Picked this up yesterday, still haven't driven it on a dry road yet and it desperately needs tires but I might as well start the thread for it.
2011 RX-8 Sport (base model), 31k miles, cloth seats no sunroof no foglights no Bose etc.
I'll add more later, I have a lot of random thoughts on it already.
9000 Placs Per Minute
- troyguitar
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- troyguitar
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Some initial thoughts in no particular order:
I really like the color. It's hard to capture in photos, but in person it's much more of a metallic orange in most lighting. It's almost more orange than red. 5/7.
Throttle and steering response are perfect - if I didn't know that they were both electronic, I'd never have guessed. This is how you do DBW and EPS programming.
The steering ratio is slow compared to the MR2 but the response is quicker and the actual feeling is better (thank you rigid chassis and better geometry).
Power feels better than I expected for a "slow" car, it's certainly not fast and you definitely need to keep it in lower gears to accelerate but the engine being so smooth makes it feel more reasonable to be cruising at 4000+ RPM. The Vibe/MR2 feel extremely coarse in comparison. The downside to that smoothness is that it's really easy to go WAY over the speed limit. Cruising at 6000 vs 3000 feels almost the same.
Ride/handling in stock form with the shitty hard 2010-vintage tires is significantly better than I expected. The absolute limits are obviously low, but it is extremely neutral and handles bumps better than anything I've ever owned. It reminds me in many ways of my modded but with lower limits. I had the ass end step out unexpectedly 3 different times yesterday due to the shitty tires, but it was totally progressive and easy to control (there's no traction or stability control, the only nanny is ABS). Impacts at speed make more noise than anything, they don't upset the car - I'm guessing this is a tire issue.
I'm really surprised at how comfortable it is, I knew it would beat the Vibe/MR2 but it probably beats anything else I've owned too. The suspension works well, the cloth seats are fantastic (I was in the driver's seat for 10 hours yesterday, it's both comfy and supportive), and it's not too loud. It's about as loud on the highway as the Vibe - definitely loud compared to most new cars, but not as loud as the and nowhere near as loud as the MR2. The stereo is OK which is better than I expected, it's not great but is better than the stereo in the wife's 2014 Mazda3 for example.
Back seat is a real back seat. I fit OK behind the driver's seat set to "comfortable to drive for 10 hours" position which is further back than I'd normally drive. Anyone 6 foot or under should be fine back there.
MPG sucks, I got 20 mpg yesterday. That might improve a little bit after I do plugs+wires+coils, but I don't expect to see over 22. Power felt fine and hot start was instant, so I'm not worried about the engine but it does need a tune up. I noticed some misfiring at idle. Plugs are due at 30k miles or 30 months according to the manual and AFAIK these are original so they're overdue.
The dash/gauges look really nice. The whole interior feels nicer than I expected, I'd driven one but it had been a few years and I didn't remember that part. The tach itself is apparently optimistic, it reads 9500 at the rev limit when AFAIK the limiter kicks in at 9000. Outward visibility is also really good, especially to the sides and rear. It's way easier to see out of than our Mazda3, the C5, or the MR2 with the top up. Headroom is also much better than the C5, I'll be able to wear a helmet without my head hitting the roof or having to lean the seat back.
Other random bits from the include:
Car came with no floor mats.
Both key fob batteries were dead.
Glove box was stuck closed, I had to break it open with a pry bar and will likely have to replace some parts to fix it.
The entire interior and engine bay were covered in oily+shiny Armor All.
- max225
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how are the brakes?troyguitar wrote: ↑Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:44 pm
Some initial thoughts in no particular order:
I really like the color. It's hard to capture in photos, but in person it's much more of a metallic orange in most lighting. It's almost more orange than red. 5/7.
Throttle and steering response are perfect - if I didn't know that they were both electronic, I'd never have guessed. This is how you do DBW and EPS programming.
The steering ratio is slow compared to the MR2 but the response is quicker and the actual feeling is better (thank you rigid chassis and better geometry).
Power feels better than I expected for a "slow" car, it's certainly not fast and you definitely need to keep it in lower gears to accelerate but the engine being so smooth makes it feel more reasonable to be cruising at 4000+ RPM. The Vibe/MR2 feel extremely coarse in comparison. The downside to that smoothness is that it's really easy to go WAY over the speed limit. Cruising at 6000 vs 3000 feels almost the same.
Ride/handling in stock form with the shitty hard 2010-vintage tires is significantly better than I expected. The absolute limits are obviously low, but it is extremely neutral and handles bumps better than anything I've ever owned. It reminds me in many ways of my modded but with lower limits. I had the ass end step out unexpectedly 3 different times yesterday due to the shitty tires, but it was totally progressive and easy to control (there's no traction or stability control, the only nanny is ABS). Impacts at speed make more noise than anything, they don't upset the car - I'm guessing this is a tire issue.
