According to the sales associate, I may be the first person in Canada to buy one of the new R3 models. I paid the deposit last Wednesday and my car is currently on a train somewhere in western Canada, scheduled to arrive at my dealer in "two to three weeks" (which will likely be while I'm out of the country on holiday in the first week of July).

I believe I might have been one of the first people to test drive the R3. I received a call from the dealership a few weeks ago, when their first and only R3 was being off-loaded at the dealership. That afternoon they handed me the key and said "go play".

Driving the R3 was a radically different experience from my current ride (a track prepared, supercharged, 2nd gen Miata with over $14,000 of performance upgrades). In my Miata, there is a sense of urgency in the way everything happens - accelerating, turning, braking. In the R3 it was just very... smooth. Even at 9000 rpm the car did not sound or behave unsettled. Clearly, I will have to adapt to a very different style of driving with the R3, but I am looking forward to getting it out on the big track that we have not too far away. I suspect it will be able to carry a lot of speed through the corners, making up for it's torque deficit.

Now, if only the gas prices don't kill me...

Congratulations... Love to see some pics when you get it. Do you plan to mod right away or will you run stock for a while? What part of Canada are u from?

Thunder, no one is as baller as you to do so many upgrades IMMEDIATELY after you get the car :) :) :)

^ Used parts needed to be replaced, what can I say :)

cjcjag seems to have a solid mod record with his Miata, so it wouldn't surprise me if he gets into modding right away -- no time like the present!

^ Used parts needed to be replaced, what can I say :)

Best justification EVER. :rollingla

cjcjag, congrats!
Thunder, just keep it up; Soon you'll have a new car!

Congrats, please post some pictures!

No pix = not true! :evil_laug

apparently someone bought a black one here in ottawa its been driving around downtown my gf keeps seeing it plated

Congrats!

Are you going to bring it out to Calabogie this year?

Get the Access Port from MM and your MPG will go up

Oakville Mazda has a Silver R3 for sale in the showroom right now. No deposit on it, you could have it in 3 days.

Sorry to disappoint, but this car will not have any modifications. As for Calabogie - definitely! Just not sure when I'll have the time. Got a busy summer ahead. The car is supposed to be delivered in a week or two now, but I will be away all next week, so that means probably the second week of July will be the first opportunity to take any pics.

I saw one on the 401 last week and I have to say it looks pretty good. Busier and more masculine than the 2004-2008 front bumper.

Further to my last, there is a Sparkling Black Mica R3 at Performance Mazda in Orleans (Ottawa) with just 88 kms on the clock as of last week. Maybe it has since been sold (the black R3 car seen around Ottawa?).

One mod I will be doing to the car is getting a custom "paint job". The car was not going to be available in the colour I wanted until late August, so I decided to get a custom look. I put "paint job" in quotes because I am presently looking into an alternative approach that was suggested to me - "wrapping" the car.

For those not aware, most (perhaps all) NASCAR cars are wearing a vinyl wrap these days, rather than paint and sponser decals. I've discovered that we have a company in Ottawa that does vehicle wraps - K6 Media. Their website has photos of vehicles they've wrapped if you want to see the finished product. It looks pretty good to me. Now I'm waiting for an estimate of the colour scheme I want on my car.

There are a couple of things about wrapping that really appeal to me. First, the vinyl is 2 mil thick and so it functions exactly like the "invisible bras" that are being applied to the front of cars, especially exotics, to protect against stone chips. I was already thinking about getting a chip guard of some type applied after the custom paint job was done. So, wrapping would combine two steps into one.

Secondly, the wrap can just be peeled off a few years down the road to reveal the original paint (in new condition). This can be really useful if the car is to be sold or if you just want to re-wrap it in something new. Apparently, wrapping is quickly becoming the preferred approach for thousands of taxi owners who are forced to paint their cars bright yellow (or whatever) while they are taxis, but then they want to be able to sell their cars after 3 years.

So, those are my plans for the new R3. All I'm prepared to say about my intended colour scheme at this point is that I want to do an "hommage" paint scheme.

