1. A way to connect my i-pod to the stereo
2. Satellite radio
3. MORE HORSEPOWER (needs about 20 more to be a competitor)
4. MORE TORQUE (as much as you can get out of this engine)
5. Better fuel economy, but not at the expense of horsepower, also, rerate fuel economy on sticker to reflect real world numbers.

Some useful but small, nitpicky stuff that I miss from my old car (and excluding the mention of some invaluable things others have already mentioned) :

1) AUTO-LOCKING DOORS when you shift out of park. The 8 is the first car I've ever had to remember to lock before I pull out of the driveway.

2) AUTO-ON HEADLIGHTS (daytime/nighttime sensors).

3) DIGITAL COMPASS reading. Would be nice to know what direction I'm going in if I'm lost. Mazda could easily add this next to the ambient temp display.

4) BETTER LOOKING BRAKES--The 8 is very sporty looking in its exterior--complete the look.

My list:
Memory for the power seat. I hate trying to get it back where it goes.
Auto window for passenger
More horsepower
More torque
Make the Spare tire bar into a real anti sway
Cover the oil coolers
Make the passenger seat powered or make it sit lower

Momo steering wheel (ala STI).

Leather available WITHOUT sunroof

daytime running lights with interior dimming sensors

cup holder relocation

auto climate control

dip stick accessibility (for a car that requires weekly monitoring, I can't believe it's not accessible).

Taller 6th gear (3.5k RPMs at 80mph)

carpeted center pass through cover

memory quick release for back seat access

mirror/seat memory

How about an aux oil resevoir in the engine bay that has a wide opening (for easy, spill free pouring) that has a manually operated pump that incrementally adds oil to the crankcase (like the ketchup pump at Wendy's). You could add 1 or 2 quarts to this resevoir whenever you get your oil changed, then adding oil would be a simple feat up checking the dipstick (which would have easy access) and one or two quick actuations of the aux oil resevoir. No fuss, no muss, no oil quarts and gloves in the trunk. If they could work out a view window (like many motorcycles have) for checking oil, you wouldn't have to use a paper towel or get near anything hot.

forget the more horsepower its all about toque in this equation. I say 250hp and 235tq will make this car a top end competitor with all the other sports cars trust me, for the weight this thing weighs 200+ torque wil b neck snaping instant power! damn makes me day dream.... : gose on day dreaming:

:eek: :D Not to shabby an idea

Powered REAR windows...

Those things are really nice to have open somtimes, but I don't want to have to stop on the shoulder to open them!

Here's my short list, all been said I think but will have more once I pick up my 8!

1. Auto Window Down & Up for BOTH windows (like the german cars)

2. Sunroof already has auto open, why not auto close.

3. Power rear windows.

4. New 2005 Key FOB should have auto down for both windows if I hold down UNLOCK for a few seconds. Handy for those hot days as you walk to your car!! This was a great feature on the Audi we rented in Portugal.

5. Auto Climate Control (Isn't this available in Japan RX-8's??)

6. Power passenger seat, first thing my wife complained about when we had our 3 day test drive, "Why isn't my seat power??".

1. Auto up down of both window
2. A quieter indicator for the alarm being set , the cars horn is a bit over the top
3. power rear windows

The UK alarm doesn't have any sound when setting!... only flashes the indicators...

In Canada we get a flash of the light for door locks and a blast of the horn for the alarm . makes you think twice if you come home late.

HORSEEEEEEEESSSS AND better gas mileage..
This could be a miracle if it happens!!!! :D :D :(

Besides more hp and solid FI kits, I would have to say a better drivetrain as well...because we all know that once kits do come out and we can increase hp to respectable level, our miata transmissions are going to be the next hurdle to overcome.
1. Armrest pad from factory.
2. decent cupholder placement.
3. MORE CERTIFIED DEALERSHIPS TO PERFORM CAMPAIGNS AND GENERAL DIAGNOSTICS

Enough ranting, thanks

The most useless and redundant weight for any car. Thank god they are not powered... there's no point in opening these windows too, the glass should be fixed IMO

They're really nice to have open, I think you're missing out... but hey... make it an option.

