Is the Mazda RX8 that bad?
- Thread starter Buchanan0204
- Start date
Caporegime
RX8 is one of the best drivers cars I have driven. I drove an S2000 and RX8 back to back and the RX8 was fantastic. S2000 was just meh in comparison.
The only reason these cars get slated is fuel economy and reliability but scratch the surface and you will find the reliability (or lack of) is very overhyped much like the S2000's performance in some ways
Hmm, having tried a mates RX8 (which has subsequently gone bang!) and an S2000, I thought the opposite!??!
Each to his own & all that, anyway, if I had say £3 - £4k in my back pocket, wanted performance with almost guaranteed potential for big bills, plus silly mpg, I'd be sourcing an old ,leggy e39 M5 (which, daft as I know it is, I'm increasingly thinking of doing.... My mrs would kill me, but, you only live once!
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Soldato
yeah I do, was loling at your post.
RX8 is one of the best drivers cars I have driven. I drove an S2000 and RX8 back to back and the RX8 was fantastic. S2000 was just meh in comparison.
The only reason these cars get slated is fuel economy and reliability but scratch the surface and you will find the reliability (or lack of) is very overhyped much like the S2000's performance in some ways
Really?!
I cant imagine the RX8 being better than the S2000. Had I had the opportunity to drive the honda I wouldve taken it over the Rex!
Hmm, having tried a mates RX8 (which has subsequently gone bang!) and an S2000, I thought the opposite!??!
Each to his own & all that, anyway, if I had say £3 - £4k in my back pocket, wanted performance with almost guaranteed potential for big bills, plus silly mpg, I'd be sourcing an old ,leggy e39 M5 (which, daft as I know it is, I'm increasingly thinking of doing.... My mrs would kill me, but, you only live once!
Plenty of RX8s out there going strong. The whole 'big expensive rebuild' is from people posting on the internet without actually owning one just because their mates dad had one that died. The issue is down to poor care from owners.
In the worst case scenario rebuilds on the Rotary tend to be much cheaper than piston engines esecially compared to an M5.
Pre-mix in the fuel and drive them how they are built to be driven and they are as reliable as most other cars.
Caporegime
I hear what your saying, but my opinion of the RX8 isn't helped having watched my mates short, painful experience of a low mileage example that was well maintained but, alas, still expired...
And whilst I quite agree the e39 M5 is hardly a cheap car to run in any sense if the word, the S62 is a strong engine from what I read on places like the M5Messageboard, I'd far rather a car prone to run of the mill faults like sensors, hoses etc as opposed to one with an inherent engine design flaw.
Just saying both are a risky proposition.
Engine wise at least, one seems guaranteed to go boom regardless of maintenance, where the other, with maintenance ,I think it's safe to argue,probably would not.
(But would still bankrupt you none the less! )
And whilst I quite agree the e39 M5 is hardly a cheap car to run in any sense if the word, the S62 is a strong engine from what I read on places like the M5Messageboard, I'd far rather a car prone to run of the mill faults like sensors, hoses etc as opposed to one with an inherent engine design flaw.
Just saying both are a risky proposition.
Engine wise at least, one seems guaranteed to go boom regardless of maintenance, where the other, with maintenance ,I think it's safe to argue,probably would not.
(But would still bankrupt you none the less!
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Caporegime
Think i'd take my chances with a cheap M5 too, least the low MPG is justified by the cars performance.
Soldato
Yes theres no denying the terrible MPG of the RX8, which is why i want one to rebuild for track and weekend use. 350z also appeals to me but I have always liked the rotary engine and for the money they are worth a punt
RX8 would be faster around a track definitely.
Soldato
I have one, paid 2.5K for it. Never has any problems starting from hot, and performance is strong.
I do not need to drive it to work so only use it at the weekends / some nights so I doubt I will even put 5k on it a year!
I enjoy it, its fun to drive, looks nice and insurance was cheap compared to other cars (all be it better performing) I was looking at.
If you are happy for your initial buying cost to go up in smoke (though you would probs get it sold for a grand with a dead engine depending on the spec / condition) and cant handle the large running costs I'd say go for it!
I do not need to drive it to work so only use it at the weekends / some nights so I doubt I will even put 5k on it a year!
I enjoy it, its fun to drive, looks nice and insurance was cheap compared to other cars (all be it better performing) I was looking at.
If you are happy for your initial buying cost to go up in smoke (though you would probs get it sold for a grand with a dead engine depending on the spec / condition) and cant handle the large running costs I'd say go for it!
The only reason these cars get slated is fuel economy and reliability but scratch the surface and you will find the reliability (or lack of) is very overhyped much like the S2000's performance in some ways
I really wanna know what one you drove, I can only guess you were changing gear at 6000rpm. Although, the all S2000s are slow view didnt seem to change after Donington.
Caporegime
SO, can anyone provide multiple examples of RX-8's that have done over 100k miles on the original engine and have great compression?
S2000 are good cars and they are quick, but not put your footdown and go quick, but need to be driven hard to get decent speed out of them.
Back to back my last two cars have been 1.8vvtli (8200rpm redline with 62000 rpm cam lift) 200bhp/133lb/ft toque, vs 2.0 turbo (7000rpm redline max boost 3000-4000rpm)240bhp/200lb torque.
So i feel that i am a fair contributor to the fizzy vs fat engine debate.
S2000 are good cars and they are quick, but not put your footdown and go quick, but need to be driven hard to get decent speed out of them.
Back to back my last two cars have been 1.8vvtli (8200rpm redline with 62000 rpm cam lift) 200bhp/133lb/ft toque, vs 2.0 turbo (7000rpm redline max boost 3000-4000rpm)240bhp/200lb torque.
So i feel that i am a fair contributor to the fizzy vs fat engine debate.
it taken me few months to understand why everyone loves s2000, as i could not understand whats so good about it.
but once i did, what a car
its blanking out what everyone said about it being great, can kill you so on...once i got a few things done, e.g. taken to WIM and really really started to push it what a car it becomes.
vtec sound, having back end moving around on every conner i take, being on the edge. its not that hard to correct unlike what people say mx5 is easy, but s2000 not that much harder
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Quiet a few in here, and thats mainly just USA,
http://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/100-000-mile-club-158709/
Its not really the cars fault its people treating them like every other car, you should avoid short trips, low revs. Plus our european emissions laws are really bad for them (rich start up to quicken the cat heating up), plus for a rotary to be at its best it really should be using 2 stroke instead of engine oil, but imagine peoples reaction to that, so i can totally understand why mazda do it the way they do. Some dye hards me included redirect the oil intake to a seperate tank and use 2 stroke and turn up the flow rate, or use premix like 250ml per tank is a good start, it aids in keeping things lubricated, raises compression slightly and helps clean the tips.
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Make sure you beep it as much as you can, at different revs the different intake ports open up, 3250rpm for the secondary ports (SSV), 5550 for the variable fresh air duct (VFAD), 6250 for the auxiliary port valve (APV), and finally 7500 for the variable dynamic intake (VDI). So you can see to keep all these valves clean and working you need to use the whole revs often, a common problem is the valves siezing and coking up due to lack of use, and then power suffers.
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Yes there is a audible beep, think its set 500rpm below the limiter and is a good point to change gear.as in beep hit rev limit? i'm good at that
something to do this weekend maybe, turn up in s2000 and test drive RX8 and compare them... i really like to know how good RX8 really is. shame mazda place guys don't like driving fast was funny last time i taken out mx5 and went sideway and guys face was a picture i was shocked too.
i was shocked too.
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Caporegime
Theres a 'few' not many for a 4 year old thread. More engine tear down posts thats for sure.