poor gas mileage and possible trade in
 

I really love driving my 8, but the 200-220 miles per tank i'm getting is really hurting my pocketbook. I drive 60%freeway/40%city. No problems with my 8 besides this poor mileage...Pondering on trading in for an Acura rsx type s....any comments for or against will be much appreciated...thanks

is that like a Honda Integra Type R?

sorry for sounding like a complete newb, but we don't have acura here in aus

Trade.

If you think it'll make you happier. The RSX is a nicely made compact car, with reasonable ownership costs.

How many miles per year do you drive? How much more does the RX-8 cost you to drive?

In where are I live, road tax is based on the displacement of cars and the prices aren't very linear. The tax of a 2.8 litre engine car can be more than 10 times of a car with less than 1500cc . Taxes are payed every year or so and the differences in the taxes is more than enough to compensate for the bad mileage.

RX-8 : MYR200 = 52USD
2.8 litre : MYR 2500 = 578USD

It may not seem like a lot but gas prices are much cheaper here.

This post didn't help did it..

Do the math.....
 

Have you done the math?

How can you come out ahead if you lose THOUSANDS on your new '8?

The bath you take on unloading a new car will WAY offset any fuel saving for YEARS.....then there is the same hit you will take in equity when you buy a new Acura.

Unless you can get a real deal on a used one, the numbers just don't make any sense.....

S

From the middle of the road Consumer Reports perspective:

Based on the Honda Civic, the RSX is a two-door coupe with a rear hatch. The base model features a 2.0-liter, 160-hp four-cylinder engine. The sportier Type-S variant comes with a 200-hp version that feels invigorating when revved to its 8,000-rpm redline. The Type-S is only available with a six-speed manual, which shifts very crisply. Handling is capable but not quite as agile as a Ford Focus SVT or Subaru Impreza WRX. A stiff, choppy ride and constant road noise make the RSX tiring on long drives. The hatchback and a split fold-down rear seat add versatility, but rear-seat room is very tight.
>City/Highway MPG: 18/37
>Est Fuel Cost per Year: $970
>Range per tank: 375 miles

The new RX-8 is a sporty coupe and successor to the RX-7. It marks the return of the Wankel rotary engine. While acceleration is not explosive, it is exceptionally smooth and responsive provided you keep the engine at mid-revs, which becomes natural and sounds invigorating. Handling is super agile, with quick, communicative steering, and is forgiving at the limits. Unlike some competitors, the ride is fairly comfortable. This truly fun-to-drive car doesn't beat you up and seats four. The rear-hinged rear doors with no center roof pillar make backseat access relatively easy. Fuel economy is disappointing
> City/Highway MPG: 14/22
> Est Fuel Cost per Year: $1430
> Range per tank: 280 miles

The fuel costs were prior to the current >$2/gal prices. The RX-8 MPG were on an earlier flash.

It appears the gas for an RSX would cost less and go further on a tank of gas. Given your 60/40 highway/city, I would expect somewhat more miles per tank. Do you have the latest flash? I have converted to Regular Gas and am getting a 5% gas discount from using a Shell credit card. That cuts the gas cost by about $0.30 per gallon.

Keep this in mind when comparing the RSX and RX-8:

If you keep the RX-8, you are slowly lose several hundred dollars a year in gas expense compared to the RXS.

If you get the RSX, you IMMEDIATELY lose several THOUSAND dollars in depreciation upon trading in the RX-8.

Take a look at how much this depreciation loss is and compare that to how much you are losing in gas expense in the long run. Look at total costs rather than the few bucks at the pump you are paying now. You will more than likely realize that it will be more economical (less loss to you) to keep the car.

Trx8 math....
 

Mr Trx8 has done an example for you, even going by C.U.s numbers - you will save $500, maybe even $1000 a year at these gas prices.

So with the $4k to dump the '8, and the $3k you lose on the Acura the minute you drive off the lot, it will be the year 2011 before you see 'dollar one' of savings!

S

Re: poor gas mileage and possible trade in
 

That is interesting because that is the car I traded in to get my 8. The Type S is a rocket to be sure. Get above 6000 and the beast is like Jekyll and Hyde! It was just not a substatail car. It felt ...hollow. Then again I had three VW's and an Audi which are pretty solid cars. I was getting about 22 miles per gal in my Type S. If you get it swap out the tires at least as they are so hard riding that frost heaves would put me in the roof. My 8 over the same heaves just glides over it like nothing.


http://images4.fotki.com/v45/photos/...73/rsxc-vi.jpg


I think you can't go wrong on getting one but I would rather get an Accord coupe because it has more room and is a bit more solid.