Can't let this one go, sorry. How much car do you WANT for the frankly ridiculous dollar price?

Price an equivalent base BMW. See what options are included in that. End of story.

Hey thank god we have the internet and we can shop with this prices in other Countries...Do you know how much mazda wanted for front rotary accent and fender strakes and aluminum exhaust finishers????1200euro+!!!!and offcourse i bought it from rosenthal for far a half prize!!!!

So don't mention about prices here...Reffering to Llathos...Agree with Zevans.

Now my two cents...

1/ Easy to fix in cockpit

NUMBER ONE PRIORITY reach adjust on the steering wheel (or the equivalent on pedals).

Front cupholder location is just wrong at the moment. I used to spill coffee down my front when driving... now I spill it on my elbow.

Hard to reach / find the dash illumination control when driving, and it would be nice if it was red / white with the full brightness range available in either colour. Dim white would be nice for overcast weather.

Bose system is muddy.

More comprehensive trip computer (mileage blah blah blah). Me, I don't care, but this is definitely something people expect in a car like this.

Ability to move shift warning would be nice (I think you can do that in the Z)

2/ Dipstick and oil

Either fix dipstick location to make checks simple with cover in place, or change cover design...

...or better still, some sort of instrumentation.

2/ Cosmetic but cheap

Better stock engine sound.

Calipers lost under wheels... decals / and or paint would do wonders for looks.

3/ Hardcore engine stuff

DON'T give it too much power for the rest of the setup - for God's sake ignore all these people bleating about 300+ bhp. If you want a hairy-arsed four-seater go and buy a Skyline.

DO fix the intake design - there just is not enough cold air coming into the front of the bay. I'm not talking about a full CAI but anything better than the current wormhole would be nice....

4/ Options

Sequential shift would be nice - they're expensive, so make it an option. Have Mazda got one they can borrow from another car?

Finally, as I've said a lot recently, a stripped-out two-seater Renesis car would be great, but that's nothing to do with the RX8... so I'm ignoring all the blather about titanium engines, more power, blah blah blah.

Agreed. I was very surprised it doesn't have a telescoping steering wheel. It was one of the biggest CON factors for me when deciding to buy the car. Luckily, I can still find a comfy position, it's just not quite perfect. Closer than anything else I'd driven though.

Replace that cheapo plastic tab thingie on the armrest cover/slider that keeps falling off.

The Bose is just so... dull. Not bad, just... bland sounding. I miss the stock Infinity system in my Eclipse.

I cannot find the trunk release at night. Maybe it's just me, but it needs to be elsewhere, or perhaps be more obvious to feel.

I cannot find the door locks at night. Again, maybe it's just me. Maybe light them better.

Don't touch the suspension.

Power is fine for me. But I don't like that mine hesitates/bobbles badly after each shift at WOT. I'd give up another 10 hp just to fix that.

Both windows should auto power down. For that matter, it'd be nice if the windows auto power-up to, and sunroof auto closed. Porsche does it and it's a good feature.

I have an '05 RX-8 and there is a little rubber pad on the inside of the coinbox.

Someone wants:
The 06 auto has 6 speeds, dude.
What I would like:
* A real fix for the squealing brakes.
* Stealth mode.
* Ability to leap over SUVs.

15 months later you have something to say? j.k :D:

Look at the dates for his comment dude.

I'd be disgusted to see an analog odometer. Reminds me of...well...a cheap, old car.

haha There is one. =) I use that little compartment behind the valet key/fold-down unit that connects the trunk to the cabin. A quart fits pretty nice in there with a few leater/plastic wipes.

doh! I needed to read all the posts before I said about the qt of oil. Lots of good ideas! Could someone explain why havin 300+/- hp on the 8 is a bad idea? A Mustang will take the 8 off the line and that kinda sux.

