Well, I finally picked out my new toy. I'm taking the buyback offer on the RX-8 and I bought a Z earlier this week. I've put about 500 miles on the Z already so I can make a good comparison. I wish I could somehow merge the best qualities of these 2 cars.

The Mazda has better style in the interior and a better stereo. I like the exterior looks of both cars equally. When it comes to power there is no comparison. The Z would walk all over the RX-8 and get 30mpg while doing it. Yes, 30mpg. The best I had ever gotten with the RX-8 was 22mpg.

I love both cars but for the money, I felt the Z was the better choice for me. This site was very helpful and kept my sanity through the 5 months of waiting for the car. If I ever need the back seat and Mazda find the missing ponies I may buy another Mazda some day.

 

if u didnt need the back seat to begin with and it is clear in your mind thta the Z is superior why did u waste your time buying an 8?

 

I saw the RX-8 at the car show and fell in love. It's a sweet car. I preordered in March. I didn't care about the back seat. I just liked the car.

I just got a killer deal on the Z and couldn't resist. I wasn't planning on buying anything until spring but $8000 off sticker on the Z was hard to resist. It was used with only 300 miles on it.

 

1) change your name please!

2) 9 ponies means that much to you taht you returned the car and would buy it again.. for those 9 ponies.


what color did u get the Z in? how about some pix? also did u really open up on the RX yet.. with 500 miles... u shuda still been in break in..

8K below sticker u got a Z for under 25K?

 

damn thats an ugly car.

 

crash and die , please, juts kidding but u got a cheap interior, :D and good engine and an ugly car

 

It's the Audi TT's uglier younger brother! Run away!!!

 

"To each his own" as they say. good luck w/ your Z. I think it is a nice car BUT, unless you are single, You will sorely miss the spacious back seat area.
Even my 993 is no match for comfort. My two boys ages 14 & 10 love to ride in the 8. :p

 

I like the red Z! Nice choice!

Vince

 

I have almost 5000 miles on the RX-8. It's broken in. The power isn't even close to the Z which isn't even broken in yet. I bought a Track model with Navigation and other goodies. It stickered at $38000 and I bought it with only 300 miles on it. It was cheaper than my RX-8!!

I would have returned the RX-8 for 1 pony. Anytime you can drive a car for several months, put over 5000 miles on it, and sell it for exactly what you paid, you would have to be crazy not to take this offer. I could go buy a new RX-8 much cheaper now. I made 2 calls to local dealers and had one offer me $1200 off sticker over the phone a couple weeks ago.

I honestly think the RX-8 is missing more than the 9hp claim. This added to the fact that Mazda screwed its most loyal customers by shipping available cars before preorders was alone enough to make me sell it back.

 

im single but still need those backseats.

 

I'm single too. I'd like to have the seats but I can live without them. The thing I will miss most about the RX-8 will be the stereo. The Z stereo is mediocre at best.

 

rx8racer, im asking this looking for a honest opinion.

Having had an RX-8 you know the reaction of others to the car, is the reaction similar with the Z? Do older Z owners come up to you and talk about the car with you?

I just wanna know


as for the preorders, well i picked up my RX-8 right off the showroom floor, walked in they had 1 and sold it to me. The salesman showed me the paper work it was a pre-order, where the potential buyer could not come up with the funds, this is back in august.

Now i know they have a lot more in stock for sale, but i wounder if ther are still people waitinf for their pre-order?

anywho have fun with the Z just dont hate on the 8!

 

I know for a fact that this is true...i'm sure its just like the older RX models w/the new 8...i've stopped at gas stations/grocery stores/etc...and some older gentlement (i'm only 21) will start talking to me about how he either had an older Z or has an older z and well just start talking blah blah blah...but yes there is DEFINITELY heritage in the Z family. Actually i don't even think my 350Z is the best lookin Z, i think the best looking Z was the old 260 and 280Z. But its good to see another Z owner on this board...and don't mind the haters...they're like that all the time

 

Haters? Most of the Z owners on this board are the haters. This forum was intended for rx8 owners and enthusiests. Have a little respect before you come in and call rx8 owners haters on their own forum. From what I've read, the Z owners and others are the ones instigating and trolling. Get off your high horse, your Z ain't that great... *flame suit on*

 

whoo-boy...where to begin.

The one question I keep thinking about, if 350Z owners/G35 owners were offered the same opportunity to give their cars back after driving it for a couple of months for a full refund, I would guess the same % of them would return theirs.

