the "what if the RX-8 had engine 'x' instead of a rotary, would you still buy it? blahblahblah" thread has been done alot. just because you chose a different 'x' doesnt make the thread any different

 

I love the car, the handling, the smoothness of the engine and the sound it makes (especially at 9k RPMs)....I would LOVE more power, but if it cant be made more powerfull, then so be it.
However, if they are going to take the soul out of this car, there could be no way anything less than a powerful 6 cyl. should ever be held in this car (while still retaining its agility).



IMO, this car is nice....but to make it awesome (and to be a great competitor and sell like a stang) we need more power and better MPG (even by a little bit) and it needs to keep it's agility and unique engine with all of it's RPMs.


So keep this engine and keep that 2.3 out of the 8.

 

Are you even allowed to say that with your username being what it is?

 

I don't think the mustang is a competitor to the rx-8, and I don't think the RX-8 needs to, or should sell like it.

 

My point was that there doesn't seem to be any *polls* like this (keyword here is poll).

People don't have to go through the trouble of trying to make an argument or worry about getting flamed to just vote in a poll, so IMO it is different enough. Plus I was curious to see what percentage of people would vote each way.

(The thing that really troubles me though, is how a longtime member and RX-8 owner gets harassed by the mods for starting a legitimate poll, while the trolls that come here for the sole purpose of bashing the RX-8 and other Mazdas seem to be A-OK)

 

Not sure if it's a competitor...doesnt matter. Im sure Mazda would love to sell a ton of 8s, hell, most of us would. More 8s, more people who would like to mod, more possibilities for our car. Hell, maybe they may even start to consider our opinions in surverys. Selling more 8s would be benefitial for all.

 

i personally really when towards this car because of the rotary engine, but the idea of better milage and more power do sound enticing

 

rotary engine all the way.

 

I choose not to be a fanboy -shrug-

 

MX-8 all the way test driving both cars you know the MX-8 would have been impressive with the DIZI engine...all the handling plus power to boot. Im an auto enthusiast im not pining for the rotary, its an engine happenned to be mated to a fun car. But if a turbo 4 was available in this package i think i'd have been even more enticed.


All the bla bla about the 2.3L only being a 160hp in natural form...so what...it seems to be able to handle the 280hp, and with more boost prolly will get you to 300whp easily.

 

A lot of people in this thread are missing the point.

 

a lot of people in this thread have way to hard a hard on for the rotary engine.

 

you are comparing a 2.3 to a 1.3 stock and say that it has more power and more torque blah blah blah, but add a litle more size to our beautiful rotary renesis engine and make it a 2.3 how much more power and torque will we have now that the 8 is not the underdog. i think our car those very well in power for the liters it is powerd by

 

ls1 swap

 

not to mention the 3mpg you'd get...regardless the rotary while rated as 1.3 is in actuality a 2.6 or 3.9 based on how you want to define displacement.

 

Not to hijack, but for all the people that said they went towards this car because of the rotary engine would you have bought a Honda Accord if it was the only rotary powered car on the market? What about if there were an sedan (like an Evo) as the only rotary powered car on the market?

My point is that most people go for the 8 because of its looks and handling capabilities. The rotary is a just a side-benefit that certainly gives the car a unique feel, but wouldn't be enough on its own. If it were then every complaint about Evo's or 350Z's would be "it doesn't have a rotary" as opposed to what you really hear which is "they're ugly" or "they're not unique enough".

 

The turbo 2.3L with 280hp exists and comes with a warranty... the 2.3L rotary does not exist

advantage : the engine that is real

 

The RX8 selling like the Mustang is a double-edged sword. On one hand you would have a lot more options for power adders and those mods would be far less expensive. This is basic economics.....the ROI increases as the # of applications increases. Higher ROI brings more companies into the market. Those high Mustang sales are the reason why they're 10 different FI kits ready to go the first week of Mustang production. The flip-side is the RX8 would no longer be unique and mysterious....which is a big reason for MY choosing it in the first place.

I think most here would agree that even though the "R" in RX8 stands for 'rotary engine'.....most people don't know or care about that. A turbo 4-cyl would out sell the rotary version 5-to-1 based solely on power and fuel economy. Remember, this forum is what.....maybe 3% of the RX8 owners.....our opinion means very little. The majority are like the people that bought my car.....it's cute, the seats are comfortable and they loved the color.

 

That's a lot of speculation. Is there aftermarket PCM management for the 2.3L? How much will engine tuning/development vary and be slowed just because this is a direct injection engine? Even at SEMA there was no one tuning the Mazdaspeed6, except for Mazdaspeed. Maybe if the engine continues to appear in all of Mazda's line-up consistantly it will attract more tuner attention. Put it in the Miata and I bet it explodes. But last I checked there is virtually zero aftermarket support.

 

It would be a rx8. if i wanted a piston car i would of gone with the STI or Z.

 

Put in a 4G63

 

it amazes me that i point out that a thread topic has been done before and then i get told it hasnt when it has and that someone thinks this is somehow different because it has a poll. im also amazed that its apparently harrassment for me to point it out and answer a rebuttal to my point. i wouldnt care if you were new or had been here longer than me. notice i didnt close your thread? im not stoping you from having it. but to me PERSONALLY it is uber redundant.

it also amzes me that people post "some members have to much of a"hard on" for the rotary" when they are on a rotary forum. and no one on ever says that about people who like to throw out things like "4g63" because they think they sound cool

 

I sense a lot of people here don't understand that if you were to replace the Renesis with a heavier, higher, more forward sitting piston engine, the RX-8 just wouldn't feel like an 8 anymore. And it's precisely that "feel" that every auto journalist seems to respond so favorably to. Read the reviews. The thing that keeps coming through—review after review—is the unique "feel" of the car—something which can't be measured and is not quantifiable. The 8 is all about smoothness, lightness, and agility. This "quality"—subtle, but distinct—makes the car stand out from all others. Perhaps Evo put it best:

"But if you believe that the best drivers' cars are not necessarily the quickest, but those that blend dynamics and performance so seamlessly and cohesively that the driving experience is a powerful singularity rather than a collection of dazzling party tricks, the RX-8 hits the sweet spot with uncanny accuracy."

It's hard to believe that someone who loves the 8—who really "gets it"—would want a Mustang or a Pontiac. If that's you, you simply bought the wrong car. An RX-8 with a piston engine is not an 8 anymore—and not just because the engine is no longer a rotary. Changing the engine changes not just the engine—it would change the very essence—the "personality"—of the car. If you want a dog, don't buy a cat.

 

I'm glad that you've found a car that you really love. But can you entertain the idea that some people would be just as in love with an MX-8 as you are with the RX-8? I know that an MX-8 wouldn't handle quite as well, but it would make up for that (in my opinion) by getting better gas mileage, no risk of flooding, more power, etc.

You are acting like it's all or nothing. Either get an RX-8 or a Mustang. Why can't I want something in between? Maybe an RX-8 is the best car out there for me, but that doesn't mean an MX-8 wouldn't be slightly better.

 

What....no 3-rotor or Turbo Rotary option, for shame....lol.