^ Interesting. How expensive is it to wrap? I wonder who does that In Toronto?

Kieswetter Mazda in KW has a white R3, they have had it for about 3 weeks........or DID have it. I was there for a test drive 2 weeks ago; nice car but the difference between that and my like-new 2004 GT didn't leave any incentive to trade.

Hey, Congrats on the car! How much did it run ya?

Hey, congrats on the car! How much did it set ya back?

Wrap it like this.

http://store.rotarynews.com/images/fullsize/MazdaSpeedRX-8_787b.jpg

We have a Sparkling Black one in our showroom to. I think most have been released to dealers by now! Ours is #81 produced for 2009

I really like the rims...but I wanna be X-men!

Sorry to disappoint, but this car will not have any modifications. As for Calabogie - definitely! Just not sure when I'll have the time. Got a busy summer ahead. The car is supposed to be delivered in a week or two now, but I will be away all next week, so that means probably the second week of July will be the first opportunity to take any pics.

With your Miata record, I bet it get's modified inside four weeks.

^ Agreed. Needs to be lowered right away Prob needs beefier sways too. Short shifter for sure. Would add a Cobb as well. And of course, it needs a MS muffler -- too quiet in stock form. Finally, a controversial item but I really like it, a sprint booster.

Honestly wtf is an R3 and why should I give a crap

Honestly wtf is an R3 and why should I give a crap

Scott, who pissed in your corn flakes this morning, honestly :)

R3 is no biggie, just a slightly more sporty version of the base for less money than GT. No sunroof tho which kinda sucks IMHO.

lol
handover
But really how do you know about the R3?
Hang around the dealership much?
;)

lol
handover
But really how do you know about the R3?
Hang around the dealership much?
;)

No, stealerships are not my most favorite place :) I read about the R3 and was curious about the Recarro seats and 4.77 differential. Heard there was one in Oakville, so I checked it out. No biggie really, just a minor spruce up prior to 2011 model.

wow 4.77 final drive... mmmmmmm
I wonder if they can be directly swapped in to a 05
<thread jack!!!!>

No, stealerships are not my most favorite place :) I read about the R3 and was curious about the Recarro seats and 4.77 differential. Heard there was one in Oakville, so I checked it out. No biggie really, just a minor spruce up prior to 2011 model.

Other than the seats, nothing is of my liking. Even the 4.77 differential was offset by the larger wheel weight... I was thinking about it but I really hate the new miata-me-too steering wheel and the black plastic up front...

the LED rear lights and the seats are WICKED tho!

wow 4.77 final drive... mmmmmmm
I wonder if they can be directly swapped in to a 05
<thread jack!!!!>

You can order it for about $700 but it takes about 6 months to get here. You need a transmission shop that really knows what it's doing to install. Looking into the cost of that.

Other than the seats, nothing is of my liking. Even the 4.77 differential was offset by the larger wheel weight... I was thinking about it but I really hate the new miata-me-too steering wheel and the black plastic up front...

the LED rear lights and the seats are WICKED tho!

Do you know what the new wheel/tire weight is? In terms of seats, have you seen the Sparco Torino 2, it's pretty good for the money and they apparently fit in the 8 -- have them on display at JRP. Agree with your other points.

You can order it for about $700 but it takes about 6 months to get here. You need a transmission shop that really knows what it's doing to install. Looking into the cost of that.

We will sell the ring and pinion for $450.00 not sure about the delivery time, can check tomorrow if your interested

I am not interested unless they put in that new 16X Rotary engine

We will sell the ring and pinion for $450.00 not sure about the delivery time, can check tomorrow if your interested

Wow, that's a great price. How technically risky is this change in terms of effective implementation? Please do check on timing. Thx

Call me tomorrow at the dealership in the afternoon 416-752-0970 ext 229

Update: I took delivery of the R3 last Wednesday and have been enjoying it very much. I haven't had a chance to really thrash it yet - I'm still taking it easy and following Racing Beat's progressive rotary engine break-in recommendations which means keeping the revs below 4000rpm for a while. However, my initial impressions, comparing it to my track-tuned Miata, is that everything on the RX-8 is much smoother - ride, acceleration, you name it.

