Mazda RX-8

trispec · November 2005

If you want to paste the text below into an Excel spread sheet, the data for these performance vs all season tires will layout nicely. This is how I chose the Avons.

cut -----------------

BRAND

Bridgestone Bridgestone Michelin Michelin Pirelli Pirelli Yokohama Dunlop Dunlop Kumho Yokohama Avon Michelin
Potenza RE050A Potenza S-03 Pole Position Pilot Sport Pilot Sport PZero Nero PZero Rosso Asimmetrico ADVAN Neova AD07 Direzza DZ101 SP Sport 8090 ECSTA SPT AVS ES100 Tech M550 A/S Pilot HX MXM4
Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall

Size:225/45YR18 Size:225/45YR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45ZR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45YR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45YR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45VR18

PRICE $211.00 $223.00 $207.00 $232.00 $215.00 $212.00 $245.00 $129.00 $238.00 $99.00 $156.00 $136.00 $219.00
PERFORMANCE Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Ultra High Performance Summer Ultra High Performance Summer Ultra High Performance Summer Ultra High Performance Summer Ultra High Performance All-Season Grand Touring All-Season
CATEGORY
SPEED RATING YR YR WR ZR WR YR WR WR WR YR WR WR VR
TREADLIFE WARRANTY None None None None None None None None None None None None None
HANDLING RATING 9.4 9 8.9 8.9 8.6 8.5 N/A 8 N/A N/A 8.3 8.5 6.6
DRY TRACTION 9.4 9.2 9.1 9.1 8.9 8.8 N/A 8.5 N/A N/A 8.6 8.9 7.1
WET TRACTION 8.5 8.7 8.1 8.1 8.3 7.6 N/A 7.5 N/A N/A 7.8 8.9 5.8
SNOW TRACTION N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 7.8 4.4
RIDE COMFORT 8.4 7.8 7.7 7.7 8.1 7.3 N/A 8.5 N/A N/A 7.4 8.8 6.7
NOISE COMFORT 8.3 7.6 7.3 7.3 8 7.2 N/A 8.1 N/A N/A 7 8.8 6.4
WEAR 7.2 6.6 6.7 6.7 7.3 5 N/A 8 N/A N/A 6.6 8.8 6.2
TREADWEAR RATING 140 220 220 220 220 220 180 300 280 320 280 360 300
TRACTION RATING A AA AA AA AA AA AA A AA AA AA AA A
TEMPERATURE RATING A A A A A A A A A A A A A

trispec · November 2005

Here are the Winter tire vs All season comparisons. Just copy the text below and paste into Excel.

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BRAND

Bridgestone Bridgestone Continental Dunlop Pirelli Avon Michelin
Blizzak LM-22 Blizzak LM-25 ContiWinterContact TS790 V Winter Sport M3 Winter 240 SnowSport Tech M550 A/S Pilot HX MXM4
Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall

Size:225/45VR18
Size:225/45VR18 Size:225/45VR18 Load Rating: XL Size:225/45VR18 Size:225/45VR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45VR18
Load Rating: XL Load Rating: XL

PRICE 223 198 198 178 198 136 219
PERFORMANCE Performance Winter Performance Winter Performance Winter Performance Winter Performance Winter Ultra High Performance All-Season Grand Touring All-Season
CATEGORY
SPEED RATING VR VR VR VR VR WR VR
TREADLIFE WARRANTY None None None None None None None
HANDLING RATING 7.8 N/A N/A 8.1 8 8.5 6.6
DRY TRACTION 8.1 N/A N/A 8.3 8.2 8.9 7.1
WET TRACTION 8.3 N/A N/A 8.7 8.4 8.9 5.8
SNOW TRACTION 8.9 N/A N/A 9.2 8.5 7.8 4.4
RIDE COMFORT 8.1 N/A N/A 8.5 8.2 8.8 6.7
NOISE COMFORT 7.6 N/A N/A 8.2 8 8.8 6.4
WEAR 7.8 N/A N/A 8.4 8.1 8.8 6.2
TREADWEAR RATING NONE NONE NONE NONE .ONE 360 300
TRACTION RATING NONE NONE NONE NONE N/A AA A
TEMPERATURE RATING NONE NONE NONE NONE N/A A A

emeraldhue · December 2005

...or all seasons at the very least. Get rid of those stock tires if you have any kind of snow.

