- 11,343
- Chicago, iLL
- GTP_Nismo
Thanks, for not getting it.
If the auto rx8 is autrotragic, then is the manual a mansad? Do they have cool euphemisms for those as well?
GLI is garbage... trading it in about 3 weeks...
- Thread starter socomplayer2
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Thanks, for not getting it.
If the auto rx8 is autrotragic, then is the manual a mansad? Do they have cool euphemisms for those as well?
McLaren
Premium
- 45,737
- Texas
Opinion. Unless you really want to attempt to prove otherwise, which you can't to begin with.
It's only the "worst" M3 you can get because the E30 is now a well sought after vehicle, & the E46 is still held in regards as one of the best looking. So naturally, the E36 has to take the place of "last" because the other remaining M3 is the undisputed best.
But even then, the E36 M3 is still the George Harrison of its M3 family. Not the most popular, but still technically a legend in its own right.
- 11,953
- Marin County
The quiet ones love Ringo it seems. I have no problem with the E36 really, besides expensive parts, but I don't think I'd ever consider owning one. Too vanilla for me perhaps?
A proper gearbox? Do you have a problem with euphemisms? I think they are amusing. Autotragic, slushtronic, slush-o-matic, slush-box, bore-o-matic. Hell the car makers themselves gave them different euphemistic names. Cruise-o-matic, Easytronic, Powerglide, Hydramatic, Torqueflight, Turbo-Glide. It's all semantics.
GTplanet = serious business
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Expensive parts? What? Certainly nothing compared to an RX-8.
And the "inferior" USDM motors are still solid, and much easier to maintain and cheaper to find parts for.
As for value for your money, it is hard to find something that offers the balance of comfort, quality, and performance in the 6 to 12 grand price range.
The RX-8 is the hipster of the car world. It isn't good at anything really, but everyone says no one understands it because its a Rotary. Buying a car because it has a different and arguably inferior motor is terrible justification.
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What about buying it because it looks good and is consistently ranked as one of the best handling cars for the last 8 years or so? It's also fairly practical with the suicide doors. Just because it doesn't have the power to go toe-to-toe with Mustangs or Z cars doesn't mean it can't be fun. If that were the case, who would buy Civic Si's and the like?
- 1,002
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That'll make it the new "Alfa standard" then. Top Gear presenters in the year 2030 will say, "You're not a true pretrolhead until you've owned an RX-8 and depleted your children's trust funds to keep it running."
Personally, I think the RX-8 does certain things well. Namely excellent handling with a smooth ride, paired with an exceptionally smooth engine and gearbox. I've driven them a few times and they just feel right. I haven't researched them seriously enough to determine whether reliability has improved in recent years.
McLaren
Premium
- 45,737
- Texas
Except Si's still have some sort of torque.
A RX-8 is fun in twistys, I always give it that. But, this is Texas. You have to drive way out to specific locations for twistys b/c most of the farm roads are still straight-shot roads, where the RX-8 just isn't going to do that well at.
Maybe for the folks who live in areas riddled with roads similar to Tail of the Dragon, it'd be a good weekend car. But where we live, just isn't it unless you live in some special part of Texas that has an abundance of such roads.
Eric.
Premium
- 8,515
- GTP_Eric
- Ebiggs
RX-8s in C-Stock (which means they should have slicks, else they'd be in the Tire class) ran 46.578 at best.
http://stlsolo.org/sites/default/files/event10_fin.htm#CS
I ran 47.894 on street tires and my only important mod at the time was a set of lowering springs.
http://stlsolo.org/sites/default/files/event10_fin.htm#ST
Just FWIW.
http://stlsolo.org/sites/default/files/event10_fin.htm#CS
I ran 47.894 on street tires and my only important mod at the time was a set of lowering springs.
http://stlsolo.org/sites/default/files/event10_fin.htm#ST
Just FWIW.
CodeRedR51
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I guess everyone missed my post on the last page.
- 11,953
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Autocross means nothing to me. More about grip than handling.
Also, I guess I was wrong about E36 replacement parts. E46 parts are the ones that are expensive.
edit: Should say autocross means nothing to those who don't participate in it. OP didn't indicate one way or the other.
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- 11,953
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Fun fact though, the Si is faster in a drag race. Crazy how that works.
- 11,953
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While a piston engine will always have an advantage, (piston making a perpendicular angle to the crank, which a rotary can ever achieve) the Renesis does fairly well. 80% of total torque available from 1500rpm-redline is respectable I think.
