Well the speed bumps in Montreal are unlike any others. They are big, mean and everywhere! After bottoming the car on one I learned to respect them. (I should say that the car was loaded with people and gear at the time). I was glad when I got back to Ontario.

 

I love that I don't have to slow down (much) for turns in town. Much better than my truck.

 

there's a few things great I'd like to add about the car that make it better than other cars:
1) I learned to drive stick on a GT mustang last weekend and test-drove a stick 8 this weekend.... on the mustang I stalled out and had jerky shifts even after 30 minutes. got in the 8 and wasnt jerking it around and chirped the tires from 1st to 2nd gear (love that)

2) it doesnt have really pointless things obviously for looks. the spoiler on civics is what brings this to mind because it's a front-wheel drive car so the spoiler makes the car perform worse when it would actually come into play.

3) I really liked going through the carmax parking lot and literally had a group of 5-6 people leave the car they were looking at to come look at the 8... including the people that were looking at a 350z a few spots down.


I love the 8 and cant wait till the end of the year (when I should be getting one). This is my first post on this forum. Glad to see a forum that doesnt have a bunch of morons posting.

P.S. - anyone know/own a titanium grey in the Woodlands, TX area? I recently saw one near my neighborhood... had to speed up to drive side by side and stare at the car

 

I like the fact that, no matter how bad my day was, driving home in my 8 always cheers me up.

 

Not sure if these 4 items have been listed yet, but:

1) I like the fact when I need to take my 2 year old daughter in the car, I can. The car seat even fits behind the drivers seat nicely and I still have plenty of leg room. I'm 5' 11''

2) I especially like that it gives is guys with kids a fighting chance of talking their wives into getting a sports car!!!! YIPPY!!!

3) I like the fact that when you drive in the rain, the water pools in the rotary indent on the hood. As you go faster, the pool splits & climbs up both sides.

4) The seats recline to a near flat position.....nuff said.

 

3) I like the fact that when you drive in the rain, the water pools in the rotary indent on the hood. As you go faster, the pool splits & climbs up both sides.

If you alternately brake and accelerate, you can make that little pool move back and forth in the groves!

Zoom, Zoom!

 

I may be the only one to have noticed this, but the stop lights seem greener. In my other car I always hit the reds.

 

After reading this post, I just want to go out and spend some quality time with her. We are heading for Twisty Piek Pass for a little one on one time. zoom zoom

 

the quiet sound when your just crouzine and that ferrari like sound when you speed up .
the light underneet the side mirrors .
small little touches which make the diference

 

bit of a pet peeve of mine, but absolutely no chrome trimmings on the outside (except the badges of course). Chrome + white paintjob = echh...

Also, the fact that you can tell people who might not appreciate you spending a lot of money on a car (i.e parents), that you only got a 1.3 liter 4-door mazda, nothing too fancy, you know?

But I think most importantly, I love the feel of the steering wheel. I have relaively big hands (original Xbox controllers are a perfect grip), and the RX-8's wheel is just great. The feeling when turnign as well is perfect, not too soft, not too hard to turn...

 

That is one of the reasons why I wanted an RX-8... it had so many things that weren't on the list of standard features. Some of my favorites...

1. The wheels are sooo easy to clean. No like 19 spoke rims having to clean them. They are really easy to clean. I'm not sure if Mazda thought about that, but I'm glad that they are the way they are.

2. I love the practicallity of the car. To mention a few: the sun visors, the big volume button, steering wheel controls, the thing that you can take out between the rear seats that allows you to get to the trunk. I wakeboard and I can fit my wakeboard in my trunk still allowing luggage and anything else I need back there.

3. The cleverness of the car. I LOVE how the rotary symbol is repeated everywhere on the car... the front, the back, the seats, the shifter, and the hood. No other car that I know of does anything like that.

4. Just Mazda. I have never owned a Mazda before, but I love how there are accessories, both Mazda and Mazdaspeed to make your 8, or any other Mazda your own. I have added several things to my car from Mazda that make mine different from the everyday RX-8.

