Tell me about RX8s (231BHP)

Man of Honour
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Ahh Scuzi, back so soon with the snipes. I was starting to think you didn't hate the RX8 any more, you know, given this thread has been on the front page for at least 2 hours and hasn't had the divine pleasure of your posting.

Was there anything incorrect about my statement? There are diesel family saloons which would leave the RX8 in a pile of dust at rolling speeds.

What's your problem? I see you own an RX8. Insecure about your purchase? If you don't agree with my points, please feel free to argue on the contrary but don't resort to feeble attempts to attack my credibility. It makes you look like an idiot.

EDIT: Merry Christmas.
 
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I sat in an RX8-GT while in Sydney and quite liked it. I have no clue what difference there is performance wise with the GT though?
 
Soldato
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Was there anything incorrect about my statement? There are diesel family saloons which would leave the RX8 in a pile of dust at rolling speeds.

What's your problem? I see you own an RX8. Insecure about your purchase? If you don't agree with my points, please feel free to argue on the contrary but don't resort to feeble attempts to attack my credibility. It makes you look like an idiot.

EDIT: Merry Christmas.

Ah Scuzi, you seem to think that people are putting the RX8 on a pedestal.

I can't attack your credibility because nothing you've said is wrong car-wise. It's your opinion and your definition of fast - I have no idea what you drive. However, your posting credibility is something else. I wouldn't calling it trolling because I don't think you're smart enough to realise you're doing it. It's just really disappointing posting because you're not extending others the same courtsey, fair enough have an opinion and voice it but don't crap on everyone else's posts even though you've explained already why you don't think it's a good car.

I'm starting to think the day you bought your current car (whatever it is) you went out and got rear ended by an RX8, or perhaps an RX8 ran away with the love of your life? I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of it. I've made a few simple points about the RX8, even in direct reply to your snipes (which you didn't comment on). However I don't sit over here sniping at poster's comments, even after i've made my thoughts clear already. I'm secure enough to sit back and let people post their positive and negative comments about the RX8.

To talk about the RX8 directly - If we look at top gear as a judge for lap speed it's the same as an M3. I'd say that is punching high for it's weight and would you? Is this bad? Is this not fast around a track? In a straight line it's not great but it's not bad. 0-60 in 6.6 (more or less the same as a 330i for example). Is this bad? I always thought cars like the BMW 330i were acceptably fast? It's a good engine in the 330 isn't it?

Would the average person be a fool for owning a 330i and thinking they have a fast car? It's not unreasonable is it given the age of the people that frequent this forum? Unless this is a Porsche 911 forum?
 
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Soldato
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A work mate used to have a 231bhp RX8 he said it was blisteringly fast. He got from four car lengths behind my girlfriends diesel Zafira to two car lengths behind by 100mph from a rolling start out of roundabout at 20-30 ish not what I would class as blisteringly fast performance, I assumed he wasn't trying however he said he was giving it death through the gears. So my advise buy a diesel Zafira instead :D
 
Don
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I think those of you who are slating the RX8s performance are missing the point.
It's not fast through the gears and it's not fast off the line, never has been and never will be.
Where it is fast though is through the corners. It's an extremely well balenced chassis and the handing is spot on. If you want a car to out drag stuff and all you measure a car by is how it pulls, then the RX8 isn't for you. Come to think of it, most european market cars probably aren't for you either.

I enjoyed my time with the RX8 I had but I have no illusions that it was a rocketship in the power or drive stakes. It more than made up for that though in other areas. My Lexus utterly murders is in a straight line but show me a twisty road and the RX8 would leave my current car in the dust.
 
Soldato
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Where it is fast though is through the corners. It's an extremely well balenced chassis and the handing is spot on. If you want a car to out drag stuff and all you measure a car by is how it pulls, then the RX8 isn't for you. Come to think of it, most european market cars probably aren't for you either.

Careful dude, you really don't want to use the F word to describe the RX8.
 
Man of Honour
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Ah Scuzi, you seem to think that people are putting the RX8 on a pedestal.
Ah Vanilla, for what I believe is a flawed car, it certainly does seem to get a lot more credit than it is due.

