Ekona Posted April 28, 2014 Author Share Posted April 28, 2014 Zed weighs about 200kg more, too. Sure, you can look at it as a downgrade, or you could look at it as something different to experience. Not better or worse, just different. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexx Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 If Pettit still made the SC for them I'd probably get one again I did some extensive research last night on it all. £3k for a PZ with good compression test results is the bargain of the year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted April 28, 2014 Author Share Posted April 28, 2014 Kinda what I was thinking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsexr Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Does anyone remember - and you probably do - when Vicky butler (I think that's her name) from 5th gear did the 350z review and stacked it up against the Rx8 on the track? Zed was quicker iirc. VBH well worth a moments thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docwra Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Ill just leave this here then 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 After my last Rx7 went it was a choice of two, the Rx8 & 350. I wanted to stick with a rotary as its what i knew but always wanted a 350z. I had a 13b lying around that i seriously looked into putting into a Rx8 but the cost put me off and throwing huge sums at a forced induction Renesis with limited results was the nail in the coffin, but i would agree with Lexx, if my driving time was more track than a 50/50 track/road split, i would have had the 8. I seem to remember TG pitching the 8 & 350 together and they were exactly the same time around the TG track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Yes I looked into this before buying the Zed and they are pretty close - clearly though they can feel different around a track despite similar times. Not sure I would want to take a 350z on track, they are a bit, boaty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Having now had the car for a week, and also having driven another one as a potential purchase, I find myself very much caught between the practical and the passion. The more I drive 'my' one, the more I'm convinced it's a representative example of the breed. There's the expected creak, and something rattling around somewhere (probably a drinks can), and the overall ambience is definitely early 00's Jap sports car. The engine just seems to be more and more puzzling to me, and I can't quite figure out why. Let me explain that last bit a little better. I know the engine has limited torque compared to the power, so when I need to get somewhere I make sure I use the revs. So far, so good. However, even when absolutely nailing it from a standstill it never feels quick at all, and I don't mean in that way that something like an M6 or XKR can. It just doesn't feel quick, or nippy, or whatever you'[d expect something with 170bhp/ton to feel like. The Zed, as an example, is around 184bhp/ton, and that does feel quick. This doesn't. And yet, when on the motorway at 70mph in 6th, you can bury the throttle and it's up to 80mph much quicker than you'd think. It's very odd, to put it mildly. Also drove a PZ on Saturday, as that would be the sensible choice for myself as a purchase I think. Suspension is massively stiffer, although maybe a little over sprung for some UK roads. Exhaust is different on the PZ too, but I didn't notice anything over a decatted OEM exhaust, and I'd still definitely have to change it for moar volumes. The interior was a bit shabbier, despite having done half the miles of mine, but I was more interested in the drive so that's pretty irrelevant. The car should have a bit more power too, however it actually felt slower but that may be because I was two-up in the car with a friend, so again I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. Apart from the spoiler and the wheels, personally I think I would rather buy a standard one and put some one-way adjustable suspension on it myself than rely on the Prodrive fettled stuff. It may not be better per se, but it would be better for me. Realistically, it would probably be cheaper too. The ultimate temptation is to buy one with the engine gone for about £600, spend £2300 on a rebuild with some porting, do the suspension and exhaust for another £2k, and end up with the perfect RX8 for me for under five big ones. The biggest issue I'm starting to have is the driving position. For some reason, I feel like I'm tilting to the left which is causing me a bit of grief getting comfortable, and it could possibly be down to the huge transmission tunnel. That could pretty much be a deal breaker. The other big issue I'm having is that the 'special' feeling has pretty much worn off, and it's starting to feel like a regular car again. Above anything else, that's the one thing that I CANNOT have in a weekend car. Maybe it's a passing phase and I need to bond with the car more, but certainly it's a huge nagging worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricey Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I've tried to write a post to address the lack of 'special' 3 times now and I think I can sum it up a lot more easily than I'm trying to. For me the car isn't that special.......some cars float your boat for a while and then fade away. The only car I've never had that happen to me with was the zed in honesty - but then it wasn't my car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waltzinblack Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I