Tired of the ever debate, which scares me away from the 8 at times, I decided to go search online and post what I found. :confused:

Here are three different long term test's's's's of the RX8 which put's this issue to rest in my opinion.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=4&article_id=1411

1000 miles woth of test


http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/mazda/rx8/100220565/roadtestarticle.html?articleId=102387&editorialpage=page001


13,000 miles worth of test


http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/long_term_test/long_term_test_story.php?id=48776


11,000 miles worth of test

Avg Mpg (with the 3 tests) 17.6 Note: Just like Motor Trend got :D
Avg Mpg (with RX8 with over 5000 miles) 18.5 Note: Just like the EPA said :D

Worst Mpg 13.2 (newISH RX8) Say it aint so...LOL :eek: :(
Best Mpg 19.7 (over 5000 miles) Brings me smiles :D


These articles also review the car in general and prove that everyone loves this car!!! Can you get the EPA numbers with a BRAND NEW 8 most likely not, can you get it after some time...most likely you CAN!

Is it a perfect car, NO, is it still great...YES!

Go my children...go...and BUY an 8 for you shall see...it is GREAT!!! :D

Oh don't worry, that horse ain't dead for long. But I'm glad you've come to the conclusion that many of us have that the RX-8 is too damn sweet to pass up!

I was getting 17.5 - 18 mpg when i got my car.

I currently get about 16 mpg

(all city driving)

But I'm sure my driving habits play a big role in my mileage.

The mpg issue isn't dead simply because there are some RX-8's that get 9-13 mpg regardless of how the car is driven. You either have one with issues or you don't. Most don't.

Nice one, rx8wannahave :) . I'm getting 310 miles out of a tank with mixed driving...done 9500 miles now.

Gomez.

But I'm glad you've come to the conclusion that many of us have that the RX-8 is too damn sweet to pass up!

Yeah, my brother tried to convince me to get the new Mustang...we are no longer brothers...LOL, just kidding of course

The mpg issue isn't dead simply because there are some RX-8's that get 9-13 mpg regardless of how the car is driven.

I hope to GOD that I don't get one like that and I pray for the people who do have one!

Nice one, rx8wannahave . I'm getting 310 miles out of a tank with mixed driving...done 9500 miles now.

Thanks! Sweeeetttt...can I buy yours now...go get an 05...LOL

I had the strangest thing happen.

Last week I passed the 1000 mile mark. I began winding her out to near 9000 rpm's on a fairly regular basis (every time I got on a freeway onramp etc.). Obviously I expected my mileage to take a big nose dive (I was averaging 18 mpg during break in).

So, I filled up today. My MPG? 19.44.

That's right. 19.44! With many 9000 rpm runs!

My jaw about hit the floor!

Me happy, and very surprised. :cool:

So, I filled up today. My MPG? 19.44.

That's right. 19.44! With many 9000 rpm runs!

My jaw about hit the floor!

Me happy, and very surprised.


Preach it brother...preach it, I love these stories...can I buy your 8 then? LOL

when you go over 6,000 rpm, your afr goes from 14 range down to 11 - 12 range. I'm not sure what that means in terms of fuel consumption, but given that you don't drive around in 2nd gear at 9100 rpm all the time, i don't know how much redlining will effect the car's mpg.

also:I hope to GOD that I don't get one like that and I pray for the people who do have one!
Far as I know, those cars were mostly from the early builds. I haven't seen anyone with a newer 04 or 05 with the crappy mpg issue yet.

Far as I know, those cars were mostly from the early builds. I haven't seen anyone with a newer 04 or 05 with the crappy mpg issue yet

Yeah, I think there is something wrong with some 8's. The numbers listed as 12-13 with normal driving...normal conditions, just does not make sense. The research above...proves the point.

I took my MT rx8 on a 800mi. trip. I averaged 20mpg regardless of how I drove it and I drove it hard at times 80 to 110 mph. I guess each car is different.

The rx8 is doing quite well in long term use. Consumer reports is wrong about worse than avg. reliability.

I love the stat for maintenence costs - 2 had oil changes and the other had nothing.. :)

After 17000kms, my fuel consumption is still as crap as day one. :(

I was getting 17.5 - 18 mpg when i got my car.

I currently get about 16 mpg

(all city driving)

But I'm sure my driving habits play a big role in my mileage.

The mpg issue isn't dead simply because there are some RX-8's that get 9-13 mpg regardless of how the car is driven. You either have one with issues or you don't. Most don't.


What mods have you done? Some mods play a BIG role in Fuel consumption.

I am just a little confused about the figures. The figures from the report are for all around driving. Most of the 12-13 mpg issues are for in town only. If that is true then 12-13 for in town is correct. I thought the intown EPAY figures were supposed to be better. Anyway I drive eclusively in town and never on the highway. I am do for a fill up now with 150 miles on this tank.

After 17000kms, my fuel consumption is still as crap as day one.

Time to talk to a dealer or Mazda about that...I think at least.

#14 Today, 10:28 AM
Howard is Offline:
Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: South Bend Indiana
Posts: 19

I am just a little confused about the figures. The figures from the report are for all around driving. Most of the 12-13 mpg issues are for in town only. If that is true then 12-13 for in town is correct. I thought the intown EPAY figures were supposed to be better. Anyway I drive eclusively in town and never on the highway. I am do for a fill up now with 150 miles on this tank.

They don't go into detail on what type of driving they were doing but most of the mag's out there like to push the cars they test. I like the avg numbers, I think 12-13 is the exception and not the norm for city driving.

So, if you are getting that with all city driving I would contact the dealer or Mazda...just saying what I would do...

Time to talk to a dealer or Mazda about that...I think at least.

