Of all the professional reviews I have read that compare the 8 to the Z they all selected the 8 over the Z despite the HP advantage. It always came down to the 8 being a overall better car. All the Z has over the 8 is power, which is a big factor, but that is it.

Z is better for:
- Power
- Company Support (Mazda's support of the 8 sucks)

They are tie for:
- Handling (but the 8 is far more nimble, Z gets it done but you have to manhandle it.)
- Breaking
- On the Track

8 is better for:
- Body dynamics
- Comfort
- Trunk Space
- Practicality - 4 seats
- Interior Quality
- Ride quality
- Auto Crossing

 

Oil: I use about 1 quart per 3,000 miles. I don't see any issue here.

Flooding: Overstated, but I think 1) it's mainly with the 04 model year, and 2) it's pretty much been solved by Mazda.

MPG: Depends on what you compare it to...

• Car - city - highway
• Viper - 12 - 20
• M3 - 16 - 24
• Mustang GT - 17 - 25
• RX-8 - 18 - 25
• G35 - 18 - 25
• 350Z - 19 - 25
• S2000 - 20 - 26

Torque/Power: As compared to what? A Viper? Do you want more power or more mileage? Do you understand they're opposites? Try this on a test drive: in 4th gear at highway speeds, floor it. You'll be pleasantly surprised (or scared).

Blind spots: Use the mirrors and there won't be any.

Crampy interior: As compared to what?!? Are you interested in a sports car or a grannywagon?

Most of your "cons" are non-issues in my experience. But IMO, if you buy used, steer clear of 04's. The first model year always has more problems.

 

the z is a great car, and I almost got one, but here is my perspective:

the two greatest times I have had in my z have been

1) Weekend trips to Phoenix (from Tucson) with my wife and daughter - just not possible in a z

2) Trips to the Golf course with my friend and his dad (who drives a minivan haha) - the z has to give instructions for storing two golf bags, where do the third person and bag go?

z is no fun if I have to take my Titan cause we can't all fit

 

It's not even the entire 2004 model lineup, it's mostly with the cars that have a build date from 2003. They retooled the assembly on the fly, so there is no magic change that happened from 2004 to 2005 models.

 

thanks a lot for ur responses guys.

i know there will be biased opinions as this is an rx8 board. but i'm looking for ppl who might have went from rsx-s/350z to rx8 to chime in; those ppls' opinions will be most valuable in this discussion.

also, if u have nothing to contribute to my question other than questioning my intention of creating this thread, just ignore the thread, instead of posting tollish comments like "i wonder which car will win". yea the rx8 will win, but everybodys opinions in between posts are what i'm looking for.

the rx8/rsx-s both trap within 1-3 mph in 1/4 mile, whereas the 350z is 4-6 mph higher. that's a big difference for roll-on races.

another thing is my friend doesn't know how to drive manual yet. i'm teaching him now, but i dont want him to go test drive nissan/mazda's flagship sports cars and stall them in the parking lot. so for now i'm just lookin for other ppls' opinions.

the rsx-s is only in the discussion because it's a good entry level car, and it is economical like the rx8. keep in mind this discussion is aimed toward which car is best for my friend, not for u.

again, thanks for the inputs. but any more comments then keep posting them

 

Forgot another point the 8 has over the Z, weight or lack of it. The Z puts in at 300 plus lbs. more then 8. This added weight detracts greatly from the handling and explains why the Z needs such a stiff ride to keep up with the 8 in the turns.

On the other hand the Z will get better mpg.

 

I think if you are buying a 2 seat performance sports car you would have to pick the z over the 8 .
But the 8 is so much more practicle , looks better , handles better and is only marginally slower .
While I have a need to transport more than 1 other person the 8 is the only logical choice for me .

Edit : with some mods to make the 8 as quick as a stock z for approx. the same $ the z argument is very weak .

 

What car do you drive? I live near Ann Arbor....
Do you have an 8?

 

haha, just like that. Slap some mods on and you're good to go!

 

there will be some surprised z owners when enough tuned interceptor x (+ all the other bolt ons) equiped cars are out there.

 

The number of seats is huge factor in buying a car and even comparing a car. It really annoys me when people compare the 350Z and S2000 with the RX-8 because they aren't the same. If you added 2 more seats to either of the cars, it becomes a whole a new car. Weight will change, measurements will change, handling will change, style and practicality...

If you're buying a car as your daily driver, it just makes sense to get something with 4 seats. Even if you never use em. It could mean life or death if you need to drive more than 1 person to the hospital... "sorry dude, only room for 1!".. LOL...

 

Well, if your friend is looking for the best combination of performance and practicality, as well as great handling over performance, the answer is RX-8.

The 350Z would be my choice if the preference was sheer performance or non-compromise sports car character, but practicality and handling are the strenghths of the RX-8, in everyday driving reality as well as in every test you'll find.

