RX-8 -vs- 350z... And the winner is...
07-02-2004 | 01:15 PM
#1
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From: Riverside, CA
RX-8 -vs- 350z... And the winner is...
Edmunds just posted their long term test for the 8.
check it out.:D
Long-Term Test: 2004 Mazda RX-8
Introduction
By editors at Edmunds.com
Date posted: 07-01-2004
If there's any doubt that sports cars are back, consider the return of not one, but two legendary nameplates in the course of just two years. First, Nissan rolled out its resurrected new Z car after six years in hibernation, and now Mazda has finally jumped back into the game with the all-new RX-8. Both deliver performance their predecessors only could have dreamed of and both do so with relatively reasonable sticker prices.
Despite all the improvements, the dilemma is still the same: Sports cars are fun when you're threading through a canyon, but what are they like when you have to drive one everyday? Our long-term 350Z proved to be a bit taxing when it came to the daily commute. Its stiff suspension, hard tires and relatively sparse interior grew tiresome after several months, with most editors feeling they liked it less the longer they drove it. We were called numerous colorful names for whining about its lack of comfort, but we just never came around to the Z's combination of performance and practicality.
The RX-8 promises to be a different type of sports car. Not only does it have four seats, it has four doors to make them more accessible. Instead of using the brute force of a large-displacement V6, the RX-8 sticks with its roots and uses a lightweight, 1.3-liter rotary engine. With numerous improvements designed to improve power, efficiency and emissions, the RX-8's Renesis power plant could finally make the rotary seem practical. Generating 238 horsepower, the diminutive engine makes an astounding 183 hp per liter. Add to that a soaring 9,000-rpm redline and it doesn't take a racecar driver to figure out that the RX-8 is a different beast than its archrival from Japan. In a head-to-head comparison test with the Z, the RX-8 came out on top, but would it remain there after 12 months?
We decided to find out the fun way and began searching for just the right model to add to our fleet. The RX-8 comes in just one trim level, but its horsepower rating varies depending on which transmission is selected. We went for the six-speed manual in order to get the full 238 horses. When it came to options we decided to go for maximum comfort and style, so the Grand Touring Package was added to the wish list to give us power-adjustable and heated leather seats, a Bose audio system and a sunroof, among other things. We also opted for the navigation system and six-disc CD changer in the dash.
When the search began, we quickly learned that Mazda's own Web site was a good place to start as it allowed us to configure a car and then do a dealer inventory search based on those parameters. From there, we were given a detailed list of all the dealers in the area that had cars similar to our desired configuration. Our location in the Los Angeles area seemed to be ideal, as the local dealers were well stocked with several cars close to what we wanted.
At that point, it was a matter of getting on the phone and calling the various Internet managers to see what kind of price we could get. After just a few calls, it was apparent that the local dealers were willing to deal. Our search ended when we called Mazda of West Covina and talked to the Internet salesperson. She quoted us a price barely $100 over invoice for a Velocity Red RX-8 configured exactly as we wanted. We knew we weren't going to do much better than that so we had her fax us a deal sheet with all the details. After looking it over to make sure everything checked out, we called her back to finalize the deal and picked up the car a couple days later.
Since then, we have put several thousand miles on our bright red RX and the general consensus has been overwhelmingly positive. Its smooth-running rotary engine has earned the praise of many on our staff; most of our editors have never experienced the unique sound and power delivery that its design generates. "The rotary loves to rev, and sounds and feels great doing it, even if you can only go to 5,000 or 6,000 rpm in freeway traffic," wrote one driver, while another noted, "It doesn't have a lot of torque but it still seems very fast and the top end just goes and goes." Compared to the 350Z, the RX is a bit sluggish off the line and it never generates the tire-spinning torque of a V6. But this seemed to matter little, as most of our editors relished its smooth delivery and wide power band.
The RX-8 also scored points for its compliant suspension that not only tracks well through turns, but manages to remain comfortable in daily use as well. One editor likened its road feel to some pretty impressive competitors: "In the turns, the chassis forges a connection with the driver that I've only experienced in BMW products and the Lancer Evo." She went on to observe that the RX-8 seems to have a level of pliability that the Z never showed, saying "The Nissan shuts you out; the Mazda invites you in." During less aggressive driving, the RX-8 is notably firm, but most conceded that it's not so jarring that it becomes uncomfortable during daily driving. "This is a car you could drive everyday and not get tired of it unlike our 350Z, which made you holler 'Enough!' on the morning of your third commute," wrote one editor after a couple weeks of day-to-day driving.
If there's been any major disappointment with the RX-8 setup so far, it would have to be the mileage. With only 1.3 liters of displacement, you would expect the RX-8's motor to return some pretty decent numbers, but so far the numbers have been less than impressive. Our best average miles-per-gallon reading barely topped 19, while one rogue tank dipped all the way down to just 12 miles per gallon. With an overall average so far of just under 17 mpg, the RX-8 is lagging behind our long-term 350Z, which managed to pull down 19 mpg over its year-long stay. We also had a few instances where the "low oil" light came on intermittently. Subsequent checks of the dipstick revealed that it was indeed low on the slippery stuff. We added the required amount and left a little extra in the trunk just in case, but the fact that we had to add any at all so early in its lifetime was a little troubling to say the least. Fellow RX-8 owners claim that this is normal, but somehow it still seems a little odd to us.
