TKJimmy

Can't seem to make a thread on here: https://www.rx8club.com/marketplace/cars/search/

sonicsdaman

iTrader: (3)

you haven't met the requirements yet

https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...rs-read-first/

TKJimmy

Thanks sanic! Guess I need to wait a month. A bit of a bummer as I bought an RX8 and built up hype on it in my head and I don't like it at all . Trying to fund my ND Miata mods and put some money into a new car for the wife but guess I have no choice! Appreciate the timely response though!

sonicsdaman

iTrader: (3)

or you could contact a mod/admin and they will make the thread for you.

TKJimmy

Any particular mod you recommend that I should message? Not sure where to find them from the member list without scrolling through all the pages 😅

sonicsdaman

iTrader: (3)

uhh its linked at the top mod list here
ill do you a solid tho

yo ​​​@Jedi54

TKJimmy

Thank you! I swear, I tried haha.

sonicsdaman

iTrader: (3)

it's all good thats why we have the newbie section and rules in place to help guide folks

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

Never fear, Jedi is here.
TKJimmy, start a new thread in this subforum with details on the car, price, pictures, etc and I can then move the thread to our FS section for you.

speed7

This I feel is more common than we realize. A few minor changes can really wake these cars up. Would you mind humoring me on what it is you don't like? We might have a few suggestions that will help you love the car and get into the hype you thought you saw.

TKJimmy

Thank you, my good sir! I will get together the details and post back later this week!

Ahhh! Thank you for the offer. Here's the things I dislike:

- The heavy steering. Mind you I've only owned/driven an ND Miata as my manual car so that's my baseline of fun. Some people say the Miata's steering is too light but I like it.
- The RX8's clutch and shifting feel. Maybe I'm used to the ND's notchiness but it feels precise. The RX8 shifting feels meh. I can adjust the clutch feel but it's just not the same. Silly thing to fuss about, I know! Hard to switch feels between cars though (or maybe for now?).
- The leather interior. I used to really like leather but in TX (especially this month which is a record breaking month), it's insanely hot and impossible to drive. Maybe I need window tints?
- The money I put in... I've paid for buying fees, registration tax, transportation, and maintenance tune up which is about $6k total. I also bought some mods before getting the car which was silly (BHR ignition coils, NGK spark plugs/wire set, turboXS exhaust, CarPlay head unit + metra kit, backup cam, etc.) but I think I'll return everything minus the exhaust and keep the OEM in case the potential future buyer wants it About $3-4k in mods. Plus every mod for this car is so expensive.
- The DOOM!!!! I have a coolant sensor light that goes on/off intermittently. Not a big deal as I check the coolant often but there's just this feeling of impending doom no matter how much care I put into the car. I'm worried that the car will breakdown and that I have to redline it every drive but don't want to be that ricer ******* in my neighborhood. I knew the car had terrible fuel economy going into the purchase but didn't really expect to throw in $45 of gas every few days. Then there's premixing vs no premixing and then the cats situation. This car feels fragile and having that weight on my shoulders is too much for the things going on in my life right now .
- Lastly- It's not a Miata. I've hyped it up to be a better ND. I built up the rotary engine in my head to be legendary. I love the engine sound but the power band is very linear and at the upper end of the rpm range which isn't so fun. I don't really get to row through all 6 gears like my ND. I now understand the saying that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

With that said, I'm giving the car an extra week of driving before I doubling down on the idea of selling it but I really don't think it's my kind of car. I've been told life is too short to drive something you don't love. Every time I get to hop in my ND, It's smiles throughout the entire drive. Every time I hop into the Eight.... It's anxiety! Maybe it's a mental thing? If I had a $100k in my bank account I'd throw it on an RX-8 but I don't. I made a rash decision on a whim. Didn't test drive before I bought the car or anything.

speed7

It's speed sensitive, it should be light at low speeds.. and then stiffer at higher speeds. If that's not the case then maybe something is amiss.

You can get that notchiness by going to a series 2 transmission. I know what you're talking about and I love that about the transmission... but I have series 2's. I've gone one step further and use a Cobb **** from Cobb Tuning.. it's backwards in a lot of peoples minds since it's a lighter ****. But it accentuates the notch feel. Also changing out the fluid to something like redline, Amsoil, Torco improves the transmissions feel.

TBH.. I think the rx8 leather interior is ****. I thought it's what I wanted in my GT.. I too went in a little blind.. the best interior in my opinion is the R3 interior. Second would just be the cloth seats. I'm not even in Texas and am dealing with warm leather seats and it's not that fun. Window tints really do help, I'm having mine redone on Monday as well.. the more UV you pull out of the car the better the AC works. If you want to get real crazy.. you can simply swap the seats. Its 4 bolts per seat and series 2 seats will fit in a series 1.. or any cloth seats from a series 1 will also bolt right in. Pulling a seat will take you 10 minutes.. and you'll be spending more time dealing with the seat wiring than pulling the seat out. If you do go the crazy route and start to change out the seats.. stay with OEM seats.. aftermarket seats open up a whole can of worms I don't recommend diving into.

