Believe it or not, this thread was actually useful to me, as I'm looking at a very similar trade this very afternoon.
My RX-8 for either an Avalanche or F150. (Is what it's come down to.)
But, this thread re-affirmed why I'm ok with the prospect. The RX-8 was everything I wanted and expected it to be. But, things change. I need a better truck to tow my race car with.
Plus, I'll dry my tears with the 270hp NA 86 RX-7 I just worked out a deal on. (And need the truck to tow.)

To the original poster, enjoy your Silverado, and I hope you will remember your RX-8 fondly. I know it's going to break my heart to see her go.

 

me thinks the majority in here is pretty young......at one time sports cars where just that....then came roll up windows and hard tops, then heaters, and radios, and eventually even air conditioning. The true spirit of "sports cars" lie back in the bginning with MG's and Triumphs, Alpines, and even friggin Fiats. To many coddled people today who think life must always follow some cookie cutter form. Sports cars where spartan and functional, (just take a good look at the Elize)....... not the family sedan.... I own a 3/4 ton Dodge, a Honda Odyssey, Taurus and a 37 Plymouth. They all have their place and time....My 8 is now stored for the winter......who gives a rip about gas mileage.....certainly not me when I'm zoomin'...................if you're not ready for a sports car.... don't buy one

 

I might be young *26* but I just dont get why people bitch about MPG when they have a sports car. Same thing here, same thing on Z forum, same thing on tons of *sports car* forum. and its funny people trying to get close to the EPA numbers when it has been proven that those numbers are *far from truth*. Yes you can say all cars were tested under the same condition but you also have to understand that they're NOT created create, some cars gets better at certain driving conditions, some just dont.

If you cant afford it, dont freaking get it, theres Prius and even Corollas around.

Im not saying 8 is perfect, but people will always complain for whatever reasons. but Im really sick of people saying *this car gets #### mpg it sucks blah blah blah*

Enjoy your Truck

 

Ahhh...the ignorant simple minded response that I just can't hear often enough.

(with my best inbred hillbilly voice) "Well it's a sports car, an't spose ta git good gas mileage"

So if your getting 3 mpg that's OK because its a sports car, right. Your AC is blowing 80 degrees air, do you say "well it is a sports car, if I wanted cold air I should have bought a Chevy." Come on grow a brain.

The car was sold as a Sports car that would deliver a certain range of fuel mileage. When the mileage obtained is grossly different from the posted mileage and other users dose it not make sense to try and have it returned to normal operating specifications?

By the way my company's owner has a Z4 and gets 26 mpg with superior performance in a heavier car and guess what IT'S A SPORTS CAR!

 

Maybe u guys can try to get BMW to build a Rotary ?

Or try to make their Z4 as smooth as a RX8 ? Trust me I've driven one.

and again some people will bitch about the MPG for every single car. Im sick of seeing it, tons of people bitch about Prius's number are nowhere near the EPA's number, wtf is that ? EPA is NOT ACCURATE at all because running in labs is not the same as real world.

and how much does a Z4 cost again ? Im sure Mazda can put higher performance if they can sell Rx8 at that price.

 

Mazda has no control over the fuel numbers presented to you. You should take this up with the EPA.


It's not a rotary. Try comparing apples to apples.

 

Last but not least, do yourself a favor and get a Corolla if you cant afford gas. Seats 5 and very good mpg. Everybody happy.

but then people gonna bitch about *only 100 something horse* *crappy interior* ... blah blah blah, the list goes on.

 

You guys just don't get it. The EPA is a flawed system that deals in generalities but when all vehicles are subjected to the same constraints it gives you at least a benchmark. Take it for what it's worth.

The rotary is a very nice engine which I personally like but I'm not foolish enough to think that it is gods gift to man. For the fuel that is consumed it gives inferior power compared to a piston engine, fact. The Rotary is less thermal efficient then a piston engine, fact. This means that less power for fuel consumed, fact. The only real advantages of the Rotary are size, weight and lack of vibration.

Now lets ignore all the facts so far and get to the real heart of the matter. Any other Sport car in its price range will get marginally better to significantly better mileage then the RX-8. I can live with this, I knew it when I bought the car. But, around 25% of all RX get horrendous mpg, 10 to 13mpg and Mazda has refused to deal with it. This is why you hear all the complaining. There is a cost involved but the real issue is a car that is not performing to spec and we want it fixed.

What probably hasn't occurred to you is that this same lack of service from Mazda with this issue may set a precedence which could come back and bit you with a yet undisclosed issue. Of course you will just say "Well it's a sports car an is supoos ta break down. if I don't like it I sud'a buyed a Honda, he, he, he."

 

I do get it. But not all cars will show the same percentage difference between estimated and actual fuel economy. It varies from model to model. So trying to argue that you aren't getting EPA numbers just means you are not an educated consumer.


Lets look at the 350Z. Similar mileage numbers. Similar cost. What's your reasoning for the nissan not getting 30 mpg?


We can agree on this. I'd really hate to be one of those stuck with a 10 mpg car. I'm eventually going to get close to that number, but I'll have a significant amount more power

 

Bad MPG is one thing, and everyone has to decide if they can live with that. As previously implied, to a major extent it goes hand in hand with sports car ownership. I can stomach that no problems at all, and might even have kept my Rx8, BUT, for a given MPG you expect a certain level of performance and I think the Rx8 is off the mark in that very specific area. It looks great, it handles great, but the fuel consumed is not in reasonable proportion to its performance. This is THE point of frustration. It's not the MPG, its what power you get (or rather don't get) for your $$$. Now, if this fact doesn't bother you, FANTASTIC!! I couldn't be happier for you. But please, respect those for whom it does bother. Accept that forums will contain the good, the bad and the ugly...that's what they're there for. Not to contain only those threads where we all get excited about the latest body kit or wheels.

