stanleylee

Hi everyone, I've been lurking around this board for a while now but eventually decide to open a thread. My 02 GTi lease expires tomorrow so its time for me to get a new car! I'm thinking of purchase a RX8. Aside from its two door, 4 seats only and rotary engine, any other down sides about this car? I know mileage was a big problem but its fuel consumption level is about the same as me Goft GTi so that's no a big issue. Any more pros and cons about this car? Maintenance fee? Oil change? I've read and seen many people encountered tranny problem, is it common in this car? Any inputs will be appreciated, thx!!! BTW, I live in Toronto, as you might know, weather is pretty bad in here but well, i still want a RX8

HolyCross05

All your questions have been answered many times, search around.

GTSimmo

Just got my rx8 3 weeks ago and I can answer couple of the questions. Maintenance on the 06/07 models are not free, you'll have to pay for consumables like engine oil changes. The older models got free maintenance as part of recall deal. Other stuff are covered under a 40k mile or 4 year warranty. The cars a bit more high maintenance in my opinion then most other cars, you'll want to check the engine oil level every other fill up until you get used to how much oil your car consumes. Also you'll have to be aware that you could flood a rotary engine if you dont let the engine warm up before shutting it off. However even with these downfalls, the car handles like a dream and I absolutely love it.

If you get either the 2006 or 2007 model just make sure you get the "sports package" in the 2006 models or "performance" package in the 2007 models, for $1700-2000 you get the Xenon HID lights, larger front brakes, 18 inch rims, sports suspension and Dynamic stability/traction control. Since the weather gets bad in Toronto you'll definitely want the stability/traction control. Lastly make sure you test drive the exact car you'll be buying, dont test drive one and then decide to buy another rx8 with different option without driving that car, You'll want to check for stuff like rattles as a lot of 8's seem to have some kind of rattling problem. In my 8 my sunglass holder rattles a tad bit but doesnt bother me too much.

Phantom Menace

If you bought the car new, go to the dealer. They'll fix it for free. My sunglass holder used to get stuck. That is, when you push it in it did not freely roll down--you'd have to pry it out. I took it in and asked "is this normal?" They adjusted it and that was that.

ken-x8

Ummm...it's a four door, not two door. The four seats and rotary engine are considered by most people to be pluses.

The only down side, as near as I can tell, is the potential to flood if shut down cold. Look for the two recent threads with titles like "I love my RX8" and the "The little things" sticky.

I fully concur with GTSimmo's recommendation to get at least the package that includes the bigger brakes, Xenon lights and DSC. If you're going to drive it through the winter, you should get snow tires. You can get a set of Blizzak's on some decent 17" rims for $1000 ($1500 if you get tire pressure monitors).

Only a bit over 5000 miles on mine, but aside from the performance tires and fancy rims I expect maintenance to be less than that of a conventional car. Electric power steering, so there's no PS fluid or belt changes. No timing belt, which on most other cars is a $300-$800 item every 60K miles. Rear wheel drive, so you don't have the CV joint/boot issues that come with front wheel drive cars where the CV joints flex a lot. Rear wheel drive also means more even tire wear: if you don't rotate them, you won't grind through three sets of fronts for every set of rears.

Have you taken one for a test drive yet? You've got to try one.

Ken

red8gt

I live in Newmarket (just north of Toronto) and i have to tell you that this car is amazing. I usually drive sports cars (mustang's, camaro's) and this is the best car i've ever driven in the winter (with good winter tires on). I'd say test drive the car first and see how you like it, but i give it my 2 thumbs up.

stanleylee

yea i had test drive the car a few days ago
the handleing of the car was veryvery good, almost no body roll at all,
but compair with the gti i got (1.8t) the torque is kind of low during low rpm ,
but the power started to kick in after i rev to about 5000 and it feel good

can u guys explain the meaning of "flood a rotary engine if you dont let the engine warm up before shutting it off" ? does it mean i have to let the car sit for 5 min before i shut off the engine after 30 min drive?
and what if i "flood" the engine , what will happen ? and what should i do with it ?

Raptor2k

Flooding is when gas gets stuck in the engine because it's cold, and the engine won't start. You would probably have to get your car towed to the dealership to get it de-flooded. To prevent flooding, you have to warm the car (not completely, but at least for a couple minutes).

BUT, flooding is no longer an issue with the new spark plugs and a better starter that Mazda provides free to 04/05 models and is already in the 06/07 models.

GTSimmo: I have an '04, and I don't get free maintenance...?

GTSimmo

Flooding occurs if you start your car up and shut it down before it has had time to warm up. Lets say its a cold day, you start up the car, move it to another parking spot or backed it out of the drive way for someone whatever, and turn it off before it warmed up. Basically the unburned fuel is left in the engine and can caused problems when you go to start it up the next time. There is a procedure to do when you flood it and its explained in the owners manual and in a short DVD that comes with the new car.

Sorry dont know the details Raptor2k but I did read in this forum that some dealers, I'm guessing not all, provided free maintenance because of all the recalls and stuff on the earlier 8s. Free or not I'll end up doing my own oil changes anyhow ^.^

And yes your right Stanley, the car does lack torque compared to larger displacement piston engines. All you got to do is shift down and rev her up =D Plus its a lot more fun IMO.

stanleylee

thanks a lot every one
one more noob qustion ,
since the torque is all over the high rpm area, is that right to keep the rpm high all the time?the reason i ask is coz there have a post, said rotary engine is designed to run in high rpm, by keeping the rpm high most of the time, will burn those "carbon" in gas, so those "carbon" won't build up in your engine, so the engine will always be healthy.
But isn't that keeping rpm high all the time will some how damage the engine ?

