I test drove a RX-8 and a Mazda6 yesterday. I test drove the Mazda6 first and I was impressed how well it rides and handles compared to my 2004 Maxima. Next I test drove the RX-8 and was blown away how fast it was, and how well it rides being a sporty car. The dealer I went too has a show room Winning blue fully loaded Rx-8 for 28,000. I know I can probably do a little better than that buy anyway. What made me consider even buying it was the price of both the 8 and the mazda6. They were the same fully loaded. Hard to pass up this kind of deal.

To make a long story short, I was almost ready to buy it then, but.....Didn't research the engine and didn't know anything about it. So I came home and was directed to this message board and I found very very useful info to bring back to the dealer to drill them with.

1st. The "Flooded Engine Problem" this to me is almost enough to make me not buy it. I am very disappointed with reading about the number of people with this problem. So I will be drilling the dealership about this problem and if the newly manufactored 2004's have corrected this problem or not. If not then I am going with Mazda6.

2nd. Snow driving... One look at the tires in person and I thought.... No snow with these babies. My maxima has eagle rs-a all weather tires which to me aren't too bad at all. They are also very good in the snow. Obviously I would have to purchase snow tires which kinda causes a problem but nothing huge. Does anyone have snow tires on there 8? if so how does it handle in the snow?

3rd. The constant maintenance. This also isn't a big problem because checking oil doesn't require a b.s in engineering. But it is a pain in the ***, none the less if you love the car it isn't much of a big deal.

I would love some help on my decision because it is really consuming my mind right now. Cause lets face it.. this car is unbelievable to drive. Ofcourse there are other factors shying me away from this car.. mostly long term benefits...oh and also gas mileage, I do about 90% highway driving currently and I am not impressed with the mileage this car is getting compared to my Maxima (28mpg). I would be spending more money on gas as I calculate which isn't a plus.

Please.. I welcome all Rx-8 owners to give me your 2 cents. If I get enough I might be able to buy the snow tires .

Thanks,

Hagar852

Maxima 3.5 SE Color... Radiant Ember

 

1. There are steps you can take to avoid the flooding problem, I believe most people have not experienced this at all
2. Snow tires seem to be just fine for the 8, though I myself have another crap car that I drive on those days
3. Checking the oil requires a paper towel and 5 minutes, and it's only painful if you do it while the engine is hot. I've added a quart of oil at 1500 miles, some people use more some less, depends how hard you push it

You won't get the mileage you got with the maxima, but some have actually gotten the 25 mpg advertised on the sticker, again, depends on how hard you push it.

The rotary engine has it's quirks, but you can't argue with being able to hit 40 in first gear

 

Yeah if I can get around the 22-24 range that would be ok.. I travel 400miles per week. basically fill up at half way and it costs me about 50 dollars a week on gas just from driving to work and back never mind joy riding if I do buy it

I have no problem with the oil checking and stuff... Hey I had a car when I was 16 that needed a quart a day lol.. bad oil plug. Not as bad as that


Thanks for the reply.

 

Well Hagar, let me take a stab at addressing your issues:

1. This is something that has mostly been fixed with the newest PCM flash. But if you don't follow the "never shut down cold" procedure, you may still experiene the flooding. No guarantees here, 'cause even some who claim to follow that plan have had floods.

2. If this is to be your daily driver and you live in the snow belt, you will need snow tires--not all-season tires--snow tires. Some say they do ok without them, but don't count on it.

3. What "constant maintenance"? That's a bit of exageration. It's not a big deal at all. I think it's safe to say that most are reporting usage of a qt between oil changes, i.e., 3,000 miles or so. So you can check it every third gas fill-up or so.

4. Which you didn't mention but need to know. Gas mileage being reported by some owners is VERY bad--like 10-13 MPG. However, most owners , including myself, are getting high teens and low 20's. You should definitely read all the many posts regarding fuel mileage and make up your own mind on whether this is a potential killer for you. There are some excellent threads that include detailed spreadsheets for cars with thousands of miles on them.

If you can work through all that, you will get a car that is unsurpassed in it's uniqueness and quality, with power and handling that will put a smile on your face every time you drive it or even look at it. It ain't the fastest car on the road, but it certainly is one of the best balanced cars out there.

Good luck if you decide to by one.

