RX-8 (2004) Test Drive & Initial Impressions
09-15-2003, 08:40 AM
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Originally posted by IkeWRX
I figure if I let some time go by you'll all have very very smelly feet and be fired from your jobs due to the stench, then later your families will disown you for the same reasons, then after a while your cars will be repoed. Then we'll have a bunch of angry, poor, smelly, ex RX-8 drivers walking around the streets incoherently mumbling something about straightline performance and trolls.
Ike
I figure if I let some time go by you'll all have very very smelly feet and be fired from your jobs due to the stench, then later your families will disown you for the same reasons, then after a while your cars will be repoed. Then we'll have a bunch of angry, poor, smelly, ex RX-8 drivers walking around the streets incoherently mumbling something about straightline performance and trolls.
Ike
09-15-2003, 09:55 AM
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Originally posted by IkeWRX
I figure if I let some time go by you'll all have very very smelly feet and be fired from your jobs due to the stench, then later your families will disown you for the same reasons, then after a while your cars will be repoed. Then we'll have a bunch of angry, poor, smelly, ex RX-8 drivers walking around the streets incoherently mumbling something about straightline performance and trolls.
Ike
I figure if I let some time go by you'll all have very very smelly feet and be fired from your jobs due to the stench, then later your families will disown you for the same reasons, then after a while your cars will be repoed. Then we'll have a bunch of angry, poor, smelly, ex RX-8 drivers walking around the streets incoherently mumbling something about straightline performance and trolls.
Ike
09-15-2003, 10:00 AM
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Originally posted by IkeWRX
I figure if I let some time go by you'll all have very very smelly feet and be fired from your jobs due to the stench, then later your families will disown you for the same reasons, then after a while your cars will be repoed. Then we'll have a bunch of angry, poor, smelly, ex RX-8 drivers walking around the streets incoherently mumbling something about straightline performance and trolls.
Ike
I figure if I let some time go by you'll all have very very smelly feet and be fired from your jobs due to the stench, then later your families will disown you for the same reasons, then after a while your cars will be repoed. Then we'll have a bunch of angry, poor, smelly, ex RX-8 drivers walking around the streets incoherently mumbling something about straightline performance and trolls.
Ike
09-15-2003, 10:04 AM
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.....you'll end up with smelly feet, disowned and to top it off: paranoid about Subie & Evo drivers giving you the finger when their intercoolers and airfilters suck up the bacteria coming from your feet.....:p
09-16-2003, 02:51 AM
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Originally posted by Genom
Add to this the fact that I have free sevrice for the next 8 years on the car (and I plan on keeping it for a long *** time) and what can I compain about? Sure the mileage is not as high as my old Neon, but who cares? Not me!
Add to this the fact that I have free sevrice for the next 8 years on the car (and I plan on keeping it for a long *** time) and what can I compain about? Sure the mileage is not as high as my old Neon, but who cares? Not me!
how did you manage to get 8 years of free service? is this a special deal for CUBA? is this in any way related to the 4/48K Mazda warranty?
09-16-2003, 03:44 AM
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Originally posted by klegg
mine is red, red/blk interior, and I feel like I am getting into a ferrari every time I drive it!
Did I mention the rotary?!
mine is red, red/blk interior, and I feel like I am getting into a ferrari every time I drive it!
Did I mention the rotary?!
==============================================
Originally posted by graphicguy
If you're on the fence, go with your gut feeling. I compared the Z/G cars to this car. Every time I got out of the Z/G I always found things I liked about the RX8 better.
More pros....
-Rotary is one of the best sounding cars on the road.
-Great stereo
-probably the best combination of sports and comfort I've found in any car
-to get significantly better all around performance, you are going to have to spend significantly more money (I think the next rung up the performance ladder would most likely be a Corvette)
-best steering/shifting/clutch action I've found short of a Porsche
-my MPG is dead on what the MSRP says it should be
-useable power from 2K RPM all the way up to its redline at 9K RPM
-Can be used as a daily driver (try that in a Viper)
-Not boring to look at (like the Acuras)
-the most readable, gorgeous set of guages I've seen in any car
I could go on, but you get the drift.
If you're on the fence, go with your gut feeling. I compared the Z/G cars to this car. Every time I got out of the Z/G I always found things I liked about the RX8 better.
More pros....
-Rotary is one of the best sounding cars on the road.