5. How the engine purrs like a cat and roars like a jet.

6. How my car is .2 seconds 0-60 slower than a G35 coupe that costs $37,000, and my car is 10 times better looking.

7. How the steering wheel isn't hard to turn, but not easy either. I feel like I am driving the car.

8. How short the shifts are. And, when someone calls me, and I am in the middle of accelerating, I can anser the phone and keep accelerating because I have time for 9,000 rpms to shift.

I LOVE my car.

 

and the list goes on!!! I'd have to say my most favorite thing about the car though is how much attention it gets... and gets me.

 

Balance.

 

New member here. I have been reading this thread and I am very excited about my test drive this Saturday! I have found a couple of possiblilites here in Las Vegas. I am going for the MT-6 speed and found a blue one and grey one. I will post back on how it goes.

Thanks for making my switch from a mustang to a mazda a no-brainer!!

 

Mazdazoom - goodluck on your test drive. If you would like the "super test drive" try the following. The dealer I first started with had an "overnight test drive" option. That is, they would let the customer have the car overnight for evaluation. Obviously if you look like a 19 year-old out for a joyride, your chances of doing this would be slim to none, and slim just rode out of town on his horse!!! But, if you are a 56 year-old geezer like me that looks like a real customer, it may be a go. So, I figured, if I asked them for the overnight on Saturday, knowing they wouldn't be open again tilll Monday, I've got it for the whole weekend! I did, they did , and that's what convinced me this is the only car I really wanted.

Give it a try!!!

 

As a first time import (and rotary engine ) owner for that matter, who doesnt LOVE the sound the engine makes when turning it over? The little whine and the growl that overtakes it....OMG I LOVE IT!!! Kinda gets me excited in that tingly in the pants way....

 

Just had a guy in a 3-series BMW pull up to me in a parking lot just to check out the car. He thought it was pretty sharp!

Gotta love it! hee,hee

 

A few more:

The solid metal inside door handle, not gonna break anytime soon!

The pop-popping exhaust sound when you rev it up in neutral and let go of the accelerator. Heck, the exhaust sound at any time is just great... Raw without being annoyingly loud.

The combo of DSC and balance of the car... In the rain, stepped hard in a low gear into a sharp corner, rear end slid just enough to be fun, but the car just kept its poise.

And the car just plain looks GOOD from any angle

 

I love how the radio turns itself down when you come to a stop, and right back up again when you continue on. Also, the GPS system is incredible.

 

I was on my way to work this morning, and there's a square turn followed by a dog leg w/ real nice pavement. No cars around, and I was doing about 30 just before the first turn, I down shifted to 2nd and put my right foot into it - I was up over 75 and into 3rd a 100 yards down the straight part - what a rush! The DSC makes even a ham-fisted move like that come out OK...

(before I get flamed - no, I don't drive like a maniac all the time - just having a little fun this morning)

I've had my car right at a year now, and every morning I get up to go to work, I still look forward to my commute just so I can drive my 8!!

I've *never* owned a car that made me feel that way for this long!

(PS I used to own a 'vette)

 

I love how the rotary burbles to life when I start her up for the first time in the morning, and then purrs when she's warm.

 

Lastly, how a lot of the time I would be thinking to myself "Damn man, get rid of that car, it's too expensive, you could save a lot of money, it's too much of a burden, etc etc". But then one look at the car, one ride in it and it's like "Screw it... I'll never forgive myself if I part with this baby"...

Grrrr why didn't I go for a Civic in the first place? Who could get attached to one of those??? :p

 

My husband reminded me of another thing I love about this car. I used to own a Jeep, fabric interior, and it would shock the hell out of you when getting in and out. Now, I havent been shocked once in my 8! I hadn't even thought about it until my husband started griping about how much he hated the Jeep.

 

I love how I can talk about her all day long.

I love how we can make a 34+ page post about her.

I love how I can just stare at her ALL DAY long.

Man i love this car!! Time for upgradesss!!

 

AHA! you too?!?!
I used to own a jeep wrangler with cloth seats and it was ridiculous! I was almost blown up at gas stations several times, not to mention one time I had to shake my employer's hand after I got out, what a surprise for both of us.
But yes, the seats in the 8 are so much better. Mainly because they are leather, and heated...mmmmm.