FINALLY THROUGH WITH MY 8: need recommendations
 

My 8 broke down for the last time. I'm through with it. I'm trading it in. It has about 190,000 miles so I drove it enough. The 2nd engine has about 60,000 miles. It's an 04 that I purchased in July 03 so it'll be 11 years old soon. That's longer than I've kept any car that I've owned. The thing is there isn't much that I can afford that I'd want to trade it in for. The 8 is practically an exotic car. It's poor sales makes it exclusive. I can go weeks without seeing another one. It looks more expensive that what is is. And while it's a chore to maintain it definitely isn't boring. It's also kinda practical. I just went camping with my son and was able to fit all our camping equipment in the car (with some creative packing).

I'm reaching out to find a good alternative to the 8. I know nothing I can afford will be as exclusive, but what's just as fun or almost as fun. I'm actually thinking of just giving up on the sports thing and going with something more luxury. I'm looking at the Buick Regal GS. I already have the Lacrosse and am happy with it. I really want the new Stingray but need a more practical daily driver. I'm toying with the strategy of buying a used minivan and saving up for a few years for a used Stingray.

What I looked at.

Genesis Coupe; afraid it won't be fun to drive and that I'd grow to hate it over time
Charger; The v6 doesn't really interest me, the v8 is too bad on gas to be practical
Mustang; I am actually trying to wait until the new one comes out next year but then am leery of purchasing another 1st year model.
Camaro; The more I look at them, the more I hate them. The car is twice the size as the 8 but has way less room.
BRZ/FRS; not in the cards as they are way too small. I can't even fit in them and have a 6 yo.
WRX; I looked at one today but they look cheap inside. Also, I'm trying to wait for the new one. The new WRX and the new Mustang are the ones that interest me the most. Both come out next year.
Honda Accord v6 coupe; very nice but front wheel drive. I'm still interested.
Focus ST; may be a little too young for me
Taurus SHO; interesting but a little pricey.

The big issue is that I've been living with the 8 for almost 11 years and that I'm afraid to commit to another car that I feel I won't enjoy driving as much as the 8. Now, I'm sure that most anything I buy would be mush easier to live with but the 8 is like a relationship with a woman who's no good for you but is all passion. I'm afraid I'll end up with automotive equivalent of my wife. No passion there.

also, I don't want another high maintenance car. I need a daily driver. I put about 18,000-20,000 miles a year so I need something that's easier to maintain.

I think in this instance I would go with the cheap car like a minivan or a cheap hatchback and save for something you really want (stingray). Its the only way to truly get what you want.

Genesis, Accord, and BRZ/FRS will fit your needs.

I hear ya, I'm 8yrs into mine, 2nd engine, 3 transmission, 3 clutch kits 157,000K but I can't seem to let it go..

Mustang or SHO (words I never thought I would say) and the third choice would be the Genesis. But trust me when I say this, nothing under 50k will feel even close to the 8. So you have to ask yourself how important that is.

I like the looks of the Genesis coupe, and the size. 2 years from now will I like driving it as much is the question. Can't fit in the BRZ. Somehow I feel the SHO would be a fun car to have.

Honda Accord V6 Coupe...i drove it and they are very fun to drive. A lot of room space inside too...

Try a GTi, you may be surprised. If used is an option you open a lot more doors: M3 notably.

A certified used V8 M3 sedan would certainly be an incredible car, with similar practicality and enjoyment as the 8. If you're thinking about something out and out comfortable, cheap-ish to maintain, and daily drive-able, I'd personally consider a new 6....a fairly loaded 6 speed Touring is around $25k, and they just look incredible.

Wait another year and get a VW Scirroco R with a body kit... I'm seriously considering it myself, seen them in person back in Thailand which got them a few years ago before us :wallbash: :anger: :( and they are sweeeeet!

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Sweet stance...

Rieger bodykit for the VW Scirocco

Is the Scirocco coming to the US?

