Miata or RX8?

Hi,

I recently test drove the RX8, which I thought had a fantastic smooth tranmission and clutch feel. Unfortunetely, my dealership doesn't have Miata to test drive though, so I was hoping I could get a few opinions in choosing between the cars.

1) Does the Miata's tranmission surpass or equal the RX8's smooth gearbox shifts, or is it considerably more sports car 'rough'?

2) I know the Miata is well respected in auto journals, but living in a metropolis where traffic is dense, the hood will be up most of the time. Would this greatly inhibit the Miata's enjoyment factor? That is, is city living for a Miata a killjoy?

3) Since the Miata is ending its life cycle next year, and models lack basics like ABS and seat adjustment, would you still go for a new Miata, or the RX8 or another roadster alltogether?

Thanks,

AM

Reply to
AM
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They are totally different cars. The Miata is a convertible two seater with a piston engine. The RX-8 is a four seat four door coupe that is larger, heavier, faster, quieter, smoother, with poorer gas mileage.

If you want the thrill of driving one of the best handling cars ever built, buy a Miata. You don't have to get a new one. I bought a used one and liked it so much that I traded it in on a new one.

There isn't much you can do to improve the RX-8, but there are plenty of things you can do to any Miata to make it perform like you want. Take a $10,000 Miata and add a Flyin' Miata turbo and you will have a better handling and faster car than the RX-8.

Reply to
Larry Gadbois

They're completely and utterly different cars. You really will have to drive a Miata to decide.

I thought they were comparable. Even if the Miata's transmission was much worse than the RX8's it just wouldn't matter.

Why is that?

No. Miata's love cities. Occasionally stopping next to a the exhaust of a big diesel engine is annoying. But that's city life. If you can't stand the smells and sounds of a city, but can't move out, maybe a livingroom on wheels is a good solution. If that's the case, a Miata wouldn't be a good choice. Something like a Lexus IS 300 maybe? It's still RWD and doesn't handle like a complete pig.

My seat adjusts just fine. My previous Miata had ABS, my current one doesn't. There are only a couple times during the year when ABS is nice. My father's Buick Roadmaster station wagon has all sorts of "features" like ABS and load-levelling shocks, and electric adjustable seats, and an adjustable steering wheel that my 2003 MX5 doesn't. That doesn't make it a viable alternative.

I just bought a 2003 MX5, so that tells you my answer.

For the price different between an RX8 and an MX5 (about $7K, last time I checked) you can add one helluva lotta features to an MX5. You could have a 6-way electric adjustable seat custom molded for your butt, and have enough money left over to add a turbocharger that would be truely scary.

Regardless, the top on the RX8 _doesn't_go_down_! [It's also nasty ugly, IMO.] Therefore, it's not even on the list of alternatives to the Miata.

Reply to
Grant Edwards

I have driven a Miata but not an RX8, so I can't compare the two. I will say the Miata shifts just fine.

Get a hard top. You get better visibility and less noise. But, why get a Miata if you aren't going to go topless?

Miata's have adjustable seats and ABS is an option. I'm not sure why you are comparing these two cars since they are quite different.

---------------- Alex

Reply to
Alex Rodriguez

Having driven both, I would have to say that the RX-8 does shift better, but only marginally. Redline MTL and a nice Voodoo shift knob will improve the Miata to the point where there's virtually no difference.

I assume you mean the TOP will be up most of the time, right? :-) And the answer is 'no'. The Miata is about the best 'city' car ever made. Small, zippy, easy to park. Nothing better than zoooming around downtown Seattle on a warm summer night with the top down. (Note: Women love this car! I get stopped almost daily by pretty girls that want to tell me that they love my car!)

If you're planning on leaving the top up all the time, why on earth would you considering a Miata? Even here in cold and rainy Seattle, my top is down almost every single day from March-October. Even in the deepest winter, my top is down on sunny days, just with the heater on. If you're the sort of person that's not going to be putting the top down at every possible opportunity, then the RX-8 is the car for you. The Miata's convertible top is one of the best manual designs I've ever seen. Putting the top down or up is a 5 second job at the most, especially now with the glass rear window. Even if you're prissy about the top, putting the boot on or off takes only 3 minutes at the most.

