I turned the keys over to Mazda US yesterday...the RX8 is officially a memory.

Looking back on it, I have to say I was kind of ambivalent about giving it back. On one hand, the car's controls all felt so "right" and it was quite a bit of fun to drive. On the other hand, I never got used to either the lack of responsiveness or the gas mileage, in daily use. No matter how you look at it, the car was interesting and full of character...for what it is

Anyhow, now that I've decided not to co-drive an '8 at Nationals, I guess my B stock and RX8 days are over. It's been great running with all of you guys and this board has been very helpful in getting up to speed (literally) on the car. I guess there's no reason to hang out here, anymore...well, except to harass the usual suspects

Good luck to all at Topeka or wherever you may run your little rotary rocket '8

 

You're still running the Rustang right?

 

Oh yeah

 

I hope you never leave the community Mike. Hopefully I'll meet you one of these days...

 

The community is what makes the whole thing interesting, for me...the racing is almost secondary...almost!

I just got off the phone with my former codriver and am now really feeling the pain of not doing Nationals this year...he almost talked me in to going

 

You know you want to...

Snag a co-drive with a 350Z driver. Many claim they handle just like a muscle car at the limit!

 

I sold my RX-8 almost a year ago and I still hang around here. I AM co-driving a BS RX-8 in Topeka though.

 

^yeah, I noticed

This board is a good one, although it has gotten kind of slow, lately...I guess there just aren't that many really new questions or set ups (well, at least set ups that people will share...) out there...

As far as a 350Z, it just seems like a muscle car with no muscle...or camber

They do sound nice, though

 

are you sure that you don't want a Nats codrive?

 

I guess that depends on how badly someone wants warm tires in RG1...

 

sorry, I shouldn't have shot my mouth off

I'll be running alone this year, which is probably for the better even if it's for the worse ...

 

I agree...it is very honorable of you not to share your pain...

JK, do good, Mark

 

the pain exceeds autox unfortunately ... on a brighter note it looks like I won't be moving away afterall

 

Didn't know you still had the '8, Mike. I might have been interested in taking it off your hands.

Too bad we never really had a proper BS battle, you and me, RX-8 vs MR2. Both of us were off form in Packwood so it doesn't count.

 

Yeah, running with you would have been fun, Bryan. Maybe one of these events you'll let me try the MR2? I've never driven one...anyhow, you wouldn't have wanted to buy my RX8, as the lease residual was a bit higher than the fair market value. I had a couple of locals who wanted the car, but I wasn't going to jam them up on the price, when I knew I could just give it back to Mazda.

Mark, I'm glad you're staying put in Reno, we're going to have a great year in the Bay Area, next year, with Alameda becoming more available and it'll be great to see you at more events!

 

well I'm seriously looking at a BMW 135 for later in the year and am not sure that I can keep the 8 too; 2005 base, fresh engine, fresh trans, fresh shocks, fuel pump, pads & rotors, etc., only 7xxx miles total

 

No doubt the 135i is one fast little car...but, you still have to look at it, occasionally...fugly sucker

 

bangled to all hell...

 

lol, but I owned a Z3 coupe and Z4, so comparatively it looks much better, but certainly not as good as my first BMW, a 1995 E36 M3

the RX-8 seemed an ugly duckling initially too, some cars just grow on you in time

 

No, the RX8 is still ugly...seriously. Looks pretty good from behind the wheel, though

 

You might want to wait until after nats to see how the 135i really does.
We finally autox'd against one on asphalt and are happy with the car that we are now running.
FM

 

Well...I don't think, at HPT, that either the 135i or the Cobalt is going to be at the top of the podium...no offense, fm, but I'm betting on the ITR doing it again, either Kinch or Alex Muresan. I just can't see either of the bigger hp cars being able to get the power down sufficiently, which is their only hope vs. the Acura, imho.

 

i cross shopped the z3 m coupe when i bought the rx8. i love z3 m coupes. i like the z4 too (and the z4 m coupe but both are out of my price range.) i think both the z3 and z4 are beautiful cars. i think the z4 is only the bangle that i truly like. as for old m3s.. i have serious e30 m3 love.

you think the 135i looks better than either z?

 

I don't autocross but do track the car a fair bit in the summer. I was considering the 135i, drove it and found it quite uninvolving. On certain race tracks the E-LSD will eventually detroy the rear rotors (you cannot fully disengage it).
I am looking into Z4 M Coupe or an Elise (what I really want).

 

BMW should be publicly ridiculed for not installing a proper LSD in anything other than the M cars...stupid, cheap and embarassing for the "ultimate driving machine"...

Throw in the very questionable styling of the Bangle era, which rather than being "leading edge" is becoming dated very quickly, and it's hard for me to understand what would make me buy another Bimmer...but, what do I know, I just bought a live axle dinosaur that can't handle anything other than a smooth surface, in terms of cornering...sure does sound nice, though, and it does have an actual LSD

Getting off my rant, to be perfectly honest, a new 335i would be one very sweet daily driver...