That all depends on who you marry! :o I guess I'm one of the lucky ones! :D

As far as starting goes, mine does take longer than any other car I've had - but it's usually only 1-2 seconds. (I have the L flash currently). I do notice also that if I run a short errand, even if car is fully warmed up - and I turn it back on a few minutes later it takes a second or two longer to start. Even when warm, I rev engine to about 3500RPM and shut off as soon as engine returns to normal idle as per manual.

 

My wife was completely supportive about this purchase. She get the Audi Allroad Ubervagen and I get a sportscar that can take a couple of car seats.

Pretty sweet deal.

 

Mine starts, the same every time I get in. It cranks for about, 1/2 second, tries to kick over, then doesn't, but I still crank, and 1/2 second later, it starts. so probably 2 seconds of cranking total. (that is even with the "short" trips... back out of garage, shut off when cold....)

I have always had the "L" and "M' flash for as long as I have owned my car tho, so that may be the reason.


And for all of you people who have been pressing the gas on your cars for the last 15 years, you probably have been causing much pre-mature wear to the bearings, lifters, cams, etc to your engines. Everyone should RTFM everytime they get a new car, and Fuel Injected cars have ALWAYS told you NEVER to push on the gas, unless it is flooded. It is NOT a good idea to gas it, as the computer needs to compensate by flooding lots of gas, revving, and such. My mother does this to my other car that I let her drive once in awhile (Dodge Intrepid), and every time, I can hear those 150K mile lifters clatter away until the oil pumps up. 5K on dry lifters is NOT a good thing. She lost her driving privlidges of my car when i heard it hit redline once. I am surprised her mini-van (whcih is in the shop right now) has lasted the 30K that she has driven it. (the water and oil pumps both sound like there is sand in them right now, and the lifters make all sorts of clicks and taps now too)...

Be smart, read the manual before you use the thing.

 

when i got my M flash, it stopped doing that to me. i know what you are talking about though

 

its normal ,mines done 16,000km and it starts first klik now dont worry be happy

 

I'm surprised to see people talking about cranking problems. Except for one time, when the car had been sitting in the garage for about a week, mine starts instantly when I turn the key. You do have to remember to tap the brake pedal before you turn the key, but this is a safety feature on a lot of cars.

 

Although I have not had the pleasure of owning a RX-8 yet (I am waiting until my current car is paid off)... As a former owner of two RX-7's... starting problems are a familiar issue. My first RX-7, a 1980 had a carburetor, my second 1984 was fuel injected. On both of them, if you let go of turning the key before it finished starting, it would flood. This was more likely in the winter, when they were outside. On the 1980, I would pop open the hood and spray some starting fluid in the carburetor and it would start right up. On the 1984, I would have to wait a couple of minutes and try it again, and it would start and kick out a lot of smoke. I just got in the habit of not letting go of the key until either RX completely fired. The 1984 did tend to have a hard time restarting when it had just been running during the summer. I found that switching to higher octane fuel during the summer fixed the problem.

 

I've had perhaps three occasions since I got the car in August when it took a little longer of a crank to start (maybe 3 seconds). Otherwise, it starts right up in 1-2 secs. I see no difference since the M flash, and I see no difference when I put the key in the "on" position then crank vs. just cranking away.