Just got a new rx-8. Fantastic car. I will write a review post later comparing it to other cars (primarily bmw 3-series I have owned in the past).

My question is about the sound of the engine at idle. It is a kind of a fluttery high pitched sound at around 1000 rpm; as the engine speed "settles in" at idle and the rpm's dip down as low as they are going to go, the high pitched sound diminishes a great deal. As the rpm's go up in speed, the high pitched sound more or less goes away around 1500-1800 rpm's. Is this what it is supposed to sound like or should I be concerned?

My friend thought it was normal, but niether of us have ever been in a rotary before, much less owned one. Thanks in advance for any help.

its normal

Isnt that engine sound beautiful? ;)

So smooth I had to turn down the audio volume just to be able to hear the redline.

Himitsu

I love your avatar- man that's my favorite one here.

What's that spinny thing in his avatar

Originally posted by emailists
Himitsu

I love your avatar- man that's my favorite one here.

Originally posted by guy321
What's that spinny thing in his avatar

Camshaft lobe - DUH! :D :D :D

Originally posted by Velocity-8
Camshaft lobe - DUH! :D :D :D

Are you sure it isn't a piston.... :D :D

I think it's a turbo... He must be one of the lucky people who ordered the turbo model. ;)

Originally posted by guy321
What's that spinny thing in his avatar

Your kidding right? OMG

My vote is it's a new age piston thingy... saw it once on that garage show on the television. ;)

I think it's a new ride at Disney World

My car is sounding perfectly normal. I went back to the dealer and did a test drive on their demo car and the sound is identical. So its just me being a rotary newbie. It does sound kind of like a high tech butterfly to me.

You're ALL WRONG. It's CLEARLY a spark plug. What is the problem with you kids these days? *rolls eyes condescendingly* Sheesh. I declare, ever since they changed the SATs it's just been a slooooow descent ;-)

Oh, on the thread topic . . . yeah, it should sound like that, fantastic huh?

Sounds like Zoooooom to me. lol.