What Should I Buy to Replace My RX-8?
#76
///// Upscale Zoom-Zoom
I re-read your initial request - lease a fun car and turn it in well-used at the end. For $800 a month you could enjoy something special and walk away at the end. Look at the deals BMW is offering:
#78
Water Foul
Thread Starter
Sounds like a BMW is in your future, however this popped up in my feed last night: https://jalopnik.com/the-turbocharge...dan-1837655638
In other news, the E46 crapped out on me due to shoddy workmanship by the shop that built it, and it is an absolute BITCH to work on compared to any given Mazda. Absolutely everything takes at least 4x as long. DAMMIT!!!
#79
///// Upscale Zoom-Zoom
"In other news, the E46 crapped out on me due to shoddy workmanship by the shop that built it, and it is an absolute BITCH to work on compared to any given Mazda. Absolutely everything takes at least 4x as long. DAMMIT!!!"
Yes sir. What did happen?
Yes sir. What did happen?
#80
Water Foul
Thread Starter
^ They reassembled the entire drivetrain finger tight and never went back and torqued any of the bolts. Amazingly, it stayed together for one session, when I took it out to shake it down. (More amazingly, it was faster than the RX-8.) When I took it out again a few weeks later, I felt something shudder in the drivetrain, pulled into the pits, and found the center support bearing to have fallen down and eaten itself. When I got it up on jack stands in the garage, absolutely every nut or bolt I touched was loose. So, now I get to do the back or engine work (they didn't do that either), replace the clutch and flywheel, replace the front lower control arms (ball joints don't like to be loose), re-pin and re-seal the transmission, rebuild the shifter, and otherwise go through the entire car with torque wrenches.
Also... of the 12 bolts holding the driver seat in, 7 were loose. Of the 8 bolts holding the passenger seat in, 4 were loose. Many were not the proper grade, and some had been cut to fit. One of the backing plates for the harness was rubbing a fuel line. It's a mess. So much for buy and drive.
Also... of the 12 bolts holding the driver seat in, 7 were loose. Of the 8 bolts holding the passenger seat in, 4 were loose. Many were not the proper grade, and some had been cut to fit. One of the backing plates for the harness was rubbing a fuel line. It's a mess. So much for buy and drive.
#81
Registered
^ They reassembled the entire drivetrain finger tight and never went back and torqued any of the bolts. Amazingly, it stayed together for one session, when I took it out to shake it down. (More amazingly, it was faster than the RX-8.) When I took it out again a few weeks later, I felt something shudder in the drivetrain, pulled into the pits, and found the center support bearing to have fallen down and eaten itself. When I got it up on jack stands in the garage, absolutely every nut or bolt I touched was loose. So, now I get to do the back or engine work (they didn't do that either), replace the clutch and flywheel, replace the front lower control arms (ball joints don't like to be loose), re-pin and re-seal the transmission, rebuild the shifter, and otherwise go through the entire car with torque wrenches.
Also... of the 12 bolts holding the driver seat in, 7 were loose. Of the 8 bolts holding the passenger seat in, 4 were loose. Many were not the proper grade, and some had been cut to fit. One of the backing plates for the harness was rubbing a fuel line. It's a mess. So much for buy and drive.
Also... of the 12 bolts holding the driver seat in, 7 were loose. Of the 8 bolts holding the passenger seat in, 4 were loose. Many were not the proper grade, and some had been cut to fit. One of the backing plates for the harness was rubbing a fuel line. It's a mess. So much for buy and drive.
#82
Water Foul
Thread Starter
^ Believe me, I have been looking at those stickers with the worst stink-eye I can muster, but they will help me at resale, so they stay on I guess.
#83
^Ugh, sorry to hear that.
Did you get around to test driving the M235i ?
Consider the auto option carefully... I did that once with a 335i. Nice car, but never felt worth the expense as an auto. In retrospect I think I would have enjoyed a manual 328i more :-D
Did you get around to test driving the M235i ?
Consider the auto option carefully... I did that once with a 335i. Nice car, but never felt worth the expense as an auto. In retrospect I think I would have enjoyed a manual 328i more :-D
#84
Water Foul
Thread Starter
In other news, I did go look at that 2016 M235i Auto with 12K miles, and it turned out to be a manual with 13K miles. And I bought it for under $30K, after the most difficult car negotiation I have ever been through. I walked away from it 3 times over 3 days, but they finally came around. Pics as soon as I pick it up, which might be next Saturday. This is why I normally buy from individuals.
Found its intake pics on Autotrader:
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ngId=527522511
Found its intake pics on Autotrader:
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ngId=527522511
#86
///// Upscale Zoom-Zoom
Congrats on the M235
#87
Smoking turbo yay
And having a following distance of 1 foot or less.
Seriously, though, can't wait to see it.
#88
Water Foul
Thread Starter
I drove several more cars and kept coming back to the M235. I'll write up my impressions of those when I have time.
I know right?! The only real question here is how long it will take me to transmogrify into a typical BMW owner. Although... Does the 2 series really qualify as a Bimmer? Isn't it more of a poor man's wanna-be lower-case bimmer?
Anyway, I won't mind stopping at stop signs, because I have 332 ft/lbs of torque that come on at 1,300 RPM to get going again.
Thanks! Should be fun!
Anyway, I won't mind stopping at stop signs, because I have 332 ft/lbs of torque that come on at 1,300 RPM to get going again.
