Here's the story,

I was not looking to purchase a new car any time soon, that is until my younger brother pulled into my house yesterday with a brand new RX-8 (auto, loaded except navi and spoiler). With the deal he got, my interest piqued.

I own a 2000 BMW Z3, and for the most part, very happy with it. But I must say, looking at his car last night, I have new-found doubts.

My question to everyone here is this: Would you (if in my position) sell your Z3 to get an RX-8 (I want manual, fully loaded)? And if so, why pick the RX-8 over the 350z or G35 Coupe?

Your input is really valuable to me.

Thanks!

-e

 

There are many rather heated threads discussing just that question. It generally comes down to most people feeling that the 350z and G35 are faster, but the 8 is more nimble and tossable. You also get usable rear seats with the 8.

Let me suggest you also join the 350z forum(s) and read through the various threads comparing it to the RX-8 - just for balance.

Not only that, but pay special attention to which topics are popular over there versus this forum. It helps to get a feel for the target audience of each car.

What about the RX-8 is tempting you to switch?

 

drive each for yourself.

Basing your decision on what people on an internet forum say is a little silly.

 

Extra ponies are always a plus (whole reason for looking at the 350z and the G35C) but I am more interested in the whole package. Handling and overall feel of the car plays an important role in my decision making process.

I have had a Millenia at one point and loved how it handled for such a large car, a feeling that I got when testing out my brothers car last night.

To answer your question about what sparked this fire, a couple things:

1. Has a distinct, almost roadster quality appeal (similar to my Z3)
2. Seats 4 (rather comfortably I might add)
3. Interior design is nice (sans radio design, one minus isn't too bad )
4. Engine note
5. Suicide Doors!

 

To Jason Hamilton,

I am not basing this decision soley on what "people on an internet forum" tell me. I am simply asking for inputs, which I made clear in my post.

Also, driving a car for a couple hours doesn't give you the "tale of the tape" so to speak. Since the people in the forum use the car on a daily basis, they can point out little things (or large things) that they have noticed over time.

 

well in that case, since you brought it up i suggest you read a thread called "the little things". that should help you and als the "satisfaction survey" stickied at the top of this forum. and also to get a more balanced look you should read the thread "the little disapointing things"

 

First Big Thing: How do you feel about getting around 18mpg (it varies) for mixed city/highway driving?

Second Smaller Thing: Do you mind checking the oil every other fillup (and adding maybe a quart every 2-3,000 miles)?

Also search around regarding the flooding issue (mine's been fine, and I break the rules constantly).

And some people say the A/C isn't very good (mine freezes me at setting 1).

 

Really? Seems a little scary.

 

the car burns oil because it injects little amounts of it into the engine to lub the moving parts. It's not because it leaks oil or anything like that.

 

Scary? Nah, it's normal for the rotary. It uses more oil than a piston engine for lubrication by DESIGN... it's not a "problem."

But it does require more attention. You can't just ignore it between oil changes.

I think of it as one more excuse to go out and play with the car

 

I would also like to know, for I am in a similar situatioin at the moment, in that I have a sports (to me) car that I still enjoy and are for the most part am happy with. Although my admiration for the rotary and the recent test drive has gotten me debating a lot on switching.

The reasons you list are much like mine, first the handling, just as crisp as a Miata, the exhaust note, the snug yet spacious interior, all bring a nice roadster sunny day FUN car feel to it, something you want to do EVERYDAY. (I actually had a brief memory of riding in the families Fiat 124 afterwards)

Anyway, Regarding the Z, G35 and RX-8 I would agree with Jason and drive them all. see what you like/dis-like about each. Only you can truely make that decision between the three.

In MY humble opinion, I will go with the RX-8 over any other for the reasons you mention, the roadster like handling, the sweet exhaust note, and just the overall package is more refined and well put together from my point of view, of course having owned 3 626's previously does skew things :P

 

Hmmm, that is a question only you can answer. What do you want out of a car? The Z3 is going to give you a substantailly different experience than an 8, do you enjoy the topless aspect of the car? The 8 is really a GT with crisp handling, reasonably fast but won't blow you away with power. Mazda's forte (like BMW) is building cars that are fun to drive, so from that point of view both are somewhat similar. Ask yourself what you want in a car and see how each car matches up and it may make things clearer.

