After a couple of years in this car, and finding a few things about the car I like. But, there are several things that get to me about this car. The gear ratio, way to crazy. It would seem to be like a 4.88:1. I wish the cogs were a bit longer, but torque, or lack there of may not be able handle something longer. The gas mileage, I have a 00 Z28 that runs elevens and well get's 3-8 mpg better than my bone stock RX8. The clutch pedal and sensors. Really, like what? 2 spot welds? Thanks, that sucked. and both clutch sensors crapped out. My trans and clutch blowing up after 75000 miles, well I had to move back in with my dad because that was it, all spare money burned. The quart of oil every 1000 miles, as if I didn't already have to pay enough for fossil fuel. Having the chin spoiler knocked off by a dog, and then retread has gotten old. And, learning that moving your car, so someone can leave, without letting the car heat up fully (and burning a $3 gallon of gas in the process) causes vapor lock, the hard way (that was the gay icing on a **** cake). But driving it down twisties is worth almost worth it. And the brakes, WOW. Really, I like it and I don't mean to bash, but I feel that if I own another Mazda, it will be a Miata. Please dont hate too bad, but at the same time, I am open to counters or corrections so please discuss.

 

If you would have researched before buying, you would have known about these issues... Hope it's a lesson learned!

 

every single thing you mentioned was covered in the potential owner thread. and touched in just about every review ive read on this car. from edmunds to car&driver.

so....research. lesson learned

 

I hear violins

 

LOL! You sound like me with all my bitching but I still love the car. That said, I would still have a retracting hartop Miata in my driveway now if only I could fit in the thing. PS--an opposum just cost me 250 bucks and I'm fearing the worst, damagewise, with all the snow and ice coming ans me being lowered.

 

Yes sir.

 

this is why i never park in driveways

 

So the tranny and clutch went after 75,000 miles, that happens, with a sports car.

I know that the situation you're in sucks and I wish you the best, but really, that's to be expected with this kind of car.

I'm guessing that you bought an 8 because it was cool and the purchase price was low and you didn't consider the cost of ownership. This is exactly why I don't encourage young drivers who are in school or just starting out to get a car like this.

 

I hear people complain about this a lot, but I really don't get what the big deal is about it... A quart of oil is not expensive. I don't see how having to spend about $6 (maybe 10 if you buy the absolute top of the line most expensive stuff) every 1,000 miles is that big of a deal... 6 dollars every 1,000 miles has just never bothered me the slightest bit.

 

plus if you do your own oil changes you usually have about a quart left over from the big jugs so its no biggie

 

When I started driving, a quart every 1000 miles was considered good. If you bought a used car, a quart every few hundred miles was reasonable.

As 8s get older ('04s are now 6 or 7 years old) we'll see more and more posts like this. Just part of the cycle.

Ken

 

So u hav a modified Z28 with aprox 375-400whp (around where u would need to be to run high 11's) that gets 18-23mpg? Interesting considering STOCK Z28's, which are like 250whp, are in that exact range for mpg.

 

if you don't want the car anymore, i'll take it off your hands

 

Wait, Rotaries burn oil?

OP I feel for your situation, but if you would have done some research, you would have known what was coming to you. 75k out of a clutch and you're bitching? 1qt of oil every 1000 miles is what rotaries do. An 11 second z28 that gets better gas mileage? Contrats.

Hate to say it, but you didn't even need to read a single review or opinion about the 8 for all of your complaints. Your owner's manual warns you about almost all of it.

 

/end thread

 

all I hear is just blah blah blah blah.

 

lol ken my 1958 porsche 2.1L air cooled burns through oil faster than this car does. All be it I can run rotella T and get much better oil because its cat less.

 

Ahhh...a real one. VW technology, so oil burning and other character elements were expected. In the mid-60s a friend bought one for $150. It had a VW engine in it. He eventually found someone with a VW bus that had a Porsche engine in it. The engines (with a modest cash incentives) were soon swapped. The Porsche engine was hopped up a bit with some of J.C. Whitney's finest speed parts...which did not need too much machining to fit.

Real car. You could work on it with a screwdriver, pliers and a piece of celllophane from a cigarette package.

But I digress. These kids today don't know what oil burning is. Remember when every road had a black stripe down the middle? And when the gag with an old car was "Fill the oil and check the gas?"

I keep the traditional quart of oil in Zoomy's trunk, but have never used it. Just rotate it out every year or so. But it brings back nostalgia from the days when it was routine to keep a case of oil in the trunk.

Ken

 

I remember that my first car had an oil leak and that was ok. It also didn't have an oil filter. It had an oil strainer and a gasket. You cleaned the strainer and replaced the gasket. I can burn through a quart of oil in two and a half gas tanks.

But that was also when you had to check the timing and turn the distributor for the change of seasons. Replace the plugs, wires, rotor, and points. Change the jets on the carb, and my first car had two spare tires, because tires didn't last very long.

 

Agreed.

I actually like the feeling of topping off my 8 with oil often. I'm not very knowlegeable in automotive mechanics, therefore I love the importance which this small job places upon me.

 

dito

 

another troll

 

yeah man what's with these trolls.

gtfo already

 

the only problem is that people at the gas station who drive clunkers would think WTF is this guy doing with this nice car.

 

This thread is getting old, I don't care how many different ways people word it. This car is a work of ******* art. You, sir, need to focus on what makes this car great; 50/50 weight distribution alone is worth its weight in gold. Idk about you, but seeing an RX-8 take a super car in the turns is orgasmic. Guess what their gas millage is.... The problem with this car is that 90% of the people that buy it are looking for a Mustang with RX8 looks (thus all the "how to get a faster 0-60" threads) when the 10% of us that understand the car are more than happy with the "flaws" to get a 9K revving balanced animal.