Jalopnik: RX8 is one of the 10 cars they are thankful for!
11-25-2009, 09:18 PM
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Jalopnik: RX8 is one of the 10 cars they are thankful for!
11-25-2009, 10:21 PM
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and the RX-8's Renesis rotary sucks dino juice like it was on OPEC's payroll
It isn't a 1.3L 3 cylinder 97hp piston engine on a 2-door econo car for crying out loud. That is apparently what everyone compares it to when they complain about the mileage. They see 1.3L, and think Honda Insight.
You want power to move X weight? It takes X amount of fuel. It's all related!/rant.
11-25-2009, 11:01 PM
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So I couldn't ignore it with his email sitting right there. I emailed this to Sam @ Jalopnik. Too far? Maybe. But I kept it clean and respectful. Maybe it will get somewhere.
Sam,
Re: http://jalopnik.com/5411532/ten-new-...yline=true&s=x
First, I just wanted to say thanks for including the RX-8 on the top-10 list. We RX8Club.com are quite pleased with it's inclusion, and we couldn't agree more.
However, I do have a small gripe. I really try not to let it irritate me, but with your email posted right there, I was unable to avoid sending this
I assure you, I have no hostility or emotion, just a bit of irritation like a gnat that won't leave you alone.
The comment: "and the RX-8's Renesis rotary sucks dino juice like it was on OPEC's payroll." is clearly yet another dig at the mileage complaint of the RX-8, which, if you compare it's mileage to the other cars in the list, you have to drive like a granny to beat the RX-8's mileage on most of them, several can't beat it at all. Stomp on them at the track or in a canyon, and the RX-8's mileage is actually better than most listed there. I can't help but feel that the mileage complaint is from the 1.3L engine, which seems that people always picture a 1.3L 3 cylinder 97hp piston engine, rather than a 178hp / liter sports car engine.
It takes fuel to make power, regardless of engine size, and the -only- drawback that the RX-8 has in regards to mileage, is that it needs to sit higher in the RPM range for cruising than an engine with gobs of low end torque that it can just lug it's weight around on. A RX-8 with a healthy engine and a healthy ignition system easily does 22-25mpg highway. Hardly terrible, and only slightly behind the v8s listed. Anything less, and you are looking at an engine with health issues. At the other end of the spectrum, there are several track data sets that have been captured and posted that show the RX-8's full track speed mileage at ~9mpg, which is ~28% better than the 7mpg that most v8s get on the track. Product of lower horsepower there. They make more power, so use more fuel.
Am I saying that the RX-8's mileage is comparable to a Pruis? Certainly not. Just that it's mileage is entirely justified, and reviewers seem to forget that. The RX-8 has it's faults, but mileage isn't one of them, unless you are buying a sports car for it's gas mileage. And who does that?
Just a few thoughts to keep in mind in any possible future reviews.
Love the stuff you guys put up! Keep up the good work!
Re: http://jalopnik.com/5411532/ten-new-...yline=true&s=x
First, I just wanted to say thanks for including the RX-8 on the top-10 list. We RX8Club.com are quite pleased with it's inclusion, and we couldn't agree more.
However, I do have a small gripe. I really try not to let it irritate me, but with your email posted right there, I was unable to avoid sending this
I assure you, I have no hostility or emotion, just a bit of irritation like a gnat that won't leave you alone.The comment: "and the RX-8's Renesis rotary sucks dino juice like it was on OPEC's payroll." is clearly yet another dig at the mileage complaint of the RX-8, which, if you compare it's mileage to the other cars in the list, you have to drive like a granny to beat the RX-8's mileage on most of them, several can't beat it at all. Stomp on them at the track or in a canyon, and the RX-8's mileage is actually better than most listed there. I can't help but feel that the mileage complaint is from the 1.3L engine, which seems that people always picture a 1.3L 3 cylinder 97hp piston engine, rather than a 178hp / liter sports car engine.