 

1. If you let the engine warm up properly, flooding shouldn't be a problem, but no guarantees. All great cars have to have a quirk!
2. I live in Virginia so no snows for me, but if you read the posts, the car does well if you're willing to get snow tires. It has more weight over the drive wheels than a typical rear driver, but not the 60% of a typical FWD.
3. Checking the oil is infrequent and no biggie. If you have an 8, you're fiddling with the car all the time just for grins, anyway.
If all you can think about is how it drives, you're an 8 guy. If you're a worrier or don't see yourself under the hood for fun, you'd be happier in the 6. You could always wait for the MazdaSpeed 6...

 

Yes I did forget to mention more on the gas mileage which is probably one of the biggest concerns I have. My maxima gets very good gas mileage for 265hp. I can live with a slight decrease since I am doing this to save money on car payments. Yes the constant maintence remark is from my old 78 chevy monza days where it needed constant maintence .


I was very impressed on the ride of the car and the features compared to the Maxima. Just trying to get an equivalent car for more affordable prices.

 

Me again. DO NOT EXPECT 22-24 MPG or you will be sadly disappointed. Only if you drive like granny and never rev above 3,750 RPM would you possibly achieve that range. (And that is almost impossible to do with this car.) Not many are reporting that kind of mileage. You MAY get 22 MPG on the highway at normal cruising speeds using cruise control, but 18-20 is more realistic. Of course, the mileage you get depends to a great extent on your driving style and that is apparently particularly true for this car.

 

I get from 18-22 mpg....I drive the car in winter too (isn't always winter up here?) and the car works great if you have snow tires. (get the DSC also) Its also a blast to throw around in the snow. Its a very well balanced car.

The oil thing is not that big a deal. With any car, you should be checking your oil once a month so I don't see it as an issue.

 

Hagar-
Its ultimately up to you, but if you like it enough to get this far, your numbers "1 thru 3" will be "little" things that you'll learn to accept in exchange for having a car, as you say, that you were really impressed with and had fun driving-

1- i have a 2004 and have had no flooding problems (the recent flashes seem to work, and just remember to not shut it off unless its warm)

2- i agree that "maintenance' is kind of overstated. This is my daily driver i drive into DC every day with and i don't feel any more "busy" with this than my old honda civic. Again, if you love something, its not considered 'work"

3- gas, i drive into the city all city 10 miles per day and i float around 17, but on the highway (this depends for all), i will say i have gotten 22mpg, WITHOUT cruise control, and hitting speeds anywhere from 60 to 90.

Youll get various numbers from people here and there, but ultimately i think it comes down to this- if you drove the car and loved it, these three reasons won't get in the way enough to make you feel like you made a mistake, just my 2 cents..good luck

 

The above responses have already answered the questions pretty well, so here's some extra.

You drive 400 miles per week. You will be in the gas station 2-3 times per week. Low mileage plus small tank equals short range. If you really want an 8, you will have to adjust your expectation on fuel efficiency. It is what it is.

The amount of maintenance you perform will be directly proportional to the amount of tinkering (showing my age, er I mean mods) you want to do and how hard you plan to drive it. If you are an "average" driver, the tires will last reasonably long (reports of 25k or more from some owners), the brakes are oversized and understressed and will last the common driver a long long time. The build quality is excellent. Go by your own history - are you a car owner who always has trouble with their car? Then you will probably have problems in whatever car you have. If you usually have good luck and low upkeep, then you will have the same with the 8.

BTW, the dealer is the last place to get useful infomation about this or any car. If you read the dealer section of the forum you will read countless threads about how clueless the dealers are. Most of them would rather make crap up than say they don't know or they will find out.

From personal experience, I decided to buy the 8 within the first 500 yards of my test drive. Totally reminded me of the feel of my Austins, MGs and Triumphs (of course with the addition of all the modern conveniences and the Japanese build quality)

Lastly, I don't believe that you mentioned the transmission. If you want an automatic, wait until 2006 when there is a 5 speed sequential offered. If you need to buy a car with automatic today, buy something else. Seriously.

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

Only negative of the 3 is gas mileage. Noone can accurately predict what mileage you will get. Yes, it is varying that much. My lowest has been 13 city and I get around 19-20 highway. If you look at some of the threads on gas mileage you will see alot of variance so if its an issue I would not buy it. Snow tires a must have and flooding has me worried as well. I am 50 miles from the nearest dealer. I follow all procedures but still read on here people are still flooding from time to time. I still have never had a car that I look forward to driving, washing, looking at, etc. so its up to you if emotion overrides these issues.

