AEM and Racing Beat are the popular intakes.
Some people like to modify their stock intake by removing the side baffles, dropping in a K&N filter, and keeping the VFAD valve open at all times.
This isn't my favorite choice because the horn inside the box isn't perfectly round (there is a cut-out at the bottom of the horn so the drop-in filter can fit) so you probably aren't getting perfect flow through the inlet.
But the plus side is its free.

 

oh ok i havent heard anything about racing beat but i read on here that the AEM intake sucks a lot of rain up and can do some damage. dont know if its true though.

 

LMAO... I used to have the AEM intake so I'm pretty familiar with it.
I now have the Racing Beat intake with the Revi Duct.

With the AEM I've driven it through rain and even automatic car washes with no problems.
I DID get water in my intake when the dealer washed my car and must have aimed the water jet right at my filter.
The filter sock came off slightly and the water soaked my filter.
First time I made a left turn, the water rushed up my intake pipe and messed up the reading on my MAF sensor.
My engine bogged-down and sounded like crap.
It took a couple days to air dry the filter.
The AEM is a very good intake and it looks awesome, just be careful when you wash the car (like put a plastic bag over the filter before you wash it).

These are pics I took of both intake setups:
AEM:


Racing Beat with air duct:

 

oh okay lol. well which one are you more satisfied with? i personally was leaning more toward the AEM intake anyway, but im not sure yet. who knows, maybe the wires will fix the problem.

 

If I had to start all over again... I would probably go back with the AEM ONLY because it looks better.
It is nice not having to worry about getting the filter wet with the RB though.
Then again, the AEM filter is easier to clean because it uses a dry filter (no more adding oil to the filter).

 

I heard someone's YouTube video of Racing Beat's new Dual-Resonator mid-pipe during an auto-x.
He has a RB cat-back, RB intake, RB sway bars... I think Steve has some competition
https://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php...&postcount=392


I really don't care for the sound at all.
I'm glad I didn't wait for this mid-pipe!
Now I have to hear some good clips of BHR's mid-pipe because MazSport is still my favorite.

 

Well... I got rid of the RB catback, so not a problem there... maybe it sounds better with the RB header?

Well, at the risk of sounding like I know what I am talking about, there are no substitutes for a large resonators making a deeper sound.


Jon - you and I are biased because we have the "poorly designed" pipe of which I copied your exact set-up.

It really is too bad Ryan isn't going to install his, I bet it would sound better with a Borla or AP catback.

John, not going jump on Ryan's offer?


Doesn't sound like there is too much interest in a summer meet anytime soon? I'd be down for something if there are only a few interested.

 

I wouldn't call it biased at all.
Honestly, RB had me nervous that I would like their sound better and would want to switch to their pipe.
Remember... I started with the AP mid-pipe, hated the sound, and went back to my stock cat until I could find something better.
Though, my liking the sound of MazSport's pipe is opinionated and doesn't mean the Racing Beat is shitty... just not the sound I personally like.

Might be a stupid question Steve... but didn't you have the RB cat-back when we installed the MazSport mid-pipe?
The guy in that video had the same setup as you had (intake + catback) but a different mid-pipe.
Like I said, its just my opinion... and I agree that we need to hear the RB on John's car.
Now all we need is someone to buy BHR's mid-pipe.

 

Yeah, I did actually - I forgot about that... and I wasn't satisfied. Interesting. Racing Beat with AP could be interesting.

 

okay yeah i think if it comes down to needing one im gonna go with the AEM.

so last night i tried telling my dad im scheduling an appointment with bedford mazda so they can see if they can find the problem with my car since last time i didnt even ask em to check, just to change out the cat, and so i can get a compression test. but we ended up getting into a big ole' drunken arguement and he ended up saying that if i need a new engine that i have to sell the 8. he couldnt grasp the concept of the engine replacement process if you fail the test. so now im kinda nervous to take it in

i actually was gonna ask sometime soon about if we could get something together since i missed the event and meet at montrose since i was on vacation. i think we should, id be down for whatever.

 

w00t w00t...finally home from the Dominican. Damn is it ******* hot down there. My calendar is pretty open so whenever you guys want to get together on like a Thurs or Fri night let me know.

 

Well... it would be in the shop a for probably a week to 10 days. You'd probably get a loaner car in the mean time. And it wouldn't cost you a dime if you fail the compression test. I say its worth it. However, passing the compression test means you have to pay for the test.

