Guys:
What I can say quickly, is that you guys who pre-ordered will not be dissappointed with the car's performance. WoW... the production models are actually faster and way tighter, than the previously driven pre-prod models. Look for a full write-up sometime tomorrow at RotaryNews.com.

-Berny H
http://rotarynews.com

Man, I can't wait to read it, bern. Thank you for taking questions, and being a big rotor-head :D

Great work, thanks! Can't wait to read the whole story...

sooo envious, i can't wait till i can get mine

O man bern... it's 12:25am and I have work @ 6. Hopefully when I get in workl I have something to look forward to. :D

Originally posted by Renesis08
O man bern... it's 12:25am and I have work @ 6. Hopefully when I get in workl I have something to look forward to. :D

Yeah, you get off easy. I'm leaving for the weekend to go whitewater rafting, and now I'm going to be thinking about what is being said about the car the whole time. It's going to be hard to enjoy the trip now...... curse you...... yet thank you bern and rotarynews. It will still be a great read on Sunday when I return.

Thank goodness for the mobile web browser on my new Kyocera 7135 PDA phone -- I will be able to get the info on my travels this weekend :D This is my new toy until the 8 arrives and all else in the world takes a backseat to my quest of completing the break-in period in the shortest possible time so the real fun can begin. :D

ok, I'm starting to twitch...hurry up and finish writing the darn review guys!!! (and please understand that I completely feel for you, as I write on a deadline basis all the time as well. I'm just getting antsy to read a review of the real thing!) Thanks for the Q/A though. And the pictures!

(and if you ever need a photojournalist on the East Coast, let me know!!)

Originally posted by Elara
[B]I'm just getting antsy to read a review of the real thing!B]
You seem to be getting antsy about anyting RX8 related.:) I am looking foreward to the review as well, but I don't have and 8 on the way so I am not as excited as you but I wish I was.

For the past three weeks I've just been getting annoyed ( I haven't posted much) and starting to wonder if I shouldn't just get something else. All the stories about dealers deciding to "suddenly" add on to MSRP, my dealer refusing to call me back with my VIN (he told me today that he thought his sales manager had called me, and promised (ha!) he would call me Monday with it), and all the whining from some (and you know who you are) about how awful it's going to be were starting to get to me. Add that on to almost two years of waiting with little to no info from Mazda and the huge amount of money I'm about to drop on a car I haven't yet driven, and I was starting to get pissed off. I was starting to second guess my decision.

I was actually very seriously considering going and buying that Boxster I had for a week, or even a Miata, which I wanted in the first place.

BUT, Bern's brief comments are making me feel better- so I'm hanging in there. :) I DO want my car- I'm just tired of all this
waiting.



And Cueball- if I ever get to RI before you get one, you can drive mine for a day. ;)

Wow, it actually not that much bigger than the RX-7s...

... and get some center caps for that FD already! :p

FFFFFFFAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRR! !!!!!!!!!!


thank god for that quick comment though, allayed A LOT of concern...oh man this is gunna be sweet...we just have to hold on for a few more weeks guys, and our babies will be here!

in the meantime hopefully bern's writeup will hold us over!
________
NO2 VAPORIZER (http://vapirno2.net)

BUT, Bern's brief comments are making me feel better- so I'm hanging in there. I DO want my car- I'm just tired of all this

Just keep hanging in there. It is understandable to feel like you have, yet it appears the car will have been worth the wait.

If after getting it, for some reason you don't like it, it should be no problem to sell it for one of your other choices.

Keep the faith!

so, is the Q&A the final write up? i figured we'd see a write up of the test drive as well? thanks for everything up to this point. . .does the yellow really look like the web pictures or is it darker (more like the one on the top of the forum banner?)

//ejw

Bern tell Dan to check his PM's please:D :cool:

Originally posted by Edge
so, is the Q&A the final write up?

No the final write up has yet to be posted.

Thanks for the Q&A, rotarynews.com. Good stuff. My only complaint is that I seem to be incapable of communicating. I asked my question two different ways to avoid confusion and still couldn't help them understand my question. :confused:

Oh well, even though they misinterpreted it, I like the info we're hearing and am glad they made the attempt.

Originally posted by Rich
Thanks for the Q&A, rotarynews.com. Good stuff. My only complaint is that I seem to be incapable of communicating. I asked my question two different ways to avoid confusion and still couldn't help them understand my question. :confused:

Oh well, even though they misinterpreted it, I like the info we're hearing and am glad they made the attempt.

i"m sorry Rich, i don't understand what you are trying to say. could you repeat that? ;) :p

Berny,

I got home from work this evening and logged straight in to Rotarynews.com to see if you had posted your full writeup.
You didn't disappoint.

Having read your article several times I can only say that I am REALLY excited now. My Red Hi-Power is due for delivery at the end of July and I am SO looking forward to driving it. I have a Mazda drive event at Sydney's local racetrack on the 28th July, so hopefully I'll be able to throw the car about on the track in a way that I'd be hesitant to do with my own vehicle.

One question : did the fixing of the sticking ports really make a difference to the power in your oppinion ?

