Purchasing soon. Rx8 or TC?
#76
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A little insiders tip for ya...
I worked at a Toyota dealer for a summer job this previous summer as a lot porter. I drove about 5 tC's a day and could never wrap my head around the fact as to why people like them. Honestly, these are noting more than a Corolla with a different shell. Same 5-speed manual that Toyota uses in the Yaris for ****'s sake. Its absolutely horrid. Clutch has no feel, gear throws are clunky and imprecise, and don't get me started on the interior... most of the materials are rough and cheap, while they may look "pretty" I don't foresee them lasting long. The little cover for the stereo head seemed like it was held on by thin rubberbands. Even though it has "stiffer suspension" the car doesn't inspire any confidence. I even drove one with the TRD supercharger and was not impressed. It could still have been outpaced by my 8 in a straight line. Any more power to the front wheels highlights the already horrid understeer.
To be honest, if you are comparing an 8 and a tC, you really don't understand what a sports car should be. However, if you are going to buy a Toyota, do yourself a favor and buy a Corolla. Same thing as a tC but will hold its value better and get slightly better fuel economy. Better yet, don't get a new car if you're worried about fuel economy. Worrying about that probably means you don't have the money for a new car anyway. People like that are part of the reason for the credit crisis right now.
I worked at a Toyota dealer for a summer job this previous summer as a lot porter. I drove about 5 tC's a day and could never wrap my head around the fact as to why people like them. Honestly, these are noting more than a Corolla with a different shell. Same 5-speed manual that Toyota uses in the Yaris for ****'s sake. Its absolutely horrid. Clutch has no feel, gear throws are clunky and imprecise, and don't get me started on the interior... most of the materials are rough and cheap, while they may look "pretty" I don't foresee them lasting long. The little cover for the stereo head seemed like it was held on by thin rubberbands. Even though it has "stiffer suspension" the car doesn't inspire any confidence. I even drove one with the TRD supercharger and was not impressed. It could still have been outpaced by my 8 in a straight line. Any more power to the front wheels highlights the already horrid understeer.
To be honest, if you are comparing an 8 and a tC, you really don't understand what a sports car should be. However, if you are going to buy a Toyota, do yourself a favor and buy a Corolla. Same thing as a tC but will hold its value better and get slightly better fuel economy. Better yet, don't get a new car if you're worried about fuel economy. Worrying about that probably means you don't have the money for a new car anyway. People like that are part of the reason for the credit crisis right now.
#77
I love that the Rx-8 is a unique looking car with a unique engine. For my price range I can find one with leather seats and some kind of sports package...yet...that's one thing that concerns me. How in 4 years the car depreciates almost 50 percent opposed to the TC which depreciates 20-30 percent over that time.
My BIGGEST gripe with the car is the lacking ability to change the HU and how difficult it is to add any audio upgrades. Not that it is impossible, just more expensive and time consuming then most cars.
My BIGGEST gripe with the car is the lacking ability to change the HU and how difficult it is to add any audio upgrades. Not that it is impossible, just more expensive and time consuming then most cars.
I had a Mazda 3 and changed all my speakers and added 2xamps and a suboofer. Lost all that money & time when I sold it. The RX-8 stock sound system (BOSE) is more than satisfying to me.
#79
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You know what they say???
No High's?... No Lows?... must be Bose.
The Bose stereo in the RX-8 is pretty generic at best, and needs (at the very least) a decent subwoofer installed (or with) the pair of 6x9's in the rear deck to make even reasonable sound.
The Bose sound system in the RX-8 is my biggest disappointment with the car... even though the head unit is pretty exceptional, the sound is just average.
#80
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No... The Bose system is typically of most Bose systems...mediorce at best
You know what they say???
No High's?... No Lows?... must be Bose.
The Bose stereo in the RX-8 is pretty generic at best, and needs (at the very least) a decent subwoofer installed (or with) the pair of 6x9's in the rear deck to make even reasonable sound.
The Bose sound system in the RX-8 is my biggest disappointment with the car... even though the head unit is pretty exceptional, the sound is just average.
You know what they say???
No High's?... No Lows?... must be Bose.
The Bose stereo in the RX-8 is pretty generic at best, and needs (at the very least) a decent subwoofer installed (or with) the pair of 6x9's in the rear deck to make even reasonable sound.
