RX-8 or STi ?
 

Damn it!!! I was already set on getting the RX-8 until I realized what a disappointment it was (for me) that the power is not even close to 200hp and gas mileage is like it's running V8 @ 400hp! Anyways, a thought flashed in while I was flying down to Newport beach from San Jose. Looking at the Salinas area's open grounds I thought about how great it would be to go offroading there. And then... the idea of getting Subaru WRX STi came to me.

Its not that offroading is the only reason to get the STi over the RX-8 but many more. Anyways, aside from the looks (i know RX-8 wins hands down) could you RX-8 fans and owners give me points why I should not get the STi over RX-8? Like say, engine probs, transmission probs, bad ride, etc etc...

The reason I want you to is because at the time I first wanted the RX-8, I was looking for reasons why I should not get it. And then I found them...

HELP

Looks alone are reason enough - those STis are fugly!

i can tell by your post you want the sub so there is no sense in trying to talk you out of it.

Your the guy that wants alot of power. So RX8 is obviously not your car or STi competitor. Totally different cars.

I was thinking about the STi or Evo at one point, but I've changed my mind (yet again). I think the RX-8 looks a whole lot better than either, both inside and out. In the end still have a lot in common with their cheaper econobox versions (like the dimensions of the car in and out, the interior, etc.). There are a lot of lancers trying to be evolutions, as well as imprezas trying to be sti's.

Whereas I think of the rx-8 as being well designed as a unit. You can see a logical sequence in its design. My favorite thing is that it's unique, redefining the definition of what definitive means (sorry, just had to say it :) ). The head-turning capability cannot be denied. You lose a certain amount of performance definitely, but you gain a sense of distinction as well as the satisfaction of having a well-designed vehicle.

If you want all-out performance, then you'll probably want the sti or evo. Still, I say you should just drive them all, and let the width of your grin decide :)

If you like the looks of the STi there are very few reasons to not get it, the engine is proven, the tranny is proven, and the overall performance is as well. For those saying it's no different than the Impreza interior you've obviously never seen one, there's very very little in common between a regular Impreza and an STi. It's going to be tough to find a testdrive though, goodluck with the decision.

Ike

Re: RX-8 or STi ?
 

i too was on the fence about my 8. but i didn't want a performance sedan. i also didn't want to join the WRX crowd - not that there's anything wrong with them. there are definitely more wrx drivers than 8 drivers obviously. you could distinguish yourself in that crowd with the sti. the 8 appeals to me because of it's uniqueness and newness. the power was secondary. if you can get an STi GO FOR IT. (fully equipped and loaded it's the same price as an RX-8: $33K) it's a great vehicle but it doesn't have the same visceral appeal as the 8... in the end it's a sedan...

Re: Re: RX-8 or STi ?
 

You do realize Mazda is sending and hoping to sell 30k RX-8s every year in the US, which is about how many WRXs Subaru sells per year.

well, think about it this way, ITS ROTARY POWERED! That's why I'm getting mines. Rotary powered I'm getting the car, looks-wise it has the build that I want looking in a car----sorta resembles a well defined and cut person yet in a car's sense. The engine performance, I have yet to experience, but with all these talks about how bad it is and all, I don't really mind it as much, because to me, performance is a plus but rather getting looks all over the parking lot or just anywhere you go can do the job. Performance is just usually on the tracks and in races and such. I'm just saying that the RX-8 is a lovely car, that's why I"m getting one soon, and not to mention everything else. May I add, it's rotary!

Well, I've got a unique perception towards this question since our project cars give us first hand experience with all 3 of the mentioned cars. The EVO and the STI anre both solid platforms with awsome power and grip. The best thing about the two is the amount of power you can make with bolt ons. And that they've been around long enough that parts are in abundace.
The RX8 is more of a refined driving experience that tingles the sences via it's very good road mannors. It has a 50/50 balance. This car was made for handling.

Either way, you win.

yeah it handles better than the STi and its only 0.5 seconds slower than the STi if you rev it up and dump the clutch. Plus the looks, interior and exterior. Test drive one and youll be hooked. STi is junk with a turbo. In three years theyll all be in the shop.

test drive buddy

Well my view from over the pond is that I have owned a UK spec STI for 16 months and I am trading for an RX-8 next month.

I love the STi, I have had zero problems with it, and when you are in the mood it is a great car to drive with lots of presence and can outperform 99% of others on the road.

On the downside when Im not in the mood, I find the ride too hard and bouncy, the interior poor quality, the stereo awful, and the powerband is not ideally suited for just cruising around. Also over here, Impreza's have a increasingly boy racer/idiot driver image which I dont like.