There was about 12 inches of snow yesterday in Kansas City with about 1 to 2 inches on the pavement. And my stock tires were COMPLETELY USELESS! Running at 20MPH on flat roads, my car slid left and ride at the rear end. It was difficult to steer it back to a straight line. At about 300 feet away, I was afraid I would crash into the oncoming car even at that speed. :surprise: The car's light weight combined with those worthless stock tires were enough to force myself into spending $840 on a set of Dunlop Winter Sport M3s. I'm not taking any chances on all seasons.

ukjim · December 2005

Singing to the choir I know but nice to see the car appreciated by others. January 2006 edition of Car & Driver voted the RX8 the best sports coupe. Does this put to rest what the car is (or isnt)?

elian · December 2005

Hey everyone, has anyone seen any 2006 yet? I thought they were supposed to be here by now, but I have yet to see a single one, and it is nearly 2006....did something happen to production?

pathstar1 · December 2005

There are too many in stock - production was due to start this month. Expect to see them in jan or feb. 2006.

jakebebber · December 2005

I have a 2004 RX-8 GT with the Bose in-dash 6 CD changer. I've noticed that I cannot play most, if not all, of my CD's that I've burned off my computer, using either Windows Media or iTunes. I keep receiving a "check CD" error message. However, the CD's play just fine in my other car.

Can anyone help me with what may be going wrong or what I need to do?

Jake in Orlando

audia8q · December 2005

has anyone seen any 2006 yet? I thought they were supposed to be here by now, but I have yet to see a single one, and it is nearly 2006

The factory rep told me that the 2006 model year will be very short for the RX-8...There is talk about only doing a Shinka for 2006 and maybe a limited run of regular versions. At this point they need the production space for cars in high demand.

jkeith2 · December 2005

Elian
I hope you have researched the problems that will surely come with your RX-8.
We purchased a 2004 in Oct. of 03 and it has been in the shop no less than thirteen times, twice it had to be hauled to the shop for repairs.
I have an appointment with my attorney tomorrow to investigate the possibility of invoking the Texas Lemon Law.
Instead of you being concerned over rebates and/or leasing versus buying, I certainly would suggest leasing, at least this may give you a way out.
Jkeith2

audia8q · December 2005

I hope you have researched the problems that will surely come with your RX-8.

Sorry to hear about your problems but the 2005 model is recommended by Consumer Reports...According to them the 2005 is alot better than the 2004.

plekto · December 2005

And the 2006, with the new transmission, will be even better. The difference between manual and automatic times and performance will shrink to nearly nothing.

Lexus uses a simmilar 6-speed auto-manual in their IS series and it's a blast to drive compared to 4 speed versions.

duke15 · December 2005

I am very near to pulling the trigger on a 2005, mainly because I am getting a great end of year deal. My question is, should I wait for the 2006? I don't care about the length of the wait, I am interested in learning what the changes will be so I can decide if it is worth skipping the $5K off of MSRP I am currently looking at. With the current model year, I want an A/T (my wife's only insistence), GT pkg, appearance pkg, and spoiler. Can anyone point me in the right direction to finding out more information about the 2006?

pathstar1 · December 2005

Easy question. The 2006 automatic will have the "high power" engine (limited to 7500 RPM) with a six speed automatic transmission. This results in an increase in HP output from 197 to 212. Like the current 4 speed automatic, it will have paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Most other things will be the same as the 2005. There are two colours deleted and two added. You can read the dealer documents yourself at the RX-8 club site.

