"everyone that really wanted one has it already"? thats actually a pretty safe statement . everyonethat was waiting and saving their money for this car probably does cause the preordered or bought int he first year. that could be said of every car after the first year. the folks chomping at the bit rush out and get it. its always the 2nd and 3rd year customers that are harder to get.

 

Yup...I know I did. It' posted here some place but since this was going to be my first ever NEW car I really did major research on all those cars and more. Honestly I think I would have loved any of them but I honestly can tell you that after owning the 8 for 3.7K I know I would not have loved those cars more than the 8.

The 8 is a car I consider a TRUE sports car because it does everything "sport" very well while still offering good quality, killer looks, spine protection, and spacious seating. Alot of "normal" people tend to read reports or mag's to make their decisions but I took it a step further. I came to this website to see what owners had to say (good or bad) and I've found that the car delivers smiles after smiles.

Yes...I know it has some issues and things we dislike, mainly the lack of about 50HP, but for the price I personally think NO OTHER car can touch it. I've found that I love driving more now because of the RX8 and it has renewed the already strong passion I have for cars because it delivers what was promised.

I'm so happy Mazda made this car...and to think a few years ago I was complaining that the automotive world did not build a car for me...a car I would love and could hold at least 4 people.

Then...one day I met the RX8 and driving has never been the same. You know, it's a shame because now in the distant future any car I buy will have to live up to the (in my sports car guy heart) legend that is the RX8!

Thank you Mazda…now find that missing 50HP and the 8 will become the legend that started all the future 8’s to come. That’s my crazy dream at least…

 

I know that I was particularly interested in the G35C, but it's expense and mainstream look sort of pushed me away. I also considered the RSX-S, but again, the ho-hum everyday looks and $ to car ratio were just not enough for me (not to mention I'm no different than the rest of you, I always have and always will despise FWD). The Z wasn't even an option as I wanted more than 2 seats, same with the S2K. If I really wanted a roadster, I would have gotten a turbo Miata. I like the way Mazda makes a car feel, and that is what's hard. Every other car feels either like it's dead or on crack to me, but the Miata and RX-8 represent a feeling of life and a true connection to not just the road, but the car itself. It's a delicate balance that is not easily atained.

Most people do not appreciate balance in life, they always want the fastest, biggest, most expensive, most popular thing out there. The number one reason I love my car so much is the way it makes me feel, both in and out of the car, it's pure emotion. However, my second favorite reason is the way that all those people who neglect balance in their lives find themselves speechless and envious when they look at my car. It's a car that garners respect, even more so because of it's rarity and the fact that hardly anyone really knows what it is. I don't care what sales figures say, all I care is that I like what I drive and from my experience, so does everyone else.

 

All this BS regarding finesse, balance, doing everything very well etc... Stop it. I love my RX8, but it's underpowered period. I'm not kissin Mazdas *** regarding how great this car is. I get beat by 20 thousand $ Neons. This is supposed to be a performance car period. PERFORM.
The reason why sales continue to go down is, the car's been out long enough for everyone to find out how lackluster its acceleration is. Sure it handles well, but so does the Z, S2000 and believe it or not the Mustang. When almost every new car that marketed as a performance car is faster then somethings wrong. The newness of the car has worn off. Everyone has seen a bunch of them. All that's left is the performance, and on that alone the car won't sell too well. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it. The RX8 needs more power! The base model! They can put a turbo on it if they want and try to sell it for 6-7 thousand more but if it's not as fast or faster than a Mustang GT then it's not going to sell. This faux market you guys keep raving about regarding sports cars with little power just isn't so. People want performance and a huge, I mean HUGE part of that performance is straight line speed. That's why 1/4 mile tracks exist. More people do that than racing around a curved track anyday.

 

Okay Folks, all those incredibly underpowered Miatas are really bought by Mazda insiders to give the impression of a real (as opposed to a "faux") market. Our very own TALAN7 finally solved the 20 year mystery -- there really are no Miata buyers.

Yes, but that's not really what people were saying. I believe their words were "finesse" and "balance" -- two hallmarks that can't be quantified. While the S2000 certainly has them, the Z has them to a much lesser extent, and the Mustang quite simply doesn't have them period. There's the ability to handle, and there's the ability to handle confidentally and predictably.

Somebody has to be at the bottom. Everyone can't be faster than everyone else.

Damn, I guess the 350Z doesn't sell either. Or the G35. Or the Lotus Elise. Or just about any Sports Car in the segment since they're all slower than a GT.

Mazda has never made cars for that group of people. Performance can be quantified in many different ways. Using your argument the upcoming GT500 is more of a performance car than a $200,000 Ferrari.

