RX8 vs RX7
 

A couple of days ago I picked up my GF for a cruise in the 7. Just stopping by the gas station to get the tires back to pressure etc. Nothing much.

So the next moment I'm turning up a sort of highway ('ring") around some midclass city in my neighbourhood. At the next redlight, some 'dood' is pulling up with his black RX8. I catch up with him and even when i pass him to let him see the RX7 sign on my car he is in total ignorance of the "Mazda" feeling not recognizing my car.

I step on it to see if he's interested.... he follows... good doggy :-D

At the next redlight he pulls up next to me and I hear him reving the engine When the light goes green he passes me as I don't want to destroy him right away.
He obviously enjoys pulling a car length on me (window open being macho guy).
I take off swinging to 2nd and at the shift of third I pass him with a sweet "WOOOOSH" of the BOV taking away the laughter on his face and leaving him behind.

At the next light he pulls up next to me again, staying behind and making appearance of being on the phone...

Basically it amazes me that even when those RX8 drivers see the "Mazda" badge they don't seem to know the relation to their car.

Anyweejz... I had a good time... that's what it's all about,no?

My "mods" lol:
Bone stock FD
HKS filters
Pettit AST
PFC/commander at base map

i think that mazda droped the ball when they developed the RX8. You can't make the next generation car worse then the 1 before it. Doesn't make sence.

it isn't the next RX7..........it was used to debut the Renesis and see if the rotary interest was still there........

That makes more sense. I've always thought it was like the evo kind of numbering. Thats why i never understood why they came out with the 8 so underpowered. My feelings some may not agree with me.

No, it doesn't make sense.

But it's the first generation RX-8. -- and that does make sense.

not all 8 owners are like that...i give my fair share of respect to all rotarians and love the fd's....and i am not dumb enough to race one and get embarassed!....but give us some credit for a N/A motor its not horrible....and it is sexy looking :D ...personally i consider the first gen 8's to be like the first gen 7's....hopefully with time we will have an fd type of 8 :)

its a new platform, that makes sense..

i mean how can the FD go from a 2 seater twin turbo sports car into a sedan looking underpowered n/a sports car? it cant unless mazda was smoking the whacky tabacky at that time..

^^ we'll see........my fiancee says an 8 would be a great family car......

and from what im reading there are some nice new toys being sold to help the underpowered family car..so there is hope for some of us

I hope your right, i'll be 1st in line to buy one. There are a lot of RX8 drivers that have no idea of the RX7, esp ones debaged like mine is.

Edit: Don't get me wrong i like the way they look, i just think they need some bigger BALLS.

saw your car domain........your car looks sweet.^^^^

What did you pull on the 1/4 in your pic at car domain?
Your car does look sweet, props to that.

RE Amemiya, makes a nice little turbo kit for the RX-8 it makes the car a little more spirited to drive, its still no FD though

theres at least 4 other turbo kits already develped for the renensis. I believe theres also some blowers kits available.
I've heard and read that the 8 is more refined and less nervous at the limit than FDs. Still that does not make up for the difference in power.

One thing though, stop picking on the little cousin please!

there are a few turbo's out there but its the ecu that kills us....up until recenltly no one has been able to crack it....but there is something new out there that should be able to get us some respect.....check out mazport's site and click on the greddy turbo vid


http://mazsport.net/store//product156.html

and i ran like crap that day...it was 104 degrees out and i had no kinda traction....ran a 15.2 i think...nothing to get too excited about....and thanks for the compliments on the 8.....i do love the look but you just cant compare it to the unaging beauty of an fd.....sick how a 10+ year old car can still look like something that should be out now

As a Rx8 driver, I apologize for his behavior
I don't see much FD or any 7 around here, and If i do
i'll pay respect

I have so much respect for Any 7

i have had several rx8s next to me and think there the sh...com and none of them i think know of any other style of rotary just theres. I laugh when they think there invinsible. then i blow on by them and give them a flame out the rear to tell them dont fu.. with old school rotary,.

Your 8 really looks nice, my friend just bought a Shinta about a month ago.

^^ it's calleed shinka

Again guys I am a rotor head
and I have so much respect for 7
I apologize in behalf of other ignorant fools with Rx8
I not only bought the car for its appearance but for the rotary engine
i love learnin more and more about it everyday
After i get out of school
I wish to own rx7 with my 8 and learn about the cars
and actually get my hands on rotary

Again you guys
Much respect to you guys
everytime i see FD or FC
I stare and drool
if i ever get a chance to stop next to it one of my wishes to Genie is complete

Yeah I totally understand what you mean by the whole "Mazda" relationship. Its just that they don't know about other cars. My dad has an RX-8, which I get to drive around once in a while. But I'm trying to get a 3rd Gen RX-7 at the moment.

If you look in the road and track RX-8 issue, the designer explains that it is infact a sports car for the older folks who had sports cars before, but now they have a family. So the RX-8 was designed to accomodate for that. The RX-8 was never meant to replace the RX-7.