The HP increase would be barely noticable but the extra gears would allow better use of the automatics limited RPM powerband. The manual engine revs. to 9000 RPM but the automatic has to be limited to 7500 RPM due to the torque converter's limitations (it would suffer much greater fatigue above 7500 RPM and would be more likely to fail - probably explode - within normal operating lifetime). So they limit the RPM of the engine to 7500 RPM. The "high power" engine produces its' extra power due to the #5 and 6 ports, which open around 6800 RPM and become fully functional above 7000 RPM. As you can see from the 212 HP rating, it can't produce the full effect of the manual transmission car (238 HP) because it can't utilize the RPMs necessary.

jason0820 · December 2005

Can you specify what your major problems/occurrences were?? Is it mostly powertrain related? I've been hearing problems in southwest regions with this model, and want to see what are rumors and what are facts (also, have you had the engine replaced)?...

jason0820 · December 2005

I had this same problem on a previous Jetta.. don't know if there's a fix for it other than getting/using a CD player that can play CD-R/RWs.

bunnygirl · December 2005

I have a 2006 on preorder. I was told to expect it around the last week of January to first week of February. I was told this information when I contacted Mazda headquarters to go about setting up my special order since the sales manager at my dealer didn't know when they were coming so he said they didn't have the special order info. I finalized my order on Nov. 22 for my car and it went into a final build order two days later. My dealer is getting two in stock at that time. The first one is Galaxy Gray 6-speed manual and at the date I got my order finalized that one was already in build order and couldn't have its specs changed, so if you want one like that expect it around late January in the Portland area. Their second car, now my car, will be a Winning Blue 6-speed manual. MAZDASPEED dealers are supposed to get the new RX-8s first.

I was told there was a delay in production on 2006's because the new Mazda 5 (the mini minivan) is built on the same line in the factory as the RX-8 and the 5 was having a parts "issue" which I understood to mean the availability of some part or another basically held up the line a month or so longer than it should have. The RX-8 was initially supposed to start production on October 1 but got pushed back to November 1 and then to December 1. It is my understanding that they are currently in production now. I was told a week or so after I placed my order, by headquarters, that it went into production Dec. 14. I don't know if that was my car or the RX-8 in general.

On another forum I was informed that "reliable" sources are all informing "them" that the RX-8 won't be availble until after spring break! If that is the case Car and Driver wouldn't have voted it 10 best since it's criteria states that vehicles tested are supposed to be available for sale no later than January 2006.

I guess we will all have to wait and see but I am definitely hoping for the sooner rather than later date! Originally they were supposed to come out in time for Christmas (by the early to mid December) so I don't think they are that far behind their schedule, only about two months. I had also been told that they were talking of adding an extra shift at the factory to get them out as soon as possible.

duke15 · December 2005

Thanks for the news. I was able to find the very useful pdf that someone posted as well (thanks for that). So has anyone actually driven the 4-spd AT and the 6-spd AT? Or perhaps has any experience with 6-spd AT's that may offer some advice as to whether or not to go with the 2005 or the 2006? I keep thinking that the 6-spd AT will be more fun than the 4-spd AT, but I am guessing that waiting will cost me about $3K (but my car would be one year newer) and I am trying to decide if the new AT is worth the extra money. Thanks

duke15 · December 2005

One more thought - where did the 6-spd AT come from? Is it new, or has it had a reliability record with another model? thanks

lhess · December 2005

I have an early built 04 and I have had ZERO problems with it. In fact, this is one of the few cars I have bought in my life that I haven't had to take in for something nit-picky to be fixed.

Drove it this afternoon for the first time in a while (clear, dry roads) and it was as exciting as the first time I drove it home from the dealer!! I love it!!

bunnygirl · December 2005

I have driven the 4-Speed auto RX-8 but never a 6-Speed auto. I have heard that new Mini Cooper also uses a 6-Speed auto in it. I guess the main change is that it has closer shifting points to keep the RPMs at more of a stable rate. Don't know how knew this is or not.

pathstar1 · December 2005

The 6 speed auto is new. It's now in showrooms in the new Miata (now called the MX-5 instead of the MX-5 Miata). Perhaps you could arrange a test drive of that car to see how well the transmission works.

The car would be more fun with the six speed. It's a little slow with the 4 speed - some like it, lots don't. It depends on what you want. Personally, I would pay the extra $3,000 as I wouldn't want the car with the 4 speed.

plekto · December 2005

Resale value will also be much higher for the "non castrated" 6 speeds compared to the 4 speeds.

The 4 speed - it was good for an automatic but in no way did it approach the feel of a manual. Move over to an IS300 and - shifting with the paddles in one is very close to a stickshift. Just no clutch.

