RussellP

Ive been debating it for about a week. I was sold on it after my first couple test drives but all the whining and moaning on all the message boards kind of deterred me for a while. Realistically, 9HP aint gonna make all that much of a difference. If all i cared about was HP i could get a used mustang for cheaper. Anyways, embarrassingly enough, im getting the automatic. Theres too much traffic in LA and I use my cell phone a lot while driving so i just cant have a stick.

What do you guys think? Do you think the HP contraversy is gonna hurt the value of the car? All the major publications are still giving the car great reviews and nobody outside of message boards really seem to be complaining.

Feel free to try talk me out of buying this if you think its a bad idea (or vice versa). Thanks in advance,

-Russ

Squidward

naaa.. one thing you forgot is the mileage issue, which is a more serious issue for most people here than the measly HP issue.. That issue is history.. It's resolved, done, over with, etc... end of story.

Unless you don't mind the extra cost of driving the car due to ****-poor fuel consumption, go for it

I actually do mind, because my daily commute is over 100 miles.. I've already put on 2000 miles on this car since getting it on August 16th and my current MPG is averaging 15.8 mpg. See my log here.

RussellP

well i currently drive a GMC p.o.s. pick up truck with worse milage than a freakin jet so i welcome 15 hehe. My commute to work is only about 15 miles. Outside of the mileage, you like the performance?

Magic8

I think the fuel consumption issue may only be occuring on certain cars. I only had my car for one week and made only one fuel stop. I got 19.5 mpg (mixed highway and city), of course, I haven't taken it to redline nor do I race the engine too much. I drive 10 mi a day to work.

Congrats on the car.


Magic8

rx8daniel

You have one nice thing going to help your decision. You get to touch and drive the car and then decide. Many here, including myself, bought the car sight-unseen so obviously w/o a test drive. If you like it after driving it buy it. It's a rotary, it's smooth, it'll likely be reliable for as long as you really care to own it. when asked by the finance guy how long I'd be keeping my car (he was trying to sell me the extended warr and gap insurance) I said "forever?". And for the most part mine has been very nearly faultless. I've had a flat, not the car's fault but the builder's on our street for leaving a drywall screw on the street. The mileage is the only objective factual thing disappointment with mine. The Bose system isn't as great as implied by Bose themselves and I'm not an audiophile. IF I were to choose the buyback option since Mazda has made it available, I may get a new one again and go for the sport package w/o the moonroof and the Bose so I can retain the features I like.

8_wannabe

The other thing about mileage is it seems to get better after awhile. I was down in the 15.3 range, now I've got 2300 miles on the car, got 18.1 on my last tank and its been steadily climbing. If I follow the patter others have seen I'll be getting at least 20 mpg soon. Good luck and keep us posted on your decision.

1fine8

Try it out and check all the features and make sure they work to your satisfaction. There are also problems with some air conditioners. Mine will only blow air out of the vents at 50 degrees. My other vehicles will cool the air down to 37-38 degrees. According to Mazda they are working on a remedy for this problem with the affected cars.
My gas mileage with my automatic has improved to 21 mpg's now with 1500 miles on it.
I took it to a friend that has owned several Rx-7's and said it handled like a go cart on rails. He said that was a good thing.
I would recommend the spare tire kit and any other accessories you think you might want. Ask the dealer to throw them into the deal or the very least make him sell the accessories to you at their cost since they are pricey.
I can not get the keys away from my wife enough. I hope you enjoy it as much as she does.

Superbone

Squidward, I'm in the same boat as you. If I didn't commute 100 miles a day I'd keep the car. I love the way it drives and handles and the power is plentyful. I just can't take filling up every 2.5 days.

Maximus

Use a headset.
Drive a manual.

:-)

RussellP

damn i was so close but upon inspection i noticed the car i almost got was scratched! Deep scratch on the hood of the car. I got pissed and walked out. BTW, does anybody here know if the RX8's are selling well overall? Did the HP issue hurt sales at all?

Kremlar

You have to give it another month or 2 for the print magazines to get a story out on this. My guess is that it will get some bad press for this, but not sure how far they'll take it.

RussellP

well the exact same screw up happened with the Miata and that still sold well when it first came out. Plus, if a car critic decided to change his opinion of the performance due to a lowered number, his credibility would be damaged in my opinion. He drove the damned thing.

carnut

Russ:

You have an advantage over those of us who essentially bought the car site unseen. You can see, sit in, drive, and check out the entire car. I still think it is a good value, and a real head-turner. I don't think you'll see the horsepower issue affect resale (I'm no expert), but it may aid you in getting a little discount on a new purchase. Follow your heart (and your checkbook), and do what you want. There are many, many owners who just love the car. Hope you can be one! Now you have to decide on a color. I'm partial to my Velocity Red!

Kremlar

I'm not saying the reviews will change, but the recall will get press and possibly leave some readers with a bad taste.

Of course, some people are claiming that power seems great above 7K RPM while others say there's no strong pull. If it happens to be some kind of widespread problem causing some cars to put out even less HP, that could end up being a whole other issue.

I'm just saying, it's not too surprising the magazines haven't mentioned this yet. I don't think we have a good idea yet of just how big of an issue this is going to be.

carnut

Oops. That should be SIGHT unseen. So much for my proofreading skills!

RussellP

Turns out im gonna have to wait a few days before I get one. Ive decided I'm gonna fly up to Oregon, buy it there with NO salestax and then drive it back home to Southern Cali. Should save me a couple grand, I dont know why more people dont do this.

Kremlar

I'm not sure what your state laws are, but around here you pay sales tax in the state it is registered in, not the state it is purchased in.

RussellP

hmm, that doesnt seem to make sense but i better look into it, thanks.

Kremlar

One reason is to stop people from doing what you were thinking of.

mmjames

Sometimes I think some people spend more time picking out a video than choosing their car. Get to know it. When you are in it, it should feel right for you. Do your research. Touch and drive the car. Decide all the good and bad points. Then make your choice.

Is it the style, the price, the handling, or the innovation, that appeals to you? Know your reasons before you buy, so when you make the payments or as time moves on you can still be pleased with the reasons for choosing the car.

Just an idea and a suggestion. Good Luck.

sferrett

I purchased my FD in Oregon and had a buddy drive it down here to San Diego - when I registered it here I had to pay sales tax on the sale price of it (a fat check to the DMV agent). They will also look up blue-book value if the sale price on the declaration form is too low.

Simon.

mmjames

This is true. They will ask you the fair market value of the car if it is not new then tax that value. Look into at DMV california web site.

newport8

I test drove the RX-8 and absolutely loved it. The hp doesn't matter to me: they could tell me it's 100hp and it wouldn't matter because I know how it felt when I drove it. It's the MPG problem that discomforts me more. I do a lot of driving, and with gas prices in California well above $2/gal., I can't afford to be driving at 15mpg. I know that some cars are better than others, but that uncertainty really bothers me. Will I be rolling the dice on mpg if I get the RX-8? Maybe I'll get 13mpg or maybe I'll get 21mpg. I can't gamble like that.

Still love the car though. Maybe I'll wait for the 2005's.

manbar

skyline release in 2005 andmaybe (very small chance) a new supra in 2005