Hi,

I just Traded my 2002 WRX for a 2004 RX-8 (Black w/ Red Leather GT, no Nav).

I was looking at new cars since I was bored with the WRX and didn't really want to spend too much more modding it when there were some fundamental problems I had with it that weren't likely to go away even with substantial investments of time and money.

I had grown weary of the "boost lag" and was looking to move into something a little more nimble. I looked into an RSX and a Celica, but wasn't impressed with the overall packages and the fact that you had to beat them until the screamed before you could get decent performance out of them. I meandered through the new and used car lots trying just about anything that seemed remotely promising.

I nearly bought a Pontiac GTO because of the huge incentives and my supplier discount. Luckily, I decided that the GTO was almost the complete opposite of what I wanted before I signed the paperwork (But that engine was intoxicating). I ended up thinking that I would just keep the WRX and get a sporty compact car as a second vehicle (or a 4th vehicle to be more precise, but it would act more as a second/commuting vehicle). I found myself in the Mazda dealership looking at the Mazda3.

I liked the car but was turned off by the salesmans attitude. I was trying to break off negotiations and leave and the salesman must have known he was losing the sale. He started trying totalk me into trading my WRX for an RX-8 that was on the lot. I really wasn't interested in the RX-8. I liked the looks, but the power numbers were a turn off (I had told myself that if I was going to trade the WRX it was going to be for something faster and more powerful), and this car's particular color combo wasn't appealling to me(red w/ brown leather). I took the test drive just to shut the salesman up.

Wow, was I surprised. Within a half mile I was sold on the car. I would have bought it on the spot but I didn't like the trade-in for my car, or the salesmans attitude.

The next day, at work, I noticed that I could get the Ford supplier discount, too. And so, I ran down to another dealership the next day. Found the color comboI wanted and managed to get their show car off their hands (it has a bunch of extra Mazda goodies on it), all forabout 6 grand less than MSRP after incentives.

So, here I am on an RX-8 site reading every post in the tech forums and soaking up all the info I can.

Nice little car you guys have been hiding all this time.



Dave

 

Dave...don't let IkeWRX here you...LOL, he will respond soon enough...LOL

CONGRATS!!!

I FINALLY got my 8 this past December and it's been a great experiance so far. I love everything about it and I have not even pushed my baby yet. I'm up to 540 miles or so and it's been SO MUCH FUN.

Make sure you read read read, then when you get tired...READ SOME MORE! You will learn alot about your RX8 here and most people are helpful.

Anyway, in your test drive what was it that sold you on the car? Quality, performance, agility, etc? The RX8 needs to be pushed to get it's most so what changed your mind?

 

Shhhh.........don't say that too loud. Welcome and congrats!

 

Congrats...nice color choice

welcome to the club

 

Nice little upgrade from the wrx... you just bought the most balanced car for around $30k. Welcome!

 

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I was actually sold by the combination of the 3 traits you just listed. From the second i opened the door,I knew that I liked what I saw. It was like sliding into a cool, modern night club with all the shiny surfaces contrasting with metal accents and the solid look of everything. It was very aesthetically pleasing, and interesting. Pretty much the complete opposite of the WRXs spartan interior.

The test drive was a revelation. I swear Mazda took my personal list of all time best driving cars and took all the good parts of them and tossed out the bad. It just felt so much like driving a cooler, faster, smoother first generation Nissan SE-R (b13 chassis). I honestly knew, as soon as I pulled out of the dealer lot, that the car was pretty much my dream car.

When it comes to the engine and/or 0-60 and quarter mile times, they were the things that had kept me from even considering one. I'll tell you right now, the times may be off about a half a second from the WRX's in the magazines, but, as a WRX owner for the last 2 years, this car would walk all over most stock WRXs for the sole reason that it's so easy to drive it fast. You are seriously beating the snot out of a WRX to achieve those RX-8 beating times, or more precisely, beating the Transmission to death.

