fusionchicken

hi all,

i have a friend who is looking to get a sports car, used, under $23k, and since he is not very familiar with the overall automotive arena, so i wanted to help him out.

RX8:

pros: great handling, comfortable ride, 4 doors with a coupe's sexy appearance, 4 seats as well as a decent trunk. beautiful interior and good seats.

cons: eats engine oil, engine might flood, poor mpg, lack of torque and overall power. doesn't respond to power mods well (n/a or FI). blind spots due to crampy interior.

350z:

pros: great handling (not as good as rx8), very good low end torque for the streets, and good power overall. roomier interior relative to rx8. more reliable than rx8 in general.

cons: 2 seats, doesn't respond to power mods well, unless FI is employed. ride quality not as good as rx8 (but not very sure since i havn't driven/sat in one). not much trunk space. bad mpg (but slightly better than rx8)

RSX-S:

pros: economical: good storage space being a hatchback, good MPG, decent acceleration (pretty much the same as rx8), good handling for a fwd. roomy interior, 4 seats (though small backseats). comfortable ride quality. responds very well to n/a and FI mods. honda reliability. good entry level car for beginners, less chance of wrecking since it's fwd.

cons: doesn't handle as well as the rx8/350z being fwd.

so basically it comes down to which car has the best practicality and performance combination.

power: 350z.
handling: rx8, with 350z really close 2nd.
practicality: rsx-s (storage). rsx-s and rx8 tie for seats.
styling: subjective.
response to mods: rsx-s.
reliability at factory trim: rsx-s.
price: rsx-s.
mpg: rsx-s.
ride quality: rx8.

trying to see if anybody has more inputs/opinions about these 3 cars, or if anybody else could think of a good car to compete with these 3. my friend's not a car buff, so please no cheap-car-with-mods ideas.

also these cars are out for one reason or another:

srt-4, s2k, miata, mr2 turbo, 240sx, mustang, wrx.

also my friend hasn't driven any of these cars, while i've driven the rx8 and rsx-s. still looking for a chance to drive the 350z...
for now he wants a car that is better at handling than power, but that's not for sure since he hasn't driven a good handling and/or powerful car. he's coming from a 2000 toyota avalon.

Thanks!



p.s. will add more if i remember anything else that i'm missing on this list.

p.p.s. thanks to zand for reminding me, but since insurance is different for everybody, let's not include it as a factor for now.

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

Nice write-up, however, I think this is a biased poll especially at a 350Z forum,

Hell, get the RSX-S, bet the insurance will be higher though!

fusionchicken

retarded or not, there will be some clear-headed and unbiased ppl who will give me good inputs.

thanks for your input

btw, i posted this on the rx8 forums as well.

can't post on clubrsx due to 25 post count thing....anyways, carry on, and appreciate everyone's opinions.

fusionchicken

ignore please.

drumminguy81

iTrader: (19)

umm how can someone believe what you ahve to say about the z if you have never drivin one.. you cant compare it to other cars if you havnt drivin it..

lane myers

why not just have your friend test drive all three and pick the one he likes - instead of letting people on the internet help him make up his mind...

fusionchicken

hmm.....which part of what i said about the 350z, other than ride quality, require me to drive one to figure out? nissan's website tells me almost all those things already.

as for relative power/handling to rx8 and rsx-s, it's from magazines and other sources. it's the best i could do with a car i havn't personally driven.

yes eventually test drives for all 3 cars will be done....but i'm trying to get opinions from ppl who have already done that.

Ruining

That's a wierd thought. That just doesn't make any sense.

priscilla ls1

iTrader: (15)

Who Voted for the RX-8?

bdahern

iTrader: (9)

I just got rid of a 2002 RSX-S for a 2006 350Z - if your friend drives the Z there is no way he will buy an RSX-S. Nice car, but really there is no comparision.

zeebeda

iTrader: (3)

I traded my 04 RSX-S in for an 03 350Z
The RSX-S was nice, it rode a little better than the Z in my opinion. Also, mods are cheaper, and the car will have a better responce to the mods. However, Acura does not report the corect MPG on the car. Before any mods were put on my car, driving in normal conditions, I got about 22mpg on the highway. If you have any passengers, especially one that is heavier set, the MPG will be terrible.
Since I have gotten my Z, I get just as good, if not better than my RSX-S (on average). The only differance is, it's premium gas.

