Sooo, I was looking at getting a car this summer, so i started looking around.  i've always loved rally so i was looking at an evo, but i decided to keep my options open and i tried out a genesis coupe 2.0 track, didn't really like it, looked at a 370z, decided i wanted a rear seat and a trunk more than 5 inches deep, tried out an RX8 touring and loved it lots.  but to be fair i scheduled a test in an evo x gsr at another place.  i drove it and i didn't like driving it all that much.  i'm sure its a great car with great performance and awesome potencial, but as it will be my DD i figured i should try just putzing around town in my usual manner, which will be most of my driving anyway.  it just didn't fit me.  i wasn't overly comfortable, the driving position wasn't great for me (i'm oddly proportioned, long legs, short torso) and so on.

Then i made the big mistake of taking out an RX8 R3 for comparison.  well, that fit well, was more fun to put around in (i don't know what everyone means about no low end torque, but then again my last few cars had no low, middle, or high end anything) and i'm one of those people who likes the sound of a rotary.  i know they get dreadful milage, but so does the evo and both are better than my current old school V8 van.  i know it uses oil, but i'm used to checking oil every gas up/interstate trip anyway.  i know rotaries are, well, quirky? i guess thats the best way to say that, but i just wanted it so much more.  then there's the kicker.  it is an unsold '09, so i got a massive amount of rebates and got a bit more nocked off for good measure because it had  acouple hundred miles, and an extended warantee and blah blah blah.  so there.  i liked it more, and i got it for 11K less than the evo i was looking at.  and now i have begun the descent into rotary geek-dom.  God help me.

i pick it up this afternoon.  i can't wait!!

there it is!  this pic was actually taken saturday before i picked it up.  i didn't have a good camera today, but the car hasn't changed! it does have plates, though.  i'll maybe get more pics later, but i don't think people come here to look at bone stock cars.  i'm very happy with it, put about 30 miles on today since 5 PM.  its gonna stay bone stock for quite some time, but i don't plan on getting rid of it, so i can be patient. anything else a rotary noob needs to know to make sure i don't ruin the engine?  besides the check the oil thing?  the guy at the dealership said if it didn't warm up i should rev it to about 3k for 12 seconds or so before shutting it off.  the saleswoman said before i shut it off, i should rev it to 5-6k for 3 seconds, blip the throttle and then let it idle for 3 seconds and then shut it off, all to do with removing residual fuel/oil in the engine.  i should mention i have yet to read the manual, but it's right in front of me and i'm going to read it after i hit the submit button. 

either way i hope it doesn't get stolen or broken into or keyed or soemthing!  though i did get a thumbs up already.

http://www.rotaryinsider.com/diy-ta...-gap28.htm

Link to info on the separate oil system to lube the seals.

I was very tempted to get the RX8 and boost it.  The Renesis engine has a very similar torque/power curve and behaves similarly to the Honda F20c (S2000) engine.  Both can make a lot of power with relatively low boost as compared to 2.0L engines like the SR20, 4g63, etc.  No way to do a twin-scroll on the Renesis though due to the layout of the exhaust ports.

Thanks for the info! yeah i'm on rx8club reading pretty much every night for a while. So far i'm just doing everything by the book (i.e. user manual that came with the car) because there isn't a whole lot of series 2 discussion yet. I read the series 2 has some oil injection and fuel injection system changes, so i'm not gonna jump to screwing with that just yet. Besides, I want to ride out my warranty for a while so I can let the knowledge base build before i start screwing with anything. Plus I'm happy with it as is for now, though it will be nice once I'm through the break in period

A sticky on rx8club has the list of what they changed and among that is:

New Rear Suspension Control Links (Rods) Upper/Lower and Trailing have Increased In Diameter.
New Rear Stabilizer Bar.
New Rear Shocks And Springs.
New Front Upper And Front Lower Suspension Arms (Wishbone).
New Front Stabilizer Bar.
New Front Shock and Springs

along with a chassis stiffened by 5-10%ish, some different braces/some filled with stuff to stiffen them, and thats just the normal RX8. the R3 really only has differences in the suspention (stiffer) and the seats (recaros). Well and a slight body kit, and lack of certain luxury items (which is why this R3 listed for less than the grand touring i also looked at). I can't say as i've experienced any understeer, but I haven't been at a track or autox either so i cant comment on that, but it appears Mazda made lots of changes to the way it could handle.

And hey, I like the gaping clown grin  

Yeah that seems to fit what speculation I've heard too. If all the sources of speculation simultaneously agree, then it must be true! Just look at Y2k! Wait, no, bad example... In all seriousness, though, the RX-8 is a somewhat aging platform, so it's gonna be gone soon, rotary engine or not. I'm also surprized the 13B has lasted this long (even though it's been radically changed through the years), though that's going bye bye as well with the RX-8. On the flip side...

http://www.mazda.com/mazdaspirit/rotary/16x/

Check that out. looks pretty awesome. Higher eccentricity, narrower rotor housing, direct injection, relatively same external dimensions, increased displacement, side intake/exhaust ports, it all looks pretty cool. I hope they do sell it in something. I wonder if the higher eccentricity would make it slightly more unhappy at higher RPM... seems like the topic for a whole new thread!  I have some time this weekend so maybe I'll do some more research and see if I can assemble a coherant post. Maybe I can contribute for once and earn my motoiq ASE certification!

Posted By Paul on 05-04-2010 03:06 PM
well i'm at about 1400 miles now, not quite out of the break in period according to racing beat, but way past the mazda reccomendation. I'm still taking it easy and reading more, but it seems the series 2 RX8 is very poorly supported in the aftermarket. It seems Mazda changed enough to make many of the aftermarket series I parts not compatible, but at the same time series II RX-8's aren't selling very well so very few companies are developing new parts for what will probobly be a small potential market and an ultimate loss of money. I understand nobody can afford to lose money right now, so I guess I'll have to wait. Maybe in a few years companies will develop stuff that fits, or maybe Mazda will sell more (probobly unlikely, especially because i'm getting 14 mpg city while driving very calmly). I didn't plan on doing anything until after the warranty was up anyway, so I can wait. Besides, i'm VERY happy with the whole car right now, except for the extra attention I get from the police who, in Appleton, WI are on practically every street corner. It's not so bad, though, because I drive like a sane person so they have no reason to pull me over.

They may be on every street corner here (I even live a few blocks from the station) but they never give my bright blue car any trouble   Also, If the aftermarket isn't making many suspension parts for it, I wouldn't worry about it.  Chances are a guy would do much more harm than good changing things on that car anyway.

Yeah after some more miles (up to 7000 now) i'm very happy with the handling. The main thing people seem to want with this car is power, which basically requires a turbo, as Mazda didn't leave much locked away. None is offered for this car (due to problems with tuning), and i'd rather my apex seals stay in place for a while, so that's a no for me. Plus, I like this thing as is for now. I think my main goal will be to keep this beast from eating it's own engine, and i'll leave modification for later.  I would like to know how they managed to fit 3000lbs into this thing, and how to get rid of some of that., though.

Also the cops here in Boston don't seem to pay attention to traffic at all, except when it gets in their way. I don't know what you have to do to get pulled over. i've seen people pass cops at 20 over with no lights on at 1 AM and nothing happened.