I just read a Motortrend review of the Sciroco R. It's a few hundred pounds lighter than the Golf R. They said it was amazing. I've driven a MKV and MKVI GTi and was extremely impressed. They said it wasn't coming to the US anytime though.

My next car will most likely be a Mazda 6.

Mazda 6 = Lame wrong wheel drive dream killer.

If you don't want something that is high-maintenance, avoid anything German. They are easily has needy as an '8.

WRX STI... Genesis is a cool car. 6 cyl or the 4 cyl turbo. The BRZ with the vortech supercharger is fun as hell to drive.. My friend just did that springs and exhaust and its balanced very nicely for what it is. only like 225hp but fits well on that car. But without that fun stuff nice wheels, tires with springs and struts make it a fun car to drive... I went with a WRX after my first 8 and YES the insides are cheep and they don't at all give you the same cockpit feel as the 8 The newer ones are MUCH better in that area. Mine is an 2006. BUT I love the car fun as hell to drive but to make it feel alive you got to do some suspension mods to take the floaty feel out. But once that is done whole new beast.. but the inside still sucks.. lol.. Still with the fun I have with my WRX when i was able I still got another RX8.

I was trying to wait until next spring to trade my car in. Both the new Mustang and WRX would be out. I feel that in the next few years we'll see some really nice cars come out.

The RX8 didn't get the props it deserved probably because of the rotary not being mainstream enough. The BRZ/FRS has sparked a new argument for balance as opposed to just power. We have a lot of cars that have power but few that have the balance as well. The 8 sure does have the balance. If Mazda had turboed it, that would have forced people to notice it, even being a rotary. If Mazda wants to continue with the rotary, they have to find a way to make it more mainstream.

It's not mainstream because it is/was fragile from 03-08 in comparison to other cars. The series II Renesis has fared much better but it was too late, the damage to the RX-8's reputation was already done. Plus the power in it's price range just wasn't competitive and to some that is important despite how great the RX-8 is overall.

German stuff is actually worse. Dad has an 09 5 series BMW, and it has automatic headlights, so it left its own headlights on, killing the battery.

its got something called an "intelligent battery sensor", so when you change the battery, it needs an hour of labor in the shop to reprogram the car.

battery is $500, with labor, the bill was over $700.

the rx8 battery is normal, and the car needs 10 minutes to relearn the idle….

example #2. a friend of mine has a VW EOS, which is a cheap car. he's on transmission #3 in 40,000miles. transmission parts an labor is $6500.

the first one was under warranty (@20,000miles), second one, at 40,000 was not.

the Rx8 trans is ~2600 for the part, and ~300 to install.

#3. Dads previous car was a 2007 Audi A6. every 20,000 miles they want to pull the engine apart to clean it. My 1958 Tr3 had a service interval for this too, but the Tr3 can go 50,000 miles between cleanings. the first time was under warranty, but no warranty extension, so @40,000 miles when the CEL comes on, its customer pay.

with the Rx8 Mazda extended the engine warranty…

in short Germans make cars that drive nicely, but they fall apart, and are frighteningly expensive.

Pffft I've owned many German cars and my experience with them was the opposite of what you're saying (except prices but i was never having to fix anything)

Really?

Stay away from German used cars. I have seen too many problems and the bill is double to repair.

BRZ has serious problems mechanically and electronicly.

I'm looking at the Stingray......

A used Buick will last for ever so pick that and save for the RAY

used Mazda3 wagon? pre-maniacal-grin. cheap, reliable, tons of room.

wife has an 02 Protege5, 140k miles and going strong. zero issues. nice build quality, nice materials.

Dad has an 08 Mazda3, similar story. wrong-wheel-drive yes, but you can feel the Mazda DNA in it, still fun to drive.

The used expensive Germans are phenomenally expensive & complex to repair. Look at Edmund's long-term M3. 'cracked suspension bushings', $1500 as I recall, which 'only occurs on cars which are driven spiritedly'. WHAAAT??

forget about a BMW or mercedes if you're looking for practicality. for those who recommend an M, try working on one.

