RX-8 Improvements - Tell Mazda
 

Although a thread was done some time ago on bettering the RX-8 I thought it would be interesting to share some of our suggestions now that some of us have lived with the car for nearly a year now (10 months)

One thing a friend of mine suggested was that Mazda really jump ahead and offer a direct jack hookup on their radios for MP3 players.

I have considered (aside from major engine mods like SUPERCHARGERS) that they add another option on our mode selector to include a rotary symbol - send cold air to intake.

OKay, your turn. Perhaps Mazda will entertain our ideas. I know MNAO is aware of us.

Mazda is known for perusing the Miata.net boards and taking the feedback to heart. I wouldn't bet against them doing the same thing here. Most companies would kill to get the kind of feedback on their products that Mazda can get from this board.

As a non-RX-8 owner, my opinions don't matter much, but as a prospective owner, I would like to see:

1. Pre-amp outputs on the stereo.
2. More horsepower.
3. Aluminum interior trim option.
4. More horsepower.
5. Analog speedometer.
6. More horsepower.
7. If they really want to go crazy, offer a stripper version to reduce weight. Keep all the go-fast parts on it and throw in some Recaro seats. Upgrade the brakes to Brembos and give it, yup, more horsepower.

T.

Better gas mileage. Oh, has anyone mentioned more horsepower?

Here are my beefs..(and sugested solutions)
1. Front end brake dust. (Offer ceramic pads stock)
2. Cupholder placement. (Anywhere but the arm rest. I like them forward of the shifter)
3. Additional HP and low end torque (sorry Im not an engineer)

-give us the 250HP originally promised
-put the front cup holders someplace else
-taller 6th gear - 80mph should equal 3k rpms NOT 4000
-slightly larger gas tank
-get rid of the rickety noise in the clutch/tranny
-ability to turn off the TCS but leave on the DSC instead of the other way around


also, a nice big OEM sticker on the back window of Calvin pissing all over a Ford insignia would be a nice added touch as well

Little things:

Make both windows AUTO power down.

Both driver and passenger seats need a "quick release" feature for rear passengers.

Coin holder should have some sort of padding to keep change from "clanging" around.

Thats about it. - And better gas mileage and HP wouldn't hurt either.

larger gas tank
cheaper MS body kits
better MPG
more horses
Acura-like Nav :D
the wheels wont-get-scratched design
stronger AC
(and completely FIX the flood problem, if possibile)

Geez, we are giving free "professional" suggestions to mazda! :D

P.S. this thread should be sticky, so that Mazda can remember what to improve whenever they drop by ;)

I want to see them finally learn how to tune the RX-8 ecu. Mazda if you guys are listening, I CAN TUNE IT BETTER!!! You've got all this money and designed and built the damn thing. Why'd you mess up here? If it were done right we wouldn't need another new flash every month or so. Retuning could give more horsepower, better mileage, easier starting, and would still pass emissions. Oh yes it is possible! Many complaints taken care of with one solution. It is also the cheapest thing to take care of.

Build a stronger transmission.

Actually educate your dealers and service centers. Both, yes all whopping 2 of your competent mechanics hang out on this board. Maybe the rest should.

Get your $hit straight about what oils you do and do not recommend. We all know that synthetic is fine. Just say it.

Don't raise the price of the car next year. You need to get it right before you can charge more for it. Why should we pay for new mistakes? Logical isn't it?


Fix the a/c issues that some have reported.

Since everyone wants forced induction, release a turbo or a supercharged version. It needs to top 300 hp (legitimately this time!) but preferably at least 350 hp. No you can't re-rate it at 338 after it's release!

That's all that I have to say for now.

Phil Martens, Ford VP of Product Development
 

I sent a letter to Phil Martens, the VP of Product Development at FORD ( and formerly a big-wig at Mazda who drives an RX-8 for his personal transportation ) back on March 23rd congratulating him on the RX-8 and also pushing him to make the car even better. Believe it or not, on May 6th he writes me back on his very own personal executive stationery telling me that he enjoyed reading my letter, and that he too is an enthusiast.

He also said that he "couldn't give me any clues at this time, but that he was sure that I would be happy with the MAZDASPEED RX-8."

He even signed the letter personally.

You can address letters to:

Ford Motor Company
Product Development Center
Attn: Mr. Phil Martens, VP
21175 Oakwood Blvd.
Dearborn, MI 48124

My suggestions, as a prospective owner, would be to allow choosing options individually, or in smaller, less expensive packages. To get what I want, I am forced to pay for a lot of things I don't want.