Return what you can.. if you want the car to be way loud than the turboXS exhaust is fine. If you want a more grown up sound.. I suggest racing beat. From a performance aspect we're talking 3-5 hp.. but it does make the car sound a whole lot better. I still think it's one of my more enjoyable upgrades.

I'd just replace that coolant reservoir. OEM plastic is fine, swap it every 6-10 years... no lights on the dash is a good thing. You don't have to red line it every drive, that's kind of an old wives tale. Yes.. every now and then getting on the freeway.. give it a run... but you only need to do that for 1 gear.. then you're up to freeway speeds anyways. Going to that quote Don't buy the turboxs exhaust. :D Going to the part regarding "impending doom".. this is why most rotary owners always own 2 cars. If and when it goes, which it will, already have a shop in mind and have the money set aside as well. Lets just say the engines only last 100k, as a daily driver that can be up to 10 years. If this is a car that is being used 1/2 as much.. 20 years.. yes the engines do go.. but you do get a lot of use out of them before they do.

You can make these cars feel better by removing weight from the driveline. The quickest way I found to really wake them up was to go to a lighter wheel, RPF1's are a great example. The Mazdaspeed Rx8 wheels are also great if you can find them. But best bang for your buck is really the RPF1. They are strong and when paired with good tires.. not only do you get some better acceleration, you get great corning.. and this is on stock suspension. I run 18x8 wheels with OEM sized tires.. 225's and the car handles great. No need to get aggressive on tread width on a street car. This is a grown up NC Miata... not an ND Miata.

I had that same anxiety with my Mercedes E63.. not so much on the Rx8 though. Perhaps you need to see some other rx8's to get a feel of what they can do. I know a few people in Texas but they all have Rx7's. If you were in my area.. Id suggest getting together with other Rx8 owners.. look at their cars.. see what they have done.. even go for a ride or two to see the different setups and how they affect the car. I still think the RX8 is a fat Miata.. and the Miata does **** me off at the track on how quick their turn in is and rotation. But I still prefer the Rx8 over the Miata personally.


Not sure if I really had any answers for you.. these cars aren't scary.. and I'd recommend owning the car before doing all of those changes you had listed. Sure plugs, wires, and coils is a good thing.. that's just maintenance. And just an overall thing.. tires tires tires. Great tires make or break this car.. since it's one party trick is turning. I run Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.. great dry traction and great wet traction if you're caught in the rain.

Loki

iTrader: (1)

It's a better NC, dunno about an ND since there's 15 years of development between them. It doesn't sound like you got the best example there though, if someone made a bunch of poor decisions earlier in its life (clutch for one?).

Let's see what it looks like once it's for sale, maybe its saveable for you or the future owner.

TKJimmy

I mean- compared to something like my first car (2008 Honda Accord), I guess the steering is comparable but it's pretty "heavy". I feel like it's a bit of a workout or when I go back to drive my ND that I'm wrestling with the wheel more than I have to because I'm used to putting in so much strength to turn and shift lol

I've put in quite a lot of money into this low mile RX8 just to feel "secure". Don't think I'd do a tranny swap unless it was dead but I'd probably sell it before I do a swap tbh. Good to know I bought the wrong series haha.

Fair. I have leather and alcantara seat covers on my ND and it's the best of both worlds. I got a tint quote for like $600. I don't really want to pour more money into this car. Especially if I don't keep it.

I heard that the TurboXS wasn't THAT loud but it has me a little worried now. It was the easiest to purchase. Now I'm a bit anxious to hear how it sounds and might be regretful. The install is all being done by a shop right now that's doing the tune up. I live in a complex so it's a bit hard to work on my cars when my the surface is uneven and I have nowhere to store jacks/stands. I was considering the racing beat catback but the videos I've seen made it seem too quiet. Wish there was just an axle back exhaust option. I'm looking for a conversation with my car while staying classy- not obnoxious.

The coolant sensor going off isn't a big deal but it's just that you hear so much about things failing and it gets to you. I already bought the exhaust and it's being installed. Maybe I should have posted earlier haha. My other car is my ND but I honestly wanted to make the Eight my daily driver. Sounds stupid, I know... I'm at about 28k miles so hopefully lots of life left if anything.

I love Enkei's but they're new wheels are hella expensive. Definitely on the todo if I keep the car. Haven't really had much experience messing with different wheel/tyre dynamic setups.

It seems like the RX8 community is dead.... Or more scarce than I expected. There are some car meets I've been meaning to go to in ATX but they seem kinda trashy. All about being loud, obnoxious, and racer boy. Might have to power through and see if I can connect with any other owners. What about the RX8 is better for you than something like a Miata?

