I'm currently in the market for a car to replace my beloved 2000 TL-P, with its mileage approaching 150K in the next 12 months. Nothing's wrong with the car YET, but since I still owe abou $7500, I don't want to wait until I'm upside down on the deal before getting rid off the thing.

Anyway, I'm trying to decide between a 2004 RX8 and 2003/4 Z350. I have read on several consumer reviews from edmunds that the RX8 engine's often encounter oil flooding and it consumes like a quart of oil for every 600 miles or something like that. Are there any RX8 owners on here, your inputs will be much appreciated.

 

are you sure you aren't already upside down on it


kbb.com seems to think so

 

Well, if I don't trade it in and just sell it on autotrader.com or similar sites, I think I can get about $8500 on it, it's only has 125K miles currently, but I know that within the next 12 mos I'll definitely get it over 150K.

 

:imbtcartalk:

 

save up and just keep it til it dies, if it ever dies

 

which one would you get though, if for the same price range (low $20M), 2003 Z350 or 2004 RX8?

 

The Z350 has an engine with a great reputation. The RX8 has a notorious engine that gets poor gas mileage and uses oil. I wouldn't count on the RX8 to take me another 125K miles, let alone 150k.

 

Dude, thats a toss up. But i think i would go for the 350. you see more old nissans on the road than you do old Mazdas.

But IMO i would hunt down a G35.

 

id def go Z or G for this one, rx-8s are

 

RX-8s are dogs down low. They have absolutely no torque. They need to be in the high RPMs to make power. They do handle quite well though. The gas mileage sucks as stated already. Plus I don't trust rotary engines long term.

The Z is a great car. Some of the original ones had issues with alignments and going through tires, but the newer ones don't have the problem. The Z is also easier to drive around town since the VQ35 has plenty of torque.

 

I'm also checking some of the posting from mazdaforum.com about RX8, and everyone's been complaining about the engine probs in addition to numerous recalls (but since 2004 was the first year, it's understandable, I guess). I know the Z350 has the better engine, hand down, but the RX8 design, especially with four doors and rear seats is very tempting. UH....so frustrating.

 

got to catch some zzzz now, but I can't wait to read inputs from everyone here tomorrow morning. PLEASE, anyone, talk me out of buying a RX8..., just test drove it this evening, of course a uesd one, 2004, but only w/ 20K miles on it, from a local Toyota stealership here in Houston.

 

Get the Z

 

I like the body on the 350 a lot better than i do the RX8.

 

I think you might have answered your original question




pass on the RX8

 

yeah, get the Z

 

screw that stuff. my next car is gonna be a subaru legacy gt these things are sick. friend has one that runs 12s and he hardly put any thing into it. plus for up north it kicks ass in the snow.

my other friend has a G coupe. nice package don't like the interior no trunk not alot of a back seat. he hardly drives it because it sucks on rough roads and hes always paranoid of shit so he drives his beater around.

the z has no back seat no trunk room kinda a waste.

 

How did you end up owing $7500 on a 5 year old car with more than 20,000 miles per year on it?

 

Umm, I believe all imports suck on rough roads, they're not made to go off roading...? hahaha

& Why would the z be a waste? b/c it has no room? it's a roadster meaning, An open automobile having a single seat in the front for two or three people and a rumble seat or luggage compartment in the back.

It wasn't ment to have room, plus this guy is looking at an rx8 which isn't big either so obviously he doesn't seem like he cares about space.

Anyway, to the original poster

an rx8 sucks, they're slow, claimed horsepower wasn't met up at all when dynoed. - claimed 260hp and was dynoed to turn out to be 180hp. pretty pathetic which is why the dealerships gave all the people who had already bought the car like a year of free maintainece or something like tat.

a 350z has a lot of potential and responds very well even with bolt ons. It's not like a cl, well my cl that when you drive it you can feel the weight. an 04 is recommended b/c there aren't that many open campaigns. the 03's were campaigned back for loose rattling coming from axles, they would have to send them in to get it re-tightened & the trailing arms gave the car camber so you would be able to bring it back to the dealership for new tires if warranty was still in effect.

get an 06, came standard with HID's and the rear tail lights are LEDS it's VERY nice


(i work at a nissan dealership, i would know, NO i am not a petty sales person who sells cars, I'm in the parts deptment - a job that actually requires knowledge bout attachments & quite frankly works side by side with service dept so thats how i know bout campaigns.

 

well if hes coming from a tl then i would imagine he had needed the space.

all i was saying its not a very practical car for a daily driver or some one who has a family or something.

 

sorry, I re-read my post, sounded kinda mean. haha i don't mean to 'sound' like a jerk over the internet.

I agree with u on that part from coming from a TL. But coupes are fine for daily drivers, but prolly not family owners.

 

wow, i couldnt even read all that without my eyes crossing

 

sorry paragraphs are not my friends hahahahha neither is comma, period. or tab.

 

hey, a period is NO ones friend!

 

the "Z" all the way, I never liked the RX8, shit... I'd take the last gen. of RX7's before I take the "8".

 

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!! omgggggggggggggggg lol +2 brownie points to you.

 

Z all the way. Reliable, wide power band, lots of mods available, relatively quick, lots of fun to drive, don't see them all over the place (ZR anyways), doesn't burn oil, hugs the road very nicely. Completely biased here since I own a ZR and have never driven an RX8 but I wanted a roadster that had near Boxster performance w/o the price and that's what I got. OTOH, I think it's too late for you to worry about being upside down. You owe more than your car's worth don't you? It sure seems that way.

 

RX8
Pros- great handling, nice interior, love the looks, good enough power, engine sound is badass. IMO

Cons- Drinks oil like a motha and gets poor gas mileage. Not much of a dragster


I love driving the 350z but the interior and lack of room with no sunroof was a turn off for me. Other than that it rocked.

 

i would save up for g35c 6spd. aim for a used one from dealer to get financing.

rx8 - looks like a woman's car, guzzles oil, no low end tq, but corners very well. also unreliable as hell

350z- impractical in terms of cargo, etc. great engine tho

g35c - the practical version of the 350z, plus more luxerious.

but if your financial situation is set where u can only afford those two, the z is the obvious choice.

and 3rd gen rx7 is so damn sexy

 

When I bought it, which was back in 2003 for $11,500 it already had 84K miles on it and I financed it for 5 years.

 

My best friend has the 8 and wishes he would have bought the Z instead.

 

Better yet get the G35 coupe if space is an issue. Same engine as the Z + 4 seats like the RX-8.

 

engine probs?

 

Oh but you can get the Rx8 for CHEAP. I think my buddy got his for around 22k. I can ask him to make sure. But his car was on the dealer lot for like a year he said.

 

ECU replacement, EXTREMELY thirsty (before and after ECU replacement) and not much of a performance aftermarket.

 

Personally, if your TL is running well, I'll keep it til it's mostly paid for. If you just want to get a new car, I'd go for the Z.

 

I would say keep the TL, maybe double the payments if you can afford it and then make payments to your bank account till the car is dead or needs major repair. Then you'll have a little bit of a trade and some cash to work with. This will put you in a better financial situation down the road so you're not upside down on the car again.

I would suggest against the RX-8 as well due to the problems already mentioned in the thread.

 

^^excellent suggestion, if patience isn't an issue.

 

Turbo Rotaries>*

Too bad they engines hardly last.