crossbow

I actually find the Mazda 6 MTX too fast for normal driving. I can rarely go full throttle in the car without either...

a) hitting someone
b) hitting something
c) Violating posted speed limits or traffic regulations

Since the MTX 8 is faster, I can only imagine the magical areas some of you guys live where your allowed to fully utilize your vehicles performance. Must be nice to live in germany.

Slick8

PEBSWAC, stop complaining and do something about it.

A) Learn how to drive your RX-8 OR,
B) Trade your RX-8 in and get an WRX STi or EVO.

Although the RX-8 has some limitations with launch times when you don't know how to drive, that is where it ends. With good driver skills, the RX-8 can hang with the best of them.

I had no trouble with EVOs, WRX STis, S4s, G35c, Mustang GTs, or 350Zs in any testosterone competitions on the road. Add the necessary mods (flywheel, high flow cat, TUNED CZ and REVi), and you'll blow them away. 99% of driver do not know how to drive and 70% of these cars are automatics.

PEBSWAC - Problem Exists Between Steering Wheel And Chair

crossbow

Or take the 8 to the track...and be wowed as you pass m3's, Z's, NSX's, C6's, you name it. Oh wait those cars are faster then the 8 aren't they? Or maybe its actually the driver controlling the car thats not as fast.

I keep hoping the sales drop more...so I can snag an even trade for an 8 from my mazda6...the mazdaspeed 6 being no option as it weighs roughly 800 lbs more then a base mtx 8.

Ike

Muy point was that there are people that understand the 8 and appreciate it but still passed because of the lack of power. Just because the 8 doesn't quite do it for you doesn't mean you're some Mustang driving musclehead.

Ike

Wow...

MI_FamilyMan

Just chiming in real quick, I think the rotary engine itself is a bigger reason many people don't even consider or decide to purchase the 8 than the horsepower number itself. In a test drive situation, I am pretty sure that most people would decide the car was "peppy" enough for them, unless they were coming from a big V-8.

Ironically enough, it is this same rotary engine that makes this car as cool as it is. If it was a 2.3L inline-4 making the same power and performance, it just wouldn't be the same. Not even close.

GotBass

Why is everyone so bent up that the RX-8 is not a huge seller. You have a car that is rare and exclusive compared to its competition. If you want a 30k sports car that is will be everywhere in a couple of years, get new Mustang.

Besides the car magazines always say the RX-8 is the best in its class.

So we have a better car and we dont see them at every stopligt. Whats not to like?

Matt RX8

With a similar skilled driver an E46 M3, NSX or C6 will beat an RX8 on most tracks. At least that has been my experience. :o

Ike

I'd like to see a Mazdaspeed version, another RX-7, or just the RX-8 develop and the rotary continue to get better. With the sales the way they are now it's a possibility that they won't do much to further develop it and just scrap it in a couple years without ever introducing higher performance versions. But that's all up to Mazda and Ford, maybe despite the sales being poor they're still good enough to continue developing the car and other models with the rotary.

czr

iTrader: (3)

The only production car with a rotary engine; amazing. I am fixated by the re ... Everyday, I crave to hear it (w/ the rb exhaust is what this car should have sounded like stock) and feel it's linearity like some junky. That in itself does it for me.

crossbow

Or a similarly skilled driver in a civic hatchback. The one thing DE events have taught me, is no two drivers are ever the same. Similar skills perhaps, but everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Its like going to an art class and having everyone draw the same still life...every single person has different lines .

Nubo

Obviously, there IS a market for sportscars that value finesse over brute force, and the Miata exemplifies the concept. I really applaud Mazda for taking the RX-8 down the same road and making it the Miata's big brother. Unfortunately, it turned out to be terrible timing due to 2 reasons -- 1) the failure of Renesis to meet the originally wonderful fuel economy projections and 2) the big increase in oil prices.

There is a market of folks who will trade some raw horsepower for handling, styling, and a wonderfully smooth high-revving powerplant. What makes them back off is a fuel economy of 15 mpg. There is a market of folks who will trade fuel economy for power. But if a car (not a truck) is getting 15 mpg and NOT making gobs of power, they start wondering "what's the point"? People will give up some power for handing because they can see where the tradeoffs occur and why. Light weight, balance, etc. But won't see the need to sacrifice fuel economy for handling. Many of us realize that fuel cost represents a fairly low percentage of cost of ownership, but most people get a little crazy about gasoline prices. They'll go 5 miles out of their way to get gas for 2 cents less per gallon. They'll wait in line half a day if some station decides to sell gas for $1.50 as a promotion. Would they wait in line half a day if you offered them $20 cash? I doubt it. But to save 7 bucks on a tank of gasoline they will. When people see my car they love it. If they ride in it they love it even more. But when they ask me what kind of mileage it gets and I tell them it's usually around 15-16 mpg in town, it's like somebody farted.

