$20K for a more powerful DD.... WWCSD?

[12,000 RPM]

MINIs are like the least reliable cars on the road and they don't give much back for that sacrifice. I'd rather just do a GTI....

[MrH]

Imagine is Minis had Toyota reliability.  Ah, that'd be the best.

[Raza]

RX-8.

For real.  RX-8.  RWD, quick, great manual, good looks, usable back seats. 

[2o6]

"Usable back seats" my ass. Also, the Renesis is garbage and will need rebuilt/replaced at 70K miles.

[MX793]

"Usable back seats" my ass. Also, the Renesis is garbage and will need rebuilt/replaced at 70K miles.

And fuel economy will be high teens or low 20s.

[Raza]

"Usable back seats" my ass. Also, the Renesis is garbage and will need rebuilt/replaced at 70K miles.

The seats are nearly as usable as in most of the cars he's looking at.  No one is going to choose one as a chauffeur car over a Phantom, but still. 



As for the engine, as long as you care for it properly, it should be fine. 

[2o6]

No, it won't. Rotaries are naturally less hardy than any piston engine. Apex seals leak, Irons wear out, etc.



Also, those rear seats are as workable as a 2-door Fiat 500.

[MrH]

RX-8s are actually probably comfortable to ride around in the back of.  The seat height is plenty high.  Not a ton of room to stretch your legs, but I'm not eating my knees the whole time I'm sitting back there.

[Cookie Monster]

"Usable back seats" my ass. Also, the Renesis is garbage and will need rebuilt/replaced at 70K miles.

Have you sat in one? At 6'3" I had no problem in the back of an RX8.

Also, the Renesis is not garbage. It just blew kept blowing up due to improper maintenance from owners.

[MX793]

Have you sat in one? At 6'3" I had no problem in the back of an RX8.

Also, the Renesis is not garbage. It just blew kept blowing up due to improper maintenance from owners.

Even if cared for properly, they generally won't last as long as a piston engine before needing a rebuild.

Also, since you'd be looking at a used one, how do you know if the previous owner(s) treated it right?

[Cookie Monster]

Even if cared for properly, they generally won't last as long as a piston engine before needing a rebuild.

Also, since you'd be looking at a used one, how do you know if the previous owner(s) treated it right?

Buy one that just had its engine replaced?

That's what my friend did.

Also, in '09 they added more oil injectors for increased life. My friend has been tracking the shit out of his (like 40+ track events) and hasn't had any problems with the car. He also premixes his gas too and is generally pretty anal about maintenance.

[12,000 RPM]

Premixing gas? You guys are terrible at this. No, RX-8 is a horrible choice. Even if it worked right, it's got the oomph of an 8th gen Civic Si (read: next to none) with the gas mileage of an E39 M5. Only upsides are supposedly sublime handling, which is nice but not a deal maker, and internet contrarian cred which I literally could not care less about. No no no

[Cookie Monster]

Premixing gas? You guys are terrible at this. No, RX-8 is a horrible choice. Even if it worked right, it's got the oomph of an 8th gen Civic Si (read: next to none) with the gas mileage of an E39 M5. Only upsides are supposedly sublime handling, which is nice but not a deal maker, and internet contrarian cred which I literally could not care less about. No no no

Do note that I never suggested it. Just that the reliability is at least partly to blame on owners and that the back seat doesn't completely suck.


I do think it's one of the worst suggestions so far though (sorry Raza).

[12,000 RPM]

I think r0tor and Onslaught both had to replace their engines and neither of them strike me as the dumb owner type.

The engines are designed to burn oil and apex seals are wear items. I'm sure the avg American owner doesn't help but most cars survive under regular American owner care. Rotary is just a shit idea in practice.

[Cookie Monster]

Mazda designed the Renesis originally to have only 1 oil injector to reduce the oil consumption but that caused the apex seals to grenade themselves. The updated engines don't have the same problem, I think, but I doubt the average RX8 owner is premixing or checking oil levels as often as they should.

Either way there are plenty of much better options out there.

[MX793]

Mazda designed the Renesis originally to have only 1 oil injector to reduce the oil consumption but that caused the apex seals to grenade themselves. The updated engines don't have the same problem, I think, but I doubt the average RX8 owner is premixing or checking oil levels as often as they should.

