Hey
I just decided to join up today to give you some of my input. I use my 8 as a daily drive. I was lucky enough to find an '06 Shinka leftover and I jumped on it back in March. I do 90 miles a day & it's been no regrets with the 8. Thank the Lord no issues whatsoever (unlike my CX-7 that's just over a year old).
I tested the 350Z and Mustang GT, but they both missed the mark for me (and I've owned 4 new Nissans in the past).
I drive mostly empty back roads and it's always a thrill. I'll be putting on winter tires soon and I'll be driving the 8 all year.
No regrets for me...

 

My 8 is my :
daily driver
company car
work hack for carting materials to jobs
scool dropoff vehicle
weekend track toy
hobby/obsession

probably not the best car for any of those but does them all well enough . Can't imagine what I'd replace it with .....

 

yes. l love my 8 as a DD. No problems at all in creepy crawly Atlanta rush hour traffic.
Hate it when the weather is crappy and I have to drive the beater.

 

turbo it.

then it's an even better daily driver.

lets put it this way - I have 45,000 miles on my car since I bought it in April 2004. I've driven the car once to WPB, and once to Orlando. Besides those two trips, it's been 100% inside of the Tampa area.

 

Every morning it puts a smile on my face as I drive it to work. It makes the commute so much better to goose it up to 95 on the empty stretches of interstate at six am.

 

This thread caught my eye because my daily commute is exactly why I bought my rx8!!

I drive 37 miles each way to work .. and it was getting a tad dull im my 626 v6

Once i got the rx8 I stopped taking the turnpike and now take all backroads in to work. ... it takes longer ... but i could drive the car all day long. ... If i could figure out a way to do that w/out adding miles to it - I would.

05 MT -- purchased in April w/ 7500 miles on it ... now at 15500.
I did buy the Ford 100k warranty ... 'cause I'll be over the original warranty quite fast. ... Sage "advice" from the dealer.

I'm also now hooked on autocrossing. .. If you dont have kids yet ... it's friggin awesome. Kinda sucks for us family guys 'cause of all the sundays you need to be away from the family. ( my wife isn't cool enough to come to events w/ me)

 

Only 95 mph ????

Your a wuss.

 

Are RX-8's good daily drivers???

Only you know the answer to your question. There is a wide variety of commutes represented on this forum and that includes significantly different roads and distances. My round trip drive to work is only 4 miles with no highways; it's an easy drive. I can say my 8 is a great daily driver, but would that mean anything to someone who has to commute 100 miles a day on congested highways? Big difference. For what it's worth, if I had to commute 100 miles per day, I wouldn't do it in my 8 because of the poor gas mileage. Other then that, I would love it.

1.3L

 

I just passed the 2000 mile mark on my '07 8 MT. I think its a great DD of a car. As many have mentioned, it would be nice if the MPG were a little higher but hey - its well worth it! I have to say that I finally like to drive again and its all because of my RX-8. Not only because only a very select few own one (compared to a Mustang which seems all to common out here in Phoenix) but also because it handles like a dream.

If you love to drive, buy one.
If you want a car that's unique, buy one.

 

with 61500 miles under my right foot, i'd say the answer is YES.

 

its a great daily driver...well..cept for the gas mileage. ..but mine after 34k miles has proven to be a reliable daily driven car.

 

I use my 8 for daily driving all I have to say love it and it will love u. with my burt out clutch isssue I had I wasted $20 in gas going 15miles because it had to rev to high all the time still saving to get fixed. but over all its a great car I drove the 350z and it didn't seem fun S2000 was ok but engine noise was hella loud and to me it seem slow the VW GTi ok for peole who like VW just didn't have a kick even with stock turbo. so over all I love my car and the cons are just gas mpg but hey u gota pay to be different.

 

My daily work commute is only like 2 miles all in town driving from where I live, but I do drive alot on the highway going to and from places nearby. I am thankful for all of the input...it is looking like the rx-8 may be my choice. The acceleration isnt a big issue since the Mustang I am going from is a V6 model..my last 2 were GT's and the less than astounding gas mileage didnt bother me either so thats not a real concern for or against the 8.

 

Are you serious? I'd love for that statement to be true.

 

dead serious. It is my daily driver. And I'm happy with the results.

But there is an added risk that should not be underestimated, plus losing your warranty.

Anyone who's boosted their car would agree with me that it's well worth it. But those who've boosted it, then lost an engine (usually due to poor tuning) would disagree. That's just human nature. If you're enjoying an additional 100 whp, it's awesome. If you got 100 whp, then lost it, then spent $4000 just to have a functioning engine, that sucks.

 

Excellent daily driver. mine is 04 m/t and yeah gas is not cheap but the thrill on the highway is worth every drop of gasoline.

 

i actually chose the 8 because i would be using it as a daily driver. the transmission is more comfortable to use than other comparable cars AND there's a back seat to throw extra bags, boxes, and miscellaneous (exhaust) items in transport. the seats are also comfortable (well my cloth seats are, i don't kno about the leather ones). the sound system is also great. the only problem i had with my car as a daily was the horrendous blind spot in my rear left and right. but i attribute this to not being accustomed to coupes (i drove an a4 in college and an suv before that). got used to it tho.. just had to cut some ppl off and nearly merge into a one really pissed off lady to get the hang of it...

 

It's a good vehicle to drive every day. Obviously, fuel mileage is not a strong point, neither is the limited range, usually around 260-270 miles before the fuel light starts flashing. But 55,XXX miles and still going strong!

 

Same for me - "company car" "school dropoff's" and "track toy"

I just hit 50K and I'll be going sc on my at. Cant wait
Again this is a great car good for all kinds of driving. Even daily.

 

My daily drive is 60 miles. I alternate between my bike and the RX8. As excuses for using the 8 I have: don't want to arrive wet, too cold, too hot, have to wear a suit, have to carry people, have to carry bulky things (not too much, though)... The truth is that I drive her just for pleasure. The canyon road from and to my house helps.

 

Glad you like both your rides—I have a bike, too—but I think the OP was wondering if the 8 is a good daily driver versus other cars… not a bike. No contest there.

 

got a 91 accord for the snow days and my 04 6spd for the d.d. you can't go wrong with a car so right unless you goof up and ruin a perfect day of driving!all in all i guess evevyone on this board who really loves this car can say as a daily driver it's great.but in the winter it don't hurt to let the salt and ice eat away something not as much fun!!

 

I enjoy driving it to work whenever I can. It is not my DD. I don't suggest driving it on congested commutes as I feel the 8 is not happy bumper to bumper (well who is). But there are more agreeable cars for congested commutes than the 8.

 

thats simply the fact that its a manual. the automatic 8 is perfectly fine in traffic.

but being in traffic is simply disagreeable. even if you dont have to constantly shift.

 

WHOA. I got my '06 Shinka at the end of March, do 90mi daily, and I'll be ordering my snow tires soon too!

I have to admit that the gas mileage gets to me but that erases with every exit ramp and turn I take, and the compliments too. I fill up every other day. One of my friends just quit selling at Ford and he told me the Mustang GT gets 17/25 compared to our (published) 18/24--not a bad comparison. The lack of torque may be unsettling at first, but you get used to finding the right gear. And don't even think about impromptu stoplight challenges anymore, though the rx-8 gives an intimidating impression to the uneduacted. I work in an industrial area where the roads are horrible; even with remarkable road feel it's not punishing. I put on 12000mi since purchased and the only thing to break on me were the visors. The engine seems rock solid so far.

Aside from mpg, it's a remarkable daily driver. HTH