this car will get you laid. thats all you need to know

do hot chicks stip down for you in a "commuter car" the answer is no! hhaha

seriously though ... i avg soemtimes 16 mpg to 20 mpg. If you daily driving is one way at 80 mph . youll average 22 mpg .. i still dotn know why that is ... but its true.

The car handles like a dream and you wont ever get tired of it.

 

I've daily driven my 8 for over 2 years and 46,000 miles and it's the best part of my workday.

 

One thing I'll say (and this may be the case with all cars, but I think it's worse with the 8) is that gas milage plummets when cold. I drive mine every day to work, but it's only about 10 minutes/8miles each way. Gas mileage in regular driving is around 21mpg average, but when i'm just commuting, and i'm 1/2 way there by the time it's totally warmed up, I get ~16mpg.

 

just thought id throw my input in there... my 04' 8 has 110000 miles on it and its still runnin like a top... of course the car needs general stuff like im buying a new battery for it here soon but other than small minor things its a great car... you'll have to deal with the minor stuff with honda's too just to let you know...

like everyone else has said.. dont buy this car for good gas mileage- you'll be majorly disappointed...buy this car to have fun and fun you will have

 

110,000 miles - that was kind of a magic number for my Accord. It now has just under 210,000 miles, but around 110 a *lot* of stuff wore out. Nothing really unexpected. Clutch. CV boots. Timing belt. The 8 should actually be cheaper than a Honda at that point. It has no timing belt. Also, as RWD, it does not have the kind of CV boot issues that a FWD car does.

Ken

 

i drive 60+ miles a day, 5 days a week. plus maybe 20-40 miles on the weekend. i fill up $40/2x a week.

its a ******* fantastic commuter car. this is why.... you look forward to your commute.

 

And where does your friend have his SAE cert from?

 

buy a honda

 

Actually, with its Traction Control System (TCS), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and 50/50 weight balance, I find the 8 to be quite good in the rain, and snow and ice, too (provided it's fitted with winter tires). The only drawback is that the car—and engine—are relatively low. So I avoid driving thru puddles (more so than with other cars), and more than 4" of snow is… too much.

 

True...with semi-slicks on I was able to take a nice graceful line in a heavy downpour and "swim" my way thru 60 mph home...

 

the only car you can get that will perform close to as well as the rx-8 and still get fantastic gas mileage (up to 35 mpg on the highway) is the Honda civic Si or SiR, the handling won't be as good, but your gas mileage will rock and it's just as fast.

I don't use the rx-8 as a daily driver. My commute, or lack thereof, is too short and the mileage on a cold engine is worse than bad (my drive is just long enough to heat the engine to normal operating temp). However this car cruises like a dream, it's relaxed and quiet on the highway, and you're still just a downshift away from a lot of power and some decent and very unique noise. Handles like a dream on a twisty back country road.

There are very very few cars out there that will handle as well as the rx-8 and be more practical. the only ones that come to mind in the same price class are the subaru impreza wrx and maybe the civic Si.

As for reliability, take care of it and it'll take care of you. There have been many ppl with issues and many more without. I personally don't think rotary engines can last as long as piston engines, I'd like to see a rotary with the 275.000 miles on my saturn's engine (granted, it's a gutless oil burning piece of **** by now, but it works ok still), but very few people keep a car for that long, it will probably last you it's useful life before you decide to upgrade or mod.

 

hmm.. IS-300, IS-350. s2000 if 4 seats aren't needed. New Pontiac g8, used BMW 3's & 5s. Mercedes C classes.

But... what sets this car apart is the rotary. I don't think comparing a FF to a RWD or AWD car is an even comparison, having one of each at some point, the driving style very's greatly. Yes you can achieve the same performance level between the 3 types (i didn't even list MRs), Sure late breaking in a FF will compensate vs a rwd and a typical driver will have more confidence... then the AWD you can be a hero and just turn and stomp it. RWD and especially MR are probably one of the most difficult cars to drive at their limit.

The Wankel is definitely awesome. Now if Mazda can standardize the Hydrogen fuel usage on the fly, and beat Mercedes out the gates... i think the Rotary comeback in imminent.

For a RWD 4dr that handles like a 2dr coupe with a very balanced initial turn in, it's a pretty stable car to drive fast. Leave the DSC & TCS on, you won't have to worry to much of overdriving your car, great for rainy days... Which alot of the other comparative models from 04+ don't have in the same price point.

 

Have anyone seen the video of that honda civic that went past 999,999 miles and back to 0... LOL IT was quite an achievement haha