On Tuesday I took delivery of a Titanium 6 speed GT 2004 RX-8. Since there are already many reviews on the car, I tried to capture the essence and feeling of being a proud new RX-8 owner and give you my own insights to the car.

-The Background
I live in sunny (ie hot and humid) south Florida. For the last 3 years I've been zoom zooming along in my 2000 silver Miata. The Miata was a great little car, and while I loved having a convertible from November to April, it was bloody torture during the summer months. In May I began looking for the replacement for my 3 year lease. My wife and I decided that I needed a bigger car because the Miata was just too impractical for our everyday lives. Originally we were looking into an SUV until that fateful day when my co-worker (S2000 and Miata AutoX racer) introduced me to the RX-8.

Since that day in May I've been lusting for my RX-8. For months I've been pouring through this forum, looking for every scrap of detail I could find on the car. I was downloading and watching all the videos and showing them to everyone I know just so I could satisfy my lust for the car. I was scouring the web for reviews, and news on when the car of my desire would make it to my doorstep. I watched with excitement and envy as Eastmoon posted his pictures and experience as the first RX-8 owner on the forum. This week, my agony is over as my car has finally come home. And a welcome homecoming it is.

-Initial Impressions
I had seen the car at Mazda Rev it up in June, but the memory had been fading. As we pulled in to the dealer we saw my car sitting there, waiting for someone to come and admire her. My wife has had to endure the many months of my child-like excitement and had not, up until this point, shared in my enthusiasm.

As we both circled the car like vultures, I admired the beautiful lines and sexy curves that defined her frame (I think my wife was a tad jealous). The paint was simply gorgeous. The headlights and taillights were sharp. The rims and tires mean.

-The Wife factor
Ok so my wife hadn't really been into the RX-8. I can understand her apprehension. The Miata was too small for her taste. She hated getting into and out of that car. With the top down, her hair would get messed up. The ride was stiff and not enjoyable from the passenger seat. She knew how much I loved my Miata, and as much as I was hyping the RX-8, I'm sure she was thinking that it would be even worse.

But a funny thing happened at the dealer, I saw a gleam in my wife's eye. As she opened the doors and looked inside, she did so as someone with greater interest. The refined interior of the car was not even a close comparison to the Miata in quality or styling, it simply blew the Miata away. As she sat in the passenger seat and ran her hands all over the dash and console I sat in the driver seat awaiting a verdict, hoping that the car could win her over. As she turned and looked at me I knew she was hooked. With a fire in her eye she said, "It's MUCH better than I expected." Relieved, I knew we would be taking her off the lot, proud new owners of this fine automobile.

-The Interior
The interior on the 8 is high quality. It has a very refined feel to it while at the same time oozing sporty-ness. My favorite features are the drivers console and the seats. The seats are contoured like a sports car, not like a sedan or even like my Miata. Sitting in the drivers seat, you feel at one with the car. It surrounds you like a fighter cockpit, but without a feeling of being enclosed in a casket. I think the interior is somehow underrated (or perhaps I just overlooked it when I was reading reviews myself) but make no mistake that it is top notch and adds to the overall 8 experience.


-The Drive
Ok, up until now, this review has been fluff. "Get on with it", I hear you saying. Turning the key invokes the smoothest and most unique engine I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. After the few seconds it takes to settle in (the RPMs slowly dip from 2.5k to under 1k after startup) she's purring like a tiger, waiting for your every command.

I've read the reviews that say she's slow under 3k but I don't notice it (maybe because my Miata was a dog). She's not under 3k long enough for it to be a factor. Apply pressure on the throttle and leaps forward, begging you to push harder. Watching the tach climb and feeling the ever increasing pull of the car is a cathartic experience. My only letdown is when she reaches 6k and I have to shift out of fear of ruining her before the break-in period. At 6k it feels like she's just getting her legs. I guess I'll have to wait another 500 miles to see what she has left.

The disappointment in having to shift is quickly forgotten as the shifter is put through its paces. The throw is a bit longer than my Miata, but it snaps into place with authority. Shifting this car is a true joy and something that will bring a smile to my face for many years to come. As you release the clutch and hit the friction point near the end of its travel, the car obligingly accelerates once more.

