Hey,

I am curious as to what car you left to go to the RX-8.

I had an Audi TT 225 Quattro and some folks have been surprised that I was willing to trade that in on a RX-8.

I had been seduced by the design of the TT, particularly the interior. I also like the surging power of the turbo. BUT...

I grew increasingly disenchanted with the experience of the car.

1. It felt heavy and sedan like rather than like a sports car.

2. The seats were flat and firm...I tended to slide around when really pushing it on curves. A recent review of the Turbo Beetle said German sport seats are made for people with square butts. That description works well for the TT.

3. The shifter feels like it is mired in molasses.

4. Useless back seat that is hard to access for you brief case etc.

I also own a Miata and every time I went from one to the other it underscored the negatives in the TT driving experience.

I also drove the G35 (again too much a sedan) and the S2000. (It drove great, handling was similar to the RX-8. I thought it sounded pretty strained in the RPM band you want to drive in, the cabin fit great but even less space than my Miata) Went with the 8 and I am convincing my wife that we should still keep the Miata!

:D

The RX-8 has enough power to be quicker than the TT and it has the nimble road handling I have appreciated in the Miata. The interior is not quite as high quality as the TT, but it is more usable with the storage console, back seats, etc. It is more comfortable. (The TT doesn't have power seats and my wife had a helluva time get comfortable behind the wheel.)

I am thrilled with the change.

My previous cars 68MGB, 73Audi Fox, 78Triumph Spitfire, 85CorollaGTS, 86MR2, 90CelicaGT, 94Integra, 97Miata, 2002TT.

Velocity Red,6MT,GrandTouring,Navigation.

 

The Miata was my first non-rotary in 15 years. It was a lot of fun, and would still be my first choice if it wasn't for the RX-8. As soon as I heard that the Rotary was returning, I put my name on the waiting list.

 

Traded in my '92 240sx with 186k miles on it. Needless to say I am very happy

 

2002 M3 to RX-8. Why, you ask? I wasn't driving the M3 and I didn't want to make payments to a car I wasn't driving. Do I regret it? Sure, in some (most) ways, but it's ok. I didn't have a car other than my Miata for almost a year. I won't drive the RX-8 much either, but the payments are more affordable.

 

I sold my 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS-T.

I thought I would regret it since it was such a blast to drive and it was my first new car. But the day I drove the RX-8 home, all those worries went away.

 

'4RUNNER.....Gotta get out of the SUV crowd.

 

1999 10th Anniversary Miata

My favorite car to date. I expect the RX-8 to take over (it's close already).

 

Golf VR6

Excellent car...but the 8 is even better!

 

01 Hyundai Elauntra. If it is not a rotary, it is just another sheep in the herd.:D

 

I "replaced" my MX-6 -- I've been waiting about five years for Mazda (or anyone, really) to release a decent 2+2 coupe in the era of the SUV.

I looked at the Solara, Accord, Sebring, Mustang, Stratus. The first three felt, more or less, like a Camry without the convenience of four doors. The last two struck me as a lifeless chunks of metal that the design engineers phoned in the day before they quit in disgust (despite the Stratus and Sebring being sister cars). I didn't even consider the Mitsubishis since this will be my primary car and I wouldn't trust an eclipse to drive me across town reliably, let alone across the country.

So, I kept going with my MX-6, waiting patiently for someone to come up with something that didn't suck. The miles on the MX-6 kept climbing -- 230K miles, and it's never had a breakdown or needed "major" repair. Hell, I'm still on my first clutch. It's looking pretty sad -- was in a hailstorm where it was permanently beat up with softball-sized hail -- but is still a great car.

Then suddenly, the coupe world exploded. The 350Z, the Crossfire, the RX-8, a cheap-enough TT. The BMW. Mercedes. Infiniti. Coupes were all over the place, and companies were caring about their implementation.

But the RX-8 was "it." Right price. Right back seat space for a guy with a new baby. By a company that had just made the most reliable car I've ever heard of anyone owning. Plus, a quirky little engine that was fun to try and describe (explaining how a rotary engine works is like describing a spiral staircase without using your hands or using the word "spiral").

Epilogue:
My dog is not allowed in the RX8 for a while. She's a Husky, and my MX-6 is covered with vacuum-resistant dog hair and I'd like to have a hair-free car for a little while. But I miss driving around with her, so I dusted off the MX-6 and we went cruising.

It was pretty neat. First, how alien the MX-6 felt despite having a hundred times as seat-hours with her. Second, how many things that the RX-8 did so much better... and yet, how many things the MX-6 did right. And the things that carried over between the two.

