steven975

I have a few questions on the RX8. I currently have a 99 Integra GSR, but I want rear drive+LSD and I think this is the car for me.

Pricing: it seems i can get this car for well under sticker; let me know if I'm wrong.

Radio: can a new one be put in? i hear the Bose is no good so I won't get that.

Wheels: don't you think the 18" wheels SEVERELY impair acceleration and handling? The rotary doesn't have much torque. How heavy are the wheels? Can 16's from the AT be used or are the brakes too big?

Selling my car: any idea on how much. Edmunds TMV for PP is about $11K, dealer retail $12K. The GSR is very uncommon, so there are virtually no listings...the ones out there are $13K+.

TRZ750

Yes the dealers are running deals. Mazda is trying to push Mazda oly dealers and giving thm a kick back, st try there first.

The rotary actually has good low end for the size engine it is. Every one just says little low end because it has so much top end. I commonly run in top gear as low as 2,000 rpm with no problem if you are just cruising along. I think it was Road & Track that stated the 8 was the oly car that could go through their figure 8 test without shifting.
No problem with the 18" wheels. If you went with 16" you would have to use taller tires and have more side wall flex and less handling or a lower car and resulting problem.
I like the stock radio, but I am not a radio buff.

TRZ750

Yes the dealers are running deals. Mazda is trying to push Mazda oly dealers and giving thm a kick back, st try there first.

The rotary actually has good low end for the size engine it is. Every one just says little low end because it has so much top end. I commonly run in top gear as low as 2,000 rpm with no problem if you are just cruising along. I think it was Road & Track that stated the 8 was the oly car that could go through their figure 8 test without shifting.
No problem with the 18" wheels. If you went with 16" you would have to use taller tires and have more side wall flex and less handling or a lower car and resulting problem.
I like the stock radio, but I am not a radio buff.

kbull

The 18" wheels house some nice low-profile tires, which handle better than taller tires, as TRZ750 said. In terms of torque, you have to remember that the engine torque is not the effective torque. The maximum effective torque is the engine torque multiplied by the first gear ratio and the final drive ratio. The final drive ratio in the 8 is a good deal higher than most other cars, probably because of the high-revving engine. Therefore, the seemingly inadequate engine torque translates into more acceptable effective torque at the low end. Still not a ton, but more than most people give it credit for.

Riccio

From an appearance standpoint, the 18" wheels sure fit the wheel opening much nicer than the 16" wheels - so much so that when the rare picture has been posted here with the 16" wheels (see pic section) it looks very strange.

kbull

Also, do you really think the weight of the wheels affect acceleration that much? And do you really think knocking a couple inches off is going to make that significantly better? I've never heard that the weight of the wheels are the determining factor for acceleration- I've always thought the weight of the car contributes far more to acceleration than does that of the wheels.

TwoZooms

1. Pricing: if you search the forums, you'll find most people paying under MSRP, and some under dealer invoice.

2. Stock radio: it's decent, but not outstanding. When I had my 8 in for some dealer-installed options, they lent me a Mazda 6 with a Bose system, which sounded terrific to me. I can't profess to be an expert on the subject, though. I assume an aftermarket radio could be installed -- you'd have to check with the dealer.

3. 18" wheels: as others have explained, these allow use of a very low profile tire, which improves responsiveness. Weight isn't an issue -- the whole car weighs barely 3,000 pounds.

4. Low-end torque: rotaries are different than piston engines, period. No matter how big or small the tires, you'll never get smoky burnouts from idle (or even from 3,000 rpm). From my perspective, that's a reasonable trade-off for intoxicatingly smooth power that climbs with the revs. It's an engine that demands more involvement from the driver, which is exactly why it's such a delight.

steven975

wheels are unsprung weight. it is best to have as little as possible. the aluminum arms and carbon driveshafts should help. you ever spin a gyroscope and try to move it...same princople with heavy wheels. Still, i think 16's with 215/50's would be just as good; i think the 18's are a style decision myself.

also, on the effective torque...my car has a 4.4FD (close to the 8) so I know about effective torque in fact, the gear ratios are pretty much the same as my GSR. The 8 spins 4000@80, right?

The big thing was the radio. Crutchfield says none fit, but the store linked from here has stereo brackets so I guess a radio can be added. I'm just not a Bose fan as they tend to use cheap materials and have glaring frequency gaps.

stangmatt66

I opted for the BOSE system because this radio cannot be upgraded to an aftermarket unit. The radio sits behind the dash and is controlled via buttons on the molded dash, which also contains the HVAC controls. Sure, you can swap out the radio, but I don't know how you'd control it without the dash panel.

As for the BOSE sound quality, it has great mid-range and treble, but no bass to speak of. It doesn't even come close to the Monsoon system in my VW Golf. I'm planning to install two 10" subs in the trunk to compensate.

SikRedRX-8

Also as far as selling your GSR, they are not that rare. Many people opt for the LS or GS an swap the head/motor. I had a few friends sell their GSR's 99-00 with low miles and excellent condition and got about 9k on a trade in. They were only getting offers of about 7-8k privately. Color has a lot to do with selling Teg's if you have the supersonic blue expect to get about 1-2k more.

kidcas

i'm getting a head unit installed in the dash above the display panel... that way the radio in the dash remains untouched and still looks good.... the extra dash piece cost about $80.... and a head unit can run you some money if you get a good one.... mines is an alpine cva1005.... you can't control it from the wheel, but most good head units come with remotes anyways...

kbull

Yeah, it spins about 4000@80 in 6th- Is your GSR a six speed? What's it's redline? I've only driven a base Integra, so I'm just curious here...

Nubo

Acceleration = Force / Mass. The mass of the wheels is a small fraction of the total mass of the car. Yes, rotating mass does have some additional penalty but still small potatoes unless you're looking to shave 1/100's of seconds in quarter-mile. Guess it depends on your definition of "severe"

steven975

GSR is a 5spd actually. 8100RPM The 8 basically has an extra gear stuffed in as 4-5th on the teg and 5-6th on the 8 are close in ratio. FD is almost the same, too.

Xystas

The 18" Stock wheels are actually not that bad... of course, it would be nice to have stock rear 245's or 255's instead of 225's.

I got my car for $ 4000 sticker price. Which I thought wasn't that bad for the Grand Touring package plus the spare tire kit, all four splash guards, etc...

I like the BOSE audio... it's plenty for me. When I had my old Hyundai, I had an Alpine system, one of the best I've ever owned, but that was also a $ 3000 investment on a $ 3000 car.

If you want cheap, and the car, get the base 6 speed model.


J

DJ Freon

Just so you know there is a piece that allows you to control any radio that has an IR remote from the steering wheel. It's a programmable piece from Pacific Accessory Corporation called the SWIX (steering wheel interface model X). It's about $80 MSRP, and it's easy to program. We use them all the time where I work.

affenage

Cool about the SWIX, thanks for that!
I'm really into sound systems, and I've been in the 6 - that Bose AIN'T the RX8 Bose. The 6 sounds much cleaner, and brighter. Neither is great on bass but an aftermarket amp and sub should fix that pretty easily. I'm going to add one on and a couple of Infinity speakers. I'm hoping the Head unit will sound ok as is with those improvements, but it is nice to know that a new one can be programmed into the steering if need be.
If it weren't for the leather, I would say forget the xtra for the Bose.
Sue

DJ Freon

In case you need it, here's the link.

http://www.go2pac.com/products/swi.htm