Chris L

RX-8

Picked it up yesterday - already looks filthy because of the salt and crap on the roads First impressions are very good. Got to run it in for 600 miles, so no revving it to 9K just yet

Pictures are not great because the light levels are so poor this morning. I'll try and take a few better ones at some point.











Chris

mplaczek

Very nice,

I used to have a Civic type R, you can rev the nuts off that too... lots of fun

How does it compare with the scooby??

TonyG

Smart With it being grey though, the dirt won't show up so much.
Only takes 600 miles to run in?

Chris L

Cheers - power delivery is different to a Scoob. There is less torque and I've found myself in the wrong gear a couple of times. Where I would be in 3rd in the Scoob, sometimes it is better to be in 2nd with the RX-8. It is just a case of adjusting your driving style. Even limiting the revs, the car reaches speeds well in excess of 70 very quickly! It does it with so little fuss - it's amazingly smooth and quiet. This car is the definition of a licence loser as it really doesn't feel as if you are doing the speed, so you do have to be careful.

Brakes are very good - it has huge discs front and back and it does stop very well. Grip is good too - the standard Bridgestones aren't particularily liked (sound familiar?), but they seem OK at the moment. Even on the wet and greasy roads, there has been no sign of it breaking traction and the traction control hasn't cut in yet, so I'll have to try harder

Steering is very direct and there is lots of feedback - something that was always lacking on the Scoob. Suspension is firm, but not as hard as my old Scoob. Ride is very good.

Interior is a massive improvement on the Scoob (over-styled handbrake aside) - really nice place to sit. Seats are not quite as supportive as the Scoobs, but still very comfortable and you don't slide around in them. Stereo is quite impressive too

Running in is 600 miles - after that I let loose

First impressions are very positive.

Gav1

Is this the beasty with the ROTARY WANKEL engine in it??

Heard some good things about this cars driveability and performance.

Gav.

Andy Porter

it is Gav, and they are great cars ( same colour as my boss's, he loves his )

JackClark

Good choice Chris. Nothing much I don't like about those.

gso

awesome


I really want one of those!! is it a 230 or 190?

Is it RWD?

Chris L

It's the 230 HP model and yes it RWD
The engine, which is tiny, is mounted so far back in the engine bay, that I guess technically you could call it mid-engined, but that's probably pushing it a bit

50:50 weight distribution, RWD and a LSD = fun at speeds which mean you hopefully won't end up killing yourself!

It is also in the top 10 least depreciating cars, beating many BMWs, which makes a change from Scoobs!

Diablo

Very nice Chris

BOB.T

What a load of ****(el)

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

That looks nice, shame you can't do scratch and sniff on here as I love the new car/leather combo smell Show us a pic of the engine please!

So, what are your first mods going to be?

TonyG

My suggestion - Bigger rear wing...

Chris L

Cheers Bob - I was waiting for that

Sal - I showed the engine to your Dad yesterday and he laughed when I opened the engine bay - it's tiny! I'll take a couple of pics.

This car will be kept standard........






















LOL - Fat chance. There's a very nice exhaust by a company called Racing Beat, which might be finding its way onto the car.....

Chris

Chris L

Might pass on the spoiler idea

Here are a few engine shots:

Looking good with the engine cover on - very impressive:


Cover off...


Close up, in case you didn't spot it Engine is right at the back, buried under all the pipework. I think the alternator is bigger than the engine block!

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Nope, can't see it

Chris L

Honest, it's there

Nathan L

Nice car mate.

I can't see an engine either.

Are you sure that's not the starter motor

R*** ANT

Lovely Car!! but what's with the handbrake??

BOB.T

No worries, you know you can count on me for the predictable jokes!

A mate of mine had an RX7 that he used to race, as a treat for spannering on it I got to do a few laps of Oulton Park in it, what a machine! He also had one for the road, I've never experienced anything that pulls so hard for so long

I'm still not convinced either had engines though, just jumped up starter motors I reckon!

richs2891

Nice choice Chris, my sister has one on bright red 230 model with all the toys, leather, sat nav etc.
Do you still get the whole day out at Prodrive or have they cut it to 1/2 day ?
Brilliant day out !
LOL at the engine shot, you will soon get to hate removing the plastic cover which never seems to fit back properly and very quickly realise that the oil dipstick is possible the worse designed ever, a pain to get to and even worse to get back in.

ps I'm sure you know thisa but keep checking the oil

Richard

Chris L

As far as I know it is still the full day at Prodrive - just waiting for the details to come through!

Nathan - correct - that's the starter motor!

Richard - get your sister to talk to her dealer, they've issued a new dip stick which is meant to make life a bit easier.

ANT - I have no f***king idea what went through the designer's head when he did the handbrake

scoobyboy1

iTrader: (16)

Chris L, have you seen some of the stuff you can get for the RX8 heres a few ideas. http://www.hopupracing.com/mazdarx8.html


Was thinking of going for the Mazda RX8 next, Sold my Scoob a few months ago and and went for a Audi TT 225, the car is nice but after a couple of weeks I got bored of it and despreatly want another Classic Impreza. Let me know in a couple of months time which you prefer the Impreza or the Mazda RX8, because I dont want to go back to the Impreza, but no other car gives me that same smile as what the scoob gave me, just hope the RX8 is as good as everyone says.

Anyway nice looking motor.

Chris L

Thanks Scoobyboy - difficult to do a direct comparison to the Scoob, but it is lovely to drive

mega_stream

Just seen this thread Chris

Car looks superb mate, enjoy it now the weather is on the up

All the best

John

Patriot

Me too...nice car, does it have a ridiculous service schedule, heard it was at very low mileage intervals.

Martin

scooby_si

cough mazdarotaryclub cough lol.
Looks good so confess are you guna start modding seems most the 8 owners aren't overly warrenty beating yet although heard a few nice induction goodies & i'm looking forward to seeing the turbo'd one soon
Si

Chris L

Thanks all Si - I've just joined the RX8 owners club

Servicing wise - it's a fairly standard 10000 miles - nothing unusual really. I've done about 1100 miles now, so I'm through the initial running-in period. The car is very good - great fun to drive. Peach of a chassis and great brakes for a road car. I've had my first few 'tail out' moments which brought a smile to my face.

I took it out at the weekend - this was the first time I'd really started to push it and it is a very quick car. It is very much like a Honda VTEC - low down it's very docile and you can sit in traffic and drive around town with no problems. But if you get the revs up above 7000 and the third port and extra air intakes activate then it becomes a very different beast - the car really flies and it takes on a very edgy exhaust note - great fun to drive. I'm still learning to be honest, as it is quite a challenge to keep it up in the top rev range - but very rewarding when you do so.

Oil consumption has been low - think I've put in about 1/4 of a litre. Fuel consumption is not great at the moment - slightly less than I was getting the Scoob, but apparantly this does improve after a few thousand miles, once the engine has bedded in (doesn't need SUL though - I've tried it and there is no noticeable difference).

Mod wise - I don't there is too much that needs changing at the moment, apart from a decent exhaust - more for looks and sound rather than for performance increase. Racing Beat do a very nice cat back system. This looks loads better - much larger tail pipes that fill out the back of the car nicely and by all accounts, sounds great too.

There are rumours of a factory turbo or super charged model coming out - that will be a lot of fun

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

And a change of underpants eh?

Chris L

- well it caught me a little by surprise - A414 coming out of Hertford - going onto the dual carrigeway - cold tyres, slightly damp and a little bit heavy on the throttle = back of car in the 2nd lane. Must have looked good from behind

Put it this way, I'm looking forward to doing the Prodrive day in May!