* stereo input jack for external audio
* HP/torque equivilant to 350Z
* thicker steering wheel. nice thumb slots (like a BMW M3)
* all wheel drive
* better stereo. radio should take in info like station name, song title, etc. Most cars & trucks do that standard these days
* touchscreen navi
* electronic dip stick that can be read from the cockpit
* memory in the driver's seat (or pass if it ever gets electric)
* powered rear windows (if it causes problems, don't do it. Not a big deal)
* make the trunk opening taller
* strengthen the center console sliding lid
* put the ebrake on the left side of the driver, at the floorboard. like a ferrari. that's actually really comfortable and frees up room across the console


As far as the mpg and larger gas tank, here's my $.02...It's a sports car so mpg might suck. Larger gas tank means more weight. If that makes me stop for gas a bit more often, so be it. When I know I'm gonna be drivin in the left lane, so to speak, I only fill up about half way anyway. Like I said, less weight. This is supposed to be a sports car. They should treat it as one...at least give the options to make it one. The back seats are nuthin. A Porsche 991 Turbo has 4 seats too. =)

I'm a slow reader :)

So Nynex, doin' a little data mining huh? Well, I guess that no one can complain that you haven't used the "search" function. Good for you. I've seen some pretty stupid threads brought back from the dead, but this one at least still has some meaning.

Let's see now, 18 months ago I was a little pissed about where to put the oil. You suggest that I use the compartment between the back seats where I keep my Owner's Manual. I don't like that answer now any more than I liked it 18 months ago. I hate having to crawl into the back of the car to retrieve my oil every third fill up.

My answer was to get the optional cargo net thingy for the trunk and take some loops of wire to close off a pouch on one side and my oil slides in there and is kept standing up at all times to avoid leaking. Now, all I have to do is reach in and grab the oil which is right at my finger tips along with a rag to clean the dipstick. I also keep a small baseball bat and other "tools" in it as well for any possible emergency.

Thanks for the suggestion though, and at least I still have the car :) .

[QUOTE=nynex]doh! I needed to read all the posts before I said about the qt of oil. Lots of good ideas! Could someone explain why havin 300+/- hp on the 8 is a bad idea? A Mustang will take the 8 off the line and that kinda sux.

* stereo input jack for external audio
* HP/torque equivilant to 350Z
* thicker steering wheel. nice thumb slots (like a BMW M3)
* all wheel drive
* better stereo. radio should take in info like station name, song title, etc. Most cars & trucks do that standard these days
* touchscreen navi
* electronic dip stick that can be read from the cockpit
* memory in the driver's seat (or pass if it ever gets electric)
* powered rear windows (if it causes problems, don't do it. Not a big deal)
* make the trunk opening taller
* strengthen the center console sliding lid
* put the ebrake on the left side of the driver, at the floorboard. like a ferrari. that's actually really comfortable and frees up room across the console
QUOTE]

Most of your suggestions would mean increasing the purchase price of the car which would be a problem for Mazda in North America. It's the same reason we don't have certain luxury options that the Japanese and the Europeans got.

However, memory on both the electric and manual seats would be a great improvement. I have the base model, and every time I flip the seat forward to get to the rear, it snaps back to a straight upright position which requires manually adjusting it back to where it is driveable. I hate that. I also hate the door checks which hardly keep the doors open at all.

The revival of this thread is starting to remind me of all kinds of things that I would have preferred to have left just niggling me. I'm leaving now before I annoy myself . . . probably too late to prevent me from annoying anyone else.

second that.

HAHA! Actually I'm glad you found this thread. I reread all the posts and it was really funny reading all the posts that were confident that Mazda visited this site and actually gave a shit about the members comments. As you can tell with the 2006 version they didn't address any of the issues mentioned back in 2004. All of the issues are still concerns with the 2006 model year.

