Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Most popular vehicles
Popular New Cars
- New Acura MDX
- New Acura RDX
- New Audi Q5
- New BMW 3 Series
- New BMW X3
- New Buick Enclave
- New Cadillac Escalade
- New Chevrolet Equinox
- New Chrysler 300
- New Dodge Challenger
- New Ford Edge
- New Ford Escape
- New Ford Expedition
- New Ford Explorer
- New Ford F-150
- New Ford Focus
- New Ford Mustang
- New Honda Accord
- New Honda Civic
- New Honda CR-V
- New Honda Fit
- New Honda Odyssey
- New Honda Pilot
- New Hyundai Elantra
- New Hyundai Santa Fe
- New Hyundai Sonata
- New Hyundai Tucson
- New Jeep Compass
- New Jeep Grand Cherokee
- New Jeep Wrangler
- New Mazda 3
- New Mazda 6
- New Mazda CX-5
- New Nissan Altima
- New Nissan Maxima
- New Nissan Rogue
- New Porsche Cayenne
- New Ram 1500
- New Subaru Crosstrek
- New Subaru Forester
- New Subaru Impreza
- New Subaru Outback
- New Tesla Model S
- New Tesla Model X
- New Toyota 4Runner
- New Toyota Camry
- New Toyota Corolla
- New Toyota Highlander
- New Toyota Prius
- New Toyota RAV4
- New Toyota Sienna
- New Toyota Tacoma
- New Volkswagen Jetta
- New Volvo XC60
- New Volvo XC90
Popular Used Sedans
- Used BMW 5 Series
- Used Chevrolet Impala
- Used Chevrolet Malibu
- Used Chrysler 200
- Used Dodge Charger
- Used Ford Fusion
- Used Ford Taurus
- Used Honda Accord
- Used Honda Civic
- Used Hyundai Elantra
- Used Hyundai Sonata
- Used Tesla Model S
- Used Toyota Camry
- Used Toyota Corolla
- Used Volkswagen Jetta
Popular Used SUVs
- Used Acura MDX
- Used Acura RDX
- Used Ford Edge
- Used Ford Explorer
- Used Honda CR-V
- Used Honda Pilot
- Used Hyundai Santa Fe
- Used Jeep Compass
- Used Lincoln Navigator
- Used Mazda CX-5
- Used Nissan Rogue
- Used Subaru Crosstrek
- Used Subaru Forester
- Used Tesla Model X
- Used Volvo XC90
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
There's a cool factor to it, too. I live in suburban Chicago and see one maybe once a month. That, you can't price.
I experience complete thrill running rotarys in my rotary everyday. Priceless!
I live in suburban chicago as well and also drive an 05 AT. There is a pretty active RX-8 and rotary club in the chicago area. Email me at mdw1000 at yahoo.com if you want details. Or you can check out the midwest section at RX8club.com. The Rotary Car Club of Chicago has its own website at chicagorotary.com. The RX8 specific club is listed at rx8club, but generally most events involve both. We meet at least the 1st saturday of every month and often more than that.
Congrats! You are going to love this car!
FYI - it is actually good to rev a rotary a lot. Keeps the carbon from building up. It won't hurt it like a piston engine. That and its smoothness are two of my favorite things about the rotary. And of course its power to engine weight and size ratio.
To get the most out of the car and have the most fun, I almost always use the manual shifting mode. Around town I end up using 3rd gear as a cruising gear. For routine cruising i normally shift at around 4k or so. I make sure to hit redline at least once every time or two that i drive it.
I myself am an owner of 2004 RX-8, which I purchased as used 2 years ago. At the time of purchase the car had about 33,000 miles on it. It is manual with velocity red color. I love the car so much I brought it to my home country when I left US despite all the inconvenience of not having an official dealer/service here. The car ran amazingly the first time I sat in it and I was hooked. It still runs the same. I believe there were a few recalls that had been performed on it before I took the ownership. Even after I became the owner, there have been two recalls done: vacuum test, which is just a test for the engine and the hot spark plug substitution. There was one mechanical failure which got fixed easily at no cost at the dealer - burned ignition coil. Ever since, I've had zero problem on the car.
2004 model is supposed to be a little quirky, but I would think by now most of the problems have been dealt with. Just make sure that you check all the recalls on the car. Mazda had extended the warranty so that it is still valid on 2004 model though it is no use for me now (being out of states). So do get it thoroughly checked at a Mazda dealership where they should have all the records on the car.
