A few miles, only 8 times a year! Consider selling the thing and renting a sailboat or jetski each time. The cost to store the thing (space costs money; motors don't like to sit unused; and a tow vehicle) doesn't make it worth the price. Get the cash out of the "something" and rent it. This way, you get a new model (eventually) and you're not responsible for the maintenance.

Eight Times! Geez.

Zeltar -- you can't rent one like this -- the rentals are weak.. Beside, it's paid for. Think about what toys you have that you don't use that often. You ready to sell them??

No towing!
 

RTFM. Not to be to brutal, but I believe (in the American manual) there is a page entiltled "Towing". It says -

Never tow anything with your RX-8.

Actually, you do not need to cut the bumper to attach the OEM towbar. Its also detachable. Not much info in the brochure, but here is a link.
UK Accessories

FEBtch

They usually reserve the OWNERS manuals for OWNERS. Please read these posts before you post like a moron.

I am NOT an OWNER so I have NO MANUAL..

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RTFM. Not to be to brutal, but I believe (in the American manual) there is a page entiltled "Towing". It says -

Never tow anything with your RX-8.

I'm sure it would do fine.

I used to tow a 14" boat with a 1.5 liter Isuzu I-Mark.

Go ahead and tow away. Just don't be dumb about it and treat your 8 like a truck.

Did you check out the UK hitch? That thing is obscene!!

Vince

Agreed. Light towing will be just fine. I remember towing 2 jetski's attached to another trailer hauling a very small sailboat behind my friend's Conquest TSI. Not very intelligent admittedly but the car did it just fine. That car was a turbo 4 cylinder but still only rated at less than 200 hp. Worked fine. It's not like we towed it across country or anything. I fully plan on towing my Harley trailer behind the RX-8.

FWIW: Everyone who says that it will "void that warranty" needs to learn how to be realistic. Are you honestly going to be dumb enough to tell the factory that you were towing a trailer? How about telling them that you had to put back all of the stock parts back on the car to get it serviced? While I don't encourage breaking laws or rules, it is only illegal or wrong if you get caught. Don't volunteer any information to the factory about how you treat your car. That is your own business.

A trailer hitch can be custom made if you can't find one that you need. Since my friend has a MIG welder, we'd make all sorts of things. One of them was a trailer hitch for a 1st gen RX-7! You don't NEED to cut any part of the car to make one fit.

Agreed that light towing, provided a hitch can be fitted, should be fine. As far as torque goes - that's what gearing is for (remember the 4.44:1 differential gear ratio?)

For the hitch issue - it also comes in very handy for fitting a hitch-mount bike rack. I doubt the warranty cares much about hauling two bikes on a hitch rack.

Regards,
Gordon

If you can find an appropriate hitch, the RX8 has plenty of power and torque. For years I towed a double jet ski trailer with waverunners behind my POS '88 Ford Escort, which had all of 90HP and 100ftlb torque with no problems... just keep the revs up and don't bog the engine (I'm assuming you're going to get the 6MT tranny, right?). I've seen plenty of trailers in the Miata crowd taking several hundred pounds of tools and tires to autocross events, and they have quite a bit less torque as well.

-Sean

By the way, I said "RENT A TRUCK" not buy one. especially since it won't cost you much money and why ruin a car that wasn't designed to TOW?
But if you want the answer you are looking for: YES you "CAN" tow with it. I can tow stuff w/my pedal bike but I digress.
Should you tow with it? Absolutely NOT!

when the book sais DO NOT TOW, i don't besides thats what my pickup is for.

To each his own but if the car can't pull a small lightweight trailer that carries something as small as a motorcycle then it probably shouldn't have the power to get itself moving either. What if I towed on my skateboard behind the car? Can it not do that either? The book probably also says something about using only the factory spark plugs and air filter too. We all know that everyone obeys that rule! The car will be just fine. Not everyone owns a truck and renting anything is money that you are not getting back. It also adds up to quite a bit over time.

The UK hitch is detachable, once removed you would not know there was a hitch fitted unless you got down on your hands and knees and looked underneath.

Why not? Pulling a jet ski trailer is not going to "ruin" the car. No need to spread fear. Is it the best tool for the job? No. Will it do the job? Yes. So why spend more money renting trucks, etc?

Mazda doesn't recommend it? Yeah, just like they don't recommend that you break the speed limit. It's all about covering their butts.

Livining in Florida I've seen my fair share of boat ramps... I would think that the RX-8 would bottom out going over the ramp because most of them bank down at a hefty angle.... I've found in the 8 its better to take ramps like that or parking lots that have a steep incline off the road at a 45 degree angle to avoid bottoming out.. I don't know if you could do that with a jet ski unless the boat ramp was wide enough.... I also don't know if the power in the car will accommodate that much parasite drag trying to get the boat/jet ski back out of the water... But what the hell do I know anyhow.. LOL

I would not worry about the power to tow. As someone said, even an Escort can toe 1K around. Though the owners manual does not provide a reason why one should not tow with the RX8, having scene this in other high performance sports cars owner manuals, I believe it's because the tongue weight of a trailer may significantly change the handling characteristics of the RX8. It's already a 50/50 car dry, and as I understand it, the weight shifts towards the rear as driver and passengers add their weights. It may be, that towing may cause the tail to wag the dog. Can you say jackknife?

I have a Matchbox 1st Gen RX-7 with a trailer hitch! It also has a back seat... Perfect to take the family out with the Airstream. :D

Seriously, I have moved plenty of heavy things with my 1st Gen RX-7. Just give it a lot of gas.

I wouldn't go anywhere near that UK hitch on MY hands and knees!

All joking aside I might have to import on as it seems nobody has plans to make a US hitch.

Vince

I have a Tow Hitch fitted to my car. UK (Europe) spec. Expensive but well made and with the arm removed completly invisible even the electrics fold up behind the bumper. No cutting of the car needed.
The maximum approved tow weight is 2645 pounds. Yes a ton and a quarter. I am sure that the car could easily tow this weight not that I intend to (my trailer is only rated at 650 pounds) - but how else can I move bulky and heavy items. I am certainly not going to put my boat engine in the boot (trunk). I doubt that it would fit. etc etc.

I could of course use my other car but I doubt that my MX-5 would be any better!

My advice:- for occasional, short distance towing this car is fine just use the gears not the clutch.

Chris,

It is good to finally hear from someone in the UK that has had the hitch installed. Would you mind posting a couple of pictures of the wiring harness, hitch, and receiver? Thanks! :)

Tow Hitch IN PLACE

Tow Hitch REMOVED.

Note the electrics swing out of the way and nothing is visible

The HITCH itself a substantial forging weighing 16 pounds!

I hope these pictures of the tow hitch are of use to some readers.

I am sorry that the quality is rather basic but my wife has the 5mp camera at work so these were taken on a key ring camera! Very lo-res.

This is a quality tow hitch of German make very well engineered. Note that the Hitch itself plugs up into the space between the bumper and the silencer and locks in place the key may then be removed. The electrics are on a spring loaded plate and there is a finger ring to allow the owner to swing the plate down so that the plug may be attached.

Any questions?