I'm a former RX-8 owner, current owner of a 350Z Roadster. Trust me, the EPA estimates are WAAY off concerning the 8's gas mileage. I drive 25 miles each way to work, all interstate save for about 2 miles. I averaged 18 mpg in the 8. In my Z, I average 24 mpg. Same route, vastly different gas mileage results. That's one of the biggest reasons I chose not to buy another RX-8. I loved the car, but there's really no excuse for the car's mileage to be that poor. I think, though, that if the 8 came in convertible form, I'd have bought another one.

You can read about what happened to my RX-8 here: https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...9&page=1&pp=15

Here's the picture missing from the first post in that thread:

-djb

 

Uh, you mean being a rotary isn't a good enough excuse?

 

Here you go... an 05 RX-8 GT in your friend's budget range. Looking to sell soon and I am in So Cal too.

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8s-sale-wanted-43/05-winning-blue-6-speed-gt-so-cal-90454/

 

Since your friend needs a 4 seater and doesn't drive a manual, I think the GTI is the right one

 

OK, I'll chime in since I own an RSX type S and am buying an RX8...

The RSX is a pretty decent car...good mileage (about 26 avg, can get over 30 if I really try), OK power for a N/A FWD car. The K20 is a thing of beauty (if you're into pistons). The thing I can't get past is the handling.

I've had people tell me that it handles well for a FWD car, but to me... I may as well be driving my wife's Altima - there's no difference to me.

All in all, the RX8 does not have phenomenal power...we all know that. It IS however, a SPORTS car. The RSX (even my type S) is a tarted-up civic. It scoots, but it don't weave like a sports car should.

The deciding factor was the suicide doors...makes getting the kidlet out of the back a little easier without resorting to a sedan.

 

A long term test on one car is not a representative survey. Until such time as someone develops a controlled, standardized test used across the industry that beats EPA's estimates, that will remain the most reliable set of numbers for comparison across makes.

 

saw ur post at 350z board. sorry about ur 8

also thanks to the rsx guy, ur opinion means a lot for this subject.

as to the guy sellin the 8, i've already posted on ur thread and PMed u

i've already stated a couple of times that my friend will get a manual car as his next car. GTI's a nice car, but just not for my friend, regardless of how many pedals it has. thanks for the suggestion though.

again thanks for all the inputs.

 

What difference does that make? Poor gas mileage is poor gas mileage, whether it's a piston engine, a two-stroke engine, a rotary, a SUV, a luxury sedan, or a wannabe sports car. 18 mpg is the EPA's estimate for the 8 in CITY driving. I was driving all interstate and getting that. That's pathetic highway gas mileage for a car.

-djb

 

You actually believe the RX-8 comes close to the EPA estimates

The RX-8 is one of the worst cars out there if not the worst car to comply with EPA standards. I listed you one survey because I had the numbers handy, Car & Driver, Consumer Reports also stated similar results. This board is loaded with people confirming this. A guy a couple of posts up this thread confirmed even a wider gap between the Z and the 8 with actual real world driving. Yet the EPA test, a test the government is revamping because of its inaccurate results is your only argument to counter this. You do also realize that the cars tested by the EPA can be vehicles, which have completely different fuel management programs, it is a loophole in the system. Please stop, this is getting embarrassing.

 

Another Pro for the 8.
It's not a dime a dozen like 350z's or mustangs or Evo's or STI's

8 cons.
Gas mileage is AWFUL! As my brother said though, "Uh, it is a sports car right?" So not a real con.

I have never had so many people say, nice car. Stare at the car, speed up to see the car(I don't drive slow either.) A mini-van full of teenagers pulled up next to me to see that car doing 85. I know exactly how many 8's are in my town. Z's I lose count at the supermarket :P

I am intrigued by the convertible Z though. Silver is very purty.

If you want TORQUE get the Evo or A mustang. The Z's or the 8's never getting a 11 second 1/4 mile without a 3 rotor engine. That warning about tires costing more then oil must be taken to heart unless you don't mind dropping $900 a year on tires if not more.

 

Of course not. NO car matches the EPA estimates across the board. Mine comes within 1 mpg of them, others get less, others get more. Every car I've owned got lower than the EPA figures. The point you're missing is not the number within one make, but the comparison across makes. Since EPA uses controlled conditions, the relative accuracy across makes is the same. If they say the RX-8 gets 18mpg and the Toyota Doodah gets 28mpg, you can pretty well bet you're going to get 10 mpg less than the Toyota.

1 mpg? Oh, please...

1) The Car & Driver "survey" I saw was based on one of each car. 2) That RX-8 was within .5 mpg of EPA's city driving figure. 3) Car & Driver didn't say what kind of driving they were doing. 4) It's unlikely that whoever is testing the cars is the same person, driving the same routes, on the same day, under exactly the same conditions. Again, the key concept here is controlled conditions.

