owner of a supra TT here, debating on going with a tsx as a second car, or getting an rx8. i see the rx8 as an amalgam as both, lacking some qualities that both cars have, but at a much lower cost to me to only have one car.

i read a lot of responses on this forum with people who have gone from cars with low amounts of power to the rx8 and have been very happy. how about those that come from cars with 300+hp? what's your experiences been like? is the car still "fun" to you?

 

Well, although i havent owned a 300+ hp car, i have infact driven a few of them, even though the rx8 isnt as powerfull or doesnt feel as fast, it a ton of fun. It feels light and agile.
and please post pics of ur car if u can!

 

I also haven't owned a high horse car myself, but I have driven them...One of the things I like about the 8 is its ability to be VERY tame when you want it to be, but it will also open up and give you some pretty good power and sharp handling when you demand it. I really think I'd enjoy a car like this a whole lot more day to day than I would a high HP beast.

Though, if you're trying to decide between the two cars, I say go for the RX if you don't want to give up the sport side of your every day driving. Go for the TSX if you want to have a little more comfort with a hint of sport.

 

390ish whp Camaro, and 290 crank hp Volvo, to a 4-port 8. Always gonna miss the power, but not enough to ditch the 8 (a blast in the twisties). The Camaro was just plain scary sometimes and the Volvo was a highway monster, both of which I miss :D . Now if these FI people would get off their 6-port fetish and do something for us 4-porters...........

 

Well not quite 300+ hp, but my wife's car is a 282 hp BMW 540i, and I enjoy driving the RX-8 more. It's lighter, more nimble, more connected to the road and feels just as quick. I test drove a Mercedes E55 AMG as a possible replacement for the BMW 540i. With close to 500 hp, the E55 is fast as hell, but it didn't handle as well as our BMW. Hate the looks of the new 5 series, so I guess we're keeping the e39 for a while more.

My previous cars were a 255 hp '93 FD RX-7, then a 240 hp '98 e36 BMW M3, and now a 238 hp RX-8. So I have gone from higher hp cars to the RX-8. It was not my intention to go down hill. I do love hp and a fast blast off the line, but I value lightness and agile handling above pure power. I was strongly considering an e46 BMW M3, but decided on the RX-8. Aside from the power, I just liked the handling, style, and the unique rotary better. Plus, I saved a bundle.

Do I miss the power? Perhaps a little, but not that much, and everything else makes up for it. I am very very happy with the car.

 

I use to have a 280 mdded HP 93 FD to an auto RX8--i think that counts.

 

I don't have alot (sorry...another one of us guys, lol) of high HP experiance but I did drive a Z06 on a small & short track once. I loved that experiance and I did pretty dang good considering my complete lack of experiance but the fact is WE ALL normally drive in a city street where we can not race the car every sec of the day.

So, my 8 can:

Take me from point A to B in:

Comfort
Style
& MUCH MUCH FUN

I can drive my 8 shifting at 3.5K on my daily drive without a problem and I still enjoy the feel of the car. It feels like a true sports car should and driving anything else (after owning my 8) feels clunky or uninspireing at best. The TSX is a nice car but if you are compareing the 8 to a 4dr....just get a G35 4Dr which now has 298HP and looks VERY nice too. It's a better sports sadan BY FAR...than the TSX.

 

I had a 2000 Chevrolet Corvette w/ 350 hp. The Vette is faster of course - you can really feel the torque in the Vette - but both cars are FUN - and that's what matters most to me.

 

i went from a '73 plymouth duster with a 360 magnum. that thing will sit you back in the seat like none other. it's just a different kind of power and for a different kind of driving style. the 8 was made to go fast around turns at a high rpm. my duster on the other hand is a drag car.

 

I went from a 308 to an 8. I missed the 308 and added another one to the stable and kept the 8. I just added a 550 to the stable last weekend. The 8 is one fun ride!

 

Lower HP and lack of torque maybe (depending what you compare it to), but the car moves faster than most other cars w/this much HP. Lb for Lb this car moves out nicely and handles great.

 

I don't know if you have gotten your answer yet, but I'll add my experience. I went from a 1985 Porsche 928S Euro Auto to the RX-8 6sp. The Euro S has 310 hp (4.7L V-8), and about 50/50 weight distribution. It weighs about 250-300 pounds more than the RX-8. (It's also 20 years older.)

The RX-8 has noticeably less power at high revs, and a LOT less power at low revs. I do miss the higher power of the 928, but rarely. I can still tear away from a stop, but it takes a bit before the acceleration takes off. I can't accelerate up the hills from 80-100 like I did before. The difference is less at higher speeds, but still a difference.

In the corners, the RX-8 is a lot more fun. I feel like I had to work harder (as the driver) in the 928. The RX-8 turns in much better, and feels "zippier" than the 928 did, even with less power. (Part of this feeling is probably due to having the manual trans. vs. the auto - part is probably due to the age of the cars.)

All in all, I love the 928, but I LOVE the RX-8. I'm very happy with the change I made, but you may not be satisfied with the (relative) lack of power. As I'm sure you've been told - go drive one and see how it feels. Take a few miles to get used to the feel of the car, steering, and gearbox by shifting around 4-6 grand. Then, head around some corners at 7-9 grand and try out the power. It really feels more powerful than it is sometimes.

I hope this helps. One thing I do miss is this: My drive home from work has a bunch of curves through the farm fields, leading up to a stop sign. I used to scream around the curves and then pull up to the stop sign with the V-8 quietly idling thinking "She's not even breathing hard." The feeling may be back this summer. I'm waiting...

 

Idle the 8 doesn't sound like much. Get an exhaust to free the rotary "hum." It's amazing.

 

Yeah, that's either first or second on my list - RB exhaust vs. RB sway bars.

 

I had a friend who owned an 86 928S. It's a bit unfair to compare a car from the 80s to the RX8, but for it's time, that car was superior to most in performance, unlike the RX8. To this day, it's still my favorite Porsche, and the one time by friend let me drive it, I was more amazed by that car then I ever could have been in present time with the RX8. Cars are just so much faster now, but you know better then anyone that the 928S was just an absolute force to be reckoned with back in the day. It even handed vettes and stangs their behind back then. Still though, the RX8 for it's price and the class it's in, is just an amazing machine. I got over the lack of power quickly, because it just gives so much more. I do believe though that another 60-70hp in rx8, will make it a superior car in today's era of sports cars.

 

One thing to note...the TSX is a FWD car and the 8 is a RWD car...you will be coming from a Supra eh? well you will hate the TSX especially since the more power you have the more pronounced Not having RWD will seem

get the 8...that is an easy easy choice between these two!

 

Get the 8. By the time you figure out whether or not there is enough power for you, a great number of options will be available to you in the form of forced induction. They will get you back to a semi or near Supra lifestyle to which you have become accustomed. In the meantime, you will be able to enjoy all the other aspects of the car.

 

I agree completely - it's unfair to compare a $90,000 supercar to a $30,000 sports car. My point was that the power difference is the ONLY thing I miss about the 928. In all other aspects, the RX-8 pleases me more. I also agree that the relative lack of power will be less important over time, and by this time next year, there will be lots of options for getting 300 hp out of the Renesis.

 

Coming from a 375hp / 408tq hp WRX this car is still funner to drive!

 

that's what I'm talking about :D

 

Shhhhh, IkeWRX might hear you.

 

Previous car was a 5.0L Mustang. Definitely miss the torque, but the RX8 is a blast to drive once you get it up past 5000 RPM and handlles with the best of them. I figure that tire shredding power is cool, but not overly useful in daily driving.

 

u might make Ike cry :D