All in all, I would recommend the car and believe at 50,000 miles, it still has many more years to give you lots of fun. I have had a BMW, a Supra, and so on, but this car is just out of the league in terms of driving fun.
To that end, I'd like to add that my RX-8 AT is perfect city driving car in this respect. I flip in and out of paddle shifting mode all the time. Traffic issues don't always grant drivers room to reach highway speeds, but let'n the twins howls regularly is fair easy in most urban environments. The RX-8 AT lets driver deal efficiently with the boring jams and then pop into manual for those brief moments of freedom.
My 05 6 speed gets 14-15mpg commuting and 19 and maybe 20mpg on a highway trip. Pretty poor given the small size of the car and the lack or torque. And it requires premium fuel too. If you have not noticed, the premium on premium has gone up - it can now run $0.30-$0.50 per gallon higher than regular. Some 8 owners run regular or mid-grade and give up some performance for cheaper trips to the pump.
On the same commute I get 23-24 in the S2000 and 27+ in the xB - so it is not just my driving style or the route, it is the car.
I would avoid 04 8s like the plague - many, many more problems on the first year cars than on later years.
Long term reliability for any 8 is a concern as well - since they have not been around a "long time" in this iteration. Most have had the powertrain warranties extended due to the problems and recalls. Mazda is not too sure about the future either, you can buy an S2000 HondaCare warranty for 8yrs/120k miles for maybe a grand online, the cheapest you can find a Mazda extended warranty (for less coverage) may be $1,700-1,900.
The 6 speed is a blast to drive, handles like on rails, with a Voodoo knob the shifting is even better than the S2000, great brakes, suicide doors mean a somewhat usable back seat.
Resale value is another problem - some publications rate it as above average, but they are wrong. I have had few sniffs at my like new 2005 RX-8, 11k mile, loaded up 6 speed (GT + NAV + more). Original MSRP 2 years ago $32k +, asking price now $21k - and no takers. Search online car listings and you will see lot of low mile 8s being offered for under $20k. Good news for you, you can get one cheap. Bad news is if you try to sell or trade it later. 2 year old cars are rolling through auctions bringing about 1/2 of MSRP - which is serious depreciation. If you buy it and drive it until it dies, you will not care - but if you need to trade or sell later you may be sorry.
Fun car, but not for everyone - and not a good car to have when gas prices could be on the rise again.
Dennis
It has two rotors, so that's .67(each rotor, half the total displacement) times 6. Basically it's a 4.0L V6 in a tiny little package no bigger than a typical 1.0L 4-stroke. Of course, Mazda geared it for performance instead of mileage, so the mile-high overdrive is effectively gone as well - which is why it doesn't get 28mpg. (Otoh, take an Accord V6 and manually lock it into 3rd gear(no overdrive) and watch it also get 21-22mpg highway.)
As for the fuel cost, 30 cents is the average spread. Based upon $1.50 gas, that 30 cent spread was 20%. Now, with $3.50 a gallon gas, it's 8.6%.(10% at $3.00) It's honestly not a big deal anymore.
Would gear ratios be the ultimate comparison for gas millage numbers. My RX-8 AT runs around 1500 RPM at 45MPH in 4th gear over drive. My 4 piston 2.2L POS Saturn SL runs around 1200 RPM at 45RPM in 4th gear over drive.
At highway speed my RX-8 AT runs 3000 RPM at 73MPH and my Saturn runs at 2800 RPM at 73MPH.
At 95MPH my RX-8 starts to taken on sweet private jet qualities in ride and wind sound. In theory my Saturn could do 95MPH, but the rattles, steering buzz and boat bouncing behavior have kept me from ever going much past 80MPH.
I've ridden in previous versions of both cars and the ride is harsh at best on city streets. On the highway the 350Z and G35 would be nearly intolerable in many of the lower 48's poorly maintained highway surfaces. I can travel a 1000 miles in my RX-8 without any road buzz effect. The RX-8 seems tuned to dampen out the bad roads in this country of ours.
Were you driving on the highway? Seems like city driving would be worse.
Am I the only one who's ever had this problem? Dealer and sales guys telling me never seen before...
Took in for 30k service and they couldnt find any trouble.I also keep on then about my auto tran hanging in 3rd when I pass,have to up shift manualy or wait a minute.
Anyone else have leaking front wheel cylinders,both sides have puddles(stain) in my parking space ???
Now, if Mazda put a rotary in every vehicle... Well, I can dream, no?
Any further info or resolutions, bullwinkle or chparx8 (or others)?
