[psychogentoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrzejpw RX-8: Fine choice Don't look purely at the numbers (you're obviously not, since you're going to test drive it). When I drove it, the handling was simply a dream, and there's nothing quite like a high-reving engine. Also, from what I understand, you can chip them for some great gains, and pretty much silence the "not enough power" crowd. Oh: if you buy an automatic RX-8, I will kill you.

There are no "chips" for the 8 to give you great gains and it will NOT silence the "not enough power" crowd. There are a few piggy back ECUs (acting as an abstraction layer), the one that comes to mind is the Canzoomer. From my research, to get the Canzoomer to work properly you have to do some fine tuning with it hooked up. Even with the tuning its not going to give you a drastic improvement in performance.

There is also not much in aftermarket FI kits available...yet. There were rumors of a mazdaspeed FI but nothing has materialized except for a concept by the mazdaspeed team. Even with the supercharger, the numbers were very modest. Hopfully someone will come out with a reliable turbo (electrically assisted or otherwise) or supercharger setup in the next few years.

I will also do you harm if you get the auto 8. Its a different engine all together. sure its the same 1.3 liter but it has two less ports and the redline is at around 7.5K. The 238HP is gained at 9K.

Make sure you get the DSC/TSC option. You can always turn that off when showing off for your friends or doing autocross but may save your life when driving on wet roads going school or work.

If you do get the 8, make sure and check your oil every time you fill up...also wouldn't be a bad idea to have an extra quart of oil in the trunk.

good luck in your car search!!!

 

[Zemo]

If anyone's intersted, I found some cool vid's....

http://oregonstate.edu/~moritaty/Cars/

-Z

 

[Zemo]

Going to be driving these 3 (RX8, STi, Evo) over spring break (March 18 - 28), I'll post my impressions here!

-Z

 

[Zemo]

Dang....all I did was ask for a quote for dealership prices, now dealers are calling me every other day or so at like....9:00am, waking me up! Jerks....I said EMAIL was the preferred contact!

At any rate, today will be the second time I've driven my buddies STi around....SO MUCH FUN!

-Z

 

[RYCeT]

Last time when I asked for quote on cars. I only give my fax number and fax them the car model, color, every optionals that I want and told them to fax me with their best price, detailed for every item so it's easier for me to match them w/ other dealer. Then I'm going to the dealer who offer me the 2nd cheapest price and ask them to give me a better price than other dealer who give me the cheapest one. At that time, they only want to match the cheapest price so I went to the cheapest dealer and asked them to give me better price. They give me a much better price.

 

[Imyourzero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zemo At any rate, today will be the second time I've driven my buddies STi around....SO MUCH FUN! -Z

The STi is definitely a fun car, but as was mentioned earlier, you'll probably be impressing more guys than girls with that car. Also it's a bit stiff for everyday driving...if you buy one, make sure you can handle a few years of semi-harsh ride and a non-luxo interior. However, you should have speed, reliability, and a car that'll still go just fine when the bad weather hits.

I think it would be a great choice! I'd definitely own one.

 

[BigD]

Zemo, Just check out your profile. You're 20-21 year young. Ummm. Live it up and get the boy racer, STi. Much better than Mitsu Evo in every sense. My age is the only thing stopping me from getting STi. Anyway, If not subie, Mustang GT is a cool car with chick magnet appeal.

STi all the way.

 

[Zemo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigD Zemo, Just check out your profile. You're 20-21 year young. Ummm. Live it up and get the boy racer, STi. Much better than Mitsu Evo in every sense. My age is the only thing stopping me from getting STi. Anyway, If not subie, Mustang GT is a cool car with chick magnet appeal. STi all the way.

Sti > evo in every sense? Can you explain? This would make my choices much easier...and yeah, you're right, I'm younge, I should live it up!

 

[Chef Medeski]

I have the following things to say.

My experience with cars in ur range.
-I have a Subaru WRX wagon
-My friend has a STI
-ANother friend has a Mitsubish Lancer
-My dad has a TL
-My dad had a RX-8

So. To go down the list. I find Subarus to be beautiful cars that handle wonderful and are great in any condition. If you plan to use your car for anything other than racing then a SUbaru is your ownly choice. I didn't opt for the STI, because I prefer the fuctionality of a wagon. I did add STI parts to it though, so the chassis is almost identical to an STI. I must say the best thing I like about Subaru is that I buy a WRX wagon and under warranty turned it into a STI spec wagon without all the flash and power. Yet, it still rides great and WRX is more than plenty for me. If you have any aspirations at upgrading I must say SUbaru is great for this. They sell parts UNDER WARRANTY tha tyou can upgrade. It just doesn't get better than that. Plus, my wagon can fit 3 people's bikes and luggage for a trip. Great. Of course you can always take the route of dropping the third wheel.

