dizenman

iTrader: (2)

Very true. This is my biggest problem with the rx8. from the outside it looks like a very practical and daily driveable car, but with my daily commute I'm spending $30 a day in gas.

77mjd

I know the BRZ is getting tons of praise, and well deserved, but is anyone else a bit disheartened by the fact that the BRZ really isn't much better than similar cars that were already out 10 years ago?

Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

Opposed to half the self proclaimed sports cars today that don't even compare to cars 10 years ago, not really.

There is only so much you can do with a 20K car.

Rotarius

I have a 2006 RX-8 Grand Touring and my inlaws have a Series 2 S2K that they keep at their house in the hill country. I LOVE driving the S2K through the hills on a beautiful day with the top down, and it's definitely got more get-up-and-go, but for a daily driver, the RX-8 wins hands down. The backseat, quiet cockpit, ample trunk, decent stereo, and roomy interior make it a joy to drive to and from work each day, where the S2K quickly becomes a chore.

I agree with these guys - for pure driving, the S2K wins. For a daily driver that's still ridiculously fun to drive - the RX-8.

77mjd

I think there is plenty of untapped potential in the light, RWD 25-30k sports car market. I wish more brands would get in the game.

TALAN7

I was talking with my brother (who owns a 350Z) this weekend and he mentioned that the next Z will be less expensive and will have a turbo 4 so maybe Nissan realizes that inexpensive is the way to go. The current Z has gotten a bit pricey. The good thing is that with sport coupes being that they're more about driving, when you get good models that aren't too expensive, other brands realize that you don't have to go overboard to make a nice sports coupe. Simpler is better. What I don't like about cars like the Camaro is that in base trim they aren't really good cars. GM has to put so much tech into them to get them to handle where as a cars like the 8, S2000 and BRZ are athletic from the ground up.

By the way can anyone afford 65 thousand for a Z28? Z28s used to be accessible to the average Joe ten years ago.

Coldwound

iTrader: (1)

The 8 wasn't really in comparison in that video in my eyes, it was kind of just there for showmanship then anything else. Seemed more of a S2000 Vs. FRS comparison video.

-_- just.gimme.my.ticket

that video was biased like a ****
"oh we love the fr" were here to show it IS great
2 sec later.....f*** this and that, honda makes us horny when we sit inside it. therefore it wins
......idiots

the honda is the better car but because its equal to the rx8 in performance and doesnt require an arab prince to keep the tank full *only reason*. not because it made you feel all warm and cuddly inside

fuc*n panzies

yankeepicker

What's interesting is at one point or another, these were all cars on my radar. Having been a drop top fan since the year I graduated college in 98 (my first post graduate car was a Chrysler LeBaron convertible), I really wanted an S2000 when it came out, and wanted one all through its production years. It drove like a little race car... people complained about the high revving engine getting obnoxious on longer drives... but I loved it and was even willing to overlook the fact that with the top up, my head hit the roof :/
But two kids later, there was no way I could justify an s2k as a daily driver.
Meanwhile, the RX-8 was everything I wanted in a car (aside from the top going down) but the moonroof was nice. I was a super huge fan of the rotary engine (in 9th grade, I did a report on the Wankel engine after I learned about it in geometry class).
For a fleeting moment, the toyobaru caught my eye because I heard that the BRZ or the FR-S was going to come out with a convertible model, but after seeing the backseat in a BRZ, that idea was scrapped. Re-enter the RX-8.
I've had it for less than a full week now.
It is everything I had dreamed it would be. I still love the s2000, and if I were single with no kids, I'd have had one many years ago. The BRZ is fun but I'd rather have a mazdaspeed 3 instead as an everyday driver. Both kids fit comfortably in the back of my RX-8. For me at this stage in my life, the RX-8 was a clear winner, and I'm very happy to be part of the RX-8 owners club!

delhi

Since the premise is for Everyday Driver. I live in a 4 season country. Right off the bat the S2000 is not in contention. Sure I can slap a set of winter tires on it. It's still a canvas top which sucks when it is cold. And I don't like the idea of 2" snow on the roof.

That leaves wither the rx-8 or FRS. It's a tough call for me. I still love my rx8. The rear seats are really accessible now that I have 2 kids. In this respect the rx8 wins.

However the FRS has better gas mileage. It wins on that front too.