As an RX8 owner, I respect the RX7 a lot. I think that it's got the whole package...performance, handling, and looks. Right now, the 8 has the handling and looks but it's a bit lacking in performance. Greddy has a tubo that'll put out ~250 whp when tuned, SFR?SSR claims 300+ whp. Remember, it's a fairly new car so give us a chance to get some help in the performance dept. Like I said, i have a lot of respect for the 7 and it's one of the few cars that 10+ yrs old that I would lovew to own today. Unfortunately, I never see any FD's in town.

AM i the only one Suicide DOORS... That says it all for me right there, it may not be as fast as a 7 then again many cars aren't. But as many people say its role in the market is different from the 7. The 8 was not made to dominate the market it was made to be a sporty sedan with suicide doors. I mean come on suicide doors...

What's so special about the doors? Some trucks and cars come with them. Its still a 4 door...

That's what my mom said :eek:

The turbo kits that are being developed for the 8 are awesome, however I think the image of the 8 is suffering. The image is that only lamers with no respect of rotary history and old people drive the car, which is a very different image that a FC or FD portrays. Another example is the corvette: an awesome car with lots of power, but what type of people drive corvettes? Old men with mid-life crisis

this is true...there are many 50+ year olds driving the 8 but there are also quite a few enthusiasts driving them as well.....almost every meet i have been to the 8 owners are all 20-35ish and drive the cars and maintain the cars like they are supposed to be.....its not a family car because it needs too much attention (which takes away time from the family)....its a sports car with more amenities

Well... I had no idea this would turn out to be a Rx8vs RX7 debate.

Don't get me wrong.. I totally understand the concept of the RX8 and no.. it wasn't designed to replace the RX8. It is a family sports car as that it was designed for. The doors are unusuall but it prooves Mazda's taste for design and shows they have the balls to be different. As well as keeping the rotary alive.


My point exactly is and was that most "new" rotary" drivers don't seem to recognize their fellow drivers on the street. Just meaning that they don't take just that little bit of time to check what the car/engine is all about, history and present.

Last time I drove to the track, some Dutch dude past me on the highway, slowing down next to me an giving me the dumbs up... I still need need to see that from an RX8 driver.

Keept up the spirit guys and let's hope Mazda comes to their senses and gets a decent successor of the 7.

Oh, and i'm in Belgium... seems like this is not only a US issue :d

Thanks for clearing that up! I agree, there are many "fellow" 8 owners in town who don't wave at you and probably have no idea there's a rotary engine in their car. They probably just bought the car for it's looks or practicality as a sports car. However, there are many of who do recognize the history of the engine/car and appreciate it's predecessors. The 8 may be losing some respect from the rest of the sports car world but too much emphasis is placed on 0-60 and 1/4. Look at any auto-x event where 8's are participating and you'll see that they'll outrun the competition nine times out of ten. Just wait till some decent turbos are developed and tested and the 8 will be right back on top. Just my $.02

yes I too recently had it explaiend that the 8 was not the next 7. *thanks god*. But the 8 was to get mazda mechanics back to working on rotaries, and what not.

I personally don't like the 8, I think the FD looks much better styling wise. But the 8 is still pretty good for a car. It handles well and is decently powered. But it seems many of the owners are kind of like many of the e46 BMW owners. THey see they have the newer car and think they are the shiz. They will turn their nose up to, then dumbfoundedly stare at you as you pass them. I know not all are like that, but it seems like the majority (at least the semi young crowd).

All it takes is for them to be schooled a few times, for them to learn to respect the older cousins. :)


Also, I've heard rumors about a new RX7 coming out? Is there any truth to that?

^ that's a negative on the rx7

Mazda should make a mazdaspeed rx8 - 3 rotor n/a - seems like it would be more reliable than forced induction. Then, maybe the 8 will get some damn respect! (Imagine when tuners turbo the 3 rotor, it would be a damn monster)

there is already a 3 rotor turbo 8......unfortunately acosta wont run it

I had a young guy do a ricer flyby on me with his 8. I saw him at a gas station, and ignored the fact that he did a fly by. I stopped and complimented him on his 8. He said it's pretty bad ass and had that new rotary engine. I said I wish I could afford one, and said I'd have to settle for what I had. He asked what kind of car I had. I pointed to the FB, and said "Mazda RX-7". I had a quizzical look, and said "RX-7"? I said "Yea, they came out in 1979, and ran through 1999, all with rotaries." 45 minutes later, he had an appreciation for the 7, and rotaries alike. He had no clue that the 8 had a "predecessor".

1 8 owner who has been shooled by old shcool.

not many FD's on the street...and they were discontinued on the US market since 95...so unless they're car nut like us, they don't really care what kind of car is driving next to their cars...and i always respect the 7...want to own one but it's not the time yet...

I mean a production 3 rotor renesis from the factory. Theirs was a conversion.

Damn them young boys, what's this world coming to nowadays.