I know I will miss it at times, but I am really looking forward to the RX-8. It is a unique car, with gorgeous looks, a unique rotary engine, suicide doors, excellent handling and a much better ride than my STi which will make it more comfortable on long journeys. Also the interior is a very nice place to be, and the spec of the car over here is very high.

All in all two very good, but very different cars, and it is really down to you to decide what it is you want.

Mark

Exactly, MarkW.

I bypassed my choice of color on a new STi for the Mazda. The STi interior, while a *tiny* step up from a WRX interior, is still low rent. Oh forgive me, the cheesy 2 tone plastic treatment on the wheel is "classy." :p

In addition, the Subaru has lost its "cult" following in the US and as a result the quality of Subaru enthusiasts has dropped to the level of Altezza lights and LED's. Thats a crying freakin' shame.

I also tihnk that the new "4 door only" STi happens to be the ugliest STi that Subaru has made. It looks llike a Nissan Sentra with a wings west combat kit or some other bodykit aberration.

I drove both, and made my choice. Don't regret it at all, even when I see the 2 STi's at work.
Faster != better

Like Mark W said above...

Another issue is different than what some are saying here. According to the SAME website that issued such high marks to the RX 8 (saw it from this forum) if you look down the page to the bottom Subaru claims on trouble are soaring due to Imprezza problems.

My dad told me about the stories of the high compression engines and mods and how the life of the engine is short-lived (great while it lasts) but they just CANT hold up no matter who build's em. Both Mitsu and the WRX cars really bother me as new car purchases but again that is opnly my opinion and others think they are great. I disagree with the statements that the tranny is proven and the engine is proven, etc because the warranty claims are through the roof. That is a problem - unless the data is incorrect on the site, I wouldn't touch one. For all out performance (acceleration) there is no substitute for cubic inches. That is an old adage I know but it has held true. If ALL you want is top end and acceleration potential, cubic inches is the way to go. The advantage to cars like the RX is handling. Acceleration is acceptable but muscle cars exceed it - if that is what you want. I am old enough to remember the 300ZX twin turbo and how HOT that car was until some age got on it and then oh boy getting rid of them was a challenge. Also, turbo 4 cyl. thunderbirds, mods made to 3rd gens for reliability, etc etc etc.

Rodster is spot-on with the survey article -- I remember that one, too. Also spot-on regarding choices you make WRT your objectives. From my own experience, I relate it to the last car purchase I made -- ten years ago, when I selected a Probe GT over a Camaro. I wanted a car that could perform optimally and provide a great driving experience throguhout a wide range of situations. 180K and ten years later, the PGT is still a great driver. Camaros and Stangs are fast, but that's all -- I've not been able to see much more personality there... They kinda bore me. It occurs to me that the STi would be too strictly aligned for performance than I would tolerate for more than, say, a few months -- then I'd probably get bored...

ok - another two cents...

i thought about the 80/20 rule:

do you plan on driving the STi to it's full potential most of the time? probably not. in that case, does the STi provide enough comfort and ease of use in your 80% of your driving activities? the 8 does this really well! outstanding fit and finish in the interior. the sTi has a MEDIOCRE interior. at $33K i'd be happier in a Lex IS300 or BMW. the sti dash and steering wheel look cheap. the 8 has a dual road personality - keep it below 4-5K rpms and this is a really nice cruising car. rev it up and it's an acceptable performer. the sTI wins in off the line and in acceleration and probably many other categories of performance. in the end, define what you really want in the car. For $33K, there are other choices beyond the STI for pure performance.

so now i'm scheduling a test ride on an sTi at a local dealer just to compare. i hope i don't get the run around...

The boxer engines are very strong and the tranny problem was with mostly the 02 WRXs, the STi has a totally different tranny and is much much stronger. You are also basing this on an article put out by an insurance company in the UK, look at consumer reports and Subaru reliability is almost on par with Honda in many cases. As for the 300Z TT comment, those cars hold their value very very well, and are hard to find, not hard to get rid of.

Mark, I believe there have been some suspension tweaks to the STi to make the ride a little less harsh here in the states, and we also get a higher displacement engine. The STi here also come with no stereo, which some people critisize, but I would much rather put my own in the car rather than pay a premium for a for a mediocre factory unit, which almost every car on the planet has. Though I agree it will still be a little more rough than an RX-8 on the daily drive.

Vivid, as far as I know you only have regular WRXs and does not have an STi as a project car.

Russell, the STi is about a 1.5 secs faster 0-60 than the RX-8 (pre-production) and about 1.5 faster in the 1/4 mile, more if you consider no one has been able to get the Mag numbers on the post production cars. The STi will also destroy a RX-8 around a real race track and on twisty less than perfect backroads. If you look at the old best motoring video that people were getting all upset about, it was a regular WRX that beat the RX-8 around the track handily, not the STi.