...not to mention you'd be driving a 160hp Acura instead of the RX-8 :)

Actually the Type S is rated at 200hp.

It could be 280 hp, it still wouldn't be an RX-8.

get a volkswagen... 40 miles to the gallon that oughta make your pocketbook smile

I would definately keep the 8. I wouldn't want to give up rear wheel drive or incredible handling or unique styling for an extra buck at the pump every week. I like the RSX but deep down its just a souped up civic.

I'm hangin in for now....my MPG sucks. I'm gettin 11-12 mpg. I wonder if M/T vs. A/T makes a difference.

MyRX, do you have one of the earlier build RX-8's? I have no problem with mine, and even under hard driving I can't go below 17mpg. Mine was built in December. I really think that with such low mpg, they'd be able to look at it and resolve that issue for you. It can't be right if you're driving normally.

LOL, keep in mind the Evo is "just" a souped-up Lancer too :)

I drove the RSX-S before deciding on the 8. I'd heard wonderful things about it, and I'm a huge Honda fan, so I was very surprised to find it wasn't to my taste.

Now don't get me wrong, for the right person, it's a great car.

But I couldn't fit, the seats are slippery and rock hard, I end up looking out from under the roofline, the throttle pedal felt odd, I couldn't seem to heel-and-toe it (maybe in time?), I ground the 2-3 shift (I rarely grind gears, but it seems 3 and 5 are longer throws than 2 and 4), and that crazy engine...

There's basically no power until you get into the rpm stratosphere (for a non-rotary <g>), then it hits with a vengence, accompanied by an incredibly loud noise which sounds like the engine shredding itself. You have to force yourself to keep your foot in it, as every instinct tells you the engine is gonna blow.

It's fun the first few times. But then I started thinking that this is what you have to do every time you want to accelerate for merging, etc. Again, for some people, that's a feature, so don't take my word for it. It IS a fun ride, in it's own way :)

I'm not sure when mine was produced.....I have the L flash.....but Sh!t....a hummer gets better MPG than I do.

I would have to agree that trading in your 8 for the Acura is going to cause you to take a really big hit that will probably end up not saving you much money at all, if any. How long to you intend to keep the car? If you're going to look at long term costs and you'll be driving the Acura for 8 years or so, then in the end, you might come out ahead. Also, do you know if you have negative equity on your 8 or no?

For me, fun driving expierience (spelling?) is worth the extra gas money.

Same situation here, I wish I liked the RSX as much as the 8 but I didn't. I drove an integra for 6 years and the RSX-S just isn't the same.

Funny I had a prob with the 2-3 shift on the test drive, not grinding exactly but it kinda missed or something.... I hear this is common in that car.

I miss my MPG in the integra but I haven't actually gotten in down to the exact $$ and when I do I'll probably realize it's not that big of a deal.

Scion tC.. More torque than the RSX should make it easier to drive without revving as high and give better mileage as well.. TDI from VW is also a good way to go..

I would really calculate how much you will really 'save' first. It might be 5 years down the line before you break even...

Get the "M" flash. I just got it about 2 weeks ago when I had my AC amplifier replaced. It gave me from about 15 mpg in the city to close to 17 mpg. I do mostly city driving and when I was hitting it hard I was getting between 12 - 13 mpg and now I am seeing 15 mpg at a minimum when driving it hard. I will add CZ's Stage I soon and that will give me the better mpg when driving hard so I should see another 1 mpg when driving hard, by my estimates.

I just got the m flash a month ago and also just turned 5,000 miles on the engine...thanks for the replies!!!!! I'll do the math and figure out the savings(if any)......thanks again, Markiev

JasonHamilton....

I've got a lil rsx-s over here...and since it's "just a 160 hp Acura" you should be able to kill me rite?

I'd race you straight for a "g" right now no questions asked...you ignorant, cocky bastard. I'd bring a camcorder so I could get the look on your face recorded and put it online....loser....

haha, hostile. I'd like to see that race.