I promised myself a sports car when I turn 40 which sad to say is right around the corner. At first I wanted a Corvette but I am not too fond of the design of the C5 nor of the impending C6. Therefore I have been test driving the 350 as well as the RX8. Help me out with the decision. I like both about the same except I love the power of the Z over the RX 8. I was all set with the Z until I started reading about some of the service issues and noise issues. Have they fixed them yet? This will be a second fun car and not my everyday ride.

Thanks for all the help.

Ted

 

you wanna see service issues, give that hand grenade they call the renesis 6 months.

but seriously, Im not familiar with the service issues your reffering to. no blown engines that Ive seen. there was tire feathering, but it is my understanding that its fixed at this point.

window streak, fixed.

bose stereo, "fixed" not physicly broken, just not up to some standards.

what else were you concerned with?

anyway, the RX8 is nice, but not a sports car. if its a sports car so is the RSX-S. and the celica, eclipse, ect.

though IMO, if I had the cash for a corvette, and had a second car, Id be rockin a lotus elise. as weekend cars go, giddyup.

 

Vette and the RX/Z are 2 different price classes. A 400HP C6 would be my car of choice, but as you said you hate the design. The RX-8 isn't a sports car. 4 doors, 4 seats... it's a coupe.

The Elise is an under powered overpriced ride. 190 stock HP... comeon! It's an MR2 with a design tweak. Plus it's a first year car so you get the problems.

If you are thinking about keeping the car get a Z... rotary engines go to hell in a handbasket. I had an RX-7 and the thing was in the shop constantly.

Do yourself a favor. Get a droptop Z and have it all.

 

Don't you mean sedan?

Underpowered? 190hp doesn't sound like much, but keep in mind that the car weighs LESS than 2000 pounds, so the power to weight ratio is outstanding. That's why it'll post 0-60 numbers of 5 seconds or less (4.9 seconds, if I remember reading one magazine article correctly). Plus, it'll be one of the best handling cars on the market. Horsepower isn't everything, you know.

 

Agreed and to the original poster, once you drive a C5 or the upcoming C6 you probably would get over the look fast as they will put a smile on your face. Once you put your foot in it, at least the C5 did moreso than the Z did to me but I was on a budget. Buying the 03 Max and 350 and new house 2 weeks later, the C5 was outta my price range.

 

I would take a looksy at the rotary forums. You'll find the rx-8 has alot more problems than the Z. I have a 350Z and rx-7 but would still love to have a Z06. You might find a really good deal on a 04 with the new 05 vettes just around the corner.

Or if you don't care about blistering speed the Lotus Elise might me be a nice garage queen.

 

The RX-8 is a good car, but less problems than the Z? I'm not so sure about that. There have been 5 8's so far @ my bro's dealership that have had engines that WON"T START! I guess you can't pull them out of the garage to the street, then pull them in and shut the car right off (that type of on then off) because it's possible for the engine to get flooded (?).

About the elise being underpowered... It'll smoke the shi* out of the Z!

C6 > all of the above, but since you don't like it, I'd say Z it. Go to a different forum tho cuz all of us are going to say Z.

 

yeah the elise isnt a hp monster, nor should you bother drag racing it.

but its got enough power to muster its <2000lb frame around an autocross better than any other car out there. I bet its just fun to drive, do whatever you want it to.

 

You said Sports car so why'd you mention the RX-8 ?

 

Do more research.

 

I think the c6 looks good...way better than the c5 imo

Get the z....i wouldn't call the rx8 a sports car

 

Oh, god, not this thread again.

No, seriously. Again? Rx8 v. Z?!?! GAWD, THE HUMANITY!!! *sigh*

And, Elise is NOT an MR2... If it where, I'd be driving, er, an MR2. But, totally different chassis type, different motor (why didn't the MR2 have the same GTS engine is a mystery to me), and is NOT a first year car. It is a newer version of a car that's been sold for years, and it probably the truest sports car on the market right now.

 

I love the Vette( C5 more than C6 just by the look so far), but it's out of my price range

As for the problems on the Z, they've been solved, my 04 has been problem free so far at 7500km, and RX8 does have LOTS of problems, take some time to surf their board

Elise is NOT a first year car! it's been selling as a RHD car for years! Magazines have been rating it as one of the purest sports car on Earth, I so want to have one!