 

For one, the Civic SI is a better car than the RSX Type S, anyone that buys an RSX right now is most likely just a badge *****. Also, it seems the GTI should be on your friend's listy, it's a fun little car, has a great interior, takes well to mods, is very practicle, and has the convenience of a hatch.

 

Get a S2000 if your friend don't mind the 2 seats and price

 

thanks guys.

the new Si is a good car, but my friend doesnt like the way it looks

also the s2000 is out because it's a convertible and my friend prefers a hardtop over his head.

yea it seems the rx8 should be the logical choice in this comparison....i guess the biggest things we're worried about are the reliability with the engine.....with our budget an 05 is out of reach, and it seems the 05 is the problem-free model...

my friend doesn't drive stick, and if the automatic rx8 was close to the power of the manual then we'd go test drive the automatic in a heartbeat....but the manual has over 40hp+ so the automatic won't do the manual justice...guess i'll just have to teach my friend how to operate manual first..

 

Love this poll. These were my choices before I bought. Guess what I picked?

I may have ended up with a Z, had I not had one of the worst dealer experiences ever. Thank God, a good friend convienced me to look at the 8 again.

 

The 8 is the first manual car I have owned. I had driven a stick a couple times, enough to be able to say I can drive stick, but not within a year of picking up the 8. To be honest, it's not a hard car to drive. Hold it at say 2500, release the clutch evenly and you go. It's a very tame car in the low end. If your friend likes driving, and by the choice of cars I would say he does, he should really switch over to stick, the earlier the better. The manual has ~40 more hp at the crank, but 50-60 more HP at the wheels. It's literally ~150% more power delivered. I test drove an automatic and didn't even like it.

 

check out some reviews

rx8:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2emH4ihqMU

350z:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S3FF...gear%22%20350z

The RSX, besides being discountinued, is not in the same class as the other 2. A sporty car and a sports car are 2 very different things.

The rsx is a nice looking car, very little room in the back seats, good trunk space, reliable, easy to mod with huge after market support, and is probably one of the best handling front wheel drive cars you can buy. Best front wheel sporty car you can buy, other then it's twin the civic vtec.

The 350 is a beast on torque, but does weight alot for such a small car, which you can feel going into tight turns. It does not handle as well as an 8, but it is a very good handling car compared to whats out there. Easy to mod, but expensive. Less room then the 8, and in many people's opinion, very cheap feelin interior. They have had several mechanical issue but most have been worked out. The autos are about as fast as the manuals. No trunk space as they have a huge bar across the back, harsh ride and a work out to drive. One of the best raw sports car on the market.

The Rx8 is low on torque, but delivers very well at higher rpm's. Very good handling and a very easy car for spirited driving. Good space and adult usable back seats. Decent trunk space but small opening. Smooth manual, but underpowered auto. The car gives you a very connected to the road confident feeling. Gas milage is less then expected. most mechanical problems have been worked out. More exotic looking then the other 2. Mods are expensive for little gain. Best all around practical sports car on the market.

 

Not by much:

 

In real world driving the difference is even greater.

 

That's a good call on the GTI, Ike.

A nice combo of practicality and sportiness, without the need for additional attention like the 8. A good car for a younger driver (I'm assuming the original poster's friend is a young person).

 

And that is based on which survey? ________________

 

You might want to google: Users Reviews and add your car model - you can get the good and the bad on just about any recent car - some of these are highly educational For example these are some of the postings i found when I was shopping for a Corvette:

Nice looking car but it lacks performance and sporty feelings like that of Porsche Carrera GT and Lamborghini Murcielago


A good car, but I wish I would of bought something else. GM quality is still bad after all these years. Loud brakes, battery problems, computer problems...the list goes on.

Pros: fast sports car, slick look, great all american muscle.
Cons: This car has absolutely no Luxury
why they make a such nice car with the sooooo cheap looking center dash, i think its about time to fire those guys are responsible for the corvette's dashboard design

Pros: Great power
Cons: TERRIBLE BRAKES!

Pros: Decent fuel economy, seats semi-comfortable, decent performance for value
Cons: Ride is EXTREMELY HARSH, Brakes are decent, but will fade under hard braking, interior is bland.
While the Z06 is a definite bang for buck drag strip/stop light winner, it will not handle a turn any more than 35 degrees while flat out without lifting and holding your breath.
Pros: Smooth lookin
Cons: Rough ride

Try it for your choices before you make your buy.

 

yep my friend will def. get a manual car as his next car i mean a sports car has to have 3 pedals, at least to me it does

he IS leaning more towards the rx8 for now.....but we'll see. just gotta teach him the basic first so he can test drive the car by himself. but thanks for all ur opinions. i will combine ur opinion with folks on the 350z board and make a final conclusion.

 

Road and Track
Long Term average mileage:

RX-8: 17mpg
350Z: 21mpg

Consumer report also posted numbers with similar spreads. I don't have it in front of me.