Mazda RX-8

Excellent, Fun Sports Car!

By TheGodfather (California) on Tuesday, April 27, 2010

"The RX8 is a vehicle that never leaves me disappointed. Although it does not have the horsepower of some of the other sports cars out there, the quick and nimble handling more than makes up for it. Feeling down? Take the RX8 for a light cruise through the windy mountains and it is sure to brighten up your day. As fun as this car is, however, there are a few things that every interested buyer should know about the rotary engines before purchasing. Things to note about the rotary engine: 1. The rotary engine does consume engine oil to properly function. Checking the oil level every other gas fill-up is recommended. Amount of oil consumed is dependent on style of driving. 2. Like most cars, you should never put too much stress on the engine before it is warmed up. Once it is, you can move to higher RPM ranges. 3. The rotary engine likes to have a work out. After the engine has warmed up, make sure to rev the RX8 past 4,000rpm for about 20-30 seconds per day to prevent carbon build-up in the rotor chambers. 4. You should always let the engine get up to normal operating temperature BEFORE turning the car off. If you do not, it will leave behind excess oil in the chamber and over time may flood the engine. This can be easily fixed by anyone with slight mechanical experience. Otherwise, it must be taken to the dealer or service center that is familiar with rotaries. Warming up the engine on a cold morning takes approximately 5 minutes, so, if you plan to move your car from one space to another, make sure you have that time. Apart from that, the car is a fun, reliable vehicle. Contrary to what some people might say, if you take care of this car and service it regularly, it will treat you well in return and last a long time!"

28 people out of 28 found this review helpful

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Great Performance for Reasonable Price

By RX8Ghost (Baton Rouge) on Tuesday, September 08, 2009

"One quick note before I get into the meat of the review - I put 3 stars for reliability because I haven't owned the car long enough for maintenance to be an issue. For under 30k the RX8 is a great package deal for driving enthusiast with a limited budget. I was in the market for a sports car and I was considering the 370Z, 2010 Camaro, or Cobra Mustang. After test driving all the above, the Camaro body style was love at first sight, but the 370Z performance was best in my opinion. I was considering my options and finances when I drove by the local Mazda dealer and saw a R3 out on the lot. I figured why not and stopped by to test drive an RX8 and I fell in love instantly. No, the Renesis does not have a great deal of torque so winning stop light races is out of the question unless you plan on launching the car - good luck keeping your clutch in tack. However, the sound, the feel, and the soul of this car was what bought me over. Living in Baton Rouge, I see at least 50 Mustangs during the day and the number of Camaros and 370Z is increasing daily. RX8 are a rarity. The rotary engine is a turn off for most and so while it goes unnoticed by most, the feeling you get when you see that one person roll down their window and google your car is nice. Words of caution as one reviewer said the engine required a lot of maintenance. Wankel engines (rotary) burn oil to lubricate the apex seals. So checking oil levels between oil changes is critical to ensure engine longevity. Currently, I have to add a quart once between oil changes - which I do every 5k miles. Also, the engine needs to be broke in before running up to that glorious 9k rev limit. Taking in these considerations and following the owner manual's advice will ensure the RENESIS engine lasts well over 200k miles. Also, some of the earlier models dealt with over heating and engine flooding problems if the car was turned off before warming up. While the 2009 RX8 claims that this is no longer an issue, I suggest making sure the car is fully warmed before shutting of the ignition just be safe. Lastly, wankel engines have a problem with carbon build up (unburnt gasoline in the combustion chamber) and so on a daily basis, once the car is broken in, the engine needs to be revved to 7-9k to clear out the chamber, but this shouldn't be an issue as it is so much fun hearing the car at these revolutions. As for handling, I haven't found anything better under 60k. I have quite a few hairpin curves on my commute to work and while most competition is slowing down to get through the curve, my girl bites down, hugs the pavement and flies through these "30 mph" suggested speed curves at a blazing 75 mph with only a slight chirp of the tires at the apex of the curve. Cons: Low gas milage. Everyone believes that the Wankel engine is an efficient engine, but its not fuel efficient but power efficient - 250 bhp out of a 1.3L engine. So expect to visit the pump often and filling it up with premium gas (Mazda recommended to help with the carbon buildup). I normally average 230-250 miles out of a 16 gallon tank on daily drive with 310 on pure highway driving."

27 people out of 27 found this review helpful

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World class handling.V-12 MPG =(

By Zoom Zoom (Los Angeles, CA) on Tuesday, September 25, 2007

"World class handling.V-12 MPG =(. Slow off the line, definitely not a drag racer. However, only a very handful of cars can keep up with the RX-8 up & down the mountains. You will fall in love with the RX-8 by driving up & down the mountain just ONCE! By far the best sports car value on the market today. Period. Also the worst MPG of today's mass production sports cars. A Corvette Z06 has better MPG. 17.5 daily MPG (shifting below 4000 RPM 95% of the time), 13 to 14 MPG by driving the car it is meant to be driven (7000 to 9000 RPM)."

17 people out of 17 found this review helpful

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