I can't attack your credibility because nothing you've said is wrong car-wise. It's your opinion and your definition of fast - I have no idea what you drive. However, your posting credibility is something else. I wouldn't calling it trolling because I don't think you're smart enough to realise you're doing it. It's just really disappointing posting because you're not extending others the same courtsey, fair enough have an opinion and voice it but don't crap on everyone else's posts even though you've explained already why you don't think it's a good car.
My current car whatever it may be is irrelevant. I'm not crapping on anyone's posts. It's known as "disagreeing" and my posts have been courteous and a true reflection of my experience with the RX8 throughout this thread until you decided to change the topic to "Scuzi" rather than "RX8".



I'm starting to think the day you bought your current car (whatever it is) you went out and got rear ended by an RX8, or perhaps an RX8 ran away with the love of your life? I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of it. I've made a few simple points about the RX8, even in direct reply to your snipes (which you didn't comment on). However I don't sit over here sniping at poster's comments, even after i've made my thoughts clear already. I'm secure enough to sit back and let people post their positive and negative comments about the RX8.
Your hipocracy is so blatent I cannot believe you haven't noticed it yourself. I haven't sniped any posts. I have posted my honest opinion of the RX8 and because I haven't sugar coated it you appear to take issue with it. However, instead of arguing the topic in hand, you are the one who is sniping at me. You posted a comment aimed personally at me rather than the topic in hand. For goodness sake wind your neck in.


To talk about the RX8 directly - If we look at top gear as a judge for lap speed it's the same as an M3. I'd say that is punching high for it's weight and would you? Is this bad? Is this not fast around a track? In a straight line it's not great but it's not bad. 0-60 in 6.6 (more or less the same as a 330i for example). Is this bad? I always thought cars like the BMW 330i were acceptably fast? It's a good engine in the 330 isn't it?
Would the average person be a fool for owning a 330i and thinking they have a fast car? It's not unreasonable is it given the age of the people that frequent this forum? Unless this is a Porsche 911 forum?
Do you have the figures for the Top Gear lap times? I don't recall watching those episodes. I agree with you that the RX8 is acceptably fast and that in a straight line it is okay but it certainly isn't "rapid" as some people have said. It's far from it. It may embarass a lot of more expensive metal around a track but how many of the RX8s on the road today end up on a track? Do you race your car on track? I acknowledge that the RX8 handles very well and as an overall package, forgetting about the engine, it is an absolute stunner of a car. Like I said before, I believe the engine is absolutely rubbish and destroys something that given a decent engine, would be a serious contender to pretty much anything in a similar price/performance bracket.

My problem with the RX8 is that I wanted to like it so much. From the day I first seen it I wanted one. I loved it. Can you imagine how deflated I felt when I actually drove one? Everyone had talked about how rapid it was and how it could beat all sorts of performance cars around a track but after a couple of test drives in both a 190 and 230 car, I was sorely disappointed.
 
Soldato
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Ah Vanilla, for what I believe is a flawed car, it certainly does seem to get a lot more credit than it is due.

Yes, it is flawed. It floods. It drinks like an essex girl drinks her tart fuel on the weekend club jaunt. It needs oil. It needs more torque. It needs cruise control.

This doesn’t mean it’s not a fast / rapid / [insert word in here that means exactly the same thing] car. Which is where you’re having a go and not actually bothering to engage in a meaningful way.

My current car whatever it may be is irrelevant. I'm not crapping on anyone's posts. It's known as "disagreeing" and my posts have been courteous and a true reflection of my experience with the RX8 throughout this thread until you decided to change the topic to "Scuzi" rather than "RX8".

Your hipocracy is so blatent I cannot believe you haven't noticed it yourself. I haven't sniped any posts.

Telling someone to ‘stfu nub’ is disagreeing. As is ‘wrong, you suck’. Neither used by you but just disagreeing with someone doesn’t make it a valuable and courteous response.

I can count twice in the last few pages where you've jumped on people sharing their own opinion. You've not gone on to explain your position or ask others to explain theirs, you just say 'No it isn't' or 'it's isnt blisteringly anything'. This isn’t constructive disagreement it’s just sniping. I had to flat out ask you ‘Why?’ to get you to explain.

