Hi all, new comer here. I will be purchasing a new car within (hopefully) 1 month and I am deciding between the '05 RX-8 and the '05 RSX-S. I have test driven both cars several times and love both of them in their own seperate ways.

Overall, I think I am leaning towards the RX-8 for its looks and handling as well as raw power. If I choose the RX-8, it will be the 6-speed manual with GT package.

However a few issues concern me. Firstly, I am unfamiliar with how a rotary engine works and how it's different from a normal cylindar engine. I was told that the RX-8 burns a lot of oil - so much that it's almost required to top the oil off after every other gas fuel up. Is this true? Also the gas mileage is much worse compared to the RSX. How many miles per tank do you guys get on average?

Secondly is the rear wheel drive. I live in Wisconsin where the winters get real bad. I'm not too concerned about this as I will have my other car (Jeep Cherokee) to drive when the roads get real bad. But how does the RX-8 handle in rain and light snow conditions? The RSX is a front wheel drive car, so...

The RSX-S is stickered at around $24k, whereas the RX-8 is around $30,500 or so. Trying to leave bias out of this, do you feel the RX-8 is worth the extra ~$6k? I love the interior of the car and love the back doors. Plus the turning of heads is nice too


Any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,
Bill

 

Driven both but never really even considered an RSX. I have an RX-8 so you know my answer. I personally do not like FWD, so for me the RSX was never a consideration. And I've owned multiple rotarys and love the engines. It was an easy decision.

The oil consumption "problem" is overrated. Do you have to check your oil regularly - yes. Do you need to keep a quart in the car to top it off occasionally - yes. But this is simply the nature of the engine. Once you get in the habit it's not a big deal, and it isn't expensive.

Gas mileage isn't great and has varied between owners. I personally have been averaging 17.8 mpg as of late. This is 50/50 downtown Chicago and highways.

 

to answer your most important question:

answer is YES

now wait for everyone else to fill out your other less important questions :D

 

First, Welcome .



Now to answer your questions:

RWD>>>FWD.

RX-8 is fine in rain, it is UNDRIVEABLE in light snow with the stock tires. If you want to drive in the snow at all, get some snow tires and then you'll be fine.

Each person is different, but I'm not a huge fan of the GT package. I care more about the quality of the drive than whether or not it has a leather interior or sunroof. If the price difference is getting to you, then consider a base RX-8 6MT with just the sport package. If you can still find a new 2004 model, you should be able to pick one up for about 23K or less.

I've driven the RSX-S several times and it is a fine car but the RX-8 is in a completely different league.

Gas mileage is not good in the RX-8. I don't know how many miles I get to the tank and I don't care. I didn't buy the car for its gas mileage and if I was concerned about mileage I wouldn't rev the car to 9K on a regular basis.

 

All of these questions have been asked and answered in numerous detailed threads.

Burning oil depends on how hard you drive. The latest flashes have reduced the metering. Most find that they add a quart between 1k and 3k. Some of us change oil every 3k and and don't ever add oil.

Gas mileage varies tremendously based on driving style. Set your expectation at 16mpg and then be happy if you do better.

Traction - car comes with summer performance tires. Doesn't have to be wet to lose traction, just cold. People have put 4 snow tires on and use all winter in snowy conditions. Get traction control and DSC.

Money is a personal matter. I won't go there.

 

Issues:


1) You don't have to top up the oil as much as you've heard. I've had mine for a year and I've topped it up 4 times. I don't see the big problem. You should be checking your oil on a regualr basis with any car.

2) This car works great in the winter. You need to get two things first. Snow tirees - this car comes with performance tires so don't even think about using them in the winter. Its not the car, its the tires. You also need to get the DSC option. Check out the Canain section of the forum if you want real impression of winter driving with the RX8. It worked great in the snow.

3) Gas mileage. Yes, you will get l;ess mpg then the RSX....but its worth it! I've driven both and the RSX doesn't come close to matching the overall driving experience you get with the 8 (IMO). Some people are getting really bad mileage but I think that they were earlier build 2004 models. I get about 17-18 in the city and 22-23 on the highway. I can live with that. This car does better cruising than stop and go traffic.

4) Price - In the US there seesm to be lots of deals on RX8's. Do your homework on price and you should get a good deal.

 

again...remember that when people say the RX8 is bad in the winter, remembver it is the tires that are bad...not the car. Any car with pure performance tires will suck when it gets cold out.