And that's why the Mustang will always outsell the RX-8.

Mazda doesn't do a lot of drag racing, though they do sponsor a couple drag teams. But they own an entire racing series, one of the best tracks in the US, and have an extremely rich racing heritage (outside of the strip). I wonder where their priorities lie?

Mazda is, and always will be, a niche manufacturer targetting a niche market -- although, in your terms, I guess we call this a "Faux" market. It doesn't need, nor can afford, to chase after the crowded market of 1/4-mile cars. It needs to continue providing cars that are highly critically-acclaimed to the group of dedicated buyers that it's had for decades as well as educating other consumers as to the value of the attributes it builds into its' cars. The recent Mazda6 commercial with all the other drivers falling asleep in their 'faster' cars while the Mazda6 whips between them is a great example of the type of marketing the RX-8 needs as well.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, here's one who Doesn't Get It. This specimen right here falls squarely in the Mustang demographic. Straight-line speed uber alles.

Dude.. like the study hall monitor's lookin' for ya.. playin' hooky again on rx8club, ne? :D

Sell your 8. You're just not ready for such a car yet. WOn't be for a long time, using your post as a barometer of your matureness. Don't even look at the Miata. Don't even bother with Porsche, they'll just laugh you right out of the showroom. GO straight to a Dodge dealer and fork over your cash for a blazingly fast Neon SRT-4.

Oh, you'll be PIMPIN' in that little rocket! The hoz will go MAD, I tells ya, MAD over your "performance" car! Make sure you put mad spinnaz on it yo!

Don't forget the LED Talipipes! Tight!

Bye-ee!

:D :p

 

Actually I don't think you get it. The RX-8 is a great car but there are many many people that passed on it that appreciate a balanced and good handling car but felt it lacked power. I think part of being balanced is having excellent power to go along with the excellent handling. I get the RX-8, but I also get that I'll be mashing the gas pedal a hell of a lot more than I'll be trying to nail that apex just right, so will everyone else on this board and just about everyone that looks at the car. It's becoming more and more clear that the demographic for the RX-8 is pretty small.

Mazda cars for the most part have always been praised for their great handling by the automotive press, in turn they've also be critisized for their lack of power and or unrefined finicky engines. If they would listened to the press a little more they would sell a heck of a lot more cars.

Sigma, yes somebody does have to be at the bottom when it comes to power, but it's not a good idea to be at the bottom when you're late to the party. When the RX-8 was released all of its competition and even cars that were cheaper were ahead of it in the power wars. When you're late to the party like Mazda was you had better have some sort of trick up your sleeve, a little better balance and finesse or freestyle doors apparently wasn't enough to make it a big seller. Even if it could have been I bet the negative press from the HP and flooding issues wiped all that away and more in the buyers eyes.

 

I cant wait to but another

 

Ike, your opinion, like mine, is worth squat.

I know your taste in cars. Spare us. I've driven the 350Z and the G35. Both feel like trucks. I'd rather drive a Miata than those two.

That says it all, yes?

 

Saying they feel like trucks leads me to believe you haven't driven them or you're just being overly outspoken to drive your point home. Point taken either way, but the fact remains that Mazda fell short on their power claims and now the car is falling very short of sales goals. Maybe more companies just need to make sportscars that feel like trucks since trucks sell so well :p

 

in case you haven't heard, truck sales have been plummetting recently

 

I need to design a car that drives like a truck, gets hybrid gas mileage, and pulls like a Mustang GT all for 25 grand. I'm going to be a millionaire!

 

i've gotta agree with TALAN7 here(and Ike, as annoying as he can be sometimes). as fun as it is to drive, the rx-8 is severely underpowered compared to the competition. it may be a great handler, but how often are people going to track it? most of my driving is done on city streets and highways where it's oftentimes fun to have instant power on tap. it's not just that the rx-8 is slower than the aforementioned sports cars that bother me, but jesus, there are plenty of family sedans that are faster.

 

For your average Joe, horsepower is the most important factor when buying a sports car, not handling. missinmahseven, you clearly don't fall into the average Joe category (just like most of us on here) so I don't know why you're starting arguments here when they're simply pointing out the facts.

RX-8 isn't an average Joe sports car...and that's why it's not selling well.

 

i like my car......and that's all that matters to me :D

 

Let's come back to reality...(from what I've seen in Mag's)...1/4 mile times

WRX 14.6-14.2
SRT-4 14.3-13.9
350Z 14.3-13.9
S2000 14.3-14
G35 14.4-14.2
RX8 14.7-14.4

The RX8 is NOT severely lacking power but it is lacking enough power to beat it's competitors. But, even then it's not "severely" getting it's butt kicked either.

