From 240sx to RX-8

[formeRiceR]

Just wondering if there were people here that have gone froma 240 to a RX-8 or owns both. I thinking about getting a newer car,I really can't find anything in the market that calls to me like my 240 did, but alast I really don't want to deal all the problems with owning a car that's over 10 years old.

I don't feel like the wrx and evo is the answer just because they seem like overkill when it comes to preformance, to be honest I think those cars have too much power and sucks the fun out of modding cars.

anyway, if you guys can tune in your .02 that would be great.

[smellslikecurry]

do what i did...keep ur 240...get a Z :)...be it heavy as hell...the car is a blast to drive and with very few mods (sway bars and non staggered tires) you can hit over 1.0g handling...the torque is a lot of fun too

only problem is...mods are expensive



oh yeah and the chicks love it

[nightkid86]

off topic I know but:

IMO the RX-8 killed the rotary's legacy of super sports cars (and that drift king guy agrees with me on some video I d/led). Rx-7 1235 times better than the RX-8. Also the styling of the RX-8 gets a big thumbs down in my eyes.

Would you consider a new miata?

[FaLKoN240]

Mooboy aka Lawrence, has an S13, and he bought a black RX-8, maybe he'll see this and answer any questions you have.

I think RX-8 is ugly.

[wootwoot]

Wellllllll, the rotary never was a super sports car for the most part. The only one that was actually fast was the 3rd gen. TurboII fc3s which was the fastest before the fd3s that only ran low 15's high 14's. People dont seem to realise that rx8 is 8, because there were 7 different rotary cars that existed before hand. Hell man, they had rotary station wagons [and pick up trucks!!! Talk about badass!
The rx8 is super fun to drive, the grip levels are not super high because its kinda cushy but for the street but its funnnn. The transmission is beautiful, the interior is very nice(awesome gauge setup), 9500rpm's for the fuel cut off, the back seats are actually big enough for a normal human to sit in which is surprising.
For mods, one reason the rx8 is kinda hurting on power....Is the engine managment. The Renesis is forced to run super rich so that way it does not over heat the catalytic converter, you can make A LOT of power by having it tuned properly and getting rid of that cat. the intake has to be chosen very carefully for it to keep working right since it has all sorts of flappers and gates to help build torque, the exhaust is pretty much un upgradeable in stock form to be able to get power out of it(you have to make it a restriction before it'll even do anything(more powere!!!))
I'm against turbocharging one if I was to purchase it, your longevity would disappear there. N/A rotaries can take a mean licking. No more valve trains to worry about!

go here and play around www.rx8club.com

[the240sxer95]

I switched through s14's and impreza's a few time (3/4 s14's and 2 impreza's)


i <3 my impreza it does lack on certian things, but it is a blast to drive and mods are always fun :) if you think it is over kill and has to much power. dont get power mods!

[BoroBoroS13]

I had two S13's and now I have two FD's. I personally like the RX8 but not enough to buy one. Its a good car overall but the power is just too low imo. I would buy an Evo if I were looking at cars in that price range. Try driving one, its not as fast as you think.

[Revolver Ocelot]

An evo is definately not "overkill" in stock form. I would not call 13's overkill. Beisdes it takes someone really skilled to see its true potential even in stock form. Otherwise you will be finding out what off throttle snap oversteer is really quick. :)

[OptionZero]

the rx-8 isn't a sports car, thats what the rx-7 is for (when they make a new one or some variation thereof).

The rx-8 is a sports sedan with wierd doors. I think the shape of the car is beautiful, esp with mazdaspeed aero. In this class, it's pretty darn good, 50/50 weight and RWD put it far ahead of crap like the boring camry, accord, etc; it's price puts it on par with a Legacy GT, another car I like, but just not as beautiful as the rx-8

[uno]

Don't do it, rx8 has lack luster power. It does however have good topend and excellent handling and braking , but 17mpg brings it back down financially. My g/f has one. She's trying to get rid of it right now. My friend's sister has one and she is in the process of trading it also. If it got good gas mileage, it would be an excellent long distance car. But being it guzzles gas and is under powered it is not very fun to drive at all. because below 60mph it really sux. 350z or Mustang GT or GTO in that price area are much better buys.

[DJPimpFlex]

^besides the power the car is great. The drift king (i saw that vid also) thinks its great chassis wise, but the power is "lacking" at best.

[HyperTek]

i been thinking about this recently as well.. what would i get to replace my s13.. I like the evo8, dont like teh wrx too many people have it. 350z is cool, but seems like it would become pricey. Rx8 is already pretty cheap for a used one, but it just aint that great yet i guess.

But at one point everyone said teh 240sx was underpowered.. and look how that turned out, the KA24 is actually a blast to drive.

[mellojoe]

My biggest gripe about the RX-8 is that the performance is not exceptional and they only clock 15 miles per gallon. This makes me cry. Now, if the car was running low 13's while retaining the great handling it has become known for, then SURE, 15mpg isn't unreasonable.

