Hi guys this is my first post. I do not yet own an RX-8, but I was considering one for my next purchase (which is about a year). I am really trying to plan ahead for my car. Anyway, I went out to Mazda Direct (start working there tomorrow, YEA) today to get an up close look at the car and see how it fit me. Tim, a salesman, comes up to me after about 10 min and asks me a few questions and then offers to let me test drive it. I told him I was not buying for quite a while and he said thats fine. So he hands me the keys and tells me to have fun.

Well lets break this down to catagories:

Exterior: Well it looked great but it seemed a little on the small side. This was somewhat concerning since I am 6'2" 250lbs. No sunroof though, so I knew that I was going to get maximum headroom inside the car. It was bone stock, but it looked really damn sexy.

Interior: As soon as I sat down I started to think that this may have been a bad decision. The seat was kinda high and I was almost scraping my head on the roof. Tim promptly showed me the seat height adjustment and all was well. With the seat all the way down and back I had plenty of headroom, legroom, and the seat gave me very good support under my thighs. The interior was my biggest concern, but it fit me like a glove. In contrast to my old 2002 Mustang GT, this car was very spacious and comfortable. The gauges were very easy to read, I like the digital speedo, and all the controls seemed well placed. I would also like to say that the shifter was one of the nicest and most well placed that I have ever used. The backseat was ok, suitable for luggage or children or maybe a small dog (of which I have two). I dont know if it was comfortable or not because I wasnt going to try and get back there.

Engine/Trans: Gotta love that rotory sound! I had never heard one in person before and I think it is one of the best sounding engines I have ever heard. As for power, it has enough for me. I live in the real world where you cant really make use of 500hp and 500ft-lb of torque on a daily basis. That being said, it still gets you up to speed with a quickness. The scary part is how smooth it is. I know that I had read several times that it had a flat torque curve and it was silky smooth, but you really dont get it until you drive one. When I got one, I think I will just be adding an intake and exhaust so I can get more of that lovely rotory sound.
As far as the trans was concerned, the shifter felt very nice, no need for a short throw shifter. The clutch took up very nicely and the clutch throws were nice. The gear box and FD seemed very well matched to the car and sixth gear let me cruise at 2500rpm@70mph.

Brakes: Not much to say here since I didnt get a chance to work them very hard. But the pedal feel was really good and they seemed very responsive. I am sure they will do just fine for me.

Handling: This is the best part of the car IMHO. I handles beautifully. Very little body roll, great steering response, great grip. If it handles this well out of the box, I can just imagine how well it would handle with some RB bits. I really want to take an RX-8 on an autocross track just to get a better idea of what its limit is. I pushed reasonable hard on the suspension a couple of times and I dont think I even came close to maxing it out. Hands down: this is THE best part of this car.

I hope this little review helps out anyone looking to buy one of these. I know that one test drive has sold me on one. Not the fastest car on the market, but compared to everything else in its price range (new or used) it is probably the best handling car you can buy. And its unique!!

Good review! Welcome to the addiction of the rotary. Depending on where you live you could check out www.zoomzoomlive.com and see if they are coming anywhere near you as they will let you drive an 8 on a small track to show cornering. Good luck, you will love the car when you get it.

tell something we 8 owners don't know ;)

j/k, welcome to the forum :D

Glad you like it, it really is a great car. Dont let people complaining about issues scare you away, there are a lot more cars with NO ISSUES than with, so relax.

also "sixth gear let me cruise at 2500rpm@70mph" are you sure, in 6th on my 8 I am doing just over 3500, 3750 to do 72mph.

Thanks for the welcome guys. KY, you might be right I only glanced at the tach so it may have been 3500, in any case though, it wasnt loud and or annoying at cruising speed. Now I just need to come up with a plan to get my Vibe paid down while building up a down payment and paying off my credit cards.
I dont plan on letting the negativity about fuel milage, oil consumption, etc worry me. As far I know there arent any major problems with this car so it should run for quite a while with regular attention. I hope it does too, because when I get this car it will be the last one for quite sometime.

Yea, I have also test driven one twice already. It is leaps and bounds over a Mustang, a really different animal. I have been here on this board for over a year now, and wanted an RX-8 since I saw it at the 2003 Central Florida Auto Show. Alas, it feels farther and farther away each month. If you can afford it, get it, or you may never get the chance. I keep driving the same old pickup truck and will continue to do so because I don't want anything else and refuse to make payments on something I don't want. You guys who have one are really a lucky bunch. I think I'm gonna have to stop coming here soon because it's really becoming more and more difficult on me and I am wasting brain waves dreaming about it too much. Doesn't do me much good if it makes me feel bad about it.

Hey darknight, for a free auto-x type event, you may want to check this out -> http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=69824&highlight=zoom+live

I don't know where you're located, but hopefully it hasn't happened in your area yet. If you check in your regional forum, there's probably a list of members who are attending.

