ClusterOne

Hello all,

First I wanted to thank you all for helping me fall in love with my next car. After stumbling across this 'club' while looking at some 350Z sites, then reading all of the 'Little things' thread, followed by a test drive, I was sold!! I will be getting a '05 RX8 here soon, but I have one question that I figured if anybody had the anwser to, it would be you guys.

After telling my salesman that I did want the leather, but the sunroof wasn't for me because of the reduction of headroom, he said not to worry. According to him, "Mazda has listened to us, and on the new '05's they increased the headroom to give you back that 2 inches when you get the Touring Package." Was he just trying to sell me a car or is there any truth to this? After all, this was the same dealership that also told me I can't add aftermarket leather to this car because of the airbags in the seats!

Thanks for your help. :D

rx8pilot

as far as i know..the only thing changed was the satellite radio..and the ignition key and fob....hmm... maybe? anyone? i doubt it..but i'm curious....

i'm 5'9" or so..and don't have that problem..how tall are you?

Rhawb

Yeah, only the tallest people are really going to notice the lack of headroom...I have a friend that's 6'4 or so and he doesn't have any problems with headroom (legroom yes, but not headroom).
Then again, at 5'5", I'm not exactly one to be commenting on lack of headroom. Anyway, good luck getting that new 8! You won't be disappointed!

ClusterOne

Thx Rhawb,
I'm 6' tall and when I sat in a 2004 version with a sunroof, it tickled my head when my hair brushed the headliner. I don't think its a good idea to be tickled while driving!

Paul_in_DC

What the salesman said was bunk. The 05 has the same headroom as the 04. The only thing that will make a difference is the sunroof, which takes away 1.5 inches of the headroom (I've heard).

rx8pilot

just one of those cases where it's good to be average... i would hate not having my sunroof..love it. but correct me if i'm wrong.. the sunroof-less 8 would be slightly more rigid in the frame..hence better track car...

Gambit

I'm 6'2" and have no problem in it, and my friend who was 6'4" didn't either. If the ceiling tickled your hair, you probably have the seat too high up, or the seat back too far up. Lower the seat and tilt it back

SpinninAgain!

Hi ClusterOne,

ROFLMAO! That's total BS. What does he think Mazda did, invent a virtual sunroof mechanism?

If Mazda were really listening to us we'd all get 38mpg, 350hp, 380lb/ft of torque and the cupholders wouldn't bring an iced drink to the boil in 30 seconds flat! :D

Yes and no, in that order.

The only differences between the '04 and '05 are the key fob and the substitution of Whitewater Pearl for Lightning Yellow. Headroom and everything else is identical.

Run, do not walk, to another dealer. Those guys are the worst of all possible dealerships: lying sleazeballs and incompetent too. Was that salescreep's name Gollum or did he call himself Mr. Smeagol? I hope he didn't shake your hand, ewww, icky! Go wash off right away.

Lots of RX-8 owners have done custom/aftermarket leather. Just search, you'll find them easily. Here's one that's really nice:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...2&page=1&pp=15

FWIW I bought the Sport package because I wanted DSC/TCS and fogs, and didn't want a sunroof or Bose. I planned on buying aftermarket leather, but I'm keeping the fabric. It's way grippier for cornering than any leather could be, and less uncomfortable in very hot or very cold weather.

automaton

Headroom is identical in the '04s and '05s

ClusterOne

Thanks for the info SpinninAgain, I will be heading to another dealer to purchase mine. The sports package seems the way to go...maybe if I find a real dealership, I can have them add aftermarket leather to the deal. It seams fairly easy to add heaters and power to the seats, but what about the lumbar support? Has anybody done this?

Also has anybody added the auto-dimming rearview mirror, I love that feature on my wifes Mazda Protege 5!

SHOWOFF

You must have some tall *** hair. I'm 6'1" and I don't come close to the roof. I have the GT with roof.

ClusterOne

Man I don't get it... I just sat in two RX8s, one with sunroof, one without. Im not that tall (6'), and its not like a Greg Brady afro!...but that sunroof just feels so cramped! Maybe if I shave my head...my hair is kinda spiky, and about an inch and a half tall. And, yeah I had the seat all the way down, with the back slightly leaned back. Maybe if I lean it all the way back like the hommies in their Impalas...

This really chaps my hide! When can't I order the car the way I want it!?! Winning blue with grand touring package, GPS, and rotary package. Minus the Bose and sunroof, is that so hard?

Sorry, venting...

Rhawb

Well Cluster, it looks like you better go grab yourself some chrome dub-deuces and get proficient at the gangsta lean! :p I'll be interested in finding how how far over toward the passenger seat you get - I've seen some pros make it look like there isn't even a driver! Good luck!

124Spider

I'm 6'2"--With the seat all the way down and all the way back (tilting the seat back makes no difference, since I sit up when I drive), my hair brushes the ceiling in our '04 with sunroof. It's no big deal for normal driving, but I could not drive this car with a helmet on .

Staggola

I assumed the auto dimming rear view is standard - I have it and it works great

tiggerlee

I'm 6'2" and have little or no hair left so the "tickle factor" does not seem to apply. But I do have more than enough headroom.

RenKat

It's not how tall you are, it's how long is your torso is.
Im 6'2" and my hair was brushing the top with the sunroof.
Without it I have 1.5" space and I can wear a helmet.

bbbradley

Some cars have airbags in the seats which require special seat covers to allow proper air bag deployment, maybe that was his point?

Sales people have been known to streeeeeeeeeeeeetch the truth a time or 2,000,000,000 though. :D

/bill

bcowen

I'm 6'4", and had to go without the sunroof in my '05 -- my hair rubbed on it, even with the seat all the way down. No problems fitting in one without the sunroof.

Best,
Bill

L8tr

Are the seats perhaps adjusted all the way up or something? Has anyone tried lowering the seats if they were too tall?


I'm 6'1" and have never had a head room problem in my sunroof equiped 8.

ClusterOne

Heehee, I never knew I had a longer then average torso... You know what they say about guys with long torsos!

Nope, that comes with the touring package...yet another thing I will have to add after I buy the car. Has anybody done this?

bcowen

Mine has the standard mirror, but I'd really like to have the autodimmer. My last 2 cars have had it, and I miss it. If you add the mirror to yours, can you post back with the cost?

Thanks,
Bill

jaedcem

Actually, it's not that you have a longer torso - it's that you have shorter legs. And you know what they say about guys with short legs! :D

ClusterOne

Short pants? :p