MAZDA RX-8 (2003) / Is it time to change your thinking about rotaries?
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- Опубліковано 19 сер 2023
- If a Mazda RX-8 has never been on your sports car short list, maybe time to rethink your anti-rotary prejudice. The Mazda RX-8 is a better drivers car than you think. Rotaries have their fans and they certainly have plenty of detractors. So yes it's great fun, but what's it like as a real drivers car. Then let's ask the difficult questions - is it reliable? Just how thirsty? Should you buy one?
Ric Shaw has been a 10A 12A 13B 20B rotary fanatic since he first raced an RX3 forty years ago, so we're lucky to have him along as our super knowledgeable host today. OK he's biased but let's hear what he's got to say. Just try not to mention his haircut.
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The RX8 is underappreciated, underrated, misused and misunderstood. Thanks for bringing fair and thorough insight to the car.
Thank you Curtis. And thanks for commenting within the first 10 minutes of publishing it. It's late here, so I can go to sleep now feeling pleased that somebody enjoyed it.
@@inCARnationAustralia I also loved the intro!
Well if you thought two Stus were better than one, you might enjoy five Stus in one short clip.
ua-cam.com/video/bLDSN9td_N0/v-deo.html
If you enjoyed that one, may I suggest the Mustang GT intro and the Porsche 944 intro, on the channel. Cheers
As an owner of such a well misunderstood vehicle I love mine. I need to grab another cleaner one before they all get snatched up. Unfortunately I'm in Canada where most were abused in all aspects and the most misunderstood. Not many clean ones left in my market.
Absolutely agree with you, I had one for a year, sold it, then 2 years later I got another, now 2 years later and it's been faultless. It does need regular servicing, but even then compared to more modern cars it's relatively inexpensive. I guess the only downside is the fuel consumption, but then no one buys a sporty car based on its fuel consumption. Do they ?
I have owned seven rotaries since the seventies: one RX3; two RX4; all three generations of RX7 (all boosted, one boosted and race-prepped by Racing Beat in the USA); and a 2008 40th Anniversary Edition RX8. I easily have over a million rotary miles driven on street and track. To correct you, the manual transmission RX8 in the USA were six-speed, not five speed like my 2003 FD RX7. And the USA-spec 2008 40th Anniversary Edition RX8 had most of all the mechanical upgrades of the Series Two, minus the different gear ratio, new fuel pump and extra gallon capacity in the fuel tank and 18-inch wheels , not the 19 inch.ones available in the Series Two. . My 40th Anniversary Edition has the Bilstein shocks and more. Only 1000 were made in USA-specs. I have made many performance upgrades for more power (still normally aspirated), better cooling (Koyo-Rad radiator, with Racing Beat hoses), better higher performance ignition (BHR), high performance cat and mid-pipe, Series Two fuel pump, upgraded starter, upgraded water pump, lower temp thermostats for a closed Pettit Racing cooling system, and lower temp oil cooler thermostats, strengthened clutch pedal assembly, and more. It is still driven, and its condition and rarity has earned it classic car status with Hagerty Insurance, fully insured for far more than new, with no depreciation, and I just had the paint corrected, clay bar, polished and multi-layer ceramic coated. Wish I could have kept all my rotaries . My race-prepped, ported and boosted RX7 achieved 185mph on the banking at Pocono race track. I was part of the Mazda RX7 team at Daytona with the first racing versions finishing 1-2 in class at the 1979 24 Hours of Daytona and fifth and sixth overall, only bested by three higher class Porsche 935/79 and one higher class Ferrari 365 GTB/4. Cheers, enjoying your videos and your experiences from down under.
I got a s2 Rx-8 5 speed as my first car with the leather seats it's a beast I heard it and will be driving it this year at some point 😊😊 it's got al9t history and the gearbox was just changed, I got it put in a autoshop atm for body repairs can't wait for it to come back I love the car ❤❤
Clarkson loved this model Rx8 when he drove it on top gear.
