can't decide if this is the right car for me

mikeSS

coming from a X rx8 r3 owner, i got the car right when it came out. the handling and the looks of the car is what got me. when i got it there was no camaro or 5.0L mustang or 370z out. it was the 350z that was still at dealerships. i miss that car everyday. they fixed most problems in the 2009+ rx8s.

pros- handles like a dream
- fun 9.5k redline
-the seats are BA
-the R3 rims go great with the car
- VERY all around smooth car
- you think the 370z is a rare car ? think again rx8 r3. i have seen one in my area. not including mine.

cons
- no power what so ever in a straight line. still fun when cornering
- bad MPG, but who really cares its a sports car right ? but its still pretty bad for how much power the car has.
- the car is not mod friendly at all. engine wise.
- the suspension was pretty rough, and i live in MI roads which are not good.

veridic

the car is very rare, and looks cool. its a fun car, but i feel the 370z is a better buy because it has both ok handling and power in the straights. and thats what makes a great sports car.

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11 GT 432WHP. 10 SS 460WHP

Hambone1

They are pretty common around here. Don't see a ton of R3's, maybe one every couple of days, but far from rare.

mikeSS

maybe its your area, i see very few 370zs, and only one time saw a rx8 r3. i see more Bentleys and Ferraris then 370z or rx8 r3s. lol.

but ya the older rx8s are much more common.

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11 GT 432WHP. 10 SS 460WHP

1slow370

I've seen a z32 pumpkin swapped in an s2000 it's that bad

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Red__Zed

Yeah, I never had any desire to own an AP2.

I'm just saying, the diff held over 500whp for quite a few runs. I had more trans issues than I had diff issues.

Yeah, I did that on my car. I tracked it with 500whp and the stock diff though

Hambone1

True. I do know my RX-8's though, and the newer ones aren't terribly rare around here either. I also see more exotics like you mentioned than 8's, especially 370's. I've always felt like the RX-8 is kind of a quirky man's sports car, hence the low sales volume.

mikeSS

ya i feel you on that. its a drivers car, but takes a certain person to really want it. over a 370z for example. i know they are well balanced and handle great but they have to many draw backs.

the reason why there car sales are low is one true reason and that is the car is just to underpowered. even the rx7 was fast for its time, but had sooo many problems with the engine. mazda needs to drop its rotary engine if they want to compete with sports cars. like 370z or mustang for example. and sales prove people want 370zs and mustangs over rx8s.

and rx8 owners always, say " If mazda made a bigger or turbo rotary its would be a lot better." but i always say then why don't they ? because there will be to many problems and MPG on a bigger rotary would be nuts. and a turbo rotary would have problems.

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11 GT 432WHP. 10 SS 460WHP

KillerBee370

I don't know about all this but I can tell you this much...

1. A LOT can be cleared up as far as accelleration and power issues with a tune and some bolt on's with the 370.

2. I've never had an RX-8 pass me on the track In other words... any handling issues with the 370 can be cleared up with suspension and sway bars. As mine sits, it handles every bit as good as my Evo IX did... probably a bit better in fact.

In the end though it really comes down to personal taste. I wasn't a fan of the styling of the RX-8 (especially over the RX-7) but it has grown on me a bit. But just a bit.

cossie1600

Most are 04 and 05s, wont see too many second gens

happytheman

Just take the X out of the equation, and your problem is miraculously solved! There ya go! Glad I could be of service! +rep if this was helpful!

b1adesofcha0s

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Project: b1adeZmobile (2009 370Z) | Uprev Tune by AAM Competition | Berk Exhaust
Project: b1adeZmobile 2.0 (2014 C7 Z51) | Corsa Xtreme Exhaust

happytheman

/\ Whoa!

cossie1600

Here is a little history lesson for you.

The 1st and 2nd gen RX-7s were extremely popular sports car. They were popular because they had great performance for the buck and they were practical up to a point. It competed extremely well with the Z cars and the Supra. It was definitely a mainstream car as everyone knew what that car was. It was like the 350Z in the 80s. 1st and 2nd gen were success in every possible way, 3rd gen was a failure from a business point of view.

On the RX-8, the car was actually not a failure. It did what it was suppose to do, revived the rotary engine. The problem is that they didn't do a good enough job R&Ding, improving, marketing it or selling it. Once again, it goes back to the morons who run the company and the parent company at its time (Ford). If they had improved on the car to make it better, the car would be a even bigger sucesss. There is a reason why they sold way more 04 and 05 than all other years combined.

Hambone1

I just love remedial history lessons. Thanks Wikipedia! If you read closely, you will note I never said it was a failure as a vehicle on it's own merits, I said it was a sales failure. Car and Driver has an article today, discussing how the RX9 will not be happening, and the RX8 sold 291 units in the 1st quarter of 2011. That is a business failure, unless you happen to be an Italian manufacturer. It isn't even financially feasible to do a final run special edition, simply due to zero interest. Yes, it revived the rotary engine. Yes it sold a ton of cars in the first run. No it was not kept current or handled very well on the business end. You have valid points. However, going so far as to suggest I single handedly sunk the RX8 is slightly extreme. Next time might want tone it down a bit slugger

cossie1600

I don't disagree with you one bit about it being a sales failure, especially with the second gen RX-8. Of course you can look no further than the 370Z to see how it is becoming a sales failure too. My point is that if Mazda had done a better job with the car, they wouldn't put themselves in a situation where they ruined the car's reputation and the overall performance of the vehicle. If you are going to go around spreading rumors, at least get your $hit straight. I don't love the RX-8, but I don't hate them either. I just hate to hear all these people pissing on it because some idiots don't understand how the motor work or some people are too lazy to check the oil level.