Mag test after mag test show that the 8 normally hit's 14.5's in the 1/4 mile which is about .2 to .5 sec away from beating it's competitors or in the very least matching them. I know .5 is pretty significant in the car world (.2 is not) but in the real world of normal driving it don't mean shhhhh...lol

Again I say that I wish the 8 had another 50HP stock (with 300HP being my goal if I ran things at Mazda and that would be from a NA rotary...crazy...maybe) but people need to stop making it out to be slow when it's faster than at least 80% of the cars on the road today.

Sure the SRT-4 is faster and I respect Dodge for bringing out such a fast little car (I really do) but it also still looks like a Neon. Stick the WRX in there too...sure, it's OK looking and AWD must be so much fun but it still looks like a box on wheels. Sorry IkeWRX...

So...if my car is slower compared to those two by .2-.5 but looks WAY better, then I wont cry at all about the straights...I'll just sit there staring at my sexy 8 in a daze while the boxes with wheels pass by. People who focus on it's main (and about only complaint) miss out on the experience that this car brings it's owners.

THE FUN TO DRIVE KING!!!

Dear Mazda,

Please do something about the missing HP so we can shut these people up already. I wonder what they will say then? If the 8 got mid 13's...I wonder what would be the complaint then?

I’m not trying to fight with anyone and I hope what ever car you have you love…because frankly it’s costing us all a monthly payment so I hope in the very least you love your car. I can find the good in just about any “sports” car and I respect each car for what it does best but some people just hate as if Ford, Subie, Chevy, Honda, etc gave birth to them or something. If the RX8 is missing power it’s not much…PERIOD, heck…even 30HP could make up .2-.3 putting it right smack into the pack of competitors. Let’s keep it in perspective everyone…the 8 is behind it’s competitors in acceleration but not by much.

 

Is it so bad that it's not an "average Joe sports car"? There's something to be said for the unique and exciting. If I wanted average, I'd buy an F-body or a Mustang, I mean come on, how can you argue with the best selling sports cars of all time! Clearly they are superior to their competition, that's why you see a million of them on the road and used car lots, right?

I didn't want a mainstream car, this is not an Accord or a Camry, if it was, I'd have bought something else. I don't want to see an RX-8 on every row in a parking lot and in the driveways of 1/2 my neighbors.

 

Well, since this complaint also often comes up on the Mazda6 Forums, except to an even greater extent where people complain that a car that runs a 14.8 1/4-mile isn't even sufficient for everyday driving , I was bored enough one night to actually figure it out.

The Mazda6s MTX is faster than 93% of the cars sold in the US today and faster than about 98% of the cars on the road today. And by "faster" I mean the ever-popular 1/4-mile numbers. The RX-8 being a little bit faster than a 6s MTX is probably in about the same boat, perhaps closer to 95% of those sold today and 99% of those on the road.

 

You will just have to accept that the rx-8 is an unconventional car. As such, it will always appeal to a narrower spectrum of consumers. I think that Mazda had hoped that it would be able garner bigger market share, but unfortunately, the rx-8 is not what I would call a "world-beater". It is better than its competitors, but only if you factor in things like comfort, handling, price, etc. On pure performance, it falls short. Throw in the fact that everyone is saying stay away from the 197hp automatic - well gee, that must be 30-35% of potential sales, no?
The other thing is that locally, Mazda shot itself in the foot when it started advertising prices around the city. You never price advertise a "halo" product. It just cheapens it in the consumers eyes.
To bring sales figures back up: Come up with an auto trans that can handle the same power as a manual. For that matter, bring the manual engine up to 275-280hp. Damn the fuel economy - it sucks anyways.

Stop the price advertising. To create demand, make people work for it. Bring up the prices a bit more aggressively. Hey, I buy a $4 coffee everyday. They can't give the $1 stuff away.

Get the rx-8 into some serious racing. Not the Mazda series. It's too far removed and not enough coverage.

Come up with a 2 door variant and a convertible variant. I flipped thru one of thse 2006 preview mags and apparently, a 2-door shortened version of the rx-8 can work. Some have speculated it would be the new rx-7. That 2-door would lend itself to a convertible top.

Just my 2 cents.

 

Thanks for doing that...so you see, 5% faster does not = a slow car...PERIOD, lol (I know blue loves it when I say that)

For everyday driving (that includes times when you need a punch in the gut) the 8...as I told the guy in a minivan yelling at me "How fast does that thing go"....

