to do a 100 mph around a curve in a Lotus, if I could do 80 in an Audi/BMW. I'm not sure what you have against MBZ, Audi & BMW other than price as all car makers have cars that have humble beginnings yet are fixed up ala the Lancer/EVO, Focus/SVT Focus, etc.

RX-Hachi

I've never had any problems pulling away from anyone yet at a stop light. I'm not talking drag racing, just normal spirited daily driving. The RX-8 is faster than the majority of cars on the road and certainly SUVs (except for the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and BMW X5 4.8 etc.). Of course if you expected to dust 911's, Vette's, M3's, 350Z's and the like, then you made the right choice in saying "bye" to your RX-8. Now you've got the perfect sleeper in the S4, most won't even know what it is. BTW, I do love the S4, but I wish it was a bit more aggressively styled than a plain jane A4 - it's hard for me to tell 'em apart.

RX-Dreamer

No... I'm not being paranoid at all... I'm just saying that spending over $50,000 on a car isn't terribly practical regardless of how much money you make. Whether I made $40,000 a year, or $400,000 a year, I still wouldn't buy a car that costs twice as much as another car that looks and performs the same or better.

DOMINION

Sounds like people just wont a car to get them from one green light to the next. If you wont a car that gos from 0-60 in 2 seconds get a dragcar