Would be a GTI for me, but if reliability and cost-of-ownership are priorities, I'd go Japanese. Maybe a Mazda 3?

Waiting to see the new mustang could very likely prove to be the best decision.

The 135i might fit your bill. The only way to know is to start going for test drives.

Get a toyota or a honda. They got the reputation to be reliable as hell. Usually higher performance vehicles will need more TLC than others. Especially when you have a turbo involved. You just have to weigh what you're needs are versus what you want.

My rx8 has run its course to almost 100k with the original motor and a shit load of track days and spirited driving. I got a mazdaspeed6 as a daily because i wanted an AWD turbo that get better MPG than the 8 which the MS6 fulfills but i know it still needs a decent amount of TLC for being an AWD turbo vehicle. And i'm now getting a FD rx7. I'm a gluten for punishment but i just know my risks when getting vehicles and what needs to be done to make them reliable.

My parents had a 92 Toyota 4runner which was built like a rock and lasted over 200k miles before trading it in for an 03 4runner which is at 100k and still going strong. And my mom doesn't really get the maintenance done on either of the 4runners which amazes me till this day how well they lasted.

Not true, word is, it is likely to come here in the next generation due out in 2015. So maybe if your info came a year or 2 ago then it applied then..

Rubbish, raced VW's for years and they were without question one of the most durable and reliable cars on the track, Porsche (VW) has an unmatched record for durability, your post is so much nonsense I can't believe I even took the time to respond to it.

Exactly..... My current VW GTI is a 99 VR6 and has 210,000 miles and still running strong, my 2004 8 not so much it's parked and I bought the GTI because I needed a car quickly and the 8 needs an engine and tranny work or a new one it has half the milage. Outside of regular maintenance over the last year of ownership all I've needed to fix was the starter when I first purchased it and that was due to a monkey mechanic putting the hot lead on backwards and causing it to dead short on the top of the solenoid and replace the coils which are notoriously bad on this model and one integrated piece..

I will concede that these years later the quality of the interior trim pieces leave a lot to be desired..

How likely will the new stang loose 400 lbs? Probably closer to 200 lbs if lucky.

Better luck with the new mazda/alfa miata, new cuda, or even new z35.

If I had to loose the rx8 now, I would lease something short term and see what's coming in the next few years.

So about the reliability... German cars 'among worst for engine failures' | Auto Express , not the first or last review with the same results...

As for your choice, I would maybe go for that ST, but you should probably take some test drives from that list to see what actually suits you.

Too bad you don't have Megane RS out there, and that's a beast compared to other fwd cars (ST, GTI etc...), as well as for many awd and rwd ones that are way more expensive than it. It's like a mini GT-R :D:

One I missed: a used Porsche Cayman S
A good one is around the $30k mark, they are phenomenally reliable, build quality and materials are excellent. I've driven them with 30k miles and with 110k miles, they age very well. Fantastic driver's car.
I've been doing a lot of sports-car-shopping myself recently. The Cayman S is the best driver's car I've found. If you like the RX8, you'll love the Porsche. Chassis feel is actually quite similar: you can tell the weight is very centralized, the cars change direction fast, very responsive, both have excellent steering. And the Porsche is truly quick vs. the RX8 being barely acceptable.

key words ^^^^

If that's true, I'm excited. It was this month's issue of either Car and Driver or Motortrend.

Can't help but through in my 2 cents here but I'll suggest you take a look at an EVO X. Sounds like the OP is looking for the best of both worlds, performance and practicality. I owned one for 3 years. I challenge anyone to find more power and exquisite handling from a $30k car. This is a car you will drive just for the hell of it, no destination required, its that fun. You get 4 doors, a useable trunk, and AWD. Downsides, its pretty heavy 3600lbs, gas mileage is a joke, as is the interior, and when you finally sell it it'll take around 50-60k to find anything near as fun to drive!