Definitely need to see more of legends like Rick Shaw. 👍
Fun fact: In the Netherlands, all rotaries are exempt from exhaust gas checking. You could have a decat and fly through MOT like its nothing.
As a 6'5" tall driver , who also owns a Rx7 S2 , with a S5 Turbo 13B , I can attest to Ric's comments , the RX8 is way more rewarding to steer and stop , you just miss the extra 100 hp of turbo torque , to punch you out of corners at the track . The RX8 is the sports car bargain of the 2000's in my opinion . Great review !
I have a 2011 r3. I love these cars
Another great video, watching Ric drive is poetry in motion, and the RX8 looks as much fun as my old MX5 but with actual comfort and more performance
Poetry? I was terrified 🤐
I own my RX8 for 3 years, just as a summer weekend car. I love it. Always puts a smile on my face. No problems so far and it has 119‘000km.
I enjoy driving mine, being 6,6’ in tall I could fit into my series 2 RX7s but when it came time to get into a rotary again I can’t fit into an FD and older rotary models were very expensive as well as parts eg Rx3s and so on. In the older cars rust under paint or hiding elsewhere was a concern. I never thought I’d buy an RX8 but I fit ok and its fairly comfortable, safer, handles really well. The RX8 I drive has been modified by myself in some areas which has improved the entire driving experience.
I owned a 2009 R3 coolest car ever i've had. I had to replace the toasted heater core by pulling the interior I thought about posting the tutorial for other owners.
This is a newbie question but how do you know your heater core is going out?
Yes please do tell how to avoid a toasted heater core
A great way to start the morning. Coffee and incarnation. Great to see Ric as well
really enjoyed this video. Would love to see more of Rick! He is a natural!
The most confident inspiring car I’ve ever owned. Unlike my 911 where I worry when I approach a corner at high speed.
Great review. I learned a lot of what I didn't know about these cars. I want one.
Had my ‘05 for over 13 years and put over 40K miles on it. Wish I still had her! On my fourth (!) MX-5 now; great car, but my RX-8 was the best car I ever owned. Started right up each and every time and was as reliable as my refrigerator or dishwasher.
A special car. Thanks for going over it. Played with one on the switch back mountain roads in hawaii. Good times. Rick should never give up that hair cut 😂
I loved owning my rx8 there fantastic cars. Owned one for 3 years starting in 2019 and had no mechanical issues. Only used it on weekends. Ended up selling it as it was time to move onto new things.
If you don’t do your research and make sure you buy the right one then they can really bite the wallet.
Spot on with the thirsty rotary, travelling from Sydney to Adelaide our car handled the road really well, but most people we passed trotted on by when we were in the servos, they do like a rev and boy is it addictive. Yes we still have it. The back of the rx8 is where my then 6 year old son fell in love with rotaries and as 21 year old he has a couple. 😊
A redline day keeps the rebuild away, cheers Graham
Zoom Zoom Zoom! MAZDA FOREVER BOYS! 👍✌️👍
here in the states , you can find these for under $5,000 ALL DAY LONG in fairly decent condition ( 7/10 ) etc.
and "non-runners" pop up with IMMACULANT paint / interiors for under $1500. that usually just need to be "de-flooded" or basic servicing ( even though the owners sware up and down that the engine needs to be rebuilt ).
If i didnt already have 3 project cars already , i would have added a rx8 to my "stable" a LONG time ago.
but trying to juggle a 95 mustang gt , a 2zz swapped 86 aw11 and a 01 2zz swapped mr2 spyder with no garage gets exhausting lol.
I liked my old RX7 but you are right about the drinking problem! I think my 928 used less fuel!
Had mine for 3 years and love it! A shame its so thirsty, so it’s not my daily driver….
I've driven one that was really cheap on fuel. If you have experience and knowledge of performance 2 stroke engine's you will understand these. The only downfall is the ridiculous prices people are asking and the price of a rebuild kit.
great video!
i owned one, a 2004 Type-E… even a non-turbo n an automatic car, it’s still a fun car to drive..light, quick n responsive.. but it does drinks a lot..i only fed it with RON97 plus 2T oil.
