Very happy new rx8 owner.

There seems to be a lot of modifacations available to the RX8.

What are the groups suggestions for the top 5 performance / modifcations you would recommend for a city/highway driver?

Just the name of the modifaction is fine, I can search off that.

 

Budget? Autocross? Only street driving? Want lots of power? Bling?

Small cheap mods include strakes and MP3 hookup, the DIY Fog light rewire. There are various vinyl mods, logos on the tail light, "eye lids" on the headlights and window tint.

Exhaust doesn't add significant power but makes the 8 louder.

Aero kits and spoilers change the look a bit, no real advantage unless you go to the track (or at track speeds)

Cold air kits might help mileage or power a little bit, mostly needed as a prelude to other performance mods.

More expensive stuff like wheels. Some people are doing staggered wheels, which is only for looks, hurts handling. Custom paint and powder coating.

Performance upgrades include stiffer front sway bar, rear sway bar, programmable ECU, adjustable struts, exhaust porting, turbo.

There's a picture floating around somewhere of a chop top convertable 8, I don't think many people liked the look.

 

Oil/Condensor Screens
Clear Corners
Sway Bars
High Flow Cat
ECU Upgrade/Forced Induction

 

1. save your money
2. mods for the rx8 do nothing
3. if you're into modding cars
4. sell the RX8
5. buy a civic

 

Oil Cooler & AC screens
Lightweight Flywheel
Hi-flow catalytic converter
Suspension
ECU mods (Canzoomer)

 

1. flywheel
2. exhaust ( the sound makes you think your going faster)
3. suspension (sway bars/sprins)
4. better tires
5. taller final drive gear

This mods make the car more fum to drive, it will coner better feel like it has more torque and rev faster at the cost of some fuel in highgway driving.

 

For me :

1)Mazdaspeed Bodykit
2)Mazdaspeed Wheels with Falken 615's
3)Mazdaspeed Suspension (Adjustable Coilovers)
4)Auto EXE (Frame Braces, Swaybars and Strut Ties)
5)Mazdaspeed Reccaro Seats

I love the car already, I first want the car to look like a mean machine (bodykit, wheels, tires) then I want to improve the handling (suspension, bracing) With those looks and that grip I want to stay in place in the curves (seats) so thats the order I am moding in.

After the above is complete, I will move onto power...im not looking for much, mostly just response and midrange punch.

1)Racing Beat Revi-Intake with Ram-Air
2)Racing Beat Cat-Back Exhaust (maby a highflow cat/straight pipe aswell)
3)Racing Beat Light Flywheel
4)Ignition (Plugs and Wires, ect)
5)Some kind of user-programable ECU, to tune the above parts to get the max gains and the power curve I want.

I might also add a header if the cost comes down and it looks like I can tune the car to take advantage of it. I am looking to pretty much get all the 'power adding' bolt ons I can, Intake, exhaust, ignition...then an ECU/Piggyback to tune the car to get the most out of the mods. I think about 20whp-30whp addition would be good, that would net about 250ish hp at the crank. This Should give me good response and that added punch to go with the increase in grip. The car is already a blast to drive....im not trying to transform it into something else, just maxamize its potential. To show myself and everyone else the RX8 is not a rotary powered street car, its a highspeed touring car that is equaly at home on the track as it is on the street.

Sponsors needed lol

 

1 - Clear Corners - easy and cheap
2 - Cat-back Exhaust - kinda easy but not so cheap ($600)
3 - Fog Light Rewire - easy and cheap (about 15 minutes)
4 - Strakes - medium cheap and I had the dealer to it
5- Clear Bra - SAVE the front end from stone chips! (not a DIY and about $600)
5 - flip a coin between intake or springs (kinda depends if you want a 'bit' of power or a slightly lowered look) - intake is a DIY and depending on which one, approx $400. Springs are DIY only if you are experienced. Around $200 for springs and another $300 or so labor.