This tends to confirm my growing suspicions that my Miata is no longer the most suitable car for daily driving. All of the modifying I have done has certainly embodied the Miata with wonderfully instant response (acceleration, turning, stopping), all of which provides lots of fun on tracks and autocross courses. But in it's present state, the car has become a bit of a ball-buster for day to day driving. The suspension that works so well on the track feels rock hard on the street. Just hitting frost heaves at 80 kph can be punishing. The steering that turns in so sharply for the apex is positively darty out on the highway. Lots of driving fun for sure, but also more demanding than I need for my morning commute to work.

The R3 is being marketed as a vehicle for "enthusiast drivers". I've been thinking of getting an RX-8 for a while now, but I was frustrated because I was interested in the GT and yet every one being imported into Canada was factory-equipped with the supposedly "optional" moonroof. To me, a moonroof just takes up valuable head space that I would prefer to have when wearing a helmet!

While there are a number of technical gizmos that are missing from the R3 compared to the GT (e.g., no navigation system, no heated electric seats, etc.), all of which I won't miss, the R3 still has a lot more gizmos than I need for my enthusiastic driving. I certainly don't need a 6-CD changer with a 9-speaker BOSE sound system, the admittedly sophisticated Intelligent Key System , automatic headlight leveling system, automatic climate control, built in garage door opener or Bluetooth cell phone capability.

To me, all these do-dads just add unnecessary weight and complexity. For those who complain about poor gas mileage - consider the weight of all the electronics your car is carrying and the extra load on your engine just to supply all the electricity needed to run everything. In that respect, my 2000 Miata is a true lightweight and it shows in its handling and responsiveness (and gas mileage). I wish I could had deleted a lot of stuff from the R3.

A couple of people in this forum have asked about the price for the car. What I can say is that I got the car for the agreed price negotiated by the APA (Automobile Protection Association) under their new car purchace program. For those not aware, for the price of a membership ($60 per year) the APA negotiates set, no-haggle, car prices with dealerships that can save members thousands over the MSRP. For that reason alone the APA membership is worthwhile.

As far as my plans for a make-over, the very same afternoon that I picked up the car, I took it over to the paint shop that will be doing my custom paint job. I've been forced to reconsider my earlier plan to "wrap" the car (a la NASCAR) because the wrapping folks could not guarantee that they could accurately align the stripes that my design calls for from one body panel to another. So, back to the low tech option. The painting will start in August, after I return from a 3-week road trip with the car. No pics till the car has its new look. Sorry.

No pics till the car has its new look. Sorry.
Gay! Sounds like you really hate the stock color you got :confused:

However, my initial impressions, comparing it to my track-tuned Miata, is that everything on the RX-8 is much smoother - ride, acceleration, you name it.

This tends to confirm my growing suspicions that my Miata is no longer the most suitable car for daily driving. All of the modifying I have done has certainly embodied the Miata with wonderfully instant response (acceleration, turning, stopping), all of which provides lots of fun on tracks and autocross courses. But in it's present state, the car has become a bit of a ball-buster for day to day driving. The suspension that works so well on the track feels rock hard on the street. Just hitting frost heaves at 80 kph can be punishing. The steering that turns in so sharply for the apex is positively darty out on the highway. Lots of driving fun for sure, but also more demanding than I need for my morning commute to work.As a fellow owner of both a Miata and an RX-8, I have to disagree a little bit. My morning 'mountain' commute is more fun with my lightened Miata (6.5 lb wheels, 2100 lbs) and modified suspension. As much as I love my 8, there's just no subsitute for 900 lbs less weight when launcing over hills and careening around corners. Highway, no question, I prefer the refinement of the 8, especially when I want to take colleagues or clients to lunch, but by myself flying through the air and needing to turn upon landing, there's just no substitute for light weight. Isaac Newton would drive a Miata.