It'll be much much better to drive.

bunnygirl · December 2005

If it were me, I would just buy a stick. I am in the process of relearning how to drive a stick for when my new RX-8 arrives. (Got to be able to test drive it and at least get it off the lot without looking stupid). I haven't really driven a stick in six years so I signed up for a few lessons at Sears, mainly so I could get some practice at slow speed, stop and go traffic. Everywhere I go seems to be that way anymore! The RX-8 is supposed to be a really easy to car to shift anyway, so I figure I will do okay with it.

lhess · December 2005

for 3 or 4 years until i got the 8 in march 05. It makes for some interesting driving at first. However, I have always preferred a manual to an auto and this car does not change that. It's great.

Funny thing about my test drive, they had to jump start the car I wanted to drive (dead battery sitting on the lot) and then send me out in it with a "Don't stall it, it won't restart!!" Lord I was nervous - I was revving the heck out of it on every take-off. But, I managed!!

PS Glad to see a "fellow female" interested in cars. I sometimes think I'm the only female in the country that knows about hp's, cylinders, rotaries, and car stuff!! Mine is a gift from my mechanic dad!! Thanks dad!!

You're gonna love yours!! I've got to drive my baby the last 2 or 3 days because we've had a break in the snow and the roads are clear and dry (couldn't make myself put an UGLY set of winter tires on it!), and it's like having a new car again!!

pathstar1 · December 2005

There are many opinions on the comparison between transmissions. I'm going to state mine.

"In the beginning..." there were two basic RX-8 models - those with the "standard power" engine (market speak), and those with the "high power" engine. Here in North America all manual transmission models got the "high power" engine. All automatic transmission models got the "standard power" engine. The difference was claimed to be 41 HP.

Starting with the 2006 model year all models will get the "high power" engine. The automatic transmission models will be slightly crippled due to the torque converter reliable operation limit of 7500 RPM, so the engine will only develop a claimed 212 HP, while the manual transmission can handle the full 9000 RPM range of the renesis engine with a claimed HP of 238.

So, which transmission is "better". There are reasons to want an automatic and there are reasons to want a manual.

Manual - You control "fully" which gear you are in and you control the connection of the engine to the power train (clutch). I like this aspect because I can see the road ahead and anticipate when to shift. When I'm lazy the auto would be better. The manual transmission -should- be more reliable as it has fewer parts/is less complex. These days this may not matter, as you rarely hear of an automatic transmission failing when maintained properly over a reasonable time span (say 10 years). You can easily wear out the clutch on a manual transmission equipped car, for example. I'd say reliability is even between the two.

Automatic - If you drive in heavy traffic every day this is the preferred way to go. You can still "play" as the RX-8 has "paddle shifters" that allow you to select the gear. There is an extra loss of power in the torque converter, but it is small. The previous 4 speed auto with the "standard power" engine was, well, to be blunt, slow. That has now changed! You think a manual would beat the new auto? Think about what happens when you shift. There is a time when there is no power being applied to the rear wheels when you shift a manual (perhaps 1 second for each shift). An automatic can shift with almost full power to the rear wheels. This is why they use automatic transmission mechanicals in drag racing cars! I suspect this advantage will balance out the loss of HP the 2006 automatic suffers due to not being able to rev up to 9000 RPM.

Of course none of us would ever think of using the car in the manner implied above on the street! Would we?

So, being a manual transmission guy, would I consider the auto? It's tempting!

pathstar1 · December 2005

If you can afford them, you can put on Nokian WR tires. We mounted them on five spoke AR aluminum wheels. They look good and are very effective on wet roads, icy roads, and in the snow! Then you can go out and play in the snow. Great fun!

plekto · December 2005

The engines are the same, the gearing ratios are virtually identical, or should be. Only that rev limiter on the auto is set different, and for 95% of people, it makes no difference, as 7500rpm is where most people whift, id not a little sooner anyways.

The 2006 will definately drive better.

