And i tell ya what even the sales people there were up front no games to be played.The main reason for this post is my overall outlook at Mazda after the turn of events that have happened over the last few weeks.Ive been waiting for the 8 for some time"since i saw the 3 min mpeg of the detroit auto show"because the car really fits my needs but i think i will purchase the infinity or wait until the 05 8s hit.Im very skeptical on what mazdas approach to the whole hp thing will be and its affect on sales in the market place.Will mazda try to seek the missing hp with some tweaking and im left with a lame duck?Will they put 2k dealer cash and kill trade value so early?Are they still lieing about the hp?IVe been reading informative post and i think you guys that have commited yourself to this car are really trying to defend something that cant be defended.Its really sad that mazda had a great layout for an automobile and have totally thrown it away.There are about 6 dealers within a 50 mile radius of my house all sitting on rx8s which tells me that buyers are well informed and waiting to see what transpires over the next few weeks now that the hyle has settled.Ive really lost trust in mazda over this and i believe tere is alot more to this then meets the eye.If u believe for one moment this was not known your kidding yourself.I still love the car and this is by no means a bash fest,only reason i may move on the g35 is because i have a line on an 03 i can get for a nickel deal and considering that there are less 6sp g35 to be had then 8s kinda tells me something.

 

Just one thing to add on the hp thing and maybe im looking at this the wrong way since im not a tech head but wasnt the gen 3 rx7 same liter displacement of 1.3 with a twin turbo pumping 255ish hp and the same liter displacement of a very similar rotary creating 239?Forgive me if this has been brought up already.

 

I drove a G35C two days ago and it not even a close second to the RX-8. Drive both cars before you jump. The RX-8 is in a different (higher) class.
Things to note:
Drive the RX-8 first.
Make sure the salesperson sits in the back seat, note the headroom.
Feel the difference in the clutch.
Do the same with the gear shift.
Do some slaloms and note that in the G35C when you first turn the wheel it "rocks on rubber" before turning moving the car.
When you jump on it the G35C it vibrates and rumbles while the RX-8 just pulls.
There is no substitute for the RX-8 and it really is to bad the way Mazda screwed the pooch with its customers.

Vince

 

Ive driven both several times and while i agree very different cars "g35 reminds me of fathers caddy northstar"ill either jump on that 35 or wait till 05s hit.As far as rear seat head room,well they both fit a carseat cant say either would be a real comfort for a 6foot person and carseat is the only issue with me.Still dont understand why there are very few 35 6sps and thats been out since last summer but i can grab a 8 for 1500 under msrp with nav in about any color i want.My real concern is the awful dynos reported on this forum the 6500 rpm studder and mazdas hanndleing of the situation.Look on the tech board there are reports of almost 9 second 0 to 60 times and i would run an 8 with my gts and beat it flat out i believe.Im not a speed freak but hell i dont wanna spend 7k more and go slower do i?

 

I went to the Infiniti Dealer this afternoon to take another look at the G35 Coupe AGAIN pondering if I should sell the 8 back. Let me tell you...the second i pulled into the lot, 5 salesman swarmed my car and KEPT asking questions about it and asking if they could sit in it. I spent more time answering questions about my car than they did theirs! After that I left without even looking inside the G35. I test drove the G35 Coupe before I bought the 8 and wanted to take a second look but after another hard back roads run tonight...I'm keeping my baby...her 238 hp and all!!! I'm head over heels in love with this car!!! :D

 

well my best friend drives a G35c so i've been inside and driving one as much as my own 8 and both cars perform exceptionally well...perhaps, in my book, both would be pretty even in points if it weren't for the interior of the G35...that's the only downfall of an otherwise outstanding car...

the G35c is faster than the 8, i know, we've raced...it sounds meaner and accerlerates much faster...so from a peformance aspect, the G35c wins by a few 1/10th's of a second...not by much but it still wins...

but i will still gladly take my 8 over the G35c for the overall package...i felt the G35c as a heavy full sized car while the 8 is much more fun to drive and much friendlier to backseat passengers...it's light and nimble and has enough power for a person like me that will probably never go to the racetracks...oh, and the interior is 10Xs more luxirious, something i thought i'd never say when compared to an Infiniti...

so yea, like what they said, test drive both...if power is your main concern, go for the G35c...but if total package matters, the 8 is the only way to go

 

LOL!! ZoominREX. I went to the Nissan dealer and looked at the 350Z last week (I may have even shared this alreadyi in another thread ) and 5 sales people swarmed my car - could not believe the back seat. The lady salesperson got in the back and was surprised when she got back there how much room there was. Two of them spoke as if they would keep the RX and modify it if output was that critical - I told them about the buyback option and the 9 horsepower. The girl said nothing and the other two guys said - get a Z and walked off. The remaining two guys kept looking at the car. I realized that the Z was not for me. I truly believe that there isn't anyting out there right now that comes close to the package of the RX8. Yes you can get faster, bigger, slightly better gas mileage cars but everything else seems to be a compromise - I MEAN THIS! I also went and looked at that EVO car that so many have mentioned on this site and well, It is definitely not for me - It reminds me of a modified corolla or some inexpensive economy transportation that has been modified and costs a lot of money. I haven't been back down to the Infiniti dealer in Bonita since I eliminated the G35C due to lack of adult back seat use but I will tell you that the saleslady called me the other day and said that they were practically giving the cars away this month. Hmm. I am not sure that buyback is a good thing either. I traded with a 2yr old car and the tax advantage is now gone. Tat was about $1K right there. Oh, I also played on the net with the BMW 3 series BUT to get the same options on their car would cost me just over $40K!!!!!!
I am toying with the idea but like you, it looks like my baby will stay my baby.