Z/G has some of its own HP issues. Nissan has just chosen to ignore them. Plus, as others have pointed out, there seems to be some suspension and paint problems with the Z. Then there are the "cheap interior" issues, coarseness, build quality issues, ride quality, stereo issues......

I test drove the Z/G extensively before I bought the RX8 and again after I got THE LETTER. While the Z is quicker, it wasn't as significant as I was lead to belive it would be. They are very close acceleration wise in real world driving.

Not meant as a flame to those who have a Z as it was my 2nd choice. I can understand someone getting a 330Ci or a Z4 or an Audi TT or an S2000, or even a Corvette instead of an RX8. But I wonder how you'll feel about the Z after driving it for 5,000 miles like you did the RX8?

rx8racer....you have to admit, paying the same amount of money a new RX8 costs for what is essentially a used Z with no sunroof, doesn't make much sense to me.

 

Actually, I thought this post was kind of polite, just a exchange of info.

Z would not be my choice, I would have gone for the g35, But apples and oranges I suppose.

Good luck with the car, drive safe.

 

I grabbed 5 raffle tickets for a red 350z today. (charity)

My wife said "What would toy do with that if you won it, you just got your rx8?"

"Sell the z" rolled of my tongue without pause.

Sure power is a issue between the two cars and the 350z's performance can be boosted even further. But I'm sold on the entire RX8 package and I know there's untapped ponies under the 8's bonnet...

...if you think the 8 is fun to punt through the twisties, imagine another 50 horses!

Anyway, a 350z may have grunt, but it doesn't zoom :D

 

I had my heart set on a Z for months... I called all over the state/country looking for the car how I wanted it. No one in San Antonio that I talked to would let me take one for a test drive. I had to drive down to Corpus Christi to be able to drive one. The first thing I noticed was the view out the rear window/mirror. I'm 6'4" and if a car was 1.5 car lengths behind me, I could only see the bottom of their wheels. People kept telling me "you'll get used to it." I shouldn't have to "get used" to anything when I'm spending $30+ on a car. I talked to an 8 owner in a parking lot & he let me get in the car to see what the view out the windows was like. He had looked/test drove a 350Z as well before deciding on the 8. I'm glad I made the choice I did. I don't regret buying the 8 at all! The Z is a great car (my dad owned a 1986, good friend had a 1990 Twin Turbo w/ 450 HP...wow that car was fast), but the 350 & I just didn't match. My $.02...

 

Dude, no way you're gonna get 30 mpg with Z. They're getting 20-26 mpg at max. Z is not a civic. If your looking at mpg that much, Z is a bad choice as well. Civic hybrid is a better option.


Source:
http://www.my350z.com/forum/showthre...&highlight=mpg

 

I was willing to getting use to the fact that the back door HAS to be closed before the front door!

 

yes the z is a bit faster but come on............I have driven both cars, and they both have much different power bands..............I would beg to differ on the whole idea that the z would walk all over the 8............yes is does have more power, but I think we are all tired of this whole hp cover-up thing that has been going on for quite some time............test drove the Z twice, and I was not jumping out of my seat with all the talk of its power..........it was fast, but not that much faster..........all the tests done have it .4 - .6 secs quicker in the 0-60 time..........it is a sweet car, but personally I'll give up a half a sec for styling and handling...........

 

The reason I passed on the Z was its tendency to understeer severely. The RX-8 had better balance around corners and that was what I was looking for.

It seems to me, that you were more interested in the power from the get-go and thus, the Z would likely have been the better choice for you anyway.

 

All the people on this thread bashing or saying stupid things to Rx8Racer for selling his mazda for a nissan are the biggest idiots! you all make me sick.

You defend the RX-8 likes it's the greatest thing since slice bread. I'm sure you all treat your 8 better than your girlfriends. HELLO?!!! It's just a F****** car! You all should be congradulating him on finding a vehicule that he's realy happy with and that he's gonna enjoy. SO WHAT that he bought a 350Z? Are you people telling me that the 8 is a better car?

I have an 8 and I adore it. I think it's a great car for the money and I get my money's worth. But it's still only a car. You shouldn't think others are stupid or call them names because they choose another sexy, high performance, kick *** styled car? For real you people are morons!

Congrads Rx8Racer. The Z is a great car and you'll enjoy it! I would've chose another color but that's just me! Enjoy!

 

That isn't something that causes me to feel unsafe driving the car...