mahuna

what are the dash lighting options? and it doesnt burn oil?

Luckystar

The dash lighting option that I am refering to is standard. The gauges can be backlit light blue or red by turning the intensity switch all the way. The rotary engine normally burns more oil than piston engines, but mine isn't using much oil.

ukmark

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum but certainly not new to the RX family. I have been in the automobile industry for 20+ years, I have owned nearly every sports car under 40k there is to own, Supra turbos & non-turbos, IROC Z, 280Z, 300Z, Integra GSR, etc..........I have owned 7 count them 7 RX7's 1-79, 3-80's, 1- 81, 1-86 & 1-93 Turbo..........I am currently a Porsche Sales Professional in KY.........I just purchased a 2005 RX8 2 weeks ago after much debate.......drove a 350Z, hated it........drive Boxsters & Carrera's every day, too expensive........drove Mini Cooper S, hated it ...........drove S 2000 in my opinion the most overrated car on the market & I might add very dangerous at high speed.........this car for the money is nothing short of amazing. You could easily spend twice the money and get half the performance. Sure it has some quirky stuff........but all in all you should be thanking your lucky stars you own one...............Of course this is just one guys opinion, but if there is one thing I know for sure...........I LOVE MY NEW Velocity Red RX8................PEACE...........

ZODIACQ

I don't know if this is an option, (and by the way I'm not an owner YET)

But i saw a picture where the gearknob is illuminated. well the gears on it are

Rickster

Ukmark - I agree with you - I too sell cars for a living - I drive just about everything that is made and I feel the RX8 (I have the 05 SHINKA edition) is not only the most beautiful car on the road but also drives and handles better than any thing out there at twice the price - period.

Rickster

mjcampb

Noticed driving into work this morning in the dark--a glint of blue light reflecting off the tach needle tip when it got around 6-7k catching my eye. Yeah, I'm sure it's how your seat is adjusted, but catching the glint out of the corner of my eye telling me a shift is "needed" was interesting. Well, at least at 6:30 this morning it was.

RotoRocket

iTrader: (1)

Zen in the art of driving:

The razor sharpness of the steering wheel.

The incredibly tight turning radius.

The absence of body lean in tight and fast turns.

The snickety-snick, switch like precision of the manual shifter.

The proportions of the elegant body (especially as viewed from the slighly off-center from the rear).

The feeling that you are connected to a piece of machinery when driving, and that your brain is nearly plugged into the vehicle, so that you and it become one - Zen.

DarkBrew

Just picked up a slightly used 2004 RX8 GT 6MT last week. (17,000 km, just over 10,000 miles) (Gas tank Recall and front brakes done before pickup)
I will not repeat too many points from other owners (I agree with them)
My test drive was so memorable that I could not wait to pick up the car! Things that made me buy the car.
1. The snap of the steering is like nothing that I have ever experienced.
2. Over the railroad tracks - no pain! The suspension is magic.
3. The sound of the engine as I accelerated through 2nd to the redline.
4, The shifts at high RPM
5. Seats for the kids.
(Test drive time was about 45 minutes)

I drove the car from Toronto to Montreal the day after pick-up with my brother and mother. Everyone was comfortable and we managed to fit our luggage in the trunk with room to spare. Things that I noticed on the trip.
1. The cruise control keeps speed very accurately.
2. The sun roof can be in the tilt position with the inner shade closed. Mazda put small vents in the sun shade to make this quiet option possible. Nice feature.
3. Kids in school busses point and wave at the car every time you go by.
4. Hwy. on-ramps at 137 km/h are fun!
5. 11.3 litres/100km on the trip down
6. Great seats! Power lumbar support is really appreciated on a longer trip.
7. Watch out for speed bumps (take them at an angle)
8. Eveyone notices this car!

Tayninh

I noticed this morning when facing the sun that the front hood rotor image deflected the sun glare out of my eyes. If I leaned towards center the sunlight would hit me direct. Nice design that works and shows someone thought about potential sun glare.

Gerael

Reading this thread makes me so much more confident about purchasing the rx8 over the wrx sedan... sigh

I can't seem to find the hook under the driver's seat that holds the floor mat in place ... hrm.. have to look again today

Seems like a lot of husbands love the "wife not being able to see speedo" trait...
though I'm not married.. or even have a g/f right now (soon to change with rexy on my side).. I could see that guys would love this feature... haha.. but its bad when my best friend rides with me and can't tell how fast we're going.. hes always curious... he even likes sitting in the back just so he can read the speedo in the hyper white guages.. i prefer the blue when i'm cruising at night..


