JoePaterno

tough choice Ray. I think my black 8 with GT package, no spolier and no body kit, with red/black leather, is one of the nicest cars on the road. With the spoiler or the body kit, I just dont like the looks anymore. Is there something about Mazda's black paint that makes it look more shiny or brighter than other cars? Or is it just me? Anyway, I've had my 8 for about 16 months and I still look back at it as I walk away from the car. It looks awesome at that 3/4 angle or whatever. As far as perfromance, u know i love the rotary. The biggest thing about it is that there is no vibration from the engine. Even at 9000 rpm's, there is just no rattle or anything. I just have no interest in driving a piston engine. Now as far as the ricers go, u will have many ricers f'ing with u and u will lose a race to almost any car. I have trouble keeping up with some mini-vans. But I dont care. the overall driving experience is great. If u want to go fast, get a bike. Yesterday we were cruising around at 150 mph on the bikes, no problem. It seems that many of the evo owners drive like idiots. Everytime i'm on my bike and I pass an evo, they start trying to go fast and keep up with me, very annoying b/c now i have to watch out for them too. Or I see an evo trying to weave in and out between cars, but going nowhere. But u seemed to enjoy the driving experience of the evo more than the 8. It does sound like a lot of fun to drive, but then again, it is a mitsubishi. I dont know man, tough one. Sorry for the random thoughts.

Roaddemon

The EVO is a very Hardcore sports car. The RX8 is much more refined and sophisticated. If you want to look good, be pampered and attract stares from all buy the RX8. Women really like the car and it will be an image booster, especially when doing a night on the town. Nothing looks sleaker than the RX8 at night. Great car to drive on a date with GF or wife. Performance wise it's not bad and will floss 95% of the cars on the road. The car does everything so well. The engine is like driving a 4 wheel sport bike. It's really that much fun to drive, without sacrificing all the advantages of a cager.

Roaddemon

[QUOTE=car. I have trouble keeping up with some mini-vans. But I dont care. the overall driving experience is great.


Either your exagerating or you have the automatic. I don't know of any Mini-van that could stay with my 6sp gt.

JoePaterno

[QUOTE=Roaddemon][QUOTE=car. I have trouble keeping up with some mini-vans. But I dont care. the overall driving experience is great.


Either your exagerating or you have the automatic. I don't know of any Mini-van that could stay with my 6sp gt.[/QUOTE]


i have the manual. I cant even comprehend an automatic rotary. Why would they even produce one. What is the point?

MrJynx

who cares what the exterior looks like.. sure when i'm walking down the street and see an 8 drive by I say "wow, it looks like that from the outside? damn that's nice"

But remember one thing.. Do you sit on the side of the street while you drive your car? Obviously not, to me the interior is the MOST important thing about the car. If you can't live with the interior while your test driving it how are you going to feel about it in 2 years? I seem to get used to or "bored" with things quite quickly, but everytime i get into the 8 and see how everything is arranged it still feels like i just bought the damn thing last week.. and i've got over 25000KM on it and one year of driving

get the 8, you'll thank yourself later.. trust me

MrJynx

Sea Ray

Had mine for almost 1 1/2 years and still love it. Last night I washed it and could not keep from going back several times to stare at it. It still looks sharp! And I still keep it covered in the garage like I have done since new.

Plenty fast enough to get it trouble too.

DARKMAZ8

I say grab the 8 for $24-25,000. Wait till the warentee is up and then go turbo. By then I suspect much more aftermarket support. Just with the greddy kit, you will give a stock evo a good run. I rather be the underdog in a race anyway. When other cars know that you're suppose to be fast, they come up with more excuses.

I like the evo and it peforms incredibly for the price but the ride is too choppy for my taste. I would take the STI over the evo in a heartbeat. When it comes down to it, you are the one that's going to live with this decision. It's good to get opinions but buy the car that makes you happy.

Good luck

MR2_Spyder

Lee and others- thnx for your feedback. I'm such a car dork that I love just writing about them. Anyway-

About the bike thing: Stop comparing bikes to cars. They are totally different things. The feeling of torque on a bike is totally different and nothing like sitting with your back against a seat. Plus, it's way more enjoyable going 0-60 in less than 5 seconds in a car, because you're not fearing for your life or scared that a pothole or a bad teenage driver might end your life. Hey, I love bikes, I'm just kind of a pu$$y about it so lets keep apples with apples.

About the image and looking good driving at night: I don't think a waxed and shined black Evo looks too bad at night. Doesn't have nearly the sexy curves of the RX-8, but it's bad looking in its own way. The interior of the Evo is totally utilitarian, which is okay. I just wish it looked better.

One thing I don't like about the Evo is the small amount of turbo lag, but it disappears and more than makes up for it through the rest of the gear.

Here's a point. I LOVE the way my Spyder looks. Lot's of people don't like the big bug eyes, but I do. I also like the low, wide look of it and the slatted engine cover behind the seats. BUT- I hate having a car that looks so fast and then wimps out when the light turns green.

Joe- I know exactly what you mean when you talk about the minivan thing. I know you're exaggerating, but it's true. If a big V6 Odyssey floors it at a light, he's gonna have you off the line, no question. It's not a great feeling. I've had the feeling when Grand Cherokees blow me off the line.