 

its necessary to CHECK you oil about evry other fill up or so when you first get eh 8. after a a thousand miles or so you will know the oil usage of your car and then you can adjust your checking and filling the oil schedule from there. plenty of posts on oil consumption around.

check out www.rotaryengineillustrated.com or the rotary engine stuff on wwwhowstuffworks.com for a lesson in the way the engien works etc.

fuel economy- by the tank is not a good measure but for the sake of arguement i get about 240 -260 around town and have gotten over 340 miles per tank on highway trips. the rsx is listed as having the same city mpg as the rx-8 gets hwy

you will need snow tires in Wisconsin probably. the car comes equipped with summer tires they are no good in snow especially if the temps are low. rain is no problem on the stock tires- i live in portland oregon and have no problems in rain and light snow(after the snow has fallen and its warmed up a bit) on the stock tires. plenty of threads around to read on snow tire and winter wheel choices

i would not ever consider an rsx over an rx-8. doesnt have the room i need or the correct drive wheels.

 

Sorry if I repeated questions that have already been answered.

Is there any difference between an '04 and an '05? I asked the dealer and he said there were none.

Red Devil - How often do you check your oil and how often do you top it off?

What is the size of the gas tank in an RX-8 anyway?

I'll search for recommended winter tires. Do any of you have any suggestions on the kind of tire that is good in wintery conditions?

Thanks again.

 

The RX-8 consumes SOME oil (by design). It is barely an issue. The oil should be checked more frequently than most cars but it's not a big deal.
There are 1,000,001 threads about gas mileage. To sum up: it isn't great given the weight of the car and it varies greatly. My view is, I love the car regardless of gas mileage. I just don't care anymore.
The car handles extremely WELL in snow with the right tires, and they are not the tires it comes with. Snow tires are a requirement, not an option.
You should be able to knock off a few $K from that $30.5K you mentioned but in any case the RX-8 is worth the premium for looks alone.

 

thanks zoom and rotten...I reposted before I saw your posts.

 

This oil thing is so overblown- if you go into the manual for any car, it's going to tell you to check your oil every few fill-ups. that's just standard recommendation for most cars. As someone else said, you might use as much as a a quart every 2k- and since oil costs $1.50 or so a quart, I'm not sure why this is such a big deal. Surely, if you can spend $25k+ on a car, you can afford to buy a few quarts of oil once or twice a year and add it in.

 

Well the price is a little bit of an issue - money is money. There is a used '04 with 6,600 miles on it. 6-speed manual with GT package for $25,900. If there is no real difference between the 04 and 05, I may consider buying it used...

 

now some questions you are just going to have to look up the answers to them yourself "how much does the tank hold" etc there is a thread in this section from this past week that mentions the differences from 04 to 05

 

I looked at the RSX-S as well, having been happy with Hondas and FWD in the past. While it is a nice-looking car, it did not have the same unique look as the 8. I knew if bought an RSX-S, I'd probably regret not getting the 8. I got the 8, and don't regret not getting the RSX-S. For me, the creature comforts of leather and a sunroof were worth getting the GT.

My oil: 1 quart for 3000 miles. Mileage: 17 in mixed driving, 21 on a tank of 75% highway.

 

Well, as someone who has both cars in his garage, maybe I can comment on this one.

Driving wise, I like the Rx8 a lot more than the RSX. The steering is just right for all situations, when driving at low speed, it's not as heavy, at high speed, it's not too high, it's perfect. Cruising though the hills, on the freeway, it's the perfect car.

RSX on the other hand feels simply very roomy. Inside, it just feels huge and tall, you have more usable space with a real hatch and fold down backseat to carry more cargo if needed. Also, the blind spot is a lot smaller, I can change lanes easily without having to worry about cars I can't see, although I'm used to the 8's blindspot so I've adjusted my mirrors to reduce majority of it already.

However, I've found the RSX to have really heavy steering especially in parking lots and has the worst turning radius for the car it's size. Also for the power, the RSX feels slightly more powerful down low compared to the Rx8 but the Rx8 picked up after the rev it up. Also, they have about the Same RPM at freeway cruise speed, about 4k where the RSX sounds really loud but the Rx8 is just at home at that range.

Aother thing is, I can get about 300-320mile on a 10 gal fill up with the RSX. On the other hand, I can only get 200-220 on a 11 gal fill up with the Rx8.

