I got my 04 rx8 touring about 3 weeks ago and I am not as pleased as i thought i would be. I feel like the car just sucks gas like hell. I am getting like 15 mpg and really dont run it to hard. I am kinda tired of shifting all the time and am kinda wishing that i hadnt gotten it. The car sometimes feels really strong and then other times it feels like it lags some and isnt as powerful. I dont know really what to say but am considering trading it in. I am wanting to get an even trade for like a Nissan Frontier or something like that. Something Automatic and that gets around 20mpg without having to put premuim gas. I dunno...maybe i just need to rant some. Who knows. Thanks for reading.

 

i guess you didnt pick the right car.

 

Wow, things really have changed quickly. From a sporty manual coupe to an automatic SUV. Sounds to me like you might have rushed into that decision just a hair.

I'm in almost the exact same boat as you in that I bought mine a lil over 3 weeks ago. I too have discovered that gas isn't as good as i'd like, nor does it have as much up top as you'd like sometimes. However, I decided to put all that aside after realizing that the car really has value that's hard to explain. Taking a cruise out in the country at sunset in the 70 degree weather makes you realize all you've got!

Let it wear in a lil more. You've got the same buyer's remorse that i went through, except I decided to deal with it and learn to love all the good the car has! Maybe you just need some time, maybe it's not for you...the only good advice I can say for sure is that it's yours now...so TAKE YOUR TIME before you trade it up, or else you might find youself set back even more with a vehicle that you could possably like LESS.

 

OK I don't know what to say about mpg because I can guarantee you mine is worse. Tank before last was about 12.5 mpg and the last one was 13.23 mpg. That asside I can say that your feeling of a lack of power is most likely your launch. At lower rpms the there is a lack of torque so letting the engine rev a bit is the key to better and more powerful launches. trying getting to 3k before letting off on the clutch. Play around with it a bit and see how it feels.

You want an automatic sports car????? WTF? That's all I gotta say about that. If you are shifting too often then wait 'til you hear the beep and then shift. That will help with frequency anyway... oh and it will clean up your spark plugs too!

What a difference going from an 8 to a Frontier. Are you sure you wanted a sportscar? If you weren't sure then I understand but otherwise that's an interesting switch.

Just my $.02.

 

I've had the car for one week and haven't even taken it above 6,000 rpm due to my own break-in procedure, but I can tell you I'm feeling no remorse despite getting 17 mpg on my first tank. I expected as much and considered my purchase for months to make sure I know all about what I was getting myself into. (For example, if I had to change my transmission, I'd be extremely annoyed, but not surprised.) In the end, it comes down to your priorities. The RX-8 is very much a driver's car, if you bought it because you wanted a sports car to look cool in or to go fast in a straight line, you'll more likely than not end up hating it since it demands extra attention and is not a good straight line machine. It does however brake beautifully and handle well, but for most people braking isn't their number one priority.

The RX-8 is really for people that value a man-machine connection when they drive, which is a very small fraction of people. If you can tell the difference between two cars after a brief drive, or tend to think of cars in terms of personality, then this is for you. If not, then I don't know... Too many people buy because it's different and cool and end up hating it. You can't really quantify what makes the RX-8 so good in terms of numbers, it's very much a soul thing.

 

i was with u until u said "tired of shifting all the time"

go get an automatic and be done with

the rx8's an amazing car IMO, but different strokes for different folks, and i guess the 8 just isn't the right car for u.

 

Hahaha the guy don't enjoy driving at all.

 

Don't like the gas mileage in the Rx-8, get an SUV! Brilliant!

 

Hey, the banana's back!!!!

Anyway, did you research, test drive, or anything else before you made your purchase decision, especially considering how radically different you think a replacement vehicle should be?

 

sorry you're not likin' it.

 

you're insane, shifting is what driving is all about, automatics are either for disabled ppl that need them or for soccer moms.

I can see this being a point as far as prices go, but why did you buy a sports car if you really wanted an SUV or a pickup???? at least you get speed and thrills from a sports car, the SUV or truck will suck down that gas at the same rate but give you no speed or thrills, and don't even try to mention the 4x4 abilities, if you want to go offroad you need a jeep or a land rover defender or a merc G-class or a hummer (and a hummer 1 at that)

 

kthxbye! Next time, do some research on the car you plan on dropping $ on.

