Tell me about RX8s (231BHP)
- Thread starter eidolon
- Start date
Its an awesome car to own and drive but not for those who don't have the money to support it... fuel consumption (although akin to a similar bhp car) is high, putting tyres on it, taxing it.. all high.
But the grin when you let the rev's rise
But the grin when you let the rev's rise
Associate
Bit of an insight from a current owner.
The Renesis wankel engine in the RX8 doesn't need rebuilding at 60k miles like the older engine in the RX7. Mine drinks around 0.5l per 1000 miles and averages 18MPG in London traffic and can achieve around 25MPG on a decent run. The arent the quickest car off the line and to go fast they need to be driven properly, i.e rev'd to 9000+ rpm..and boy does it bring a smile to your face! Handling is great, I had mine around the 'ring and didn't actually break traction once. The traction control I found to be fairly good too only kicking in when it had too and unlike the BMW I had before its no where near as intrusive. A few things to look out for though, check behind the rear doors as its not unknown for there to be some light corrosion on the sill, this is covered by warranty however and a few revisions to the seal and some stickers have cured this. Also heat soak into the cabin is really quite bad, even on a cold day you will find yourself reaching to open a window, beware the cup holders are more like cup warmers! Early cars had issues with corrosion on the wheels and the strakes (where fitted), this should have all been replaced under warranty, if not then you will now have to fork out to have them refurbished yourself on earlier out of warranty models, replacement plastic strakes are a much better alternative and can be had from the likes of Ebay. Not sure what else to say so I'll stop there but feel free to ask more questions.
NS
The Renesis wankel engine in the RX8 doesn't need rebuilding at 60k miles like the older engine in the RX7. Mine drinks around 0.5l per 1000 miles and averages 18MPG in London traffic and can achieve around 25MPG on a decent run. The arent the quickest car off the line and to go fast they need to be driven properly, i.e rev'd to 9000+ rpm..and boy does it bring a smile to your face! Handling is great, I had mine around the 'ring and didn't actually break traction once. The traction control I found to be fairly good too only kicking in when it had too and unlike the BMW I had before its no where near as intrusive. A few things to look out for though, check behind the rear doors as its not unknown for there to be some light corrosion on the sill, this is covered by warranty however and a few revisions to the seal and some stickers have cured this. Also heat soak into the cabin is really quite bad, even on a cold day you will find yourself reaching to open a window, beware the cup holders are more like cup warmers! Early cars had issues with corrosion on the wheels and the strakes (where fitted), this should have all been replaced under warranty, if not then you will now have to fork out to have them refurbished yourself on earlier out of warranty models, replacement plastic strakes are a much better alternative and can be had from the likes of Ebay. Not sure what else to say so I'll stop there but feel free to ask more questions.
NS
Man of Honour
But the grin when you let the rev's rise
...and then the frown as you realise that even though the engine is getting much louder and the needle on the rev counter is rising, it doesn't feel as if you are accelerating at all.
The RX8 is great in every department apart from the engine. It is an absolute pain in the ass to drive. You have to rag the **** off it in order to get any sort of feeling of speed and even then it is completely underwhelming. All the while you're getting between 15 and 18mpg, drinking pints of oil and getting more and more annoyed.
Why don't they just put a proper engine in it? It would be an awesome car with one.
I had the same feelings with the RX7, sensational car but completely let down by the unreliable thirsty strange feeling engine.
Ive only heard of one rx8 being rebuilt, this was because some daft woman decided to ignore the low oil buzzer. The rx8 are not turbocharged like the 3rd gen 7's, which was mainly apparently due to the turbo's. The non-turbo 2nd gen rx7 engines can can make 175-200k miles if treated well, the turbo 2nd gens are more like 150k. The rx8's do drink oil but it isn't particularly noticable, 1litre every 1000 miles. Rumors about high milage 8's seem to be made up. The rx8 engines are very reliable in comparison to the old rx7 engines and even some piston engines.