The other thing holding back sales of RX-8 is that it had some unfortunate and perhaps unforgiveable first-year problems. Chief among these was the flooding issue. Now, I think they did a pretty good job of fixing it but on the other hand the engine was in development for quite a long time -- this really should have been dealt with BEFORE the car hit the market. I've never had a flood myself and I understand what must be done to minimize the problem, and I don't mind it. But, most people are not willing to put up with such behavior from a vehicle. The days when flooding was accepted as something a motorist would occasionally encounter are a couple of generations past. For people nowadays, a flooding incident that renders the car non-operational is simply not acceptable. If you've just bought a new car, you want to turn the key and go. Failure to start is not an option for the vast majority of owners. I'm afraid Mazda flubbed big-time by letting this issue go. Maybe we can blame EPA2 and all that. I don't know. You certainly can't blame EPA for an underpowered battery. All I know is that my dealer was adamant that "you have to run this car hard - don't baby it!!" -- repeated at least 5 times before I drove off the lot. That was the message of the time largely becaue the service departments were inundated by flooded 8's. How many Z's end up being flat-bedded to the dealer for flooding?

Because of these issues I'd have to agree that most people who want an RX-8 have gotten one. The flooding issue is largely gone but it will take some time for the reliability perception to improve. The fuel economy issue still exists. And, if it persists I'd have to agree that the only way to boost sales is to boost power. I really wish they could boost economy instead -- I happen to like the power/handling balance just where it is. I'd love it even more if the fuel economy improved to where it should be with this performance -- about 50% higher.

TODreamer

yep.. .... People generally dont like different things

TODreamer

I'm not bent up.. infact.. I hope the sales plummet right before I'm ready to buy.... I get a better deal and have a somehwat rare car

Deslock

Did he say that anyone who didn't choose the 8 was a Mustang driving musclehead? No... he only said that TALAN7 was. To be be more specific, he said "This specimen right here falls squarely in the Mustang demographic.". Reread what TALAN7 wrote, and tell me didn't deserve missinmahseven's response (my comments in parenthesis):

MazdaRich

First of all, the general public doesn't know what an RX-8 is. Most people don't know it's a Mazda and have no idea that the motor is rotary. This car turns more heads than any of the competition--including the G35 and Mustang. The amount of attention I get in this car makes me a little uncomfortable. So what does that mean? Maybe people are going to find out what the hell it is and go out and buy one someday. The biggest problem with the RX-8 is that Mazda spends no money marketing the thing. I think that as people get closer to buying the car they are put off by the fuel economy. I don't think 99% of the buyers are aware there was ever a flooding issue.

The biggest problem the RX-8 has is that if you drive it back to back with a Z, you will notice a huge difference in kick-in-the pants power. The things that the RX-8 does well, most drivers are not adept enough to discover. It was very difficult to realize how special the car is on a test drive. I sort of drew on my experience from the Miata to decide to buy the RX-8. It's just a lot easier to display the strengths of a Mustang or G35 on a test drive--but the rest of us know that brute force gets old and finesse is what really grows on you over time.

rx8wannahave

If you take the big 3 auto mags (Motor Trend, Car and Driver, and Road & Track) they all got, as far as I remember, 14.5’s so I take that time to signifiy what the 8 can "normally" do.

IkeWRX has stated that those times (Car & Driver I think...) where early RX8’s (maybe making 250HP) but from the date of the article (a year after the 8 came out) I doubt it was a 250HP 8 from Japan...that would just be bad journalism

I have never seen the S2K do anything under 14…any links? (I normally use the big 3 mag’s as a basis) and I have yet to see a S2K get under 14 in a mag.

Well…other than the S2K I can tell you that the 8 is faster in some situations also, that’s not really the messure of total speed is it? If we are talking acceleration then 0-60 and Ľ mile are the standards. Also…last time I checked the 8 matched a 300+ HP M3 track time perfectly so apparently it’s fast enough in “other” situations to make up for the times when it’s not too fast.

I agree with IkeWRX…I hope they don’t’ kill the 8 and it sells well. Yes, some like that it’s rare but I rather see it continue to mature than to have the fleeting smile of being a rare car on the road. My personal opinion…

I also hope they come out with a RX7 with 350HP to kick the heck out of EVO’s, STI’s, 350Z’s, S2K’s, etc…not because I hate those cars but because I grow tired of the ragging on the 8…lol

The 8 aint perfect and it should have more power but as already stated we can argue this thing into the ground. IkeWRX loves his Subie and that’s great, I’m very glad he does and respect what that little AWD can do.

Speed-ER Doc loved his 8 but it sadly died so he got a V8 to lust after (trust me I love the American V8 and lust after it too) and that’s great too…can’t go wrong with a good old V8.

If your making the payments the only opinion that matters is yours so just make sure what ever you are paying for brings you smiles daily.

Design1stCode2nd

I would say the opposite, I seen tons of ads and commercials for the 8. The problem is they pitch it against the Z and others. The 8 is a four door coupe, if at least 25% of the advertising pushed that part you would see sales increase. People who don't need four seats will naturally gravitated to the Z, G35, S2000 and so forth for the upfront power.

