UNDERPOWERED? THE REAL DEAL!!!

[civdaddy]

Originally Posted by Marco_86

don't bash me as this is a serious question.. what rwd 2.0 n/a car that costs less than 27k is faster than the frs??

Rx8 is 1.3l and maybe faster 0-1320 feet.

[FRSpappa]

I kinda always liked being the "Underdog" anyway, just made me a better driver! Autocrossed with SCCA for years in a street prepared Datsun 1200 with maybe 100HP on a good day, car also only weighed 1600lbs! Left many drivers scratching their heads walking away from the track and canyons when they saw an 1137cc pushrod motor under the hood that just creamed them in the corners...


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[Marco_86]

Originally Posted by civdaddy

Rx8 is 1.3l and maybe faster 0-1320 feet.

Hmm wasn't that also more than 27k when it was new?

[fatoni]

Originally Posted by Marco_86

don't bash me as this is a serious question.. what rwd 2.0 n/a car that costs less than 27k is faster than the frs??

thats adding a fuck ton of prerequisites. if you tailor make a question to get the frs as the answer, thats what will happen. what does rwd, 2.0, n/a or price have to do with fast?

either way i think this is a good article: http://blog.nwautos.com/2011/04/toda...rs_handle.html

kinda shows that the frs is pretty underpowered but then goes on to show that its still probably more than a normal person would ever need.

[Panda Mao]

one of my pet peeves is driving the car leisurely listening to the radio etc etc and cars pass me by and yell "is it fast?" and I said no then they say "big waste of money" or wtf is wrong with you?" and I just get more annoyed telling every 6 out of 10 people its a slow car never meant for straights its a corner carver leave me alone lol

[PNW FRS]

Too bad there are so many who believe horsepower is a good replacement for driving acumen...

As has been posted in numerous areas of this forum... get the revs up where they belong and learn how to drive (a driver's car)!!

[Rampage]

Originally Posted by Davey

Meh, I'm probably about the same age as you and similar experience, I've only owned the car for a few weeks and I'm on the fence.

It sure as hell feels fast enough coming out of a corner in 3rd gear. Unfortunately, we have a lot of straight roads here. Outside of needless on and off ramp adventures, I have to go miles out of my way to find a road that isn't completely straight. Maybe that's a good part of why I would love another 100 hp. I'd probably settle for 30 and no torque dip, but I'm no really interested in E85 or voiding my powertrain warranty, so I'm going to see if I can learn to like it as-is.

If I had to really complain about something, I think the exhaust is too quiet. I need to talk to my dealer about a cat-back and the TRD intake, I'm hoping those being TRD parts will get a "nah that's no problem". The sound tube crap is not cutting it for me... But I don't want some stupid loud catless straight pipe thing either. If I got 4 more HP that's 4 more than I had, but it would certainly add to the enjoyability. It's a second car and if I don't feel like driving something stiff/loud I don't have to.

My son's FR-S has a TRD catback, TRD drop in filter and RCE yellows on stock struts. Nice sound, even better handling and ride and maybe a couple more HP. Everything was bought slightly used and cost exactly $550 total. Dealer says there is no issue with the warranty with these parts.

He came from a 2004 G35 which was faster in a straight line. After he got the FR-S he never drove the Infinity again. We need to get rid of that thing.

[Marco_86]

Originally Posted by fatoni

thats adding a fuck ton of prerequisites. if you tailor make a question to get the frs as the answer, thats what will happen. what does rwd, 2.0, n/a or price have to do with fast?

either way i think this is a good article: http://blog.nwautos.com/2011/04/toda...rs_handle.html

kinda shows that the frs is pretty underpowered but then goes on to show that its still probably more than a normal person would ever need.

lol you're right sorry it just bugs the fuck out of me when someone says the frs is slow because a 370z, or anything else that has a bigger engine and/or price tag, is faster.. its like shit your car better be fucken faster since it came with a bigger engine and/or price tag!

[civdaddy]

Originally Posted by Marco_86

Hmm wasn't that also more than 27k when it was new?

The base models were <27k.

http://www.cars.com/mazda/rx-8/2004/snapshot/

[fatoni]

Originally Posted by Marco_86

lol you're right sorry it just bugs the fuck out of me when someone says the frs is slow because a 370z, or anything else that has a bigger engine and/or price tag, is faster.. its like shit your car better be fucken faster since it came with a bigger engine and/or price tag!

i get that. i just ignore or concede the point. nothing shuts down an argument better than a "but still." the car is slow compared to its contemporaries. even at its price point. that doesnt matter though because it gives the most fun per dollar outside of maybe the miata but thats splitting hairs. there are definitely more fun cars but they cost more. at its price, you arent going to be outfunned by anybody who it buying into the statfest that the internet has turned the car community into.

[Vracer111]

My under-powered autocrosser for 4 years way back when did the 1/4 mile in 18+ seconds, and even though it had a really long wheelbase and just handled 'okay', it could pull 1.0G of roadholding and was surprisingly rotatable. In the Houston Region SCCA it was usually quicker in raw time than about half of the entries, including drivers in S2000's, WRX's, Miata's, BMW M3's, Corvette C5's, etc.... And what was that underpowered vehicle?

A 4 cylinder Toyota Tacoma Extended Cab...

[Lonewolf]

Since when does buying a car for yourself mean you have to impress or satisfy others...jeez, you shouldn't get your self-esteem from a car...if the car makes you happy, who the hell cares what others think???

[LadyFRZ]

Another one of these threads...

I do feel like a minority. Being 23 and just out of college, I see a lot of people either putting emphasis on people holding/ A to B driving, or all about street light racing in Mustangs (man, they're everywhere). That's why I think this car is such a breathe of fresh air, it's not a gas guzzling baboon that only cares primarily about straight line speed, but cares mostly about handling and driver/road feedback.
I learned on an '88 Celica, that was far under 200HP, and it was tired, so it was definitely feeling all of it's years by the time I handled the reigns. The AC didn't work, the power windows didn't work, the power roof didn't work, and it didn't have airbags. It was a POS, but it was MY POS.
It was slow, it was tired, the transmission was on it's last leg, but you just can't kill a Toyota. But then I realized... If you can't drive a slow car fast, how the hell is 500HP going to help you?

All the people I see whining about the power, I just sigh and roll my eyes. You spending at least $20k, you would think they would have done their research! The power is fine for this car. I just can't wait for me to finally call one my own once my finances are stable enough to get one.

[Kids Heart]

Originally Posted by civdaddy

Anybody ever on niccoclub.com or any other 240sx forum when they first came out? I wonder if people bitched as much about their power as well??

Well given we were sold on a 2.4L sohc motor over a 1.8L turbo in Japan and when they upgraded to the SR20DET we upgraded to dohc. Hells yeah there were plenty of complaints. And there are plenty of KA24de proponents just like people sit here trying to convince 155 whp is enough.