Even when people explain why they think it is rapid or the lack of torque can be a good thing, as I did, you don’t bother to reply or argue the point, you just wait for the next person to call it a certain word you don’t agree with and give it another one line answer.


I have posted my honest opinion of the RX8 and because I haven't sugar coated it you appear to take issue with it.

Plenty other people in this thread have been very blunt and negative with the RX8. Have I taken issue with that? No, I’m quite happy to let people feel that way; it’s not a perfect car. Have I picked apart all comments and posted one liners about how people are not driving it correctly, or don’t know how to drive?

Or is the issue I’m making the fact you attack anyone who describes the RX8 as fast without bothering to even engage in meaningful discussion?

The fact is people are trying to post their honest opinion and you post snipe comments without even bothering to ask why they have that opinion. Feel free to have that opinion, feel free to explain it but don’t snipe one liners at people trying to post their opinions.


However, instead of arguing the topic in hand, you are the one who is sniping at me. You posted a comment aimed personally at me rather than the topic in hand.

I tried to argue the topic in hand around the torque. I replied to your comments. You didn’t reply earlier in this thread but still continued to have pokes. Hence, you got called out because I started to realise a trend.

For goodness sake wind your neck in.

Do you have the figures for the Top Gear lap times? I don't recall watching those episodes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/show/powerlaps.shtml

Four seconds faster than a Lotus Elise (shockingly), same time around the track as the M3. Less than a second behind the 911 turbo and Honda NSX.

I agree with you that the RX8 is acceptably fast and that in a straight line it is okay but it certainly isn't "rapid" as some people have said.

So it’s ok if someone calls the RX8 fast but not OK if they call it rapid? To me there is no distinction between ‘rapid’ and ‘fast’ when describing a car. I’ve never turned to someone who said ‘wow that car is fast’ and said ‘no way, it’s rapid!!’. It means the same thing. Or is there some kind of car talk table I’m not ‘fly’ with:

0-60

Sub 4 seconds – 2fast2furious!!! I live life a quarter of a mile at a time!
Sub 5 Seconds – VTEC YO!
Sub 6 Seconds – Wow that car is rapid!
Sub 7 Seconds – Wow that car is fast!


A car that costs half that of an M3 and does the same time around a track is rapid to me. Especially as a 911 turbo and an NSX is only a second ahead. To me this is a scenario where the RX8 is blisteringly fast. Certainly acceptable in a straight line and great given a challenge like a track.


It's far from it. It may embarass a lot of more expensive metal around a track but how many of the RX8s on the road today end up on a track? Do you race your car on track?

Only once, but the point people make when they talk about track times is it’s the best estimation we have for how a car behaves, as you say below, as an overall package. Pushed hard, corners, acceleration, handling.

I acknowledge that the RX8 handles very well and as an overall package, forgetting about the engine, it is an absolute stunner of a car. Like I said before, I believe the engine is absolutely rubbish and destroys something that given a decent engine, would be a serious contender to pretty much anything in a similar price/performance bracket.

The car has a lack of torque and it’s thirsty. You said yourself it’s acceptably fast in a straight line and a damn sight better than acceptable in lines that are not straight. I can’t fault the engine when it does what it does………..not being a nice drive (torque) doesn’t mean the engine should be written off.

My problem with the RX8 is that I wanted to like it so much. From the day I first seen it I wanted one. I loved it. Can you imagine how deflated I felt when I actually drove one? Everyone had talked about how rapid it was and how it could beat all sorts of performance cars around a track but after a couple of test drives in both a 190 and 230 car, I was sorely disappointed.

I hated the RX8 at first too. I test drove it and dismissed it. I then had a much longer go in a (girl)friends RX8 and started to like it. I went for it and got one and I’ve been mostly happy ever since.

I have been looking at another car, not because the RX8 is bad (and I have had some bad experiences with things like flooding) but because I’m getting bored and I think the end of 2009 will be a good year to pick up some top-end bargains – E90 M5’s for £22k, Range Rovers for £18k, etc.
 
