A trip computer.. like even the Mazda3 has and even the Scion's have.. its like a multi function meter that tells you elapsed time, miles to empty, mpg instant and average... my Z has it and its very very accurate..

So what gives?

 

"you have a full tank. 180 miles remaining" "15mpg average"

 

because they didn't want to

 

Because i don't think any of us want to know that kind of information on our 8 LOL.

 

hahaha yup

 

becoz they dont want us to realize that we are using a lot of gas ...thinkin its a bad gas millage car ..and then dont buy it ...LOL...

 

Because Mazda expects 8 drivers to be capable of doing simple math. Click your trip ticker with a full tank, drive, when you fill up divide the number on the trip ticker by the number of gallons you just put in. Voila! You have your mileage. Rinse, repeat.

Nissan doesn't quite have that kind of confidence in Z drivers.

BTW - what makes you think it's 'very, very' accurate. In almost every car that has them it almost always -isn't- accurate. But it does give people a false sense of confidence.

 

The on board computer (as they called it) on my mini I just traded was never terribly accurate. It relied on the ECU telling it how much fuel got injected, etc, so if you changed injectors or did anything that might screw with the voltages, the OBC was off. I considered it a waste of $300.

We have a clock in the 8, there's our elapsed time, we have trip computers, there's our distance, and we have a pretty linear fuel gauge (e.g. in my mini, the fuel gauge would slowly go from full to half, then nose dive from half to empty)....no need for the OBC.

 

"Never tell me the odds." - Han Solo

Ken

 

yeah, this is something that bugs me too. bmws (which all my friends have and why i didnt get one) have had trip computers since the 80s.

i seriously think mazda didnt include it because then we'd be constantly reminded of our terrible fuel mileage. haha.

 

cost cutting =D

 

its not a luxury car

 

B/c mazda would rather spend that money on something that makes the car perform better rather than save us from having to do simple math

 

I dont think the RX8 needs one nor do their core buyers expect one. If a driver is overly concerned about the mpg of the car then the 8 is definitely not for them. I keep the tank full and refuelling after the 1/4 mark. So to me, the OBC would have been irrelevant. Clock, Fuel Gauge and trip meter is sufficient.

 

Because trip computers look cheesy in a car.
Back in 1986, a Cadillac with a trip computer was new technology. Nowadays people know they they are just BS

 

1986 was also the year they designed that wonderful orange LED unit above the stereo in the RX-8

 

The thing I really wanted is the miles to empty display. I'll keep driving until it hits 1 mile left. I pretty much basically always fill up right below when it reaches the E mark. Curious to see how much longer it goes..

 

trip computers are for rental cars

 

I have one on our Expedition and the novelty wore off years ago.

I rarely even think about it these days.

 

it adds weight

 

For mazda, the DIS (driver information system) is build in to the radio head unit. Mazda 3 didn't get it until Mazda upgraded the head unit to 6CD/MP3. Even then, it is not turned on by default, some owner discover it by pressing buttons together.

I don't know if 2009 RX-8 would have it, since it has the 6CD/MP3 (don't know if it is the same head unit)

 

Don't really see the need for it, not like it gives any really useful information. As mentioned, count the distance with the trip and do the math when you fill your tank. Other than that, I think I can see the gasneedle moving when I redline it, now that's science :P

 

Hehe definitely. I get worried if I'm on the freeway when it hits E though, gotta remember that the miles fly by faster hah.

 

Think you mean the RX-7 and 86 was the only year that orange was used in the clock display in the FC.

 

sports car = rx8 = all you need is a tach and speedo = I'm content. Good talk kid.