So heres my list of little/big things...

1)LOVE the manual tune **** on the radio... so much easier to get to the right channel fast. Always wanted a deck that had this feature.

2) Three sets of clear plastic protectors on the side of the car.. though one of mine under the door is kinda coming loose... probalby get that fixed.. but its nice to know that mazda engineers knew we were crazy about keeping our cars scratchless.

3) I noticed when I reverse out of my driveway and stop on the street, there was a clunking sound... which I finally realized yesterday when I was wash/waxing my car that it was the gas tank sound... gas was rocking in the tank and making noises... I never had a car where I could really be in tune with the gas tank.. it was always some mysterious void..

4) Last night spending quality time with my car just sitting in it and admiring it, I noticed the circular air vents "click" shut. I shut the passenger one cuz most of the time I don't have passengers. Nice touch.

5) Actually wanting to try the back seats.. and see how they feel.. feels pretty good actually.. I wouldn't mind sitting back there while my friend takes it for a drive just to feel how it is in the back.

6) Light clutch with good feel.

7) I know its been mentioned.. but heel toeing is really easy with the pedal setup.. I just have to practice more... btw DOUBLE CLUTCHING helps a lot with how easy the shifter changes gear when you downshift... I gotta practice this more too..

8) Rotary sound.. omg...

9) Trunk security button... they've thought of everything really..

10) Clean sound of door lock system

11) Don't need radio.. seriously even when the radio is off.. I'm enjoying the sounds of the car.... there is no feeling of need to turn on the radio as with other cars..

12) New car smell.. i get light headed from inhaling too deep too often... hehe

13) Wipers stay down until you're done spraying windshield... not verified, but I noticed they stayed down a bit last time I used em.

14) Cornering the other day through a short mountain pass deal I noticed that the backend feels like it slides out just a little bit while the nose turns in even harder. This produced a nice pivoting on the center of the car feel and a little bit of an oversteer which I love... understeer is scary...

15) Feeling the blood rush out of your brain in cornering.. never had this before.. interesting feeling really..



and a really interesting one I found out last night as I finished washing my car and pulling it into the garage...

Dragon nostrils... there is steam coming out of the two front side oil coolers when the car is warmed up.. and the water is being boiled out of the oil coolers.. So I suppose you would only see this effect during rains.. or after car wash as in my case... but it looks sweet... the steam rises out and condenses a little on the bumpers and headlights...

Just makes the rx8 look like a mad demon/beast ready to tear up the roads...

rotocruiser

Yes, this car is a joy to drive. I got my Rx-8 on July 27, 2005, and frankly I have to work at not driving it! Yup, I have about 3,500 miles on it and if I did not put about 3,000 miles on one of my other cars I would have put about 4,000 more (or 7,000 total)on the R-x8. I drive 25,000 + miles a year and the RX-8 is so responsive that unlike my other cars I do not get bored or fall into a sedated state as I drive it. Move the steering wheel a fraction and the car turns, touch the gas and it speeds up - no lag , no hesitation. Literally this car gets my heart pumping. I like the digital speedometer read out, it has large numbers that are easy to read at a quick glance. The press kit mentioned in another thread gives great data on the engine like it is only 13 inches high and puts out about 180 hp per liter! Beautiful sounding engine. The engine power seems to go forever from about 3,000 rpm to 8,000+ making 4th good to high mph. So far, (knock wood) I have few if any rattles (one noise from the front passenger seat belt no big deal just move the belt) and the whole car is very tight. What a nice machine! Charlie

myfuncar

You drive this car around and it just gives you a little of that "Bond, James Bond" feeling, with its long hood out in front of you.

I was on a big, crowded interstate last night, weaving in and out of all four lanes at 70-80 MPH (I know, should'n't do that) and I just thought, what a machine. The steering is as sharp as a scalpel, and at 75 in 5th or even 6th gear, it feels like you have enough torque to rocket up to 120 in about 3 seconds.

buhloon

I like how small a 350Z looks in my rear view mirror. :D

crewshell

I liek that you can roll up the windows without having to put the key back in when you forget

glassetcher

DYK - that if you are getting something out of the trunk and you know your hands will be too full to lock the doors after you shut the trunk, you can lock them first with the key fob, and then when you shut the trunk the lights flash and doors lock.