I could go on and on about how the MX-6 is nowhere near as good as the RX-8 ("hey, who put the stick shift inside a big, fluffy pillow?"), but the good points are obvious in all of the other threads, including my favorite about the little things. But I do want to post the things that I miss about the MX-6 (although most of these, too, are duplicates):

• Pedal Positioning. It's the right distance. In the RX-8, I'm either sitting too close to the steering wheel or too far away from the pedals. No other choices.
• Drink holder. The drink holder is directly in front of the front vents. Like the old McDLTs -- it keeps the hot stuff hot and the cold stuff cold. The RX-8's cupholders are perfect... if you really like coffee.
• Air conditioning that works! Anyone who says that the RX-8's A/C system is "fine" should sit in my beat-up MX-6.
• "Clean" steering wheel. Maybe it's just me, but I hate all of the extra buttons and stuff on the steering wheel. A performance car should have steering as its primary job, not remote control of your mode of transportation. I like the switches on the back of the steering wheel, a la the Eclipse convertible.
• Visibility. I like seeing out the front and the rearward views. And I don't like having crap all over my rearview mirror.
• Gas mileage. Ah... the days of 32MPG and 450 mile travels between fill-ups are apparently well behind me. On the bright side, the MPG on my 8 is rising slowly, breaking the 20 barrier.

I love my 8. I create excuses to go out driving in it, like an overly trite car commercial. I've learned to live with its little shortcomings, and revel in its obvious strengths. I am trying to enjoy the hell out of her before the rest of the world wises up and everyone buys one and they become as ubiquitous as a Camry. But it was also great to have a autumn-afternoon fling with the ex.

 

I sold my 2000 BMW 323i for my RX8 no regrets here....mind you I would have traded my RX8 for that M3......

Cheers
Andrew

 

got rid of ford focus svt 170hp.

 

I sold my 00 celica gt-s & am still debating on what to get. I like the 8 & the g35.

 

1996 SOHC 2 door Neon.

Nope, dont miss it, even if it was a solid little car for the 5 years I had it.

 

1997 Honda Odyssey minivan. What a change, corresponding to my change in lifestyle. I'd been the urban carpool dad all these years, carting around kids, nephews, nieces, their friends, in-laws, etc. Now the kids are growing up, their friends drive, in-laws have moved, and I found myself driving a minivan alone or with 1-2 pax. I couldn't quite justify a two-seater, but wanted something small and fun. Thank goodness for Mazda, else I'd be driving a plain, boring Accord or Lexus right now. They gave me the perfect solution, but once my son gets a car of his own (another 18 months) the '8 goes and I'm getting a roadster. Call the RX-8 a "stepping stone" to a more fun and rewarding lifestyle. How's the Z4 or 350 roadster sound?

 

1986 Alfa Romeo GTV6 with 225k miles. Very nice car that was taking too much attention.

 

1995 daily driven Honda civic show car

I posted pics under lounge in thread "my car was stolen"

I still miss it

 

of a 2002 Mazda Protege5 for the 8. Go Mazda!

 

I traded my '99 TBM Miata. It was my work car and I found myself often wanting four seats. (Hard to take many people to lunch in a Miata, especially clients). My other car (also a convertible) has a back seat, but not one you can use (it's really just for insurance). The RX-8 was the perfect blend of sports and practicality.

Dave

 

toyota matrix xr
silver automatic

 

1998 Jeep Wrangler SE - sold for $3500 to my father-in-law July 2002.

1993 Nissan 240SX - bought for $1800 when RX-8 did not arrive July 2002. Sold for $1800 after arrival of RX-8 July 2003.

1991 RX-7 Coupe - traded in 1999 - the car that made me lust after the RX-8 for the last 4 years.

 

375hp Porsche 944 Turbo

 

Being a previous 225HP TT Quattro owner, I would have to say my experience is similar to yours, however replaced mine with the RX8 for the additional reasons from those you state above:

1. While it was more expensive to buy my new RX-8 @ 38K, versus buying out my leased AudiTT for about 26k, the TT had only 4K left on the warranty. I had no major problems with it, however a lot of little problems that I feared would add up and cost alot to fix.. such as an innacurrate fuel gauge where they replaced the entire guage console... or the skipping CD where they replaced the entire CD changer.. or the stereo cover (which they screwed up in putting it back on when they had to remove the entire head unit just to replace a relay to fix my broken signal relay).. Well they couldn't put it back on straight (it was VERY slightly crooked, but just enough to bother the perfectionist in me). They replaced the ENTIRE head unit... god damn.

Audi's idea of 'repair' is actually just to scrap the old part and "replace" it with a new part... this is great when you're on a warranty, but I can't imagine affording that out of my pocket.
So out with the Audi and in with the 8...

I still miss the luxury aspect of the TT, but the 8 kicks its **** in all other aspects.

 

sold my 1997 Eclipse GSX Turbo with 66,000 miles on it to get my 8. the eclipse was lean and mean and had blistering acceleration but their trannys are made of glass supposedly.

 

Rover 25 diesel!

Not sure why:D :D