Okay so in the next 6 to 8 months I will be ready to purchase a new car. Im military, married with no kids/or any on the way. Im torn between a Mitsubishi EVO 8 and an RX8. Im not into the straight line speed, and the wife says I can have a sports car as long as it can eventually transport kids. I have a few questions.
Questions:
1. Do the suicide doors work as well as a 4 door car/better than a 2dr?
2. Is the gas mileage of an Evo any better than an RX8?
3. Im looking at an 07-09 RX8 is the price range of 18-20k decent?
4. Can RX8's handle snow well?(avid snowboarder who has to drive up mountains)

Thanks for your time.

 

1. Rear doors work well, but a 4 door car will usually have more space.
2. The evo 8 mpg is about the same. Google says 18/22.
3. I got my 05 with 33k miles for 13,000 so you should be able to get an 07 in the 16k range I would think.
4. Rx8 is rwd, evo is awd so it's going to be better for driving up mountains in the snow. With a set of good snow tires the Rx8 is decent in the snow.
Of course I want to recommend the Rx8 but if you are going to be driving up mountains like you said, and hauling a bunch of equipment, you might want the Evo.

 

1. It's a bit hard to fit people over 6'0 in the rear but they're as practical for fitting humans in, not really objects like a television or something like you can in a standard sedan.

2. The evo might get around the same gas mileage with casual driving, but as mentioned on Top Gear, if you drive the evo hard, you're going to average around 4-5 mpg.

3. You can possibly get a 2009 with low amount of miles for about $20,000- $22,000.

4. I wouldn't recommend an Rx-8 in snow because it's RWD, requires high revs when driven (car has low torque) but it's possible if you purchase snow tires. If you're going up a mountain you should probably get an SUV.

 

1. The rear doors work [I]great[I]. I have two small children and it is super easy to get them in/out of the back. Coupes I looked at like the Audi A5/S5 and BMW 1 Series have backseats that are much, much more difficult to access than the RX8 and less leg and head room too. However, I can't imagine the 8 would be any better than the EVO, since it is a four-door.

2. Can't help here at all.

3. I'd say 18-20k is more than enough money to buy a very nice, if not nearly new RX8. This is where I'm guessing you'll have a hard time finding a similarly nice used EVO for the same kind of money.

4. My recently sold '04 RX8 did 7 solid Minnesota winters without any difficulties whatsoever. BUT, I don't have any mountains to contend with here, just snow and freezing temps. If you really are going to be driving up mountains on a frequent basis during the winter then this is where the EVO would be a much better fit IMHO. Oh, and check out the American Top Gear episode on YouTube of the race down a mountain: EVO vs skiers--it's worth a look!

Good luck with your purchase. I bet you'll be very happy either way!

 

I used to have an '06 Evo IX MR, so I'll try to help you from my previous experience. I'll try to answer your specific questions first & foremost.

It will be easier to use the back seat/rear doors on the Evo. And plus the Evo seats up to 5, compared to 4 in the RX-8... So there will be more space in the Evo. If you're looking to comfortably carry more than two adults in your car often, the Evo may be the better choice... Although the RX-8 is perfectly fine as well. I have no complaints about carrying additional people in my RX-8, but my adult family members tend to get fed up easily, compared to how they reacted when they used to sit in my Evo. In the RX-8 though, my 2 year old daughter tags along often in her car seat, and she is extremely comfortable and finds it a blast to be in my car, lol!

I honestly feel that the gas mileage was noticeably better in my Evo. Not by a great extent, but it was. With how the fuel prices have soared currently, I miss the efficiency which my Evo had. And part of the problem is that the RX-8's engine is meant be revved if you really want to make use of the power since the torque is lacking in this particular car. However in the Evo, there was plenty of torque and boost from the turbo, so I didn't have to rev it to redline as often as I do with the RX-8. Just my opinions.

And regarding the pricing of the RX-8's which you were going to hunt down... Firstly, I would recommend going for a Series II ('09 & up). Getting one slightly used could save you a ton of money, I've heard. Also, don't forget to look into a new one with the heavy discounts which are currently present from the manufacturer.

Furthermore, I don't have too much experience with snowy weather, so I wouldn't be able to tell you how the RX-8 would be able to handle it. Although I do see many members who switch to snow tires in order to keep up with the weather. And as far as I know, I'm thinking it should be okay as long as you keep up with your car...

Overall, I think the RX-8 will be a great car for you, but I also feel that the Evo will too. The RX-8 has a more sports car driving experience, whereas the Evo feels more like a boosted 4 door rally-sports car, which is exciting in its very own way. If you enjoy rear wheel drive in a sports car, then the 8 should perhaps be the choice. If you like extra performance & AWD traction, then the Evo should take the nod. Both are fantastic cars, so there's really no winner.

All the best.

 

my 8 performed exceptionally well in the snow with all season tires. i don't know jack about an evo though.

 

Awesome responses, thanks for the tips.
A Mitsubishi Evo 8 with 51,000 miles is going for on average for 21k
An 09 RX8 is going for about 19-21k. I want to get an R3 version.

Is there anything exceptionally special about the Shrinka RX8?

Also do is the RX8 a comfortable car for long road trips (8-10 hr trips)

 

Oh and another question I have heard of alot of Mazda Rebates lately is that strictly to '11 RX8's or can i get a 09 or higher and still get the rebates. Again thanks for the help.

 

I drive my 8 a lot for 3 1/2 hours at a time and its more comfortable than most cars I've driven. If you get an r3 their seats are better than a standard 8 model.

 

For me, it would be comfortable and okay... Yet for my wife, it would be a completely different story, lol. Naturally, the more spacious & luxurious the vehicle would be, the more comfortable the individual would feel, in my opinion. I guess it just depends on how flexible the individual's personality is.

I would say that the RX-8 would be one of the more comfortable sports cars out there for sure.

The new 2010's are the ones which have up to $4k rebates, which is pretty outstanding. I believe the 2011's have only up to $1k, last time I checked.

Check it out for your specific zip code here: http://www.edmunds.com/car-incentives/