On the one side though, if it is compression, it will slowly get worse until your car is making very little power. That is another way to get your answer.

I don't understands your dad's p.o.v. So you'd trade in a car that is broken before trying to get it fixed, potentially for free??

Also, someone should buy Ryan's RB midpipe.


July is pretty busy for me, but I think someone just needs to set a date and we'll try to make it.

 

well he seems to think that theres no way in hell anyone would swap out an engine for free. thats the main thing.

but i dont see any other way of fixing the problem. i mean it could be the cat, which is where it sounds like its coming from (to me at least). the intake, the wires or the engine could just be failing. but idk enough about cars to know. all i know is that it does it when theres a lot of load on the engine.

 

Sad news...might be selling the 8.

I am going to be driving even further for work (from ~40miles one way to ~65miles) starting in a month or so. Its just not economically feasible to fill up my tank 3 times a week.

I think I'm going to go to bedford and park mazda and see how badly they will try to screw me on buying the car from me. Hopefully they wont try to hit me with negative equity (Ive only had it for almost 3 months and owe just under 12k), but who knows.

If everything goes as planned I will probably snag an 07-08 3 or 6. boooo.

 

sorry bro, you're hit. try to sell it pvt and see what happens. Craigslist or on here before dumping it to a dealer.

 

I would at least keep your car for a month after you drive to the new place. You might be surprised what the car can do. 40 miles of assumed city driving vs 65 miles of assumed highway driving would come out in favor of the highway driving. Also something silly like changing your cruising rpm range can help dramatically..just ask TJ. If you truly love the car...it seems like a pretty weak reason to sell.

 

I would have to agree with John.
Driving from Akron to Twinsburg, I cruise most of the way.
Doing 70MPH in 6th gear gives me 23.6mpg (reading with my AccessPort).

 

Its all highway mileage either way (maybe 1.5 miles total off highway). The best mileage Ive gotten in the car was about 23 driving from streetsboro to columbus. I have never topped 21.5 with regular driving. I generally go 72mph in cruise control all the way on the turnpike.

I will most likely be driving almost 140miles a day. I would have to fill up essentially every other day. And that doesnt include any non-work related driving. I already feel bad asking the woman to drive most places because I am trying to save on gas.

Hell, I already spend over $100 more per month on gas then she does in her 30mpg mazda 6. Factor in the extra 70-100 I am going to be spending with the longer drive and my total gass bill is practically equal to what I am paying for my car payment.

I knew going into it that the gas mileage was bad, and I definitely accepted that as something that would come with getting the car. Unfortunately I dont see it as financially responsible with this increased travel.

Its still up in the air anyway. I am fighting with my employer to pay at least a portion of my mileage, and its unknown as to if I am going to be able to sell the thing and be able to get a new loan without negative equity.

I really dont want to let it go, but it may end up being one of those things that you just have to suck it up and do.

 

LOL... Yulia always laughs at me because she drives twice as long in her Mazda3 before filling up.

 

She may drive twice as far...but she doesn't even have 1/4 the fun.

 

^You haven't seen her drive

 

Which is why its killing me that I might have to do it

 

I've been running a lil late to work the past few days and driving a lil faster than usual, however on 480 going east ive been passing a red RX8 going *** slow... (gas saving i assume)

BTW, the 9500i is working out great, havn't been pulled over since i got it... well, minus the one time after my sisters wedding for a routine check since i was driving some friends to the gas station to buy beer.

 

hey hpw much was that? because ive been looking for a good radar detector but idk which ones are good and which ones really arent.

 

Brandon,

I would really crunch the numbers pretty hard. Figure a private sale vs. what you still owe vs your increase in fuel cost vs. all the costs of buying another car (taxes, title, plates, etc)

While it is a good time to get a new car, most of the incentives are absorbed by them taking your car off your hands, which is to say you may get a good deal on the car your buying, but you're getting killed on the car you're selling.

NADA of an '04 RX8 GT with 60k miles is:
TOTAL PRICE-- Adv Trade: $9,525----Clean Retail: $12,750

I don't know the details about your car, but NADA tends to be more accurate than Blue Book.

Yes, it sucks to be filling up a few times per week, but those gas costs will take some time to add up to the 3 thousand dollar hit you may take on a trade.