Exciting day.

Should I come over to Adelaide in Jan for the Tour down under, I will call you and check your car out myself.

 

Tomorrow Morning Taka, Saturday!

You are more than welcome to catch up.

 

GOOD GOD!...

IT'S JUST BEEN ANNOUNCED ON ABC NEWS THAT THERE WILL BE NO ADELAIDE MOTOR SHOW...THE FIRST TIME IN 38 YEARS!!!

BLAMING THE DOWNTURN IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY..

Following Brisbanes lead.

 

The white guy in the white car is yours truly...

 

Well here they are..

 

First observations...I have not read the owners manual yet..OK..

Typical Rotary BLOODY SMOOOOTH!....
And punchy, she wants to go, but I am holding it back for the first few thousand kilometers.
Terrific ride, handling...EVERYTHING!!..
Where do you start...

The speedometer had 9 kilometers on it..Only NINE!

I got a full tank of gas, they say they put in PREMIUM 95+, but I am getting a little pinging now and again, only very slight....any thoughts mates?

Did I say she was punchy, wants to go, even with my passenger it felt like there was plenty of GO off the line, I really don't know what REAL owners complain about?

The Crystal White Pearl is just Beautiful, I am glad I went with this colour and not the Diamond Grey, with the red leather it looks all class, as everyone so far that has seen it says.

The Red leather is more of a "terracotta" colour, certainly not red.
There are only 2 RX-8's with my combination in Australia, in Series II.

I tell you what guys, the new styling (front and back) looks MUCH..MUCH better in the flesh, I am not disappointed at ALL, in fact (with respect the Series 1 looks a little dated alongside. (they still have one 40th anniversary in stock!).

The front centre grille opening for air is much larger, once I put my slim line (RX-8888) plate on the front I will have more air flow. The two oil coolers have larger openings with the new design, but boy are they exposed to stone damage, I don't understand Mazda why they have not included protection screens of some sort.

What else, the Tyres are Bridgestone Potenzas RE50A's, The silver alloys really blend in well with the CWP Paint job.

I noticed that the outside door mirrors have a courtesy light each that shines down, does the Series one have those, I can not recall.

The tackometer.... the 3 read light sections for engine temp gradually turn off as engine heats up, but the last one around the 9000 RPM area stays on permanently?, would this be because the car is new?

The steering wheel is fine once you get used to it, the horn sounds classy too!!

Can't think of anything else at the moment...all I want to do is drive her..

 

Absolutely stunning!

It makes me wanna sell my 05 to be honest.

 

Oh yeah, even now with 80 kilometers on the speedo, I have the Manual Transmission Input shaft or is it thrust (throwout) bearing noise, whichever one it is, so you just live with it, it is Normal.

Also noticed all the brake rotor hubs have a Grey (maybe Corrosion resistant) paint, probably to stop the "visual rusting" you used to hear complaints about.

Notice (Australians Only): South Australia's new "Standard" License Plate Format, no longer the "FESTIVAL STATE" , just South Australia on the bottom of the plate and a new alpha numerical format, mine is S282-AAI, used to be like XUB-589...trivia I know, but more like European plates....
My new personalised plates will be RX-8888...I have been sitting on this number for about 7 or more years, ever since I knew the 8 was a production reality.

 

Beautiful! Congratulations. The series 2 looks awesome in white. Ever think of getting the RS body kit on? Available in Australia or no?

 

congratulations nice choice.

love the white and the new look but I don't know about the red interior. maybe it will grow on me like the new front bumper

 

The RS?, I guess you mean the R3 (we call it the GT) and no mate.

Yes you can get them all here, not keen on the spoiler, don't like the side skirts (I think it spoils the lines of the car between the wheels. The R3 front is OK, but, really there ain't that much difference, I mean to the average car guy would not know the difference unless you pointed it out to them, just my opinion.

But at this stage I won't be modding, it is a waste of money that you never get back on a trade in (at least in Australia).
Personally many add ons just Rice the car up too much and tell any future buyer that you like to really use your car hard, even if you don't.

Besides I am too old for that stuff, my new 8 is 100% paid for and all mine, it took me a very long time to save for it and I wanted the updated model, as an ex Mazda Parts Manager I know the changes Mazda make are always significant and they iron out almost ALL of the bugs/issues.

Basically this model 8 don't get any better than this...

 

Thanks mate, The pic really does not show the red accurately, it is not a bright red at all, and it does look classy. All of the 9 adults who have seen it so far really like the red, it really is more sort of maroon.

Have you seen the new front in person, I did not like it either, but in the white it looks great, in the black duco's it looks great, BUT, in the velocity red and blue, I don't like it, strange really but true.

 

Looks great Ash...but stop posting, get outta here and drive the bloody thing...it's not an ornament

 

HAAA HAAA Give me a break , I have to eat..sometime, I think I will sleep with it tonight!

You guys wanted all the pics

But SHE IS BEAUTIFUL, isn't she...I think I am truly in love...

 

Lovely.

Are the buttons on the seat memory positions?

 

How cool is this. Congrats ASH.

You may find that extra "poke" is thanks to that extra short diff ratio. Either way, enjoy. You would have to be the 1st on here I reckon with a Series-II.

REgards

 

Very nice, really like the colour (both inside and out).
Enjoy the new addiction! I love having a car that leaves me with a smile everytime I step out of it.
You'll get used to people wanting to stop and talk to you about your 8 when you're filling up and stopping at the store.

 

they forgot to put the wheel on the right site lol j/k

 

Beautiful machine, congrats!!

I'm hoping to order an '10 as soon as they allow it next year, and white will definitely be at the top of my list after seeing your pics!!

 

Yes, you can have up to 3 different seating memory positions.

 

Very nice Ash and I agree with you about the GT bodykit.

The new front and rear treatment is growing on me. It's the detailing I still have a problem with - i.e. black plastic nose strip, 'softer' looking cut-out behind the front wheels and reflectors over exhaust pipes. Small details though and I agree it looks much better in white. Like the 'red' leather too but would prefer to see one in the metal before being completely sold on it...

Drive it my man and leave the modding for the track stars and wannabes...

 

stick with an 08 or under, and moding is for peaple who love cars

 

What stick with a model you can no longer buy new?

I like the new RENESIS with the internal lubricating issues sorted, i.e extra (middle) apex seal oil nozzle and the electric Oil Metering Pump.
And the better 6 speed stick shift tranny.
The stiffer chassis, improved rear suspension geometry, improved under floor features, improved engine tower brace.

But like any Mazda, the later series are mechanically always improved and updated.
As for the exterior, that is a personal choice, I will be the first to admit I disliked the new look, in some colours as I mentioned just don't look right, in others it looks fresh and right.
Just like there were some colours that looked awful in series one RX-8's, like Nordic Green.

As for modding is for people who "love cars", Huh, to me modding is for those who have more money to waste and are usually young.
As a general rule the older you get the less changes you make to any car because you have other financial priorities.

Mazda have done such a good job on the RX-8 the gains one gets from modding are very minimal, in some cases a backward step.
I really cant' think of one change that you can say, boy, that really makes a difference to my RX-8 and is worth the money, apart from say FI.

Each to their own I suppose, but to imply those who don't mod a car are not car lovers is foolish.

 

...........with the internal lubricating issues sorted

That's a good one!

I'm gonna write that down!....now where's my pieceapaper....

S

 

well your right in all ways i love the OEM stock look and thats what i have, the other things, like is to just mod a little inside the car and coilovers to lower it, other then that forget it, ill leave the stock look, and your telling me you dont want to set your car apart from the rest?