OK after many years of lurking i'm finally in the market for an RX-8..! I visited the West End Mazda Dealer at North Parramatta (i'm in syd nsw btw) and noticed straight away that there wasn't a single 8 to be seen.

I asked the salesman about the auto leather pack and he said it'd be $62k on the road. After a bit more talking he said $55k and then $50k. Now this is the first dealer i've approached about the 8. I plan on visiting a few others but i'm interested to see what you guys think is a realistic price for this car?

A friend of mine said you could get an RX-8 with all the options ie. sunroof, side skirts, air dam, strakes etc. for $53,000...

Any advice would be appreciated..!

You're gonna get a lot of people telling you to steer clear of the auto (it's slow, lazy, not suited to a sports car etc...), but buy whatever floats your boat.

Personally, I prefer the RX-8 without any extras like strakes, body kits and such. Mazda will sting you a bloody fortune on any accessories you buy, so go prepared with a fat chequebook if you want any of that stuff.

All the best with your negotiating, it seems to me you'll do okay...:cool:

West End @ Nth Parra have arrogant & un-caring sales reps who will always try to shaft you. Give them the flick. Strangely, West End @ Blacktown are the opposite.

Two seperate mates have purchased their RX-8's from West End @ Blacktown simply due to their discounting & freindly service.

As for the Auto. The Oz spec version gets the same trimmings, wheels, brakes, suspension as the manual thankfully.

Its 4-port 13B-MSP is struggling to pull the 1380kg (dry weight) around but once you are up to speed, its still the same fantastic RX-8 everyone brags about & falls in love with.

My personal RX-8 is the 4AT version due to compromise required with my partner. Basically, she cant drive a manual.. Must admit though that it is so much easier than the manual in peak period Sydney traffic.....

You get used to the less power but like all rotaries, there is room for improvement if you feel the need.

REgards

there is rumour on another forum that they have started to bring in the 6sp. Not proven yet. I would look into it.

According to my dealer, basically all 8's are accounted for so its even difficult for them to have demo cars. I know its nice to have a new car but honestly, I wouldnt buy a new 8 unless you can get it for < 50. There are an abundance of 2nd hand ones so you really have your pick.

Cheers

Andrew

According to my Mazda dealer who checked with Mazda Australia theres definetely going to be a 6 speed Automatic transmission version coming late 2007 or early 2008 .:puke: ....sorry i dont like Autos in a rotary :banghead:

The 4 speed Automatics will drop like a rock :Eyecrazy:

Ben

Personally, I prefer the RX-8 without any extras like strakes, body kits and such. Mazda will sting you a bloody fortune on any accessories you buy, so go prepared with a fat chequebook if you want any of that stuff.


That depends on when you buy the extras. If you negotiate it upfront before you buy your car, you have the power and can get the goodies for excellent prices.

However if u decide to come back after you've signed on the dotted line and say you want some skirts and strakes, you may as well just put your hands up on the wall and let them have their way with you.

That depends on when you buy the extras. If you negotiate it upfront before you buy your car, you have the power and can get the goodies for excellent prices....


Strakes cost $500......an excellent price would be $50. Afterall, they are only 200g of polished aluminium.

I can't see too many dealers wearing that sort of cost after I've nailed down the best possible deal I could find on the base car purchase.

Ha.. maybe i should've checked the forum again before i went and put the thousand dollar deposit for a velocity red auto leather with sunroof, strakes, carpet mats, auto lights on/off, reverse sensors which ended up being $54k after falling for the window tint, leather and paint protection.

I don't really plan on selling it soon or anything so lets hope i wont think too much about resale value...x_X

Meh! I wouldnt stress. You made the decisons, now enjoy it :) just dont come complaining about fuel economy because by your own admission you have been lurking for more than a day so should have seen someone moan about it ;)

Cheers

Andrew

Strakes cost $500......an excellent price would be $50. Afterall, they are only 200g of polished aluminium.

I can't see too many dealers wearing that sort of cost after I've nailed down the best possible deal I could find on the base car purchase.
I blame that on Mazda Australia who either have no negotiating skills with Mazda Japan or just blatantly rip off the dealers, who then in turn rip us off. 2 x ripoffs > 1 x ripoff .

