A week to go, a week to go...

RX8 vs X1/9 - hmmm... RX8 is quicker, more powerful, bigger, seats four, front-mid engined, quieter, more luxurious etc.

X1/9 - Classic, small, neat, rusty. But still great fun.

Plus, mine wasn't rusty, and owning a 4 year old X1/9 when a 19 year old student is rather cooler than contract hiring an RX8 when a 31-year old "undefined self-employed type". I think at least three of my 'peer' group - similar age, similarly computer/undefined jobs - own RX8s too.

Richard

Just remember the flaws - rusty sills (due to rear suicide door seals), rusty hubs. lower wisbone balljoint failure, inflated performance figures, total loss oil system, excessive fuel consumption. esoteric starting procedure....just like the best classics! (ignore me, I'm a miserable sod....)

It'll be faster than my Beetle, RWD, no more thirsty than the Supra automatic or Subaru I drove, the starting procedures are perfectly normal (it is the shutdown, when cold, on early models, with the six-port engine, if you're unlucky that you are thinking of), the total loss oil system makes total sense to me as a tradeoff for engine life into the 150-200K region (seriously), and it has a warranty and goes back after a couple of years.

Richard

I don't think there is a better feeling than waiting to pick up a new car. I remember when I bought my GTR I hardly slept that week.

Fraser

Fine, hope you enjoy it anyway. I've driven one but it didn't feel like a RWD car - too stable! I sort of like the 350Z better, but then again the engines french so maybe a bad idea too. ;-)

->Got my train/bus tickets to Leicester...

->Got the car number and details.

->Got the Beetle's collection organised.

->Got a Japanese-market Takara-made Binaltech Transformer RX8 (how many

->people have a Transformer model of their car, huh?).

You forgot the bottle of Mobil-1 ;-)

->I don't think there is a better feeling than waiting to pick up a new car.

I can think of several............

The engine is designed and built by Nissan, Renault use it in the Espace and Vel Satis (albeit slightly de-tuned). So, unless you count Nissan as a French company (they are 40% owned by Renault) then it's not a French engine.

Rotaries hate synthetic oils.

Fraser

You mustn't be married with a kid.

Fraser

->> ->I don't think there is a better feeling than waiting to pick up a new

->> car.

->>

->> I can think of several............

->

->You mustn't be married with a kid.

or the wife and kid have yet to give me grief !

Ewww! Synthetic! I'll void the warranty!

(Well... depending on who you trust. Apparently they prefer normal oil).

Richard

Reason enough to dislike it then...