RX8Club.com - RX-8 One Year Report

Hey all- I recently hit the one year mark with my 2006 RX-8 (Galaxy Grey, GT package), and I thought I'd just post my (long) thoughts about the car.

The 8 is my first new car, so I was apprehensive about making the big purchase. I read this forum for nearly a year prior learning the ins and outs of the car, so I was pretty sure it's what I wanted. One year and 20k miles later, I can happily say it's everything I hoped for.

The thing that drew me to the car from the start is its uniqueness. I love the styling, the rotary engine, 2+2 doors, etc. I don't see many other RX8s driving to work and back (26 miles each way, mostly interstate driving), but I do see a few here and there in town. The car certainly catches attention- the styling draws people's looks, and gearheads love to talk about the rotary. It's a good conversation piece if nothing else. When I pulled my car into my dad's place a few months ago, I think every neighborhood kid came running, asking how fast it went, how much it cost, etc. It was great to see them thinking it was some sort of supercar!

I had a whopping one hour's worth of experience driving a stick shift before taking the car on a test drive, so obviously the first week or two of driving it around had its moments. Now, I can't imagine driving this car with an automatic transmission. Seriously- if you're debating whether to go auto/manual for this car, and you don't go through an hour of stop & go traffic per day, get the manual. You won't regret it.

The RX8 was made for country roads. I absolutely love flying around a back road (of which there are plenty of good ones in WV) with the windows down and no car in front of me. I still feel like a kid on Christmas every time I do it. It's hard to describe how great the car feels as it just glides through turns. Lately I've realized that I must be getting comfortable with its handling abilities- I'll think I just took a turn fairly mildly, and the person in the passenger seat is scared. Oops :)

One of my worries with the car when I first got it was winter driving (it's my first RWD car). I got a set of Dunlop Wintersport M3s, and it performed pretty well. I found the DSC/traction control was a must- it got me up some hills easily that FWD cars struggled with. It seems to do a pretty good job of keeping you under control when it's slick out. Overall, I'd say it was good but not great in snow. I didn't take it out more than I had to when it was bad out. Fortunately my job allows me to work from home on occasion. As long as you're easy on the throttle, and you stay out of blizzards, you should be good to go as long as you have a good set of tires.

The 2+2 doors are pretty convenient- the problem is people can never seem to figure out how to use them at first. The back seats are good for taking people around town, but I don't think I'd want to be back there for an extended road trip (about what I expected). The interior is very comfortable for me (6'0", a little skinny). One of my friends is a big guy (6'2", over 300) and well- he just doesn't fit comfortably, haha.

There really are a ton of little things to like about the car, and the sticky thread covers it all. Off the top of my head, I love the cockpit feel of the driver's seat, the digital speedometer, the blue light that shines on the tip of the tach needle at night, the way water just drains away from the trunk lid when opened, 9k redline, steering wheel controls, accurate cruise control (not that I use it much), the rotary-themed styling, etc. I could go on, but I'm sure everyone gets the point.

I love the RX-8, but it's definitely not a car for everyone. It obviously doesn't have that knock-you-back-in-your-seat torque, so someone wanting that will be disappointed. It certainly has plenty to keep me happy, though (especially considering I came from a 94 Geo Prizm). I've averaged 18.5mpg, which is what I expected. If gas mileage is an issue for you, you should probably find a different car. As mentioned before, I probably wouldn't want to stuff people in the back seat if I took constant road trips. Since I couldn't figure out a better place to put it, checking your driver's side blind spot can be tricky. It took me a while to get used to that.

As far as reliability is concerned, the only problem I've had is a broken driver's side sun visor two months ago. It was replaced at the dealer without problem. Everything else has been perfect.

Long story made short, I love the car and plan to hang on to it for a long time. If someone is looking for a unique car that's fun to drive, I'd definitely recommend giving the RX-8 a try.