Hi MRC,
I am trying to distract myself from my ill RX7 by looking at my scheduled company car replacement which is coming up.
My seniority level allows me a BMW 318i SE...........about £24,000
It has to be a four door.
Naturally thought I might go for an RX8..........I imagine it is the fastest car I can get in this price range with 4 doors.
I think the resistance I will get from my company is that it is known that BMW\'s hold their value.........what can be said about the RX8 or is it too early to know.
Tried loooking at various webs but how much is the RX8 in either engine size. ?
Thanks,
James
Hi James,
RX-8 1300cc 4 Door top spec is £24,000 with l believe the entry level one at around £21,000.
Signs are looking good that these wont depreciate to bad, with some new cars changing hands at over retail because the prospective owner did not wish to wait for his or her car!
have a look here, got to be better than a little Beemer
http://www.mazda.co.uk/
Thanks Clive,
I think I\'ll try and get a test drive.....
James
I don\'t think you\'ll be too disapointed... but beware if you do a lot of stop/start driving in traffic... the car does not relish being boxed in.
If you do a lot of long distance cruising it\'s really excelent... I did 750 miles in mine over the weekend and never felt stiff or tired,... just sorry for everyone else...
Hi Blue Adept
Thanks for the reply.
Hmmmm.............I would be using the RX8 for driving to and from work in central London.......
So what happens if it is sitting in traffic..........surely we all sit in traffic particularly anywhere in the south.........even commuting on the M25.
James
Oh, nothing bad.... it\'ll idle all day... however certainly with the High Power version it is quite highly strung and won\'t pull at idle... if you\'re doing 10Mph then it\'s fine, but below 8 or 9 you\'re gonna be stop/starting... at least that\'s my experience... but get a test drive and have a go... a lot of people have said that the low power version is more relaxed in that area.
All that said, I wouldn\'t give it up... it\'s an incredible car...
Residuals? Its hard to tell, it wont be bad unless its poor fuel economy hurts the price. Currently they havnt dropped a lot because of the queue for new cars.
Some dealers are now trying to buy back some cars for stock.
I commute in mine 2 hours a day in mostly stop/start traffic. Its the hi-power version. No rpoblems with car control, so long as your decent and \'delicate\' with the controls its a baby to drive.
But you\'ll get the poorest fuel ecconomy that way, I do. I normaly get 200-220 miles on a tank of 50ish litres, soon as you get on the open road (Motorway or A roads) milage improves hugely.
It doesnt mind being thrashed - in fact one of my best tanks was around the lakes at warp speed, its the standing/idling that hits the mpg - that and probably the biggest hurter is short journey - stop starting . Tho this is somewhat better with the most recent ECU code/software.
I\'d pick one over the 318 any day of the week, but look at 18-24mpg and make sure your prepared for it and can afford it.
Promote the maintanace/service costs to your company too, my 1st service was £63 from a mazda main dealer!
Hell I know it\'s months after the fact but if your still ditherin then we swapped a 318SE (02 reg) for the RX8 (04 reg) and have not looked back. The only down side is the fuel consumption but if it\'s a company car and your not on the private milage deal then I\'m sure there is a bit of fidle in there to recoupe some cash ;)
The 318 handled like a tub of lard compared to the 8, tied itself in knots if it was a quick left, right, left (ie straight on at a roundabout. Ton\'s of lift off oversteer as well :wiggle Entertaining but a bit un-nerving at times.
tell us have you done it yet??
John
//www.exige2.com
Because my new car will probably be passed on to another manager before the end of its allocated time as a Lex Leasing company car, it needs to be something that another manager is not going to whinge about.
As I have a fun car in the FD, I decided to opt for comfort and ease of driving.
I have gone for a Mercedes Avantgarde..... :rolleyes:
It has something called an automatic gearbox.......sounds a bit new-fangled to me.
Happy Christmas to everyone at MRC.
James