-Great stereo
-probably the best combination of sports and comfort I've found in any car
-to get significantly better all around performance, you are going to have to spend significantly more money (I think the next rung up the performance ladder would most likely be a Corvette)
-best steering/shifting/clutch action I've found short of a Porsche
-my MPG is dead on what the MSRP says it should be
-useable power from 2K RPM all the way up to its redline at 9K RPM
-Can be used as a daily driver (try that in a Viper)
-Not boring to look at (like the Acuras)
-the most readable, gorgeous set of guages I've seen in any car
I could go on, but you get the drift.
my gut feeling is to go for it! but i'm hesitant after reading more about the 8 on this site for the following reasons:
1) inaccurate gas mileage
2) heat in the front passenger leg area
3) issues with the Air Conditioning
4) unknowns with Mazda service (not researched or referenced from this forum yet...)
5) hearing personal horror stories from friends who currently own MPV and Millenia and Miata in regards to poor (EXTREMELY POOR) service
i don't know if you would add any gripes to your 8 after your purchase...
but here's some responses to your post:
a) i can recognize a FORD 289, FORD 302 or FORD 427 engine with my ears cut off. the sound of a big block engine at full throttle is music to my ears. but i'm willing to learn what a rotary sounds like! but i tend to believe that from a dead stop/idle a rotary is pretty silent and doesn't start to sing until 7K in 1st gear. by then the car is travelling about ~45 MPH
b) stereo looks cool. i did not turn on the radio during my 20 minute test drive. i strictly drove the car ... enjoyed it too! =P
c) this car seems to be in a class by itself...it's a paradox... a comfortable affordable sports car with useable & accessible back seat. to me it's more of a sports car than a Audi TT or BMW 330CI but less of a sports car when compared to the 350Z, Boxer or 911. there's no other car like it! the comparisons are unequal. There is no equivalent car to compare the RX-8 to.
d) all around performance winner? i'd disagree. i think it's a good compromise between power and acceleration and daily driving. i would likely use the car for a fun commute. i think the compelling reason for me is the price to value ratio of the RX-8. if the nearest performance equivalent car to the 8 is a 350Z, you can't buy the same features with $29K on a 350Z.
e) i've driven my friends Porsche Boxster S and Audi TT Quattro and i prefer the RX-8 clutch and acceleration. the boxster seemed heavy and dull in the steering and in the low gears. the acceleration of the TT was not impressive either. but my preferences again tend to crave torque which the RX-8 lacks in the specs but does not evidence it self in driving.
f) i like the guages too with one EXCEPTION. i don't like the digital speedo! i'm a traditionalist and like to see a needle on my MPH/KPH.
---
apparently, the folks who are returning their 8 to Mazda won't try to convince me out of getting this car...
09-16-2003, 03:53 AM
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jimbo_gixxer
You summed the cars pros and cons nicely. The car really does not fit into any one catagory neatly, it is very ujnique
Drive it a few times, and then decide. The problem here is that some people trash the car, and do not own it.
Then there are people who are very defensive about the car, to \point of blindness.
Some people have, for whatever reason, been very disapointed with the car. While I personally feel their compliants are overstated, they do have some valid points, for example, the **** poor mpg.
This car clearly is a individual choice, And requires carefull evaluation.
You summed the cars pros and cons nicely. The car really does not fit into any one catagory neatly, it is very ujnique
Drive it a few times, and then decide. The problem here is that some people trash the car, and do not own it.
Then there are people who are very defensive about the car, to \point of blindness.
Some people have, for whatever reason, been very disapointed with the car. While I personally feel their compliants are overstated, they do have some valid points, for example, the **** poor mpg.
This car clearly is a individual choice, And requires carefull evaluation.
09-16-2003, 04:06 AM
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Re: Re: RX-8 (2004) Test Drive & Initial Impressions
Originally posted by Squidward
being that you are an american muscle car fan, you have to realize the RX-8 doesn't have the same numbers or straight line performance as high-HP v8's and such...
but if that doesn't bother you, then definitely get the car, because it has SOOOOO much more to offer..
Appreciate the RX-8 for what it *IS* and don't fool yourself for things which the car isn't.
The RX-8 IS:
beautiful inside and outx
unique. definitely very different from any other car, IMO. Enough heads have been turned for me to validate this for myself.
plenty powerful.. has enough pep for passing up most cars.
handles wonderfully.. just about the one attribute about this car that sets itself above the rest in its class, so observed by all the major car publications.
a sportscar (it looks like a sportscar, it feels like a sportscar.. it's a sportscar, end of story.)
a sedan (seats four full size adults.)
rotary engined auto that has a very unique sound.. too quite for some, music for most owners, especially in the upper RPM ranges.
very quiet. unless you push the engine, the car is VERY quiet.. As or more quiet than expensive german luxury autos like the BMW's and Audi's.
smoooooooth.. you got that feeling on your first test drive...
economically sound investment. best bang for the buck, for sure....
