nolarx8

I have been reading the different topics for the last week and finaly i had to speak up and spread the truth.*stop being scared yes we have low hp and tourqe but with the correct mods its over* k&n cold intake, borla catback, hot wires, mazdaspeed flywheel, nx nitrous, brembo brakes. All this set me back close to $4600 but its worth it when i prowl for mustangs and i look for the ones reving those funky flowmasters. All im saying is the 8 has the weight you just have to have the extra cash

XDEEDUBBX

he said the words "correct mods and k&n cold intake" in the same sentence..hahaha

RX-GR8

none of your mods have anything to do with increasing speed but the nitrous and maybe the flywheel.

RX-GR8

can u say troll? :D

JeRKy 8 Owner

The only thing in your list that youre taking the Mustangs w/is the nx nitrous. Lets not lie toeach other here

TyrellCorpNexus8

This is my personal favorite.

Ike

$4600 later and you might be able to keep up with a stock 25k 05 mustang GT, grats... Good work on the brembos as well, the stock breaks were great from all I could tell, I bet you stop a few feet sooner from say 70mph

RXE16T

ROFL :D
Highly optimistic isn't he?

Let's say the same Mustang owner spent $4600 modifying his, then what?

"Not hating, just educating"

rx8wannahave

The real difference will come from lowering (the RX8 is already light) by about 100-150 pounds with lighter flywheel and rims making a significant difference. THEN when a reliable ECU comes out...high flow CAT and a SC/Turbo...then the RX8 will fly.

Until then...we are going to be on the short end of the stick in regards to HP per $.

dmp

...and the flywheel only helps in the first couple of gears.

sterfry

You can't complain about power if you test drive a car before you buy it. If the power (or lack of power) was an issue, why is it in the driveway? I have driven a couple of new sports cars lately and even though the RX8 isn't the most powerful of the bunch, it is by far the best overall package. If I lived at Laguna Seca, power might be more of an issue. I live in a real city with real traffic and real stop lights. The guy in the Festiva next to me is making just as much progress as I am in my Z.

rx8wannahave

That's so true, sometimes we get caught up in numbers when MOST of our driving is standard start and go, park and drive away...etc...

The flywheel will help but we are not talking about nocking off a sec on your 1/4. But, if someone (maybe me one day) was able to nock off 100 pounds, nock 5 pounds per RIM, and another 5-7 on the flywheel...you are talking about a significant improvement on your times (numbers). How much? I have no clue since I've never fixed up a car, but without adding HP getting a lighter flywheel and RIMS is the way to go.

Just my two cents...

Red Devil

Using the term "scared" is harsh. No one is scared, it's just accepting the terms of what we have to work with at the moment. And for a daily driver the 8 has more than enough power to keep things interesting. If we could afford a new 8, then most of us could also have purchased an STI, EVO, or 350Z etc...so power and acceleration obviously was not an overwhleming factor in our decision.

Given the aftermarket parts currently available for the 8, anyone who had to have a rotary and also be king of the streets should have known better and taken an FD.

mysql101

The FD for $15,000 less at that.

Jaguar_MBA

I talked with a fellow at the last Rotary Club meeting...he has the K&N Typhoon and Borla Catback exhaust...when he Dynoed he had ~170HP at the wheels ....so the mods actually lost him power he advised me.

As for nology wires......check out some prior posts. Those prior posts have had those wires create problems with the vehicles ignition system....plus no HP gain either.

Flywheel = yes, NOS = Yes, Underdrive Pulley = YES

This is from RACING BEATs web page: http://www.racingbeat.com/FRmazda4.htm

The following table lists the measured power gains from various aftermarket components. Testing has been conducted on the Racing Beat engine dyno with both pre-production and production Renesis engines.

1. Intake – enlarging the oval inlet to the factory air box - +2 HP (this modification eliminates the VFAD intake duct.) Developmental work is still being undertaken.
2. Headers – approximately 4 HP peak power gain.
3. Mufflers – muffler & connecting pipe - 2-3 HP.
4. Removing the muffler from the car (engine) – about 4 HP.
5. Remove catalytic converter and resonator from the engine completely, and replacing with "cat" replacement tube – max benefit 8 HP – regardless of what muffler is used (or even no muffler).