I very much appreciate the conversation! I've only had the car for about a month but its only given me regretful feelings and a sinking bank account haha. Will look into tyres but as I've mentioned- not really sure I want to keep a car I don't love and costs a ton to maintain. Thanks, man

TKJimmy

Will do! Not going to lie, speed7 has convinced me to give it another couple of weeks. That's totally understandable and the situation I'm in is COMPLETELY my fault. I take full accountability for not test driving one earlier. It's sorta like if you like steak and then you ate beef stew and decided you didn't like beef stew. You like steak and beef stew has the meat from steak so you think "oh, it's like steak but with more" when in reality it's a completely different thing

spectre6000

Interesting. I just went through something very similar. I looked extra long and hard for just the right one, and bought it SUOTI. Never drove one until the transport truck dropped it off in my driveway. I was very particular about getting an S2 for some of the things mentioned up there (speed7 actually helped with my hunt). I have had pretty much the opposite experience. I love the thing. I concur with the "you've got problems" diagnosis. Especially with the steering. I even think the leather doesn't totally suck; it's better than what BMW used in my 330i by a long shot. Better than my ZR2 Bison as well.

As for club scene... I had a similar situation with air cooled VWs a decade and a half ago. I made my own club. Now it's the largest single-make club in Texas with chapters in a handful of other states. People are out there, just be positive and keep looking. The VW scene was very similar; a lot of drunk immature asshats that just wanted to make trouble. Managed to get themselves kicked out of every venue that would host them. I found some like minded people, and then they just kept coming out of the woodwork! If I knew any rotary people down there, I'd point them at you. Be patient, positive, and open. We're out here.

BluSpectre

Heyo, I'm in Texas too!

Your power steering should not feel heavy at all. If anything, I find the RX-8 power steering to actually be surprisingly light and soft for how comparably heavy the car is!

The Series 2 transmission, does the ND1 share the trans with the S2 or am I mistaken? The S1 trans is supposedly slightly notchy in 3rd, but I've never driven a manual S1. My S2 trans is a dream, minus the funny clutch temp issue (which is likely a failing slave cylinder and is on the chopping block with my next paycheck). With the S1 trans and power steering, as mentioned prior the harder you drive the car the better the feel of everything seems to get. Pretty much everything about the RX-8 just gets better the harder your push it! You've got that satisfying 9,000 RPM rev limiter, linear power curve, aggressive suspension geometry that helps aide in Handling and traction in very hard turns (with good tires to match), the trans feels smoother and faster the harder you drive, the brakes warm up and become nicer (this could be just a me thing, tho), and those oh-so pleasing fireballs on WOT shifts! ~Myah! My buddies drive Miatas and an FC RX-7, so we have some diversity. I'm the only RX-8 in our little Mazda circle. They all seem to like the interior and design more, and noted how smooth it feels.

Maybe I'm just Biased, maybe also because I haven't ever driven an ND Miata, but the RX-8 is such a dream to drive I have no intentions of giving it up ever! Should the day come where it's illegal to drive ICEs on public roads and fuel costs $20/gallon, I guess the '8 will become a hobby car and I'll cough up the $20/g to enjoy it on a regular basis!
Edit: I also dislike the GT leather and pleather mixed interior. Whenever I drive, the back of my shirt has a sweat pattern matching the pleather shape in the seats. It's wierd how it's half leather, half pleather. I mean, they're not lying with the genuine leather but there is also the fake stuff too. The seats are comfortable, but I prefer the feel of some good Ricardo's or Bride seats over the RX-8 stock seats. I haven't ever tried the R3 Ricaro seats nor the RX-7 R2 and Spirit R Ricaros.

TKJimmy

Hiya and thanks for the insight! The wife has told me I'm not being fair to the RX-8 because I'm always comparing it to the Miata. The Miata is nimble, quick, and very light/easy to throw around without any real consequence. The RX-8 in comparison feels heavy in every aspect. Size, transmission, and power delivery (since the power band is at a higher RPM). I just put on a TurboXS exhaust. Though it's very deep and bassy, I have to say its made me like the car a lot more haha. The sound is unique, my knees don't touch the dash when driving, and it has more room! I've been seeing people say they get like 200 mpg. I'm shy of 180 but I'm still learning to drive the eight better since all of the Miata's gearing is super short.

How you feel about your eight is exactly how I feel about my Miata. It's THE perfect car for me but I've grown to really like the eight over the past week to the point where I don't really want to list it for sale anymore. It chugs gas like Homer Simpson chugs beers but there's nothing better than being out on the road with a car you can have a proper conversation with. I still dislike the seats due to the Texas weather but it is what it is . Probably going to go through with a headunit install for GPS/music so it can be a better daily. Going for a Costco run tomorrow so that'll be fun.

TheKatMobile

Hi there, I haven't met the requirements since I'm new here and therefore am unable to post my own for sale listing. Would you mind doing it for me? If it makes it easier, here is the link to my CL ad that has all the details..thanks! Let me know what else you may need if you are willing to do this..
https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/...512205944.html