Now, me, and my two friends frequently have short blasts of speed we call street races. Well, soetimes off road too, so a bad title. While the Mitsubishi operates on par with the STI, it doesn't ahve the same sense of rally hertiage and the lack of upgradebale parts really angered my friend when I showed him my STI catalog. I usually coming in third as would be obvious having a farther back cnetre of gravity, which is also higher up, and less power, but I beat the Lancer off road where the SUbarus shine. Now this is a car that goes offroad. I got these beautfil upgrade shocks and struts that are adjustable. I put my car 40 MM up on these things and go offroading. I must say it is better than any SUV u can buy. A true camping mobile. One thing I did fine even less pleasing with my freinds' mitsu is that when he went to get a new part they charged him through the roof. I have heard the teale sof expenensive Mitsu parts but I never really saw a bill.

Now the last two are very different beasts from my lovely offroading fun. These are two cars that I respect on trrack. Yet, which while not being as un convient as a Lotus Elise is not something any active man could use. Theya re cramped back seats and small trunk space. They guzzle gas and Wankel engines never have good torque. My dad also has problems withtheir ride height. It is so low that he frequently dings his front bumper on rocks and bricks. These two cars are fine for the urbanite who shuffles hismelf two and from work on I 95. Yet, for any free spirited man it only seeks to deter activity other than speeding. Plus the rims get scratched so easily you will never have godd looking rims again.

So my recommendation.

If you want pure speed, pure 100% speed. Get the Subaru STI. While the TL and RX-8 are faster they don't handle as well or feel as sporty. They are just alot of money for alot less action, because of the added luxury.

If you want a compromsie for your active lifestyle. Either my route of WRX wagon STI spec or an actual STI if your not so good with part ordering.

Basically, buy Subaru, it not onoly provides you with the innovative SYmmetrical All wheel drive, but with beatufil engines and japenese quality. On top of that, you get the heritage of Subaru and the many added benifits such as free clubs and incentives that SUbaru offers.

 

[Imyourzero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chef Medeski If you want pure speed, pure 100% speed. Get the Subaru STI. While the TL and RX-8 are faster they don't handle as well or feel as sporty. They are just alot of money for alot less action, because of the added luxury.

I don't know if that was a mistake or not, but if you think the TL or RX-8 are faster than the STi you're crazy.

 

[Chef Medeski]

My choice was the STI was it not. Maybe faster was the wrong word to use. STI is 100% speed, TL is not. My point, doesn't matter what words are bolded.

 

[Cyrillic]

Not to sidetrack things, but a quick question to get things in perspective for me -- how does the SRT-4 fare compared to the RX-8, STi and others in terms of performance (the STi in particular I'm interested in)?

 

[eastside504]

err this thread makes me wish i had more money. I'm saving up to buy a used car (under 10K). My brother in law has an sti that he souped up with over $15 worth of parts. It totally destroy everything so far except for a souped up supra, souped up Viper and a 911 C4 (all his racing buddies cars). The STi is very fast stock, but with less then one thousand dollars in parts (intake, boost timer, blow off valve, exhauts) you can make it really really fast. Plus its all wheel drive so all the power goes to the pavement and its super stable on wet roads. Zemo go test drive the cars on you list and afterward your have a clear idea of what you want. If i was to buy a car in this price range, it'll be the audi S4. Luxury, looks, and performace.

 

[Zemo]

Thanks for the continued input guys, this is helping....I'll be driving sometime after the 18th, I'll post my impressions here!

 

[NormanBates]

Quote:

If i was to buy a car in this price range, it'll be the audi S4. Luxury, looks, and performace.

droooool...

the A4 cabriolet has the sexiest butt ever(aside from the Ferrari 456)

I'm considering getting the new A6 or ^ later this year myself

if this helps, my dad recently purchased the new TL. It's a great car, got nice a nice interior, drives pretty well