Last time I checked, seat adjustment and ABS were available on Miatas. I know my '91 had adjustable seats, and my '99 has both ABS and adjustable seats. Be warned; some tall people don't enjoy driving a Miata. I'm 6' tall with a 32" inseam, and my '99 fits me like a glove. If I were any taller, I think I would be uncomfortable with the stock seats. My best friend is 6' 5", and he has driven my car. He enjoys it, but he wouldn't want to do it every day. Also realize that if you have back problems, arthritis or things of that nature, that the Miata is not the easiest car to get in and out of.

Personally, I would not buy a brand new Miata. There's so many good, used ones available on the market, I don't see any reason to pay the premium on a new one. I've bought two used ones so far, and my third used one is coming soon. I'm shopping for a replacement for my '99 black-and-tan. I really want a 2002 Blazing Yellow SE to replace it.

Unless something radical happens in the future (like I win the lottery), I highly doubt that I will *ever* buy a different car. I have never driven another car (and I've driven quite a few) priced under $50k like I remotely like as much as I enjoy my Miata's, and that includes the RX-8. I've been driving a Miata daily for 9 years straight now.

Regards, H.

Reply to
HardwareLust

Sorry for the confusion - what I meant with the seat adjustment question was actually seat height adjustment.

Thanks for your responses - they've been genuinely helpful.

Reply to
AM

1) The MT in the Miata is very short throw and *generally* considered one of the best around. But a lot of us with 6-speeds (not all) have issues with it being balky in 1-2 or 2-3 shifts. I find mine annoyingly so. The RX8 I test drove was smoother. 2) If you drive with the top up, yes it curtails the enjoyment. The blindspot to the rear is very bad. So I have my top down 90% of the time, basically as long as it isn't raining. 3) ABS is an option. You are correct that it is one seat height fits all. Ditto on the wheel. I find the seating position to be fine. Well, the windshield header does seem to always be in line with the stoplight. But a small price to pay.

Okay, that answers 1-3, now what I consider to be more important:

Ask yourself how much you want a convertible. If you really don't, you want another car. True, the Miata is one of the few light, inexpensive, great handling RWD cars out there. But at least to me, it is at least half about being a convertible. Convertibles are a compromise. It is noisier, rougher, and a lot more visceral (for good and bad). Will you always be worried about someone tearing the top to break in? You have to want one.

Price is always an issue. An RX8 will run $26K on up. You can find new Miatas for $17K (lots of discounts and incentives). How much does that matter to you?

The RX8 does not have a proven reliability record. It is a gas guzzler. The Miata is bulletproof and economical.

Having written all that, I really enjoyed my TD of the RX8. It was smooth, handled very well, made great engine sounds. Sure, they are different cars. But I can see someone cross-shoping. But which is best obviously goes with your own priorities.

Good luck!

Reply to
Dave

Thanks to Dave and HardwareLust for the extra comments.

Everyone's personal views as owners really helped me to get a better picture.

Thanks again.

Reply to
AM

Ah. Even after reading your explaination, it took time to understand. You need to drive a Miata to get it. It would be like putting a height adjustment on a kart. Adjustable stearing would be the same issue. It really isn't needed.

One of the things that kills me is the electric mirror and window adjustments. Outside mirror to outside mirror is less that 6'. I could easily manually make the adjustments while driving, but my Miata ('00 LS) has electric windows (controls in the center console) and electric adjustable mirrors (controls in the instrument cluster).

One problem for me with a conververtible is the dirt. The interior is always dusty and after a long trip with the top down I do feel dirty.

Driving with the top up and the A/C on would be annoying because the A/C steals so much power that my shifting goes to hell, so the car behaves no better than any other small car. If you plan on having the top up, go with the RX8.