"A guy" got xxx mileage. That too is not a representative survey. This board has a very few people who complain about their mpg, and many more who do not.

Indeed. That some folks prefer rumors to a controlled study is a bit puzzling.

 

You may get 1 mile less then EPA city but I get 6 to 7 less. There is overwhelming documented evidence by both users and the press that the RX gets far worse then the EPA states. Is this a controlled study, no but based on the fact that other cars being reported on in similar boards and trade journals do not share this label I feel pretty confident in my interpretation.

 

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/results-statistical-analysis-mpg-long-13404/

 

I think most people here would rather remove their eyes with a spork than actually have to read that.

 

I still can't decide where to cast my vote on this one.... hrm...

I honestly think the GTI is the best choice for your friend.

 

its funny how people compare cars by their 1/4 mile times.

 

as for the point of the thread- i agree with ike sort of- change the choices.

 

That you get 6 or 7 less than you should is a good reason to raise holy hell with the dealer and MNA. (I wonder if lemon laws apply?) But I've seen nothing on this board or anyplace else that suggests that RX-8 owners on the average are getting 6 or 7 less than the EPA estimate. The two polls I saw at this site concerning mileage showed an average of 19 mpg (for mixed driving, I assume) and 16 mpg for city-only driving.

https://www.rx8club.com/polls-70/mileage-poll-75555/
https://www.rx8club.com/polls-70/your-mpg-city-driving-82005/

Sure, you have a legitimate beef with Mazda about your 8. But the numbers we have show that on the average, most of us are getting about what we should expect.

 

 

Since my brother owned an 03 RSX Type-S, I can tell you, you will regret not getting the 8. Someone mentioned earlier that Acura had been having a lot of transmission problems, this is true. There are numerous complaints from many 02 and some 03 RSX-S owners about the defected transmission. But Acura still won't recognize it as a real problem and will not fix it under warranty. If your friend is looking at a new type s, I know some kid who has one and it doesn't seem to be causing tranny problems like some of the older models did. But when you really want to step on it and see it go, you will be disappointed. That is, if you have already test driven an 8 or Z, or any other higher powered car. The gas mileage is very good, but when I drove that car I would have to floor it for it to seem like I was going anywhere. It does have a HUGE aftermarket. The reliability of a Honda. The handling can be beefed up with some simple suspension mods. But it will never be anything close to the 8. It just does not have the smoothness or class of it. Not to mention lack of power. The 1/4 times may be only a half second slower or whatever, but when you get in an 8 after a type s, you will not want to go back. It was cool because when I used to think my 8 was too slow, or it felt like that stupid second gear was stiff as a board, I would drive the type s, then get back in the 8, and it was amazing how all of a sudden it was so quick and smooth.

 

The RX-8 is a wonderful car; we haven't had a moment's problem with it in over a year. That said, had we known how gruesome the mileage was going to be, we would have bought a different car. I agree that there is no excuse for mileage like we get on our RX-8. My wife commutes about 10 miles to work. Her previous ride was our Honda Odyssey minivan, in which she averaged about 19mpg for that commute. On the RX-8, she gets about 15mpg on the identical commute. On a worse commute, I get 23-25mpg in my S2000.

 

I agree that my car is running sub standard but your city mileage is in error. You are basing it on a poll that I created, the problem is I cut the low mileage off at 13 when in reality I know that one responder has reported as low as 9mpg and others in the 10 to 11 range, myself would have been 11mpg. This would undoubtedly drag down the average further. At the same time at the high end I know of at least one person who answered 19mpg before she even owned a RX-8. I am also very suspect of the 19mpg reports.

 

^haha

 

The RSX Type S has a great engine. Transmission is not the best. I have had issues with the 3rd gear popping out occasionally. High RPM shifts from 1 to 2 were sometimes very rough. Never took the car in though. Mine was an 03. I had the revo short shifter and that made a few things better.

My buddy has an 02 and he is having a ton of problems with the tranny. His dealer changed 4 or the 6 gears and the syncros. He is still having some issues. It is true that Acura is not acknowledging the problems and issuing a recall. They just issued a TSB to the dealers. Check out all those posts on clubrsx.com. I think 06s are having some issues too. Might be a design issue.

 

Everything you said is exactly the same issues he had. Third gear would pop out occasionally. First to second grinds a lot especially under heavy acceleration. Oh, and also, if you put it in reverse without being completly stopped, even if the clutch is in, you get grind. Sometimes first is the same way. The good thing about the engine is, no tune ups required until 110,000 miles. He had the B&M short throw shifter. But I haven't heard a lot on the newer models, but if you are like the rsx, go to clubrsx.com and look for the common problems.