RX8 192 vs MX5 (What Car?)
Discussion
Hi all,
Thought i'd put this question to the Jap section as i'm more likely to get some sensible answers/ owners thoughts.
I'll soon be in the position to buy myself a new weekend car, i have a company car for personal use as well so this car will just be for fun. I'll have around £1500 to spend. I want it to be really fun and maybe do the odd trackday but i don't want it to cost the earth as i'm a 21 year old whipper snapper who still has a lot to learn!
My 2 choices:
Mazda RX8 192 (A 231 is too much to insure)
Good bits
Good bits
Alex
Thought i'd put this question to the Jap section as i'm more likely to get some sensible answers/ owners thoughts.
I'll soon be in the position to buy myself a new weekend car, i have a company car for personal use as well so this car will just be for fun. I'll have around £1500 to spend. I want it to be really fun and maybe do the odd trackday but i don't want it to cost the earth as i'm a 21 year old whipper snapper who still has a lot to learn!
My 2 choices:
Mazda RX8 192 (A 231 is too much to insure)
Good bits
- I adore its looks and the way the power is delivered
- It's a very good car for the money
- It's also rather fast and has a good chassis
- The various engine issues, I've done lots of research and i know they can last up to 100k if looked after
- At my budget most will be abit leggy
- Potential for large bills
Good bits
- Fun top down motoring
- Cheap to run and look after
- Masses of modification parts available
- I have friends who own MX5's
- Not the most manly of cars
- Rust seems to kill many
- Not massively fast, but i suppose its very fun
Alex
If you are on a limited budget go for the MX5 - there's also a good chance of fixing most problems yourself with that one.
Problem with the RX8 (as with all seemingly cheap newish performance cars) is that they cost money to fix and will need fixing soon.
As you mention you can only get a leggy one, which is gonna push it near to the end of its life expectancy. you don't really want to be buying a car, having it for two months then having to get a new engine for it.
MX5 can be upgraded once you have more cash/cheaper insurance to make it just as quick if not quicker than the RX8 and by that time you'd have some RWD experience that hasn't killed you first
Think of it like a V10 M5 - LOTS of car for just £13,000 - almost criminal how cheap they are for 500bhp and 200mph but fuel and potential repair bills puts it there.
MX5 all day long and twice on sunday
Problem with the RX8 (as with all seemingly cheap newish performance cars) is that they cost money to fix and will need fixing soon.
As you mention you can only get a leggy one, which is gonna push it near to the end of its life expectancy. you don't really want to be buying a car, having it for two months then having to get a new engine for it.
MX5 can be upgraded once you have more cash/cheaper insurance to make it just as quick if not quicker than the RX8 and by that time you'd have some RWD experience that hasn't killed you first
Think of it like a V10 M5 - LOTS of car for just £13,000 - almost criminal how cheap they are for 500bhp and 200mph but fuel and potential repair bills puts it there.
MX5 all day long and twice on sunday
JDMDrifter said:
Thanks for that! I suppose it all depends if i can find an rx8 that's had a rebuild recently ?
Sounds like you really want an RX8 in which case the thread should be retitled 'i want an RX8, please agree with me that its the right thing to do' i don't think you'll find one thats been rebuilt with any kind of warranty with the budget you have.
for what its worth, i love the RX8 - it was a choice between that and the civic type r for me - i went for the type r and so glad i did, this was pre RX8 price crash. paid £9000 for the type R and the RX8's were same sort of price.
Watched the ass fall out of the RX8 value over the 3 years of type-R ownership. Lucky escape
Pixelpeep7r said:
Problem with the RX8 (as with all seemingly cheap newish performance cars) is that they cost money to fix and will need fixing soon.
So which cars don't cost money to fix? And you have no way of telling whether the car needs fixing soon. Just find one that's been well looked after and beware of the issues.I was in a similar position to you a few weeks back.
I owned a Mk1 MX5 Eunos with LSD.
The car handled like a dream with some upgraded suspension and whilst not massively fast in a straight line it could keep up and sometimes out handle much more expensive cars round the twists.
