Well, the 8 has arrived. Picked it up today (a lease vehicle). It's a different experience than the -SE that's for sure.... but very fun! Looking forward to this as a daily ride, as I was going thru rotary withdrawal while the -SE sits in storage for the winter.

 

That's true 7 love. Let the SE sit all pampered whilst you bang around in a $30K+ rear wheel drive 8 in the winter!

 

Nice!

 

im jealous...got any mods planned?

 

For a leased vehicle?

 

I was amazed when I sat in an 8, it felt so much like the FB with the size of the interior.

 

the one thing I dont like about the 8, is rear view visibilty just SUCKS compaired to to any rx7

 

yeah, well, the rx-8 also handles much better than both my 7's (but i've yet to own a 3rd gen rx-7, which on paper handles better than the 8). also, I have not modified the suspension in either my gsl-se or my 2nd gen. But I did drive my buddies 8, and I got to say, for being a moderately low horse power car (compared to todays other sports cars) it truly does zoom zoom

 

well i have driven very HARD all gens of rx7's with both stock and aftermarket supen in them. And the S.E club got to go to the dealer and had a 5 hour HANDS ON with 3 8's in there service area( so we could see the top side and the bottom side (both 6 speed and a auto) of the 8 and they had mazda reginal people there to "TELL" us about the new rx8... and then we got to "test drive" 1.... well me and another fb guy loaded up in the tester with the EARLY 20ish year old sales kid and off we go... he got us to a back road and let us loose. the 8 pulls great for a na and handles very nice even with 3 people in it. But out of all rx7's and 8's the fd is by far the best handling and stoping I have driven... in stock or aftermarket setups. I wish (or more like hope and dream) my 83 l.e. handles and stops like a fd, Ill have the hp to leave 1 in the rear view mirror.

 

I agree, the 8 does have the feel of a FB. ANd right, the side visability totall stinks. And yes that car WAS fun to drive on Tuesday.... and then the snow started to fall.

THis car TOTALLY SUCK in snow! I mean 1/2" and bam this vehicle is useless. Slipping and sliding into the ditch within a mile from leaving the house. Got out, and drove to work with my heart in my mouth the entire trip. I mean, at any time the rear end can break loose and you are headed sideways.

Overnight we got more snow and it's a snow day today. That gives me some time to put together a plan to deal with this transportation mess. My best plan right now is moving to Florida.

 

two words:

Snow Tires. Never leave home without them.

 

The car doesn't suck, it is the tires.

Get some real snow tires. Problem solved....

 

Sheez, do they still make them? I bet it's a good look.

 

Go here and take a look.

http://www.tirerack.com/winter/index.jsp

You may be suprised by the the look and feel of a modern snow tire.

They have several that will fit the RX-8.

You could even get an extra set of wheels to use for them...then in the summer switch these other wheels to a set of race tires for AutoX and track days. Keep the stock wheels and tires for regular street use. The RX-8 whith the tire pressure monitoring built into the wheel poses some problems though. I think they can be solved.

 

The tires are too wide is the problem. Get some winter wheels and tires with a tread width around or just under 7" and you'll be laughing. According to my tire size chart yours currently has tread width just over 8".

I've seen an '85 iroc get stuck in an inch of snow... And that's a pretty heavy car. Tires make all the difference.

 

The stock tires on the 8 aren't even all-seasons, so you'd have to be really foolhardy to drive around on those puppies.

There are some great wheel/tire combos to be had, check out the www.rx8club.com board for the info.