Bad boys engine...but with good care...its make's your day great....
Why can't they just make a new reliable version of the RX8? And a convertible version too. I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
I have always wanted one but the fuel consumption stopped me just like how I've always wanted a V8. On your last review you mentioned that they have the feel of a Porsche, you nearly had me there.
Even though front-engined not mid, quite similar to a Boxster/Cayman in the way it drove. But yes, it does have a drinking problem. And didn't sound as good (to me anyway). But... cheap!
Feeling of a Porsche, don’t know about that. I think the Mini Cooper S or JCW feels more like a Porsche, imo.
Great video and review. As an owner of a 04 model I agree with everything said here.
Mine has 40k, totally stock and we are in love.
Why are they referred to as 1.3L when there are twin rotors, making them 2.6L. Here in the UK, my RX8 Renesis is classed as a 2.3L.
And BTW we do have 6 speed gear boxes here too.
Thanks, I enjoyed this.
Two rotors at ~650cc = 1.3L
Three rotors around 2L
And those nutters that can afford a four rotor = 2.6L.
Mazda used the three rotor config as an option in a "luxury" coupè called Eunos.
"Two engines were available, and both were installed with twin sequential turbochargers; the two rotor 13B-RE and the three rotor 20B-REW. The triple rotor 20B had 2 litres (1962 cc) of displacement, making it the largest capacity rotary offered for sale by Mazda."
Thanks for replying. So my twin rotors are actually 1.3 but the Uk government has classed it at 2.3 and 2.6 in brackets. No wonder my tax and insurance is sky high.
I’ll ask around if others are being taxed the same.
R3 ride is extraordinary. Check it out.
thanks for this revue , would you say this could be used as a daly driver ?
Sure if it's a well maintained one. Thirsty, but!
Stop saying it's a good car, you're gonna drive up the prices on my spares....🤫
Sorry. I wasn't thinking
What should i get rx8 or Bmw130i?
It's a good question. You should drive both to decide. My M135i had much much more get up and go than the rotary, but they're both 'feel good' rewarding cars to drive. Only you can decide.
A man gets his hair cut when its long enough to collect gearbox oil. Nice review.
Incorrect, hair 2/3rds down my back. Always pulling twigs and other debris from my hair after working under my car even if the area is clean. Hilarious if you ask me lol
Crazy in the states you can find rx8s for 3-4000$ us dollars running
The Aussie dollar is worth half US dollar so it pretty much works out exactly the same….
Anything I find for 3-4K is junk I’ve found if you want anything decent your spending 8-10k at least here in the states. I love mine but wish I would have paid less. I can’t be too upset though it only had 29k on the odometer.
@@brandonjansen838229k is unheard of nowadays bro
I’ve always wanted one but heard too many horror stories about this car
i was ALMOST scared away from them for years. but once i finally bought one, then i had to have two, and they are all i have owned since.
Believe the horror. I have one. But some people like horror. It makes you feel something different and that is a good thing.
Many rx8 can be found but unfortunately most state that the engine has gone bad
RX8 IS THE BEST DRIVERS CAR ON EARTH. IT'S SO RELIABLE TOO IF YOU CHANGE THE OIL EVER 3K MILES WITH A QUALITY CONVENTIONAL OIL AND PREMIX A BIT EACH FILL UP. MAKE SURE TO WARM HER UP GOOD BEFORE YOU GET INTO IT, AND WHEN SHE'S HOT, REV HER OUT AND ENJOY IT! (MAKE SURE TO USE WATER WETTER TO KEEP COOLANT TEMPS NICE)
I can see you're a passionate fan and yes I agree it's a really fun drivers car, but have you driven a GT3?
Not smelly. So you don't have a midpipe?
7:28
Spends fuel like a 5L Mustang and gives out 200 horse power. Yeah. No.
6:04