2005 AT "The Blue Angel"
I bought a 2004 RX-8 slightly used in June of 2005 with about 5K miles on it. (26K miles on it now)I live in Boston.. I drive it on lots of short trips where the engine does not fully warm up. I have had NOT ONE single problem with the car.. ZERO.. NADA.. It has ALWAYS started, I put 1/2 qt oil in every 1000 miles, and I switched to the Avon all-seasons so I can drive it in the winter safely (which I do). I have hit 122 mph on the Mass Pike at 2am, and I take offramp cloverleafs at 50-60 mph.
Three plus years later I still smile when I look at my car and I love my wife for saying yes when I wanted it so bad.
I've got Avons as well for the weather, mostly the wet stuff and the quieter ride. I burn half a quart every 1K, and millage is 15MPG to 17MPG depending on the amount of paddle shifting. I've not had any problems either. Nothing like this car. Dream ride and I mostly stay in 2nd gear.
Recently, discovered a $40 Bell bike rack that can be configured very low to the trunk to carry three mountain bikes at almost horizontal so highway speeds aren't slowed. Now we can drive anywhere, pop the bikes off, ride through the best scenery New England offers, then drive back passing everyone in their hulking camper sized SUVs just like a sports car should. This bike rack also keeps the bikes from blocking the tail lights, just need to be careful the bikes don't knick the paint going on. (I got knicked, but no dent) Once locked in place the bikes become a solid part of the car. The weight, roughly 150lb, is positioned at six points, two points at the bottom of the rear glass, two points at the edge of the trunk and two point just below the Mazda symbol on the back of the trunk. The rig self tightens onto the trunk as the car takes the bumps. With the rack attached, the trunk lid can still be fully opened.
Now, if my engine blows the day after the warranty expires, I may rethink!
The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
So, I am new to this site and no, I don't have an RX8, yet. I am planning on getting one by next summer hopefully. I have wanted this car for quiet some time now, and I have started to learn more about it and research information on it.
This is what I want in my future baby:
Year: 2006 or 2007
Exterior: Black
Interior: Red and Black
Transmission: Triptonic, I'd rather it be automatic, which kind of defeats the purpose of having a sports car, but I can always get it switched to manual if I please.
Rims/Wheels: 18" Sevas S 55 http://www.d2autosport.com/wheels/sevas/s55chrome.jpg
Tint: Not sure yet
Body Kit: Infini Flared Urethane http://www.body-kitz.com/contents/me...ntshowcase.jpg
Calipers: Red
Detagged
Navigation System (I get lost easily )
From what I have seen so far, this looks extremely sexy to me. I have looked up prices and it looks like it will be somewhere between $20,000 to $25,000.
I wanted to ask if this sounds like a good idea, or if it's too much money to put into it or if you have any thoughts or suggestions please let me know. None of my friends have RX8's. And I am not sure who to turn to.
Thank You So Much,
Hope to Hear From Someone Soon
Jim
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3918
It took a number of times for me to figure out how to make this model work. As Walmart has it pictured, if you try to make it work, you're courting disaster. Here's a step by step. As Walmart has it picture, the weight of the rack will dent the RX-8 trunk lid and the rack will down slip and directly through the top of the plastic bumper.
1) In the Walmart picture, if your zoom in you may be able to see it better, there are two armatures. The armature as pictured, that's resting on the top of the trunk or boot (Brits, love ya) needs to be folded back under so that this first armature rests about an inch from the end of the trunk. This armature position also means that the main top support armature will need to move forward until it rests directly on the edge of the trunk lid and the bottom of the rear window glass. Also the bottom support will move up the back of the trunk so that on the RX-8, the Mazda logo, is covered by the lower support armature.
2) The positioning that above configurations means that the bike will lay much more horizontal following the curve of the RX-8, resulting in much less wind resistance and above the car, NOT behind the car like most bike racks.
3) The critical engineering advantage of the above is that the bike rack will have three points (really six padded points) of contact with the trunk and car rather than the two (or four pads). This adds to the stability and the contact points are at the strongest parts of the car, at the bottom of the rear window, the rear folded edge of the trunk and the spot just behind where the trunk latches inside car.
4) Now here's the most critical little trick of all. The straps shown at the top of the picture need to be wrapped back over the top of the armature that's folded back to the edge of the trunk. These straps need to be pulled tight as possible at all times. This will mean that as the weight of the bikes bounces, the armature be pushing up on the straps which will cause the whole bike rack to be tightened as the straps will being pulling at the top of the trunk lid with each bounce as shown. The back lower support will slip down off the Mazda logo, but the low support will be constantly pulled tighter and tighter as well. The RX-8's tight ride means that the straps configured this way will act as a shock absorber that tightens the load to the trunk as you drive.
