I am down to two cars. RX 8 and the new 325 coupe coming soon. I have driven both (2006 bmw sedan), and they are the only two cars that have the ride/drive/steering I am looking for. The G35/350z is a distant third.

I live on Long Island. Is there a recommended dealer by this forum close by?
It is better to by new (2006) ?
Does Mazda back its products?

I have owned two Miatas 1990 and 1999. All I did was change the oil. Is the RX 8 that kind of car?

Thank you for helping make this decision.

 

I dont live in long island so im no help with the dealer question, but Ill awnser the others with my opinions :

"is it better to by new (2006)" : thats up to you, Im not sure about the BMW, but with the RX8 the changes from 05 to 06 are very small....there is a new keyless entry system (the kind where you dont need a key, just a transponder in your

pocket) and there are some changes in the sat nav system, differnt color options, and a new 6speed trany with more power for the auto model but the 06 wont be out till at least jan. so if those things are not im portant to you, then why not save some chash and get a good deal on an 05 durring the clear out for the 06 model.

"Does Mazda back its products" : The RX8 comes with a 4 year 50k mile (or is it 48K miles? its something around that) warranty on the car (with longer warrenty on the emissions system and rust/corosion) They do a pretty good job covering normal issues with the car durring the warranty (although they seem to be picky about aftermarket parts, if you put them on the car) and most dealers will do nearly anything to keep you happy durring the first 12k miles/12 months of ownership. Its not like BMW where they cover everything (including mait. for 4 years) so it depends on what kind of coverage your looking for. I will say that from the things ive read, most people with totaly stock cars dont have any problems with the car that dont get fixed under warranty.

So on your miata you seriously didnt do any matinence on the car other than oil/filter change? How many miles did they have, the miata engine is pretty bullit proof (esp the 1.6L in the NA miata) but even with my 99 I had to change the plugs and fuel filter, ect, normal stuff. The RX8 will need a bit more care than other cars, because of its motor, but the joy the rotary gives you in sound, feel, response more than makes up for it. The only things you have to do to this car OTHER THAN what you do with any car are the following :

*Keep an eye on the oil lvl, every other fuel fillup or so will do fine, top if off as it needs it, most cars dont use more than 1qt of oil bettween changes, it might seem like a hastle but once youve done it a few times its easy to pop the hood, start putting gas in, check the oil and top off (if needed) and close the hood again before the fuel is even done pumping, so it doesnt take any more time.
*Let the car warm up before you shut it off. The fuel flooding issue with the car is all but gone with the latest software the cars computer has, but you still need to let the car warm up fully before turning it off, esp in a place with colder weather like long island. This means if you need to move the car, say out of a garage, youll need to let it run for a few min (about 5 mins is good) so it gets up to temp, and then shut it off. Some might thing of it as a hastle but I dont think its that big of a deal.

Thats really it, also you will need to make sure you do all the service called for in the owners manual, otherwise it can void your warranty.

Last thing I will add, if you dont plan on getting the 6speed manual, at least test drive it back to back with the 4speed automatic, so you can see the difference first hand, and experince the differnce in power/response, before you choose what drive train you want. If you are really leaning to the auto, maby you should wait till 06, for the 6speed auto, with a bit more power.

Bottom line : Test drive the RX8 and the 325 back to back, they are pretty similar in power and handling, so its gonna be a close run, pick the car that you truley want.

 

Thank you! The RX 8 and the 325 are close in many ways. It will be a hard choice. But I will know as soon as I see the new 325 coupe. (pictures coming in late DEC.) The RX 8 has so much going for it. The only negative for me is the rear seat does not fold. (for my bike) I would only buy a manual in the RX 8 or 325.

 

The non-turbo rotary engines are extremely reliable. No valves to adjust or timing belt to change. If you will be owning the car well past the warranty period, I think your maintenance costs with the RX-8 will be much lower than the BMW. If you change the fluids and filters, plug, etc. on schedule, the rotary engine should last 200K miles without any major engine repair costs.

Other than that, both are great cars. Good luck with your choice.

 

Are the changes of fluids, filters, plugs, all covered under the warranty?

 

for BMW it is, not for mazda...
btw there isnt gonna be a 3 series coupe...
itll be the 4 series :D