 

I must say, you guys are giving me some great feedback. I really appreciate the quick responses I'm getting.

Took a couple test drives on the 350Z and G35 Coupe. (surprised with the inferior interior on both)

I can't wait to leave work and "test" my brothers car a little more.

I guess what I'm really trying to say is...does anyone want to buy a used Z3?

 

No.. don't buy 8.. It's too much 8 on the road now.I feel sick about it. I want to own a unique car. not the popular one. that's the reason i didn't buy Z. Plz don't buy it..Plz....

 

In buying my RX-8, I looked at (and my thoughts on all of them):

1) G-35: Nice car, VERY nice. 1st runner up. But too "cushy" and handling not nearly as crisp as the -8. Also cost - about $4K more than the RX with no commensurate increase in value or performance.

2) 350-Z: Noisy, harsh. A G-35 w/out manners, and two seats. No thanks.

3) Z4 - Also a great car. If I were buying a roadster rag top, this would be it. But I couldn't justify a $40K + price tag and 2 seats.

4) Mercedes SLK230 Kompressor: All the problems of the Z4 plus it's a Chrysler. Fugheddaboudit!

5) Mini-Cooper: Awesome handling, goes like stink, looks like a goddamn toy. Again, fugheddaboudit!

6) Honda S2000: Same issues as the Z4, only smaller.

Here's what won the RX-8:

1) I had an RX-7 before. Once bitten by the rotary bug, the itch never subsides!
2) Handling, handling, handling! Best handling car I've ever driven.
3) Value - incredible performance without an incredible price tag
4) Uniqueness: Rarely seen car around the Chicago suburbs. All of the above are relatively common cars here.

 

I was considering a G35 and a 350Z but neither struck me quite the way the 8 did.

FWIW...MHO:

350Z is quick as greased owl $hit, but rides way too heavy for the twisties. Weight distribution also causes the car to nose dive a bit (even my Z-enthusiast friend will gripe about this one). Exterior is awesome but the interior is pretty drab and clunky looking. Buy it for the power not for the drive.

Stew was right on in describing the Z as a g35 with manners and that's about all it has over the Z. Softer ride, softer feel, slightly nicer interior. The rear seats in the G35 although spacious in leg/foot room are horrid in head room. At a "meager" 6' (lots of taller friends) I felt like I might have been less hunched over in the trunk. Personally if I was going to seriously consider a G35 I'd take the Z instead....power wins that one plain and simple

Had my 8 for a month right now and couldnt be more pleased with it.

Cons:
slower off the line and in the straights than the 35 and the Z
slightly slow steering response
somewhat cramped leg room in the back for those of the taller persuasion
some cheapish (or so they look...havent broken anything yet *knocks on wood*) interior parts)
poor lumbar support in the front seats and that stupid metal bar that hits me just above waist line

Pros:
Handles like nothing else (excellent ballance on its toes, stiff yet still comfortable suspension)
Rotary
8900rpm redline makes the gearbox really versitile
much crisper shift throw than the Z or G35
Rotary
excellent engine/exhaust note
decent enough cargo space (compared with the Z....99.9% worthless)
Rotary
sweet interior overall


All the discussed cars (including your Z3, S2000, 8, g35, Z, etc) are great machines....its all about your reasoning for buying a car.....if you want to enjoy your car everytime you get in, you'd honestly be hard pressed to find one better than the 8.

 

Well said, Chambo.

Ironically, when I was looking at all the cars I looked at and was telling a buddy about it, he's said to me "well, geeze, there's not a car in the bunch that I wouldn't kill for" ...

It is a matter of degrees - such as:

Z- heritage, and BIG power and torque. If the RX-8 weren't out ...
G35 - very luxo feeling (at least to me) although I'm not a fan of what Nissan passes off for ergonomics these days - came very close! If price had been better ...
Z4 - amazing car, truly amazing. Had price been same ... probably wouldnt' be talking to y'all now ...
Mini Cooper - serious fun, serious value - if price had been less (had a lot of trouble with the "almost $30K" price tag for a loaded up car) and value better ... who knows ...

The only car that really didn't turn me on was the little 'Benz convertible. Neat as hell sitting in the driveway, decent driver. Absent of the competition ... well .. but, considering all that I was considering ...