Both are incredibly fun and will get me sinfully illegal on the road. After owning my rx8 for 7+ years I can't say it requires anymore care and attention than my previous cars (WRX, Miata, Mazda6...). Cost of ownership has so far been pretty good at least for me.

So for daily driver RX8/FRS > S2000.
All around performance RX8/S2000 > FRS.

Nathan Atkins

My favorite thing about this video is the conversations that it has fueled among my friends in my car club, we all go round and round extolling the virtues of our cars, and at the end of it all my FRS/BRZ owning buddies(including my wife!), my S2K owning buddies, and my fellow RX8 owning buddies, all declare our own cars to be our favorites, and we state that we respect and admire the competition. that's kind of how it should be I think. ost of us have driven each others cars, on autocross courses and on the street so there is actual experience talking not just fanboy biased owner declarations. I do think its important to point out that I enjoy driving my car more than my wife's knowing that I can replace it for less than 10 grand, where we paid 28k for hers. I can buy a lot of gas and tires and oil for the missing 18,000!

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Exactly, my buddy was going to pay 30K for a BRZ when he has an almost paid off 07' RX-8 GT with a fresh engine in it. I always try and move up in terms of cars, not backwards. The FRS/BRZ is a decent enough car but I just could not stomach the retail price and it would take $5,000.00 in upgrades for me to drive it daily and it would still be slow by today's standards. Gas mileage has never mattered to me and I think the updated FRS/BRZ's will be reliable but for now they have their share of problems.

77mjd

I think Nissan would be much better off going downscale than trying to go upscale to compete with Porsche with the next generation Z. I still hear rumors going both ways. The current Z is kind of left in a situation like the 8 was, where there's really nothing to compare it to in the same price range. I don't think the current Z is a good value for the money anymore either. For whatever reason , the price of that car has gone WAY up since the it came out in 2009 without any substantial improvements. You can make a simple, no frills drivers car like the BRZ and I think it would be a great seller as long as it comes in around 30k or less and it doesn't have to have gobs of power.

yankeepicker

Nissan has a history of doing this. Look at how the Altima made them have to reinvent the Maxima because the market that the original Maxima was intended for was supplanted by the Altima.

Of course, the Z has had its own share of ups and down. I think they peaked with the twin turbo 300ZX, but like the FD RX-7, it was significantly pricier (inflation adjusted) than the 350Z, which reintroduced the Z to a younger generation.

That being said, Nissan kicked Porsche in the nuts with the GTR. No, that's an understatement. They had their way with Porsche and didn't even have the common courtesy to give them a reach-around (to paraphrase the famous Sgt. Hartmann from Full Metal Jacket). While Porsche goes about destroying themselves with monsters like the Panamera and the Cayenne, Nissan is gunning at them hard.

Bladecutter

I'm sorry, what the hell are you talking about?

Nissan and Porsche compete on one field, with only 1 car that Nissan makes that competes with anything in Porsche's lineup.

Nissan GT-R vs Porsche 911 (pick your variant).

And which Porsche are you comparing it to, anyway?
The base 911 Carrera (350 hp, no turbo)?
Or the Carrera S (400 hp, no turbo)?
Or the Carrera 4 (350 hp, AWD)?
Or the Carrera 4S (400 hp, AWD, no turbo)?
Or are you actually talking about the 911 Turbo (520 hp, AWD and turbo)?
How about the Turbo S (560 hp, AWD and turbo)?
Or maybe, the real car you're comparing it against is the GT3 (425 hp, fully track ready)?

What car does Nissan have that competes with the Boxster?
How about the Cayman?

Would you actually try to compare either the Altima or Maxima against the Panamera, aside from which one wins the ugly award?

So, how do you think Nissan competes against Porsche, and is kicking it's butt again?

BC.

Razz1

Most recent is blown engines from high RPM or driving in hot climate areas.

yankeepicker

Fair enough, Bladecutter. I walked into that one and deserve your backlash.

My point was that the GT-R is a supercar that is in the price grasp of a much larger audience. At roughly 60% the cost of a turbo-s (and this was going on Motor Trend's turbo-s versus Black edition GTR test) you get marginally better results with the Porsche. This was the same idea that Datsun had with the Z car in the first place... to make an affordable sports car.

To be fair, the Cayman-R is a fantastic car and Nissan has no car that really competes, although again, the 370Z GT DOES compete fairly well against even the Cayman-R at again 60% of the as-tested price.

