With 2800km on the clock, we left Walcha for Melbourne via Sydney 3 pm, arriving at 5 am. 1360 km, four up, every orifice and sphincter of the 8 filled with female paraphanalia and Xmas gifts (not many of which were lead-free). DSC and TC off most of the time, climate control on, staying within 5% of posted speeds, frequent stops.
133 litres of PULP = 9.8 litres/100 km = (quick search for Google conversion link posted by Hymee weeks ago) 24.24 mp imperial gallon.
= pretty mighty bloody good, if if mainly on motorway and cruise control. Under similar circumstances in the sti we could seldom better12.5 to 13 l/100

Some observations:
- this is truly a gran turismo 4 seater sports car, for the shortish family at least (wife, daughters and self all between 5"4 and 5"6) We all felt very little fatigue
- I sat comfortably in the back kerbside seat whilst others drove: exellent ventilation, and looking forward into the cockpit with the dashlights dimmed was quite futuristic, for a 54yr old anyhow.
- stereo and cruise buttons on steering wheel fun and functional, also playing with elec seat buttons helps releive stiff muscles.
However, maybe because of my short stature I just cannot find the perfect driving position, just wish the wheel was also telescopic toward the dash ( a big one-up for the sti here)
- xenon headlights were fantastic for motorway. Drivers door arm support could do with a little cushioning
- when space is finite, women do know how to "pack", not just throw most things they own into suitcases. And the interior pockets absorb so many of their hand-held necessities
- modern technology: during the journey messages were sms'd between older daughter and a sort of a boyfriend who has taken 6 months off from uni to play rugby in Ireland, and other daughter with a girlfriend skiing in France. 25c per message with Telstra, and most of the messages sent on Optus pre-paid were free.
- at each end of the Wodonga freeway there is an overhead screen which displays your speed relayed from a speed gun. Our speedo reading 110km/hr, actual speed 107. So we do not have the 5/10% error zone I am used to allowing for. (Do any Victorians know if these speed guns are dead accurate - esp. as no others in the state are presumed to be.)

Santa has on order: for one daughter Canzoomer's ECU (actually had an email back from Maurice when we got here that he hopes to despatch it by Jan 15 at original price + US$45 post/package:
for other daughter Hymee's bar, grille and cat-back:
the wife's present, the mudguard strakes, arrived on the vehicle:
mine will be the RE intake, depending on Wildthing's verdict, who also has the Hymee cat-back.

Who said Christmas shopping was difficult?
Greetings all,
jack

(edited by Hymee - originally was 9.8km/100L!)

 

Jack

Sounds like you had a full house , i am driving to melbourne in February , but i will only be taking a few clothes tootbrush and a big fat wallet.
Hopefully my petrol figures will be similar to yours , but i doubt it as i have a lead foot .ha ha ha

All the best .

Michael

 

Moderators note on L&L's post...

Remove the word 'wallet', above.

Hehehe.

You got to be happy with anything under 10L/100km out of these - wouldn't you say?

Cheers,
Hymee.

 

Hymee

I am really trying hard to behave myself i thought i better include the wallet.ha. ha .ha

 

RE intake + hymee catback = a pretty loud exhaust when you get on the gas. It suits me because I am young and stupid want to be noticed, but for those with a wife and kids and a more upstanding image to uphold, the combination of both mods might be louder than some would find acceptable. Sound levels with intake alone or exhaust alone are quite acceptable though. I'm waiting for some second opinions / hard data before I make any claims of performance gains.

 

WILCARD DAN

My wifes 2002 honda jazz 1.5 vtec in manual mode has got a louder exhaust than my rx8 as hopefully you will hear when we meet up .

Also jax8 lives on a farm he can make as much noise as he likes , and some of us OLD folks dont mind a bit of rice and we also like to get noticed from time to time.

"Growing old is mandatory growing up is optional"

Dont forget we have been there done that and are doing it all over again with more experience. (HOPEFULLY )

Michael

 

I was trying to be as diplomatic as I could be

You'll see how loud it is in a couple of days....

 

Wildcard,

It would be good if I got my MR Dyno before you fly home.

Did you get down to see Les about the dB meter/test?

Cheers,
Hymee.

 

No, sorry. Got too excited and busy getting my 10,000km service and then installing my intake.

 

Jack, I can support your fuel consumption figures. I picked up my brand new '8' from Southcoast Mazda at Tweed Heads on the 15th of Dec and drove it down to Sydney. I was getting around 9.8L/100km's as well. Compare that with my last ride, a S4 RX7 Turbo, I was lucky to get 12L/100Km's!!

It's interesting that you mention you found it difficult to find the right driving position. On the drive to Sydney I played with the seat adjustment a bit (I have the leather pack - fully adjustable drivers seat) but didnt find anything that seemed just right. I actually had a sore lower back on arrival. I think I'll start a new thread asking for some advice on the correct ergonomic seating position and see how we go!

 

I've done the Melb-Syd return trip twice in the last two months...

Both times, averaged 6.8l/100km!!!!

But then again, Stacey only has a 1.6l DOHC four banger...

I must say I'm impressed with your figures tho! 9.8l/100 is pretty bloody good for a rotary.

Ric

 

I am on my friend's Honda Jazz and we are getting 5l/100km!! I am not driving the 8 on the highway to work next year... it is 130km one trip... I rather do in the Camry V6

 

Drove the family 5 people plus luggage from goldcoast to melbourne and back 4000km approx in my wifes Honda Jazz 1.5 LTR VTIS .

We got 6.3l/100km total cost of the trip $115 in petrol .

I was going to do the trip in the RX8 but too much of a hassle ,
cops cameras local ********* , stone chips petrol costs , garagingworries etc.

michael