RX8 Motorway driving

[saintjames]

Hi,

I am considering buying the high power RX8 and I am wondering how it is to drive on the motorway.

What sort of revs are you at when travelling between 80 and 100?

[BlueAdept]

It\'s great on a motorway IMO... I have driven 2000 miles in a week on a number of occasions... I\'m never stiff afterwards... in 6th (I have the high power one) at 80Mph you\'re doing 4000RPM which is barely ticking over for that engine... you could be doing 7000 RPM and still not hear it...

Just to be sure I\'m being wholly honest tho, the low profile tyres do generate more road noise than the more mundane ones found on "ordinary" cars.. and there is a little wind noise at the top end of your speed bracket... although this doesn\'t really increase beyond that.

I don\'t know what car you are comparing this to, but with the possible exception of a slightly excessive thirst, this is a great cruiser as well as a brilliant B road barnstormer...

A couple of little things to note,

1. Use rain-x on the windscreen, and the airodynamics are such that at 70+ you do not need wipers at all... try it, it\'s incredible... the harder the rain, the better it works...

2. Get protective grilles for the radiators as they are rather exposed and road grit isn\'t kind at 80Mph...   There are a number of these available and I have been very happy with the racing beat ones...

3. Give mazda greif about the lack of cruise control... Long story, there\'s a thread about it somwhere

4. Concider changing the gearbox oil for synthetic stuff (Ask "oilman" from this forum) as I firmly believe that the factory stuff is poor, and isn\'t really up to being driven hard.

5. Once it\'s run in, never be scared of the redline, the engine lives to be revved... if you\'ve yet to have a test drive, take it somewhere appropriate, and make sure you extend second gear to 9000RPM... you can\'t judge the car until you realise what\'s up there..

Feel free to post more questions here, I\'m sure other people will offer an opinion... or PM me...

I have fitted stiffer, lower springs, a sports exhaust and intake, and at 80MPH it\'s STILL smooth, and quiet..

[saintjames]

Thanks for the reply.

Other cars I am considering are the new Focus ST and Audi A3 2.0 T.

The main thing that concerns me about the RX8 is the lack of torque. The focus has 236 lb/ft@2000RPM, the A3 208 lb/ft @1800RPM while the RX8 comes in at 156 lb/ft@5500RPM..

What are other peoples opinion on this?

Also what is the actual 0 - 60 time of the RX8 hi power? I have seen it range from 6.2 to 6.8!

[BlueAdept]

Lol... there have been so many arguements about torque in the last 2 years..

IMO, the lack of torque makes the car very docile at low revs.... but pile on the revs and all the pull you want is there.

By it nature, the car is not ideally suited to doing a 0-60 dash, but while moving, the engine more than makes up for a slight lack of torque by literally being so smoothe you can rev it to 9000 rpm without noticing....

Make sure you get a test drive, and find out.