Honestly I plan on getting mine next year. The single most thing which I want improved is better mpg.
If the car got roughly 30 mpg real world driving ( meaning not on paper) for roughly the same price it would make me soooo happy!
Thats the problem with the rx8, people look for 1 of 2 thigns either mpg or hp.
The mpg is ok in the rx8, but u would figure it would have much more power because of it, and vice versa, so its kind of in the middle of no mans land.
We know its not a road rocket so I dont think adding a shit load of hp wil really be a deciding factor in sales unless they tack on an extra 100 hp.
If they are able to make it get approx 30 mpg and maybe an extra 20 hp I think it would be soo much more of a dope machine!
But the mpg is the biggest thing.

Oil level gauge.
few more ponies would be nice
better a/c
auto up/down windows
trunk open light (on the dash telling me my trunk is open)

Engine and body re-design seems beyond the scope of suggestions Mazda would accept from outside. Their engine development projects are going to be high cost and must be justified by more than talk on Internet forums.

However, I could imagine them accepting smaller suggestions.

My list:

* Audio-in jack on stereo for easy MP3 player input.
* Relocate trunk button for easier reach (and no where near hood release - I don't mix them up, but why would you want them within an inch of each other?)
* Fix door hinge resistance points so an opened door stays opened better. It's bad for the image of the car for people to see the driver fighting to get out, then hopping around holding his shin.
* Add a shift light to correspond to shift beep.
* Adjust dipstick position/angle for easier access.
* Improve standard brake pads.
* Improve standard brake rotors (should be no visible rust anywhere with stock rims!!!!)
* Find a way to reduce rattles and squeaks - especially door and dashboard (oh, the HomeLink rear-view mirror rattles too).
* Lose weight where you can.......

My NO list -
* NO needless cost/weight added to the car.
* NO auto-up windows, no auto-down passenger side, no power rear windows.
* NO power passenger seat (unless it's an option I can decline).
* NO change to the digital speedo - love it.

Saw you in the heights......CBD
 

Much going on at this site!

oh yeah ... the trunk button ... hate that too ... this thread is seriously taking me down to the same place I was before I became used to all these minor irritations ... man, I'm goin' off to drink some whiskey and sing the blues WAAAAAAAAAHHH.

(CBD Dude, you still hittin' your shins. You learn to open the door and throw a foot or knee out there to steady the thing before it comes back at you then learch out of the car throwing your whole body into the breach before it gets your shins. You'll learn. A couple more years with the car, and you'll learn. I still think that the guy who designed the door checks was forced to commit sepuku, but I'm an optimist :) )

THIS is my 1,000th Post
 

Hey, welcome to the forum Lace&MyPearl - glad I could encourage you to join. You're the first RX-8 owner to receive one of my invitation cards. :wavey:

You're right about the activity - just can't beat the Tech section on here for advice when you have questions about the car. Lots of other interesting discussions too - the forum will chew up a lot of your free time if you let it. ;)

Haze, I did pop my foot up a few times, but I'm leery of scuffing the door panels. The speaker grills on both sides have collected a bit of crud that's hard to clean out. Currently I work the door back and forth a little bit to try to steady it or just push it as I climb out.

However, even putting all the, ah, opportunities for improvement, together doesn't bring me down. As a package this car is fantastic - my previous cars had many, many more opportunities for improvement so I can't complain. :worship:

My 2 cents worth:

1. Add 20-25 HP
2. Improve gas milage to a reasonable 20 City/28 Hwy
3. Improve the paint quality, it chips way too easy
4. Telescoping Steering wheel
5. Variable temperature control for the heated seats and relocate buttons
6. Relocate oil dipstick so you can get to it without removing the engine cover.
7. Deeper storage area for CD's etc., move drink holders so it doesn't interfere with
shifting.
8. Interior fogs up too easily
9. Improve oil injection to improve coverage area so all areas of the engine get adequate
lubrication.

Leave everything else alone...........:)

holy thread bump, batman

Yeah, how many years has it been? I don't think that I can think back that far being so old now.