My point was more along the lines that Nissan proved itself capable of competing at the supercar level against the significantly pricier Porsche (choose your model of 911, the Track Edition crushes them all), even the new 2014 Turbo-S which gets to 60 in 2.9 seconds. Again, the price difference at 116k versus 180k for the Porsche weighs in heavily, although this time around, the GTR actually wins in specs for acceleration.


That being said, I jumped to a conclusion (which is always a bad thing to do), but the fact that Nissan had one main target in mind (Porsche) when building the GT-R and succeeded in taking on their iconic 911, that their future plans for the Z would follow in the footsteps of the GT-R.

And even though I'm a fan of nonconformist Porsche's (I grew up driving a 1983 928s) I think the Panamera is the Dodge Magnum of German cars.

So yes, Bladecutter, I admit to jumping to conclusions with very little to go on. It's just that unlike Hyundai for example, which chipped away at the lower end competition from Honda and Toyota to gain market share, Nissan went straight for the throat against Porsche.

etikoner

I've yet to drive an S2k, which sucks cause everything about them leads me to wanna drive one even more. But I already have a convertible and I'm not looking to get another one any time soon...

I test drove an old 04 RX8 today with over 100k miles, clutch felt soft, brakes were okay, and the interior was pretty worn.. But **** I love revving that thing to 9k...

The FRS also has my heart, but that price is pretty steep for what it is..
I've built my Miata with less money than what the FRS would cost me, but i'm sure I'd love the power delivery/ handling better in my roadster.. That being said I've yet to test drive one..

I digress, though.. The FRS is really a cool car on paper, but what I'm trying to say is that I already have an awesome handling, sexy looking slow car.. Only thing is the Miata is a drop top and the FRS is a sweet looking coupe..

I need to save up and buy an rx8 already... lol

debit_debit

This is a great video. But like some people already mentioned, it's pretty performance oriented, not so much a review for practicality or commuting.

..ironic since the series is named Everyday Driver

Nathan Atkins

^this

It just occurred to me that both of my friends that have s2ks, drive different cars day to day, one of them is in a Prelude nd the other tragically drives a Hyundai Accent daily. whereas everyone that drives an rx8 or a twin drives them everyday (except my buddy Fred, an FRS owner who is insane enough to drive his factory five roadster to work more than half the time)

I will say this though, after having the chance to drive the FRS on a set of direzza Z2s and a stiffer front sway bar at autocross Sunday, it might be winning me over, it was astonishingly good on those tires. It also had some basic breathing upgrades and is probably putting out 215-220 at the crank (similar to an rx8). I'm actually now kind of looking forward to my wife getting tired of the BRZ so I can inherit it and turn it into my autox car

Razz1

Dream on!!!!

Your lucky if your stock FRS gets 187 RWHP

An intake ain't gonna do **** except make it run ruff.

Nathan Atkins

Um more than lucky I'd say, more like 165whp or less, my friends frs is probably 175whp now with his upgrades (which are not limited as you implied to just an intake), which puts it about on par with a stock 6MT RX8 like mine. So what am I dreaming about exactly?

Bottom line is, the frs on good tires was markedly better to drive than my car, and it's a good new alternative to those who would've been in the market for an rx8

ecookman

Well, for me, the RX8 - bought an 04 project car a little while ago.

Unoriginalusername

I bought my R3 for $16k, and FRS is 25k + Freight & PDI. Say the FRS saves you $10 a day in gas, it will take 3 years to make up the difference on gas alone. Plus you will have lost the additional $17k in depreciation on the FRS.

If you get a good deal, the rx8 is not an expensive DD vs. the FRS.

parkpy

iTrader: (1)

there are many cars that handle better than an RX8, are faster than an RX8, are more comfortable than RX8, get better fuel economy than the RX8, etc.

But for me, there aren't many cars that blend handling, ride comfort, driving position, utility, etc. as well as an RX8. I think the car I'd like to upgrade to is an E90 or F30 BMW 328i, but even then, the 328i doesn't have a factory limited slip differential And any E90 or F30 are going to be a lot more expensive than any RX8.

I also think about buying a fast economy car, like a Mazdaspeed 3, Focus ST, or GTI, but these cars don't have the driving position of an RX8. Also, the range of any of these cars aren't dramatically better than an RX8. Back seats are also not as large as you would anticipate going from a sports car with four doors, to cars that were designed to haul four people comfortably. Don't get me wrong, the RX8 is small in the back, but not that small (like a Frisbee twin).

So I keep the RX8 for now