5) Be very care when attaching the bikes. Since the bike are weighing down onto the top of the trunk the little arms that you strap the bikes to are not taking the weight as they would if the bikes were hanging more off the back of the car. The bike rack frame takes the full weight. BUT, the arms sticking up, need to act as posts to which the bikes at attached to KEEP the bikes from shifting LEFT and RIGHT. If the bike shift left or right during travel, they can drupe down such that the wheel bolts can scratch the paint. I strongly recommend strapping the bike seat post or below vertical bike frame below the seat, as tightly as possible to armatures sticking up to avoid the left and right shifting of the bikes.
6) Be careful lifting the bikes onto the bike frame. They are above your RX-8's rear window and trunk. Dropping a bike in these circumstance would obviously have a really bad effect on your car. Take you time. Rest between stages. It gets easier each time, but always take your time. Damage, of any kind will ruin the whole bike trip.
7) Check that the straps are tight before, during and after putting the rack and bikes onto the trunk. Also check the straps before, during and after driving the RX-8 fully loaded. Drive a couple of miles and then check the straps. If going on the highway watch the straps in the rear view mirror because they will start flapping a lot when they get loose.
8) Avoid putting anything of weight on the top of the rear bump. The bumper on top is just a thin piece of plastic. There's nothing but air under the top of the bumper. I punched my bike rack's lower support right through. Near disaster. That's what lead to my putting the bike rack over the car rather than the tradition hanging off the back like most configurations.
None of the aftermarket "xenon" bulbs will really produce more light than new, OEM style halogen capsules. The only way to get more light is to use higher wattage bulbs (but this would fry the wiring if you don't use relays) or install an aftermarket HID kit. Both of these options are probably not legal.
You could add aftermarket driving lights, that would probably be your best, cheapest, and most legal method for getting more light when you are out on the open road.
Dennis
Tests done in France have shown that visibility is actually best with slightly yellow tinted light and despite the apparent brightness of blueish light, it scatters and projects far worse than longer wavelengths. So it turns out the old sealed beams and OEM lights are best.*
*99% of cars come from the factory with substandard wiring harnesses. Upgrading the wiring to your lights is a good weekend project and will increase your light output greatly. A headlamp operating at 11V can literally be half as bright as 12V, especially with HID designs. People spend all sorts of money on higher output bulbs when the wiring is most likely at fault.
That's an interesting premise, but do you have some data to support that claim? It would seem that if the wire were substandard, the heat generated by the wire's resistance could create a safety issue. I'd be surprised that automotive electrical engineers would over-look this.
Add in after-market bulbs in an attempt to compensate and things start pushing the limits. The wires themselves would need 2-3 times the current to actually fail/catch on fire - it's the relays and such that blow first.
I'm familiar enough with the business to know that this would not be the case and, in fact, a margin of over-specification is added.
Of course, if you have a roll of 12 guage wire and an ammeter, you could always test it and post your results of OE spec vs. Monster Cable (headlight wire of course).
ie - the headlights light up and everything works and they saved some money. Also, running the bulbs undervoltage a bit, as long as they are within the spec for minimum wattage(technically 45W for a high beam, though 55W is considered standard) makes them last a bit longer, so you can use cheaper bulbs. Running 12V lamps at 11.5 drops their output by about 15-20% on average, but doubles their life.
So shipping the car with 11.5V lights that put out 50W instead of 55W, well, that still gets a pass by the DOT for light output and you saved a few dollars per car.
Kind of like OEM tires and brakes. It's something that works at a minimally acceptable level but that should be replaced as soon as possible if you're driving something other than a sportscar/it came with those upgrades.
Unfortunately the wiring harness isn't something that the average person can swap out like tires(okay they CAN, but for most people if it's not as simple as a screwdriver and a socket/plug they don't bother - go figure) Instead they typically get brighter bulbs. After all, it's $20 at the local Auto Zone and there's a huge wall of them all proclaiming how they will make your lights brighter...
Anyone have a nice inductive ammeter I can borrow?
-Do you have an auto or stick? There is a TSB for that with the auto, the stick has one too but if I remember correctly symptoms are different and the car is moving.
Can i use a copy? does anyone have one?
Im in need....Help!!