But the 8 does have that planted feeling through turns and does give you the sportscar feeling being low to the ground with a great view of the road ahead. I don't like how the Evo makes you feel like youre sitting upright in a little sedan (because you are).

I just don't know! All i do know is, it's a great time to be looking at cars.

I'll test drive both AGAIN. These car salesman are gonna kill me.

HeelnToe

I like to say the Evo is pure evil, and the RX-8 is pure heaven

While my old Eclipse GS-T was obviously inferior to an Evo, the turbo lag drove me nuts after awhile. If you get caught unspooled at the wrong moment, things can get interesting... especially when trying to merge into traffic. There's NO power... then suddenly, BAM. I prefer the linear powerband of 9,500 rpms to explore, even if it's not as potent. Part of the problem though was lack of FWD traction when the boost kicked in.

LOL, that just happened to me a few weeks ago. An Odyssey ahead of me apparently didn't realize the light had turned green, so I politely <g> beeped to wake him up, and he stomped on it... and I had to seriously work for a second to catch up to him. I was impressed. Accord V6's must be downright scary.

The visibility is great though! Backing up an RX-8 is quite an adventure, lol...

LOL, I test drove an Evo FOUR times... but just... couldn't... quite convince myself to buy it. I love DRIVING it... I just coudln't see myself OWNING it. I later drove an RX-8 once and decided to buy it after 100'

JoePaterno

Hey, test drive one with some miles on it. Stay between 5-9000 RPM's and see how u like it. Get it up to about 120 mph.

phee

Who can't get their beach chairs in the HUGE trunk (especially for a sports car) that the 8 has???? I can fit four of them in there!

JoePaterno

yea beach chairs are no problem. The trunk is plenty big.

MR2_Spyder

Dude, the 8's trunk barely fits this umbrella:

http://us.autos1.yimg.com/img.autos...._7_346x270.jpg

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

the trunk volume in the 8 is plenty (almost the same trunksize as my old Protege), it's the tiny opening that will cause headaches when trying to fit stuff in it.

mikeb

my friend wants me to trade in my 8 for the evo8
we had this conversation last night

the evo is a cool car but I think it is more of a kid car
I dont like its exterior

MR2_Spyder

Kid's car? It beats a C5 Corvette's 0-60 times and run 1/4 mile in low 13s. Also out slaloms Ferraris, Porsches and an NSX, just for examples..

Not a kid's car.

Hunter

I'm pretty sure it was Road & Track's long term wrap up that did it for me with the Evo. But, then again, it could have been a different magazine.

At any rate, the thing is supposedly extremely expensive to keep on the road. It goes through the brake pads pretty quickly and the replacement ones aren't cheap. It also eats tires at a phenomenal rate. That's another area where it keeps up with some very high priced cars.

I've only just bought my RX-8, so I'm not sure what the equivalent replacement parts are going to cost me, but hopefully not as much. :D

Then, like someone else said, insurance. I could not believe how cheap it was for me to insure the RX8.

Hunter

MR2_Spyder

I doubt the insurance on the Evo is that high. I'll have to look into that.

Thetitanium8

I think the EVO is a great car. Not as good looking as the 8 IMO but a hell of a performance car :D

mikeb

I didn't say it was slow
I said its like a kids car.

A ferrari,porshe, and NSX I dont think anyone would call a kids car
but IMO a evo looks like a kids car

kraeji

Just get the evo

comparing rx8 vs evo is apples to oranges.. totally different types of cars.

MR2_Spyder

I can understand that opinion.

That's why I'll removed the gay "altezza" style tail lights and remove the wing. Presto! An adult's car that can spank most Ferraris and Porsches. The Evo even beat the Lamborghini Murcialago on a test track on those Top Gear videos.

Hey, Kraeji: I think the Evo and RX are good comparisons. They are both fast, Japanese 4-seaters. It's a better comparison, I think, than the S2k or Z, because they are 2 seaters and one's a convertible.

The 8 is hard to find a direct competitor for, so I am just comparing it to the two cars I may get.

HeelnToe

True... but you may find that bragging rights get old quickly. In the end, you're left with you, your car, and the road. If driving the Evo puts a bigger smile on your face, by all means get it. Just be careful to buy it because you enjoy *driving* it, not just bragging about what it can beat.

While shopping, I asked myself, "How would I feel about an Evo if next year Kia releases something even faster?" And suddenly I realized I loved what the Evo could DO more than the Evo itself. It's performance IS the car. It's still a fun car, but I wasn't in love with it. It would have been more of a trophy to me... it appealed to my ego. It made me feel superior, better-than.

The 8 is special. Every review, every article struggles to put into words what makes it so good. It's not about what it can DO, it's about how it FEELS. You can't measure it, you can't brag about it... but you can enjoy it. The goodness of the 8 stands alone, it's not dependent upon being faster than other cars. To me, that kind of enjoyment was a much safer bet.

mikeb

that could work
if you remove those two pieces
wing and taillights

m477

Huh, why can't you compare them? Before I bought, my short list was comprised of: RX-8, Evo, S2000, MSM.