What was your main reason for buying an 8?
 

what made you choose it over other car, and if you could do it again would you still buy?

I love the looks and the flip-out back doors. It's the best looking sportscar in its class! Yes, I would do it again!!!

Test drove a AT in Palm Springs last year (visiting family) and thought this is awesome...When I drove it was dark, so I loved the lights, it was so cool. I just purchased mine in April, 2004 Red GT MT w/all (minus navigation) very much lovin it. It was between the 8 and a 2005 mustang convertible. Test drove the 8, then went and test drove the ford. The 8 was like the "Christine" movie...lol...couldn't get that car outta my head... Yes I'm luvin it! ;)

No car combines performance, practicality, styling, and cost better.

That pretty much sums it up :)

Honestly the main reason was the exterior look vs price factor. After that was out of the way, things that kept me interested was the rotary engine/its smoothness, and the car's agility. By the way, I already bought one again.

Pretty much the renesis rotary, the driving dynamics and handling, and yes, the coachwork, the interiors..

But the biggest 2 factors for me were the rotary and the driving dynamics. The other factors were merely icing on the cake.

value, and the uniqueness of the rotary, still blows my mind that I have a car with close to 200hp out of a 1.3 liter powerplant that only has like 3 moving parts, not to mention it sounds awesome, plus all the other stuff everybody has already mentioned about a million times like the doors, the interior, etc etc. oh, and I'm stoked I have a color that was only available for 1 year :)

Many things, but primarily because it's so unique. And yes, I'd buy another 8, unless of course GM decide to intro a right hand drive Vette into Sing :)

I started off wanting the G35c more than anything. After seeing the interior, the seating controls, the trunk that is fairly long but about 1 foot deep, and the fact that at a towering 5'10" I was hitting my head on the rear glass, I decided this car was more for looks than practicality. I then narrowed my choices down to the 350z, rx8, and s2k. The 350 was nice, but I wanted a little more room than a 2 seater could provide. I would have sacrificed that for the s2k, as I have another car, but its been out so long, I didn't want them to change the design on me in a year or two. Test drove the 8, and was ready to buy. It had everything I wanted and more. Its like the car was built around me. Went to the credit union the next day, and the rest is history.

Best Bang for the Buck
 

For me it was the price. I got one of the 2004 holdovers this past February. It's a base model yellow but I paid 22,000 out the door for it. Amazing value considering what the base model already comes with (AC, CD, PW, etc.) and the performance that the 6MT has. I still can't believe I paid more for my miata than I did for the 8.

It always gives me a laugh when I read other forums that hate on the 8 so much when they state "well...my car costs less and is faster...blah, blah, blah." Especially when I probably paid less for my car BRAND NEW than their (insert name of sport compact car here). :D

It was the only rear wheel drive car with relatively wide rubber, over 200 hp., manual transmission, and independant rear suspension that I could afford. The keyless entry and audio controls on the steering wheel were the only luxury items I found important (aside from the drop-dead gorgeous styling), but I would have chosen an identically priced car without those if it had the same platform specs and it was more hardcore performance oriented.

rotary engine.

When I was finally ready to trade in my '97 Miata (which had served me faithfully for 2 1/2 years), I really only wanted to look at a few vehicles. I spent a day test driving the entire new Chrysler lineup (300s, Magnum, dakota, etc.), and wasn't totally happy with any of them. I mean, they're all nice cars, but I just couldn't find a happy medium in terms of engines... On one hand, I could have a decent-handling V-6 with too little power, or an SUV-handling V-8... So, I left there and headed to the Mazda dealership to try out an 8 before making a decision. I was so impressed with every aspect of the vehicle (power, handling, and especially the interior fit-and-finish), that I signed off on the car just a couple of hours later, and haven't looked back since.

I have always have a sports car of some kind.

We were wanting to start a family so I bought a four door truck to have room etc.

Three years later we did not get pregnant so I traded the truck and bought the 8 (Sports car with the room "just in case")

We now have a cute baby boy and the baby seat fits in the back. Woohoo.

The engine, the styling, the extra doors, the handling, the unique sound. It short, I chose the 8 because it's different. :D

1.3L

I drove it.

I was looking at the Mazda6 at the time and just decided to give the 8 a whirl around the block. I was hooked as the 6 was just boring in comparison. Would the 6 have been a more rational decision? Yes. Do I care? No!

I had fallen in love with the car back in September, but hadn't really given it much thought since I wasn't really looking for a new car. I loved the handling, smooth engine, and great looking interior. At first, I didn't like the styling quite as much, but as I looked at pictures more and more, I started to love it. I still think it looks odd from some angles (like a view from a rear offset at the front fender vents makes it look very "Prowler-esque"), but other than that, it looks far more expensive than it is, and I get a lot of attention from people that paid far more for their car. In short, this car was the total package I was looking for.

When I was in the market to buy back in March, I was looking at the RSX-S. My wife and I walked by a used 8 on the lot and she said, "What about this car? This looks more like you." The next day, I bought a new '04 for $1k more than a used RSX-S and $1k less than the used 8 we saw. Needless to say, I have never loved my wife more...

Mid life crisis :) (so says my wife)

First was the looks , I saw one driving around and it caught my eye . Couple months later test drove one , and fell in love . I had a buddy that had a RX-7 in the 80's and I remembered how much he loved that car and the motor . I found this club , read every day for 8 months , waiting for the price to be right. Bought Oct 19th and have never looked back. Would I buy it again ........YES of the '06 or '07 has something different and improved , I might even trade for one . I haven't had hardly any problems , one minor and it was fixed . I love everything about the car ....style , looks , performance , and there isn't one at every corner at a stop light !