Joe

Reply to
Joe

I find the electric windows handy- particularly when reaching for my parking key card (makers like electrics because it's easier to package mechanicas in the door without the hand crank)

I like electric mirrors because I can adjust them with my eyes in the "driving position".

My car slows a bit with the A/C on, but not enough to kill the fun.

I go to Hilton Head a lot- down there the Miatas are top-up in August, and open in early spring!

JoeC Silver '99

Reply to
jchase

Hi AM,

I am a former Miata owner (99 with mild upgrades) and now own a RX8. They are both great cars.

A couple of things you may want to consider. Someone mentioned that there are not many things you can do to upgrade the RX8. That isn't true. Sure, there aren't as many accessories for it as there are for a Miata, but there are many, many accessories in both performance and appearance categories. There are many companies with much to offer. And yes, there are turbos and superchargers in the works (actually they are being utilized now in some test situations).

The RX8 is a new model, so there really is no way to predict reliability. However, it is a Mazda and I was very happy with my Miata, so going with the new RX8 wasn't really an issue for me. Of course I researched the car much and new its positives and negatives before making my decision. I also liked (and trusted) the history of the rotary engine.

Perhaps the biggest consideration you should think about is whether or not you need 4 seats. I loved my Miata and would have kept it, but I found myself not driving it much since I couldn't use it as a family vehicle, or if I needed to take more than one friend anywhere. It was also difficult to fit two sets of golf clubs in it (though we always seemed to find a way).

There is nothing like dropping the top on a Miata and cruising down the highway....I will truly miss it. But, when I get in the RX8, drop the hammer, hear that rotary hit about 8500RPM, and shift into the next gear, the grin on my face goes from ear to ear, just as it did in the Miata.

Both are great cars. You just need to pick the one for you. You have driven a RX8, now drive a Miata, even if you have to drive a distance to find one, and you will know which one is right for you.

Also, be sure to check out this website:

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It is awealth of information on the RX8, just as
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is a great place forinfo on the Miata.

Later, Shannon

Reply to
Huh?

I'm not trying to start an argument, but I would disagree with that in regards to NB's. NA's seem to have a little more knee and leg room than NB's. I know this intimately because of my twice-daily 30 minute ferry rides to and from work. Having an adjustable (tilt) wheel in the NB would make those little 30 minute naps almost as comfortable as they were in my old '91.

The other thing I think the NB needs is adjustable thigh support on the seats. The stock ones are just a tad too short for my long legs.

Overall though, the Miata's pretty confortable as it is, considering how much space there is to work with.

Regards, H.

Reply to
HardwareLust

I own both a 1995 Miata and a 2004 RX-8 so perhaps I can answer your questions. ;-)

Both cars shift smoothly. The Miata has a shorter throw. But I like both of them. The 6-speed on the RX-8 is nice. The Miata offers a 6-speed as an extra cost option but reports indicate that the Miata's 6-speed adds no performance improvement over the 5-speed.

I assume you mean the "the top will be up most of the time." There is a major difference between the two autos. One is a convertible with all the joys of that. I live in a cold area (the Boston suburbs) and love the convertible. However, I only get to use it a few months per year. The RX-8 is more "practical" but not as much fun in that regard. (It is MORE fun in other regards, however, such as sheer horsepower.)

I went for the RX-8. I love it. The real reason that I kept the Miata is that the dealer offered a trade-in so low that I figured that I might as well keep it. My 9-year-old Miata is almost in showroom condition but the dealer offered wholesale book value. No way. I don't drive it as many miles per year as I used to so it now costs me only registration and insurance plus a little bit in (rare) repairs/maintenance. The insurance is low on a 9-year-old car so it's not much money to keep the extra car.

The RX-8 is a more practical car: weather tight, easily lockable (more secure than a convertible). It can seat four adults. It has a bigger trunk. It also has a lot more brute horsepower. A lot more.

The Miata is more fun on a winding back road, especially in nice weather. It is also easier in heavy traffic and tight parking spaces.

The choice is difficult. I wimped out and now have one of each.

Reply to
Dick Eastman

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