To drive a WRX fast you feel like you're really wringing it out. The RX-8 on the other hand, feels so much more willing to achieve those numbers. Torque be d*mned. It really didn't feel like it needed more torque....

Anyway, I'm rambling again, but I'm sure you get the gist. It's such a terrific amalgamation of so many little things.

 

automaton,
Welcome to our little secret. You know, the one that keeps winning most of the head-to-head magazine competions! Check out the Tech and DIY forums for lots of cool ways to personalize, protect and upgrade your new baby. I may be biased, but I think you have good (and improving!) taste in cars!

Mazda has been building great driver's cars for at least 25 years, since the days of the first RX-7's (which I owned two of, like many RX-8 owners). I'll always remember the opening line from a review of the second or third gen RX-7. He started the review with, "You can tell when the good guys are running a car company." True then. True today.

C'mon Ike. Where are you?! :D

 

Welcome to the cult! Now get out on the track and play!

 

Congrats! I just bought mine in December. There is a tremendous wealth of knowledge on this site. Be sure to use it.

 

Welcome a-board (heehee). You've bought the 8 for all the correct reasons, and looks like you will also appreciate it longterm for the right reasons. I'd second the "take it to the track" suggestion. take it stock, try it, you'll find it a very willing playmate. When you've found out all about it there, mod it the way that will make it yours forever.

To know the 8 on the track is to love the 8 to the fullest!

Cheers

 

Wow another one... maybe rx8club.com should add a forum for those of us who traded in a WRX for the RX8. IkeWRX could moderate

I'm still shocked that Mazda can sell a car this awesome for so little money. Welcome to the club!

 

Welcome Dave! Enjoy your 8 and the RX8club.

 

Congrats! You got SO much more car than that WRX.

Interestingly, I was at an autocross event last summer with my RX-8 (Labor Day weekend) and the guys that spent the most time coming over to check out my car was the WRX guys. And they either had HUGE chips on their shoulders ("why would you buy that, it's low on horsepower" "Did you ever test drive one?" "No." "Don't knock it till you drive it.") or were saying things like "Man, I looked at one of those, decided on this and regret it now. Man that's cool."

WRX: Overamped econobox sedan on steroids. Yes it is fast. Damn, but it is ugly. And the RX-8 handles better.

RX-8: Pure sex on wheels.

Have fun amigo!

Stew

 

I test drove a WRX before I bought my 8 since it was the only other car that was on my list, and that was my exact feeling. I pointed one out to my wife, who is not much into cars, and she said she would tired of looking at it. Love my 8.

 

Welcome to the club, and true driving enthusiasm. Don't be so quick to knock the WRX, but I am SO happy you see the subtle difference after driving the 8. The HP numbers may not be there, but the thrill is 10x amplified.

ENJOY!!

 

LOL I wouldn't say pure sex on wheels...thats Ferrari 360 Spider territory!

 

Ummm ... that's sex with a supermodel. Unattainable for the vast majority of us.

The RX-8 is sex with the one you brung!

 

I'm a moderator on a WRX forum (plug: WRXFanatics.com ) and posted my decision on that board too. I got the same, polarized response from them, but the vast majority that weighed in on the topic were impressed with the RX-8.

I don't know if I necessarily agree with you on the styling (exterior,anyway). I think there is a certain charm to the WRX (love those fender bulges with a nice set of wide 17s or 18s filling them), but you're right about the RX-8 being "sex on wheels".

I'm definitely spending a lot of time reading the tech forums. That's where I spend the majority of my time. I'm acyually hoping that some of my experience with the WRX will be helpful to you guys, in relation to the RX-8 (the WRX has a similarly sophisticated ECU that is known to do it's best to negate the benefit's of most mods), you guys seem to be at about the stage that the WRX community was when I bought mine (I bought mine a little over a year after the car was released), so I have high hopes for our future advancements.

Thanks again for the pleasant welcome, it's nice to find another friendly board out there.

Dave