I'd say it's a drivers race. The magazines tend to favor the RX-8 with mid 14 times vs the Si typically in the mid 15's. The local drag-strip also sees this to be true.
I'd say it's a drivers race. The magazines tend to favor the RX-8 with mid 14 times vs the Si typically in the mid 15's. The local drag-strip also sees this to be true.
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McLaren
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- Texas
You could tell me a RX-8 makes 500ft-lbs. or has 800 horsepower on paper all day, but whatever it supposedly makes, it obviously does not make use of it very well.
The first & only time I drove an RX-8 to see how it would feel, left me regarding to it as the "Torque-less Wonder".
The RX-8 is a slow car in a straight line. Those figures do nothing but make it appear fast.
Edit*
From what I've gathered, the RX-8 could trap around 15 seconds in the QTR & a 0-60 of around 6.5 throughout the model years. Only the last models seemed capable of 6 seconds, but the test still yielded a 6-6.5 for the 0-60. That is not quick.
- 11,953
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I don't think anyone has ever said that the RX-8 is a drag car. All I did in this thread was suggest an RX-8, which was greeted with somebody saying the RX-8 is 'good for nothing' which simply isn't true. However, I think enough has been said about the RX-8 now.
Next suggestion:
Civic Si
- 11,953
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Man after reading about 3 pages (couldn't take it anymore) on some Honda forum comparing the RX-8 to the Si, I remember why I sold my Civic.... (a considerable amount of) Honda owners are so damn stupid.
Just one (of many) gems.
Dollar for dollar, the 2011 Mustang GT is unbeatable. I've never driven a car with a more fantastic engine. Power and torque all over the place. I kept banging it off the rev-limiter at 7,000rpm (from a 5 liter American V8!) because it just never stops pulling. Good (not *great*) interior, solid build quality, phenomenal induction roar, quite capable handling, good looks, good list of available options. It is just a damn good car.
- 2,112
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Honestly,the Mustang is the best sports car you can buy in North America, and its probably one of the more affordable ones as well.
- 11,343
- Chicago, iLL
- GTP_Nismo
Replace honda with any make and it will still be true.
- 11,953
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Eric.
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- 8,515
- GTP_Eric
- Ebiggs
Haven't been on a Honda or Civic forum in months. I can only tell people so many times that: No, VTEC isn't bad for the engine, yes its okay to skip gears, no, turning off VSA does not make your shifting any different, and yes, its normal for the engine to buck during cold weather without warming up any.
I love mine. I just know enough to never act like I care online or I get lumped into the OMG HONDA FANBOY HP/L LOL VTAKKKKKK group.
- 6,769
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Don't forget my SVT Focus. I've beaten an RX-8 with the 6spd by a car length on Preston Rd (Spring Creek to the QT gas station). I know it was a 6spd because he also turned in to the QT to get gas and we chatted a bit.
My wife's (RX-8) automatic is even worse. No lie, she lost to a new (paper tags and all!) Toyota Prius last weekend. You read correctly. They had their signal on to try and get in front of us after stopping at a red light and upon the green light the Prius managed to get a half car length on us before my wife shut it down. The RX-8 handles almost perfectly for a RWD car, but, like the MX-5 it is too slow for me to have any sort of fun once you exit the corner. Why Mazda just didn't use the 3.0L or 3.5L V6 and call it a day is beyond me. With a proper inline or vee shaped engine block the RX-8 would actually become a world-class sports car. Now it is, just, meh. My wife already wants to get rid of it next year. Reliability issues and the lack of low end grunt has made her loathing it now.
Fun tidbit: An Si or SVT Focus has a good torque curve once the torque shows itself. With a simple tune the "economy" programming is removed and the overall drivability is significantly improved. Oh, and my favorite thing about the Si and SVT Focus drivetrains? Is 2nd gear is a monster during the entire rev range on both cars. I feel like there is almost limitless power in 2nd in mine, I just hate having to shift to 3rd.
Eric.
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- GTP_Eric
- Ebiggs
The Si's dyno chart is definitely nicer with a tune. When done right, you won't be able to tell where the VTEC changeover is besides hearing it.
Ha, here's the chart I always had trouble finding...This is just the Hondata Reflash, before the full tuning solution was available.
Ha, here's the chart I always had trouble finding...This is just the Hondata Reflash, before the full tuning solution was available.
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