Hey all,

I am semi-new to the RX-8 world. Although I have wanted one for over two years, I just recently acquired my 2004 last month (it has 35K miles on the original engine if anyone was wondering). I just wanted to say that I LOVE this car. I attend NC State University and have it parked in a lot right outside of my dorm (perks of being an upper classman) and constantly find myself staring at it every time I walk by the lot - which happens to be every time I leave my suite. There's just something about it that I can't get enough of... perhaps it's the ingenuity of the rotary engine, or the sound of 9K RPM, or the way it's always firmly planted to the road, or (the list could go on).

I posted in the thread "the little things" but it's worth mentioning again. A friend of my Dad's owns a Ferrari F430, and I just recently was able to take a ride in it. First of all I must say it is a visually stunning car, though you forget all about that once you hear the engine and feel the power. It gripped the road perfectly at high speeds around tight corners, the power-band seemed endless, and the noise it made was music to my ears.

After the ride, however, I found myself appreciating my '8 even more than I did before. Has anyone else ever had this happen with some other high-priced sports car? I suppose it's the way the '8 can do all that it does with none of the "big engine lots-of-cylinders" nonsense. The RX-8 isn't a numbers car and we all know that already. It's a driver's car. An enthusiast's car. It's for people who care about what happens in-between point A and B. To say the least, it's an obsession.

Call it the new car jitters if you want, but I don't think the feelings are leaving anytime soon.

So to anyone out there who questions if people actually like their RX-8s, I guess you can say I do.

 

My wife's car is a 2004 BMW Z4 3.0i with the sport suspension and 6 sp manual. The sticker price was over $40,000 new (we bought it used for less than half that!). I think the RX-8 out performs the Z4 in every way except for straight 0-60 time and mpg... And the BMW straight 6 sounds pretty good at WOT, too. We communite in the Z4 daily and get almost 30 miles per gallon, but I long to drive my 8 on the weekends!

 

Well said op.

I've had my 8 for over a year and a half and I still turn around and stare at it every time I get out.

 

While I can understand your enthusiasm for your RX-8, trying to say that its as good as a Ferrari F430 in all regards is a bit off.

While the RX-8 is a great car, I would trade mine, plus every other one owned by the forum members here in Colorado, in for an F430.

I get to play around them at the nearby racetrack every month or so, and let me tell you, seeing and watching an F430 in full song, going at full tilt on a road course is an extremely impressive thing.

There's just so much more quality of materials that you get when you buy a big ticket item like that Ferrari, too. Trying to compare the interior quality across the two cars is pointless.

I'm glad you like your RX-8.
I love mine too.

Don't diss the F430, however, by trying to compare it with an RX-8.

BC.

 

sjschutz, most of us don't get a chance to ride in a $200K+ sports car. I would like to hear more on how the two compare.

 

Nice to see you enjoy and appreciate your car.

 

I don't think he was dissing the F430 or saying his rx8 is as nice as it. He was just showing his appreciation for the 8 and that he enjoys his 8 even though it costs a fraction of the price of an F430.

 

Exactly. Trust me I know the RX-8 is nowhere near the car that the F430 is. I was merely trying to express my appreciation towards the '8 because of what it can do without the big engine and other Ferrari/super-car goodies. But to reiterate, I would also trade my '8 for that F430 any day of the week.

As far as how the two compare... that's a toughie. The F430 has endless power. Enough said. The power band of the vehicle is just amazing. The noise is something else, too. Having the engine right behind you and visible is definitely an experience. The sound is right there, in your face (if you ever doubt that, you can just turn your head and look behind you). The grip it had on the road was amazing. He went 100mph on curvy backroads* and it never felt like it would let go of the pavement. Dare I say it... the handling around the curves felt better than the '8's, and that's saying something. Although I must say it wasn't vastly better, it was noticeable. The paddle shifters were spot on, allowing a shift in a fraction of a second whenever you wanted it - along with the revmatch function, so there's no big jerk when downshifting, just an increase in noise/RPMs.

The only thing I wasn't too impressed with was the interior. The seats weren't as comfy as the '8's and the dash and dash components (surprisingly) looked cheap. Although there was plenty of space to fit two people (driver + passenger) comfortably, it just didn't feel right.

That is the only thing I didn't like with it though. It was an amazing car that I would love to ride in again. The owner said the only thing he didn't like about it was that "everybody sees a Ferrari and instantly wants to race you." I must say though if I saw that thing on the road the last idea in my mind would be to challenge it to a race.


*He knew these roads like the back of his hand, and also has racing experience in the very same F430 from various track days and Ferrari meets. I say this in case there was a safety concern.

 

My rx8 is for better or for worse, and i think, there is more worse than better...lol

 

Remember that the F430 is a 100% pure Super Car, not a Grand Tourer, or a 4 Door Sports Car.

If you wanted to see a better car to compare to the RX-8 in the Ferrari lineup, go sit inside either a 599, or a California. WAY better interiors than the F430. Or is you want to save about $50k to $75k, look inside the Maserati GranTurismo. Same Ferrari engine as the California, but just dripping in luxury, for less.

But I get what you are saying about the RX-8 being a great car, even after a ride in an F430.

BC.