The roads are straight and flat here in Florida, nothing like where I grew up in California. While I long for the twisty roads in Napa valley and the foothills of the Sierras, I settle for the U- turns and lane swerving I perform on my neighborhood road. Mazda perfected the steering in my 8. You never feel like it's doing the all the work and depriving you of the driving experience, yet you never feel like you're working hard to maneuver the car. It provides ample feedback while seeming to anticipate your every move.

While making the Andredi hairpin U-turn, watching the look of horror (or awe I couldn't exactly tell from my side of the road) from the elderly lady walking her dog, the 8's suspension responds willingly. Pushing a bit on the front tires as I accelerate out of the u-turn she snaps around for a smile invoking finish. Surprisingly the 8 felt just as nimble as my Miata. Sure, there is bit more body roll in the 8, but it's not an unpleasant feeling. You never feel it's a floating deprived ride like you can in a sedan, but it's also not back-breakingly stiff as it can be in other sport tuned suspensions.

-Summary
My new 8 is pure bliss. I treasure her and thank Mazda for bringing the world such a gem. As Ferris says, "It's so choice, if you have the means I highly recommend it".

-The Good
-That mean and sexy looking frame. How can you not love it?
-The purr of the rotary engine
-The snappy throttle response
-The supurb steering and cornering ability.
-The slick stick shifting
-The illuminating and loin-tingling drivers console.
-The quality and comfortable interior
-The hot *** game you can play with the seat warmers (try it on your friends)

-The Bad
-Could they have picked a worse place for the cupholder? I think not.
-What is that god-awful fan that turns on after I shut her down? It changes from a sweet purring engine to a sick moaning swamp fan.
-What are these holes doing in my sun visor? If I wanted to see the sun, I wouldn't use the visor.
-Is there an 8 track in this thing? I thought the sticker said Premium Audio. It sounds like my music is being played through a layer of mud.







For more pictures Click Here!

 

Great write up. IMHO the visors come off as an additional weight savings tactic which I like. Similar in purpose to the drilled pedals. I'm sure it doesn't really save much if anything, but I like the look.

P.S. Great color choice!

 

Nice review! It's interesting to me how many Miata owners are getting RX-8's - I figured the majority would be RX-7 owners.

In a way, it makes sense - you enjoy the Miata and Mazda's engineering, and you enjoy a fun, tossable car, but you feel like you have to compromise since you can only carry two people and a minimum of stuff in the car. The '8 lets you have your cake and eat it too!

My wife is currently driving a '90 RX-7 convertible (which we love) and we're planning on upgrading it to an '8 in a few years. Considering all we have are 2-seat sports cars (the 'vert, my '88 turbo, and my '86 base RX-7) we could stand to have at least one car with a back seat .

Now you're understanding why so many RX-7 people are so rabid about that funny little engine .

Dale

 

Yes you're correct. You should have seen me and my buddy try to fit our scuba diving gear and our bodies in my Miata. My buddy would have to carry my camera case in his lap, hanging partially out the window. God forbid if the passenger airbag had fired in an accident.

Now both our gear will easily fit and we'll look damn good pulling up to the boat in my fine RX-8

 

Hey Kuf, you got yours at Gunther? They actually got a non red/yellow car in before they said they would then!

ANyways, if you bought there, your probably near my fiance's neighborhood. Any chance I can see the car this weekend? :D

I feel kinda silly every time I go to Eddie Accardi to just look at the car. Salesguys know me on site already....

 

Actually i'm much closer to Eddie Accardi but they're a smaller dealership and I had a nice working relationship with Gunther where I got my Miata.

I actually pre-ordered the silver but the Tit was delivered at the same time, and my wife LOVED the titanium color. As of last night (wednesday) the silver was still unsold on the Gunther lot.

 

hmm...sounds like another poll, maybe? :p

-jd.
'99 Emerald Mica/Tan MX5
'04 Lighting Yellow RX8 (waiting, waiting...)

 

Weight-saving? That'd be the weight equivalent of a couple of ballpoint pens. I think the drilled pedals are for grip and style, and the visor is just style. (shrug) whatever