Don't think there's anything wrong with the car.... more my driving style. ;)

I am just a little confused about the figures. The figures from the report are for all around driving. Most of the 12-13 mpg issues are for in town only. If that is true then 12-13 for in town is correct. I thought the intown EPAY figures were supposed to be better. Anyway I drive eclusively in town and never on the highway. I am do for a fill up now with 150 miles on this tank.I only have city driving, and I do pretty hard accelerations from dead stops almost every time. I usually shift around 5-7k rpms (when warming up I keep the shifts at 4k) and I get around 16 mpg range. I can't imagine being able to drive my car in much worse city conditions since there are a lot of stop lights here. So I think it's pretty safe to say that it is not possible for me to get my car under 15 mpg - aside from running the car at redline 100% of the time. This is why we think there are issues with cars that get the extremely low mpg figures.

Don't think there's anything wrong with the car.... more my driving style.

Well, it could be you...but getting 13 just sound like...well, IT IS YOU...LOL

So I think it's pretty safe to say that it is not possible for me to get my car under 15 mpg - aside from running the car at redline 100% of the time. This is why we think there are issues with cars that get the extremely low mpg figures.

This is what I'm saying, we (not everyone out there) think that RX8's getting 12-13 have something wrong with them...or are driven VERY VERY HARD...

Well, it could be you...but getting 13 just sound like...well, IT IS YOU...LOL

I never said I got 13mpg. :confused:
FYI, my 8 returns averages of 17-18L/100km, so whatever that works out to in MPG.

I can never get much more than 13 gallons into the tank!!! I think my mileage is around 18 - 19 though. Atlanta traffic sux.

appreciate the info rx8wanna... i waited too long to try to fix this problem..but mazda kept tellin you gotta wait some time for the engine to break in etc etc..well now that its 11 months later and no change im takin the steps to fix the problem.

I can never get much more than 13 gallons into the tank!!!

The RX8's tank is 15.9 gallons...FYI, it's just that you aint taking it to empty...and I suggest you don't either.

appreciate the info rx8wanna... i waited too long to try to fix this problem..but mazda kept tellin you gotta wait some time for the engine to break in etc etc..well now that its 11 months later and no change im takin the steps to fix the problem.

No problem! I'm glad I was able to help and I hope they find something or at the very least admit something is wrong. I wonder how Mazda or the Dealership would like to hear someone go to Motor Trend, the news, etc etc about a car getting 7mpg worse (no matter what you do) than the EPA listed numbers.

If I was a head boss at Mazda, I would test the car...try another driver and if still got those numbers, give the person a new car.

Warning, do not flame...I’m saying that if Mazda could reproduce the 11mpg city with grandma shifting then the case is simple...something is horribly wrong with the car.

I had the strangest thing happen.

Last week I passed the 1000 mile mark. I began winding her out to near 9000 rpm's on a fairly regular basis (every time I got on a freeway onramp etc.). Obviously I expected my mileage to take a big nose dive (I was averaging 18 mpg during break in).

So, I filled up today. My MPG? 19.44.

That's right. 19.44! With many 9000 rpm runs!

My jaw about hit the floor!

Me happy, and very surprised. :cool:

Yes.. I too have found this to be true.
If I drive like a granny to try and conserve fuel, then I find that I get no better fuel comsumption sometimes worse. But if I drive her hard but not crazy, then thats when I get the best mpg.
I consistently get 420kms - 450kms and only have to put in 55L -57L max and that's to the very very top almost spilling.
That's a fair bit better than my previous 2 V8s (Ford XR8 & Holden SS), which barely got 350kms if I drove them hard.

btw... my driving is mixed city and motorway. But the city driving is often in heavy traffic.

Translation please...sorry, I don't know how...

What is that in mpg? Forgive my ignorance...

Translation please...sorry, I don't know how...

What is that in mpg? Forgive my ignorance...
Try Google Calculator (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=convert+17+litres+%2F+100+km+to+miles%2Fgallon&btnG=Google+Search)

Google said it,
I believe it,
That settles it.

[QUOTE]Last week I passed the 1000 mile mark. I began winding her out to near 9000 rpm's on a fairly regular basis (every time I got on a freeway onramp etc.). Obviously I expected my mileage to take a big nose dive (I was averaging 18 mpg during break in).

So, I filled up today. My MPG? 19.44.

That's right. 19.44! With many 9000 rpm runs![QUOTE]

Well I'm not suprised, it takes less gas to accelerate when ur at higher rpm on the rx-8

I really don't want to burst everyone's bubbles here, but when driven hard this car drinks fuel as any other.

Someone say 'driving hard', I always understand driving on a track under racing conditions, which brought me a nice 7mpg.
On public roads, if I drive lightly I get 18 mpg, driving 'hard' however gives me 11-ish mpg.

So when somebody says again he drives this car hard and gets 16+ mpg I'll laugh him in the face!

I really don't want to burst everyone's bubbles here, but when driven hard this car drinks fuel as any other.

Someone say 'driving hard', I always understand driving on a track under racing conditions, which brought me a nice 7mpg.
On public roads, if I drive lightly I get 18 mpg, driving 'hard' however gives me 11-ish mpg.

So when somebody says again he drives this car hard and gets 16+ mpg I'll laugh him in the face!It depends on where you're driving. In city, you are limited to usually ~50 mph. So you can't spend a lot of time stomping on the gas. Also you can't go at unlimited high rates of speed. Furthermore, you can't do extreme braking, then extreme throttle like you would be doing on a track. So I think there is a limit to how low one can go with city driving in terms of fuel consumption. Of course, things might be different where you're at :)

I can wait to get an 8, I HOPE, so I can see for myself what type of fuel economy I get. I think I can hit at least 17/23 but we shall see...