Ha.. maybe i should've checked the forum again before i went and put the thousand dollar deposit for a velocity red auto leather with sunroof, strakes, carpet mats, auto lights on/off, reverse sensors which ended up being $54k after falling for the window tint, leather and paint protection.

I don't really plan on selling it soon or anything so lets hope i wont think too much about resale value...x_X

Some people have done better but not many and most paid a lot more for comparable level of kit, so you did okay.

Auto will kill your resale though, so I'm gald you plan on having it a while.

Enjoy and welcome to the club.

Alright time to start listing the mods...xD I think i'll have to start from the inside. So after 4 years is there a relatively easy package for a car pc which of course can be fitted into the console say where the sat nav would be if mazda had a stock one...? Seeing as i dont have any previous knowledge of where to even begin to do it myself is there someone i can call which can install / build this sorta thing for me?

LoL hang on before i get ahead of myself would this sorta thing void the warranty?

Do a search on the carputer. SCO has one in his RX-8 and has posted a little about it, but he doesn't visit here much anymore.

Your warranty will only be voided on affected elements. IE, your gearbox will still be covered against failure, but your aircond might not be if can be shown the failure could be attributed to you messing about during the install, for example....

The PC mounting I wont bother going into as its much of a muchness. RMagic make a nice hood to take a 1 Din motorised LCD screen (http://www.rmagic.net/catalog_all/pdfs/RX8_catalog_2.pdf) (http://www.rmagic.net/catalog_all/pdfs/RX8_catalog_2.pdf).

If you want to get into a total replacement of the head unit you will be looking at just under $1000 AUD just to get a new standard 2 din faceplate, and then if you want to keep your Air con, steering wheel controls and re-use the bose speakers you are up for $300 odd dollars each. So there is roughly $1500 AUD and you still need to replace the head unit itself.

EDIT: Forgot about this option https://www.mazdaparts.com/ProductDetail.jsp?LISTID=5250000-1159943707

Cheers

Andrew

Hmm.. the 1 Din option looks more do able... but how would this integrate with say the steering wheel / speakers? Maybes its a stupid question but i have never attempted any sort of mod to any car before.

Sorry, you will learn that I often fail to seperate my internal conversations when I write them out :)

The steering wheel integration only comes into it if you replace the stock head unit. The available replacement face units come with adapters to hook into certain aftermarket units.

And the issue you will have with the 1 din unit is finding a good quality motorised LCD touch screen.
Cheers

Andrew

what about the Kanatechs stuff?

They give you a faceplate that keeps the aircon and climate control and stuff.

theres even a seperate accessory for you to keep the steering controller

it can be had for about $500

http://www.japanparts.com/db/partslist.php?dealer=6&car=93&middlesmall=2%3A39&maker=&volkey=

wow. Last I looked at there website they were nearly $800 excluding all the adapters.

EDIT:Just re-read all my notes...my bad, it was $800 USD for all the adapters and faceplate from corksport which is the same as the kanatech.

Here are some others
http://www.feast-power.com/rsf/parts/rx8_audiokit.htm
http://www.feast-power.com/rsf/parts/athenza_audiokit.htm
http://www.beatsonic.co.jp/adapter/aok/aok-12.php

Cheers

Andrew

Wow, theres a lot of differnet solutions. Too bad most of the sites are in japanese and i wouldn't know where to start looking if i wanted to buy one...

Just wondering has anyone actually implemented any of these?

I got a call from the dealer today... Told me the car would be ready for pick up on Monday...!!!! *runs around in excitment*

However, when i put my deposit he said it would arrive in aus early september... I dont understand how it can be this much earlier than the date he said? Do you guys reckon he found a lemon and is giving it to me??@?#?

FYI, I am in Brisbane and pretty close to doing the deal on a new manual leather pack with tint, side strakes (whatever their names is ), front and rear rotary crest, for DRIVEAWAY 51,500K. I think this price is pretty good!??! I hope!

I have 1.5 dealers who have reluctantly agreed to this price in my choice of colours.
Now just deciding whether to negotiate a sunroof into it, as the demo I borrowed fora day had a sunroof and it was kind of cool. Mind you, coming from driving an MX5 for 8 years...that small hole in the top of the can could be a bit dinky!

