In defence of the RX8

[down_hill_dog]

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/in-defense-of-the-mazda-rx-8/

Wonderful read this was. He nails it completely. I love the RX8, i've NEVER driven a car that leaves you completely satisfied after a spirited drive down a winding road. And i'm not even considering modifying its power output.

[HeaTransfer]

99% of drivers don't care about how a car really handles, which is why the RX-8 is such a tough sell.  You can't quantify things like responsiveness and balance.  Image and power/torque are far easier to market.

[down_hill_dog]

Exactly. That i think is why the RX8 sells to such a limited group of people, selling sometimes 5,000 units or less per year. What mazda needs to do, is supercharge or turbo the RX8 for the people who need straight line numbers. It would upset it's overall balace, which Mazda is big on. But with modern computers, throttle response can be delayed producing a driveable yet powerful vehicle.

Personally, I took the Accessport, testpipe and intake out of my Speed3 because I love it's mid corner mannerism without use of all that junk. Though I may have 60 wheel-hp less, throttle modulation now is incredible and the car is much quicker down a winding road.

The RX8 is a fantastic car, out of the box. If they did'nt look so incredible lowered a little with wide wheels and tires I would not have ordered anything for it. Though in keeping it tastefully modded, I should be able to maintain it's flawless sense of balance while producing a stand-apart look.

I suggest everyone who enjoys driving, drive an RX8 down a winding road. Your new found appreciation for the car will overcome ANY questions you oreviously had.

[roflwaffle604]

I wanna drive OWN an RX7 FD3S FTW

[derrick]

I wanna drive OWN an RX7 FD3S FTW

I have the wheels from one... LOL.

[Username]

The RX8 is a fantastic car, out of the box. If they did'nt look so incredible lowered a little with wide wheels and tires I would not have ordered anything for it. Though in keeping it tastefully modded, I should be able to maintain it's flawless sense of balance while producing a stand-apart look.

This sounds like an advertisement. Fantastic, incredible, tasteful, flawless.

Truth be told, the RX-8 is an alright car. It thrives on balance, and that's about it. For a car with sporting pretensions that stickered at close to $40k means it had a lot of stiff competition. In auto form like yours, the car was even more underpowered. Something like 212hp IIRC. Not worth $40k. $25k, maybe. At this point they've become depreciation kings because it takes a unique individual to look past the lack of power and finicky maintenance to appreciate the balance the car has.

My honest $0.02.

  Kev

[IMASA]

it takes a unique individual to look past the lack of power and finicky maintenance to appreciate the balance the car has.

And the shitty fuel economy.  We're talking about V8 fuel mileage here.
I've only driven a RX8 in the city, doing regular driving, so yeah, I was not impressed.  Had I had the opportunity to take it out on, say sea2sky, I'd probably be impressed, til the mofo in the speed3 blows by me up the hills

When I bought my speed3, they were willing to sell me a loaded RX8 for not much more, but I said no thanks.

[roflwaffle604]

it'll be interesting to see how mazda reacts when/if toyota launches the FT86 since it seems the RX8 and the FT86 will be in competition with each other, but the FT86 should be priced much lower

[derrick]

it'll be interesting to see how mazda reacts when/if toyota launches the FT86 since it seems the RX8 and the FT86 will be in competition with each other, but the FT86 should be priced much lower

And the Genesis Coupe. Although I haven't heard much about them thus far.

[stovetop]

genesis coupe looks pretty good although the regular 2.0L doesn't look at cool as the larger engine one

[DKaz]

Toyota won't build the FT86 if it'll be priced more than $20,000.

BTW the Genesis Coupe has a 2.0T, not just a regular old 2.0.

[Elder_MMHS]

As mentioned in some other thread a long time ago, I had the pleasure of driving an RX-8 last May for autocross and some long-range city/highway use (drove large sections of the I-5 in Washington).

The powerplant from a performance perspective is fine.  It has a very linear power delivery coupled with great response - both generally agreeable hallmarks of a proper sports car.  It lacks peak horsepower but for its price range and weight, it seemed in line with the market at its release (232hp).

As a car to live with, it has a couple of expanded considerations that it doesn't hold well up to, primarily being a maintenance-sensitive/attention-needy drivetrain and very real poor gas mileage.  It burns oil by design and so you must take care to top up, and from my driving experience, cruise control @ 70mph will get you 70 - 80 miles per quarter tank... putting the car's range at no more than 500 highway kms.  The tank size is 65L.

I'm not adverse to lack of low-end torque but it's a general consumer demand that even Honda could not ignore when they revised the S2000 with the 2.2L engine in the AP2.  I personally wouldn't mind revving more for daily driving.

As an aside - I make frequent internal comparisons between my limited experiences of the S2000 and the the RX-8.  Both are rev-happy cars, low on torque, great handling and response, fun.  They drive like what I think are "proper" small sports cars aside from the fact that one is a roadster and the other has 2 extra doors and a back seat.