The RX8 ISN'T:
a racecar. it isn't blistering in stright-line performance. many souped up imports can "kill" this car. but don't let that bother you, because their cars can't even compare in so many other ways. for me, the same comparison would be a porsche being beat by a motorcycle.. you can always find something to get ahead of another vehicle. But that doesn't necessarily make it "better".
for boring people. being a cool-cat with some taste is a prerequisite for ownership.
a luxury car.. for you materialistic, superficial people, sorry but even if it does compare to the luxury cars in terms of design and style, it's still not a luxury car.. doesn't give off the "I'm rich" feeling that ,say, an SL500 exudes (an equally if not more beautiful car). Interior fit and finish is a far cry from "luxury", IMO. Albeit is better than most economically sound cars... it's a Mazda.. a damn nice looking one, but nonetheless, a Mazda.. Yes, I'd feel damn good driving an 2003 SL500, even if it doesn't go 0-60 as fast...
a sipper.. it's a guzzler. (so you've heard??) I get 16mpg right now.. turning off DSC/TCS takes it up a couple of points at best. btw I use 87 octane.
for the lazy... you might have gotten away with missed oil changes in your previous pistoned engine car, but according to our resident rotary experts, this one will definitely pay the price for poor maintenance.
being that you are an american muscle car fan, you have to realize the RX-8 doesn't have the same numbers or straight line performance as high-HP v8's and such...
but if that doesn't bother you, then definitely get the car, because it has SOOOOO much more to offer..
Appreciate the RX-8 for what it *IS* and don't fool yourself for things which the car isn't.
The RX-8 IS:
beautiful inside and outx
unique. definitely very different from any other car, IMO. Enough heads have been turned for me to validate this for myself.
plenty powerful.. has enough pep for passing up most cars.
handles wonderfully.. just about the one attribute about this car that sets itself above the rest in its class, so observed by all the major car publications.
a sportscar (it looks like a sportscar, it feels like a sportscar.. it's a sportscar, end of story.)
a sedan (seats four full size adults.)
rotary engined auto that has a very unique sound.. too quite for some, music for most owners, especially in the upper RPM ranges.
very quiet. unless you push the engine, the car is VERY quiet.. As or more quiet than expensive german luxury autos like the BMW's and Audi's.
smoooooooth.. you got that feeling on your first test drive...
economically sound investment. best bang for the buck, for sure....
The RX8 ISN'T:
a racecar. it isn't blistering in stright-line performance. many souped up imports can "kill" this car. but don't let that bother you, because their cars can't even compare in so many other ways. for me, the same comparison would be a porsche being beat by a motorcycle.. you can always find something to get ahead of another vehicle. But that doesn't necessarily make it "better".
for boring people. being a cool-cat with some taste is a prerequisite for ownership.
a luxury car.. for you materialistic, superficial people, sorry but even if it does compare to the luxury cars in terms of design and style, it's still not a luxury car.. doesn't give off the "I'm rich" feeling that ,say, an SL500 exudes (an equally if not more beautiful car). Interior fit and finish is a far cry from "luxury", IMO. Albeit is better than most economically sound cars... it's a Mazda.. a damn nice looking one, but nonetheless, a Mazda.. Yes, I'd feel damn good driving an 2003 SL500, even if it doesn't go 0-60 as fast...
a sipper.. it's a guzzler. (so you've heard??) I get 16mpg right now.. turning off DSC/TCS takes it up a couple of points at best. btw I use 87 octane.
for the lazy... you might have gotten away with missed oil changes in your previous pistoned engine car, but according to our resident rotary experts, this one will definitely pay the price for poor maintenance.
i think i AGREE with EVERYTHING you state in this post... Actually, i do appreciate the RX-8 for what it is. With the exception of the 350Z, there are no cars i can compare this to for the under $40K / 4 seater / sports category. I recognize that the 8 appeals to a market niche that no manufacturer has successfully marketed until now. I'm smitten with the Black/Red Leather interior with some reservations of the digital speedometer. My one gripe about American Muscle cars are the interiors. Absolutely boring and utilitarian! I hate the interiors of Mustangs and Corvettes. The 8 gives me reason to drool...
oh - are rotary oil changes any different from standard engines? i'm kinda lazy... here's my first post on the MPG debate:
i would routinely get 16 MPG with a Ford Mustang GT V8 driving like a maniac. something funky is going on with the rate of consumption on a 1.3 litre Rotary that only gets 16 mpg. This seems highly illogical....