Nice

Zoom, Zoom! :D

RX-8 Sake Sipper

I FOUND IT! The rattle in the dash that is. The thing had been driving me crazy because it did not rattle at all times.
Well anyway..........if you open the glovebox and look on the right side you will notice a plastic shaft attached to the glovebox door by a plastic rivet. On my car the shaft was not held tightly in place by the rivet.....and the shaft could viberate on the rivet...plastic on plastic. The rattle was loud at times , so if you have a dash rattle you may want to check out this area on the car.

Bough Achillus

I love my RX-8 becuase when I drop into 3rd at 10,000 rpm, its burns rubber again!

This car truly makes you feel like a million bucks, hehehe, well. Mine worth that much anyway.


Shift~

Peace yall,

xpixieshadowx

Wow, I just read through 32 pages, its past midnight, and I have class in the morning...once again my 8 takes control of my life lol

I only have a few things to list, although I agree with all the ones everyone has already put...these are just major little ones for me..

-I love all the looks I get in my 8. Ive always been a tad of a showoff lol, but with my 8...I dont have to do anything other than drive. Ive gotten nothing but good compliments (minus 1 from a 350Z owner, but everyone knows they arent too fond of us). I have pics of my 8 on my school binder and a girl next to my in my psyc 101 class goes omg that car is beautiful, is that ur dream car? I smirked and said "no, that IS my car".
-I love how I get excited to drive it. Ive always loved driving, even if its a minivan lol, but the 8 just makes me crave driving. Ive never had more fun with any car. And it really does call to me, like everyone else says. After getting out I look at it like 50 jabillion times while walking away, and when its out of site...im playing with my switchblade key, or thinking of a way home with the most corners.
-The sense of community with 8 owners. Ive never seen another car have drivers that are this dedicated, obsessed, etc. over their car. I mean random people have come up to talk to me just because they drive an 8, or they know someone that drives one, and 8 owners always honk and wave. I love it.
-all the random *** rotor symbols, mazda is messing with our heads there

O and my favorite...i love the way all my friends have to hump my 8, its so funny...and it happens so often now that im not even like "omg what are they doing". Everyone loves it, I just let them get their lil pleasure and then im off driving, to get mine

...1 more thing, well 2 more lol. 1. My friend just got back from bootcamp for the marines and he said the only reason he made it through some days is because i promised him that when he gets home he can drive it lol. I let him move it from one parking spot to a closer one ONCE, and ever since then he has begged me to drive it.

and 2. can someone post pics of where this floormat hook thing is? Cause I looked forever and couldnt find it, maybe im just blind. I do see the hole thing in the mat though, so im not entirely stupid.

*edit* I was not aware that we had a carbon fiber driveshaft...im going to have to tell everyone now lol

Gerael

i think the hook is supposed to be dealer installed... but i got it like outta the box and took off in a hurry.. haha.. i didn't want them to touch it anymore...

so i might go back and get that hook.... whatevers... i like it clean without it..


does anybody have a solution to protect the floor mats from the back of your foot wehen you clutch and gas and stuff?

rotor_man

One of the little things i really like, when you are driving at night and the tac needle passes 6000 rpm the red needle glows blue from the blue back lighting. i am sure this is just coincidence but its cool anyway. kind of like its signalling your in power band!!!

captain mercury

i didn't read ALL of the posts, so sorry for any repeating:

i love the near seamless integration of aesthetic and functional design. i drove my friends 350z a few days after getting my 8 and found it extremely uncomfortable and awkward to navigate through the interior accessories.
the shifter is tight
i love the dials
i think the exterior design is aggressive and beautiful. i feel lucky to have one of the only cars i find attractive in all aspects.
huzzah!

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

Pixie, I'll go home and take a picture of that hook for you.

It is supposed to be a DPI (dealer prep item) which means it's on the little checklist of things to do before giving it to you.

My dealer forgot about it so I called them and they replaced it under warranty.

Though mine isn't really a hook...it's just sticks straight up. (It's kind of cool though)

red_rx8_red_int

Heck that's one of my newly found loves for this car. It's low to the ground but I can take speed bumps (and RR Xs) at full speed! There's a grocery store based plaza around here where everyone slows to a crawl to go over these seeming 6 inch high speed bumps, I think there really about 3-4 inches. Hell, I fly by at 30! No one can believe it, but it's a blast!

Gunner23

Not sure if I missed it, some have grazed it, but...

Third Gear.

Nuff said.

RotoRocket

iTrader: (1)

Having a car that is more rare on the road than some having similar performance, but costing nearly 2x as much.

How many things in life can we say the same about?