 

The name isn't a first year car, but Lotus is using a entirely different powerplant and transmission that they used in the RHD cars. When you make sweeping changes like that it sends up a red flag that says first year car. It will have the same issues that the Z did in it's first year. What is great is that Nissan was proactive in their design to better the issues.

And I'm a little bias... the Elise doesn't hold a candle to the Esprit

 

You really need to think what it is you want from your car. I don't pretend to know what the Corvette is like but I do know the RX8, 350Z and Lotus Elise. In my opinion the RX8 is rather a dull drive and feels significantly less of an event to drive than the Z. In addition, it is not easy to keep the engine spinning at the high RPM's required and the low torque makes it quite uninspiring. The Lotus is completely different. Small, light weight - a nightmare to get in and out of. No ABS (probably different in the USA), no traction control, no servo assisted brakes. Because of its light weight it feels very different to drive particularly when cornering and braking. Two things stopped me from buying one. First it's completely impractical except as a hobby car, every time I tried to get into it, it was touch and go if I would fit (I'm 6ft 1). Secondly, Lotus has a terrible reputation for poor build quality. In the UK it used to be said that LOTUS stood for Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious.
Buy the Z.

 

The Elise is a fast gokart with a shell.

Designed for the track, just barely passes requirements for street use, bet its fun as hell to drive. I wouldn't consider using it as a daily driver or for long trips.

 

You'll want to check out Road and Track's "Sports and GT Cars 2004" issue. It should still be on the newstand. If not, you can order it from their website. It does a great job of comparing cars in their proper classes. I believe it also has a long article on the Elise. No info on the RX-8. I guess those two extra little doors disqualify it from being a sports car.

For a head to head comparison betwen the 350Z and the RX-8. check out Edmunds on line. You should do this anyway before purchasing any car.

They like the RX-8 better. Smoother ride, better handling.

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/compa...9/article.html


Also check out R&T Car of the Year Article. Both 350ZR and RX-8 included.


http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....&page_number=1

Now for the all important question. What should the well-dressed man of 40 be driving this year? A 40 plus man driving a sports car is a tricky thing to pull off. Sometimes you see an older guy in a sports car and you just roll your eyes. I think that's why so many guys opt for a "sports sedan."

I just turned 40 this year and I ended up with the 350ZR. So IMHO this is my analysis:

I think the 350Z strikes the right balance of performance, price, and style.

It's definitely not a toy. No underpowered two seater here.
It is a real sports car, with real sports car performance. The 350Z has won awards like Automobile Magazine Car of the Year. The Roadster is in contention for R&T's Car of the Year. Owning one shows you know something about cars.

It is great on price compared to other sports cars you might be looking at. You don't buy it to impress people with how much it cost. It just looks like it cost more than it did. It also shows you are not willing to sacrifice your children's college education in order to own a sports car.

The styling is very cool and modern. Its stance is agressive, yet its lines are athletic and graceful. It's not over the top, but it definitely gets noticed. You can tell that A LOT of thought went into the design. It even sounds like a real sports car. The exhaust note gives you goosebumps.

In the end its a car an over 40 guy can not only drive with his dignity in tact, but it also says he has some style. Even when you are taking your kid to soccer practice.

BTW: If you have pre-teen or teenage children, they'll love you forever.

And get the roadster. If you're going to go, go all the way.

If I'm over the top, oh well. Just take a look at some of the beautiful pics on my350z.com. You can tell we love our Zs.

Good luck!

 

In the end its a car an over 40 guy can not only drive with his dignity in tact, but it also says he has some style. Even when you are taking your kid to soccer practice.

BTW: If you have pre-teen or teenage children, they'll love you forever.

And get the roadster. If you're going to go, go all the way.

If I'm over the top, oh well. Just take a look at some of the beautiful pics on my350z.com. You can tell we love our Zs.

Amen!

 

I can already imagine an Elise getting run over by a female driver with a Hummer. Woops did I hit a pothole?

 

Well today I went out and test drove a 350 as well as the RX8 one after the other and the 350 was by far the more fun of the two to drive. I made up my mind on the Z. Now which one to buy? Thanks for all the advise.