talk me out of buying other cars and wait for the 86!

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by fatoni

the c6 is so much more car than any other on the list. from my experience (probably what anyone can tell you from common sense), it will out run, out stop and out turn any of those previously mentioned cars. i dont even think the build quality is bad, its just put together in an ugly kind of way. and the pushrod thing isnt a mistake. what chevy has done is make a motor that is light and low. its makes the most of technology more than any other car on the list by a long shot

The seats are absolute shit too.

At least Chevy finally heard the millions of complaints and have real seats available now.. I can't wait to try them out.

From that list it'd be C6 hands down if I wanted a used car, or the FR-S/BRZ if I wanted new.

If only the Boxster Spyder was cheap enough Or a Cayman S.. well I guess Caymans/Cayman S' are getting close enough depending on your price range.

[GregV]

Cost of ownership on the selection you posted is all over the place.. if money is no object then the Porsche or C6 is the obvious choice.

Don't know what your financial situation is but be sure you consider how it is going to change over the timeline of you owning the vehicle.

Sure I could afford 1k/mo in car payments right now but doing so would eliminate the possibility of buying a new place in the next 5 years. That's why the BRZ is at the top of my list - both affordable and under warranty so I'm not looking at increased maintenance costs.

[SteelReign]

Bugeye WRX is crazy rare around here! It sounds like you also want a autocross car so why not keep the WRX and just get a used MX-5? Even one of the older NC or NB cars. One of the best cars I've ever test driven was a 2004 Miata. Even though the car had nearly bald rear tires and exhaust leak, it was loads of fun and communicated really well.

Keep the WRX. If its never done you any wrong and you've maintained it for this long, its worth more to you than anyone else out there. You'll have an autocross car and daily driver...but its up to you which of the two would be the autocrosser or the daily driver because they can do both. Just get those high tints for the MX-5.

[mokinbird87]

Originally Posted by ryude

You got a point about the powerband, but my GTI compared to say a k20a is all about where you shift at. You can drive the k20 with half-throttle and shift at 4 grand and it feels natural. If you do the same thing in the GTI (or any small turbo car), you'll be venting boost and the car will buck each shift. Just look at all the neon srt4 owners...

For cruising, I much prefer a v6 or v8. Torque, but it's N/A so you don't have to worry about throttle input (as much).

when i drove the rsx-s and the gti, i thought it was much better to cruise than my car; i really think it's the 5 speed gear ratio on my car made for 0-60 runs. i`m hoping the fr-s will be similar to the rsx in terms of cruising feel.

[mokinbird87]

Originally Posted by SteelReign

Bugeye WRX is crazy rare around here! It sounds like you also want a autocross car so why not keep the WRX and just get a used MX-5? Even one of the older NC or NB cars. One of the best cars I've ever test driven was a 2004 Miata. Even though the car had nearly bald rear tires and exhaust leak, it was loads of fun and communicated really well.

Keep the WRX. If its never done you any wrong and you've maintained it for this long, its worth more to you than anyone else out there. You'll have an autocross car and daily driver...but its up to you which of the two would be the autocrosser or the daily driver because they can do both. Just get those high tints for the MX-5.

bahh you guys are supposed to sway me to get the fr-s haha. i think if i get a new car it will be the fr-s/brz and if i keep my wrx i`m gonna buy something like an audi a3 tdi; quiet, supple, good on gas for long trips

[MRZ415]

Let me chime in on VW and DSG ..
I drive a VW with DSG ... the DSG can shift faster than most HUMANS
but the cost of maintenance is whats driving me to lean on the BRZ come
next June.

[mokinbird87]

Originally Posted by MRZ415

Let me chime in on VW and DSG ..
I drive a VW with DSG ... the DSG can shift faster than most HUMANS
but the cost of maintenance is whats driving me to lean on the BRZ come
next June.

i love the dsg when going flat out... i think the dsg on the r32 is the older gen and is a bit clunky than the new ones. from standstill, you can feel the abrupt clutch engagement whereas the new gti doesnt feel that way.

[Sully]

I'd wait until the FR-S comes out, and test drive it.

But in your shoes? I'd probably get a used miata or c6 for autocross.

[kentish]

anyone have any input between a used g37 or frs. one of op's options and i would like to know about it since im on the same boat myself.

[GregV]

Go test drive one. I was looking at them also but ultimately I'd rather have a factory warranty. Maintenance on the G won't be cheap.

Really you can only compare the G37 to the BRZ Limited since the FRS won't have a quarter of the luxury features you'll get in the G37.