[theurgy]

My personal opinion is this.
The RX-8 is a great handling car, and was one of my considerations when I was buying a new car.
It's handling is amazing, however not entirely unheard of. I found it a kin to the 350Z and a Porsche Boxster in terms of handling.
The 9000 RPM and linear power delivery are very nice as well and REALLY open up with the addition of a CAI (surprisingly).
Also being a Rear Wheel Drive car increases it's fun factor.

The bad made me not even consider it.
Firstly, the low end torque is WAY to low for a car in this class, being a rear wheel drive, half the fun is the possiblity of being able to drift with it.. however it's stock power delivery makes that not so possible.

Another thing is it's absolutely finnicky power train. The rotary engine takes a shift in mentality about how an engine works. That's why rotary heads are a different breed.
From having oil burning issues by design, the inability to use synthetic (unless you upgrade your OMP and have a seperate oil canister for the apex seals), to having to rev high all the time otherwise the higher rev port will become gummed up and jammed.
Also finding a mechanic well versed enough in rotary engines is a whole other challenge. It's why you see many LS1 converted FD RX-7's out there.

Finally, one that doesn't really apply too much here but back east... the RX-8 is absolutely horrible for winter driving.
If you plan to use this car for daily driving year round in any area with even moderate snow and winters... this is not the car for you.
Even with really high end winter tires this car will fishtail and float like it's nobody's business.

One of my buddy's has opted to always fishtail into every turn form now on and gotten used to it... however he rarely drives it in the winter now.

As a good summer car, if you were to get an early model, who was treated well from the start (by a rotary savvy driver) and you maybe got a supercharger or turbocharger kit for it... would be a mean car to have.
And for the record I have ridden a turbo RX-8 and it's a whole different car.

[Elder_MMHS]

I would think that with lack of torque the car would be easier to drive on snow as the chances of you breaking traction limits are lower?  I certainly felt like I had an easier time driving my regular 3 than the MS3 as even before turbo-spooling the MS3 has a bit more torque.  Maybe my memory is foggy.

Or maybe it's just the weight distribution issue to keep the drive wheels planted?

[theurgy]

The RX-8 is touchy in winter simply because of it's weight and the fact that it's RWD.

As for the MS3 in the winter.. I did have a tought time with it.. however I found that taking the DSC off when in heavy snow helped a ton.
However I've never driven my car in snow now that it's been tuned... having full boost on 1st and 2nd gear now would be touchy as hell.

[HeaTransfer]

You don't necessarily need power to break the ass loose - see Miata, Mazda... which I have seen used as a drift car.  Not ideal for drift afaik due largely to its wheelbase, but it can be done.

I am guessing the RX-8 is "not so great" in the snow due to its chassis balance.  I don't know -- I've never driven one :p

On a side note Craig, why do you worry so much about what others think of what you drive?  (this is not an insult, just something that I detect from your posts).  Just drive it and enjoy it.  Those that get it, get it.  Those that don't... well it's tough to be them.

Kind of like driving that Miata you used to have.

[down_hill_dog]

I do have to mention that fuel economy is not as bad as you all make it out to be. Everytime I fill up is appx 55 litres with the fuel light on. The car gets an avg of 360 km to a tank in town. That matches the economy in my MS3 which is now completely stock aside from springs and wheels. It also achieves the same mileage as the gf's last wrx265 in town with a similarly sized tank. It's on par with other sports vehicles, but compromises raw HP and torque for handling and balance!

As for maintenance... I know a few people who own the 06+ Renesis engines (6port not 4?) The only time that the hood is lifted is at the dealer every 6000km for servicing. Incredibly reliable vehicles! As for oil level, i've heard people talk about it to NO END. I havent noticed any consumption AT ALL. It may have a lack of low end torque, but bump it down a gear and scream it. They move alright, and as stated above.. The intake and use of 94 octane helped HUGE. Its not a car you go out drag racing in anyways.. It is a beautiful comfortable weekend "sports car", that can destroy the twisties and still haul 4 people unlike an S2000 or similar!!! I sure like it, and will even more once the springs and wheels are on this week :p

Not trying to defend it, thats just what the article was called. I think there is much misconception about the car. Driving one day in and day out changed my views on it.

[down_hill_dog]

Kind of like driving that Miata you used to have.

HAHA, not alot of people understood that. Flared on 0 offset wheels.. I did'nt understand it from time to time either.

[HeaTransfer]

Craig,

Double- or triple- check your oil.  If memory serves, the RX-8 engine is supposed to burn some oil by design, .  I would be concerned if you weren't adding some oil periodically.

[theurgy]

Also.. Consider getting the RX-8 Sohn OMP adapter and a seperate oil reservoir, as well as start using rotary specific oil like Idemitsu.
Most of the rotary heads I know highly recommend it.