Nordic RX-8

I'm in the Dallas area as well (though specifically in Plano), and I don't see many of them on the road (part of what I find appealing about the RX-8). I think the main reason for this is just that the car is new. A year ago, I had never seen a 350Z on the road, but now I'm starting to see them more frequently, but that series car is now almost 2 years old. The RX-8 just came out last year so a lot of people don't even know about it, and of those that do, some people want to go with the "established" 350Z or G35 Coupe. Given another year, I think we'll see a lot more RX-8's on the road (for better or worse).

Heck, including mine, there are 2 in our parking lot at work, and at least 2 guys I work with are interested in the RX-8 as well.

Oranje

Since owning, I've yet to see another 8 on road.

Admittedly, I keep mine resting comfortably in the garage for all but the most sunny, dry New England winter days. But as the weather warms ...

Cheers,
Oranje

MyLadyDeb

I'm in So. Florida and I don't see alot in my neck of the county in Palm Beach Gardens. When I go toward West Palm Beach I see alot more. Noticed, tho, that in the last 2 weeks I've seen 2 here. I like feeling unique. I know I get alot of looks - I don't always pay attention - and sometimes outright conversation and now that I'm past 3,000 miles I find the car has gotten better and better and more fun to drive. I'm leasing so my situation is very different.

Nubo

It's funny ever since November when I took an interest and ordered mine, I've been looking for them on the road. So far I have only seen 1 outside a dealership and that one looked like it was on a test drive. I know they're out there; just haven't seen them.

GiN

I live in Los Angeles, and commute between LA and Orange County daily. I see approximately 2 RX-8's regularly each week, probably the same black and titanium gray every week. Once in a long while I'll see a red or yellow one, but probably just passing by from somewhere else. People still come up to me and say "that's a nice car, how do you like it?" or "nice car, what the hell is it??".... One guy actually told me "it looks old fashioned..." I'm guessing he was referring to how the front fenders can almost make the car look like an open-wheeled roadster (Prowler, Caterham/Lotus Super 7, etc..) To each his own. People shy away from rotaries due to the "problems" they have.
My theory on that is this: Most people will sell their cars because they've grown bored or tired of them before the car really starts to have "problems". Someone who has owned and driven any RX may hold onto the car much longer (because they still enjoy having it and driving it), thus allowing it to start having problems while in their possession (aka nominal wear and tear) and at the same time drive it like a sports car (aka exceptional wear and tear)... So while the RX driver keeps his/her car longer and drives the hell out of his/her car, his/her peers with "normal" cars wonder why his/her RX is "always" having problems.

PhineasFellOff

Where in the universe are you getting your G35 numbers? Most of the RX8's on dealership lots are Grand Touring, which is stickered at $31,100. Most of the G35 coupes are stickered at over $34,000. I think maybe you're thinking about the G35 sedan, which is definitely not in the sports grand tourer category (it's in the sports sedan category).

The G35 coupe is more the RX8's competitor, but the G35 has been out one year longer than the RX8.

I'm starting to see more RX8's in southern California. RX8 sales have been just fine for a sports grand tourer, even if not quite as explosive as the G35/350Z combination punch.

Remember, the Mazda 6 was nonexistent for ONE WHOLE YEAR (despite all the magazine accolades) until the publicity generated by the intro of the RX8 trickled/transferred to the Mazda 6. Now Mazda 6 sales are really going and two new 6 variants (a hatch/fastback and a wagon) are coming out and the Mazda 3 is just starting to actually sell (I've been noticing their presence on the roads in the last two weeks). I think for Mazda, it's really how the RX8, 6, and 3 reinforce each other in terms of overall sales that matters to Mazda, not how the RX8 sells or whether it makes a profit on its own.

Psylence

I'm not bothered.. I'd rather the RX8 not become another mainstream automobile.

Yes, I want to see Mazda make money on it because I'm eager for a new RX7. But at the same time I really don't want to see rx8's everywhere I go. Mainstream popularity brings in a large quantity of undesireables..

Sue Esponte

Inifiniti's website and Edmunds. In my prior post I was talking about possible "negotiated" prices because Hercules was talking about negotiated RX8 prices. You can't compare MSRP with one car with a negotiated price on another. I have a friend with a G35 coupe and an another with a G35 sedan, neither of whom paid MSRP. I also wasn't talking about a loaded G35. Sorry if I was unclear.

And, as an aside regarding those who are leasing, I've seen tons of BMW and Audi leases for amounts comparable to what others are quoting on these boards for their RX8s. It really comes down to incentives, negotiation and residuals.

Anyway, my original point was only that some might give up navigation and other luxuries just to get into the upmarket car (e.g., BMW or Infiniti) over a Mazda. Look, technically I'd be trading down my daily driver from an Audi to a Mazda (and I know others on this board have made similar trades) so I'm not even saying I fit into the demographic, but to say that a lot of people don't think about name brand curb appeal when they buy would be silly.