[mokinbird87]

Originally Posted by GregV

Go test drive one. I was looking at them also but ultimately I'd rather have a factory warranty. Maintenance on the G won't be cheap.

Really you can only compare the G37 to the BRZ Limited since the FRS won't have a quarter of the luxury features you'll get in the G37.

i dont think the maintenance would be expensive, but it really is terrible on gas according to myg37.com (kind of sad that i`ve been lurking around all of the forums of the cars that i`m interested in haha). i guess you cant have power AND efficiency unless you get a porsche lol. fr-s aint bad either as far as power to fuel efficiency goes.

[duffman13]

Originally Posted by mokinbird87

so i have been driving my wrx for a long time (170k miles on her) and i feel the need for something different, but i really have no idea what i want/need. i have been driving a lot of cars recently to narrow down on what i want, but the test drives made it even harder . the best car i have driven so far that will work for my budget is a slightly used 05+(987) boxster.

first of all, I wouldnt be interested in the fr-s/brz at all if it wasnt for my brother who has a NB miata; everytime we swapped keys i did not want to return it to him. it didnt matter whatever horsepower it had, it just felt so nimble and quick (for me, power-to-weight ratio and the actual curve of the power on the graph is what really matters, rather than X amount of hp and Y amount of torque). However, i am 6' tall so looking either under or over the windshield got tiresome real quick, along with crazy wind noise and the lack of 'emergency' back seats... my wrx never carried people around comfortably but if i needed to, it did the job. i also work as a designer and i never know what i will have to carry to the office (large posters, prototypes, etc).

however, just recently i am starting to discover that i am a LOT more softcore than a lot of people on this forum... i still care a lot about the driving feel (heel-and-toe pedal postion is something that is vital) but i`m not the type of a guy that will do EVERY single oil change myself. in fact, i will admit that i get exhausted from driving/maintaining my subie, mostly because of its heavy steering (in parking lot speeds) and a bouncy ride (tokico d specs and prodrive springs...which are considered very mild). even though i love my car when driving spiritedly, and knowing very well that those small uncomfortable factors help every bit for the way the car performs, i will admit that i want something a bit more refined to drive for everyday duty (lots of kudos for guys that daily their coilovered cars); my girlfriend would appreciate it too when we go to places.

but so far, i have not been able to find the car with a perfect two face; when it is nice and comfortable, it almost always is too soft for me and does not satisfy my boy racer inside. boxster came really close but the main thing stopping me is the lack of back seats and the maintenance cost of the car (which tells me i should stay away from it and cannot afford it comfortably yet, but you only live once right? ) I am hoping that the fr-s/brz will be that perfect "jack of all trades" car, but I feel that it is more suited for the hardcore enthusiasts.

here are some options that i am thinking of and hopefully you can throw your opinion about the choices:

<List-o-cars>

First post!!!

I'm a regular over on clubrsx and have been for the past few years. I'm in a situation similar to yours but with a modded RSX-s, and have been looking at and thinking about most of the cars you mentioned. My requirements are as follows: Smooth enough to daily (amybe with springs and shocks), aggressive enough to track. Prefer light weight, but I can make exceptions if need be. Prefer low cost consumables if that is the case. Need a back seat since the wife and I are looking at kids in the next few years.

I keep coming back to the FR-S, and here's my rationale:

1. keep the RSX, turn it up to 11, and get a beater to daily. Consumables on the RSX are relatively cheap, I can SC it for $4k, add another $2k in safety eqipment and have a pretty fast track car. Suspension is done and done well (BC RSD, fat rear sway).

2.infiniti g37 coupe: Love the luxury, but it feels to heavy for me. Has a fat ass. High cost consumables.

3.vw r32 dsg: good car, but VW/Audi reliability scares me (Used to have an A4). VR6 motor is not as good as the 2.0T.

4.c6 vette: too fast to get the most out of. power will make up for my deficiencies as a driver and my skill level will not increase as much. Base is pretty tame for fat old men, really need to shell out for a Z06 (C5 Z06 is a valid choice, notwithstanding my first point). High cost consumables.

5.genesis coupe: Only driven the base. steering felt numb and the car felt too heavy. Mor power would have helped, but it did nothing to turn me on. High cost consumables.

6.boxster (987): great drivers car, been in a 986 myself. Stay far away from these. the motor blows up! Look up stories about IMS and RMS failures. They are at an obscenely high rate, near something like 3% by 60k and a new motor costs $16k. High cost consumables.

7.nc miata hardtop: love. Mazda reliability is good, ask my wife and best friend who both drive 3's. Throw a set of sways to keep the body roll in check, grab a set of bilsteins, and the car is perfect. Needs a real rollbar to track though.