I'm sure Mazda is already working on the mileage thing, but a larger tank to improve the range is a great convenience to have.

Would like to see a less bulbous front end design to better integrate the lines of the car. While we're at it, how about a normal place to mount a front license plate?

Brighten up the interior- it sure is dark back there in the rear seats!

find a way to make the Renesis a bit more torquey, even if it means forced induction

also as a perspective owner, I would also like to see this page as a sticky... but only if maturity is involved in it. we all know that more horsepower and torque would be great, I wouldn't think that the obvious shouldn't have to come up too much more.

let's see what else needs tweeked

I agree with rg, for this is the most tragic of all!! Each 'mechanic' has a different opinion about the issues of the car!!
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Oh, and I NEVER wanted 4 cupholders in a car!! And I know I'm never gonna use them, not all of them at the same time! I mean, what were they thinking? Four people in a car, all of them having a drink... in the car?!?! A cupholder is for the driver 'cause he has to keep his hands on the steering wheel. C'mon guys, get real!!

I don't mind the detuned motor so much...I just wish the drivetrain can handle at least the stock power levels...I"m scared to drift it. My 1st diff started complaining at 2700 miles and now barely 500 miles later the rear is starting to make noise again. And I read of all the trannies crapping out....I feel like it's a matter of time before my tranny starts to break down.....I swear I don't beat on my car...I wind it out to redline every once in a while, but I never drag raced it, drifted, or otherwised abused it....

I love the car, and will stick through the tough times, but I just wish it was a robust drivetrain-wise as the FD.

Oh, and I would have taken a stripper version with all the performance stuff....


Oh and if there is indeed a forced induction Mazdaspeed RX8, please offer it without any retarded body kits and spoilers. I'll take all the performance enhancing mods, without the goofy body and ugly wheels. It should be cheaper too.

An all wheel drive system would be nice more hp?

more horsies. the rear windows need to be powered.

1. Change placement of the heated seats controlls as I turn them on unintentionally daily
2. Better gas milage
3. More Hp
4. Get rid of the horrible bose sound system
5. Make a button to switch the gauges to a white face when you want to turn your lights on but it is still not dark enough for the red backlight ( as opposed to the exising dial)

1 taller 6 gear about 3k rpm at 80.
2 better gas mileage, see #1
3 cupholders not under my elbows
4 seperate buttons for dsc and tc
5 mini jack input for sound system for
mp3 / satilite radio
6 less hp, NOT, mo about 338 is good
7 headlights that turn off when you take
the key out. my 89 supra did that
8 auto temp a/c
9 headlight washers in usa

wow all these mods would probaby cost mazda less than 500 bucks to do, and think of how much more it would sell.


did i mention i love this car right now, but would buy a new one if it had all this stuff.

beers

1-better delearships, perhaps an independant one like what BMW did with the mini. One that has sales people who are trained to sell a high performance +30K car, with a service department who caters to the needs and the demands of the owners of a high performace car. This dealarship will also be a mod center.
2- More HP
3- larger gas tank
4- better MPG
5- Adjustable suspension, with inside controls to adjust shock stifness.
6- better tires
7- get rid of engine flooding
8- larger sway bars
9- all leather seats
10- NAv system to play movies, or perhpas a mini PC

Mark

You guys have to remember that the fuel effeciency of the car is dependent on the advancements of the rotary engine. One of the most cricitical improvement they made in the renesis is the side ports which I'm sure all of you know about. This is what I want to be improved.

-5 Speed Gearbox for the auto.
-Option for a sequential manual gearbox
-Powered rear windows
-lambo doors ahahhahahah

Mostly little things (all the big stuff I can think of seems to have been covered):

- re-engineer the doors so they actually stay open at those two detented positions and aren't prone to bouncing back on you (this is especially bad if I'm parked on an incline)
- widen the trunk's vertical opening just a little bit
- Definitely include an audio input for MP3 players
- larger gas tank (I'd take better mileage too, but hey...)
- rotary accent package standard: The car just isn't finished without it
- for those who don't opt for the nav, turn that unused space in the dash into a storage compartment
- Strengthen the center console sliding lid
- improve the quality of the paint job: that orange peel is starting to bug me

well, as mentioned already, more HP would be nice. 250 or + would be really nice, oh and also the following

-MP3 players should come standard.
-definately need better gas milege, it's consuming twice the fuel compared to my civic :p (dun tease my civic pls)
-a darker metallic alloy? i find the std bit too light and boring
-a way that the front door can close b4 the back door maybe? prob wont happen, but would be convenient.... hate waiting for the back passengers to come out and sometimes guests at the front passenger do not know that the backdoors need to be closed first.... and clunk ;( (i know theres a protector thing that i should have got :/)

1) aforementioned cup holders, (Realy bad placement guys)

2) MP3 player as stock item. CD's are dead guys, we burn them ourselves only cause we need them for your sterio. If that's too radical, then at least the MP3 imputs.