 

I have only 300 miles, but my first full tank on mixed driving netted me 14 mpg. I fully expeted worse given the cold weather, and use of the AC to keep the windows clear on the inside with all the rain we had. I tested my car twice on a cold start and it seemed to be fine both times. As a precautio,, I rev to 3000 rpm before shutting down. I'm not worried about the oil consumption--the price I pay for an engine that purrs like a cat.

 

I forgot to mention that my maxima is a 6speed manual. I test drove the manual and found that car I test drove to have a very stiff second gear. I only need 2 fingers to shift the maxima, and found that to be the same on the mazda 6.

I am not an aggressive driver.. I top out at 80 on the highway, but usually drive between 70-80. I don't usually take my maxima above 4000 rpm to maximize (no pun intended) my gas mileage. I am a physics teacher so I love the number working.

I would drive the Rx-8 much similiar to how I drive the maxima. But at times I do step on it .

The flooding is a concern.... Cause getting to work is a problem if that happens, and I don't want to get screwed in that.

Basically it comes down to the 2 voices in your head(could be more depending on the person). One voice says get the more economical car(Mazda6) because it is more practical. Then the other voice says.. F*** that and get the car with *****. Right now voice number 2 is winning .

 

My car just flooded for the first time this morning. Know how long it took to fix? About 12 seconds. You just hold the accelerator, turn the ignition key on for about 6-8 seconds, turn it off, release the accelerator, then start it up like normal. Can't beleive I was letting something so silly and easily reparable get to me.

Snow driving - I had a '97 Miata that served me admirably for 2 1/2 winters. Got stuck once in all that time on a small patch of ice on a VERY steep incline (I was one of about 3 people, so no shame in that). The 8 feels exactly like the Miata, but has the added bonuses of ASM/TCS to help keep you shiny-side up. And with ANY vehicle, you want snow tires. My parents, until recently had always had FWD vehicles. They got stuck more in their big, heavy, FWD domestics (can't count...) than I ever did in my little RWD sports car (once). Get snow tires, and you'll never have to worry about snow. It's absolutely amazing how much of a difference they make.

And I've not yet had a problem with the maintenance or fuel. The engine, from what I've read, seems pretty bulletproof. So, just checking the oil once in a while (which I've done with every vehicle I've ever owned) with periodically adding 1/2 quart from the extra bottle in the trunk is hardly an issue.

Trust me, I had ALL of the same concerns you're expressing before I took the plunge and bought this car a week ago. But, I've since realized something... Unlike most car forums where you literally have threads about EVERY part of the engine/transmission/chassis developing leaks, rattles, and just plain breaking... The 8 has little of concern. The worst I've consistently heard so far is people having to go to dealers for updates of their engine computers (standard stuff); most of which has already been taken care of on the brand-new vehicles.

I say go for it. You'll be happy you did. Lol, I'll even send you a buck for the snow tire fund.

 

Don't buy it.

its a fantastic car but it is most definitely not for everyone....

I could be wrong but from what I've read, you seem like it may not be for you at all.

I dont want to tell you to buy it and it turns out to not be the best car for you. Get the 6 its a great car and seems to be a little more up your alley

 

Given that you're from Calgary, that would be IMPERIAL gallons. Not the same as our Unitedstatsian gallons. You're getting 15 - 18 mpUSg.

Canadian mileage claim * 0.8327 = US mileage claim.

 

Hey VectorWolf,

Thanks for your input long with everyone elses. What year is your Rx-8? If it is a 2004 then your model will be the identical of the one I will get if I decide to purchase it. I have read the service bulletins on this problem and it seems to occur with cars manufactured before march 2004 due to PCM version. But any who if that is all it takes to remedy the problem then nothing to worry about. Heck I had an 89 buick with the same problem and it was fixed the same way lol until the fuel pump died .

Thanks again for your input.

 

Yessir, it is a 2004. And you're more than welcome. Hope it was some help!

