I just recently got my 8 and have both read and heard a lot concerning do's and do not's, I just don't know what is true. I've heard some things about not keeping it at low rpm's because of the cat converter, avoiding flooding when starting? things like this. If anyone could throw some good do's and do not's that knows their **** I would really appreciate it, thanks.

 

The flooding issues should be fixed if you have the newest ECU flash.

However, you want to keep it out of the very low RPMs or the vehicle may stall :P Otherwise, I'm not sure what you mean about the cat. I've never heard anything about it.

Do allow the break in period specified in the manual. Don't run it hard when it's cold. Do use 5w20 or 5w30 mineral when you change, as it is suggested by Mazda. Don't forget to check your oil very often, as oil is consumed purposefully. Do carry an extra quart or two of oil to top off with. Don't dump the clutch at less than 4,000 if you want a good launch. Do avoid straight roads / strips at all costs. Don't always listen to the Mazda Service guys at your dealership, as they are sometimes wrong / lie. Do read your entire manual! Don't crash your car. Do wash it and do regular upkeep, as the '8 isn't pretty when it is dirty. Don't throw rocks at your car. Do park it at the back of the parking lot to avoid dents and scratches. Don't do burn outs / doughnuts in the police station parking lot. Do look into modifications, both internal and external to make your vehicle more unique or perform better. Don't install a Supra spoiler. Do use the search button at the top of the page to find answers, or you will get your *** e-kicked.... okay. Im bored with this. Hope it helped...

 

Dont leave it stock

and dont turn the car off when its cold

 

don't drive the car hard when it's cold. Wait about 5 mins after the temp guage has reached the 50% mark before you go over 5k rpms.

also while the latest ecu updates may have gotten rid of the flooding issue, you're better safe than sorry - don't turn off the car until it's warmed up. Once it's warmed up, you can turn it on and off all you want.

the manual also has some do's and don'ts, I seem to recall it telling me not to flip the car, not to run it into walls, etc.

 

what do you mean by this MikeB??

 

his sig has a clue

 

Thanks for all the pointers, it does help. I'll have to remember not to drive it into walls too, I wasn't thinking about that one. What is the new ECU? and how do I check up on it?

 

Hamilton, that video of the Borla exhaust is ****** sick, is that the exhaust system you have on your 8? If so how much did it cost, where did you get it?

 

I got a new flash a few weeks ago, but the newest major release that I know of is the M flash.

Go to a dealer and ask the service tech guys to check what ECU software version you have and upgrade / flash to the newest it if it isn't. It's any easy process and done under warrenty. They just plug a computer up underneath your dash (where the steering column meets the dash trim), and run a program. If they tell you it will take more than 30 minutes (assuming their is a wait), come back some other time or go to another dealership. It's very quick.

 

Thanks RobertDot, I'm going to head to the dealer on monday and ask them to check for me. Thanks for the info though

 

Jdunsh, do take the time to learn as much as possible. There are many a bright person here, and I'm sure they would be more than willing to answer .

Don't, however, be afraid to ask questions, no matter how stupid they are.

 

Yes, it's a Borla. I bought it new for $550 shipped from a fellow RX-8 member.

Most places sell it for around $600 + shipping. It is one of the most popular exhausts for the RX-8 from what I've seen on these boards. It's a few pounds lighter than the stock catback, and has more sound to it. It's a direct replacement, should take about 30 mins to install using ramps for the rear wheels and some wrenches.

More vids:

http://tyrannical.org/rx8/rx8.wmv
http://tyrannical.org/rx8/rx8_2.wmv

 

Car looks awesome hamilton, sounds good too, I posted a couple responses on the multimedia section, couple questions on there. Thanks shelley man, already i've been on this site for probably 3-4 hours at least today, i'm officially addicted.