Half a year with the RX-8

Here is the real storey on this car warts and all. I have a GT 6 spd.

On the plus side this is an excellent performing car. It has very good balance and will not bite you when pushed. Rode manors are also very good with a good quality ride yet handling as good as a 350z with out the beating you take with the Z. The car has a 2 seat look with 4-seat capacity. I'm 5'10" and fit very comfortably in the rear. Build quality is good. The car is very fun and rewarding to drive. Good size truck for a sports car.

Now the bad. Gas mileage is the worst I have ever experienced. 12mpg in Chicago city driving I can get 22 on the highway, this car inhauls gas. This is compounded by Mazda’s complete lack of support for this car and its problems, I was informed by Mazda that 12mpg is normal and they would do nothing to look for possible causes. The paint is very weak and chips easy. There is no toque, if you get caught at 2000rpm and need to accelerate you better down shift a gear or two. You can keep the revs up which helps a lot but then the gas mileage gets worst. Stock tires are undrivable in the snow. Flooding is still an issue, it is better with an upgrade made for 05 with a stronger starter, battery and new plugs but the by design the Rotary can flood if shut down cold. Again much less likely but can and dose happen. It burns oil by its nature mine burns a quart every 750 miles other do better.