Thanks for the inspiration,

P.D.U

Originally posted by P.D.U
Berny,

<snip>

You didn't disappoint.

<snip>

One question : did the fixing of the sticking ports really make a difference to the power in your oppinion ?

Thanks for the inspiration,

P.D.U

Thanks, I'm glad I was at least able to transmit some hope to you guys. The car is really fun. It really is a good driver. Will some complain about interior and other issues on the car? Sure they will, because it's not perfect. But then, all people are not the same. To me, the driving experience itself is what counts and the 8 does a great job in this respect.

The sticking six port issue, at least in my opinion, made the mid range and top end feel a little stronger. The car seemed more willing to move up the rev range. I'm not even sure our original test cars had stuck six ports or not, but what I can say, is that the production cars felt a little stronger than I remembered. Take that for whatever it's worth.

Cheers,

Bern

P.S. Make sure to drive your car with the DSC turned on and then off at the track! It will amaze you.

Bern,
Could you provide some more insight into several issues I have been very concerned about?


1) Body Roll

2) Understeer

3) Steering Quickness and Sharpness (i.e. 2.99 turns lock-lock)

From your write-up, it seems like there is a BIG difference between the earlier test models and the production version. Could you comment on the above points from the perspective of someone who would be comparing the RX8 with the FD, S2K and EVO.

The impression I had (from previous reviews) was that these were some of the compromises that were needed to be made to make the RX8 appealing for broad consumption and the masses? Will the other media outlets be changing their reviews drastically for the production model?

Originally posted by revhappy
Bern,
Could you provide some more insight into several issues I have been very concerned about?


1) Body Roll

2) Understeer

3) Steering Quickness and Sharpness (i.e. 2.99 turns lock-lock)

From your write-up, it seems like there is a BIG difference between the earlier test models and the production version. Could you comment on the above points from the perspective of someone who would be comparing the RX8 with the FD, S2K and EVO.

The impression I had (from previous reviews) was that these were some of the compromises that were needed to be made to make the RX8 appealing for broad consumption and the masses? Will the other media outlets be changing their reviews drastically for the production model?


Please see my response at:

http://rotarynews.com/comment.php?action=read&pgid=194


I took the liberty of posting your questions there also. I hope you don't mind.



BTW, If anyone else has follow-up questions, please leave/post them on this same string at ROTARYNEWS.COM

oh yea... the spelling in my response, left a lot to be desired.... I was sneaking around the boss to post quickly and my typing really.. REALLY.. sucks! ;)

Thanks guys!
-Bern

Bern,
I just realized looking at some pix of cars in Japan that the emergency brake is on the driver's side (RH drive) of the console. The US preproduction pix (LH drive) showed it on the passenger's side. Is it still on the passenger's side in the production model?

Thanks. Really enjoyed your highway report. :)

Originally posted by TreknMazda
I just realized looking at some pix of cars in Japan that the emergency brake is on the driver's side (RH drive) of the console. The US preproduction pix (LH drive) showed it on the passenger's side.The driver's side in Japan IS the passenger's side in the US. I believe they all have the handbrake on the right-hand side of the tunnel regardless of the market, if that helps clear the confusion.

Originally posted by TreknMazda
the emergency brake is on the driver's side

I'm curious as to why Americans call that brake the 'emergency' brake. It's a standard part of my driving technique (hill starts etc) so it's just the 'handbrake' here. Any info appreciated please.

Originally posted by Lensman


I'm curious as to why Americans call that brake the 'emergency' brake. It's a standard part of my driving technique (hill starts etc) so it's just the 'handbrake' here. Any info appreciated please.
When you're wondering why your rear brake pads need replacing every few thousand miles, the answer may just come to you. :p

Also, what do you call the emergency brake when it's operated by a pedal, the "other brake pedal"?

Originally posted by m477

When you're wondering why your rear brake pads need replacing every few thousand miles, the answer may just come to you. :p

Also, what do you call the emergency brake when it's operated by a pedal, the "other brake pedal"?

it's always been the "hand brake" or "parking brake" to me.

Originally posted by m477

When you're wondering why your rear brake pads need replacing every few thousand miles, the answer may just come to you. :p


I use the HANDBRAKE for hill-starts all the time. Since I drive an FD regularly, the thought of replacing clutches on a regular basis scares me, so instead of slipping the clutch I do a proper hill start. Since the car isn't going anywhere at the time, rear brake pad wear is basically none.

Clutch: Mazdaspeed 4-puck @ $1500ea
Rear pads: Bendix Ultimate @ $100/set

I've only changed rear pads twice in 3 years and the car is a regular (monthly) racer. Front pads on the other hand.... :)
hmmmmm

Originally posted by Lensman


I'm curious as to why Americans call that brake the 'emergency' brake. It's a standard part of my driving technique (hill starts etc) so it's just the 'handbrake' here. Any info appreciated please.

I guess beacuse it's actuated by a cable directly connected to the rear brakes so if the hydraulics of the brake system fails (emergency!!) you can in theory use it to stop.

I called it Handbrake back in Asia and Parking Brake here in Canada.