Where are the REAL driving enthusiasts?!
 

Horsepower seems to be the only thing everyone cares about anymore. Everyone cares about numbers, quarter mile times, 0-60 times, and everything EXCEPT what makes a sports car actually feel and drive like a sports car.

I'm about to pick up my first car, an RX-8, but I'm having a hard time convincing one of my cousins, as well as many other people that it's really something else.

My cousin drives a 400hp 2.7 Twin turbo Audi S4. He's a good guy that has spent a lot of time building his car into what it is today but it's unfortunate that not too many people put an emphasis on chassis dynamics, handling, road feel, steering feel, etc. Him especially. He's been trying to convince me NOT to buy an RX8, but I've been trying to convince him to give the car a shot.

I can't believe that even I, of all people, understand the importance of braking, handling, response, etc. Another one of my cousins had an RX-8 too. Even though I was much younger at the time and wasn't as educated in cars, I knew that the RX-8 was a true sports car, something you wouldn't understand unless you actually drove the thing around a few corners. Unfortunately, it was an automatic, but because of that, I was able to take it for a spin a few times. It was the first proper sports car I've driven.

It's unfortunate that most people look down on the RX8 simply because it lacks power, which it frankly does. But so many people are so closed-minded to vehicles like the RX8 that I'm starting to think we won't have these sort of cars around for much longer; the demise of responsive driver cars seems to be dawning but its unfortunate people won't give these cars a chance.

I actually think I'll benefit from having a "slow" first car. It'll teach me how to be a good driver. I don't have stupid gobs of power so I'll always have to be in gear, the right gear. It'll teach me how to properly rev-match, downshift, and actually DRIVE the car, unlike cars with more power that are more "forgiving" to those sort of things. I'm sure the autocrossers will agree with me. It's sad I know these sort of things even though I haven't even learned to drive a proper manual yet.

An RX8 will inspire some confidence in corners. This a car that's really going to teach you how to properly tackle a corner, discover the right lines, etc. Am I right guys?

How often do you guys have to try to explain this to other people. It seems like the only people that will give an RX8 a thumbs up are people who actually track/race their car. How do we deal with all the other posers, wannabes, and the closed minded people that drive on the street?

dude i feel you, the worst is those kids with the wrx's and sti's that think there hot shit just cos there pushing high stock hp, and just drive them in strait lines. rx8 ftw

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well, if thats true, why people super/turbo charging their rx8 then?
sometime power is part of the performance.
a good car should have both power and cornering
rx8 power is barely enough

Adding power to the RX8 isn't a bad thing. The chassis deserves a bit more "hmph"; that's something I can agree to.

What I'm trying to say is, people don't appreciate the RX8 for the capabilities it already possess in stock form. Power isn't everything, you gotta take into account everything else the RX8 offers. Sure, more than 80 percent of the cars on the road would destroy the 8 in a straight line. V6 Camry's have more power, but that's not what makes a sports car a sports car, get it?

People don't seem to understand the importance of handling, braking, and balance.

I wouldn't say an RX8 is a true sports car. Cars like the Lotus Elise/Exige is one of the few true sport cars remaining today.

With the demise of the S2000, the RX8 and the Miata are probably the only sports cars in their price range. Elise's are raw, track-ready cars but I doubt you could pick one up for under 10k, whereas you can find RX8's in that price point already.

RX8 is an awesome package no doubt.

Part of what draws people toward the 8 is its uniqueness, suicide doors, awesome styling, great color choices...

Its a great car and the only person you should care about is yourself and how much it makes you happy at the end of the day.

Lets face it, lots of people talk crap about how great their car is, so the easiest way to compare performance is with numbers, and 0-60 times etc., are easier to quantify than handling.

Thats why I don't think you'll win many arguments, unless you explain the various clever design and engineering aspects of the car. You just have to be content in the fact that you know how tight your 8 is.

Someone tried to rubbish my 8 after I first bought it, because it doesn't have auto lights! And this guy drives a Passat! :rofl: Morons like this don't deserve to own a great drivers car, and I just couldn't be bothered explaining this to him.

The REAL one's don't have time to argue because we are all out in the garage working on our cars or driving them, or deployed...LOL

I used to care about what other ppl thought of the car, and I used to argue and discuss. Now I just drive the thing and enjoy it....

The driver mod is usually the mod missing on 99% of the modified cars on the street. Most people with high HP rides couldn't drive them to the limit to save their lives.

But, at the end of the day, everyone is different. If they wanna buy a 911 GT3 to drive to the golf course and back then so be it. My boss has couple thousand horsepower in his garage and has never done any canyon runs, road trips, autox, or a track day in any of his performance oriented car. And I would bet most AMG owners fit his profile.

where is said gold course...i'm broke and the price of gold is skyrocketing! :wink2:

OP, you have a great attitude towards the 8 and your first car. Just remember to stop in here from time to time when you miss the enthusiasts that are now hard to come by.