The other plus of the automatic is - it's cheaper. 25-26K for one, plus factory deals/incentives - I bet 25K out the door is possible on a base with the 6 speed.

bunnygirl · December 2005

The pricing is supposed to be the same as the 2005s but won't know for sure until they release the info coinciding with the Detroit Auto Show in January. My car is costing me a little over $33,000 fully loaded (got a Costco purchase at $400 over invoice). I considered the automatic for the sake that it is just easier and I am not a super experienced driver. But then I figured since I am gettign a sports car I might as well go all the way and get a stick. Besides, I don't intend to drag race it! The "pausing" mentioned isn't an issue for me.

I hope I can manage to test drive it and at least get it a far enough distance away from the dealership after I buy it before I kill it, if I'm going to have a shifting problem. That would be really embarrassing otherwise!

plekto · December 2005

That should be $25-26K for a base with the 6-speed automatic.

But besides that, you'll do fine. Try a collumn-shift on an old 60s car. Lol. Now that's challenging.

bunnygirl · December 2005

I've heard horror stories about people trying to drive those!!! If the 8 shifts like the Miata does (I'm told they do) then I should be fine. It's just one of those things that makes me nervous. Besides, in Oregon the sales people still ride with you, along with whoever else you brougth with you, which in my case would be my mom. I'm one of those people where if I know there is a likelihood I am going to do something to look stupid, I don't want anyone around.

They may actually raise the price up closer to that of a manual, but I don't know yet. Can't find pricing. On the 06s they upgraded the interior so you don't have plastic back on your seats and the chrome accents are now supposed to be shiny. I guess you get smooth leather instead of ribbed leather also. I saw a picture somewhere that someone posted of what the new key is supposed to be but I am not overly thrilled with it. It looks like a credit card with locking/unlocking buttons on it. The key snaps to the side of it (where there is a little block cut out; fully snapped together it looks like a credit card)and unsnaps from it, I am assuming so you can use it to drive. I am hoping they aren't that way. No holes for a keychain so you can put your house key with it. This way you have more things to try to keep track of and more things to lose!!! Uh-oh men!!!!

pathstar1 · December 2005

Well, you don't actually have to use the key on the 2006s. You keep it in your purse or wallet. Except to unlock the door - use the button for that. If the "key" is within about six feet of the ignition lock the car will start and run when you use the ignition. Because of this the fact that it is part of a larger object (the credit card shaped remote) is not a problem. You can still use the key in the old fashioned way to open the door, and even in the ignition switch, though if one had to do that I can see it would be awkward.

This gives possible advantages in the event someone tries to hyjack the car - you get out and let them drive away, but as soon as they get out of range of the key (still in your pocket, wallet, or purse) plus some number of seconds until the electronics looks for the key, the engine will quit and they will no longer "have" your car. Plus they will by then be far enough away from you that you should be able to stay away from them. Not something those of us who live in smaller centres have to worry about, but something good for LA or New York.

Oh, and I was not trying to say the automatic is "better" than the manual previously. Just that it's now "different" and perhaps "improved" compared to the older 4 speed.

You'll do fine with the manual with a little practice. It's the easiest manual to use that I've ever driven. Best part for a beginner is the fact you can use one of three gears at any given speed, so you don't have to shift as often if you are in a "busy" situation! Once you get used to it you get to shift just because it's fun!

lhess · December 2005

I wouldn't even look at the RX 8 if I had wanted an auto. I would have gone for the 350Z and not sacrificed hp's for the tranny choice. But, I'll easily stick to my stick!!

lhess · December 2005

I'm in WV and they salt the living crap out of roads in winter. Don't want salt on my man. Also, cinders for traction (our lovely mountains and curves) and it puts chills up my spine to hear cinders bouncing off the car in the winter.

