Need advice from the hive

Interested to hear thoughts from the team on my next daily driver. It is the classic build vs buy question at heart. Looking for a rwd with sub 400hp and manual. Must have backseats that are at least semi useful for two boys in booster seats. Needs to be a full interior trustworthy beast with all the amenities like air bags and functioning everything. Was recently spoiled by my 335I's capabilities overall so that's kind of a baseline for speed.

Current thought is an ls swapped Mid 2000's vehicle like an RX8. main driver for the LS is that it will be all the power I need from an unmolested/unstressed motor. Most of what I have found are LS1 swaps with 350ish whp at a total weight of 3100lbs wet. I'm not looking for the complexity of a turbo/supercharged or wankel setup. Not hating on the dorito but not what I want to live with. I do have much love for the chassis, interior, and styling of the RX8.

I have seem them for sale complete in the 10-20k range with varying degrees of quality (see links below). My capabilities are moderate but certainly not at full GRM fabrication levels. I have a friend's shop that can do the welding and sort through the wiring issues. My back of the napkin numbers make it look like 10-14k for a budget built aluminum LS swap into an RX8. A minimum timeline of 6 months is assumed but I travel for work and have a young family so this may be the toughest part of the whole story.

Rough Cost breakout RX8 manual with bum motor 1-2K Complete swap car 10kish and plan to recoup 3k (call it 7) Welded/machined stuff for swap - 2k wiring pain and suffering 3k

My Rabbit resto/autox build has taken me 7 years to have a mostly together car that's a lot of fun. Clearly this timeline isn't gonna work for a daily. Tempted to hit the easy button but always concerned about how well the swap and specifically the wiring was done among many other things. I'm picky about many things and have resigned myself to a minimum of 2k worth of sorting out to be happy with whatever I buy.

Nicest found so far Craigslist LS RX8

Typical listing Craigslist LS RX8

A large part of me wants to do it myself but I'm just not sure it's the brightest thing I could do with my limited time. Feel free to flame away but interested to hear the make vs buy thoughts.

Danke

Gosh, either way and you're the coolest Dad ever.

I rode in the back seat of one of those things and was amazed at the packaging. It's probably the most capable vehicle out there with a large enough abck seat for boosters.

In reply to tuna55:

Appreciate the kind words. It's relevant to note that they boys and my wife almost never ride in my vehicle. Maybe 6 times in the last 2 yrs. Based on this I am giving myself the right to buy a daily my wife can't drive (stick). I've also decided that the 1.5 hrs spent in the car daily should be a time of joy not of suffering.

I like this idea a lot. Pluses: Great packaging, power, stiff chassis, fun. Minuses: Increased maint due to swap?, Sunroof cars don't have oodles of head room.

Go for it!

LuxInterior wrote: Increased maint due to swap?

I'm pretty sure an LS is more reliable and less maintenance intensive than a 13B-MSP any day.

The swap complexity isn't too terrible with exception of the Electrical systems and fuel system upgrades.

Have seen them use a combo of standalone and Mazda oem stuff. Have also seen ones where the GM ran the engine and the Mazda ran everything else. Apparently the Mazda PCM is challenging to work with.

The fuel system needs significant upgrades to the pump but have seen a number of mods using aftermarket high flow pump modded into the Mazda housing.

The drivetrain needs for the swap are all buy-able in kit form or build-able with relatively simple geometries to work with.

Apparently the aluminum LS only weights 150lbs more than the factory setup installed which is attractive to keep that nice balance. Guessing spring and dampening rate changes can compensate.

If it were me, I'd start with a GTO and put some money into performance stuff. The interior is already as good or better than the RX8, the chassis is designed to handle the motor, and there is more room for kids and their stuff.

pinchvalve wrote: If it were me, I'd start with a GTO and put some money into performance stuff. The interior is already as good or better than the RX8, the chassis is designed to handle the motor, and there is more room for kids and their stuff.

Having been in, but not owned both, I can say with a modest amount of uncertainty, that the GTO has less room than the RX8 both in back seat and in cargo.

CTSV

In reply to pinchvalve:

A GTO is going to be a very different beast from an LS swapped RX8, much more "cushy GT car" than "knife-edged sports car." Also, not sure I'd say it will have more interior room. Sure, its a substantially bigger car, but they're really not packaged all that well. I've spent time in the backseat of one and its not pleasant. Trunk is also kinda tiny.

There are in fact a number of good solutions that are off the shelf. Current winner from the insert keys and drive perspective is a Jag XJR aside from the obvious and no stick. Yes I know that I just complained about the reliability of my Bimmer then went Jag...

I keep thinking about how much more interesting a swap car would be when I hit the go pedal and it roars... Really want something to surprise folks and place a large grin on my face on the commute.

Self imposed constraints are to buy at 15k or less in cash, RWD, Stick, backseat, reliable, as modern as I can manage, and very fast.

Currently doing my time (saving pennies) in the Ex family mobile Envoy. My soul is dying slowly as I commute with my 4wd couch in the slow lane...