LL7

I have had my Red RX-8 GT for about two weeks. I love it. My wife loves it. My kid loves it. But there are some things I wish it had, or were changed. My list in no particular order:

- a rear wiper. Every morning when I go to the gym the car is covered in dew and I have to wipe it with my hand. Will only be a problem in the spring and fall, but it would be nice to just flick a switch.

- A real climate control where you just set the interior temp.

- Fold down rear seats. The pass through is nice, but doesn't work for wider items.

- Move the cup holders. I hit the water bottle when I shift.

- A map pocket on the drivers seat as well. It would help keep the car neat.

- A better view for little kids in the back seat. My kids love the car, but they miss alot of what goes by them since thay can't see out of the windows.

- Power openers for the back vents. My kids forget to close them, and I can't open them when I am driving.

What improvements do you think the car could use (besides the missing power)?

bwayout

Hey LL7, I aggree completly with all of your requested suggestions!

And personaly, I'd love the RX-8 to be redesigned into a true fastback and hatchback with fold down rear seats - but as of now the current RX-8 body structure (sadly) will not allow any fold down rear seats due to the v-shaped metal frame behind the backseats that is attached to the top of the center backbone and the sides of the rear C pillar giving us such a wonderful driving and handeling road experience.

I'm also one for Mazda to add a true funtioning guage cluster ... I’d really like to see (as an optional if it can’t be standard) a complete fully functional gage display pack that clearly and accurately shows the normal and abnormal state of things with regards to: engine temperature, voltage/battery (Hey Mazda, there's room right now for a voltage/battery gage that will fit tastefully in the dash by the oil temp gage ...and as of now it's IMHO sorely missing) and oil pressure with an analog speedometer (or some kind of digital indicator that replaces the swing of the needle- maybe some kind of horizontal bar graph under or above the digital speedometer readout screen or else a digital light ring around the edge of the tach gage)!

Or again a fastback version!

:D

desmo996

Louder redline tone. You can barely hear it, or a flashing red light on the dashboard.

mikeb

19 volk rims, twin turbo, subwoofers, mazdaspeed bodykit and spoiler, clear corners, strakes, eyelids for headlights

rotarymotory

I'd like to see a future 8 as a little sport-stationwagon like the hotter BMW Z or the future SAAB sports car.

Ah... and then there's All-wheel-drive.

I agree about the gauges and set-it-and-forget-it climate control. But thanks Mazda, for keeping costs down.

And sorry, but the sunroof is a little lame. It feels pretty after-market. But costs again.

But really... seriously... that ashtray lid is the cheapest single component on the entire vehicle. And it's RIGHT THERE in the middle of the car. Mazda, please offer an upgrade. Someone, offer an upgrade.

Another necessary accessory I haven't seen yet are cushion inserts for the hole in the seats. My girl friend leans back and hits metal. It's a wonderful looking design feature but...

And there really needs to be insulation in the cup holder. It's great that it'll keep your coffee warm, but it's a very bad place to park your cell phone. By the way, where do you park a cell phone in an 8? I wear cargos and use the right thigh pocket. Little stretch-net-pockets along the tranny tunnel would be good.

But these are really, really niggles. We're picking the fly sh** out of the pepper here. The car is overall awesome. Killer. Genre shattering. The car I'm wishing for above quickly climbs out of my price range. I really think it's great that Mazda made such a terrific machine so affordable.

RM

ATL RX-8

I'd like to see them move the front cup holders to the doors. One on each, flip down maybe. If anyone has seen the Honda CR-V back doors, you'd catch my drift.

mikeb

I had the where do I put my cell phone problem.
I bought a holder for my phone that plugs into the cig lighter and it works great

Racer X-8

I can't believe I'm gonna bring this up cuz it's such a sore subject. Before I even mention it, those who remember the theoretical wars we had with WRX, STI, EVO, G35c, 350Z, etc BEFORE we even got the cars to port in May/June/July? That's where I'm coming from here, not the more recent sore subject, although it's inherently included within this.

OK?

It's gonna need more power. Although most of us are satisfied with whatever it has (2__hp), there are a bunch of would-be buyers if this car could out-**** it's mid 30k competition in this car category. And the competition is not going to sit content where they're at either. Even if it were 250hp, it would be just a bit underpowered to really be in very strong contention right now. Mazda just can't overlook that and I seriously doubt if they will. Turbo/supercharging seems obvious. Whatever.

It should be optional, cuz there are just too many who would not want to spend the extra $ for the extra zoom if they could avoid it, and so, they would be pleased with that.