 

and out of the vast wasteland known as RX8Club a wise man did appear ... :D

 

cooler screens
a/c upgrade
wheel options
tire upgrade
dyi foglights

 

Oil Cooler/Condenser Screens
Clear Corners/Strakes/Rotary Accents
Cat Back Exhaust
Revi Ram Air Intake
Mid pipe/HF Cat

 

Limo tint
Flame thrower
Rocket launchers
Machine gun attached to both sides
Time Machine

 

Why are you always so negative, man?

My top five(in no particular order):
-Racing Beat Revi Intake
-Racing Beat or other lightened flywheel
-Mazsport Interceptor EMS
-sways and struts
-GReddy turbo kit

A few of these are up there in price, but they do deliver nice gains. Go ahead and search a few and see what you like. Happy modding

 

Because most mods relating to performance ( as he stated he wanted info on, not asthetic mods like clear corners, etc.) have proven unworthy.

Intakes to diddly except sound louder, exhausts prove nothing more than looking meaner, canzoomer ECU is too finicky to be bothered with, and turbo kits are already causing havoc to people who installed them. the only thing that hasn't greatly affected negatively is the flywheel.

people just need to leave the RX8 as is and accept it for what it was made for, instead of trying to turn it into something it's not...a rocket.

 

Well as far modding your 8 I would say work on the suspension. Strut bars and sways. You can do the springs or coilerovers also but this area tends to get pricey for the good stuff (you would probably want a very broad array of settings with respect to stiffness and drivability i.e. your girlfriend/wife is riding with you).

Better tires. The 8 definitely goes way beyond it's stock tires capabilities. I don't really know how to explain this, but auto cross your 8 one time and you'll see what I mean.

Oil cooler and A/C condencer screens. They are not covered under the warranty. Nough said.

 

How true that is!!!

 

1. get clear corners
2. tint windows
3. listen to mugatu
4. go to racingbeat.com and they'll explain to you most mods barely get you more than a few HP.

 

The various MazdaSpeed suspension components generally get good reviews for making a noticable difference in handling. Stiffer ride though I hear.

New tires are a fantastic upgrade. I can't wait to get back on my snow tires (which I think are better than the OEMs) in a few months, and then finally get real summer tires next year. The whole character of the car changes: less harsh, less noise, more predictable, actually has traction in the wet, etc.

Power mods... well, read around and draw your own conclusions. There just doesn't seem to be anything available which makes a dramatic difference. Blame Mazda for not leaving much room for improvement by tuners.

 

I normally don't end up agreeing with MUGATU, but he nailed it on this one.

-

 

I am really interested in modifying my 8 and I would like to know more. So I go to a forum about RX8s that has lots of posts about modifications to above said car. I ask "Please tell me, what can I do to my car?" But really what I am asking is "Please give me a lecture ony your personal philosophy about NOT performing modifications. Oh, and I almost forgot; let me know what POS car should I have purchased, like, say, a civic, that is more easily modifided, but is not nearly as fun to drive?" (Flame on)

1. Flywheel (lighter, but not too light)
2. Sways
3. F1 Eagles (maybe)
4. Exhaust (for fun)
5. FI, dude.

 

kit, exhaust, intake, clear corners, strakes

 

Ah, to mod or not to mod, that is the question.

And the answer is...not. I don't like to mess with a good thing, but screens to protect oil & a/c coolers are good protection, maybe the A/C insulation DIY if it's an issue for you (and not a mod in my book...a good thing.)

 

Why has noone mentioned the short-shifter? Is it not worth it?

 

1. New tires
2. Lose weight
3. Buy helmet
4. Take racing classes
5. Get hot girlfriend

 

On a cost basis:

1. Synthetic Tranny Fluid (auto or MTX)
2. RB protection screens or DIY
3. Sway bars for handling
4. RB Revi intake - Mileage and throttle response
5. Tires - go sticky, go light weight (Toyo or Pirelli)