First, let me say that I will still take mine when it arrives in a few weeks...it's "on the water" as of two weeks ago.

But, I saw my first two this am at my dealer and make these observations.
There is nothing fake about my Miata. Sure it is "styled", but there are no fake vents, etc. The RX-8 has two unnecessary fake things IMHO. The fender vents are not vents, just plastic add-ons. The rear "diffuser"? is also fake...just solid with no holes other than the hole for the tie-down (which will be plugged).

Mine will have the GT package as did the two I saw. My other problem concerns the front passenger seat. It is not power and it does not have the lumbar support. Again, IMHO, any GT package should assume at least one passenger. The seat is heated, but the other comfort items are absent. It couldn't have been that much of a problem/cost since the Euro right-side seats will have it. I would've coughed up another $150-200 to have made my wife a little more comfortable.

That said, it really is a piece of work and I'll be delighted when I get mine!

 

I thought those vents are for the oil cooler(s). Thats what they are for in the FD.

 

My wife immediately brought up the cheapened seat to me. Sadly it is common, even in 'expensive', 'luxury' cars too that cost way more. Let's hope the weight saving makes it go faster, at least! I don't know how to fix it as Mazda doesn't even give us the option (How about it Mazda - are you listening?) Wifes and husbands, and friends everywhere write to Mazda!

 

I have to say that I don't care that much about my passengers. I mean its MY car. Oh and did I mention that I am single!

 

You have to realize that this is a sports car first and a luxury car second. For this reason you won't find all the comforts of a luxury car in the RX8.

Sure some of the amenities would be nice, but aren't necessary in a sports car which is what the RX8 is.

 

Hmmm, could it be that you're single because you don't care about your passengers??? :p j/k

 

Nope... I am single because I want to be!

:D

 

well the vents do work u know when the cold air goes through the eninge bay it cools the motor and exits through the vents why i know this is beaciuse after my test drive i put my hand near the vents and felt the hot air exiting the vents and yes it is true that the rear difusser is fake to bad it isnt real. Also one more thing the mazda rep even said so thats why the vents were put there. to let hot air escape.

 

Perhaps you missed the part about me owning a Miata? I know what a sports car is and isn't. But when you add a "Grand Touring" package, there are certain expectations for long term/trip driving comfort. Those are addressed for the driver, but not the front seat passenger, even though they elected to add a heated seat! The point is, they went part way. Why not all the way. Mazda went to the trouble to add fake vents! Why not add something that performs a function? MNAO are you listening?

 

Well, your still 19 and don't know s--t. There were no holes in the fender vents of the the two 8s I saw. I don't suspect you'll be an owner either.

 

Ouch, was that really neccessary? At least he acts his age...

 

Wow, nice attitude.
Are you sure it's not for the oil cooler(s)?

 

lol very funny yeah im 19 so i dont know S--T whoo u real big now. well first my rx8 is comming in about 2-4 weeks and i saw the car 4 times and even talked to the mazda rep. Also why is my age have to be mentioned here we are talking about fake vents well what you think are fake vents, and im not one thast say ohh "your are 19 u dont know s--t". . man act your age .

 

If you read the previous posts, the vents are not fake. On the FD they had no use (although I plumbed an exhaust duct on the right side to help cool the turbos).

I don't think Mazda went 1/2 way at all. Forget the naming of GT, it's a light-weight sports vehicle and IMO, that's why there's no passenger power seat (along with cost savings). Another example is the seat belt system, I thought the floor rail concept of the front seat belt was a cheesy solution for rear door ingress. But then I realised how much more weight a full shoulder and lap belt integrated into the seat (a la 500 SL Mercedes) would have added and now engineering behind it can be appreciated.

There's still manual adjustments on the passenger seat no? So what's the big deal? Given the performance and engineering of this packages, the price is a great deal (at least in Canadaian dollars it is).

BTW, I'm happily married.

 

wwwwaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!! Please take your car back you obviously dont want it.

 

Something like this maybe?

 

They were functional in the FD. If it was an R1 model, they both vent hot air from the the oil coolers. If it's was a base or touring, the left (driver) side is functional.

 

i can care less if people tell me to act my age. I really think i act older but ohh well i guess there some people that are mad at the world and love to take it out on people that didnt even do a thing wrong ohh well i can care less what people say.

Now on another note
FritzMan you are right about the fd with the fake looking vents that worked just like the new 8 i dont think mazda wants to screw anything up with this car.

 

I stand corrected then! I had a base though, so the passenger's side (the only side I investigated) was eventually put to better use.

 

They are functional. Check my posts above.
The FD is a pure sports car. Most if not all of its designs are functional.

 

Some people use it as a fresh air duct for the intake.

 

I ran a 3" aluminum heater duct from underneith the ABS circuitry to that vent. It worked well, I could feel heat coming out while parked with the fans on. Could have been even more effective at speed.

 

Ok. I stand properly admonished (you do know what that means?).
But, maybe I didn't look close enough (3-4" away) and I just didn't see any holes in the side vents...particularly the driver's side; assumed the same was the case for the right side. And, as for the rear diffuser, I got on the ground under Rotorboy's car (before he got it) to check out the muffler...which runs the full length of the trunk space...because another post talked about not putting cold stuff in the trunk because of the heat from the muffler...which I suspect is an accurate piece of advice.
Do I still like the car? You bet. It's not perfect, but it is a neat set of wheels.

 

the car comes with dual oil coolers...hence the need for the vents

 

Actually, the proper term in this case would have been rebutted or rebuked, since admonished is to be reminded of something forgotten or to caution. BTW, I'm 24 since you seem to be stuck on age...