3) The rear seats ought to be collapseable. When we need the storage space, we need the space.

4) Powered passenger seat. My chic is pissed at me cause my chair is powered and her's isn't.

5) slidable sun visor's so that I'm not blinded when the sun is at 4 o'clock

yes better delaerships !!!1 traine those guys better...

Also relocate the front cup holders.
Adjustable pedals for us taller folks!! this is a Must !!!!
All Wheels Stearing
All Wheel Drive

Everybody wants more this and more that in cars. That is where I think most sports cars have gone wrong.

I want less. The cupholders are good for holding my phone and wallet. I do not need to see my phone when driving. I am busy. Same with drinks. Let the passenger hold your drink. That is what they are for.

If they add all the features everyone wants this car will become bloat ware. Might as well lose the rotary and put a 3.0l duratec as I feel it loses most all the advantages of being there in the first place.

No leather, no tcs, dcs, no nav, no sunroof, no, oh wait, that is what I have. It is called the base model 6-speed. :D

I want the Mazdaspeed version they already sell in Japan but without making me take all the gizmos of the GT version. That would make me happy. Hopefully the Mazdaspeed version we get does take this into consideration.

Stronger trans, more power, less weight.

I guess I want the ibuki roadster with a renesis in it weighing in at no more than 2200lbs. That would be ideal.

How about this one...

1.)Make the odometer visible without turning on the freaking car! Just about everytime I go the dealer, I forget to read the odometer before walking into the service department. When they ask me, I have to go back outside to see and in the process, risk flooding the car just so I can see how many km's are on the car.

2.) To do the very least, change the position of the cupholders. 90% Of the time I can't use them because they are too tall to close the lid and at the same time, I can't drive comfortably changing gears.

3.) Rear quarter panels should be powered...reason is obvious.

4.) Better fuel economy.

5.) More HP

I find that annoying as well, but you do not have to actually start the car. Just turn the key to the on position. Also consider the car only flood when it is cold, which I doubt it would be if you already drove it to the dealership.

I already own a "stripped down" RX. It's called a 1994 twin turbo RX-7 (moderately modified). IT will blow the doors off the 8. So, for the 8 I don't mind all the nice added touches of comfort and civility. In fact I love being able to drive a practical rotary around even though my modded FD gets as good as, if not better gas mileage (WTF?????)

My thoughts
 

Just a few of my thoughts on how to improve the 8.

More power. With all the 4 door sedans out there with 260-270 hp engines this car needs to kick it up a couple of notches. What this car needs is 260 hp, and however much amount of torque Mazda can get out of it. This is the biggest area where Mazda screwed up. Nissan got it right with the 350Z. Almost all cars have an abundance of power these days. To offer a SPORTS car with only a modest amount of power and LITTLE torque just doesn't cut it.

I think Mazda should put together a cheap power package that adds say 10-15 hp to existing 8s. How, first, by not charging an arm and a leg for the Mazdaspeed products, then having the dealers charge a lot just to install. A cheap way would be maybe a CAI and a retune. Offer a Mazdaspeed retune (not a chip, that would cost too much). Less body roll would also be nice.

Inside: I have an Ipod and I just assumed that a 2004 car would have a jack in it for a mp3. I've been noticing manufacturers do this for the past couple of years. Mazda dropped the ball on that one. Still, if Mazda came out with a new cd for the 8 that had it I would replace mine in a second.

Most importantly, be honest about everything.

1. Blow out Bose.
2. 300 hp (at least)
3. Better transmission with taller 6th.
4. bigger fuel tank.
5. new trunk button location.
6. doors that stay open.
7. trim 400 pounds off the car.
8. Brembo big brake option.
9. A/C that blows cold all the time with climate control.

Mazda needs a super car with 500 hp to sell along with the 8.

i dont understand this one. please elaborate.