I loved the MX5 but as you have said it has a stigma attached to it. Not getting away from the fact its a drivers car and most are never driven to their potential.
I sold the MX and got myself a lovely 06 plate RX8 PZ, again some trick suspension as standard and a lovely exhaust tone. The car shares the same suspension set up as the MX so handling is sweet.
As far as the engine goes its a case of asking the right questions and getting a compression test done. There are various specialists around the country, mine is in Kent ( LC ROTARY) and they are a mine of knowledge and true enthusiasts.
Mine has 50k on the clock with full Mazda history so seems to be all ok. The compression test was not the best in the world, but it starts on the button wheather its hot or cold.
I say go for the RX on the basis it has 4 seats, most have full leather and are a comfortable ride. Not forgetting the increase in power which coupled with the handling should give you what you need.
Good luck
I owned a Mk1 MX5 Eunos with LSD.
The car handled like a dream with some upgraded suspension and whilst not massively fast in a straight line it could keep up and sometimes out handle much more expensive cars round the twists.
I loved the MX5 but as you have said it has a stigma attached to it. Not getting away from the fact its a drivers car and most are never driven to their potential.
I sold the MX and got myself a lovely 06 plate RX8 PZ, again some trick suspension as standard and a lovely exhaust tone. The car shares the same suspension set up as the MX so handling is sweet.
As far as the engine goes its a case of asking the right questions and getting a compression test done. There are various specialists around the country, mine is in Kent ( LC ROTARY) and they are a mine of knowledge and true enthusiasts.
Mine has 50k on the clock with full Mazda history so seems to be all ok. The compression test was not the best in the world, but it starts on the button wheather its hot or cold.
I say go for the RX on the basis it has 4 seats, most have full leather and are a comfortable ride. Not forgetting the increase in power which coupled with the handling should give you what you need.
Good luck
I was in a similar position to you a few weeks back.
I owned a Mk1 MX5 Eunos with LSD.
The car handled like a dream with some upgraded suspension and whilst not massively fast in a straight line it could keep up and sometimes out handle much more expensive cars round the twists.
I loved the MX5 but as you have said it has a stigma attached to it. Not getting away from the fact its a drivers car and most are never driven to their potential.
I sold the MX and got myself a lovely 06 plate RX8 PZ, again some trick suspension as standard and a lovely exhaust tone. The car shares the same suspension set up as the MX so handling is sweet.
As far as the engine goes its a case of asking the right questions and getting a compression test done. There are various specialists around the country, mine is in Kent ( LC ROTARY) and they are a mine of knowledge and true enthusiasts.
Mine has 50k on the clock with full Mazda history so seems to be all ok. The compression test was not the best in the world, but it starts on the button wheather its hot or cold.
I say go for the RX on the basis it has 4 seats, most have full leather and are a comfortable ride. Not forgetting the increase in power which coupled with the handling should give you what you need.
Good luck
I owned a Mk1 MX5 Eunos with LSD.
The car handled like a dream with some upgraded suspension and whilst not massively fast in a straight line it could keep up and sometimes out handle much more expensive cars round the twists.
I loved the MX5 but as you have said it has a stigma attached to it. Not getting away from the fact its a drivers car and most are never driven to their potential.
I sold the MX and got myself a lovely 06 plate RX8 PZ, again some trick suspension as standard and a lovely exhaust tone. The car shares the same suspension set up as the MX so handling is sweet.
As far as the engine goes its a case of asking the right questions and getting a compression test done. There are various specialists around the country, mine is in Kent ( LC ROTARY) and they are a mine of knowledge and true enthusiasts.
Mine has 50k on the clock with full Mazda history so seems to be all ok. The compression test was not the best in the world, but it starts on the button wheather its hot or cold.
I say go for the RX on the basis it has 4 seats, most have full leather and are a comfortable ride. Not forgetting the increase in power which coupled with the handling should give you what you need.
Good luck
james_gt3rs said:
At that budget I think an MX5 would be a safer bet, stuff like tyres, petrol etc look like they're a lot cheaper on the MX5...
