Shinkas and 40th Anniversary special editions all have Bilsteins (and the foam-filled front cross-member). The R3 does have a revised suspension geometry (as do all '09s).
To the OP: In reality, the '09 R3 is just the '09 'special edition' car. It has no power improvement whatsoever over 04-08s (at least in manufacturer stated numbers). FI on an 04-08 will definitely be faster (of course putting FI in will void your warranty if you get a newer model and will not help reliability). It's too early to tell, but the '09s do seem to be designed to be more reliable.
The '09s have larger rear end ratios but this barely compensates for bigger wheels on the R3. Note, the R3 has 19" rims, but they are no wider than the 18" OEM rims with the same rotary design.
Of course as a 16-yr old, the 'slower than a Prius' nature of a 4-port is probably saving your life.

 

the suspension is tuned different. i own a shinka rx8 and it does not have bilstein shocks

http://www.rotarynews.com/node/view/472

http://www.seriouswheels.com/cars/to...al-Edition.htm

 

i think you miss understood what others had said. they said, go b uy a 05,06 or 07 and use the extra cash for mods. i mean, do you honestly want to shell out 30k on a car that depreciate by the second?

i think my next car will be a R3, unless i end up buying a new STI. but that will be like in 2 years. but ill still keep my 04 for the rst of my life

 

I have an '04 6 MT and I was looking at "upgrading" to an'09 GT or R3. After driving both...I decided the RX 8 is still a great car, the new gear ratios make it feel slightly faster off the line, but in the end, without any power improvement it's just not worth it. I'll probably keep mine for awhile longer, but the 370 does interest me. We'll see. I've driven one and it is sweet...a ton better then the 350. The handling is much improved and you can now toss that thing around corners just the same as the 8, plus the extra 100hp.

I can understand upgrading a 4 port 8 to the 6 port, but other than that I wouldn't, unless the mostly cosmetic changes mean that much to you.

 

Edited: Double Post (darn microwave!)

 

yeah, I was thinking of the '05 Shinkas which had different dampers. My source was Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_RX-8 (yes, use wiki with caution) but I have since seen others saying different things like Tokico dampers among others. I now know less than I did 1/2 hour ago.

 

Let me get this straight... you're 16 and you're not happy with an RX-8 as your first car? What the hell?

Just the product of major spoiling if you ask me.

 

dont buy new.

You dont need that much INEQUITY at age 16.

You will **** yourself over in the future unless you OWN your current car.

I owned 2 cars before my RX8 and now Im buried in my car.

 

I'm guessing when he said he wants to get an R3 he really meant he wants his parents to buy their baby an R3.

 

Who in the world has $32,000 to play with at 16 years of age? Invest it and retire early, don't sink it into a depreciating asset that you don't even need.

 

lmao, i almost spilt my arizona green tea.

 

the R# is a goodlooking car but not worth what they ask for it. The seats look cool but they are NOT built for comfort, the 19 inch rims will break you when you buy tires(every 20K), foam in the frame part will not be that big of a deal, the shocks are ok but aftermarket is much better,
jmt
OD

 

yea I'm guessing your right. I mean I love my car, never hated it. Its still an rx8... I'll keep it for another year or 2 until i graduate high school.

 

well i test drove the new 09 r3 and the gt. You could feel the littlest difference in the corners but the seats in the gt are much more comfortable than the r3's so if you feel you have to get a brand new car then get the gt.

 

Ya true. I will be driving it everyday. I'll test drive one too. Thanks =]

 

Dude, you're a high school student rocking an RX8, why complain?

I had my share of friends try to make fun of my car because its not that fast but I scared the living **** outta every one of them when I took them for a ride

Enjoy your car and spare the impulsive big $$ purchase you will regret a few years down the road. Unless its with mommy and daddys money, then they'll prob regret it

 

It is their money lol I don't pay for anything. Insurance. gas. payments. nothing.

 

fail

 

Keep the car you have for a couple of years.

 

op got banned I think...He went all nuts and started to talk about how he hates his 8...wants a 350z etc.

 

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!! EPIC FAIL!
Got what he deserved

Parents buying him the car, sooner or later hes going to crash...

 

If I were 16 I'd get the R3. The GT configuration is for we who are just a tad older (like 3.5x).

 

dang, i wish someone would of doodled a pic of him tripping out.

 

^ so sad.





give it a few days . . . then maybe a bump . . . OP aint' around to whine about it . . .

 

Wasn't he the kid that drove his 04 into the ground by driving it many months with it overheating? I remember seeing a thread like that in another part of the forum. After many people told him to quit driving it, he kept driving it. lol