DaveCM203

The new flash is "supposed" to take care of the carbon issues.

Another word of advice is see if you can't find a used 06. The resale value drops so much (as with most cars) you could save a ton of money. I bought mine from an old man who said that he was "going through mid-life crisis". He put about 3000 miles on it in two months and rarely drove it for the next several months. He got tired of hearing his wife bitch about the car. It is a 6 speed Touring with a sticker of $33,000. I offered him $23,000 and he ended up taking it. You still get the remainder of the factory warrenty and you could always buy an extended warrenty if you are worried about the long term. I see used ones on lots occassionaly that would save a lot of money.

tmak26b

Gas mileage sucks on these cars!

GTSimmo

Torque and horsepower are separate things. I think max torque comes out at about 5-6k rpm, and max horsepower at 8500 rpm. So if you want to go fast you'll stay in the 6k+ rpm. Now this is not to say you want to be at 6k+ rpm all the time, just when you want to get moving in a hurry.

06RX8

I bought my 06 RX8 new 2 weeks ago and freakin love this car. It has NO torque, so you have to get used to getting smoked off the line by pretty much any car thats next to you. From my experience, if you start out giong normal at half throttle, you will not pull on any car..but if you take second gear all the way to redline ( 65mph) then you will start to pull a little. The problem I observed is this is a highway/road course car and on regular streets its pretty slow. You have to keep it in the RPM range all the time to make it move. I still like the car but will go back to AWD turbo because I like the power turbo cars make.

RX8= good car and good buy but pretty slow unless your in high rpms starting in 3rd gear

PS. I have owned an rsx type s and a mazdaspeed 6 and both would smoke this car off the line

ShottsCruisers

Which would win after approaching a freeway on-ramp where you turn 90* and floor it to enter the freeway?

06RX8

IF that was the case then the RX8 takes the handling department, but i can say that out of those 3 cars the speed6 would catch up without a problem. I just dont like that car, but the ms6 is really quick.

06RX8

I am not tryging to be a dick..I like the 8 and all but for a sports car its pretty slow. The S2k revs in similar fashion but has more ***** for some reason. Maybe it wieghs less. As for the RSX s- its a pretty quick car im telling you.

User24

iTrader: (1)

Perhaps "pretty much any car" is a huge exaggeration. I've never been "smoked off the line" in 1.5 years of ownership. Just not a lot of illegal street racers where I live. Almost never do I have a sports car next to me.

Usually, the car next to me steps on the gas peddle, and in the time it takes that vehicle to register that the gas peddle has been stepped on, I've shifted into 1st gear, and it's all over. Never fails to keep me in front of the pack where it is safer to commute.

06RX8

I am saying this. Take any RSX type S, and S2000 any WRX any MS3 or 6 any 350z and any EVo or STi.....all these a cars will eat the RX8 thru 1-3 gears. By that time your going to fast so it doesnt matter if the RX8 will be able to go to 155mph on the highway. Thats stupid to do anyway if u value your life at all. RX8 is only good on turns.

dbb

Meh. If you want a boring straight line car there are a lot of choices.

The Evo and STI are AWD = boring and no fun
The 350z is more a muscle car = hard suspension and poor daily driver
The S2000 is impractical.
The MS3 and 6 don't actually handle that well, and have torque steer issues, and you can't easily engine brake in them. Likewise, the RSX is a FWD ... there is no fun in that.

Summary : If you want a straight line car because you feel some sort of caveman triumph being the fastest off the lights, then get something else. If you want a properly balanced RWD with linear power delivery and a guaranteed smile on your face - get the rx8.

06RX8

I love the RX8, it handles like its on rails and is fun as hell to drive. I dont race people at red lights, but when i wanna get on it to pass a car it just doenst have the power. Let me say this ...the EVO and STi boring? no way in hell they are awsome cars to dfive and can outhandle an S2000 or RX8 without a doubt. Who are you kidding, they are ralley cars.

dbb

AWD = no driver feedback = booring

->

AWD = no letting the back end flick out
AWD = no poweroversteer
AWD = once you lose traction, you fly off the road. With RWD , the good driver feedback gives you warning to take action = more fun to drive

Besides, the EVO and STI are basically Japanese super-taxis with cheap low rent interiors.

slightly OT :

Why do you think Porsche have their top end supercars are RWD only? The GT3 is the purists drivers car, AWD is for the Porsche drivers who can't really drive a Porsche.

stanleylee

mm correct me if i am wrong, other then rsx-s all other car have bigger HP then rx8 right ? so as the $$?

VRZOOMZOOM

I actually came from a GTI 1.8T and Jetta 1.8T........the only things i miss about those cars are the low end torque that came on strong down early and the turbo spooling sounds.

The RX-8 definitely doesn't give you that psuh that the 1.8T motors push out. But the RX-8 is a dedicated balanced performer. It has enough go, and the handling is superb compared to those cars.

and everyone seems to want to drive mine, co workers, bosses....have about 5K also and haven't had to add any oil really. Also the driving experience is completely different than the 1.8T. You need to appreciate and accept the fact that this car loves to rev, so dont shift like you would normally do on a 1.8T because the RX-8 makes its power up high.

Its a fun car and i believe so far it has less headaches than a VW right now. Good luck with ur search.

rddragoness

Ultimately its how it feels in the seat of your pants when you are behind the wheel, that will tell you whether or not you want to buy. All cars have quirks, whether you want to deal with the 8's little ones is entirely up to you. I have Owned the new Mustang GT, and traded it in on my 8. I have owned the older supras,and bmw's. I would buy a new car and drive this one on pretty days, when and if the time ever came,,,,,, just to have it. I love it that much.