Currently, I can walk to work and have access to a POS jeep if I need to go anywhere else so I have opted to keep Rex off the icky roads. I do try to start him up and take him for a spin when the roads are clear and dry so he's not fully retired for the season.

bunnygirl · December 2005

We just have sand and chemical deicer. It doesn't eat up your car. I still think I am more partial to a regular key.

pathstar1 · December 2005

You should be able to get a regular key "cut" and programmed to your car. The dealer will have to do it. Be aware it will be expensive. Last I heard they were around $70 each. Then add the labour to program the car. I think the dealer should do that at no charge for a new car, but I wouldn't expect him to supply the key at no charge.

bunnygirl · December 2005

I was checking the specs on the 8's in Australia and at least there the only car that gets that key system is the special edition one which they call Revelation, which is like our Shinka, so who knows.

grinnin · December 2005

I guess it's time I posted a little of my experience with my 2004 RX-8 6-sp. First purchased June 2004 used with 5200 miles on it for $25,800 (at a Cadillac dealer that obtained it on a trade for an Escalade) grand touring package and navigation. I now have about 13K miles on it. Black with black/red leather interior. I live in Boston and have had NO problems with flooding even in the cold weather. Last winter I kept the OEM tires on it and left the car in the garage when it snowed (especially the 28" we got last January!) One day we got a surprise inch of snow during the day and I barely made it home from the train station. In October 2005 I replaced the stock tires with the Avon A/S-500 all-seasons, and I can now scoot up the short steep incline on our driveway and go with some element of confidence through a light coating of snow. I take public transportation into the city for work, so I have an easy time leaving it in the garage if I need to when it snows heavily. I've used maybe two quarts of oil in 9,000 miles, and get about 17 mpg average (15-16 winter/18-19 summer) with more cold-weather and city driving than most people.

Bottom line is I still smile as I hop behind the wheel and drive off. Sure it's not the fastest off the line, but nothing beats it in the point and shoot traffic of urban Boston. Its light weight and low low rotational moment of inertia (sorry, showing my geeky side) make the car a hoot to drive every day. The Avons compromise a bit of stickyness, but give me more driveability which is a trade-off I'm willing to make since I can't afford a dedicated set of rims and snow tires. When I was a kid, my Dad bought sight unseen the first RX-7 shipped to Milwaukee in August of 1978, and I've been a rotary Mazda fan ever since.

duke15 · December 2005

Thanks. I'll try the miata tonight. I am still on the fence as to wait or not to wait. At the moment I am thinking that I will buy the 4-spd auto for an incredible deal, or if I can't get that, I'll wait for the 2006 6-spd AT. Unless I love the 6-spd AT in the Miata, then I will pass on the 2005 all together. If none of the dealers will deal with the 2006's, I'll just use the Costco program and at least get close to the invoice price.

trispec · December 2005

Just finishing my first long car trip of 2000 miles in my RX-8 AT. Two adults and a child still in a car seat. The RX-8 has been very nice on the highway long trip. Long duration driving was a worry at first, but after 14 hours averaging 80mph through MA, CT, PA, VA, WV and NC on I84, I81, I77, I85 and I26, I can't remember a easier drive. At 76mph there's tiny bit louder whine from the automatic tranny but between 78mph and 100mph she's quiet and powerful in all situations. She holds cruise control speed in even the steepest climbs up mountains.

Traveling from Boston to western NC. This is one instance where an automatic is much nicer than a manual tranny. A fully automatic tranny lets the cruise control maintain constant speed going up hills and mountains. Years ago when I drove manual tannies only, driving on highways over steep hills and mountains I always hated the downshift at highway speeds while going up hill. No matter if I shifted at the bottom of the hill or mid way up, the cruise control would get in the way so badly that I could never maintain my speed. I was really love'n my wimpy RX-8 AT 4 speed this trip as I did 80mph all the way up I26 to Ashville NC.

bunnygirl · January 2006

The Costco program is great!! It just may be a little tricky to get it started on a 2006, as I found out. I called them to find out who to deal with, and they sent an email to the dealer. The sales manager then told me they weren't available yet so he couldn't do an order. Well, at that time I had already contacted Mazda to find out about it and how to do the special order so I had a phone number for someone to talk to and arrange the order. Well, it worked out great that they hadn't started building them just yet so they changed the building specs on one already in line so I didn't have to get to the back of the line and wait extra long. If you are not in an immediate hurry or extremely picky about what comes in your car and will just take something off the lot, you should be able to start the process next week, I am thinking. It is supposed to be "unveiled" at the Detroit Auto Show which starts on Jan. 8. My dealer quoted me a Costco price of $400 over invoice, although we don't have the invoice price yet!!! You are supposed to be able to get additional discounts off that price but I don't know yet since my car is still on its way here.

eclipse4 · January 2006

Does anyone have any more info on the key system for the 2006 RX-8's?