They have a whole year still to get this done. They're gonna need to do it anyway for the upcoming RX-7 revival. It could be the same powertrain, basically, just in a choice of chasis, really. RX-7, dedicated thoroughbred - or - RX-8, fun, butt-kicking, around-town / highway cruzin' family-style car that it is. Both cars beautifull and powerful. One for the very serious sport-type, the other not quite so, a compromise for the not quite so serious. The RX-8 with the optional low-power version. The RX-7 NOT. It's gotta be an RX-7 or it simply is not.

rotarymotory

Relax, I think Mazda did a good thing. This car is a starter kit on the powerside. If you want and need it, it'll be there in the aftermarket. Mazda basically said these exact words in their warm-up marketing releases. But if they put it in there themselves, the car would have gotten too expensive. Come Spring I'm adding power. I'm thinking supercharger, myself. All this chatter about power is certainly lighting fires under the aftermarket developers coast to coast. Sit back and watch 'em go crazy to get your $$.

RM

R32

A 3rd rotor? Total displacement to 1.5L or 1.8L?

Turbo Matty P

3rd rotor would be 2.0L Similar to the 20B motor used in japan in the cosmo. I saw on here some guy with horrible grammer who had a 20bTT in his brand new RX-8. That car will be the most ***-kicking thing on the planet if he can deliver about 400hp to the wheels. There would be nothing I can imagine outrunning it. However, I'm estimating his overall cost between car, new motor, all custom work is about $75K when its all said and done. Still what a great car. Also, from a tech stand point, they cant do 3 rotor engines in the same "renesis" style due to the relocation of the peripheral intake and exhaust ports. It would be bad-*** however to have a front and rear renesis in maybe a full 4 door car. One pair of rotors to drive the front wheels, the other motor for the rears. AWD and loud-as-hell!! I'm excited. I just wanna see the Renesis in the new Miata.

canzoomer

Fire the management at Mazda North America, and hire some people with ethics and integrity.

Turbo Matty P

HAHAHA!! I'd settle for hiring people with souls.

Wing

More soul than their sports cars!

R32

That would absolutely be awesome. This would get really unrealistic, but 2 twin rotor AWD with the Active Camber Suspension system that Mercedes incorporated into the F400 Carving that allows cornering abilities of 1.28gs and cuts braking distance by 3%-5%.

Supercar status? :D

But with the Rx-8 as is, I prefer to think of it as a car on its own. Truly unique.

RX22

I agree w/ all of the above except the sport station wagon. Please not that, I think it ruins its image. One of the reasons I wouldn't buy an A4 or an IS300. Just my opinion, I guess because Mom had station wagons when I was a kid.

My additions would be:
Satellite Radio
Hands free cell phone

Turbo Matty P

If I win my lawsuit with MNOA I'm HIGHLY considering just purchasing a 6Pi Renesis motor+tranny, computer, wiring harness, everything. Then bolting it all up into either my 1976 Ford Pinto, 95 Honda civic, or 67 Mustang GTA. Can you imagine the looks I'd get revving a 67 'Stang 10 grand?? It might actually make the mustang worth something again!!

rodmeister

Except for the small items, most of these improvements should be available as accessories or upgrade packages. I think Mazda's philosophy is to provide an exciting sports car while beating the competition on price. Mazda must maintain low prices or lose it's advantage, but it must offer customization options to those willing to pay for it.

Also most improvements add weight, hurting the already marginal performance. Mazda needs to find a way of adding HP without extra cost or weight.

That being said, I'd like to see some kind of variable shock system. A soft setting for cruising down interstates or commutes, and a hard setting for those twistys and performance driving in the city.

Maximus

New features that Mazda should add for 2005:


1- Increase power to at least 210 wheel HP

2- Power MEMORY seats. I really dont see any reason to have power seats that DO NOT have position memory option.

P00Man

memory seats LINKED TO THE MIRRORS! are an absolute must.
whever i let my brother drive my car, the seat and mirrors are all screwed up and i gotta spend time readjusting

it does need more power (to remain competetive in that segment), how theyll get it i dont know

CLIMATE CONTROL

some more heat insulation around center console
map pocket on drivers seatback
power seat for passenger
subwoofers in the bose (not REALLY necessary, though)
power rear windows
bi-xenon

BETTER LOOKING AND FEELING KEY!!!


the majority of those will not add too much cost or too much weight, right now the rx-8 could cost around 3k more fully loaded and still be at or below most (if not all) of its presumed competition
________
Health-forums.org

BRx8

i hope i'm not asking for too much:

- 4 wheel steering

- your choice of a buxom blonde or a seductive brunette to ride alongside you ($500 rebate if you already have one)

- windows that tint at the touch of a button

- folds into a 3.2oz. briefcase at the touch of a button

- cheuffer pops out of the steering wheel when you're too drunk to drive home

- disco-ball instead of courtesy lights for instant partays

- flux capacitor

in other words, i wouldn't change too much other than all the items listed on the first post

mikeb

I take the girl
lol

danielk015

iTrader: (1)

a nice looking white paint...

and, with the previous post, a hot chick!!

U. N. O.

that would be my christmas wish to Santa...

THOR

How about 250 hp?:D

Thor.