Either way there are plenty of much better options out there.

Onslaught had an R3, which had the updated motor.

[Cookie Monster]

Did his explode?

[12,000 RPM]

How mad would you guys be if I got a Camry SE V6?

I'm giggling as I type this.

Obviously super reliable + decent resale and not expensive at all.

The SE's from 2007-2014 don't look too bad in/out. Better than any of the other V6 mainstreamers from those years by a wide margin.

Obviously super under the radar.

27 MPG regular on Fuelly. Kind of significant compared to the ~20MPG premium I'd get out of the G37. Basically what I'm getting out of the Civic now, with 2x the HP.... 2 second lopped off 0-60 and the 1/4.

No problems fitting rear child seat at all.

I know from experience that those V6s are quick.... I got convincingly beat by an Avalon in the Z and there are plenty of YT vids. Low 14 sec car all dayay.

Mods/aftermarket is surprisingly decent. I have the course plotted... coilovers obviously, intake, true dual exhaust, Highlander brakes, trans cooler, RX350 projector retrofit, some kind of subwoofer, better tires. If I wind up keeping it for more than 2 yrs might seriously consider a Sienna/Highlander final drive (12-20% shorter). 2012-2014s even have paddle shift

It will infuriate Raza and probably seriously annoy MCM.

Downsides, obviously it's a Camry. Would suck to put all that twork into it and still have it not be great.... but then I'll probably be onto something else in 2-3 years and it could be a fun little experiment either way.

How bad of an idea is this? I'm definitely going to test drive one when the time comes.

[giant_mtb]

Trans cooler?  I mean, I've seen a Camry pulling a trailer, but...?

[12,000 RPM]

Trans cooler?  I mean, I've seen a Camry pulling a trailer, but...?

Probably overkill.

[SJ_GTI]

I don't hate that class of car...but why the Camry over an Accord for instance? Or Mazda 6?

[Cookie Monster]

Yeah, I don't mind that segment but there's no way I'd take a V6 Camry over a Mazda6. Hell I'd drop the V6 for the I4 with the manual. Better looking, not as common (right up your alley), better to drive while being no less practical and only somewhat slower (ok, probably significantly slower, but lets be real, how often are you going to be drag racing a V6 Camry?).

[MrH]

coilovers obviously, intake, true dual exhaust, Highlander brakes, trans cooler, RX350 projector retrofit, some kind of subwoofer, better tires.

A Camry isn't a bad idea.  What's quoted above is really really stupid though.

[CaminoRacer]

Yeah you'll just end up with an unsellable nightmare

[Rich]

I think a V6 Camry would be good for you on coilovers.  The stripper V6 CamCords are a massive deal for what you get vs the next size down. 

[MrH]

Now that we're down to automatics, get a Mazda6 and call it a day.

[giant_mtb]

Probably overkill.

Otherwise, nothin' really wrong with a Camry.  They are what they are.

[Rich]

Now that we're down to automatics, get a Mazda6 and call it a day.

He ran a 4cyl out of a Civic, I'd imagine the 4cyl in a midsizer would get run out much earlier.

He needs a V6.  He likes V6 noises anyway

[MrH]

He ran a 4cyl out of a Civic, I'd imagine the 4cyl in a midsizer would get run out much earlier.

He needs a V6.  He likes V6 noises anyway

He misshifted his civic.  That's what killed it.  And now he's looking at autos.

I just think a Mazda6 is more enjoyable to drive.  A V6 camry is quick, but not really satisfying.

[12,000 RPM]

A Camry isn't a bad idea.  What's quoted above is really really stupid though.

Yeah you'll just end up with an unsellable nightmare

MrH didn't surprise me, though Camino you did. You guys do realize aftermarket parts come off right?

Whatever I get has to be a project. That is just my automotive life. It is what it is, "really stupid" or not.

Now that we're down to automatics, get a Mazda6 and call it a day.

Engine + trans in the auto Mazda3 2.0 rental I had sucked, this would be no better. Also really jonesing for a 6 banger

I think a V6 Camry would be good for you on coilovers.  The stripper V6 CamCords are a massive deal for what you get vs the next size down. 

It's a shame they don't put V6s in the C segment cars. The new Corolla is bigger than a lot of old Camry V6s. I could do a Corolla with a V6 + 6AT.