I've looked all over the place and found sites that talk about "keyless entry and ignition start". Why would they make it so you have to click a button on the fob (as a believe they're called -- this thing with the unlock and lock buttons) to open the doors, but not need anything to start it? The new Corvette and several other types of cars now use an intelligent entry system that let you just open the door and start the car when you're in proximity of the car with the credit card thing. No buttons on the fob need to be pressed.

epaiuk · January 2006

Hi everyone,

Wanted to tell a brief story. Was very excited about getting the RX-8, have been diligently shopping, researching for months now, but I really wanted to lease for various reasons and the deals have not been there since the good one in Sep/Oct. Long story short, turns out BMW is having a huge sale on leftover 2005 Z4, and I ended up with a 3.0, for less than the cost of an RX-8 lease....I'm having a blast now, though I do feel like I've betrayed my first love a bit...;) Have fun everyone, I'm off to some top down driving....

audia8q · January 2006

You keep the remote in your pocket...on the door is a tiny button you push to unlock the door(s), you don't have to push the button of the fob.....get in and turn the knob. The knob is where the key would go.

the reason for the button on the door is so you don't unlock your car by accident when just walking by...

twmark · January 2006

has anyone driven the new 6 speed automatic? does anyone know when it's supposed to be available? thanks

trispec · January 2006

Been watching my dealer in Boston for a while on this. They have given up predicting when the 2006 RX-8 will arrive. But it's a two edge sword for them. There are plenty of 2005s around and 2006 is not going to offer enough difference from the previous model so the dealers are not all that psyched about receiving 2006 RX-8s that will not sell fast and that will crush the prices of the 2005 RX-8s left on the lot.

pathstar1 · January 2006

The official due date is in a few weeks. I'm too lazy to look it up, but it's posted many times on the net. I'm pretty sure the first shipment has set sail from Japan by now. In US ports sometime next week. In dealers lots two weeks at the longest after that.

mklis · January 2006

After recently purchasing an '04 RX-8, i neeed to replace my tires for winter driving in Minneapolis.

Should i simply get winter tires, all season tires, or a package of new rims and winter tires altogether???

trispec · January 2006

Here in Boston, I bought all season Avon Tech M550 A/S 225/45ZR18 for $136ea. from TireRack.com. From the performance specs these tires give 90% of the dry traction of the summer performance tires and 90% of the winter snow tire traction, but a huge increase of double or triple the tread wear. The Avon Tech's M550 A/S 225/45ZR18 are quieter, get better gas mileage and they fit the original rims looks and all.

In the last snow storm, the Avon Tech M550 A/S 225/45ZR18's took me through the snow coming down so fast, that the windshield wipers jammed solid four times. My RX-8 AT with it's DSC and Lim-Slip-Diff was going up and down heavy slush and packed snow with hardly a slip of the Avon Techs and in four inches of unpacked snow I could confidently power through by turning off the DSC.

Some people, think I'm nuts, giving up the 10% on either end of the performance spectrum, but having fantastic value for the money is worth it in the middle range.

gmfiv · January 2006

Wondering whether this is true or not... I was told by a local dealer today that there was a fire at the manufacturing site, and that this is the cause of the delay in the 2006 arrival.

Is this true or just sales B.S.? I'm curious but really don't care that much... I've got an '05 6 speed that feels great.

I've been having a blast all afternoon burning that 93 octane..

I had an rx-7 in the 80's and this car seems to be very similar except for a better ride (over street imperfections, etc.) and a very cool, modern, up to date cockpit. I loved my first rx, and so far this car is a kick to drive hard.

trispec · January 2006

Welcome back to the rotary world. I sold my 1987 RX7 when I moved to Boston. Regretted it ever since. Now my RX-8 has revived my soul and it's wicked practical as well.

The fire Japan was a year ago. It split the 2005 manufactured RX-8. I think the 2006's are being delayed because they are switching the RX-8 to a lower priority in order to make more Mazda 3s and such in greater numbers.

Mazda RX-8

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