Also they have a great chasis and as its a front mid engined car with a light engine they handle incredibly well. I belive when put round the mazda test track the rx8 produced an identical time to a 2002 rx7. which produces about 300bhp, and the 7 is a great handling car. <----- can't back that one up though
Also they have a great chasis and as its a front mid engined car with a light engine they handle incredibly well. I belive when put round the mazda test track the rx8 produced an identical time to a 2002 rx7. which produces about 300bhp, and the 7 is a great handling car. <----- can't back that one up though
To be honest i haven't driven an RX7 in years, the one thing which sticks out in my mind though was that i just couldn't get on with the engine. That combined with the unreliability and fuel consumption and it didn't end up appealing thus the reason i never went beyond a few test drives.
The differences in the engine, in laymans terms is that although the RX7 felt much more powerful, it feels as though it lacks the resistance and feel of cylinder engines. The S2000 engine isnt totally my cup of tea either, but at least it feels linked to the chassis through the gearbox, when you come off the throttle it resists the motion of the car and feels as though you are in control. I am rambling but with the rotaries its almost as if you are coasting the whole time, i felt, obviously not that extreme but its a strange sensation.
I suppose the Wankel is a very marmite engine. I personally love the butter-smooth revvy character of it, and it's that character which is a big part of the charm of the RX7 and 8. They wouldn't be the same with a boinger under the bonnet.
Did you not feel disconnected though?
I can kind of see what you mean, it's a very smooth engine and it doesn't give you the feel of a piston engine, but I wouldn't say I ever felt disconnected.
But yeah, you have a valid point, that lack of engine feel is the reason they put a buzzer on them to tell you that you are in the redline, because unlike a piston engine it just doesn't feel like it's spinning at 8000+ rpm.
I've driven an RX8 many times. Never driven an S2000 though, but used to own a CTR so I know what VTEC engines feel like.The most disappointing thing about the RX8 engine is that it is too smooth - the power delivery is flat right across the rev range and the engine note never changes. Everytime you hit 6000 rpm, you expect the engine to kick and to come alive like a VTEC powerplant, but that never happens. The car handles tightly enough, but overall I thought it was dull to drive, primarily because of the engine.
Associate
Excellent car, owned mine for 2 months and fuel economy isnt really that bad =/ Just a bit less than my old EP3. I have a 231 version got it for £8000 with 30K miles and full service history.
Its a great handling car which makes the EP3 look tired in the corners, revs upto 9500RPM and Pettit Racing have just released the Supercharger for the RX8 231 to get 280RWHP and a stage 3 version coming out soon
Its a great handling car which makes the EP3 look tired in the corners, revs upto 9500RPM and Pettit Racing have just released the Supercharger for the RX8 231 to get 280RWHP and a stage 3 version coming out soon
Soldato
Excellent car, owned mine for 2 months and fuel economy isnt really that bad =/ Just a bit less than my old EP3. I have a 231 version got it for £8000 with 30K miles and full service history.
Its a great handling car which makes the EP3 look tired in the corners, revs upto 9500RPM and Pettit Racing have just released the Supercharger for the RX8 231 to get 280RWHP and a stage 3 version coming out soon
As cool as the idea of a supercharged RX8 is from what I could tell (it was not very clear) it looked like the cost of this was about £4000 + VAT + Labour which seems to me like a heck of a lot of money for what it does.
Soldato
Also be very careful of any that have been Mazda corporate-owned, particularly while they were doing the project Renesis about 2 years back. These were uber-ragged and we saw several losing water/oil/both.
The PZ is the one to have I believe - itdoes output 231bhp, many others are misssing a few horses.
The PZ is the one to have I believe - itdoes output 231bhp, many others are misssing a few horses.
PZ has a Prodrive-fettled chassis too AFAIK.
Associate
PZ has the exact same engine as any other 231 AFAIK, just different suspension, wheels and some small exterior enhancements.
NS
NS
Soldato
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- 10 Apr 2004
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Wow that is a shocking MPG for what should in theory be a very efficient engine!
Although its only a 1.3L?
If they could crack the MPG that would be the way forward for petrol engines.
Although its only a 1.3L?
If they could crack the MPG that would be the way forward for petrol engines.