Get some HPDE's under your belt once you learn the car. That will give you numbers to talk about with the numbers people, tons of real driving experience, and smiles and memories to last a lifetime. Oh and it makes you a better driver and teaches you all the things you want to learn based on you first post.

Enjoy your 8 when you get it and post up some pics.

what you talkin' about willis'

True statement.

I have owned nothing but rotary cars. I grew up around cars and racing, my family owns a drag strip so my automobile education was handed to me. When i was younger, not saying i am old, i am only 22, but freshmen in Highschool, i started reading into rotary engines cause i seen this "awesome movie that had a rx7," pretty sure you know what movie i am talking about, i fell in love and decided that it will be my first car. So when i got my drivers license at 15 i started looking, my friend just bought a 240sx and i was mad cause he was already working on building it into a track car, i finally found a car that i wanted, it was an 81 FB. The car looked like crap, cause the first owner used it as a test subject for painting. But the engine was sound and the suspension was well there. After just a few hundred dollars for suspension and brake parts. And some backyard DIY ingenuity, I was doing hill climbs and autox events and running with the crowd on a car i picked up for 500 dollars.

Then after about a year, and feeling confident, i decided to tear the motor apart and really learn how about the rotaries. I did a complete rebuild and mild street port on my own engine. Put it back in the car and it started right up. I wanted something newer after that, so i found a 87 Turbo 2 and bought that for 2k. Sold the 81, and have been building my 87 ever since. I still own it. I haven't driven it in about 3 years now though, due to my decision to join the Army, and being deployed. I have done all the work on it myself and learned a great deal from reading on forums and just learning from hands on.

In mid 2008 i bought my 04 rx8 gt. And compared to when my rx7 was stock, this car handles way better. Mazda really put their name out with this one. I know that out of all the rx's the rx8 handles better than any of them, even better than the FD, stock for stock. The car was engineered wonderfully. It does lack in power, but i am definitely ok with that. My TII has the power and handling that i need for a fix, and the rx8 just is a great car for long drives, and getting groceries. I know that i will never give up handling, balance or the responsiveness for power. My first mods for my TII were suspension. My friend is 240 bias, and well to prove that my rx8 was a competitor, i tossed him the keys and told him to drive it up the mountain. He left with a half a tank, and came back 3 hours later with a full tank and a grin ear to ear. He told me that he is sorry for doubting it and says that i chose well. Now he bugs me to drive it or the rx7 any chance he can get.

Wow, didn't realize that i typed so much. Sorry if i thread jacked, but when people ask about what i think and why i drive the cars that i do, i cant express it in short words or sentences.

Good luck with your new car though and i will wait for your pics.

Trevor

I track my vehicle whenever I can afford it. It's fun when cars with quadruple your horsepower wave you by. Fuck the lack of power bullshit people throw at you, this car handles amazingly!

Damn Trevor I would never let my friend just take my car and have fun in it. I have to be in the car. They all have a heavy foot lol.

Back to the topic, I traded my WRX for my RX8 two months ago and I got a lot of people saying I downgraded and what not as well as getting props from people that know a lot about cars. To the people that say I downgraded I just explain to them everything that was said in this thread and then they shut up.

One of my friends is a shop owner and a big time track guy and he is the one that helped me make my final decision to get the 8. He convinced me that the 8 is a good track car and I would be happier with it, and I am. I have yet to take the 8 on the track but I will soon enough. Even doing canyon runs with the 8 it really does have better balance and seems like it out handles my Subaru any day.

Well that's where trust comes in. And i told him that if he wrecks it, i then own his s14. Ha:)

I would love to do some HPDE's but I think I should go to driving school first. I don't want to show up to my first event and suck terribly, especially with a car like the 8; that would be embarrassing. Anyone know of any good driving schools around SoCal?

HPDE is driving education, not racing. You'll take HPDE1 with an instructor in the vehicle. No need to spend the money on driver's ed....wait...how old are you?

The 8 have some great feature, but the true sport car is the FD RX-7. It have the power and cornering ability as well.
HPDE is High Performance Driving Event, the instructor teach you how to drive your car around the track. For group 1 they drive it pretty slow anyway because most people don't know their car's limit. There will be no passing in turns, so you could only pass in the straight. They will give you a track map and tell you where you could pass or let others pass you.

Sorry, I was under the impression a HPDE was like an autocross competition or such. And when I said driving school I meant something along the lines of Skip Barber, not "P stands for Parking, now put it in D to drive" driving school.

I'm 17, turning 18 in a few months but I don't see why that should be too relevant.

Somewhat relevant to what I wanted to know. I thought you were implying going to a high school driver's ed. It's High Performance Driving Education, not racing. Just sign up for HPDE1, you're assigned to an instructor. Usually they will race your car for the first session.

I think under 18 your parent need to go with you, the skip barber is a racing school, after a three day school you could get your race license and start racing in NASA or SCCA.