You also have no clue about what kind of reliability the STi will have compared the the RX-8. If you go by past history alone Subaru makes more reliable cars than Mazda does. I fully admit the WRX has had problems with theb tranny, however the STi tranny shares nothing in common with the WRX tranny. The oxer engine has a proven track record, the rotary has proven to have problems in the past. Whether or not the renesis will be different only time will tell, and speculation means nothing.

Jimbo, goodluck with the testdrive, they seem to be hard to come by. You always see these people talk about how they've driven an STi, but most of it is not true since it's very very rare that a dealer will have a demo STi since it's such limited production.


Ike

It's easy to get a "test drive" when your old man has 2 of 'em and your best friend has one as well.. ;)

That said, there is nothing wrong with the 6speed Subaru transmission. Actually, there was nothing wrong with their 5speed either; some drag racing squids were just pissed because it couldn't withstand constant clutch dump abuse. Dumbasses don't understand how to drive properly and blame the equipment!

I think the Subaru platform is awesome, but I loathe sedans... and after owning the RX8 I prefer the feel and power delivery of the rotary. However, if you are that hung up on ultimate power output then by all means get something with a turbocharger.. :)

or still get the rx-8 and turbo charge it later. rx-8+turbo = better than STi in every possible way.

Several thousand dollars later, with no warranty and a engine that has a history of going boom when subjected to FI. Oh and no AWD to help get the power down, and then the STi can spend under 1k in mods and still be faster than you if it isn't already in stock form.

Ike

theres only so many mods left for the STi. RX-8 is a blank canvas.

Can't we just combined the STi and Rx-8 to make a hell of a car?

I agree that both cars offer different driving experiences. The Rx-8 offers some refinement, 9k redlines, and great near-neutral like handling.

The STi, I can imagine, is more like a rally car/German touring race car. More visceral acceleration, stiff ride, great handling with AWD.

Honestly, it boils down to whatever floats your boat.

Though there is a difference between the Golf R32 and STi, they are both AWD platforms with strong torque and similar weight. Try reading the article on this link:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...threadid=10561

Ask yourself what is more important. Both bad ass cars. The sti will never look as good as the 8. The 8's interior also has the sti beat. On the other hand, the sti greatly out powers the 8. If the power is more important, than go with the sti. The only thing the car really offers is power/handling. Styling, lasting appeal etc..was not thought of when this car was designed.

You know nothing about modding cars, nor anything about modded Subarus. Get back to me when a modded RX-8 with a renesis runs 9s and we'll talk.

how much does it cost anyways to replace a rotary motor?

i was looking at the STi, and i ended up with the Rx-8. With that much raw power the STi has i know ill get hammered every day for speeding. I like my rx-8 its sooo much fun.. and the sound of the rotor is sooo damn sexy :)

They are different cars for people looking for something... well, different in a car. :p Lets just leave it at that and be done.

I think for an FD is was around 5 grand, but I', sure there are others that know better than I.

The looks alone dictate the 8.

Sure you can get power by buying a Subaru, though if you were looking for power why not buy a Corvette? I chose the 8 because it looks great drives great and I love the power it does have, and for the idiots that keep talking about their dumbass WRXs and Evos I'll just pull the bike out of the garage and smoke them....in the corners and in a straight line. And as an owner of the 300ZTT I can tell you they don't hold their value and are very easy to pick up cheap because they break and stay that way.

ive been thinking about this the rx-8 handling better then an STi. The rx-8 probably wont have a problem entering a turn and exiting all quick and all, but if you dont get out of the turn right wouldnt you be harmed horribly by all that missing torque? i mean with my sisters STi she just charges the turn and flys out of there...

as for me im kinda like zoooooom brakeeeeeeeeeee... accelerating zooooooom

my sister is more like zooooooooooooooooooooooooooom brakeeeeeeeeee... turbo lag ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

And you know nothing about modded Rx's. When Suby. wins a lemans race with their engine get back to me and we'll talk. The FD's were easy to mod once they were available. And coveted 20b conversion *drool* would spank the puny sti in every catagory.

so... your saying that the rx-8 motor isnt good enough??? that we have to get a new motor to compete... thanks... i feel very good about my car now

No I'm saying, there are so many possibilities for the RENESIS as was for the 13b. I don't see why the RENESIS couldn't be converted to a 3-rotor.

If a Vette has 4 doors and 4 seats then yes, get that.

RX8 handles well but not as well as a STI or EVO.

I don't think many people are going to do that much mod to their RX8. The RX8 is a great car but you can't really compare the performance with a purpose built machine like STI and Evo. Adding horsepower is not going to improve the performance of a car, it will accelerate quicker however.

