I'm looking into picking one up in the next few months. One of my friends brought up a point and Im looking for some insight to see if its true or not.

I heard that some of the cars were said to have a 232 hp rating but didn't even to come close to matching the claim. Is there anything I should look for? Or do they all put out the same power?

Thanx,
Stief

 

this may help.
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...ehicleCode=RX8

 

I know what the ratings are, I'm just curious to know if its just a legend that mazda said the the hp was the same on all models and transmissions when it wasnt.

 

No they are not the same

 

Do you have any resources on what to look for? What years and so on? I'm guessing the grand touring is the faster of the two?

 

AT power has always been less than MT. Through 2005 it was a different engine - 4 port vs 6 port. 2006 onward it's the same 6 port engine as MT, but lower power because it's redlined at 7500 rather than 9000.

When the RX-8 was first introduced, the advertised power was higher than the 232 that it actually measured. There were lawsuits and settlements that are described in a sticky on this site. 232 is correct for the MT.

There has never been a power difference based on trim level.

Ken

 

So I'm gathering that as long as I buy a MT I'm good?

And I've been looking around and can't find the sticky your talking about, could you give me a link?

Thanx again.

 

Can't find the sticky I was thinking of...maybe it's now sufficiently old history and was unstuck. Or maybe sticky was a figment of my imagination, from it being at the top of the first page for so long. What I remember from it is that Mazda originally overstated the power of the Renesis engine. Enough that it was false advertising. They bought some cars back, and compensated other owners with long term free maintenance.

But that was an advertising issue, not difference from one trim line to another. The only engine change was for the ATs in '06.

You'll be fine getting an MT. Actually, the only problem with buying an AT is that everyone here would rag you mercilessly.

Didn't see if you were looking for a new 8 or a used one. If used, just make sure that it's up to date on recalls and ECU flashes. Any Mazda dealer, or Mazda customer service, will be able to check that.

Ken

 

Yea I'll be going used, I appreciate the help man.

 

Keep doing your research. If you're looking for speed understand there are a lot, and I mean a lot of cars which are faster in 0-60 and 1/4 mile. If you want speed and handling then you're in the right place.

Also check the Dyno sticky. I figure you already know their measuring HP at the wheels. And as you probably already know this car eats gas.

But forget all the stats. Test drive and see if you like it.

BTW I love my RX8.

 

One thing to beware of: There was a run of 2004 model RX-8s produced in 2003 (I forget what months) that had a machining flaw in the engine. These models were prone to internal and external coolant leaks. Mazda's fix was to have remanufactured engines installed. Mine is one of these RX-8s. The remanufactured engine has held up now for 18k with no problems and I regularly accelerate at full throttle to red line.

Regardless of with what model year you wind up or whether it's an MT or AT, always go easy on the engine while it's warming up: Easy acceleration and no revs past about 3,500 rpm. After running at operating temperature for a few minutes you can romp and stomp on it. The reason for this is that the rotary engine is basically a sandwich of dissimilar metals, each with a different coefficient of expansion when heated. Consequently, while the engine is warming up, there are additional internal stresses, which, when added to the stresses of hard acceleration and high revs, places the engine at greater risk of damage. Once the engine is at operating temperature, the only internal stresses present are those designed to hold the engine together.

Otherwise, drive the car. See if the acceleration is sufficient. Be sure to take it out on a twisty road because that is where it shines almost beyond any other car in its class and beyond quite a few costing significantly more.

One more thing: The RX-8 is not a dragster. If you rev the engine and dump the clutch you're asking for major problems.

I hope this helps. Good luck.