Read the entire posting I made, the context was in meaning a lemon overall / in practicality, not in isolation as a car itself, yes I've even seen the RX8 on a track video trying to keep up with something far better it might even have been the youtube vs 370Z one, if not it was very similar and I was impressed and thought potentially of having one......till I read about everything else......

But my point was who throws caution to the wind entirely and values only the properties of the car above the overall practicalities of owning, not many people afford to do that and those that can go for something better.

From the figures mentioned I know given the car isn't significantly that better than even my Mk1 BLT Fabia vRS from an overall stance, and also for not a lot of cash I know the guys in Fabia forums have easily modded the car to a state it would destroy an RX8 based on those figures.

Numbers don't lie about the practicality impact - check it out

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=rx8

8k to 4k in 6 years for the 192 and 12k to 7k in about the same - about 9k taken off the roads/out of use ? !

Now compare to the Fabia 1 - check the stability of those figures!

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=fabia+vrs

Have I made my point clear enough yet?

I wasn't saying it was totally ****, far from it, just so niche, and almost pointlessly so IMO unless you really don't do the miles or don't value money.

Those that don't value money tend to go for stuff far more exotic as they can afford to if they can afford to waste £400 a year on tax, oil, fuel, etc, etc....

The rx8 was not a car purchased by the head was it? It was niche product and certainly the other end of the spectrum when compared to the dullness of fleet cars. It was a car your bought because you wanted it, not because it was a car you had to pay for.

Flawed yes, high mpg, moderate oil consumption and ever increasing Road tax burdens, but they did not suffer low frequency booming, water collecting in the doors, fuel pump issues and the countless niggles that seem to plague skoda.

Not the best car ever produced yes and not as fast as some but sitting in one felt a bit more special than sitting in a generic multi platform type car. Once you sit and drive a car that really has driver focus it becomes apparent.

I'm acutely aware my boxster is not the fastest car in the world and can be 'destroyed' by a lot of other cars, maybe even a heavily modded fabia. That's not the issue. I personally enjoy it, I love the sound of a flat 6, again it's RWD and it handles, which is typically the only performance criteria one can use out on the normal roads. When do people frequently hit VMAX out on public roads, they don't but a cars handling can be appreciated within the realms of the law.

This whole diesel performance car niche personally seems ironic. If someone wanted a performance car they would go after a petrol engine (unless you were an LMP category racer).

Enjoy your drive. Each to their own.

I personally cannot understand why my mate has bought (leased) a jag xf diesel. He is only 40 years old! He likes it though and he is very happy with it. Good for him.

Edited 7 March, 201610 yr by octavianestate

Numbers do not lie.

But the Volkswagen Group like to ignore them or are sometimes in denial.

eg

VW Polo GTi 2010-2014 about 1,500 First Registered in the UK.

Audi A1 185ps less than 500

S1 2014 who knows.

 

VW just keep registering cars by 100 or more a quarter even if people are not Ordering or Buying new ones.

Skoda do it, Audi do it, Seat do it, and they First Register Fleet Cars, let them out cheap to Businesses and then Official Dealerships 

sell these 'Approved Used Cars' as Management Cars and the likes.

 

*All New 3rd Generation Fabia*, or other VWG Facelift Models, and even Halo Models, GTI, RS,S.

Keeps numbers up, wins them Awards, great reviews, Fleet Buyers, What Car of the Year 2 years in a row etc even though they are car of the year before any are in the UK or with Owners.

Often great success is not great Sales, just First Registrations.

 

How many left is no indication of a cars success or of them not having a high percentage of Lemons.

Ask the 2,900 or so Skoda Twincharger Owners, or those Seat, Audi or VW, many who were lucky, and plenty that were unlucky as the original or used car buyer.

Under 1.4litre engine of the year 5 times etc. Ignore how many cars have had 2 engines even 3 fitted in under 6 years.

VORSPRUNG DURCH TECHNIK.

Admit Nothing and it never happened, all an internet myth or over exaggeration.

(VW Seniors and the Board never heard of issues, so no issues exist, so tell that to your Solicitor or Class Action,

except in the US of A or Canada.)

Edited 7 March, 201610 yr by GoneOffskiroottoot

I currently own an RX8 and a TDI VRS and I love them both for completely different reasons, I will say though in real world driving my TDI VRS is quicker 90% of the time. Although the RX8 is a lot more fun to drive and it's agility really is special. 

 

Here's a pic of them both this morning during a snow shower here in Liverpool

 

Nice driveway - I approve!