It takes fuel to make power, regardless of engine size, and the -only- drawback that the RX-8 has in regards to mileage, is that it needs to sit higher in the RPM range for cruising than an engine with gobs of low end torque that it can just lug it's weight around on. A RX-8 with a healthy engine and a healthy ignition system easily does 22-25mpg highway. Hardly terrible, and only slightly behind the v8s listed. Anything less, and you are looking at an engine with health issues. At the other end of the spectrum, there are several track data sets that have been captured and posted that show the RX-8's full track speed mileage at ~9mpg, which is ~28% better than the 7mpg that most v8s get on the track. Product of lower horsepower there. They make more power, so use more fuel.
Am I saying that the RX-8's mileage is comparable to a Pruis? Certainly not. Just that it's mileage is entirely justified, and reviewers seem to forget that. The RX-8 has it's faults, but mileage isn't one of them, unless you are buying a sports car for it's gas mileage. And who does that?
Just a few thoughts to keep in mind in any possible future reviews.
Love the stuff you guys put up! Keep up the good work!
11-26-2009, 09:07 AM
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I don't get the disagreement.
17/22 mpg is not good for 190 whp, it just isn't...
It's just most of us are willing to have a smooth high revving rotary as a trade off, writer simply shares the same view as majority of the population.
17/22 mpg is not good for 190 whp, it just isn't...
It's just most of us are willing to have a smooth high revving rotary as a trade off, writer simply shares the same view as majority of the population.
11-26-2009, 09:18 AM
#12
^^
Take that 190whp, drop it into a miata. Your mileage magically increases from 17/22 to probably 20/28ish, that is, if you can stay off the throttle.
The engine is super efficient, it's just that it has to move a 3,000lb car with only 159ft lbs of torque.
Take that 190whp, drop it into a miata. Your mileage magically increases from 17/22 to probably 20/28ish, that is, if you can stay off the throttle.
The engine is super efficient, it's just that it has to move a 3,000lb car with only 159ft lbs of torque.
11-26-2009, 12:33 PM
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The 8 DOES NOT GET GOOD GAS MILEAGE, regardless of its power (16/22, for ~210 hp that the average rx8 probably makes).
The people who own the other cars on the list probably meet the advertised mpg all day long. The same thing would be hard to argue with in the 8.
It takes fuel to make power, regardless of engine size, and the -only- drawback that the RX-8 has in regards to mileage, is that it needs to sit higher in the RPM range for cruising than an engine with gobs of low end torque that it can just lug it's weight around on.
Let's be realistic here...
11-27-2009, 01:02 AM
#16
Cars you could potentially compare an RX8 to...
Mustang GT... 16/24mpg
S2000.....18/25mpg
STI and Evo, both around 15-23 real world (from their forums)
Acura RSX-S 2005+ -- 27-30mpg mixed cycle
Lancer Ralliart 17/25mpg
128i - 18/28
135i --17/25
RX8 -- 18mpg mixed cycle in my experience so far..
Kinda hard to say we make as much power as an STI or 135i, but if you look at it as a complete package, the RX is competitive against any of those on the track, where it matters, so really nothing to complain about?
Mustang GT... 16/24mpg
S2000.....18/25mpg
STI and Evo, both around 15-23 real world (from their forums)
Acura RSX-S 2005+ -- 27-30mpg mixed cycle
Lancer Ralliart 17/25mpg
128i - 18/28
135i --17/25
RX8 -- 18mpg mixed cycle in my experience so far..
Kinda hard to say we make as much power as an STI or 135i, but if you look at it as a complete package, the RX is competitive against any of those on the track, where it matters, so really nothing to complain about?
11-27-2009, 06:19 AM
#17
To me, it seems the RX8 gets more useable fuel mileage when under high load for extended periods of time. Third gear towards 6-8k RPM flying around corners i seem to get a consistent 13-15, where as cruising i get around 18-20. Right there the fun factor easily outweighs the extra $7 a week in gas because i decide to stay above 5k RPM's.