I also think it is unreasonable for people on the forum to bag people for owning an Rx8 who later sell it, saying "you idiot, you should have researched it first". There is so much variability with fuel usage in this car, including car to car variability and driving style such that you would never know unless you owned it.

 

Which begs the question on why you bought the car. Did you do any research?

Just drop a turbo in it. You'll get more power than you'll need, and poor fuel economy too!

Ultimately, If you did your research, you'd know the general range you would expect for the car. Which is anywhere from about 13 to 19 in the city... So that's no excuse.



*reminds himself these kinds of threads are never productive, and unsubscribes*

 

Getting 15 mpg in the city and complaining would be an uneducated consumer. Getting 11 to 12mpg is falling out side any reasonable expectation of coming remotely close to EPA estimates.


[/QUOTE] Lets look at the 350Z. Similar mileage numbers. Similar cost. What's your reasoning for the Nissan not getting 30 mpg?[/QUOTE]

Most long term reports put the 350z at close to 2 mpg better then the RX and the highway mileage is close to 26 which places it 2 to 4 mpg better then the RX while at the same time providing better power. By the way that 350z is getting several mpg better then my RX, if I was getting 15mpg in the city I would be happy as a clam.


[/QUOTE] We can agree on this. I'd really hate to be one of those stuck with a 10 mpg car. I'm eventually going to get close to that number, but I'll have a significant amount more power [/QUOTE]

With a turbo I could live with 11 to 12 mpg but stock, it sucks and every visit to the Mazda service center just rubs my face in it.

 

I don't think a silverado actually REPLACES your 8....... you just decided your needs are better met by a truck. Right?

 

Did you even read my post in full?? Makes me wonder why I bother at all.
The fact that it can vary so much suggests person A might get better than person B...for any number of reasons as I posted. So you dont KNOW what you'll get until you own the bloody car. sheesh. Some people seem to do well others have nightmare fuel consumption, and it aint all down to driving style.

 

Lets look at the 350Z. Similar mileage numbers. Similar cost. What's your reasoning for the Nissan not getting 30 mpg?[/QUOTE]

Most long term reports put the 350z at close to 2 mpg better then the RX and the highway mileage is close to 26 which places it 2 to 4 mpg better then the RX while at the same time providing better power. By the way that 350z is getting several mpg better then my RX, if I was getting 15mpg in the city I would be happy as a clam.


[/QUOTE] We can agree on this. I'd really hate to be one of those stuck with a 10 mpg car. I'm eventually going to get close to that number, but I'll have a significant amount more power [/QUOTE]

With a turbo I could live with 11 to 12 mpg but stock, it sucks and every visit to the Mazda service center just rubs my face in it.[/QUOTE]
are you turboed?

 

I haven't heard too many complaints about this from newer RX-8 owners, so I assume it's something they've gotten a handle on, or can reduce it's likelyhood of happening. There is no such thing as a perfect car. It's a crapshoot no matter what brand or model you get. I have a friend with problems on his toyota, and another friend who has a $60k caddy that has a ton of electrical problems...

PS: I get 15-16 mpg turbocharged in the city.

 

what is your aggregate mileage?

 

Someone will find something to bitch at, no matter how perfect the item is.

Bitch about MPG, ok fine lets say its *fixed* then someone gonna bitch at the TQ, ok lets say Free Turbo from Mazda and someone will bitch that it's a pain to add Oil every 1 K miles or so, ok Mazda slam another 2 Gallon tank in the trunk that would fill the oil for you, then someone gonna bitch about the interior sucks ......

Next thing u know is someone gonna bitch because the car attract too much unwanted attention ...... make it look like a Crossfire !

 

I hate you!!!!

 

i don't know about everyone else's gas mileage but mine is totally dependent on my driving style. I have driven and gotten pretty close to the EPA results. That is no redlining, no rabbit starts, and keeping it 55 or below.

If you drive it like a sports car of course your not going to get near 20mpg your not going to do this in any car. The corvette only gets the high gas mileage if you drive it conservatively and go from 1st to 4th gear. I usually get about 15-18 with mixed driving. i have had tanks that i have gotten as low as 12 and ones above 20. That would be a lot of redlining and driving it between 80-90 on the highway when i get 12mpg.

Because i realize that when i hit that redline or am cruising at anything above 65; (where your gas efficiency starts dropping rapidly), i'm using more fuel, i don't complain one bit. If i wanted good gas milage i would drive like a granny or get a car that drives like a granny (prius, my old escort etc etc). If you want to get 24 miles on the highway read some information on tips for good gas mileage and obey these laws for a full tank of gas. If you still get below 16 you have some kind of problems.

If you don't follow the laws of good gas mileage and drive at 9000 RPM above 65 you have no right to complain about EPA gas mileage estimates. If you want a car that gets better then 21mph on average then don't buy this car.

Put your fuel bill into the entertainment category where every sports car should be.

 

redline driving doesn;t effect my mpg that much. What does, is stop and go traffic. (rush hour) The RX8 hates this type of driving.

I have done many cruises on the highway where we are pushing the red line thorigh all the corners in the mountains and I get over 20. If I drive just rush hour all week I get crappy mpg.

The thing is...I don't care. I didn't buy the car for its mpg.

 

People do like to bitch that is a fact of life but everything else you list is know up front when you bought the car. The failure of a sub set of cars in relation to mileage is a problem not a feature of the car. To put them into the same category is wrong.

 

hey dan, did the exact same thing. keep on truck'n bra.