I'm really surprised at how comfortable it is, I knew it would beat the Vibe/MR2 but it probably beats anything else I've owned too. The suspension works well, the cloth seats are fantastic (I was in the driver's seat for 10 hours yesterday, it's both comfy and supportive), and it's not too loud. It's about as loud on the highway as the Vibe - definitely loud compared to most new cars, but not as loud as the and nowhere near as loud as the MR2. The stereo is OK which is better than I expected, it's not great but is better than the stereo in the wife's 2014 Mazda3 for example.
Back seat is a real back seat. I fit OK behind the driver's seat set to "comfortable to drive for 10 hours" position which is further back than I'd normally drive. Anyone 6 foot or under should be fine back there.
MPG sucks, I got 20 mpg yesterday. That might improve a little bit after I do plugs+wires+coils, but I don't expect to see over 22. Power felt fine and hot start was instant, so I'm not worried about the engine but it does need a tune up. I noticed some misfiring at idle. Plugs are due at 30k miles or 30 months according to the manual and AFAIK these are original so they're overdue.
The dash/gauges look really nice. The whole interior feels nicer than I expected, I'd driven one but it had been a few years and I didn't remember that part. The tach itself is apparently optimistic, it reads 9500 at the rev limit when AFAIK the limiter kicks in at 9000. Outward visibility is also really good, especially to the sides and rear. It's way easier to see out of than our Mazda3, the C5, or the MR2 with the top up. Headroom is also much better than the C5, I'll be able to wear a helmet without my head hitting the roof or having to lean the seat back.
Other random bits from the include:
Car came with no floor mats.
Both key fob batteries were dead.
Glove box was stuck closed, I had to break it open with a pry bar and will likely have to replace some parts to fix it.
The entire interior and engine bay were covered in oily+shiny Armor All.
Have you driven a 370z ?!
Just curious good write up! Enjoy the car
- Davestr
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Troy congrats and nice eval of the car so far. I have zero knowledge of dorito-rotary machines. Glad its a clean straight car overall with just a few minor needs. I know you will have it sorted and perfect in no time for your intended useage!!
- goIftdibrad
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i always the rx8
brain go brrrrrr
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Nice write up and initial thoughts. Surprised about the suspension comments! I expected this to ride kind of rough, but then again the Miata it's based on has always been praised for good ride comfort on shit roads.
20 MPG on premium is fuel mileage I guess it's just the price you pay on this car. I'd be alright with that. I mean my tractor gets 27 highway so I pay a penalty already but I'm OK with it because of the drama and noise this thing makes, it more than justifies the added fuel cost. I'm sure this engine is the same, being that it's so unique.
Not surprised on the interior, seat comfort, and steering quality comments. My friend's old 2004 Mazda 3S is exceptional in this regard. Interior is very nicely done and rather durable, steering is great, throttle is perfect, etc. This being roughly same vintage and more sports oriented should be just as good or better. I remember sitting in one of these at an auto show, it was one of only a few cars that I enjoyed sitting in still, it felt racy from behind the steering wheel.
20 MPG on premium is fuel mileage I guess it's just the price you pay on this car. I'd be alright with that. I mean my tractor gets 27 highway so I pay a penalty already but I'm OK with it because of the drama and noise this thing makes, it more than justifies the added fuel cost. I'm sure this engine is the same, being that it's so unique.
Not surprised on the interior, seat comfort, and steering quality comments. My friend's old 2004 Mazda 3S is exceptional in this regard. Interior is very nicely done and rather durable, steering is great, throttle is perfect, etc. This being roughly same vintage and more sports oriented should be just as good or better. I remember sitting in one of these at an auto show, it was one of only a few cars that I enjoyed sitting in still, it felt racy from behind the steering wheel.
- max225
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Ima call bs on your 27 breh, it shouldn't be any better than the RX. Maybe at 55 with a tailwind. If troy drove your STi home in the same manner it would likely be around what the RX8 got. They are rated the same.Johnny_P wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:28 am Nice write up and initial thoughts. Surprised about the suspension comments! I expected this to ride kind of rough, but then again the Miata it's based on has always been praised for good ride comfort on shit roads.
20 MPG on premium is fuel mileage I guess it's just the price you pay on this car. I'd be alright with that. I mean my tractor gets 27 highway so I pay a penalty already but I'm OK with it because of the drama and noise this thing makes, it more than justifies the added fuel cost. I'm sure this engine is the same, being that it's so unique.
Not surprised on the interior, seat comfort, and steering quality comments. My friend's old 2004 Mazda 3S is exceptional in this regard. Interior is very nicely done and rather durable, steering is great, throttle is perfect, etc. This being roughly same vintage and more sports oriented should be just as good or better. I remember sitting in one of these at an auto show, it was one of only a few cars that I enjoyed sitting in still, it felt racy from behind the steering wheel.