That $25,000 - $43,000 market is chocked full of fun and interesting cars these days. It's good to be us!

 

buy watever. beside 8 ...... Z4 is very cool and hell nice. go ahead and buy it..

 

A Harley is a Harley, a Mustang is a Mustang, and now an RX-8 IS an RX-8, nuff said!

 

^^^ Too funny!

I think when you drove the RX-8, the same thing happened to you that happened to many of us....you got bit by the RX-8 bug!

That's what happened to me. Didn't have any plans on buying one at all. Just wanted to see what Mazda's new Rotary powered vehicle was all about (I own a 93 RX7). I was hooked, and will be buying one within the next 2 months.

I have also test driven most of the competition, and agree with the points made by Chambo above.

You might also want to take a look at the Mitsubishi EVO (if you can live with the looks) its a great car, super fast and super handling.

 

The 350Z was on my list of cars to test drive when I was looking for a car. I test drove a convertible. I also drove a Mustang GT and an S2000. All of those cars are faster straight-line than the 8, but that wasn't what I was looking for. I also briefly thought about a mid-90s NSX, but I wanted something with a warranty. After driving all four, the most fun to drive were the S2000 and the 8. The extra seats sold me on the 8, plus I absolutely love the sound of the rotary above 5k RPM. I was sorely disappointed in the interiors of the S2000 and 350Z (I expected the Mustang's to be ****). It's hard to quantify just what separates the 8 from the other cars. All I can say is that it FITS me somehow. I suggest, as others have, that you drive all of the cars you're interested in and see what fits you. If you're interested in that head-thrown-back acceleration, the 8 isn't for you. If you're looking for a car that destroys those others in the twisties, you can't go wrong with the 8.

-djb

 

At the time I checked out the 8, I was driving a Tacoma x-cab and had planned to trade up to a 4x4 (either another Tacoma or a Ranger).

I went to test drive the 8 on a whim, just to see how the rotary performed, without any real intention of getting myself into a sports car. I had so much fun on that drive (and it wasn't even much of a drive, just a 3-mile loop through Cerritos,CA) that I spent the next 2-3 months figuring out how the budget to get one would compare with the truck I wanted.

I figured that since it was my first drive in a sports car (other than a couple of rented Eclipses) in a while, I should look around a bit. I checked out the 350Z and the IS300 (since both were pretty much the same price range as the 8 I wanted), and neither one really "did it" for me. I thought the Z had a great sounding engine (esp. for a 6), but it just didn't feel as fun to drive, and I wanted a moonroof rather than a ragtop. The IS was OK, but it didn't really leave an afterglow (if that's the right word) like the 8.

So far, I've had my 8 for 8 months (bought it on New Years Eve), have 11k miles on it (including 2 trips to Vegas and one to the Bay Area), and I still can't help but do a fair amount of otherwise unnecesary driving (such as adding 40 miles to my 4-mile drive home from work one night, taking no-stops "shortcut" through Newport Beach and up the coast) 'cause I just can't resist...

So far, the only problems I've had with the car have been things that I've caused while installing some mods (the worst has been a loose connection to one blinker bulb), and every once in a while I catch a look at it from one of the few angles that make some particular body feature look a little wierd to me (but any car will have a couple of those angles, and the ones on the 8 are pretty obscure to reach).

Bottom line is that only you can really decide if you think the ride is enough fun (not that you're currently huring in that dep't with the Z3...)

 

Honestly, I would look hard at the 8 before the Z or G35. Then again I didn't look at either the Z or G35 for power and torque.....2005 Subaru Legacy GT.

 

Do you Ski? Rotaries evoke the same feeling you get skiing in fresh powder on the edges. One with the mountain ... one with the car ... especially with the 8. If you enjoy being connected ... involved when you drive then look seriously at the 8.
I have yet to find another car that I look forward to driving as much as the 8. :D

I'm biased ... had a rotary since 88. :p

 

Too many people have spoken the right thing and make cool points. 350Z and RX-8 are both nice car and choose one is down to personal preference. For me, I cannot get pass the interior.

Why not S2K, I will look hard at it too. Part of the fun looking for a car is to drive them all.

Here is the list I tested
Z4, 350Z, RX-8, STi, EVO 8, Alfa 147GTA and GT, S2000, S3, Golf R32, Crossfire, Lotus Elise.