Who's driven an rx8 and frs

[DeeezNuuuts83]

Originally Posted by Cope52

Wasn't Europe rated at 228? That's all ours were making. I would guess even 220. Can you believe Mazda tried to pull the wool over our eyes with 250 originally?

It's still a little shy of what we had. Not that it's a huge difference, but I'm sure it was a tick or two slower.

[hmong337]

Rx8's are selling to next to nothing these days. I can find them for sub $5k easily all day in my area. Those ones are likely riddled with issues which would make for a sweet v8 project. Currently, the rx8 is my go to car for a good all-arounder project car. Good size, seating for 4, rwd, and the styling is okay.

I definitely can see myself picking up one with a dead rotary for a perfect lsx swap.

[doggieboy09]

The RX-8 is in the same Auto-x class as the 86. It really does have very similar performance numbers. The sound of the rotary with an aftermarket exhaust in the RX-8 sounds sweet and almost exotic. The sound in the 86 to be quite honest is really uninspiring, especially coming the pedigree that is the Subaru boxer motor. The overall physical feel driving both cars I still give to the 86 because of the superior seats/seating position , chassis, and shifter. The handling is great and similar in both cars, but the RX-8 has more room and you can get a sunroof if that means anything.

Even though a used RX-8 is cheaper vs the 86. It's still comes with the signature rotary issues. The 86 I think will still be cheaper to operate. And there is enough used 86s in the market anyway, overall I feel that the 86 is a better choice vs the RX-8. But the RX-8 is still a really cool-ass car despite it's flaws. The rotary cars really do require a special type of owner.

[Poodles]

Originally Posted by Cope52

Wasn't Europe rated at 228? That's all ours were making. I would guess even 220. Can you believe Mazda tried to pull the wool over our eyes with 250 originally?

It's a shame that gas prices skyrocketed right after the 8 was introduced.

Sadly, Mazda is well known for rating their cars under perfectly ideal conditions. Any heat soaking at all and the tune kills the power. I remember people complaining to no end about the Mazdaspeed 3 doing that when they first came out.

Originally Posted by Vic

I had a 2004 rx8 before I got my frs.
the rx8 is a high maintenance car that's prone for eating unlimited quarts of royal purple and flooding when you need it to move. (I think I spent more money buying oil and working on it than the mods I put on it.) But is heavenly when you hear the rotary scream at redline.

There's your issue, they require NON synthetic oil. They have to burn oil by design as it's a non-reciprocating engine. Synthetics have a higher flash point and don't want to burn as well.


When you really think about it, it's got more in common with a 2-stroke motor than a 4-stroke...

[Vic]

Originally Posted by Poodles

Sadly, Mazda is well known for rating their cars under perfectly ideal conditions. Any heat soaking at all and the tune kills the power. I remember people complaining to no end about the Mazdaspeed 3 doing that when they first came out.





There's your issue, they require NON synthetic oil. They have to burn oil by design as it's a non-reciprocating engine. Synthetics have a higher flash point and don't want to burn as well.


When you really think about it, it's got more in common with a 2-stroke motor than a 4-stroke...

despite what people actually said, I remember most of my rx8 buddys and my tuner all recommended and using royal purple for rotaries, but one thing i remember that happened on the rx8club forums was constant engine oil wars, sorta similar to our brz vs frs threads. its weird, some people say synthetics work fine and some don't. But I agree on you on the whole Synthetic oil part, but having owning one, royal purple was super smooth and had no problems.

[Poodles]

Originally Posted by Vic

despite what people actually said, I remember most of my rx8 buddys and my tuner all recommended and using royal purple for rotaries, but one thing i remember that happened on the rx8club forums was constant engine oil wars, sorta similar to our brz vs frs threads. its weird, some people say synthetics work fine and some don't. But I agree on you on the whole Synthetic oil part, but having owning one, royal purple was super smooth and had no problems.

Better system is to just convert the oil injection system to use 2-stroke oil and then run synthetic in the motor


Should have been that way from the get-go...

[Entroper]

Plenty of owners premix, with 2-stroke oil in the gas tank, and disable the OMP.

[themadscientist]

I do that in my FC with very good results. 200:1 mix of Motul in the tank and Castrol GTX in the motor. I would like to get the Rotary Aviation adapter to run the 2 stroke oil to the injection system as well and go synthetic in the engine.

[Poodles]

Originally Posted by Entroper

Plenty of owners premix, with 2-stroke oil in the gas tank, and disable the OMP.

The downside to this is engine braking where the fuel injectors are turned off...

[themadscientist]

Bingo.

[Entroper]

Originally Posted by Poodles

The downside to this is engine braking where the fuel injectors are turned off...

Most people who premix get great results (like, opening up the engine after years and it looks perfect inside, better than the OMP does), so I don't think this is a significant problem. You should only be engine braking for a few seconds at a time, anyway.

[Dr Speed]

The RX8 was a phenomenal car. Faster than the twins, wayyy nicer interior, and that technology was there a decade before the twins... BUT... the RX8 is plagued with heavy maintenance and you have to check and top up your oil frequently.

I love both cars, and if they still made the RX8 I would buy one, but they don't. So enter the GT-86!!!

* Also you could throw every mod in the book at the RX8 and gain virtually nothing. So the twins are a bit better in that area

[DeeezNuuuts83]

I think the reflash for the RX8 was decent, but other than that...

[s0sl0w]

Originally Posted by s0sl0w

The 86, not because any particular performance metric, they're all but the same in that regard, but because they 86 is going to be easier to live with and more reliable.

Didn't check the oil level every 300 miles? That's ok
Started the car, moved it 5 feet, turned it off? That's ok
Drove it around gently? You got 25 MPG

I love the RX8, love the motor that's in the RX8, but ultimately it's DD sports car with a motor that's difficult to live with on a daily basis.

My opinion is unchanged.