 

Shouldn't be an issue as long as you get a car with a recent flash and follow the cold-engine-shutdown procedure if you need to shut-down when the engine is cold (rev at 3k RPM for 10 seconds before shutting down).
I'm driving with 245/40/18 all season tires in New England and it handles the snow just fine. Stock tires are worthless in the snow, but otherwise the car is very competent during inclement weather (and I have the base model without TCS/DSC).

1. 1k miles: Check oil
2. 2k miles: Add a quart
3. 3k miles: check oil
4. 4k miles: Change oil (or add quart and change at 6k)
5. Repeat

There is a full 1.8 quarts between low and high on the dipstick, so it's not like you have to keep topping it off. Oil should be checked every 1k miles with any car. IMHO, oil consumption is a non-issue that has been blown out of proportion.

The RX8's poor fuel economy is its one big weakness. I get 15-17 MPG in-town and 21-23 MPG highway. But it's well worth spending an extra $5/week for gas to have a practical car with these driving dynamics (for <$25k too!)

 

You probably will need snow tires and you probably won't flood it if you read the owners manual. You probably won't need to add much if any oil if you change your oil every 3000 miles and an oil level light will come on if your oil level drops to low - to remind you (probably shouldn't wait for that though). And if you get more than 230 miles per tank for your around town driving, you may be one of the lucky 8 owners.

I think buying an 8 is more an act of passion though and all good and practical sense usually doesn't measure up to driving/owning it.

Good luck in your choice.

 

The new flashes seem to have eliminated flooding. I start and stop my 8 cold all the time moving it around in my driveway. Presently single digit temperatures and no trouble flooding. Get 15-17 city and 20-22 hyw. I burn regular so gas cost are the same as other cars in it's class. I have a second set of wheels and snow tires I put on in the winter. No problem driving in snow. I got them at Tire rack. I've had the car 1 year and have had none of the problems stated on the forum. It runs, feels, looks great. Very dependable so far. I love the car and love driving it. I am a very happy owner.

 

1) I got the M flash at 1000 miles (about a month after delivery) and mine has never flooded. I have had a few long periods of cranking, but then the engine fires and all is fine. No issue at all for me.

2) I live in Chicago. Last night we got 3" of fresh snow. I took off the stock tires and installed Pirelli PZero Nero M+S all season tires. This car rocks in the snow with those tires and the electronic stability and traction control. No issue at all for me. In fact, it's so enjoyable to drive in the snow on proper tires that I took my sons out joy riding so they could experience "drifting" (they just got a PS2 game that features "drifting racing" in it - I told them I'd take them for a real drift drive. They thought it was a hoot. Just switch off the DSC and whee!

3) Constant Maintenance? If you mean that this is a car that you have to check the oil on now and again, then yes, I suppose you're right. I do have to say that after 20 years of driving nothing but honda products that don't consume a drop of oil, that I did need to "reprogram" myself to this task. But, I just do it once a week - every Friday afternoon, I go get it washed (or wash it myself, weather permitting), then bring it home, park it in the garage and do a mini detail on it - wiping down the interior, dusting the vents, blowing stuff out of the crack and crevices, and under the hood, wiping down all the surfaces, and CHECKING THE OIL. I add about a 1/2 quart every 1500 miles or so.

4) Gas mileage: Mine is mainly an around town car. It gets 17 mpg like clockwork and I do not drive gently. Seem reasonable enough.

Dude, it's NOT a Honda Civic. Thank God. So, it requires a touch more involvement from you ... totally worth it.

stew

 

I can't agree with the comment to wait till '06 for the new automatic. The current AT is plenty fun to drive and there will always be SOMETHING better coming SOMETIME. Not that I would mind having the MT, but there are compensations -- a happy wife being one.

 

Amen, brothers and sisters. I don't think anyone has said it better than socalightning.

 

1st. The "Flooded Engine Problem" : Its not really a problem--this is my second rotary and I've never flooded either (FD or RX8) The only thing I don't do is turn it on and move it and turn it right off--I've even valeted it once or twice. Remember any engine, piston or rotary can flood.
2nd. Snow driving... I'm in Texas so no experience with this. However I may be going to the snowbelt for dental school so I may need to just get some snow tires when that happens
3rd. The constant maintenance. What constant maintenance--I add oil when the light first appears (keep a quart nearby) take it into the dealer for the recommended service intervals--no other issues. This car has actually been my most trouble free car ever. THere are some on here that got some issues though--but remember on a forum there is a bias to bring up issues vs. praises.