But for lackluster performance, 15mpg is just sad.

I'd say, upgrade from the 240 to a 350. From SX to Z. That is probably the best similarity you'll find. And if you need the backseat, the G35 coupe is a good one, too, although heavier.

[OptionZero]

Edmunds says the auto RX8 gets 18/25; you have to imagine the manual version gets a little better

[drift freaq]

240sx-350z pretty easy to do and 350z's are getting pretty cheap now. When you consider what you can sell a heavily modded 240sx done right for, you can almost outright buy a 350z, used of course.

[S14DB]

Rotaries need help breathing to realize their potential incl MPG.

[FaLKoN240]

240sx-350z pretty easy to do and 350z's are getting pretty cheap now. When you consider what you can sell a heavily modded 240sx done right for, you can almost outright buy a 350z, used of course.

Oooo 350Z are getting cheap huh? I may be looking to get a used one myself someday. :D

[reccakun08]

no the gas mileage on the rx-8 sucks. my friend gets 18mpg with regular driving and an occasional WOT. I like the car but it does lack power and gas mileage; reemphasizing what someone else said. i definately wouldnt mine having one as a daily if the gas mileage wasnt that bad.

[vanish1]

Just keep your 240 and wait till the Mazdaspeed Rx-8 comes out, that or wait for the new RX-7 as well

[TeeJay]

Get a Solstice GXP. 260hp turbo 2 liter and starts at around $25,000. Bad news is there is a waiting list, and it's getting long..

[skifux21]

Just keep your 240 and wait till the Mazdaspeed Rx-8 comes out, that or wait for the new RX-7 as well
new rx7?????? awesome.

[drifter808]

i would go for the Z personally. i was thinking of doing the same. RX8's are ugly to me and are terrible on gas and when prices keep going up your just gonna dislike it even more.

[clean]

rx-8's suck, you can't get any good hp #'s out of them w/ a turbo. they cost too much for what they are. get a s2000 for the same price and they have great proven hp #'s w/ turbos. how did you consider an rx8? s2000 or miata and use the extra money for mods.

[formeRiceR]

I'd love to have 2 cars, well the main thing that bothers me is where to put the damn car once I get it, I will be living around the boston area, maybe waltham oor somewhere around there, finding a place to find a park and work on the damn thing might be hard. Mind you that I'm only 24 and I'll probably have to live with a roomie....

the RS idea isn't that bad I'll be traveling to NY every other week so I need something reliable and good gas mileage... but if I get an RS I know that I'll want something else to work on....which brings me back to previously mentioned question.

2-seater is out of the question....I need something with a decent amount of space...

[wootwoot]

For the NE?....Get a WRX wagon, you can still have fun with it during winter and drive the piss out of it. Tons of room! Forestor XT is also very badass and can be found for rather cheap. A friend with upgraded injectors, computer, and a full exhaust ran a 12.4 in his big ol box.

[Taniguchi_Is_#1]

if you like the RX-8, go for it. it wasn't the best selling FR in japan last year for no reason (according to a best motoring video). if you go by the general rule of thumb for tuning a car, you'll want a good chassis as a base for the power, and the RX-8 is an outright handling machine.

[sylsevilsis]

The 8 looks nice but, for some reason when i drive it, i feel squashed. I'd like to own a 50z. Their price range is close to the RX-8

[aa87]

I have 2 friends who have/had rx8's, its a blast. Sure its not a fast car, but that car can handle. Id take it over the Z due to practicality and being able to comfortably seat 4 people. That, and when it has a Greddy SP2, rotary performance midpipe, and k&n intake, it sounds like pure sex at 9200rpms, not to mention the flaming upshifts.

[evoandy]

Has anyone but me noticed how far back the shifter is on the rx-8? When I drove one the shifter was almost even with my hip. I practically had to reach behind myself to shift gears. The only way I could shift comfortably is if I did some stupid hardcore gangsta lean. and then I could barely reach the steering wheel. And if I adjusted the steering wheel so that I could comfortably shift, then the pedals were uncomfortably far away (and I'm 6 ft tall. in a car that was built for 4 feet tall japanese people). Maybe if you're really short the steering/shifter location isn't as bad. For me though, I daily drive a Z32, which fits me perfectly. The s14s that I've driven feel about the same from the drivers seat to me as well. I could basically never own an RX8. The ergonomics were total crap for me.

[aa87]

Do you have really short legs? If your 6 feet tall theres no reason you should be scooted up so far.

http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/MazdaRX8/Images2004/Interior.jpg

I think it has a good driving position, only gripe is the seats really dont hold you in too great, more aesthetic than functional.

[OMGWTFBBQ]

if you want an actual sports car get the 7
the 8 is more of sport compact if anything, just like the 240

I would reccomend the newest Legacy turbo, or maybe an S2000