Just had a look into tyres, the equivalent track level tyres for the rx8 is around twice the price of the mx5 tyre! Read up some more on an mx5 thread in general gassing and the consensus is that MX5's are pretty much unbeatable at my budget for a fun road and track car. JDMDrifter said:
Just had a look into tyres, the equivalent track level tyres for the rx8 is around twice the price of the mx5 tyre! Read up some more on an mx5 thread in general gassing and the consensus is that MX5's are pretty much unbeatable at my budget for a fun road and track car.
I thought that my MR2 was cheap to run... then I looked at how small the tyres are on the MX5, it's barely any more expensive than my old Nissan Micra!
Pixelpeep7r said:
If you are on a limited budget go for the MX5 - there's also a good chance of fixing most problems yourself with that one.
Problem with the RX8 (as with all seemingly cheap newish performance cars) is that they cost money to fix and will need fixing soon.
As you mention you can only get a leggy one, which is gonna push it near to the end of its life expectancy. you don't really want to be buying a car, having it for two months then having to get a new engine for it.
MX5 can be upgraded once you have more cash/cheaper insurance to make it just as quick if not quicker than the RX8 and by that time you'd have some RWD experience that hasn't killed you first
Think of it like a V10 M5 - LOTS of car for just £13,000 - almost criminal how cheap they are for 500bhp and 200mph but fuel and potential repair bills puts it there.
MX5 all day long and twice on sunday
If you're on a budget I'd say get the MX5. It's a nice drive and although it's not the fastest, it's great for windy country roads and city driving. Problem with the RX8 (as with all seemingly cheap newish performance cars) is that they cost money to fix and will need fixing soon.
As you mention you can only get a leggy one, which is gonna push it near to the end of its life expectancy. you don't really want to be buying a car, having it for two months then having to get a new engine for it.
MX5 can be upgraded once you have more cash/cheaper insurance to make it just as quick if not quicker than the RX8 and by that time you'd have some RWD experience that hasn't killed you first
Think of it like a V10 M5 - LOTS of car for just £13,000 - almost criminal how cheap they are for 500bhp and 200mph but fuel and potential repair bills puts it there.
MX5 all day long and twice on sunday
I'd hold off with the RX8 for a few years so your insurance will go down and you'll have more money to keep it running. The RX8 also give you poor mileage which could be a concern if money is tight. But if you do decide to get it there are insurance companies like Keith Michaels and Heritage that offer cheap insurance.
Personally I'd go with the MX5, but if you really want an RX8 then you should get it. But it might be hard to find one in good condition for your budget.
Will your budget allow you to get a dead RX8 and then get the engine done?
The problem with getting a fresh rebuilt car is you have no idea how the owner has been using it before it comes into your hands, you could still find the seals are buggered after a few years.
As a pure weekend car I would go with an MX5 it will feel more special with the roof down and will feel quicker being closer to the ground and smaller.
The problem with getting a fresh rebuilt car is you have no idea how the owner has been using it before it comes into your hands, you could still find the seals are buggered after a few years.
As a pure weekend car I would go with an MX5 it will feel more special with the roof down and will feel quicker being closer to the ground and smaller.
UPDATE!
Picked the car up last night, a 1.8s mk2 mx5. Got a few tasty extras including bc racing rs coilovers, sparco steeling wheel, induction kit, rear brace and a few others. Picked it up for £1150 from a local guy!
I'm gonna do some work on the car then get it back on the road as soon as im 21. Once its on the road ill get it raised up slightly and get a fast road geo on it and some sticky tires
Picked the car up last night, a 1.8s mk2 mx5. Got a few tasty extras including bc racing rs coilovers, sparco steeling wheel, induction kit, rear brace and a few others. Picked it up for £1150 from a local guy!
I'm gonna do some work on the car then get it back on the road as soon as im 21. Once its on the road ill get it raised up slightly and get a fast road geo on it and some sticky tires
Edited by JDMDrifter on Tuesday 12th August 14:49
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