I don't want the stock leather covered steering wheel (nor the two-tone Mazda Accessory steering wheels). I'm having a tough time finding reasonably priced options that are out there.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

you can probably get other aftermarket steering wheels however no aftermarket wheel is in-expensive i think they go for $300-500 from what i have seen however i havent seen any for the 8 yet

 

You can do almost any aftermarket steering wheel, B U T it is $$$ also I think you have an airbag in the steering wheel that will be taking out.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

I had found one that seemed to keep all the safety features (airbag and the convenience switches) but I balked at the price of over $500. I guess I just need to decide if it's worth it to me to make the switch.

Here's the photo...

 

There's a matching brake handle for anyone interested:



Here's one site that's selling them:

http://www.polepositionproducts.com/autoexe/rx8.htm

 

I just noticed something in looking at that steering wheel photo...

Mazda doesn't move the stereo switches over to the right hand for all the Japan/UK folks.

Must be a minor cost saving measure.

 

US here, but I've got cruise control switches on the right hand of my steering wheel. I can't imagine the wheel either losing or gaining any convenience if one were to switch the sides. Not moving the audio controls to the right for right-hand drives not only saves the manufacturer money as you point out, it's also (seemingly) pointless to switch sides just because the driver's sitting on the right-hand side.....

 

I don't htink it would be pointless at all if you have a 6speed. You wouldn't be able to adjust volume while you were shifting.

 

I hadn't thought of the need to change stereo volume during mid-shift. If that's a need, then you're right, swapping sides would be an advantage--not for me personally because I can wait till the car's in a given gear before I increase/deacrease or mute the volume. But if mid-gear volume change is on your priority list, then you've got an excellent point.

 

Tee hee. I wasn't actually referring to the convenience of fiddling with the stereo while shifting. But I expect that when people drive around with one hand on the wheel for casual driving, they typically use the hand that they don't shift with.

Not that I've polled the OwnersClub, but I'm certain that if I had a RHD 8 then I would want those stereo switches on the other side of the wheel.

 

so all that stuff is from autoexe so shop around and you will probably find a better price.

what makes that steering wheel better/different than the stock wheel? that looks like it has some of that slippery pianoblack plastic instead of leather. also how is it that it has the mazda logo in on the center airbag cover? it makes it look like something available from mazda. or do you move that and the airbag from the old wheel?

 

One forum member did an excellent how-to for swapping out the stock wheel for the two-tone leather. I expect that this aftermarket wheel installs the same way, keeping all the stuff in the middle.

As to the design of that wheel, I'm not too excited about that pianoblack mix either. I'd prefer to have only one texture that runs uniformly around the wheel for smooth turning.

 

...it was Yoshi who did all that great How To. Here is his steering wheel page:

http://www.geocities.jp/lase3p/RX-8/...er_change2.htm

( More of his mods - http://www.geocities.jp/lase3p/RX-8/diy/diy.htm )