It is interesting that number 9 on his list has actually been adressed by Mandda in 2009 redesign. It now has more oilers. They also claim to have tried to do something about number 2, although I have heard nothing about number 1.

Personally, I just want to know if they have redesigned the door checks and added memory to either the manual or electric seats ... they probably did both years ago, and I don't even know about it. Fun, fun.

I missed this one.

- 20% improvement in MPG
- Real Temp and Oil pressure gauge
- Oil Temp Gauge
- Sun roof that is about 6" deeper
- Better HVAC that is also quieter
- AC front seats
- Better ventilation flow
- Trim 100 lbs if possible or at least keep the same weight
- 50HP more and 30 ft/lbs of torque
- Compass in the mirror
- Trip calculation information
- Larger exhaust tips (3.5") & more aggressive sound (like RaceBeat system)
- deeper CD storage
- Easier dip stick access (done in new RX-8)
- Stronger transmission (done in new RX-8)
- Wider looking rear end design.
- Better engine oiling (done in new RX-8)
- Front seat belts that can't be inserted into rear seat belts
- Larger truck opening from top to bottom
- Reduce wheel hope under hard acceleration
- Better thermo insulation
- Longer warranty on the engine, still not sure they fixed the failing issue.
- Much better service from Mazda
- Allow traction control system to be disabled during hard acceleration while maintaining system in normal driving.

1. The original 250hp claim.
2. Slightly better gas mileage.
3. Learn how to tune the ECU.
4. Design a better OEM ignition
5. Arm rest that doesnt feel so cheap
6. Stiffer OEM motor mounts and diff mounts.
7. Larger oil coolers
8. Larger radiator
9. Better tranny and gearing


I personally feel Mazda didnt get enough R&D time in and kinda rushed it out and the car was built to "get by". Then again this is my opinion only.

1- Better Lubrication System (probably is being addressed with 09's) which will solve mpg and power
2- Create 6th gear as true Over Drive gear since i doubt trackers will ever use 6th gear. (create a track class with close ratio all the way to 6? but a GT class with true OD gearing)
3- Oil Preheater? perhaps a 1 min preheat of the engine oil will be enough to increase the durability of engine by reducing cold start stress.

oh AND:

Mesh/Grill that ACTUALLY protects our radiators? o.O

- I would like to see 260HP. Not the 250 as previously discussed.
- An improved transmission would be great
- I agree with the larger exhaust
- I think the GT should come with the appearance package standard
- Heated rear seats in addition to the front
- YES, an auxiliary jack
- KEEP the digital speedometer

That's all for now.

make the back and front doors open a little wider, more colors less grays, well maybe a darker gray.

i love my 8 the way it is minus all the stuff ppl stated on here LOL

After 5 weeks of ownership on a '10 Sport....

1. Gas pedal is too stiff/overdamped and not far enough to the right. Terrible pain in my leg. Can barely depress the clutch all the way at the same time so this is ridiculous.
2. horn can't be reached in an emergency
3. redline marked at 8500 is annoying, thats what the buzzer is for
4. center armrest need some padding and a center (midway) "detent" so u can use both it and the front cupholder at the same time.
5. already have a few rattles coming from the door frames. Yikes!
6. brief sag in the power delivery somewhere between 6 and 7 grand
7. seats need a longer/more angled bottom cushion
8. shift knob is small and silly. Replaced with MOMO
9. wish I could adj the radio display lighting--or even turn it off.
10. shifter could be less notchy, not a prob when puttering around but can't be moved easily/quickly when redlining
11. plenty o headroom but the rearview mirror needs to be an inch higher on the windshield
12. stereo is garbage
13. headlights are just OK
14. Clutch is ridiculously light and long in travel. Still haven't gotten used to it.

Thats it. Love the car otherwise. But alas too late Mazda is killing the car next year lol.

what did you drive before the 8 that makes you consider it to have a beachball suspension??

Why was it necessary to bump an irrelevant 6 year old thread?

RX8CLUB Improvements:

1. please increase the size of the thread date, hell make it flash.