 

Here's mine (Petrol vRS and RX-8 R3), and yes, the Octy has waaay more grunt than the RX-8 but on twisty roads the RX-8 is blummin amazing...

 

 

The R3 is my second RX-8 as it happens, I had one brand new from 2004 not long after they came out, paid 24k for it and traded it for a Leon Cupra K1 4 years later, got 7.5k for it    

I had an itch for another one a few years ago, this review (no 3 in the top handling cars in America for under 100K - yes, that's America - not renowned for handling but it's in good company in the list) made me go for an R3 which I've had for the past 2 1/2 years and love it (despite the £*cough* per year for road tax).

 

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/2010-mazda-rx-8-r3-page-6

Very nice! the final revision of the RX8 was the best in my opinion - great looking cars.

Nice driveway - I approve!

 

Here's mine (Petrol vRS and RX-8 R3), and yes, the Octy has waaay more grunt than the RX-8 but on twisty roads the RX-8 is blummin amazing...

 

 

 

You see I'm envious now - I had a go in an RX8 some time ago at an MX5 meet and thought it was a cracking car for me as someone with two small kids wanting some fun - certainly the issues mentioned above wouldn't put me off one - but my MX5 would have to go to fund it so it's a no go at the moment...)

The how many left is based on registered vehicles, its not without some foundation of truth as its based on registrations. Why have they dropped ?

*ho hum*

Hence not through reliability but from people selling them etc, those stats must mean something which is that they are definitely becoming more niche was my point ?

 

My point about lemons wasn't about cars ability or reliability, but in terms of its practical ownership in that sense was what I already said made it a "practicality" lemon so I think this has chosen to be overread a bit.

 

I'm sure it would make a great weekend car, fun car, I don't dispute, I'd even have one on the basis of being quite a good unusual sporty car ( if I had room, I've already got Fabia 1 vRS, Octy Petrol, wifes 1.2 and been gifted at some point a MGF VVC so I really don't need a car like that anyway).

 

It looks good and very very cheap so I can certainly understand why someone with the cash to pay £400 a year on tax would keep as a cheap "toy".

 

But Its the overal ownership thing I was talking about, you'd be a bit mad to use it for an every day car, making it an everyday car lemon was my point ( which if was read in the context of what I was saying was obvious, I wasn't slating the car).

I had a 04 RX8 231 and and 2 x TDI vRS's and now a TSI vRS.

I have to say that the engine was both its uniqueness and ultimately its downfall.

The car has to be one of the best handling cars with a seriously good ride quality, the engine was also awesome.

Unfortunately without the low / mid range torque it doesn't 'feel' quick and therefore doesn't 'feel' exciting.

I ended up swapping, 18MPG is acceptable if you have the power and torque that accompanied that figure. Got to say I used to love I though!!!

I swapped to a GTTDI mapped at 180bhp, that felt soooo much quicker and retuned 55+mpg. Not as cool to drive though.....

The how many left is based on registered vehicles, its not without some foundation of truth as its based on registrations. Why have they dropped ?

*ho hum*

Hence not through reliability but from people selling them etc, those stats must mean something which is that they are definitely becoming more niche was my point ?

My point about lemons wasn't about cars ability or reliability, but in terms of its practical ownership in that sense was what I already said made it a "practicality" lemon so I think this has chosen to be overread a bit.

I'm sure it would make a great weekend car, fun car, I don't dispute, I'd even have one on the basis of being quite a good unusual sporty car ( if I had room, I've already got Fabia 1 vRS, Octy Petrol, wifes 1.2 and been gifted at some point a MGF VVC so I really don't need a car like that anyway).

It looks good and very very cheap so I can certainly understand why someone with the cash to pay £400 a year on tax would keep as a cheap "toy".

But Its the overal ownership thing I was talking about, you'd be a bit mad to use it for an every day car, making it an everyday car lemon was my point ( which if was read in the context of what I was saying was obvious, I wasn't slating the car).

I bought mine brand new. So I guess you might say I did not value money?

Kids now so I value money, car has gone, it depreciated so what, all cars do. But as all the other owners here say it was a top car to drive. I don't commute either so it was ideal for me.

If you want to see a 'lemon' come see my octavia. A brand new car needing 6 panels respraying - that's a lemon :-)

Nice driveway - I approve!

 

Here's mine (Petrol vRS and RX-8 R3), and yes, the Octy has waaay more grunt than the RX-8 but on twisty roads the RX-8 is blummin amazing...

 

 

Love the R3. Every time I see a Meteor Grey vRS I wish i'd of chosen that instead of Race Blue!