Hope that helps
:)

I got a call from the dealer today... Told me the car would be ready for pick up on Monday...!!!! *runs around in excitment*

However, when i put my deposit he said it would arrive in aus early september... I dont understand how it can be this much earlier than the date he said? Do you guys reckon he found a lemon and is giving it to me??@?#?

No mate, the dealer is just covering his arse on the contract you both agreed to.

If he had signed you up saying he would deliver in five days, but then didn't....well, you could legally walk away from that contract.

He specified a time frame he knew he'd be able to live up to.

wow dats a nice price..!! Make them throw in everything~!!! Dont forget the carpet mats cause apparently the floor of the rx8 is in an irregular shape so finding mats later will be difficult.

/edit thx Gomez for the reassurance... i can sleep now. Lol or maybe i cant. I want it noW~!!!

FYI, I am in Brisbane and pretty close to doing the deal on a new manual leather pack with tint, side strakes (whatever their names is ), front and rear rotary crest, for DRIVEAWAY 51,500K. I think this price is pretty good!??! I hope!



Most people who bought cars prior to the retail price reduction in 2007 paid > $60k for what you are describing. I know I paid about $63k in 2005 for the same thing with one or two extra after market bits :puke:

Mitsubishi is getting my next wad of cash as soon as the X comes out. Mazda can :jerkit:

/edit thx Gomez for the reassurance... i can sleep now. Lol or maybe i cant. I want it noW~!!!

My car arrived "unusually early" too.

I had it for over three years and sixty thousand kilometers and nothing went wrong with it.

Get some sleep :) .

Most people who bought cars prior to the retail price reduction in 2007 paid > $60k for what you are describing. I know I paid about $63k in 2005 for the same thing with one or two extra after market bits :puke:

Mitsubishi is getting my next wad of cash as soon as the X comes out. Mazda can :jerkit:


I've looked at this car too. Drove a EVO 9 and had a lot of fun but it felt homogenised to me. Whats the draw for you to the 10?? Looks nicer but it lacks in some areas...no cruise???

Just interested is all.

Even though I've only had my car for a year and a half, I've had a long hard think about what is coming next.

And when it comes down to the crunch, there's no other piece of metal (that I can afford) I would rather put my money on than the 8. Evo IX came close, but each iteration of the Evo seems to have the shelf life of pasteurized milk and I couldn't get over the taxi cab interior.

When the world hears news of a new car that really tickles my fancy, I'll start saving my pennies - so it looks to be at least 3 years down the line before there is even the possibility I part with my beloved 8. The Audi R4 is looking promising. Only issues are the $$$ and the (lack of) practicality.

I've looked at this car too. Drove a EVO 9 and had a lot of fun but it felt homogenised to me. Whats the draw for you to the 10?? Looks nicer but it lacks in some areas...no cruise???

Just interested is all.

To be honest i've never driven an evo. When I was looking around for the last car I did look at the Subaru WRC10 model that was out at the time (wanted to drive an STI but they didn't have a demo model...) which sat between the STI and the WRX. It didn't do a thing for me. I had my heart set on an RX8 anyway for a while and as soon as i saw it close up and drove it I knew it was what I wanted. Great looking car, great interior, rotary engine - it's the whole shooting match.

Since I saw the X I have had the same infatuation as I had when I saw the RX8. The IX did nothing for me appearance wise (although it's grown on me) and, apart from the exterior appearance of the X which looks a whole heap better than the IX IMHO, talk of a new interior, SatNav as well as SST and the awesome performance to go with it just had me sold from day 1.

So i've got and driven the 8 for a week now. Its got a layer of dust over it !!!! :rant: Anyways, here are some pictures... :)

From the side:

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/5631/normsunfr5.jpg

Near the back:

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/3920/lesidefr7.jpg

Fender:

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/4657/fenderrn7.jpg


And finally,

Transformer mode:

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/9183/transformerqe9.jpg

I so know what my next car will be............... Gimme time to recover from my recent purchases and in a yr or less I'll have a new baby! As sad as this sounds - no mods on next car, I'm getting over it..