The Bose sound system in the RX-8 is my biggest disappointment with the car... even though the head unit is pretty exceptional, the sound is just average.
It's better than a majority of cars :P
#81
Vtak just kicked in yo!!
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No... The Bose system is typically of most Bose systems...mediorce at best
You know what they say???
No High's?... No Lows?... must be Bose.
The Bose stereo in the RX-8 is pretty generic at best, and needs (at the very least) a decent subwoofer installed (or with) the pair of 6x9's in the rear deck to make even reasonable sound.
The Bose sound system in the RX-8 is my biggest disappointment with the car... even though the head unit is pretty exceptional, the sound is just average.
You know what they say???
No High's?... No Lows?... must be Bose.
The Bose stereo in the RX-8 is pretty generic at best, and needs (at the very least) a decent subwoofer installed (or with) the pair of 6x9's in the rear deck to make even reasonable sound.
The Bose sound system in the RX-8 is my biggest disappointment with the car... even though the head unit is pretty exceptional, the sound is just average.
#84
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OP you should buy the TC. from reading your original post, it sounds like you need convicing to buy the 8. Where it looks like y ou are leaning towards the TC.
If you want a fun car and not worry about the MPG, then the 8 is what you should get. but if you just want a car to drive from point A to point B and nothing else, then the TC is what you need to buy.
and as for which car is faster, its pretty obvious the lower HP car out of the 2 is the one what will loose.
If you want a fun car and not worry about the MPG, then the 8 is what you should get. but if you just want a car to drive from point A to point B and nothing else, then the TC is what you need to buy.
and as for which car is faster, its pretty obvious the lower HP car out of the 2 is the one what will loose.
#89
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This person is full of truth and win. I would give you a cookie if I could.
#90
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So much hate regarding the TC. Its a good commuter and for the price of a used 8 ya you can have one brand new pretty much. No its not a sports car but its a sporty car. And as for the pic of all the modded 8's vs the modded tc's.... look at the price of any decent kit for the 8 vs the tc. Coming from owning both, the 8 wins hands down but if its going to be your only car i'd say get the tc and save the 8 for later.
#91
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So much hate regarding the TC. Its a good commuter and for the price of a used 8 ya you can have one brand new pretty much. No its not a sports car but its a sporty car. And as for the pic of all the modded 8's vs the modded tc's.... look at the price of any decent kit for the 8 vs the tc. Coming from owning both, the 8 wins hands down but if its going to be your only car i'd say get the tc and save the 8 for later.
us 8 OWNERS CARE NOT FOR UR SO CALLED LOGIC!!!!
THAT IS ALL, I have SPOKEN.
hahahaha totally kidding.
#92
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I considered the tC for a while, altho my real choices were only ever the rx8 or the G35.
But I'll give you one good reason not to get a tC if you want to have fun: the tC has front wheel drive, the RX8 has rear wheel drive. After driving RWD, I will never drive a front wheel drive sports car ever again, just not fun enough.
Not that the tC qualifies as a sports car, it's just a rather good looking body plunked on a generic toyota architechture, not a real bespoke sports car. And that means something to me.
But I'll give you one good reason not to get a tC if you want to have fun: the tC has front wheel drive, the RX8 has rear wheel drive. After driving RWD, I will never drive a front wheel drive sports car ever again, just not fun enough.
Not that the tC qualifies as a sports car, it's just a rather good looking body plunked on a generic toyota architechture, not a real bespoke sports car. And that means something to me.
#94
Ok I own a Scion xD and I say go with the 8. Eh gas mileage will be sucky but.. hell I'd get an 8 if I could! 8s look much better modified than tCs in my opinion and as far as the HU goes.. oh well. A more expensive car, one would think, would already have good speakers or a decent setup inside.
Then again I know nothing of 8s
Then again I know nothing of 8s
#96
The tC has really comfortable seats (the first driver's seat that I never had to play with to get comfy), plenty of rear-seat room, a decent interior (for the price point), decent fuel economy, neat moonroof setup, a rear hatch, dealer installables out the wazoo and a nice list of standard features. It's a really good value. What it lacks is performance. The engine is just adequate, the tranny is good but nothing to write home about, the cargo area has a tall floor so it's not as good as you might think and the handling is typical FWD.