-Eric

P.S. I also don't think you can limit RX8 comparisons to coupes since the 8 sits on both sides of that marketing fence as well. This goes back to my original comment about the public's perception of what it is...a coupe or a sedan? I'd certainly encourage people shopping a 325i sedan, G35 sedan or an A4 to cross shop the RX8 depending upon their backseat needs. The 8 will hold 2 full size adults in the back. Try that in a G35 coupe or 350Z for any period of time. Been there, done that and not doing it again. After all, this is my reason for shopping. I will need a car with a real, useable backseat. Sitting an adult in the backseat in most sports cars is a crime against humanity. Not so in the 8.

-Eric

KKMmaniac

In the part of this area I frequent, a big chunk of the metro area, I saw my first on the road yesterday! (if I don't count the red one I saw with dealer plates last July) Just caught a glimpse of a silver RX8 going the opposite direction on Hwy. 100.

Seems to me, one of the dealers had a lot of them in stock a couple months ago.

Pirate Rex

I guess depending on the *** you are referring to, it may not be too bad looking. :D

Overport

I am not sure....but i also like it that way. think about it, you see the 350Z everywhere you go....i once saw 12 of them in one day, maybe thats just in vegas but....i like it though, it makes the 8 seem more rare so when you do see one it catches you by surprise and you look. Most people dont even give the z a second look any more, but when a kid see's my 8 he just gawks...its cool, the Z doesn't do that.

RXilar8ed

I like that you hardly see any of them on the road. But I notice that everyone passing by hesitates and gives me the long look over. Strangers slow down when I am by the car and tell me they like it. When I pick my kid up at high school, there are lots of admiring comments there, too. I guess I'm one of the few moms around who doesn't drive a HFSUV or a "Mini" van, both of which I also hate. And I do see others occasionally on the road, though I drove all the way from NorCal to SoCal and back last weekend and didn't see even one.
I like the uniqueness of the RX8, I love its lines and the way it drives "tight" and everything fits like a glove. I hope I never see so many of them on the road that they become ordinary. And I love leaving those HFSUVs and MVs in my wake as I wind up that purring engine and wave bye bye.

BTW, I also didn't like the G35 interior; too boring after I had tested the RX8...

Parmer8

I'll agree with the amount of 8s in Austin. I've seen a lot in the north side of town. There's even a blue 8 a couple of houses from me. Oh yeah...for those that live in the area, if your going to buy the 8, get a different color other that gray:D . There's too many of us around already.:D

Pirate Rex

I too am in SoFla (Miami to be exact) and I have only seen a handful on the road. I saw a red one on I-95, a silver with some real nice aftermarket rims in West Dade (if you are in here, nice car dude), and a pretty hot chick driving a green one on SR 836 the other day.

I do see a whole lot of Zs, Stangs, and SUVs. I think Miami is the H2 capital of the world!

Sue Esponte

I'm sure those H2s come in real handy in the snow...errr mountains, no...ummm...beaches? ;-)

Gotta love South Beach.

-Eric

PhineasFellOff

I see what you're saying. Yeah, I agree with you.

Pirate Rex

The H2 crowd down here is not really into the South Beach scene. It's a lot of soccer moms and businessmen with $$ to blow on huge trucks and large quantities of gas. My buddy's H2 averages 10 MPG.

You RX-8 people complain about gas mileage?

Winning_BlueRX8

Yea but the rx-8 doesn't weigh 9 metric tons, either.

ASAEED18

i keep wishing my rx-8 was the new rx-7. the real reason most people buy this car is because of its sport factor. back in 95 when the rx-7s stop coming to US shores, there was no market for sports cars anymore. soon after mazda started working on the rx-8, to address the 'problems' people had with sports cars at the time. thus it has 4 doors and is too tall and not a pure sports car. i think mazda, by compromising its design philosophy, compromised its sales. this is evident in the marketing, where the 8 is marketed as a sports car -which it is, but ultimately isn't. i love my 8, but my soul constantly yearns for more sport. i should say it performs like a genuine, pure sports car, but it really isn't so pure. I am an architect-design graduate, and I know the worst thing you can do is compromise. the strongest works produced always, always develop a heirarchy. In tihs case, I think because of the situation at the time and partly the gamble on it, the strength of a heirarchy (with pure sport as top priority) was compromised so the RX8 lives in a world of its own. You can see this -try looking at a car that you like and ask yourself what you like about it, how did its function influence its design?

Inconsequential

Dang, I was hoping when I saw you were mentioning people in Richmond VA... I was hoping it meant VA=Vancouver, hehe, my bad. Was thinking that there are a lot more 8's up here than I thought, but nope, guess the cold of winter still hasnt thawed out of my brain, hehe