Mazda Rx8 vs. Scion TC
 

This will be my final question in regards to comparing two car according to my situation:

I've done rigorous research on the TC for the past week and mainly know the thing in and out.

**Personally, I'm looking for a car that CAN be a daily driver, I've seen posts on this forum where people suggest you DON'T use the rx8 daily.

1. Do any of you drive this car daily?

**Yes, we all know the Rx8 involves a lil' more maintenance, that's fine, .

2. but I want to know what year to buy the car where little maintenance will be needed.

**The TC CAN be used as a daily driver and gets excellent MPG but I'm not in love with the TC, I'm in love with rx8. Should I wait until after I'm done with college to get it? Or get it now? Only if the rx8 was more relieable and didn't have all these damn spark plug, seal issues! UGH

1.) Yes, I daily drive it every day

2.) If money isn't an issue, and you want a good price to mileage ratio, look at 06's. You should be able to find one with under 50k miles for around $15k. Check the for sale section.

^+1

Mine is my DD as well im at 78k miles and i bought it at 74k at the end of january. No problems and if you dont go joy riding the gas really isnt all to bad.

Huh? I can't believe you even put "RX-8" and "Scion" in the same sentence. The 8 is a sports car. Why not compare it to a Jeep, an apricot or a tape dispenser? :scratchhe

When I got my 8 I was actually going between it and the tC also... The tC is nice and comfortable but you will be happier with the 8. At least I know I am. It is my daily driver and is my only vehicle for that matter. If you want a car that will just work with little attention and good mpg then get the tC. Its still a nice car and you will be fine with it but it wont be as exciting and fun as the 8. This of course is just my personal opinion. Gas mileage isnt great in the 8 obviously but it isnt too bad, I get 15-16 city and around 20 hwy.

+1! If you compare the 8 with a TC, just go get the TC. When I bought my 8 I was comparing it with s2000, 350z, and wrx.

What year do you have?

** Is the 04-05 rx8 pretty much guaranteed problems regarding spark plugs and seals and such?

Mine is a daily driver.

I daily drive it.

I also lost my time test driving a scion tc before I bought the RX-8. No comparison.

Not sure where you got this from. All Series I cars are identical mechanically, other than (correct me if I'm wrong) upgraded starters and plugs after 2004. As long as you take care of your car, i.e., redline it every week to keep away excess carbon build up, change the oil every 3k miles, and have the coils and plugs changed every 40k miles, you should be in good shape. I've daily driven my '05 from for 35k miles and not run into an issue with it. Maybe I'm lucky.

My advice would be to get something reliable and cheap (Tc) for college, and once you have any debt you might have paid off, then get the car you want. There is no need to financially burden yourself in the event your used '8 takes a dump on itself. Play it safe, work hard, and get exactly what you want a few years down the road.

TC and RX8 in the same sentence... lol if your debating which one to pick then I have no advice for you... TC doesnt even compare...

Having come from a tC to an RX-8 I can tell you there is no comparision other than the number of seats. The tC will be cheaper to operate, my 8 consumes about 35% more fuel than my tC did under the same driving conditions. You can flog a tC and still get 25 mpg. For college a tC is more practical...better mpg, has a spare tire, cheaper to service, etc. The 8 most certainly can be a dd though..it's mine lol. If you do get an 8 just make sure all the recalls/services were done and try to avoid higher mileage. GL

Thanks man.

+1

The key here is that you're still in college. Get the tC. Get a cheaper tC with some door dings. That way, when they happen (and you KNOW ithey're going to happen) you won't feel bad, and you won't take a massive hit on depreciation from them.

Once you're out of college and you go to work for a company with parking spots larger than a pineapple, and has professionals that respect other people's property, then get the car you want.

F' having a really nice car like the 8 for college. The tC looks okay, runs solid, and you can put your friends in the back seat if you have to. That's all you want at this point.

actually, i think, although you're right they're all the same, mazda tweaked the oil injection levels or timing (i'm sure someone will correct me) from when it came out. so more engine failures were seen in 04/05 as opposed to 06/07/08 b/c they had more oil and thus didn't have seal issues. otherwise they're the same, but those adjustments made a big difference.

fwiw, i used my 8 as a dd for 6 years.

i agree though, if you're comparing an rx8 and a scion...........get the scion.

oh... almost forget...

IBTbuyAcivic

I have an 8 its a DD i got it with 12,000 miles for 16k im not at 39 with no issues pretty much as a DD and i just went FI via turbo...........scien tc is a completely different car. you need to drive them both on a road like you stole the car and you will see the difference as well as look at the quality.

mine is a DD too!

got it last april with 32,000 miles. today, or 11 months later, i have about 52,000 miles. i have driven about 20,000 miles in 11 months!

some things that have been changed or happened during this time
-oil changes at 2.5k
-new clutch @ 50k
-new battery
-replaced right tail light gasket
-dealer replaced clutch pedal [mine broke off] [going to install Reinforced Clutch bracket soon
-new drilled slotted rotors [front rotors were warped]
-pads at 40k
-new[led] running lights at 52k [left bulb burnt out]

things that need to be changed soon
trans/diff fluid [hasn't ever been changed]
plugs/wires/coils [hasn't ever been changed]

i drive just about every day, some days i hit more than 100miles. i usually fill up every other day, depending on traffic and mileage.

DD since brand new (Nov. 2006). Currently over 61k miles with no mechanical issues whatsoever. I have been doing autocross semi-regularly for the past two years along with a couple track days.

Replaced ignition components (coils/wires/plugs) @ 42k.

I have recently replaced the brake rotors for the first time.

Fluids have been changed at the following intervals:
Every 3k miles for engine oil (Valvoline 5w30).
About yearly for transmission, rear diff., and brake fluids.

RX-8 rwd > TC frd. Ns

I have a 8 and my one of my good friend drives a tc, we're pretty much always driving our cars together. We have swaped cars, and the 8 is just better. Both of us agree on that, however the tc plays a great role. Great to take long distance, back seats are bigger, I fit comfortably back there with plenty of headroom, you can even recline the back seats and I'm 5'10 btw. You can fold the seats down and it is a hatchback, sorta. So carrying/loading things are way better than the 8 lol.

Now comparing them in the driving/speed/handling stuff, the 8 pretty much beats it in everything. I mean cmon RWD>FWD When we do go out on driving roads he has to pretty much drive the crap outta his car, while I'm just in my comfort zone carving through. Yeah we have done drag races before, the 8 will win most of the time and will allow for more error.

For reliability, we got our cars around the same time, we just got our 30k services. So far no problems with both, no floods on the 8 or anything like that, been premixing since first oil change at 3000 miles, and always used shell V-power. royal purp 5-30 since 5000 miles

mines a dd too with about 100k on the clock and its an 04 auto!

I own both.. I hate the TC. My GF drives it. The seats are like hard uncomfortable foam compared to the 8. I daily drive the 8. You'll be much happier with the 8.

^ yeah just to add to what he said my gf has a tc too and i drive it when we go to school together and its annoying to me the seats are too up high and the weird sunroof cover thing is flimsy and makes alot of noise the interior is very plasticy too!!!

If you have to borrow money, get the Tc. Play when you can afford to play, especially when the first priority should be school.