Anathemer

I've decided to take a break from the world of motorcycle racing and am looking to pick up a car that I can use for spirited mountain driving and autocrossing from time to time. The only drawback is it needs to be something I can get by with using to commute to work. Doesn't have to be super practical, just legal and reasonable for commuting. I've been looking at some of the more affordable sports cars in say the 30k and under range. I have yet to make my rounds to test drive any of these vehicles, but those on my short list so far are the RX-8, S2000, 350Z, and Evo VIII. I used to drive an NB miata, and while I know they can be very fast in track trim, I'm not considering another one. I'd like to have a 3rd gen RX-7, but they are becoming very hard to find in good shape with low miles, and I don't trust that they have the reliability factor to double as a commuter car. I have kicked around the idea of an E36 M3, but the age and cost of mods scares me. I've spent a little time in a friends heavily modified Evo and it was a very fast ride and seemingly on rails, but I know I can't afford to dump the chunk of change into it to get it to that level, so I'm going to have to check out a stock one before I form an opinion on it.

What I'm interested in is to see what some of you more experienced car guys opinions of these cars and any possible alternatives are. I plan to spend cash over time for suspension, brake, and drive train mods, and I don't yet know which cars lend themselves well to modding, or how they ultimately compare to one another. Looks wise I'm a big fan of the Z, but I've read very mixed opinions on its performance. The Evo and S2000 have pretty much had good reviews across the board, but I haven't found much info on the 8. I'm trying to weed out the opinions given by teenage kids that know nothing beyond what the spec sheet says, and get some opinions from people who have pushed these cars to the limit, and know how they can be woken up by mods.

Any suggestions and opinions are greatly appreciated!

Ike

The 350Z, while a very good handler, lacks the feel of the three other cars you mention. It's a good car overall, it's pretty fun to drive, it's faster than the S2K and the RX-8 and has a lot more lowend grunt. However, it feels heavier than it is, it's not as communicative and as a result it doesn't feel as comfortable at its limits as the others cars you're considering.

The S2K is the least practical of the bunch, but on those perfect days will probably be the most fun. The steering is excellent is every respect, though it will bite you moreso than the other cars if you go beyond the limits. It pulls pretty well at the upper end of the rev range, has the best gearbox of the bunch, and will probably have the best reliability and gas mileage as well.

The RX-8, is very similar to the S2K in many ways. Both rev high, the gearbox is nearly as good as that of the S2K, the steering is nearly as good though slightly less responsive. It's also less prone to snap oversteer which might be a good thing if you're crazy enough to test the limits in any of these cars while canyon carving. The RX-8 is more practical than the Z and S2K, but also lags behind in the speed department. In case you haven't figured it out already it will most likely net you the worst gas mileage as well.

The Evo is as on par or better handling wise than any other car in the 30k pricerange. It has the quickest steering in this group and unlike the 350Z feels lighter than it really is. It is also the most practical if you can put up with the more punishing ride and lack of creature comforts. Though the interior is spartan it has the best seats, and is very well thought out and you should feel instantly comfortable with the pedals and various other controls and *****. One last thing, it will also most likely have the highest maintenance costs.

As for potential and modding of all 4 cars, the Evo wins hands down. In an Evo IX with a simple tune and exhaust you could be looking at over 300whp, 350whp (a little less in an Evo VIII) can be had for less than $1500 in mods. The S2K and RX-8 don't take all that well to mods so if you're not totally satisfied with the stock power you might want to look elsewhere. Unless of course you don't mind dropping a hefty amount of money on FI. The Z has a little more potential than the S2K and RX-8, but if you're looking for 300whp+ without dropping big money, the Evo is the way to go.

It all really comes down to where your priorities are. Go take a testdrive of them all, weigh the pros and cons, and you should be able to make an informed decision. You also might want to consider throwing the STI into the mix.

DOMINION

Yeah Ike is it just me or did you get that felling when you drove the G35?