Further more, RSX being FWD, I found it a lot easier to spin the wheels and lose traction when cornering at high speeds then I do with the Rx8. With the 8, I can probably go around a corner 10mph faster with ease, whereas with the RSX, the tires would be screeching.

Personally, I love the 8 a lot more than my RSX, everything is just right from the seats to the steering, to the handing. I'm still getting people coming up to me saying they love the way my 8 looks and they're considering getting one, from gas pumps, to malls, to driving through a drive through. The attention is great. But you have to consider that you may be spending about $100 more per month at the pumps, and probably $100 more for month payments. However, the insurance is a cheaper for the 8.

 

Oh, one thing I do miss with the 8 that's on the RSX is the climate control and A/C. A/C on the RSX is A LOT better than the 8. And you don't get the drink warmer in the center consol, with the 8, I've left a cooled cup of coffee in the cup holder and it was very warm after 2 hours.

 

Oil - I don't have an oil consumption problem. At the most, I've added 1 quart between oil changes every 5000miles.

Mileage - I get about 17 per gal. This wasn't an issue for me.

I first started to look at several options. Mustang Cobra, Crossfire, WRX, RX-8.
I made a list of what was most important to me and gave each item a point value to see which car had the most points. I narrowed it down to the RX-8 and the Mustang. I was leaning towards the Cobra because it is much faster in a 1/4 mile or off the line.

One day, while waiting at a red light, I saw a Mustang Cobra, Mustang Mach-1, Mustang GT, Mustang Convertible GT, and a basic Mustang. That's when I realized to the average person, they would have only seen Mustang, Mustang, Mustang, Convertible Mustang, Mustang. I decided I didn't want just another "Mustang".

Also, the fact is, I don't drive 0-60 or in 1/4 mile increments, so ultimately, I bought a car for the "head turning" factor.

Only after having the car for several months, did I start to explore the handling abilities. Once I got a better idea of what the car could do, it was like getting a brand new car again.

It's a blast to drive. I bought it 369 days ago, and I'm still very excited to drive it around and to show it off.

Good luck & let us know what you decide.

- Cesar -

 

I understand what your saying. There are people in this world that just take something very little and try and make it seem real bad! To tell you the truth I have have never added oil between oil changes! NEVER! To say that you have to top it off every time you get gas is just crazy! Your getting a work of art if you buy the RX8. Not only when it comes to the engine but the look at that! I'll stop now because I could go on and on all night! :D

 

Thanks for all the replies. As one poster said, if he would have bought the RSX, he may have regretted not getting the RX8 and that is my fear as well.

So far it looks like RX-8 for me, but still not 100% sure. If I do decide to go with the RX-8, I may choose the white pearl. I was going to get the white pearl for the RSX, but not sure how it will look on the RX-8. Since the 8 looks more like a sports car, not sure if the pearl would suit my tastes. I have never seen a white one in person...are they really sharp?

I suspected that people were blowing the oil thing out of proportion. I drive a Jeep Gr. Cherokee now, so I am used to not so good gas mileage. It costs me about $40 to fill up ($2.35/gal) and I get about 300 miles per tank, so...not too good.

I have never owned a sports car...I think it's about time!

 

you're gonna love the white pearl, it SHIMMERS in the sun! really awesome looking!

match it with the black/red leather interior, it is a, how should i say this, a 'panty dropper'!

 

Good luck in your decision... you will be pleased with the 8, especially if you are comparing it to the RSX. As everyone else said, oil consumption is overblown, expect mpg to be 16-18 in mixed driving, and depending on your life situation and finances, it is worth the extra $$$. Having the second car will help you in winter big time if you want to keep your 8 in showroom condition.

 

the white goes really well with the car, no worries there...

and the 8 is a great first sports car if you ask me

 

Yes they are! I have a red, and my dealer has two pearl next to a red when I went there today...I have to tell you that the pearl is as eye catching as the red (red being the most obviously:D !), but in a different way. One had a red interior, very very sharp, and I think the other was black. I like the red interior, maybe I need and red and a pearl!

In white the 8 is a study in B&W...the ghostly white car with all black inlets and voids. Put some dark tint on it...that's some beautiful thing! And I can't help thinking of the R&T image of the pearl MS attempt.

 

I can't stand white cars but the RX-8 is actually stunning in that color.