1. I'd like abot 40 hp and 20ftlb torque more out of the engine.
2. built in satellite radio
3. better OEM tires...S03s at least
4. climate control or just more consistant a/c but I haven't had the latest fix for the cycling yet.
5. less expensive MS parts.

That's about it. The car is a magnificent value and a very good sports car as is though.

Less weight is the key!!
People complain about all wheel drive, powered passanger seat and rear windows for what? That would make the car so much heavier!

And the fact that the 8 is almost 1400kg makes people complain about hp, torque and the FD being so much faster!

The Renesis engine is great as it is! More hp would mean more money to buy the car, but a lighter 8,with its outstanding handling, can outrun many 'faster' cars!

Also, a fuel economy gauge like the have in BMWs.
They tell you how much fuel you're using as you go. Not sure if the 8 already has this.

Hmm . . . interesting thread.

Remember, if you are asking for All wheel drive, turbo charger . . . You are also asking for a bigger sticker price.

I am happy with the fundemental car. The balance between engine, steering, handling, brakes, and tires is excellent. The car does what it does very well. My suggestions are soley on the nuancey end.

The door checks don't work. They don't hold the doors open unless the door is held in place in the right position and on a slope the door will still go after my shin. It's the worste thing in the car.

The center console sliding cover will refuse to move back if the rear compartment is over filled. Mine is already broken, and over-filled was not really tons of stuff put in it, but one little thing that got jammed up when the cover went back. It happened again when I had a cd too many. It seems to me that if the compartment is overfilled in the first place that it should refuse to close instead of closing and then refusing to open.

The dip stick should be at a slightly different angle so that it is easier to check oil without removing the engine cover.

The oil filler cap should use a different material for the gasket because mine keeps trying to glue itself to the top of the filler, and because of this, it flipped the original cap into the bottom cover under the engine. I think that it's still there.

There should be a compartment to hold a quart of oil in the trunk. We ALL have to carry a quart, and so every car should have a place to put one quart for fill-ups.

I realize that this would cost more, but it would be nice to have (I have the basic model car with cloth seats) the seat have memory for when I have to flip it forward to let people in the back. It comes back into a straight up and down position and that's just silly. I don't think that it would be that pricey to have a seat with this capability.

Trunk button is in a very hard place to hit, and if I am in the car I have to open the door to hit the button. Further forward and on the right side of the steering column would be better if possible.

The locking system automatically locks the car if I accidentally hit the "unlock" button on the key fob unless I open a door within a minute of hitting that button. I make this mistake fairly often when I mistakenly hit the unlock button going for the trunk button. It is a silly irritation, and I understand that it is there to protect those people who make the mistake of hitting the unlock button when the mean to hit the lock button, but a fix for me would be to put the trunk on the open in one minute list of things to open before it locks then I would never know that I had a problem. Perhaps this is just my problem, but it's really easy to fix.

It would be nice to have the rear fog light as optional equipment on the car in the US, and it would be nice to have the self dimming mirror as an accessory.

That's it for me.

I'd like to see these.

Doesn't the car already have this feature? Mine does...well, it's not a button, it's more of a dial. But the result is the same.

Some of the suggestions on here are just lame. If Mazda had to put out all the requests here, the car would end up costing US$40k+ and I would not have bought it.
One rant that comes to mind is the trunk opening. I could not fit my suitcase in there. And God knows how I like to go to the airport in the 8. Best highway here to stretch the car's legs.

We already have one, don't we? There's a bin in that removable plastic gadget that opens up a space for transporting longer cargo in the trunk. I've got a quart of oil, a small bottle of Meguiars Quick Detailer, and a couple of rags in mine.

I'm with you on the doors. My driveway is on a slight incline, and the doors do not want to stay open.

powered passenger seat as well as driver seat. And what good are powered seats without a programmable memory feature.

Here's a simple and inexpensive one....

How about some gas struts to hold the hood open. The little rod that you need to use looks like something you find in a KIA.

my back was sore this morning had the ac on and the heated seats dont work with the ac on. thats BS

Okay, you realize that you're asking for 300+ HP (meaning forced induction), but you also want it to weigh 200 pounds less than a stock Civic Si? That's physically impossible at the 8's current dimensions, and completely impractical at the Miata-like dimensions you'd need to hit that weight target. In fact, during the development of the Mazdaspeed MX-5, they tried a 250-HP version, and REJECTED it. They said it felt like a Mustang convertible, with the power completely overwhelming the chassis' ability to handle it . . . and that's what you're asking for with the 8.