The RX-8 is... In another league. Immensely better handling, more power, better tranny, better headlights (if you get the HIDs), better interior (subjective)...
I like both and could see owning a tC again if my circumstances change.
When you boil it down, the tC is a well executed econocoupe. It's sporty styled enough to attract attention but sacrifices handling and performance for price point. Get it if you don't plan on racing the car or need the additional practicality.
The RX-8 is a sportscar. It sacrifices many of the strong points of the tC to get right what the tC gets wrong. Get this if you plan on racing the car or don't have too much to worry about with family practicality.
The RX-8 is... In another league. Immensely better handling, more power, better tranny, better headlights (if you get the HIDs), better interior (subjective)...
I like both and could see owning a tC again if my circumstances change.
When you boil it down, the tC is a well executed econocoupe. It's sporty styled enough to attract attention but sacrifices handling and performance for price point. Get it if you don't plan on racing the car or need the additional practicality.
The RX-8 is a sportscar. It sacrifices many of the strong points of the tC to get right what the tC gets wrong. Get this if you plan on racing the car or don't have too much to worry about with family practicality.
I will say, though, that I find the RX8's seats better than the Scion's. Also, the Scion's cargo space really crushes the RX8's.
I don't think that I would ever buy another Tc, though. After driving a RWD car, I don't see ever going back to FWD--especially not FWD like on the Tc. I always had a ton of wheelspin on my Tc if the pavement was even slightly wet. Maybe the stock tires are just junk (not unlikely), or maybe the car is in some serious need of traction control.
At any rate, the RX8 is a far, far better driver's car than the Tc. I do have to give the Tc the edge in practicality, though.
#97
However, since I listen to almost exclusively talk stations on satellite radio these days, the subpar sound system in the RX8 isn't as big a deal to me as it would have been in my youth.
#99
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To the OP:
I generally think you would be much better suited with the Scion than the RX8, but not for any misguided rage issues that the other posters seem to have. From what I read, you're looking more for practicality especially if you are concerned about the money. One quote I liked in the past is "If you can afford the car, you can afford the gas." I don't think the RX8 has the exact set of features you are looking for either, with respect to your sound requirements. I personally love my Bose sound system (but then again, I'm not an audiophile by any stretch).
To other posters:
I may be a new guy here, but please think for a second before responding to the original poster - it doesnt reflect well on this group when you flame the guy as he comes to the fan forum asking legitimate (if maybe misguided) questions.
I generally think you would be much better suited with the Scion than the RX8, but not for any misguided rage issues that the other posters seem to have. From what I read, you're looking more for practicality especially if you are concerned about the money. One quote I liked in the past is "If you can afford the car, you can afford the gas." I don't think the RX8 has the exact set of features you are looking for either, with respect to your sound requirements. I personally love my Bose sound system (but then again, I'm not an audiophile by any stretch).
To other posters:
I may be a new guy here, but please think for a second before responding to the original poster - it doesnt reflect well on this group when you flame the guy as he comes to the fan forum asking legitimate (if maybe misguided) questions.
#100
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Which proves my point of even further ...
No Highs... no Lows... must be Bose.
The stock system has nothing about 15 kHz (which probably doesn't matter to most people since the majority of men over 25 can't hear above 16kHz anyway and women over 25 don't hear much above 17kHz) and has nothing under 60hz for bass.
But then most people don't know that there is supposed to be sound down to 25-30Hz in a car on a proper sound system. Ideally the stock system should have reasonable reproduction of sound from 30Hz to 20,000Hz... our systems have a range of around 65Hz to 15,000Hz.
A good human ear can hear from 20Hz to 20,000Hz.
Yes, the stock system is fine for mid range with female vocals or talk radio, but is just sad when you look at the $5 (cost to make) paper cone rear speakers and pathetic cast polypropylene dome tweeters. So Mazda cheaped out with the Bose Amps and the cheap speakers. The car can sound 50% better just replacing the stock speakers with something that cost more than $5 to make. But if your ears are already shot, then stick with the stock stuff because you will think that the car will sound pretty good.
And FYI, I professionally designed car audio systems back in the 80's and 90's, including dozens and dozens of award winning sound systems and even OEM systems for GM.
Last edited by Icemark; 10-01-2008 at 12:35 PM.