Thanks for the link. I live in Columbus, OH so those events are a little far away for me. Winter is just around the corner so I have plenty of time to find out where the autox meets are around here.

Nice review. I think there is one additional thing about the RX-8 that people can't know if they haven't owned one for a longer period of time: the feeling gets better and better. You actually don't become indifferent about the smoothness and the handling (imho the strongest aspects of the car), but you enjoy it more and more the longer you own it.

If you really want a sunroof, be sure to try the cloth seats.

I'm convinced that what really eats up the headroom are the leather, motorized seats. They must sit higher. I'm 6'2.5", and fit fine (but barely) WITH a sunroof - but only with cloth seats.

I cannot fit with the leather seats (and sunroof).

I can honestly say the RX8 is the best purchase I have EVER made.

darknight ... the great thing about this car is (agreeing with AQA101 here) .... that feeling doesn't go away (at least not for a long while). I bought mine in March and it's as exciting to climb into today as it was the day I drove it home. Maybe more so because I've learned so much about it and what it will do!!

Add me to the "the feeling gets better and better" club as well. For me, the fun factor of the car is mostly the harmony of car & driver it creates. And as good as that is the day you pick up your car, it only gets better as you learn more of it's handling nuances over time. After 15,000 miles, I'm honestly enjoying it more now than ever before.

Me too! The feeling gets better and the joy you get from driving this car ...

When you're trundling along with traffic and the road opens up, you just have to rev her up and hear that rotary whine when you shift anywhere after 6000rpm to feel good again. This car makes you take the winding way home, which in my case also happens to be the low traffic way home. Perfect!

Come on everyone...let's be honest here, you all forgot to mention a MAJOR problem with the RX8...


It makes other cars feel so cheap, uninspiring, and boring. My LORD, my RX8 has spoiled me so much that any car that can't handle like it can, break like it can, or is fun to drive like it is...really makes me nervous (like I'm going to lose control at any moment) and magnifies the limitations of other cars.

The RX8 is truly a car you "put on" and feels like it's connected to your nervous system. It makes normal driving fun...and fun driving leaves you with a soar face because of all the smiling you will be doing.

I agree, out of all the things I've purchased (and you all know I'm Mr. Research before I buy anything)...the RX8 has rewarded my many hours of research. This is truly the best "anything" I have ever owned (less food and a home since those are NEEDS) and I also feel that this car will be a keeper.

It's more than just a sports car, I can fit 4 people in relative comfort and stick a bunch of groceries in the back when I go shopping with my wife. It confirmed my love for the 2+2 sports cars...and raised the bar very high, something that will complicate any other future car I get since it will have to match the RX8.

Nice review and I too just needed one test drive to know that the RX8 was the car for me.

Well, my Shinka is not the best *anything* I have ever purchased. That distinction goes to my motorcycle ('98 Yamaha Virago 1100 Special). So the poor 8 will have to settle for second-best *anything*. :)

But there is another MAJOR problem with the 8 that has really been getting me down lately: It is making me into (even more of) a misanthrope. :) There's now a new class of people who I truly hate: anyone who's ahead of me on a highway on-ramp. :D

Krankor
05 Shinka 6MT

One more thing (this is beginning to sound like the "Little Things" thread) - this car is such a head-turner. It amazes me how many people, young and old, just look at the car and smile when I drive by. People walk up to me all the time and compliment me on the car.

Whenever I get out and walk away from my RX-8 I almost always have to turn around and look at it just one more time.

And so far, this car has run like a Honda (oops). No problems whatsoever.

Hey, darknight, if you want to get really cranked up, go read that "Little Things" thread.

. My LORD.....

Did you just use the Lord's name in vain?.... I'm telling........ ;)

Oh thank God! Someone who went and drove the car and then posted about how much fun they had, rather than some dipwad who has done nothing but read crap on the WRX forum about what a POS the RX-8 is, and on the 350Z forum about how slow it is, and on the Honda forum about how unreliable it is.

YAY!

Please buy the car. Smile a lot after you do!

Did you just use the Lord's name in vain?.... I'm telling........ ;)

I thought he knew stuff like this without having to be told? :D

It's interesting how many people in trucks stare at the car!

It's interesting how many people in trucks stare at the car!

I am not so sure that that is a good thing....!

Seriously though, I can't see myself buying another car unless they make a better RX-7 or an upgraded RX-8. :D

Whenever I get out and walk away from my RX-8 I almost always have to turn around and look at it just one more time.


I'm glad I'm not the ONLY one who does that!
:D

Sadly enough, I admire it sitting in my driveway ;)

On the seat thing, my hubby is 6'3" and has to lean the seat almost all the way back to fit in my car... with leather seats/sunroof.... but takes his hat off to be comfortable.

Anyone going to ZoomZoomLive in NY on 11/5 and 11/6?