Is fast enough!

Sure I'll add lighter rims, flywheel, pulleys, high flow CAT, intake, new ECU (PLEASE GOD help someone crack the ECU), and exhaust one day (along with handling stuff) but stock the 8 brings me many smiles as it is now. I just want to be smile greedy once the warranty is done with...lol

Lower the weight (hopefully about 100lbs) + 25HP (fair considering the above mods) will make a significantly faster 8 without Turbo’s/SC/NOS…I can’t wait for the day the mod’s start for me.

 

I don't think anyone claimed the RX8 does everything well (like all cars, it's filled with compromises). It's underpowered compared to the competition, but some of us value its other attributes more than acceleration... if you think appreciating balance is BS, then the RX8 isn't the car for you.

Also, the Neon is a great deal, but it's *FWD*. The fact that it runs 13s doesn't invalidate the strengths of more expensive, slower cars (WRX, G35, RX8, 330, etc). And while the Mustang's recently improved handling is decent, it's still no Miata/MR2/RX8/S2000. It's a car for people who want adequate handling, but plentiful power. The RX8 is for people who want adequate power, but awesome road feel and handling. The Z is in-between. To each his own.

 

You told missinmahseven that he doesn't get it, but none of what you wrote actually contradicts his point that the RX8 is fun to drive despite being comparatively weak in acceleration. He never said it's for everyone. So what is it he doesn't get?

 

I'm not sure about some of those ranges. There have been some 14.4 and 14.5 RX8s, but most are in the 14.6-14.8 range, yes? And the S2k can hit high 13s.

Also, having driven most of those cars, I can tell you the RX8 is significantly slower in some situations because of its mediocre low-end power. IMHO, it's understandable why some consider it to be "severely lacking power". But then again, many would say that about the S2k, WRX, and G35 too.

 

Greetings everyone.

I think some of the sales figures issues is due to how Mazda is marketing the 8. The 7 was direct competion to the 300z and similar coupes. The 8 I don't think is. The 8's competion is more along the lines of the Mustang GT, Dodge Charger and similar. The 8 is not a 2 (yes the 7 has four seats but you can't actually fit 2 people in them, even kids) seater geared exclusively towards performance as are the 350z and S2000. The 8 carries four adults with almost as much ease of entry and exit as a 4 door sedan yet it still looks like a sexy coupe.

Mazda should adjust some of it's marketing to focus one of the things that make the 8 unique (the Rotary you ask? no. The average Joe doesn't care about what type of engine is in the car as long as it performs well) its the fact that you can have the looks and fun of a sports coupe and still get your kids in the back.

Had I know that I could get two car seats and 2 strollers (one umbrella) in this vehicle in late 2003 I would not have bought my Nissan Murano. Couldn't fit the seats in my 99 Cougar so it had to go.

So all the dads (some moms too I'm sure) out there who already have an SUV or minivan in the family can actually have a nice sports car while still dropping their kids off at daycare, school whatever.

I think there is a good sized segment out there that even though they have kids now still yearn for their sports coupes but are resigned to the fact that they have to drive the accursed minivan or the surrogate SUV. If they are lucky they can get away with a sports sedan. The desire to slam something through the turns is still there it's just something they have been denied until now.

 

Guys...

There are so many different factors to be considered when evaluating a car for purchase...because thats what its all about no? the Target market making the Purchase right? Manuafacturers dont build cars soley for bragging rights
- power
- handling and balance
- safety
- styling
- intended use and target market
- maintenance costs
- "Image"
- "Prestige"
- practicallity and day to day feasibility
.......

The list can go on and on guys.... and not all of these things are going to be pertinent to all people. Everybody is different and as a result have different expectations out of their vehicle. Guys like Ike think its underpowered.. and depending what car you are comming from or what you plan to do with the car.... it probably is... and if thats the case. DON'T BUY IT. Others, think that it has more than enough power, and again it all depends on what they do with it and what they are coming from. Personally, I love the car but think Mazda should have gave it a bit more power to the wheels so that it can better battle other cars in its price range i.e Zs and Stooks; that would have made a bit more sense, but its a short fall I'm willing to over look when I take everything else about the car, myself (personal likes, dislikes and needs) and my current obligations into account.

I remember reading an article about some guy in Germany that was complaining that his Ferrari was too slow (huh?) as he could have bought a porsche for less money that will go faster. "geez" you might say? well, boys you cant please em all.


I think we can all agree that the RX8 is not for everybody...NO car is for everybody! I think we should just leave it at that because we could all argue this till the cows come home.

Just do what makes you happy