Need help with purchase decision, please
 

I have reviewed many threads here and see there many positives and some negatives. I am interesting in purchasing an RX8 but have a few concerns.

1) Flooding issue - has this been eliminated with the flash upgrades or is this still possible.

2) Gas mileage - i noticed some getting 13mpg ouch

3) Winter driveability - is this an all year rounder or a winter parker?

You comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

:)
 

To answer your questions.....

1. I don't think the flooding is as big an issue as it once was. Your right...alot of the updated flashes have helped. But it also depends upon YOU not flooding it.

2. In terms of the MPG...it isn't an econo-box. I am one who is getting 13 mpg.

3. Since this is a rear wheel drive car, expect it to not do as swift in the winter. With the OEM tires it is just plain suicide. However, with winter shoes the car is very drivable in the snow.

The car is a blast to own and drive. Yes it has some minor kinks, but what car doesn't.

Re: Need help with purchase decision, please
 

I had the same conerns. After reading through a gazillion posts, it seemed:

1) No one is reporting flooding since the M.

2) 13mpg is rare. Nearly everyone gets 16-21 depending somewhat on driving conditions and style. I HOPED I'd be on the 21 end of things, but I'm getting more like 17.5 or so. Still, this is the concern you should focus on - can you deal with 17mpg?

3) Many people made it through last winter just fine... once they installed all-season tires.

1) Virtually eliminated. Flooding is only a concern on VERY short 'turn-on turn-off' drives. Character of the rotary. You CAN start, back down drive, rev to 3k RPMS and turn off while rev'ing. VOILA. Main thing... don't allow the engine to inject gas and not burn it.

2) I get ~17 mpg, HIGH revs and ALL city. :)

3) No snow here... but from reading on the club, you will only need snow tires to make it driveable.

1) Flooding issue - has this been eliminated with the flash upgrades or is this still possible.

I've never flooded in 12,000 miles, short trips, whatever. M flash now should help a lot.

2) Gas mileage - i noticed some getting 13mpg ouch

So? shaddap - I pay 4 times as much for 'gas' as you and I dont care. Its still an excelent car.

3) Winter driveability - is this an all year rounder or a winter parker?

Depends, if very infrequent snow/ice yes, else get some winter tyres and your all OK.

Re: Re: Need help with purchase decision, please
 

No, no, no! There's a few people who used all-season tires for locations where they rarely see snow. Otherwise, a bunch of us installed dedicated winter tires. With proper winter tires, the RX-8 does very well in winter conditions. The stability control and traction control help a bunch also. There are a bunch of threads in the Tires/Wheels section and the Canada regional section discussing this - search for 'winter tires' or 'winter wheels' for lots of good reading on this subject!

Regards,
Gordon

1) Never flooded, before or after M flash, and after making some slight adjustments to how I care for my car, I hope I never do

2) I get around 19.5 MPG using 89 Octane (US) gas - I drive about 60/75 miles per day on highway commuting

3) Not really an issue where I live; Dallas doesnt see much snow, and if it did, I wouldnt venture out unless I had my Xterra (but, I can work from home, my wife can't)

1) No floods, before or after the 'M' flash. Just have to understand the car.
2) 21-23 MPG - mid-grade gasoline
3) You need all-season tires when it gets colder outside. The hard-compound ones that came with the car (Bridgestones) really suk in the slippery stuff. I have seen other brands on the vehicle now in the showrooms...not sure if that is normal or not. When you go to buy the car tell them to swap the original Bridgestones out with a different tire (do a search here to get the brand/type) and then you will buy it - play hard-ball with them!

The fact that your in Indiana as I am in Chicago....we experience the same midwest winters. I don't care what "all-season" tire you put on...your gonna need SNOW tires.

I get suburban mileage of 19-20 and highway of 23. Not great, but not terrible.

I shopped for winter wheels and tires, but after the cost of those plus the pressure monitors, I ended up buying the 92 Accord for less money. Why trash the RX8 with salt and snow when you can have a sacrificial Accord. The standard tires are awful in the winter, snow or no snow. They get really hard in the cold weather and handle terribly.