Apart from its unique rotary power plant, the RX-8's other most distinguishing feature is its four-door configuration. With small clamshell rear doors and decently sized rear seats, the RX-8 can claim to be a legitimate four-place sports car. We were admittedly skeptical at first, especially since the added size and reconfigured doors seemed to detract from the RX-8's dynamic shape. But after encountering a couple choice situations that required four-passenger transportation, we've come around somewhat to the RX-8's added practicality. One editor noted an instance in which he was joined by three of his friends for a day at the horse races. They didn't want to take two cars, but two of them had come in a compact extended cab pickup truck. "Trying to squeeze two adults into the back of that thing would have been impossible, but then I remembered the RX-8's backseats. My friends scoffed at first, but once they got in, they found it surprisingly accommodating. Luckily, we only had to go a short distance, but had we done it in the pickup truck, it would have been absolutely miserable."
Needless to say, the RX-8 has definitely made some quick friends on our staff. Between its free-revving engine, compliant suspension and practical layout, the RX-8 has proven to be more than just another sports car. But then again, the first few months are always the easiest, so we'll be watching closely to see if its unique personality continues to endear itself to our staff or begins to show signs of wearing thin.
Current Odometer: 4,440
Best Fuel Economy: 19.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.0 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 16.9 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $516 (repair and replace damaged wheel and tire).
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: Excessive oil consumption.
check it out.:D
Long-Term Test: 2004 Mazda RX-8
Introduction
By editors at Edmunds.com
Date posted: 07-01-2004
If there's any doubt that sports cars are back, consider the return of not one, but two legendary nameplates in the course of just two years. First, Nissan rolled out its resurrected new Z car after six years in hibernation, and now Mazda has finally jumped back into the game with the all-new RX-8. Both deliver performance their predecessors only could have dreamed of and both do so with relatively reasonable sticker prices.
Despite all the improvements, the dilemma is still the same: Sports cars are fun when you're threading through a canyon, but what are they like when you have to drive one everyday? Our long-term 350Z proved to be a bit taxing when it came to the daily commute. Its stiff suspension, hard tires and relatively sparse interior grew tiresome after several months, with most editors feeling they liked it less the longer they drove it. We were called numerous colorful names for whining about its lack of comfort, but we just never came around to the Z's combination of performance and practicality.
The RX-8 promises to be a different type of sports car. Not only does it have four seats, it has four doors to make them more accessible. Instead of using the brute force of a large-displacement V6, the RX-8 sticks with its roots and uses a lightweight, 1.3-liter rotary engine. With numerous improvements designed to improve power, efficiency and emissions, the RX-8's Renesis power plant could finally make the rotary seem practical. Generating 238 horsepower, the diminutive engine makes an astounding 183 hp per liter. Add to that a soaring 9,000-rpm redline and it doesn't take a racecar driver to figure out that the RX-8 is a different beast than its archrival from Japan. In a head-to-head comparison test with the Z, the RX-8 came out on top, but would it remain there after 12 months?
We decided to find out the fun way and began searching for just the right model to add to our fleet. The RX-8 comes in just one trim level, but its horsepower rating varies depending on which transmission is selected. We went for the six-speed manual in order to get the full 238 horses. When it came to options we decided to go for maximum comfort and style, so the Grand Touring Package was added to the wish list to give us power-adjustable and heated leather seats, a Bose audio system and a sunroof, among other things. We also opted for the navigation system and six-disc CD changer in the dash.
When the search began, we quickly learned that Mazda's own Web site was a good place to start as it allowed us to configure a car and then do a dealer inventory search based on those parameters. From there, we were given a detailed list of all the dealers in the area that had cars similar to our desired configuration. Our location in the Los Angeles area seemed to be ideal, as the local dealers were well stocked with several cars close to what we wanted.
At that point, it was a matter of getting on the phone and calling the various Internet managers to see what kind of price we could get. After just a few calls, it was apparent that the local dealers were willing to deal. Our search ended when we called Mazda of West Covina and talked to the Internet salesperson. She quoted us a price barely $100 over invoice for a Velocity Red RX-8 configured exactly as we wanted. We knew we weren't going to do much better than that so we had her fax us a deal sheet with all the details. After looking it over to make sure everything checked out, we called her back to finalize the deal and picked up the car a couple days later.
Since then, we have put several thousand miles on our bright red RX and the general consensus has been overwhelmingly positive. Its smooth-running rotary engine has earned the praise of many on our staff; most of our editors have never experienced the unique sound and power delivery that its design generates. "The rotary loves to rev, and sounds and feels great doing it, even if you can only go to 5,000 or 6,000 rpm in freeway traffic," wrote one driver, while another noted, "It doesn't have a lot of torque but it still seems very fast and the top end just goes and goes." Compared to the 350Z, the RX is a bit sluggish off the line and it never generates the tire-spinning torque of a V6. But this seemed to matter little, as most of our editors relished its smooth delivery and wide power band.