09-16-2003, 08:07 AM
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Originally posted by jimbo_gixxer
:D :D cool sounds like the configuration i would pick... :D :D
==============================================
hey graphic -
my gut feeling is to go for it! but i'm hesitant after reading more about the 8 on this site for the following reasons:
1) inaccurate gas mileage
2) heat in the front passenger leg area
3) issues with the Air Conditioning
4) unknowns with Mazda service (not researched or referenced from this forum yet...)
5) hearing personal horror stories from friends who currently own MPV and Millenia and Miata in regards to poor (EXTREMELY POOR) service
i don't know if you would add any gripes to your 8 after your purchase...
but here's some responses to your post:
a) i can recognize a FORD 289, FORD 302 or FORD 427 engine with my ears cut off. the sound of a big block engine at full throttle is music to my ears. but i'm willing to learn what a rotary sounds like! but i tend to believe that from a dead stop/idle a rotary is pretty silent and doesn't start to sing until 7K in 1st gear. by then the car is travelling about ~45 MPH
b) stereo looks cool. i did not turn on the radio during my 20 minute test drive. i strictly drove the car ... enjoyed it too! =P
c) this car seems to be in a class by itself...it's a paradox... a comfortable affordable sports car with useable & accessible back seat. to me it's more of a sports car than a Audi TT or BMW 330CI but less of a sports car when compared to the 350Z, Boxer or 911. there's no other car like it! the comparisons are unequal. There is no equivalent car to compare the RX-8 to.
d) all around performance winner? i'd disagree. i think it's a good compromise between power and acceleration and daily driving. i would likely use the car for a fun commute. i think the compelling reason for me is the price to value ratio of the RX-8. if the nearest performance equivalent car to the 8 is a 350Z, you can't buy the same features with $29K on a 350Z.
e) i've driven my friends Porsche Boxster S and Audi TT Quattro and i prefer the RX-8 clutch and acceleration. the boxster seemed heavy and dull in the steering and in the low gears. the acceleration of the TT was not impressive either. but my preferences again tend to crave torque which the RX-8 lacks in the specs but does not evidence it self in driving.
f) i like the guages too with one EXCEPTION. i don't like the digital speedo! i'm a traditionalist and like to see a needle on my MPH/KPH.
---
apparently, the folks who are returning their 8 to Mazda won't try to convince me out of getting this car...
:D :D cool sounds like the configuration i would pick... :D :D
==============================================
hey graphic -
my gut feeling is to go for it! but i'm hesitant after reading more about the 8 on this site for the following reasons:
1) inaccurate gas mileage
2) heat in the front passenger leg area
3) issues with the Air Conditioning
4) unknowns with Mazda service (not researched or referenced from this forum yet...)
5) hearing personal horror stories from friends who currently own MPV and Millenia and Miata in regards to poor (EXTREMELY POOR) service
i don't know if you would add any gripes to your 8 after your purchase...
but here's some responses to your post:
a) i can recognize a FORD 289, FORD 302 or FORD 427 engine with my ears cut off. the sound of a big block engine at full throttle is music to my ears. but i'm willing to learn what a rotary sounds like! but i tend to believe that from a dead stop/idle a rotary is pretty silent and doesn't start to sing until 7K in 1st gear. by then the car is travelling about ~45 MPH
b) stereo looks cool. i did not turn on the radio during my 20 minute test drive. i strictly drove the car ... enjoyed it too! =P
c) this car seems to be in a class by itself...it's a paradox... a comfortable affordable sports car with useable & accessible back seat. to me it's more of a sports car than a Audi TT or BMW 330CI but less of a sports car when compared to the 350Z, Boxer or 911. there's no other car like it! the comparisons are unequal. There is no equivalent car to compare the RX-8 to.
d) all around performance winner? i'd disagree. i think it's a good compromise between power and acceleration and daily driving. i would likely use the car for a fun commute. i think the compelling reason for me is the price to value ratio of the RX-8. if the nearest performance equivalent car to the 8 is a 350Z, you can't buy the same features with $29K on a 350Z.
e) i've driven my friends Porsche Boxster S and Audi TT Quattro and i prefer the RX-8 clutch and acceleration. the boxster seemed heavy and dull in the steering and in the low gears. the acceleration of the TT was not impressive either. but my preferences again tend to crave torque which the RX-8 lacks in the specs but does not evidence it self in driving.
f) i like the guages too with one EXCEPTION. i don't like the digital speedo! i'm a traditionalist and like to see a needle on my MPH/KPH.