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True, the Troy factor would decrease the mileage. I tend to drive about 60 MPH in the right lane and about the brake slam fest happening in the left lanes.max225 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2018 2:08 pmIma call bs on your 27 breh, it shouldn't be any better than the RX. Maybe at 55 with a tailwind. If troy drove your STi home in the same manner it would likely be around what the RX8 got. They are rated the same.Johnny_P wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:28 am Nice write up and initial thoughts. Surprised about the suspension comments! I expected this to ride kind of rough, but then again the Miata it's based on has always been praised for good ride comfort on shit roads.
20 MPG on premium is fuel mileage I guess it's just the price you pay on this car. I'd be alright with that. I mean my tractor gets 27 highway so I pay a penalty already but I'm OK with it because of the drama and noise this thing makes, it more than justifies the added fuel cost. I'm sure this engine is the same, being that it's so unique.
Not surprised on the interior, seat comfort, and steering quality comments. My friend's old 2004 Mazda 3S is exceptional in this regard. Interior is very nicely done and rather durable, steering is great, throttle is perfect, etc. This being roughly same vintage and more sports oriented should be just as good or better. I remember sitting in one of these at an auto show, it was one of only a few cars that I enjoyed sitting in still, it felt racy from behind the steering wheel.
- troyguitar
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That's cruise control set at 77 for 250 miles straight with no traffic, barely 20 mpg - I think it was 19.7 over the whole 650 miles. It did rain the whole way and there were some hills. I'm guessing I might get more like 22 in normal highway use out here once I do the tune-up, which IIRC is the EPA highway rating.
Given how good it is at everything else and how cheap it was to purchase, I'm willing to throw extra money at fuel. It can't really depreciate more than $5k or so, making overall ownership costs still pretty low.
Adding to costs, I just ordered a set of OEM rubber floor mats and a replacement glove box latch - another $100 gone.
Even the mats have doritos on them...
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troyguitar wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2018 2:40 pm
That's cruise control set at 77 for 250 miles straight with no traffic, barely 20 mpg - I think it was 19.7 over the whole 650 miles. It did rain the whole way and there were some hills. I'm guessing I might get more like 22 in normal highway use out here once I do the tune-up, which IIRC is the EPA highway rating.
Given how good it is at everything else and how cheap it was to purchase, I'm willing to throw extra money at fuel. It can't really depreciate more than $5k or so, making overall ownership costs still pretty low.
Adding to costs, I just ordered a set of OEM rubber floor mats and a replacement glove box latch - another $100 gone.
Even the mats have doritos on them...
I am jelly of the time.
Currently still exploring my own options...
- troyguitar
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Oh, max asked about brakes:
I really have no idea yet. With crap tires on cold wet pavement, it gets into ABS very quickly. The ABS system seems pretty good so far though.
I really have no idea yet. With crap tires on cold wet pavement, it gets into ABS very quickly. The ABS system seems pretty good so far though.
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Pedal firm? Soft? It doesn't have waxables right?troyguitar wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2018 3:04 pm Oh, max asked about brakes:
I really have no idea yet. With crap tires on cold wet pavement, it gets into ABS very quickly. The ABS system seems pretty good so far though.
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max225 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2018 3:11 pmfirm? Soft? It doesn't have waxables right?troyguitar wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2018 3:04 pm Oh, max asked about brakes:
I really have no idea yet. With crap tires on cold wet pavement, it gets into ABS very quickly. The ABS system seems pretty good so far though.
brain go brrrrrr
- troyguitar
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Plain old sliders, nothing special. Once I get the stoptech pads and fresh fluid in there I'll see how they actually feel.max225 wrote:Pedal firm? Soft? It doesn't have waxables right?troyguitar wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2018 3:04 pm Oh, max asked about brakes:
I really have no idea yet. With crap tires on cold wet pavement, it gets into ABS very quickly. The ABS system seems pretty good so far though.
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I like that the OEM mats have the doritos on them. Clever.
Desertbreh wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
- troyguitar
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Ok, these need to go ASAP. Can't see shit at night, I almost backed into a parked car. What's the best way to remove these things?
The rear one is going to be tough because of the defroster but the tint shop I used charged me $20 to remove the fronts.troyguitar wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2018 10:32 pm Ok, these need to go ASAP. Can't see shit at night, I almost backed into a parked car. What's the best way to remove these things?
- max225
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How dark are they?troyguitar wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2018 10:32 pm Ok, these need to go ASAP. Can't see shit at night, I almost backed into a parked car. What's the best way to remove these things?
Dat backup camera or bust lyfe...
That said, they have ... "tint off" spray.... you lay a towel down under rear window... spray that shit on the windows... let it sit for a bit... and then start peeling... then start razor blading
Also anything with "ammonia" is suppose to work. You can also try and apply some heat... Newish tint comes off easy... older stufff... cheaper to pay some sick fool $100