Crisis #3

Thought I better join this Forum as I pick up my 2008 40th Anniversary RX8 tomorrow afternoon. Won't be able to sleep tonight, so I might as well put pen to paper, so to speak.

By way of introduction, I'm no stranger to RX cars - my younger brother has a 1993 RX7 that he bought new. With over 160K on the clock, he felt it was time for a change, but he loves the car. So, instead of selling it, he's having a 2008 Corvette LS3/Tremec TKO600 installed over the winter - should be a handful. Probably sounds like a travesty to any hardcore "Rotarians" (bad pun, sorry), but with 436HP and about the same amount of torque and no appreciable weight gain, it can't help but be fun.

So this is my first rotary. I'm a little apprehensive about the lack of torque, but I guess I'll get used to it. I should note that my summer toy is a torque monster - a Factory Five Racing (FFR) Mark III Roadster (aka: Cobra) that I completed last spring - it has a dyno-proven 445HP and 450FT-LB - in a 2,400 car - just stupid fast. My license plate on the FFR is CRISIS 2 - care to guess what Crisis #1 was?

The RX8 is going to be my company car. Last week, the firm I work for gave us the option of a continuing with a company car or receiving an allowance and a gas card (yes, it's OK to use premium). I was going to continue to drive my old Chrysler 300 company car and take the next 6 months or so to select a new vehicle - a 6-month quest that I would thoroughly enjoy while driving the rest of the family crazy.

On Saturday morning, while reading the "Wheels" section in the Toronto Star, I noticed an add from Downtown Mazda that featured a new 2008 40th Anniversary RX8 for $28,888. I didn't get there until early afternoon, and had expected it to be gone. As we walked in the showroom, I said to my wife "I'm not buying this unless it has a sunroof" - it did.

So it's supposed to snow tomorrow. Thankfully, the dealer set me up with another customer of who wanted to sell her one-winter old 17" Pirelli snows and alloy wheels for $600 - they will be on the car when I pick it up tomorrow, so I'm ready for winter! And I'll have to wait until April to see how she handles with Summer tires.

So that's that. Sorry for being so long-winded - my future posts will be much shorter.

Cheers,

Chris

Easy_E1

iTrader: (2)

Welcome and enjoy your new love.

prospectjtaz

iTrader: (1)

another markham owner, im in markham too, where abouts are you.

rx8thunder

Hey Chris, welcome to the club.

Bishop

Welcome to the club Chris! That lack of torque is only something your Mustang friends will tease you about...until they get their asses handed to them in the first corner.

rotarygreg

welcome aboard. as for the lack of torque, you get used to it quickly. also at first, 9000rpm seems like alot. but after a while, high revs are no big deal. I cant even remember what it was like to drive my lancer that you shifted at 5500rpm because there was no more power after that. i could never go back. also, before anyone else says it, PICS or it didnt happen. lol

greg

Rotary Mike

Welcome to the club. Those are some impressive cars you and your brother own.

Thumper3322

Welcome...nice buy! MT or AT? Make sure to take her to the track in the summer, you won't give a **** about torque any more Well ok a little bit

Berik316

Welcome !

I got my 8 last month and am enjoying it now !

Bishop

Honestly, it is the one thing that I wish the 8 had more of. That pull to the back of your seat is a pretty sweet feeling. I remember my Dad taking the 8 out for a spin when I got it and at 5500 rpm he says: "Ah...there it is." LOL Nothing says "Shoulda had a V8" like that moment.

Crisis #3

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys - much appreciated.

So, about 500KM on her now, and I have a couple of observations and questions.

Idle: Shifter vibrates a fair bit at idle - is this normal?

Whistle: a bit of a wind whistle from rear of passenger door over 100KPH - is this a common complaint? is it easy (for the dealer) to fix?

Low Rider: Took her through a car wash yesterday - could feel and hear it scraping along the guide rail - scraped bottom later on going over high sidewalk on a driveway under construction. What did i scrape? - Feels OK, but could I have damaged anything?

Glove: I'm 5'8", and the car fits me like a glove - seats are fantastic

Oil: Manual says to change it every 8,000K. Should I do the first one earlier (1,500K or so), or does it have break-in oil in it?

Quiet: So much quiter that an RX-7 - even on the concrete 407

Snow Tires: not a lot of grip even with them - a bit of a white knuckler coming home in the snow on Wednesday - had to turn off the DSC a couple of times to get her to move.

Thanks again for the words of encouragement. By the way, i forgot to mention that little brother also has an '07 Audi RS4!

Rotary Mike

I'll respond to the few things I do know about.

My shifter **** vibrates pretty good too when in idle. I am pretty sure it is normal.

And as far as the winter tires go....that snow storm last Wednesday was very unusual. With the Temps how they were and the snow coming down how it was, it was probably the ice-ist driving we will have all year. It is called flash freezing. When the snow turns to ice on contact with the road. I drove my car as well as my parents car that day. I've driven my parents car a lot during the snow last year and it never behaved/slide as badly as it did last wednesday.

qtwre

iTrader: (1)

The door whistling isn't right. I've found the front door does have a bit of wind noise by the A-pillar but the back is silent.

Thumper3322

Idle - yes normal as long as it isn't excessive.

Whistle - nope shouldn't really especially since your car is brand new. I can't stand whistle and pretty darn sure mine doesn't. Is it quite loud? Go back to the dealership and test drive another one to see if it is the same. Have them fix it or give you a new car. Don't know if it is easy for them to fix, nor who cares, just tell them to!

Low ride - Ya you gotta watch how you drive it, they are lower then they might appear and you are still completely stock with no side skirts or anything right? Do your best NOT to take it to a car wash with rails. Go to the touchless that don't have any best option. Take ANY thing you might think you will scrap on with a least a bit of an angle makes a huge difference to stop scrapping. I'm sure you didn't do any real damage. Look under the car and see. DON'T mention it to the dealer Not sure wonder if the '08 anniversary edition has a bit different suspension or not, which could make it a bit lower. I don't believe so tho!

You had to turn off the DCS?? really from that storm wowzers!! What winters are you running? Should have gotten the Blizzaks

I would get her in before 8,000km for the oil and filter. I would probably do it around 3-4 at least. I usually do mine around 4,000km. It's not expensive and good to have clean oil going thro these engines especially.

Don't forget don't drive her like a *****!!

Cheers and enjoy!

Bumble_Bee

Congrats and Welcome...! :p

Crisis #3

Low ride? The 40th Anniversary has Bilstein shocks, but ride height appears to be the same as other RX-8's

Slip and Slide - have Pirelli 210Winters (225/50-17) on American Eagle Alloys - tires are like new, paid $600 for all 4. I was just a really bad night with all that ice - they work really well in the "normal" crap that falls out. of the sky this time o year.

Oil Changes - my brother changed the oil in his RX-7 every 4K, and had no poblems after 155K over 15 years - perhaps I'll do the same.

Wind Whistle - yeah, I'll get it looked at during the first service - can't even hear it from the drivers seat, so it's not a huge deal.

Shifter - seems to be vibrating less - may be a function of stuff working in as the car is so new

Thanks again, guys.

769 Km and counting....

Thumper3322

Wind whistle - I wouldn't wait that long, get it in ASAP in case they decide they will just give you another car. You put 4,000km on it then you will be stuck with them fixing it. My two cents.

Shifter - ya take some wearing in.

Everything else sounds good!

Cheers!!