Re: RX-8 or STi ?
 

If you don't mind the harsh ride of both Evo and STI and don't care what a car looks like then get Evo or STI.

I do have to say that Mazda built quality is better than at least Evo. STI is a bit better than the Evo as well.

BTW Evo doesn't have cruise control so if you do a lot of long trip I wouldn't get the Evo.

STi is a turbocharged rent-a-car. Its just not a cool car, i dont care how fast it is. Nobody looks at an STi and thinks "wow thats cool" they think "why does that budget rent-a-car have a spoiler and look all retarded?"

I agree it does look like a hmmm..High School car. Bottom line is I love my 8 and wouldn't trade it for any Mitsu and especially not a Subaru, they are junk. And as for racing your sister in her STi through some corners, it's how fast you can get through the corner and the 8 will take it.

You guys are pitiful, I respect and like the 8. Some people like the looks of the WRX and STi, and most other car enthusiasts are rather impressed with what the WRX, STi, and EVO can do. As far as Subarus being junk, throughout the years they have had much better reliability than Mazda. The biggest difference between the two cars is the RX-8 looks fast the STi IS fast, and that bugs the hell out of some of you doesn't it. The STi is pure performance, the RX-8 is looking more and more like it's for people that think looks and cute little rotary accents throughout their interior is neat and is the most important part of a car. I know there are people that will be autoxing their cars, and that bought the car for the things besides it's looks, but there aren't many in this thread. True car enthusiasts respect other performance cars.

Tronics, I was talking about the RX-8 and you bring up the FD and 20b for some reason. Last time I checked the lemans car had a 4 rotor engine in it and Subarus mutiple WRC champ WRX has the same damn engine as the WRX, and the US spec STi has a higher displacement version. Take a look on other car boards, the STi gets oooos and ahhhhs, the RX-8 gets comments about how slow it is and how Mazda screwed up and it's not making the HP it's supposed to.

Ike

wow
you guys are really funny

The sti and evo are great cars
everyone has different thoughts but they are both still nice cars

??

why does this guy post here?.
too funny. Yah ok, the 8 is slow (yeah right). You must have nothing better to do than post on a forum where you don't own the car, and probably never spent alot of time in one. We have seen many 1/4 times in the mid 14's. Is that slow? No
Compared to the STI maybe it is slower, but why such a hard on for that car. And if so, then I am sure there is a place for you talk about it all you want. God your good for a laugh

Don't you drive a freaking Jetta? Ever been to europe? Nice taxi cab you've got there. I've known several girls with Jettas, and they do have nice interiors, perfect for putting your eyeliner on.

Are............you..............going........to ask.................................. why................I.......post.........here...... ..in every.............thread?
You've seen one person come close to the mag times on race gas, and no I don't think it's slow. I'm just relaying what other car forums are saying about the 8. I've also spent more time in an 8 than some of the people so dilligently defending the 8.

Dont forget the STi has a few years of development behind it, including turbocharging, and Subaru have improved the performance step by step. The same will happen to the RX8 / Renesis. But what Subaru didnt manage to do was give it good looks. You mention comments about the RX8 being slow and thirsty but I see hundreds of comments about the STi looking like a rat on stilts and dogs barking at it as it drives past. And that does matter to most people.

What was so tough about leaving it at that, you guys call me a troll but I'm clearly not the troll in this thread.

I don't think some people should call the WRX and STi ugly. This guy obviously likes them and calling it ugly will make your opinion on this matter irrelevant from the get go. I'm not crazy about the big spoiler on the STi but I hate the ones on the Mazdaspeed cars too. And I'm not totally in love with all the plastic ground effects that Mazda just tapes to their cars now including the 8. It makes them look like something a 18 year old would drive. Back to the Sti vs RX-8, I don't see how you could go wrong. One is a great sports car that is very practical in every day driving and the other is a street legal rally car that would be a blast to drive if you don't mind it for every day use. Two very good cars at what they are made to do. And IkeWRX, I think people can give you a little too hard of a time here. Usually you don't blast the 8 until someone blasts the WRX or you. But some of the Z people just look to piss us off. Just my opinion.

Ike,
Quick question..where have you read that Subaru has better reliability then Mazda? I only ask because that is the biggest BS I've heard this week. It's great that you like your car, I like my car but I am not all over your board posting how ugly your car is or how your car is slightly faster than mine (off the showroom floor). Give it time my friend and you will see what the 8 is capable of. Until that time take your P.O.S Subaru and post on your own board. Besides don't you have to watch Fast and Furious 1 and 2?

who says I drive a freakin Jetta? I have a blue RX-8, got it september 22.