Hay guise!
 

I'm new here, so if noob threads go somewhere else, go ahead and move this. I looked, but I didn't see an obvious place for them.

So yeah...here's my car. There are many cars like it, but this one is mine.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...8/CIMG3550.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...8/CIMG3553.jpg

Got it last Saturday. 2009, touring trim w/ premium package, 290 miles at signing, MSRP $29885, bought for $24321. I've wanted this car since I first found out about the RX-Evolv back in 1999, and now I finally have one. I is happy now. :)

good lookin' car!
what did you drive before?
what made you buy the 8?

I didn't drive anything before or after. I wanted an RX-8, so I drove it once to make sure I wouldn't be disappointed, then I found one with the trim and color I wanted and told the local dealer to go get it. I made it easy on them -- not counting the 8 hours of driving they had to do to get it for me.

Why I wanted an RX-8 is a long story. Back in high school I came up with a design for an engine that would produce power by spinning instead of reciprocating, and when I showed it to the auto shop teacher, he suggested that I show the engine design to a small engine repair company down the street and also said I should read up on the Wankel engine. In retrospect, the design I came up with had a couple of fatal flaws, but I was hooked on the rotary concept and excited that there was a real-life version for sale.

Unfortunately, production of the RX-7 had stopped three years earlier (I was a junior at the time), and in all honesty I was in no position to afford even a used one or be trusted to drive it safely. (Never been in an accident, knock on wood, but you know how teenage boys can be behind the wheel, and I was no different.) Imagine my excitement when I found out about the RX-Evolv a year later. That car is one of the biggest reasons I suffered though getting an engineering degree, so I could afford one. It came out just in time for me to graduate.

Of course, I had no money, so I had to wait a few years, and I drove (and modded) a VW Passat 1.8t in the meantime, but this past October I finally got fed up with the VW and started shopping for a new car. I'd pretty much ruled out the RX-8 at that point, because I'd convinced myself I needed something more practical, but when I saw the $5000 factory rebate I decided maybe I'd better get an RX-8 while the price was right, so I wouldn't kick myself for the rest of my life.

And so, here I am. :)

nice,

WELCOME TO THE ADDICTION!

Also...I know this question gets asked a lot, but just for good measure: I've been using AMSoil 5w40 in my 1.8t, and from the 5 minutes of reading I've done here, AMSoil seems to be one of the better synthetics to use in a rotary as well. Is that correct?

I know it works great in my 1.8t, when I switched from M1 to AMSoil the cam chain tensioner no longer started rattling after 3kmi or so. However, I know viscosity-retention isn't as big of an issue as clean burning is for a rotary, so I figured I'd double-check.

Congrats & ur 8 looks sharp. I would not have any problem putting RP, Redline or AMSOIL full-synthetic oil in an 8 if one chooses to use synthetic.

Sweet.

Welcome to the club.

Okay, next question then: 5w40, or 5w20, or something else? I used 5w40 in the 1.8t because the turbo gets so bleeding hot that anything less than hot-40 gets too thin and the engine makes lots of unsettling noises, but I doubt that's an issue with a non-turbo rotary. No doubt the 5w40 would produce a thicker film on the housing walls, but I have no idea if it would also substantially affect gas mileage since the moving parts have to move so fast and are subject to so much fluid drag as a result. Gas mileage is not my primary concern, but it is a concern -- I'd rather keep as much of it as I can, without sacrificing the longevity of my engine.

Many would suggest that 5w30 would be the best choice as compared to 5w20.

Good enough. I guess I'll be buying a case of AMSoil 5w30 sometime soon.

anything heavier then 5w20 should be what you aim for.

i myself used full synthetic 5w30 royal purple in this and my previous rx8 :)

Hi, Deus!

Be sure to search lots. Folks here aren't quite as tolerant as on PassatWorld.
Still a great source for mountains of information.

I thought your name looked familiar. :)

I don't know as I'd call PW "tolerant" of people who don't search, I know I've flamed a few before -- but to be fair, sometimes the easiest way to get all the information you need in one place is to just ask someone who knows. It takes a lot of effort to compile information gleaned bit-by-bit into a large, informative thread.

But yeah, I'll make sure to search first and ask questions later. :p:

Did dealership give ya problems to get it? Mine were real hardasses in getting me the car..

Also.. how's your 6th gear feel? Any grinding? (Providing you got a manual of course)

Silver looks great!
Welcome

They tried to double-charge me for freight, but ultimately "conceded" to split it with me. I figure I did owe them something for driving across the state to get it, and I was kinda stuck in a position where they might very well have the last '09 silver Touring within several hours of my house. But they did end up charging me >$500 under MSRP not counting the factory discount, so I'm cool with it. Other than that, no, they were pretty easy about the whole thing. I made it clear that was the car I wanted and they didn't try to change my mind.

6th gear feels fine -- actually, the gears I keep grinding are 3rd and 4th, for some reason I keep not disengaging the clutch far enough. I wish the gear ratios were a little more spaced out, because I keep skipping 3rd and 5th in normal driving.

Legit story! nice 8 :)