I test drove an RX-8, Z, and S2000 before making a purchase.
Obviously, my decision was a Z.
The RX-8 was a nice car, it just wasn't really my style.

It really is personal preference, but my opinion, go with the Z

bdahern

iTrader: (9)

Your mileage problem may be realted to the fact that the RSX-S is supposed to get premium gas, too.

Swiffer

iTrader: (8)

I wanted to clear up a few points that you mentioned in regards to the RX-8. The engine uses a little extra oil by design. If you check it regularly (as you should with any car), it will not be a problem. If you change your oil every 6 months / 4000 miles, you shouldnt have to add any extra. The only people who really saw the need to add more oil, were the ones who tracked their cars. Also, the flooding is not much of an issue anymore. This was mainly for the 04 model year, but has been fixed with recent flashes. To prevent this, make sure the engine is in normal operating temperature before shutting it down. If you must shut it down earlier, there are steps to follow by reving the engine for 10 seconds which will then allow you to safely turn it off. Next the MPG. Many people have been getting 18-22 MPG with mixed driving. This seems to be something that increases as the engine breaks in.

Also, regarding insurance, the RSX-S was MUCH cheaper than the other two. It was about $50 cheaper per month compared to the Z, and the RX-8 was about $20 cheaper than the Z. But, there is no poing in discussing this anyways, have your friend call his agent, and test drive the cars.

diwun67

iTrader: (13)

I'd never want a RX8, oil consumption really erks me, and an RSX-S doesn't compare to a 350Z, they are two completely different cars, but that's not say the RSX isn't a nice car, they're quick and very responsive to bolt ons. I say tell him to go for the Z

Ayankees2772

None of those cars come close to the power of our cars....The rx-8 is a want to be sports car...sorda like the fat older slower bro of the rx-7. The rsx shouldnt even be compared to the rx-8...which in turn shouldnt be compared to the Z. Ive driven in a rx-8 and the 350z ride quality is a lot better. The handeling is just as good...So your pretty much trying to be consumer guide without testing the product. Go to the dealership (if old enough)...and let your friend test drive all 3...Bet he will want the z

hypeiv

iTrader: (2)

2 seats is a con? If thats the case don't get a Z. When I was deciding on a car I put 2 seater as a pro since there really isn't any other 2 seater coupe in the price range.

obviously what is important to your friend leads him away from the Z since it didn't win any of the categories except power. However if your friend wants a rear wheel drive sports car and not a practical 4 seater then the Z beats the other two cars hands down. I try not to be too hard on the rx-8 but in my mind its a 4 door trying to be a sports car... and its the slowest of your batch. Not to mention if you wanted to go with an automatic the Z's auto is about 10 times better than the rx8's automatic. But if you are going to look at the number of seats in the Z and its lack of trunk space as a negative you won't be happy with the Z.

Ztalker

if you don't mind the wide turn radius of the RSX go for it. I had one in 02 and it was a big mistake. Sold it in less than a year and got my 03 Z.

05Blu3z

iTrader: (2)

that is why you got horrible mpg the type-s takes premium also

D350Z10

iTrader: (20)

For performance, those cars dont even compare..... it should be 350z evo and sti. Also with a couple of bolt ons a Z can run 12sec 1/4 miles all day.
Wrong comparison.
ALSO I am getting 24mpg right now..... thats not poor for a 500whp+ car!

hypeiv

iTrader: (2)

a couple of bolt on turbos? yea there is like two people on this forum who got their NA Z in the 12's (on slicks I believe) but a bolt on Z running 12's is far from the norm.