11-28-2009, 07:57 AM
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Cars you could potentially compare an RX8 to...
Mustang GT... 16/24mpg
S2000.....18/25mpg
STI and Evo, both around 15-23 real world (from their forums)
Acura RSX-S 2005+ -- 27-30mpg mixed cycle
Lancer Ralliart 17/25mpg
128i - 18/28
135i --17/25
RX8 -- 18mpg mixed cycle in my experience so far..
Kinda hard to say we make as much power as an STI or 135i, but if you look at it as a complete package, the RX is competitive against any of those on the track, where it matters, so really nothing to complain about?
Mustang GT... 16/24mpg
S2000.....18/25mpg
STI and Evo, both around 15-23 real world (from their forums)
Acura RSX-S 2005+ -- 27-30mpg mixed cycle
Lancer Ralliart 17/25mpg
128i - 18/28
135i --17/25
RX8 -- 18mpg mixed cycle in my experience so far..
Kinda hard to say we make as much power as an STI or 135i, but if you look at it as a complete package, the RX is competitive against any of those on the track, where it matters, so really nothing to complain about?
I don't think people can argue that the s2000 is probably the most similar car to the rx-8 in that list, and even Car and Driver was able to get close to 30 mpg, and I don't think they feather the throttle all the time.
Love the RX-8 for the machine it is, embrace both the positive and the negative. Unless you're one of those people that have to defend their purchase and think the vehicle has no flaw whatsoever, then by all means troll on other car message boards. This forum is a little more dignified than that.
11-28-2009, 02:21 PM
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"painfully" slow around town"
I hate when people say/write this about the car.
If youre granny shiftin at 3k RPM for every shift, yes its not the quickest car....but this is a ROTARY, you have to rev the engine. Shift at above 6500 and tell me its slow.
I hate when people say/write this about the car.
If youre granny shiftin at 3k RPM for every shift, yes its not the quickest car....but this is a ROTARY, you have to rev the engine. Shift at above 6500 and tell me its slow.
11-28-2009, 06:54 PM
#23
comparing mpg to cars' track time instead of their power output? Now that's a little far fetched. And you're taking the "lower" end of mpg in every single cars you've listed, and your 18 mpg mixed driving is definitely among the "higher" end of mpg on this board.
I don't think people can argue that the s2000 is probably the most similar car to the rx-8 in that list, and even Car and Driver was able to get close to 30 mpg, and I don't think they feather the throttle all the time.
Love the RX-8 for the machine it is, embrace both the positive and the negative. Unless you're one of those people that have to defend their purchase and think the vehicle has no flaw whatsoever, then by all means troll on other car message boards. This forum is a little more dignified than that.
I don't think people can argue that the s2000 is probably the most similar car to the rx-8 in that list, and even Car and Driver was able to get close to 30 mpg, and I don't think they feather the throttle all the time.
Love the RX-8 for the machine it is, embrace both the positive and the negative. Unless you're one of those people that have to defend their purchase and think the vehicle has no flaw whatsoever, then by all means troll on other car message boards. This forum is a little more dignified than that.
11-29-2009, 09:28 AM
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Sorry Loki the trolling comment wasn't towards you, it's only towards people that think the RX-8 has no fault whatsoever, which seems like we have a few on the board. Most people that buy vehicles for the whole package, that is true, and that is why most of us ended up with the RX-8.
However, when arguing the specific point of mpg efficiency, there is no way around it, the RX-8 gets horrible gas mileage.
If one truly opts for Track Perfomance to MPG ratio, then Lotus Elise will always come out on top.
However, when arguing the specific point of mpg efficiency, there is no way around it, the RX-8 gets horrible gas mileage.
If one truly opts for Track Perfomance to MPG ratio, then Lotus Elise will always come out on top.