Thanks! Should be fun!
Last edited by Steve Dallas; 09-16-2019 at 11:04 AM.
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#91
Water Foul
Thread Starter
Thanks!
I plan to write a complete review and comparison to the RX-8 in a new post. When I find the time, that is.
I know I said this car would never see the track, but it came with nearly gone PSS tires, so I took it to the track for a few laps to kill them off. It was 4 seconds faster than my RX-8 was, and I was barely trying. Wow.
I plan to write a complete review and comparison to the RX-8 in a new post. When I find the time, that is.
I know I said this car would never see the track, but it came with nearly gone PSS tires, so I took it to the track for a few laps to kill them off. It was 4 seconds faster than my RX-8 was, and I was barely trying. Wow.
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Federighi (10-11-2019)
#92
Boosted Kiwi
iTrader: (2)
I felt like I needed a 'new' car and had a think about what I'd like . Was thinking something under 100k that looks as good and would perform as well as my turbo 8 .
I ended up buying this :
My original plan was to turbo this one as well but after driving it around for a while I kinda like it as is ! I'm in the process of restoring it back to mint condition and really enjoying it ..apart from the bruised knuckles!
I ended up buying this :
My original plan was to turbo this one as well but after driving it around for a while I kinda like it as is ! I'm in the process of restoring it back to mint condition and really enjoying it ..apart from the bruised knuckles!
#93
Registered
Thanks!
I plan to write a complete review and comparison to the RX-8 in a new post. When I find the time, that is.
I know I said this car would never see the track, but it came with nearly gone PSS tires, so I took it to the track for a few laps to kill them off. It was 4 seconds faster than my RX-8 was, and I was barely trying. Wow.
I plan to write a complete review and comparison to the RX-8 in a new post. When I find the time, that is.
I know I said this car would never see the track, but it came with nearly gone PSS tires, so I took it to the track for a few laps to kill them off. It was 4 seconds faster than my RX-8 was, and I was barely trying. Wow.
#94
Thanks!
I plan to write a complete review and comparison to the RX-8 in a new post. When I find the time, that is.
I know I said this car would never see the track, but it came with nearly gone PSS tires, so I took it to the track for a few laps to kill them off. It was 4 seconds faster than my RX-8 was, and I was barely trying. Wow.
I plan to write a complete review and comparison to the RX-8 in a new post. When I find the time, that is.
I know I said this car would never see the track, but it came with nearly gone PSS tires, so I took it to the track for a few laps to kill them off. It was 4 seconds faster than my RX-8 was, and I was barely trying. Wow.
Congrats on the new car.
#95
Water Foul
Thread Starter
This is a very cool car, but it is no RX-8. Except for being "sporty," it is almost the opposite of an RX-8, in fact. I'll explain when I find time to write that review.
#96
Yeah, and I shouldn't have. I was afraid it would be awesome, and then I would be tempted to make it more awesome, and then I would spend a lot of money. Parts 1 & 2 have transpired. The temptation to execute part 3 is very strong. Fortunately, the E46 has sapped all my car upgrade money for the foreseeable future.
This is a very cool car, but it is no RX-8. Except for being "sporty," it is almost the opposite of an RX-8, in fact. I'll explain when I find time to write that review.
This is a very cool car, but it is no RX-8. Except for being "sporty," it is almost the opposite of an RX-8, in fact. I'll explain when I find time to write that review.
The hard part is, you got too good a street car :-D
#97
Water Foul
Thread Starter
The only way to cure (3) is to take another car on track and have fun in it and then use the sensible side of your brain to remind yourself more why the new BMW is your fun street car and not a track car. (think about the cost of tires, brakes and other parts...)
The hard part is, you got too good a street car :-D
The hard part is, you got too good a street car :-D
The car is so quiet, that I forget to shift on the street. I have been programmed since the age of 12 to shift on cues from the sound of the engine and exhaust and the feel of the drivetrain. This car damps all of that so much, that I have to force myself to pay attention. It might take a while to get used to that...
.
Last edited by Steve Dallas; 09-26-2019 at 08:33 PM.
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sinkas (09-26-2019)
#99
Water Foul
Thread Starter
You have hit upon my son's favorite car. Unfortunately, I have become a double Bimmer owner. Soon, very soon, I will likely embody all things Bimmer owner and shun all use of turn signals.
I took a mental-health-half-day-off-because-beautiful-weather yesterday and washed and waxed it. All 335 ft-lbs of torque of it.
In addition to torque numbers, the M235i beats the RX-8 in the number of silly homages to its heritage it wears. The RX-8 is adorned with 768 triangle-shaped thingies. The M235i, while not being an actual M car, wears no fewer than 1492 M insignia in various places.
I took a mental-health-half-day-off-because-beautiful-weather yesterday and washed and waxed it. All 335 ft-lbs of torque of it.
In addition to torque numbers, the M235i beats the RX-8 in the number of silly homages to its heritage it wears. The RX-8 is adorned with 768 triangle-shaped thingies. The M235i, while not being an actual M car, wears no fewer than 1492 M insignia in various places.
#100
Sicker than your average
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Just stumbled upon this thread. Congrats Steve. I've been away from the forums for a while now. No idea you sold your 8. I bet you're missing it. Ironically I just bought Another Spirit R. That's what got me back on the forum 😂 Looking forward to the full review! Congrats again and enjoy the whip.