8.bmw 335i coupe: Nice, but fat. under-tired from the factory. BMW maintnenace, and high-cost consumables.

9.mini cooper s: They win every autocross class they're in for a reason. probably because they're no more manly than miatas

10. rx-8: Rotaries are warrantied to 80 or 100k now, and if you do the required maintenance they stick around (3k oil changes and 25k spark plugs). RX-8 R3 is disgustingly awesome and you can fit 17x9 RPF-1s over the brakes for track days with ruper fat tires. Negatives? Gas pig and takes premium. Rolling stock are 19s, so tires on those cost an ass-ton, 18s on the base model though. You don't get the sick recaros and bilstein suspension with the base, and suspension isn't swappable either. Motors only make power with boost, but have a tendency to pop when boosted, so they're pretty much maxed out as is.

11. rsx-s (for you): I love mine, but am tired of FWD. Miss out on modern amenities like bluetooth, aux input on stereo, ipod integration. Wringing out the engine is awesome.

12. s2000: love. If you can deal with small spaces. Needs a rollbar to track on the east coast so you have to rip the back of the interior apart though. Wringing out the engine is awesome

13. 11-12 WRX or the 13 if I wait that long: Throw on some sways and the GTWORX blisteins and it will handle sick. Super practical with the hatch and 4 doors. POWAAAA. Downside is the engines can get all explodey when pushed on the track. No LSD without stepping up to STi, which have even more explodey motors. Too much uncertainty to me.

Which brings me to this:

14. fr-s: RWD with a LSD. Light. WRX base brakes apparently so low cost pads and rotors. get some 17x8 5x100 WRX wheels cheap to use as track wheels. Back seat. Designed to hold 4 wheels inside for track days. hardtop so no rollbar necessity. engine with a supposed powerband that can be spun up but doesn't need it like a honda. Should have modern amenities lke bluetooth.

There is nothing on the market like this car and it is the perfect weekend warrior-mobile, with a warranty to boot. I will be buying one, probably model year 2 or 3 just to make sure the kinks are ironed out, plus i need to wait until my wife's car is paid off. With a TRD/SPT supercharger if it's out by then...

[mokinbird87]

Originally Posted by duffman13

First post!!!

I'm a regular over on clubrsx and have been for the past few years. I'm in a situation similar to yours but with a modded RSX-s, and have been looking at and thinking about most of the cars you mentioned. My requirements are as follows: Smooth enough to daily (amybe with springs and shocks), aggressive enough to track. Prefer light weight, but I can make exceptions if need be. Prefer low cost consumables if that is the case. Need a back seat since the wife and I are looking at kids in the next few years.

I keep coming back to the FR-S, and here's my rationale:

1. keep the RSX, turn it up to 11, and get a beater to daily. Consumables on the RSX are relatively cheap, I can SC it for $4k, add another $2k in safety eqipment and have a pretty fast track car. Suspension is done and done well (BC RSD, fat rear sway).

2.infiniti g37 coupe: Love the luxury, but it feels to heavy for me. Has a fat ass. High cost consumables.

3.vw r32 dsg: good car, but VW/Audi reliability scares me (Used to have an A4). VR6 motor is not as good as the 2.0T.

4.c6 vette: too fast to get the most out of. power will make up for my deficiencies as a driver and my skill level will not increase as much. Base is pretty tame for fat old men, really need to shell out for a Z06 (C5 Z06 is a valid choice, notwithstanding my first point). High cost consumables.

5.genesis coupe: Only driven the base. steering felt numb and the car felt too heavy. Mor power would have helped, but it did nothing to turn me on. High cost consumables.

6.boxster (987): great drivers car, been in a 986 myself. Stay far away from these. the motor blows up! Look up stories about IMS and RMS failures. They are at an obscenely high rate, near something like 3% by 60k and a new motor costs $16k. High cost consumables.

this... over at rennlist, owners were mentioning replacing the engine like its a no biggie which tells me i`m not ready to own one yet haha. i always felt like german cars you are supposed to buy new, enjoy all of the services and WARRANTY and then sell it when it runs out.

[mokinbird87]

rsx is definitely showing its age but it can be fixed with a modern headunit. however, i refuse to drive something with such heavy steering everyday .


btw, dc5 integra was actually one of the benchmarks that toyota/subaru set out (i can dig for sources on this but it's been a long long time ago)everyone wondered why it was benchmarked to a fwd car, but i knew what they wanted exactly when they have mentioned that.