[weekendwrench]

I have been following this board and trying to decide on a new car. I was trying to decide between a 04 GTO and an 04 Mazda RX8. I contacted a few dealers around the SF BAy Area to try to get a good buy on an 04 GTO but they must like keeping these cars on their lots. The "great Price" I was offered on a 6 speed was $28,659.94. After all the good deals I heard of everyone else getting I just couldn't bear to pay that kind of price.

I really liked the RX8 too and I am getting one for $4700 off invoice. It is quite a different car but still a fun one to drive.

I'm still going to keep watching the board because I like the GTO.

 

[tha joker]

noooooooo not an rx8 i was in the same boat as you i love my rx7s so i wanted a rx8 but i got my goat for 24 i can give you a few dealers with those prices plus the rx8 guzzels oil they wont tell you that till after you buy it takes like 8 quarts and guzzels it pretty good

 

[DavidC]

To bad you cant find a goat, but a RX8 with only 160 lbs of torque. I test drove one before I got my GTO and it felt so confined on the inside, and had very little get up and go, unless you are about 4-5 thousand RPM. Even though you cant find a GTO for 24K like a lot of us did, you wont regret paying the 28K for the GTO. Its one helluva ride and quite a limited amount of them on the road is even better. You will have plenty of people ask you about your car. At least I do. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Subdriver]

Not exactly the same comparision, but I had a 94 RX-7 twin turbo and loved it, but it was a pain the ass to keep running. Traded up for a 2002 Z06. Love the torque and not sure how I lived without it.

The RX-8 is a great car, but so is the GTO.

I certainly wouldn't give up if you want a GTO because of Bay Area dealer pricing (I grew up in Oakland and went to college at Cal). When I bought my Z06 I found the best price on a Corvette Forum similar to this and flew to the car and bought it. Price had been negotiated over the phone. No problems. I enjoyed time learning the car as I drove it home.

The Bay Area dealers can charge those prices because someone will pay. But other dealers will want your business. You just have to be willing to travel to them. :cheers

 

[Tom]

go on to www.gmbuypower.com and find a car 100 miles away.

 

[twolf]

I also looked at an RX-8, and an EVO VIII, and a REX (pet name for a WRX Sti) So why the GTO???

The thing just goes... I mean, every other car I drove felt like it was "working" all the time and you had to keep the revs up for power...

the GTO... hehee...
even in 6th gear with a grand on the tack the thing still feels compitant in its ability to make power. It just goes... that is all I can say.

So do a card drop with the dealers in your area... and get a GTO.

(a card drop is when you walk in to a dealership with a business card or an index card that has your name, phone, and an offer on it.. say $24K out the door. Walk in, ask for a sales person, hand him the card, and say "Have your sales manager give me a call when he is wants to move a goat." Be SURE to let him know you don't have time to "discuss it" because you are dropping cards at all the dealers in your area.. then walk out. Best to do it at the end of the month. A sales manager always calls... )

 

[II-Savy]

This card drop idea sounds great.

Also - The RX-8 is not as bad as everyone is saying. Nice thing about the 8 is you don't have to slow down for the corners.
In addition the car is almost perfectly balanced. The rotory motor is set way back helping with this. It's really a looker. :cool
They do eat oil though.

 

[b_a_betterperson]

RX-8s are really friggin' ugly. Don't do it!

 

[Tom]

I also looked at an RX-8, and an EVO VIII, and a REX (pet name for a WRX Sti) So why the GTO???

The thing just goes... I mean, every other car I drove felt like it was "working" all the time and you had to keep the revs up for power...

the GTO... hehee...
even in 6th gear with a grand on the tack the thing still feels compitant in its ability to make power. It just goes... that is all I can say.

So do a card drop with the dealers in your area... and get a GTO.

(a card drop is when you walk in to a dealership with a business card or an index card that has your name, phone, and an offer on it.. say $24K out the door. Walk in, ask for a sales person, hand him the card, and say "Have your sales manager give me a call when he is wants to move a goat." Be SURE to let him know you don't have time to "discuss it" because you are dropping cards at all the dealers in your area.. then walk out. Best to do it at the end of the month. A sales manager always calls... )

I did that at two dealers that never got back to me. I bought the car from the one dealer that replied to me.

 

[djdub]

It's really a looker. :cool

:willy:

 

[geerhed]

I once was interested in the RX-8 also.. Then I got a closer look. The car is too narrow and tall.. looks bad. and the front fenders are too high and pointy. Rotary enignes burn oil.. it's a design flaw. But they do rev - and thats what they need.. revs.. me? I like torque. Nothing else comes close. If you get the chance drive a viper. you'll know what I mean. In any gear any rpm the car MOVES OUT!

 

[Tom]

I had six first and second gen RX7s. The most oil any burned was one quart every 3000 miles. I know there was a problem with the new ones, but think it has been fixed.

They were the most fun to drive of any car I've owned. Winding the motor at commuter speeds made the car a blast to drive every day. The GTO with all its torque is bland compared to the fun I had with the RX7s.

If I didnt get a steal on the GTO I would have gotten a RX8.

 

[II-Savy]

Yea it's just awful......

 

[GTO-Quikls2]

My RX-7 was a similar story. They use crankcase oil to lube the rotor tip seals so some is going to burn. I also used about a quart every 3000 and didn't think this was a problem. Doesn't everyone check their oil at each fill up? Heck, my old Mootang used more oil then that. The RX-8 is just plain ugly or I may have looked at it. I expect the factory will "smooth" things up in the future on that car. The rotory is fun to rev but I must admit that I like the "feel" of my LS1 TA and LS2 GTO much better.

 

[GTOJon]

Yea it's just awful......

Hey is that a green GTO in the background?! :rofl:

LOL I'm joking, don't axe me to death!

I love the GTO's looks before anyone bashes me :cheers

 

[Tom]

I never checked the oil in any of my RX7s. I called mazda years ago and was told not to use synthetic.

I changed the oil every 3000 miles pretty religiously. at about 3100 on two occasions (total for the six cars) the low oil light came on.

 

[jontyrees]

Do an Internet sales search. Cars.com, or maybe edmunds - you just plug in what you want and local dealers come back to you with their Internet special price. Edmunds did a test comparing the best price they got on identical cars using the Internet sales prices vs the best they could do haggling in person. Internet prices were better in all cases.

 

[djdub]

Yea it's just awful......

Frankly, it is.

 

[zerosum]

I looked at the RX-8 before I decided on the GTO.

For me the GTO is a better car in every way than the RX-8. However, my experiences was the Mazda dealers were a lot better than with Pontiac.

No problem with test drives, no bull on availability and good pricing up front.

With Pontiac... let's just say I had to work at it.

Hearing someone say they are not buying this great car because of their dealer experience does not surprise me at all. I just wonder if GM will do anything about it.

 

[tiresmoker]

RX8=RICER :cool