---
apparently, the folks who are returning their 8 to Mazda won't try to convince me out of getting this car...
MPG has been all over the board with this car. I'm getting what the MSRP sticker says I should be getting. That said, when I first got the car, it was pretty dismal. As the car is breaking in, it's getting better and better.
The stereo is one of the best I've heard short of the Levinson units in the Lexus. That's pretty amazing given it's of the BOSE variety that has been reviled in other makes.
Performance wise, taking it as a total package, It's got acceleration that's within a few tenths of its supposed competition. The trump card is it's hi quality materials and build quality. The way it carves a road with precision is unmatched at its price point. Throw in the comfort level and its utility with a useable trunk and back seat, it's a pretty compelling package for a sports car.
I was worried about the digital speedometer myself. After driving it for a week, I much prefered the digi speedo for its quick glance capabilities (no little hash marks to decipher....just a number).
There is some heat that's generated with the engine being so close to the passenger compartment. I have yet to find it uncomfortable. You will get some A/C compressor on/off cycling, but even in 95 degree weather, I've never been uncomfortable in the cabin.
While not a slight to 350Z/G35 owners, those cars feel very corse in comparison to the RX8s overall smoothness and precision.
This is the first Mazda I've owned. The only thing I can say about my dealer service in the limited time I've dealt with them, they've been exemplary. The only thing I had done on my car was the CEL light came on. They didn't blink for a second in putting me in a new protege to drive around until they found out what the problem was (new EVAP unit). I haven't been to the dealer again. The Mazda RX8 customer support line has been extremely helpful during THE LETTER campaign.
In short, the more I drive the RX8, the more I find to like about it and I haven't even explored the "nether regions" of its performance capabilities.
Still, lots of good cars out there. The choice is obviously yours. When Mazda made the buyback offer, I re-test drove all the other cars on my list. I came away more confident in the RX8 than when I started my car buying quest. Regarding the Audi TT, I only drove it once. I couldn't get comfortable in it and it was "quirky" in its own way. Can't deny it as a visual statement, though.
09-16-2003, 12:55 PM
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Originally posted by jimbo_gixxer
how did you manage to get 8 years of free service? is this a special deal for CUBA? is this in any way related to the 4/48K Mazda warranty?
how did you manage to get 8 years of free service? is this a special deal for CUBA? is this in any way related to the 4/48K Mazda warranty?
09-16-2003, 05:43 PM
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As far as service goes wev'e owned 3 late model Mazdas and the ONLY time we had trouble was an issue with tires - which are not actually covered under the MAZDA warranty. We got a major run around from the tire company and finally Mazda bought us 4 new tires - still a good thing (did not have to). We've worked with 3 different dealers no major problems.
As a first time owner of a rotary - the sound starts in the morning, in the garage like a purring hum. On the road it is like a jet sound with a triumph-like spitfire exhaust at takeoff.
The car is so unique that people just don't know what to compare it to. Some compare it to the fully compromised sports cars - 350Z and Boxsters (no room, rougher ride and noise) and others compare it to somewhat less compromised sports sedans - BMW 330, G35 duo, etc.
heat - yes there be heat in them wells not unlike miata though.
daily driver? cant be beat!!!!
87 octane turn off DSC/TCS and get 18.2 mpg city
and like you said all around perfomance winner (every category) - no. OVERALL PERFORMANCE WINNER - YES!!!!
As a first time owner of a rotary - the sound starts in the morning, in the garage like a purring hum. On the road it is like a jet sound with a triumph-like spitfire exhaust at takeoff.
The car is so unique that people just don't know what to compare it to. Some compare it to the fully compromised sports cars - 350Z and Boxsters (no room, rougher ride and noise) and others compare it to somewhat less compromised sports sedans - BMW 330, G35 duo, etc.
heat - yes there be heat in them wells not unlike miata though.
daily driver? cant be beat!!!!
87 octane turn off DSC/TCS and get 18.2 mpg city
and like you said all around perfomance winner (every category) - no. OVERALL PERFORMANCE WINNER - YES!!!!
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