The RX-8 also scored points for its compliant suspension that not only tracks well through turns, but manages to remain comfortable in daily use as well. One editor likened its road feel to some pretty impressive competitors: "In the turns, the chassis forges a connection with the driver that I've only experienced in BMW products and the Lancer Evo." She went on to observe that the RX-8 seems to have a level of pliability that the Z never showed, saying "The Nissan shuts you out; the Mazda invites you in." During less aggressive driving, the RX-8 is notably firm, but most conceded that it's not so jarring that it becomes uncomfortable during daily driving. "This is a car you could drive everyday and not get tired of it unlike our 350Z, which made you holler 'Enough!' on the morning of your third commute," wrote one editor after a couple weeks of day-to-day driving.
If there's been any major disappointment with the RX-8 setup so far, it would have to be the mileage. With only 1.3 liters of displacement, you would expect the RX-8's motor to return some pretty decent numbers, but so far the numbers have been less than impressive. Our best average miles-per-gallon reading barely topped 19, while one rogue tank dipped all the way down to just 12 miles per gallon. With an overall average so far of just under 17 mpg, the RX-8 is lagging behind our long-term 350Z, which managed to pull down 19 mpg over its year-long stay. We also had a few instances where the "low oil" light came on intermittently. Subsequent checks of the dipstick revealed that it was indeed low on the slippery stuff. We added the required amount and left a little extra in the trunk just in case, but the fact that we had to add any at all so early in its lifetime was a little troubling to say the least. Fellow RX-8 owners claim that this is normal, but somehow it still seems a little odd to us.
Apart from its unique rotary power plant, the RX-8's other most distinguishing feature is its four-door configuration. With small clamshell rear doors and decently sized rear seats, the RX-8 can claim to be a legitimate four-place sports car. We were admittedly skeptical at first, especially since the added size and reconfigured doors seemed to detract from the RX-8's dynamic shape. But after encountering a couple choice situations that required four-passenger transportation, we've come around somewhat to the RX-8's added practicality. One editor noted an instance in which he was joined by three of his friends for a day at the horse races. They didn't want to take two cars, but two of them had come in a compact extended cab pickup truck. "Trying to squeeze two adults into the back of that thing would have been impossible, but then I remembered the RX-8's backseats. My friends scoffed at first, but once they got in, they found it surprisingly accommodating. Luckily, we only had to go a short distance, but had we done it in the pickup truck, it would have been absolutely miserable."
Needless to say, the RX-8 has definitely made some quick friends on our staff. Between its free-revving engine, compliant suspension and practical layout, the RX-8 has proven to be more than just another sports car. But then again, the first few months are always the easiest, so we'll be watching closely to see if its unique personality continues to endear itself to our staff or begins to show signs of wearing thin.
Current Odometer: 4,440
Best Fuel Economy: 19.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.0 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 16.9 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $516 (repair and replace damaged wheel and tire).
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: Excessive oil consumption.
07-02-2004 | 01:19 PM
#2
Whaaaa?
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 623
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
We also had a few instances where the "low oil" light came on intermittently. Subsequent checks of the dipstick revealed that it was indeed low on the slippery stuff. We added the required amount and left a little extra in the trunk just in case, but the fact that we had to add any at all so early in its lifetime was a little troubling to say the least. Fellow RX-8 owners claim that this is normal, but somehow it still seems a little odd to us.
07-02-2004 | 01:24 PM
#4
⎝⏠⏝⏠⎠
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 8,625
Likes: 5
From: USA
Originally posted by sferrett
You would think reviewers would read the owner's manual?
You would think reviewers would read the owner's manual?
If their job is to review the car, who has time to read a manual or know what you're talking about when writing a review of the car....
07-02-2004 | 01:44 PM
#7
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: NE Ohio
This is a good review in that it represents a lot of drivers who are non-technical and don't really care about all the whiz-bang technical specs of the rotary. They are just interested in how the car compares against all the other non-rotary cars they have driven. I've read reviews from professional reviewers who tend to leave out all the small details that an average buyer/driver would notice.
I was shocked at the oil consumption concern, though. You would think they would have known at least known about that.
I was shocked at the oil consumption concern, though. You would think they would have known at least known about that.
07-02-2004 | 01:46 PM
#8
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 344
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From: The Lounge
We added the required amount and left a little extra in the trunk just in case, but the fact that we had to add any at all so early in its lifetime was a little troubling to say the least. Fellow RX-8 owners claim that this is normal, but somehow it still seems a little odd to us.
07-02-2004 | 01:48 PM
#9
Registered User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 477
Likes: 0
From: toronto, canada
why do most people complain about the oil! common, in canada it's 4 dollars! that's cheaper then a mocha @ starbucks!
But the milage, that's a different story but something that needs to be understood before buying the car.. That was a good review though.
PS I love my car
MrJynx
But the milage, that's a different story but something that needs to be understood before buying the car.. That was a good review though.
PS I love my car
MrJynx
07-02-2004 | 02:06 PM
#11
07-02-2004 | 03:44 PM
#12
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