"The muffler "off" will yield about 4 HP, with a very loud exhaust note. With it "off" the car, the noise is unbelievable! We find 2-3 HP peak RPM maximum improvement from our exhaust, or any competitive system that we have tested. So someone can see from these numbers, it is quite difficult to get a lot more HP from this engine. The max potential with a header and race exhaust would be around 10HP."

Follow-up Notes

During the prototyping of our RX-8 exhaust, we kept hearing claims of rather large HP gains from other aftermarket exhaust systems. Since we were not observing gains anywhere near some of these claims, we decided to obtain two of these systems for our own reference. One of the systems performed as expected and produced around 3 HP, as did the RB prototype unit. However, the other system did not fare as well and actually produced less power than stock!

StewC625

Scared????? Scared of what? Scared that some stupid f-ck in a ricer is going to beat me in a stoplight drag? Scared that I might not enjoy my car as much as I do?

I'm very curious here as to what I need to be scared of. Now that Tom Ridge has resigned, and he was the king of telling us that, I need somewhere to turn to.

(Let's see, how many times can I end a sentence with a preposition? I can feel my Jr. High English teacher's hot breath on my neck ...)

rx8wannahave

TRUE

It seems that the HP, 1/4 mile, or 0-60 numbers in the RX8 would mean FAST in any other car other than the RX8. The RX8 is a fast car...no doubt about that but it seems that people thought it would be faster than it is...hence...they are disapointed.

I wish the RX8 made 300HP out of the box but with it's "listed" (cause that is apparently in question) 238HP it is fast enough. I think it's more of the thought that it's peers (350Z, G35, S2000, 05 Mustang GT, and GTO) are all faster than the 8 so it bothers some.

It bothers me a little...but not enough when I consider it's looks, rear doors, back seat comfort, safety (let's not forget that people, the RX8 is one of the best out there today) and handling.

I have not made my final decision on what car I will end up yet but everytime I start compareing and mentioning the great things about the RX8 it makes me wonder why I keep bringing in a new Challenger...what's the point?

dmp

I'm pretty sure an RX8 would handle MUCH better:



:D

rx8wannahave

LOL, I mean the 04 GTO...but yes, it take it in the curves without a problem. Now with that old one...LOL...I would not even compare...but I would love to feel it's BIG V8...uhhh mama!

dmp

..you wrote 'challenger' :p :D

I got beside a GTO in traffic last weekend. I really liked it.

StewC625

The GTO is STUPID FAST! I test drove one right before I got my -8. Yes, I actually got a dealer (Sullivan Pontiac, Arlington Heights IL) to allow me to test one. Oh my what an engine ... but why oh why did they make it look like a rental car?

Road and Track in their SEMA report this month had a picture of a "concept-restyled" GTO - definitely better, but still oh so far off of what could be ... however it's still a GM car with all the "parts bin" problems that go with that.

rx8wannahave

Ohhh, sorry...I feel a little dumb...now, LOL

zomzomp5

Why don't we just wait for the Mazdaspeed 8 to come out. In last monthe Speed magazine they tested the prototype with a supercharger with about 270hp. That only 32 more hp than the stock and that thing did 5.4 0-60 and 14.0 quarter. It also ran the fasted lap at the street of willow than the same nismo 350z and porcha boxter s they tested. So it is possible to gain 32 hp with 8 with just cold air intake, exhaust, ecu tunning. Drop in some mazda speed suspenstion and fly wheel and you are set. You know, for me I would be very happy with those mode and performance. I goal is not to get the 8 to smoke a mustang in the straight, I'll leave that for the ricer. All I want to do is make a great balace sport car better and smoke then on the road course. If you spend enough money you could probable smoke any car in the straight. The key is to have a good balance sport can not a stop light race car.

dmp

...because not everyone can afford the xtra $$ the MS 8 will cost.

army_rx8

you mean it'll cost us..damn i thought mazda would just give it to us b/c we love the rx-8 so much oh well guess i should go back to bed again...in my dreams i'm a Viking. LOL:p