have to say this is very interesting - for the price id be tempted to get a PZ, strip it out (I imagine there's a fair bit to lose in there! And upgrade the brakes.... Zed will always be the GT and have the RX8 for the track. However - the RX8s are only a little bit cheaper than the old entry level Boxsters... And I remember Ekona and I discussing how awesome these were before. Whether the Mazda could justify itself as a cheap track car over the boxster I'm not sure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowhereboy Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Personally I don't see the attraction with these cars. it just doesn't exite me in anyway and I certainly don't look at them as "special", it feels slow, eats oil and petrol and as already stated has reliability issues. If I was going to buy a car that will inevitably need a rebuild at some point I'd atleast want it to be a turbo lump with over 300BHP. Just doesn't seem worth the effort with an RX8. If I was looking for cheap track fun I'd have an S2000 all day long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Ever driven one? The engine is very unique, and the chassis sublime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexx Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 The chassis alone makes it a more fun and capable prospect on a track than a S2000. Quite a few LS1 powered RX8s in the US now, and that would be great fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowhereboy Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I've not driven one to be honest but I have been a passenger in one several times. My mate used to have one but it needed rebuilding after about 6 months of his ownership To be fair that was a while ago and I might have thought differently if I was behind the wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac@TarmacSportz Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I have to admit i'm seriously looking at one of these too, saw some of the rotary clubs cars at the Modified genius meet last night and they looked mint and went like stink - cracking cars. Apparently the lads that were there do full engine recons for around £1k and guarantee them for 2 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Apparently the lads that were there do full engine recons for around £1k and guarantee them for 2 years. That comment fills me fear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 A good rebuild costs around £2k, and if you look after the car properly then it'll last at least 50k miles. Most people don't keep a car that long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangzoom Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Why bother with all the hassle of changing cars and just keep the 911? Or are you bored of it? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted May 6, 2014 Author Share Posted May 6, 2014 House move, sadly. To be fair I've had over ten years of spunking money up the wall on sports cars, so it's probably about time I actually put it to good use! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris AME Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 I have to admit i'm seriously looking at one of these too, saw some of the rotary clubs cars at the Modified genius meet last night and they looked mint and went like stink - cracking cars. Apparently the lads that were there do full engine recons for around £1k and guarantee them for 2 years. I was doing the same after, got home and straight on piston heads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexx Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 House move, sadly. To be fair I've had over ten years of spunking money up the wall on sports cars, so it's probably about time I actually put it to good use! Ditto! Which is why the VXR8 went the journey. Benefit of an RX8 is you get cheap fun with modern refinement. Anything else on it's pricerange would be a 90s jap sports car with the shabby plastics and rattly interior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 House move, sadly. To be fair I've had over ten years of spunking money up the wall on sports cars, so it's probably about time I actually put it to good use! Ditto! Which is why the VXR8 went the journey. Benefit of an RX8 is you get cheap fun with modern refinement. Anything else on it's pricerange would be a 90s jap sports car with the shabby plastics and rattly interior. Mine only rattles a bit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexx Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Mine rattles a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docwra Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Benefit of an RX8 is you get cheap fun with modern refinement. Anything else on it's pricerange would be a 90s jap sports car with the shabby plastics and rattly interior. Or a 328 BMW, or a properly quick French hatchback, or an MX5/MR2 (both Jap, but both convertible too) or a 350hp 200SX (also jap but 3 times the torque), or an 03 CTR .......... and I reckon Id take all of them over an RX8 TBH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted May 6, 2014 Author Share Posted May 6, 2014 Or a 328 BMW, or a properly quick French hatchback, or an MX5/MR2 (both Jap, but both convertible too) or a 350hp 200SX (also jap but 3 times the torque), or an 03 CTR .......... and I reckon Id take all of them over an RX8 TBH. Ah, you just don't like 'em because they don't have enough torque for you to get the arse out all the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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