Styling, back seat, rotary engine, wanted to be different.

This is my 2nd rotary.

I had it down to a WRX, 6mt G35 Sedan, SRT-4, IS300, 99 Dinan M3, and RX-8. The WRX was an econo-car, the Sedan could only be had with high miles for the same price of an 8. and I needed a car under warranty because I'm about to be a poor college student, the SRT-4 could have been had brand new, but it's both FWD and blows goats at auto-x, the IS300 is both underpowered and cannot be had for ~24k under warranty, the 99 M3 is a hell of a car but with 60k miles it's not got a warranty or what i need in the reliability department. The RX-8 was perfect. 14k miles, Sunroof, 4 doors, Warranty till 50k, 6spd, agile. Who wouldn't choose the 8?

had my heart set on a 350Z but the price on the "base" was a little too much and I knew I'd always wish I had gotten the touring if I got one but simply cannot afford -- after driving one for the 2nd time and debating on whether or not to go "over my decided-on budget" to make it happen, I decided to walk next door and look at the 8 to clear my head first before doing something I might regret. Drove one -- scared the poor newbie salesman to death cornering -- went back and drove 350Z again....walked back to mazda and began the nego's...

the kicker was when I got my husband to do the same (drive 350 and 8 back to back) WITHOUT telling him which one I had decided on -- when he picked the 8 (knowing I'd wanted a 350Z for a year) I knew it was the right choice.....plus the insurance is almost HALF on the 8 vs. 350.

dont regret a minute - still makes me smile!

The body style and "suicide" doors put the car on my short list. ...But I wasn't sold until I drove it. Nothing else I drove in a similar price range feels like an 8. ...nuff said.

I guess the fact that it's a 4 door 4 seater doesn't hurt it any when it comes to insurance.

I traded a 97 Jetta GLS in on my 8. I kept the same insurance policy, just swapped out the Jetta for the 8. ...And my insurance actually went down. I figured it must be a mistake, ...but I'm not about to say anything. :D

It's not a mistake, there are more airbags, anti-lock brakes, etc. Plus, if you've had the same insurance for a while, they may have given you a loyalty bonus for being with them for so long.

I was torn between the G35c and a WRX. Both in automatic.

The G35c was simply to expensive coming in at $37,500 with the options I wanted. Now as far as the WRX, our local Subaru dealer never had any in, I sure wasnt about to get them to order me one when I have never even seen the inside much less driven the car.

Literally I didnt want to deal with the RX8 because the automatic version was so underpowered.

But finally after searching for cars to buy I gave the RX8 a chance. The salesman handed me the keys and we went for a test drive and I absolutely loved it. I mean I didnt get on the gas hard or anything but the car was absolutely a wonder of how its 197hp 164lb ft tq powered it with nice and suttle acceleration. Handling was superb to anything else I had ever driven before. Not to mention the styling and freestyle backdoors.

After that test drive I had made my mind up that this was the car for me. No longer then 20 minutes later after driving it I bought me a 04 GT Velocity Red Automatic RX8 fully loaded except for the aero package for $33,000.

Since then I have had doubts on if I should have paid the $37,500 for a G35c but I am still glad I gave the RX8 a chance because I would be missing out on alot.

same here. The wife wanted me to set up a test drive for both the 6 and the 8....I just set up the test drive for her in the 8. Before long she was speeding way over the limit with a big smile on her face...no need to test out the 6.
:D

It's one hell of a grocery-getter.

I get that too. I bought myself the car for my 40th birthday.

I guess I bought the car because of the overall package. I had to have a car that could fit my kids in it..so the 350z was out. The G35 was about 5 to7k more for the same options. I also didn't like the grandpa interior in the G35. I liem the drivetrain of the WRX but the boy racer look combined with the jacked up price crossed that on off of my list.

The RX8 had the best combination of style, technology, price and the cool factor.

9k rpm soft rev limiter, 10k rpm hard rev limit, and its value when compared to competitors with all options matched.

Ditto for me, I have three kids and the 350 doesn't have back seats. I always wanted a Z and I have a Nissan dealership within walking distance from my house! Test drove a couple of Zs, liked the power but the ride was not as nice as the Rx8. Plus, the interior looks like it was pulled from an Altima.

I looked at the G35s, sharp car but way to expensive. The thing that sealed the deal was the 5k off of invoice on the 04 GT VR Rx8 with nav. I would of had to pay around 10k and more for the same options on the 350 and G35.

Not a cop magnet like my previous car was. Also, the car has superb handling and has some great engineering behind it.

Until I drove it: looks and practicality ( for a sports car). After I drove one? For the driving dynamics. Felt comfortable driving it within 3 shifts - heal and toe'ing on a test drive of an unfamiliar car means it just works, IMHO. :D

Cheers!

Jeff

What could be hotter than a RX-8 and a 17 year old kid? One-two punch if you ask me...

The rotory engine, hot looks, it's practical, comfortable,rearwheel drive, true sportscar handling, price.

the sweet sweeet sound of the ROTARY egine....i LOVEEE ROTARY

1. loved the looks of the car from the first time I saw it
2. just turned 40 ... it's about time I got a real sports car !
3. I can fit my goalie equipment in it (I'm talkin' ice hockey goalie equipment, not soccer :)
4. this site ... I poured through this site for months before deciding to purchase ... it clinched it for me

best looking car for the price. and the fact that it's rotary just adds to its uniqueness.

After owning many used 1st and 2nd gen RX7's I promised myself if I could ever afford a brand new rotary powered car I'd get it.....the RX8 came out, and it was affordabale, so bam! I got one. My goal is now to get another one.....in due time....