You should have gave him the "good-ole-days" lecture: :D
Now, son when I was your age we didn't have all these fancy doo-dads and thing-a-majiggys like nintendo and game boy. Well now, in my backyard, we had a genuine 1979 rx7 with a rotary motor, imagine that! And we worked on and learned about. Those were the good ole days, nowadays you kids have bright stickers and neon lights on your cars which hurts my eyes. Why, I bet you can't even tell me how a rotary engine works. Young kids have no sense of history. By the way, don't tell anyone I told you this, but mama can't find her coffee can and I think one of the neighborhood boys swiped it and attached it to his muffler. Now, then back to the story, my father actually met Mr. Felix Wankel back in 1957.......

its pretty sad how many 8 owners are out there without a clue.....as one that does it kind of annoys me....i researched the hell out of the car before and after i got mine...i wanted to know what i was in for......its definately the car for me cuz i can appreciate the quirks and its a car that has to be maintained, driven and owned rather than just turn a key and go....

LoL, that would be hilarious.

But I can't believe the kid said "That new rotary engine" hahaha, did he think they were a new invention? mazda has had quite a few rotary vehicles. But yes, also the FD only ran till 95 in america, had nuffin until they brought the 8 back out.

Another 8 owner here just droppin by- As a former 87 GXL FC owner, I too LOVE the 7 (Brother currently owns a lightly modded TII)! Not all 8 owners are dopes! I wave at every 7/8 that I can. Would I prefer an FD/FC/FB? Yup.. Is it feesable at the moment.. nope... Which brings me to my point, the RX8 was meant to reach a wider market than the standard 2 seater sports car. And in this effort, Mazda has succeeded! As a result you now have a far more diverse group of consumers.. i.e. less performance purists, if you will. I already own a miata (another kickass car BTW, www.cardomain.com/id/jgaskins) and could not have, for practical reasons, another 2 seater. Hence the rx8. Sporty enough for me, roomy enough for her... Kinda like "Strong enough for a man, but PH balanced for a woman." Besides, once all the market hype dies, only the true enthusiasts will remain.

More like the retarted older brother you have to take care of when people make fun of him
;) j/k 8's are cool too

i just tell my self that the rx8 isn't an rx7 so it can slack a little....just like the 808 wasn't an rx3

Hey guys, my first post here, but read the forum for quite some time-. Have all you that posted really met 8 drivers that have acted like that? It suprises me cause I've always respected all rotaries, and try to wave anytime I see a 7.

It sucks to hear that some 8 owners are clueless to the history of the rotary-but i will say this, everytime I've tried to wave at a 7 owner, i get either shunned, or not even a look. So it goes both ways. If anything, I get a sense of "our car is better". I think the FD is amazing. But I wouldn't call it better. I dont' think the 8 is better though either, they're just slightly different. But I will say, the arrogance goes both ways....which is unfortunate, cause I have nothing but respect for all 7 owners be it FD or earlier.

My point is, that there are 8 owners like myself who know about the rotary and its history. But don't knock on us for 'ignoring YOUR history'. We have rotors too and are part of the same family. If you're dismissing us based on our weaker performance numbers, thats no different than an 8 driving by you and not waving. Its a diss. Thats a little hyporcritical in my book- to accuse us of 'ignoring the rotary' while also kind of ignoring us as a worthy holder of the RX badge simply because we can't run quite as fast, and have 2 extra doors.

Its just my opinion really. I love the rx7 and am glad to be a part of the family. I just hope the family welcomes us: )

booooooo get out you 8 ownerS!!!! BOOOO!!!!! BOOOOO!!!!!!!!.......seriously though some 8 owners are dicks.....

lol- not trying to troll sorry! i'm here cause i Love the 7. seriously guys.

i'm just fucking with ya dood.......

i know its cool

^ I dunno man. If any FB, FC, FD sees me cruising around (I have a FD), I will almost without fail get a wave, honk, or verbal howzit. I have yet to have a rx8 owner wave & I daily the 7.

At least, there aren't really any ricer rx8s trying to rev me out and shit. If there were, I would quickly put them in their place ;)

On the other hand, a turbo'd or supercharged rx8 would make a pretty good sleeper car, since it boosts hp from stock 200 rwhp to maybe 260 rwhp

I'll wave to you if my 8 ever makes it to hawaii :cool:

i wouldn't even want to race a FD- 1) cause i know i'd get beat 2) cause thats like fighting your brother...

8 Owner waving to all the 7's out there:
Much love, Much respect...
:bigthumb:

:wave:

another 8 owner giving the wave!

Ok it's the FB, FC, FD for the 7's right, so whats an RX8 and FE or is there some other code for it?

As an 8 owner, I call it the FS, which is short for F'ing Slow!
JK..see, we aren't all dicks, some of us can even laugh at our cars! :) Although, we are starting to make some real progress in dealing with the ECU. It promises to make the 8 the car it should have been. Optimistic predictions with IN/EX (the works) and the ECU would make for a 220-230 RWHP! I hope this pans out... I can't wait!

once someone customizes a t78 or t88 to fit a renesis i have a feeling these FD owners wont be so smug =)