I'd love to see a commercial by Mazda where you see man behind the wheel, zooming through turns, shifting, all the normal yada yada you see in sports car commercials and he zooms up in front of a building and stops. Hops out yanks open the back doors and two kids pile out and make the dash for the school yelling "Thanks Dad we made it".

DARKMAZ8

I highly doubt that. I've been a rotor head for 10 years and the lack of power didn't sway my purchase one bit. The car is extremely fun to drive regardless of the hp #'s. I have driven "everything" and I still chose the 8. I could of gotten an $80,000 sports car but I once again still chose the 8. I really think you should take one out and see what the buzz is. :p

btw the 1st gen miata was a hot seller even though it had less than 100whp. I wonder why. Maybe just maybe it could be fun to drive a car without the muscle!!!!

Nubo

Maybe not directly, but many many buyers check fot the little red/black circles in the Consumer Reports.

Word of mouth is important too, and part of what carries sales past the initial year or two. Someone who gives up on the car due to multiple flooding incidents is going to poison a surprising number of potential sales.

apotocki

DITTO! Well said.

I also believe that if Mazda really wanted to sell this car, they would review and create a clever advertising campaign. I think the 'only' TV spot I've ever seen (over the past year) was on a cable channel during a sporting event......and it was a silly spot where a guy hugs his car and it hugs him back with the doors (although it does remind me of myself - just ask my wife!)

Marketed and advertised correctly/differently, I believe that this car would sell more. Just think about it, how many of us proud owners have been approached by others asking - 'What kind of car is that?' , 'Is that a Porsche or Viper?' This car is a rare jewel amongst all the cubic zirconia's out there.......but not many know about it. They 'assume' it's small and pricey.....think about it, put the 8 next to a Stang, WRX, EVO, etc., and doesn't it look like it would cost many thousands more? You could put the 8 next to a Porsche or Viper and it looks like it fits right in. I don't think the same could be said for the beforementioned. This is a great value 'sports' car.

Lack of advertising/promotion is the key here if Mazda 'really' wanted to sell more.
With that said, however, I'm perfectly pleased in having a car that is unique and not seen on every corner! But..........like many others have said, if the car had another 30-50hp that would also help, as we are caught up in a world where hp is the key to performance.

Matt RX8

Sorry, I'm not buying your argument. I'd rather have an ///M3, NSX or C6 on a track vs. the RX-8.

The RX-8 might be more fun and is definitely much less expensive than those cars, but the same driver (with some skill) would turn faster laps in the above cars, especially on a course with longer straights like Road America. The M3 also has SMG II gearbox which would also be an advantage over the RX-8 when it comes to lap times.

RX-8 is a fun track car and it's great for the price, especially for those who picked them up new in the low 20Ks. But those other cars are just plain faster.

If the RX-8 is as fast as the Vette and M3 it would have been placed in the GS class for Grand Am Cup racing rather than being placed in the ST class (where it is dominating :D ).

rx8wannahave

Wow…nice, send that to Mazda before you end up on one of those infomercials saying:

“Hey…they stole my idea”

LOL

Yes they do…every time I tell people I have back seats and “4” doors their jaw hits the ground. Then, when I invite them to see the space in the back (while not sadan like) they are amazed.

Also…they ask me the price and they are also surprised (I say 26-34K depending on the options while I got mine for 25K out the door). Mazda…wake up and start an advertising blitzkrieg…your missing out on enough customers for this to matter to you.

Oh yeah…my mom & dad love it too….so there…lol

Machan…I hear you but the 8 nipping at the heals of much stronger tells you a lot about it’s performance, but I agree a C6 or NSX should win the race every time. If people in those cars can’t beat a RX8 around a track they must really be bad drivers. The 8 matches the M3 from one test I saw (which is just amazing) and I’ve seen the vid’s of it passing S2K’s, Z-28’s, and Porsche’s so the 8 is very respectful at the track…could you imagine what another 30-50HP could do….

Design1stCode2nd

Good Idea, consider it sent. In 2 months if you see this commercial you heard it here 1st!

TALAN7

[QUOTE=missinmahseven]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.

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.

I never said the 8 had to be Mustang fast only that it's underpowered. I didn't even say by how much. I said from the start that I love my 8, but that dosen't mean I'm not objective enough to see its shortcomings. I'm immature because I have an opinion that doesn't agree with yours? Come on, man, you show some maturity, and don't even try to compare the 8 against a Porsche. Porsches aren't as slow. The Miata is a true sports car but these days performance cars are in. I personally, have always seen the Miata as a chick car... just not enough performance for me. It is a popular car, but I think because it was relatively cheap, small and cute. As far as the neon is concerned, I respect it for its speed, but that's it. It doesn't look that good to me and of course it's a dodge. The RX8 is a very good car, but not without its flaws. My only gripes with the car have ever been gas mileage and power/torque, other than that, it's great.

Is this a forum where people can express their opinions, good or bad, or is it a place where only owners can come and praise what a great car it is.