 

a nissan frontier should be a great compromise to the 8. but if you're considering trading it in, why do we care?

bye.

 

these threads amaze me. do people not look into a car, do a bit of research, maybe take it for a test drive before they sign for it. Almost every article ever written about this car, has mentioned the lack of torque, the poor mileage, and the possibility of costly long term usage. I mean, I understand if you bought one of the first ones, 3 years ago, but 3 weeks. I agree, it sounds like you may have rushed the purchase. Good luck with a pickup truck, great mileage there, and they feel really fast. Personally, I love this car, love shifting all the time, and dont mind getting 16 MPG, it is worth it for the smiles, and the friends I have made as a result.

 

Man, I should have bought a Pagani Zonda F!

 

Nicely said.

 

I've had my 8 for three days now and I am LOVING the fuel economy! Again, the trick is to drive a Jeep that gets about 11 mpg for 5 years BEFORE buying your 8. It's all relative.

And I have never been so amazed by the feel driving a car before. Feels (and looks) like it should have cost me far more than it did.

 

Why in the world would someone buy a six speed manual if they don't like shifting?

 

Hmmmm...No one pisses and moans more about the gas mileage then me (11 to 12mpg) but at the end of the day I really like this car. It is not the fastest thing on the road but is still faster then 90% of the cars out there, looks great, great handling, ect, ect.

But moving to a hunk of lead SUV

PS you don't need to put in premium, I run 87 all the time with never a problem.

 

I think the key to being happy with a car like this is knowing what you're getting. I researched and thought about it a lot. Could I live with the lower MPG's, less torque, quirky flooding issues, oil consumption (which, I know, is normal)?? and on and on. Some folks just see these cars on the lots and they look hot, they want one, they get it and BAM what the hell is wrong with this car!!??

And, someone willing to trade an 8 for an SUV was shopping on the wrong side of the lot anyway. I'd rather push my 8 than drive an SUV any day of the week!!

 

sorry to hear that you hate the 8 with a passion. but frankly, why are you telling us that you dont like it? we cant make up your mind for you whether you like it or not. most of us can say that we love the 8 and we can tell you all the good things about it but man, the 8 speaks for itself. you're free to choose for yourself.

 

When I bought mine, I loved it. Then after a month, I was starting to wonder if I made the right choice. It is a lot of shifting especially when the car can be hard to get going smoothly from a dead stop. At month two I was back in love with the car. I just had to learn how to drive it properly.

 

If this happens in hot weather, it may be your throttle body. Try doing the DIY. I did, and now the engine doesn't lag in the heat anymore.

 

I too bought my 04 RX-8 Touring 3 weeks ago. I have filled my tank 4 times now. I've had to put 14-15 gallons after every 180-200 miles, equalling to about 13 MPG. I'm still looking into getting this issue resolved with my Mazda dealership, but I have decided either way, I love the car. I was debating on trading it in as well, but decided the pros outweighed the cons. The only car I would think about is the Z, but I love the fact that I have a sports car with roomy back seats and 4 doors!

 

ive had an expedition for the past 3 years and had a navigator before that my wife drives an 05 denali and i hate them all now that i have been driving this car. i used to love the SUV's and now i cant stand the way they feel driving its just so clumsy now when i take my exp out i hit curbs at every turn lol i dont even drive it anymore it just sits there getting older.

i started to hate my car when i drove my friends 84 bmw and learned how to drive stick i finally learned how to actually drive. now my wife is thinking of trading her big clumsy suv in for an 8 also she loves stick and the feel of this car in particular as we have test drove every car under the sun. when i learned to drive stick i actually opted to drive the old orange bwm with dents and rust on it rather than my wifes denali on 22's it just isnt the same.

some people like their suvs but 99% of them like this car better every person that has gotten in my car or even up close to it is amazed since i have bought mine like 3 people i work with have made their goals getting 1 hopefully they dont i like having a rather rare car.