Truth About Cars - R3 Review
 

Gave it 5 stars. Comments are normal mix of rotary haters and lovers.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009-mazda-rx-r3/

Teaser:

Interesting review and even more interesting comments - thanks for sharing.

Those comments are rather annoying, most of them, like the reliability ones, are half-truths and a lot of exaggeration.

Great review though

Which makes the “sporty front bumper” that’s unique to the R3 package look like a demonic Pokemon

HAHAHA

Exactly "...You take rotary-powered cars to tracks, where a 9,000 rpm redline and humongous usable power band means you can leave the car in third and forget about it ’til you win the race. That’s essentially what I did while carving through some of LA’s best canyons...."


edit: oh, and I already have a urethane filled cross member and know what it is. :) I guess all I need is Bilstein's and 19" rims (I like my present parchment leather seats).

Do you have an 09? The rear suspension geometry has been refined in the newer models.

'05 I don't even know what that means. ;)

I'm not being negative, rather the RX-8 has stood the test of time thus far quite well.

I'd say the RX-8 is actually better in canyons than on the track. Canyons place a premium on communicative feedback and predictability, which the RX-8 has in spades.

Shinkas have Bilsteins as well. Whether they've been re-calibrated on the R3 I don't know...

that review and comments goes ahead and lets people know that the rx-8 is pretty much a solid car, with the fact that its still not idiot proof

Great article, comments make me facepalm.

Those comments are proof that the general public still enforces the reliability issue, whether its true or not. Mazda can't seem to shake it.

It was a good review as that site rarely gives anything 5 stars. The article "In defense of the RX8" is good also.

The comments about reliability and maintenance are annoying as the commentors provides no facts just opinion. And guarateed they have never been around a rotary powered car in their life.

I thought the comments about how the rotary "burns oil" is keeping some from buying the car quite humorous. What a bunch of babies. OH NO! I have to check the oil and put in a little bit every 2-3 fill ups! Wah!

Jack holes.

90% of the people who bashed the Rotary falls into one of the following

1. Lazy
2. V8 freaks
3. Doesn't know anything about Rotary engine
*sigh*

Read the RGS920's comment. A moron that falls into the Category 3 of the above.

Shinkas have Tokico ... its a wider one thats all ... Dont ask me how I know you NOOB ! :lol2:

I'm glad that the general public still think that the Renesis is unreliable... that means less sales, less us... though, that can't be good for Mazda and our resale values. :p:

Good review... few things kind of got to me though. The "triangular anus" comment and the way he phrased the following:

Makes it sound like they didn't in the past... not sure if that's the way it was intended to sound, but it could be misleading if people don't know.

Comments are stupid... like "But y’know, apex seals are apex seals. It’s just not a reliable design." That's just like the people who go around saying "diesel? diesel's dirty, loud and was only used in cars because it used to be cheap!"

Good review thou have to disagree about the "useless" rear seats. The number of times I had to carry 2 or 3 other people or cart about a load of stuff that maxed out the boot. I've even sat in the back when too tired to drive and at 6'1 didn't feel anywhere as cramped as say... the back of a FD. Comfortable might even be the word I'm looking for.

Comments like those really get me going. Really is just a bunch of mis-informed/ ignorant idiots. Oil burn, i get through 1 liter of oil every 2000 miles, better than alot of the piston powered diesil counterparts on the road. As for the engine reliability. Never had a problem in my 3 years of ownership. And I certainly didn't drive about like an old granny. Compaired to a few of the pistons I've owned this rotary is about the most reliable powerplant I've had.

Very good review.

I wasn't aware that the R3 rode that much harsher than my '05, which is pretty comfortable.

Yeah, you're correct. The Shinkas had Tokicos with a wider shaft.

^hehe, you said wider shaft...

Yep, Hitachi all the way. ;) And I am considering 19" rims next year.

It is like 1997 reading those comments.

Good to see the writer knows how to drive!

"I’m not saying that the RX-8 R3 handles well for a $32k car. I’m saying it handles better than a $320k car. Or, more importantly, whatever you’re driving."

..touché!