Man of Honour
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A car that costs half that of an M3 and does the same time around a track is rapid to me

But it doesn't, really, does it? The TG track is rather unique in that its very small and very, very twisty. In any normal track situation a 911 Turbo and a BMW M3 would be so much faster.
 
Soldato
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[TW]Fox;13153280 said:
But it doesn't, really, does it? The TG track is rather unique in that its very small and very, very twisty. In any normal track situation a 911 Turbo and a BMW M3 would be so much faster.

Yes, it does lack decent straights but I would welcome comparison stats from anyother track. I've tried to look but can't find any. I imagine a track like the ring would show a bigger gap.
 
Soldato
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Yes, it does lack decent straights but I would welcome comparison stats from anyother track. I've tried to look but can't find any. I imagine a track like the ring would show a bigger gap.

Not an RX8. but when myself and NickXX took his e36 318is to Bedford GT track earlier this month we were going past 911 turbos, caterhams and other 'omg quick' cars, infact one of the 911's waved us by on the only long straight as he was holding us up through corners. Know what? doesnt mean anything. You cant look at any one stat like the top gear track and say anything.

From my experience of driving or being in quick cars (and I think its fair to say ive been in more than most 24 year olds) I would say that the RX8's ive driven (low power, high power and a pro drive special edition) were all.. average.. at best.

I actually got back in my puma after driving the prodrive version which should have been the best and thought... this actually feels just as quick, and just as agile and good through corners. To me the RX8 should feel SIGNIFICANTLY better than a 1.7 variable cam puma, and its without question certainly inferior to my S2000 that I now have. Have a look on how RX8's do on things like BMI. Granted not all that unbiased, but they do fail quite spectacularly.

Its not a bad car, its just not what it should have been... in my eyes its like the same sort of car as an ST170 focus. Not a bad car, they just aren't the best, and people insist on comparing them to things like Clio 182's or Civic Type R's. That is what the Focus RS was there for.

In the same vein even uttering M3 in the same post as an RX8 unless you have somewhere the words 'Will never even get the respect of its dust caps' is totally insane. Quite like I would not try and compare my S2000's performance to one.
 
Soldato
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Not an RX8. but when myself and NickXX took his e36 318is to Bedford GT track earlier this month we were going past 911 turbos, caterhams and other 'omg quick' cars, infact one of the 911's waved us by on the only long straight as he was holding us up through corners. Know what? doesnt mean anything. You cant look at any one stat like the top gear track and say anything.

From my experience of driving or being in quick cars (and I think its fair to say ive been in more than most 24 year olds) I would say that the RX8's ive driven (low power, high power and a pro drive special edition) were all.. average.. at best.

I actually got back in my puma after driving the prodrive version which should have been the best and thought... this actually feels just as quick, and just as agile and good through corners. To me the RX8 should feel SIGNIFICANTLY better than a 1.7 variable cam puma, and its without question certainly inferior to my S2000 that I now have. Have a look on how RX8's do on things like BMI. Granted not all that unbiased, but they do fail quite spectacularly.

Its not a bad car, its just not what it should have been... in my eyes its like the same sort of car as an ST170 focus. Not a bad car, they just aren't the best, and people insist on comparing them to things like Clio 182's or Civic Type R's. That is what the Focus RS was there for.

In the same vein even uttering M3 in the same post as an RX8 unless you have somewhere the words 'Will never even get the respect of its dust caps' is totally insane. Quite like I would not try and compare my S2000's performance to one.

I agree, I hold cars such as the M3 in a higher light than the RX8. the only reason so many people mantion the top gear track is it is the closest thing to a list of cars times around the same track with the same (or several capable) drivers behind the wheel. It's not the be-all of a discussion but it's still valid.

Different tracks will show different stats but the Top Gear track is still a valid example of a track time comparison no matter what kind of track it is it's still fared well against some serious competition. I'm shocked the Lotus Elise was so far behind, I thought it would have excelled in a track like the TG one.
 
Soldato
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Different tracks will show different stats but the Top Gear track is still a valid example of a track time comparison no matter what kind of track it is it's still fared well against some serious competition. I'm shocked the Lotus Elise was so far behind, I thought it would have excelled in a track like the TG one.
The 911, NSX and Elise times were all in the "very wet".
 
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