The thing is, they go for a lot more than 30 new, and I don't know if i'd trust a used one. I hear they require lots of maintenance as well. I respect them alot, and WRX's, but they aren't packaged as sophisticatedly as I want. I was trying to wait and see what the new WRX becomes but I'm just tired of dealing with my car. I saw a used R3 at the Mazda dealer the other day and the thought crossed my mind. I asked my wife, "what if I came home with another RX8", and she said that I'd do something that stupid. She's seen me whining about repairs on my car too much, and we had way too many arguments regarding the 8. I think she thought I loved my car more than her. I guess she didn't like me taking wedding money to fix my car.

Idk what they go for now, I got a 2010 Evo X GSR for 33k brand new. Agree with avoiding a used one over a year old at least. Traded it in for a 2013 MS3 (long story), and miss it everyday. Everything is a trade off when it comes to picking cars. Best case is to buy a cheap DD and winter duty, and drive what you really want the rest of the time.

I get it.

I can't find another new car for even twice what I paid for my '05 new that I like 1/2 as much.

Mine only has 88,000 miles, though, with NO problems thus far, and I plan on just religiously maintaining it and seeing how many miles I can go.

I can afford to buy a new car, but so many of them seem to be worse than their predecessors (this goes for Acuras, Lexi, Infinity - which is sad because the G37 was WAY better than the new Q50 which is a POS).

I am letting my 04 8 go now at 95k original miles. Still runs great but I want something newer. So I searched and searched and nothing excited me in my price range, style and mileage requirements. Until I found some 10 and 11 8s! They lack the leather and sun roof my Grand Touring has, but if I get anything else, I will not be satisfied and will feel like I "settled." Nothing looks or feels as good for the price as an 8 imo. I'm buying myself another six years of bliss and the new rotaries will be out by the time I am done with this one.

A late model IS250/350 is a great choice IMO. Reliable, luxury and still sporty. They come AWD and also 6speed manual or tiptronic. Pretty good daily.

if you think the 8 is "high maintenance", you should really avoid ALL KINDS OF GERMAN CARS

if you think 8 kills you, German car will make you wanna commit suicide

and I mean it. wanna DIY? forget it, they designed their crap from ground up to prevent that as much as possible, oil change? sure. anything else? Dealer please.

car is aging, but it's gonna be hard to find a replacement that's under 80K

I can't tell you what you will like, but I will say that after becoming depressed with the amount of money I'm spending on my 8, I was looking at Fox Body Mustangs and how frikking cheap they are to mod and replace parts.

Also 240z.

If I was gonna sell up id buy a silvia s15 turbo. Not sure if you have them in the states though

Do an acura nsx, parts are expensive as shit but the car is pretty damn reliable and a lot of fun :)

you can still buy new Mazdaspeed 3's here for 24k brand new, if you can live with one that is a couple years old they are under 15k, which is a lot of HP/$

the IS350 sounds good too, as does the evo

After selling my RX-8 (attending university in Chicago city limits so never drove it) I had a brief stop in an '04 Santa Fe (wife's car that we shared until I could replace it). After that I upgraded us to an '09 Infiniti G37x Sedan. It's not the fastest or most engaging car to drive but it easily gets 28 MPG on the open highway and the torque is DELICIOUS! We got a base model and it's still pretty well appointed. The tranny is pretty good for an automagic (in "manual" mode it actually shifts reasonably quickly and it doesn't upshift until you tell it to) and if you want to row your own it isn't hard to find manual coupes starting around $20k. I've had it at a couple of autocrosses and I can verify that the stability control is completely off with one press of the button (I spun it twice).

Do I regret selling my '8? Oh hell yes, I do (admittedly, I had very few problems with mine). I sold it to a buddy in my old autocross club and I watch his progress with the car on our forums. I yearn to drive it again.

Do I regret buying the G37x? Oh hell no, I don't.