The 8 is not supposed to be an ultralight, ultrapowerful supercar . . . it's supposed to be a sport sedan that's blast to drive. If you must have the track star, buy an FD and mod the hell out of it.

Peace
policy

1. Better Rear Tires: The front should stay at 18W225 but the rear should be at least 18W245 or 255
2. Brembo Brakes/Ceramic Brake pads
3. All Mazdaspeed functional components
4. Lighter engine.
5. Lighter, stronger transmission with taller 6th gear.

No.4 : That rotary engine is sooo heavy!

Yeah, the heavy engine and that really heavy carbon fiber driveshaft.

The brakes are one of the last things that need to be upgraded. I am fine with the stock tire sizing as well.


A larger fuel tank would cause more weight. Fuel is heavy.

I guess I am fine with the car as it is and some minimal upgrades. I just want the Mazdaspeed version with more efficient ecu tuning.

Ok a few problems I have found have been minor...

1. Power Driver seats needs a memory feature.
2. Front Cup holders need to be infront of shifter.
3. Adjustable Pedals (I'm 6'4" but I want to be closer to the steering wheel)
4. Stereo sucks.
5. 6th gear needs to be taller for sure.
6. For Canadian markets...need to fix how options work...loved the titanium exterior couldn't stand the taupe interior what the hell is wrong with getting it in solid black! Oh well had to settle for blue.
7. Engine heater option!!! A must have for canadian winters!!

Don't think the hp is an issue...the car hits a very nice niche a subtle compramise between practicle and sport.

I know I didn't get the 350Z because the hp/torque made in an impossible winter drive.

As a prospective RX-8 buyer I can say that there is one major improvement they can make: A TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL !!!
I have long legs (36'' inseem) and they can rub against the steering wheel. If the cheaper Mazda 3 and 6 has this feature I can't imagine why they decided to penny pinch on the RX-8.

Yup, the door checks are definitely a failure. If they were to come out with a better door check I would buy the thing myself if they didn't put it as a warranty upgrade item. They suck that bad.

You are correct about the compartment in the pass through, and you have caught me out in my laziness. I hate crawling into the back of the car to open that thing up and reach into that bin so much that I gave up on it. It was really pissin' me off, and it seems to me that it would be mind bogglingly easy to mold a small compartment into one of the trunk trim panels. There is plenty of space because of all the insulation in the back of the panel. It's totally doable, and it would be much easier to acccess than the compartment in the pass through.

Currently, I have bought the trunk net thing and have used metal rings to clip off a part of it so a single bottle of oil can stand up in there, but the bottle gets crunched sometimes by stuff in the trunk sliding around at high G's. (The car seems to experience high G driving although I'm not sure how that happens :) .)

That's my thinkin' on it.

Amen to that! This is THE feature I miss most about my Passat. I'm about 6'3'', so my seat's all the way back in my 8. But I don't have orangutan arms, so I feel like I'm stretching, especially on longer trips.

Oh, the other thing about the Passat that I miss is the Monsoon stereo and the 8-speaker set-up. The 8's system pales in comparison. Man, I miss that. The Passat has a set of speakers in each rear door, just below the locks. It's the closest damn thing that I've come to 5.1 sound in a car yet. Damn, that thing kicked ass.

Other than that, if the MPG doesn't improve, maybe Mazda could boost the size of the tank to 17 or 18 gallons. Would that weigh the car down too much? I can live with the MPG numbers, but if the tank were bigger, at least the number of pit stops would decrease. Then again, my brother-in-law's S2000 has a 12-gallon tank, so I guess I shouldn't be complaining.

Also, upgrade the quality of the dash buttons and the coin holder. Though a minor quibble, they have a cheap feel to them and, as has been pointed out, are fragile.

None of these things detract from my enjoyment of the car. No regrets at all.

Realistic Changes
1. Optional Run Flat Tires
2. Aux Stereo Input - 1/8" plug
3. Grey or tan base alternative to the black base in the interor (black gets very hot)
4. An oil level meter in the dash (electronic dip stick) since the dip stick is under the cover and checks should be done often.
5. Get a bit more engine noise into the cabin, the rotary has a great sound, don't hide it.
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Less realistic or Expensive Options
1. A factory/dealer installed FI system to boost HP/Torque
2. Bigger gas tank
3. Rear seats that fold down

Just my 2 cents worth