As a fellow owner of both a Miata and an RX-8, I have to disagree a little bit. My morning 'mountain' commute is more fun with my lightened Miata (6.5 lb wheels, 2100 lbs) and modified suspension. As much as I love my 8, there's just no subsitute for 900 lbs less weight when launcing over hills and careening around corners. Highway, no question, I prefer the refinement of the 8, especially when I want to take colleagues or clients to lunch, but by myself flying through the air and needing to turn upon landing, there's just no substitute for light weight. Isaac Newton would drive a Miata.

Nope. Sir Isaac would drive an Elise.

Nope. Sir Isaac would drive an Elise.Sure, if he could fit in one!

Gay! Sounds like you really hate the stock color you got :confused:

Actually, I'm starting to really like the colour of the car, enough that I've worked it into the design of my custom paint job. The point is that I had my heart set on getting the car in blue, but was told that the first blue R3s would not come off the production line until later in the summer (too late for my specific needs). When I learned that, I started re-thinking my purchase plans and decided to make lemonaid out of the lemons I had been dealt. I've been driving a very distinctive Miata for the past 8 years and I've enjoyed the attention and compliments it has received. I thought: if I couldn't get the colour I wanted, why not make it a colour (or design) I did want? Now, I'm planning something completely unique for the car. Hopefully, it will be well executed by the painters and my design will be tasteful. We'll see... sometime around the end of August.

In response to the comments about the Miata being unsuited for daily driving, I have to emphasize that I was referring to MY Miata and MY daily commute (no mountain roads unfortunately). I LOVE my Miata and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Miata as a daily driver car, just not one as stiff and twitchy as mine, at least not for the stop and go commuting that I face each day.

I picked up my R3 on June 30th in Edmonton and absoultely love it! They have a blue one at the dealership as of July 26th.

Thought I'd add a few pics of my R3 for everyone to see.

i like it.

is the r3 rear wing different from the ones that from the first-gen ones?

Nope. Sir Isaac would drive an Elise.

Sure, if he could fit in one!

LOL I just have to weigh in on this.
I think he would drive an Austin Martin.

LOL I just have to weigh in on this.
I think he would drive an Austin Martin.

It's Aston Martin you ding-dong. :spank:

i like it.

Thanks a lot!

NVX........this is my first RX so I honestly couldn't tell you.

Congrad on buying a 2009 R3.......... ^^

yes, the r3 wing is flatter and less curvy than the first gen spoiler.

BTW, post count 1000! woot woot!

Congrad on buying a 2009 R3.......... ^^

Thanks a lot!

Congrats it's aaaa niiiicccceeeee...

Can i have your wheels?? I luv the R3 wheels so sweet!!

Cheers

:piss:

Picked my R3 up a week ago in Calgary. Just loving it!!

Looks great!!!! Congrats!

I think black looks better with the new gen rx-8. it hides away the garishness.

Anyone have any suggestions for winter tires and wheels for the R3? I've been told I can put 17 or 18 inch wheels on it, but I've also been told to stay with the same wheel and put 19 inch Blizzaks on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Who's the IDIOT who said to keep the wheels and put 19" blizzaks?

You'd save money by buying a set of new steel wheels 17" and 17" winter tires.
+ it'll handle better, and cost you less year after year AND keep the finish on your wheels in better shape.

Big wide tires in winter, no matter how good the tire just SUCKS.

Get something around 215 / / 17 size. would be best for winter handling.

Who's the IDIOT who said to keep the wheels and put 19" blizzaks?

You'd save money by buying a set of new steel wheels 17" and 17" winter tires.
+ it'll handle better, and cost you less year after year AND keep the finish on your wheels in better shape.

Big wide tires in winter, no matter how good the tire just SUCKS.

Get something around 215 / / 17 size. would be best for winter handling.

Agree!! 215/17. Unless the R3 has bigger calipers (which I don't think so) u will be fine with 17's. Go buy some steelies from Can Tire, and some Blizzaks 215's and u won't get stuck :) I bought my Blizzaks from the tire rack for $80-90/tire in the states. Canada they are kinda pricy, $150+/tire I believe.

I run 18" winters :)

LOL...ya but more costly.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I kinda thought keeping 19's was stupid, but I will check with Mazda about the calipers!