Is this even a question?

 

I don't like RX8's in terms of style at all... so would never consider one... but I had a first person performance comparison today on the way home from work.

No speeding... I had too many tickets when I was a teenager and gave up driving like an idiot 8 or so years ago. Fortunately the guy in the RX8 had the same idea as me.

We slowed down to around 45 and pulled to about 75. I have a bone stock 03 touring 6 speed and had just filled up with gas so it was as heavy as it gets. His was a brand new looking RX8 (don't know enough about RX8s to judge year) that was obviously a manual from the way he was driving. I consistently pulled on him three times in a row, barely, but enough where it could be reproduced a hundred times with the same result.

Just my one dimensional RX8 - 350z performance comparison if it interests anyone.

 

I drove my brothers RX8 for like 2 years or so.

They are fun cars, but I seriously cannot believe you are comparing it to the Z. The RX8 looks ridiculously robo-cop. It's ugly.

 

This is as far as I got with an RX8. At dealer, turned on the car to hear the engine, turned it off after 30 seconds. Dealer yelled at me for turning it off too soon, so I turned the key to turn it back on and only got "click click click". Apparently you can't turn it on and off like that, you need to run it for 5 or so min. At that point I was like, see ya. *Buys Z*

 

Your reported experience is simply explained by the fact that the Z has considerably more torque than the RX-8’s rotary engine.

Experienced Mazda drivers keep the RPM’s high (in fact, very high) when doing spirited operation of the car. It’s not unlike what drivers do with turbo-equipped cars (the Audi TT Turbo is an example).

With this said, I hate cars that suffer from turbo-lag or the equivalent (as the Mazda suffers).

One great feature of the Z is its great torque. Stomp on it in about any gear, and it jumps to stellar performance.

--Spike

 

Why would you even bother comparing the two?

 

what about gas consumption 350z vs. rx8?

 

And the reverse question: Why would you not bother comparing the two?

I, and I'm sure many others, have experience with both cars, and compare these for a purchase. That makes me wonder why you ask about this and your "statement."

Nice Pic (entertaining at least).

--Spike

 

The RX-8 is a “gas-hog.” It gets 25 to 30 percent less mileage than the Z. That’s awful when you consider the fact that the Z has a larger engine generating more hp, torque, and performance.

I don’t understand why the rotary engine in the Mazda is so inefficient. You would think that an engine spinning in one direction (instead of reversing as does a traditional piston engine) would generate less heat and get better mileage. And, the rotary engine is tiny (small displacement).

--Spike

 

 

if mercedes ditched the rotary because of its ineffiecient properties , what makes you think mazda is gonna perfect it. They still havent come up with a lubricant that can withstand the constant burning and oil consunption of the rotary design much less gas consumption. To put it simply , the cars sales have faultered greatly and you would be really out of your mind to buy one now except for novelity compared to the competetion in its price range.

 

^^ You make very good points.

Certainly there must be an issue with excessive heat/friction with rotary engines when drivers push this engine hard.

Many drivers do not experience problems, but I suspect they are "babying" the car. It's when the driver pushes a little that problems begin to happen.

--Spike

 

Early in their relationship, Ford tried to convince Mazda to drop development of the rotary engine.

 

I had to laugh out loud yesterday on my way home from work. I pass by the Mazda dealer and out in front are a line of RX-8's all with signs on them offering $6,000 off MSRP. Have you ever seen Z's marked down for sale? Not me. That's a 20% discount on a $30K car. That's $3000 below invoice. How desperate are they to sell these things?

 

^^ Same thing going on here in my location. It's probably the poor mileage reports on a rotary engine that is causing the "panic sale."

--Spike

 

Right now, sports cars aren't big sellers. The local dealer tends to overstock them IMO. They usually keep 5X more RX-8's on the lot than the Nissan dealers have 350Zs. They're just not that popular. Between the poor mileage and real or perceived rotary engine problems that's gotta be hurting sales something awful.

Mazda is offering $3500 cash back so I assume it's the dealer or regional that's putting up the other $2500. I wish they would have had something to offer three months ago when I bought a Mazda 3 from them. That's about the only thing that's selling right now.

 

Wow, back from the dead.

 

agreed , i highly doubt we will see a rotary engine sports car be as sucessfull as the rx7 RIP. the days of the wankel are def numbered for mazda. Its clearly visible. nissan can produce many engines that are cross platorm and thrive but mazda cannot for some reason.

 

are they any better boosted like the older fd's?

 

Actually, with the renesis rotary engine (rx-8) most problems have occured due to drivers NOT driving the car... Continual low rpm driving has resulted in lots of carbon build up (we already established that rotary's run crazy rich) and ultimately causing motor failure. This was a bigger problem in the 2003 and very early 2004 year RX8's. Since then a different coating was utilized on the rotor housing that has helped with this build up but it is still HIGHLY reccommended that you put the car on the highway several times during the weak.

I will definately agree with comments on the rotary engine, they are not as reliable, lack torque (except the 20b 3-rotor has lots of torque) and must be treated differently than piston engines. For instance the comment about starting the car and then immediately turning it off. BIG NO NO with a rotary. They run VERY rich upon start up and you end up flooding the motor. As far as oil consumption, they do use a tiny bit more oil than a piston but that is b/c oil is actually used in the combustion chamber. Oil is injected along with fuel via separate injectors.

Rotary engines should NOT be used in cars like the RX8 it was designed as a grocery-getter and is not even in the same class although they are compared by several...

I own a rotary, as well as my Z. I do not drive my FD every day for many reasons. Mostly being due to the horrible gas milage and the thought of it being vandilized. BUT my 7, even in its modified form, is a reliable car. But I take care of that car in the most **** ways.. I LOVE my rotary and would never think of getting rid of it. It FAR out handles my Z, and very few cars can keep up on a road circuit...

-Noah-