Here's Part 1:
http://jalopnik.com/384556/2008-mazda-rx+8-part-one

Here's Part 2:
http://jalopnik.com/385520/2008-mazda-rx+8-part-two

Here's Part 3:
http://jalopnik.com/385842/2008-mazda-rx+8-part-three


KF

 

That was a very good and fair review. Pretty much summed up the quirks/weirdness well without freaking out about it.

I look forward to reading the other parts.

 

Awesome review, awaiting the rest.

I really liked "As far as I can determine (please, I beg you, hold your comments) the ingenious and decidedly weird Wankel rotary engine works by using internal combustion to bounce a fat metal triangle around inside a hollow metal kidney bean, which hula-hoops around a central shaft to generate power"

 

Great, spot-on read so far...

 

Darn! You beat me to it. I stumbled across that review a short while ago. Pretty decent and fair review if you ask me.

Cheers

 

That sounds just about right to me...

Nice review.

 

Odd that they would review a 5 year old car with just some cosmetic changes. Good review and I agree with the reviewer. I figured we wouldn't see any new RX8 reviews until the 09 comes out, specifcally the R3.

 

added link to part 2 in original post

 

Wankelry!

 

Part 3 added

 

Those are some slow times, he should have revved it to 6500 rpm and did a healthy clutch drop. You cant drive this car like a piston car where you can rev it to 2100-4000 rpm and go for it. The RX-8 doesn't have the torque for that....

A well seasoned rotary head told me this wise proverb when i first got my RX-8.

"Rev her High and let her Fly!"

Those words have never failed me yet when i needed to bolt away from a stand still!

 

It's funny to read on the comments section of Jalopnik. I've read time and time again how people are just terrified of having to check their oil levels.

Sadly, this task that should be done every couple of weeks and takes all of 5 minutes will dissuade people from buying a car. To those people, I don't think they are mechanically inclined and think of the automobile as more of an appliance.

Call me crazy, but I like peaking underneath the hood once in a while.

 

I simply set my trip odo to zero after an oil change. I check at 1000 miles, and if it needs it, ir gets it. BFD......

 

I felt like the review was pretty on point. I love my RX8 but the review brought up points that I can understand would keep other people from buying an RX8. The key point is that although this car loses paper races in almost every category, the driving experience just puts it well beyond anything short of $60,000 (IMO - I would only get rid of the RX8 for an M3, NSX, or Cayman S)

In any case, its great seeing the RX8 get current coverage for a design that 99% of which came out in 2004

 

In part 3 they mentioned the 0-60 as 7 seconds.. a full second would really throw a bunch of people off.. o.O

 

I love how they describe the operation of a rotary engine!!!!!!

 

This guy gets it :

It's a really a simple equation.

Raise your hand if you want a rwd manual sports car.

Keep it up if you have a kid or two that you have to tot around a few times a week. (They don't care that they can't see out the back because they're looking at their Nintendo DS most of the time.)

Now keep that hand up if you can't spend more than $30k.

Bonus points if you like to be unique.

There you go. Everybody left should give the RX8 a fair shake because there's precious little else to turn to.

 

I agree 100% with the review. However, it really disappoints me that mazda has fallen so woefully far behind other automakers in terms of power. I just browsed through the new Road and Track and they showed something like 40 new cars worth waiting for in 2010. The new Z is mentioned, which is supposedly lighter than the current one and pushing 330 hp. No mention of anything Mazda at all except for the new 6. If they would just sacrafice a little handling to put a turbo 4 in the 8 the thing would surely be a top seller.

 

The last thing I want Mazda to sacrifice is handling. I really don't care if the 8 is a top seller or not, the power is fine, handling is awesome, usability is there.

Truthfully speaking, what other car gives you rwd, relative light weight, under 30k, 4 seats, independent rear suspension. Name this car and I will sell my RX8 today....

 

I don't really agree with him on the shifter being notchy...

 

Used M3 or Used RX8.... the true beauty of the RX8s is in how fast they drop in value... from 30k to 15k in no time flat... so in the used car market the RX8 is still king to me regardless of sucking down gas..... and anytime a 350z guy opens his mouth I just say AUTOX Bstock winner is?????

 

Fair review. Great to see that the 8 is still getting reviewed this far in its lifecycle.

 

Yeah, I considered the M3 route as well. Dunno, there is something numb about the driving experience in them. I'm looking to see how the Toyobaru ends up. Though, I'm hoping Mazda can surprise people with a piston powered Kabura.

 

^^^I'd definitely go for a Kabura type car with the MS3 engine maybe? That would be lighweight, and quick with the low end the 8 lacks.

 

Great review! Thanks for posting.