Ownership Experience: 2005 Mazda RX-8

I have to admit, I had some pre-conceived notions about Mazda’s current rotary ship.  First there was the media-blitz about them not making the HP figures they were advertised with, then of course there is the big fat question mark of how you can classify this car? With technically 4-doors, is it really a  sports car or a sports sedan?  Perhaps it’s neither, but does it really matter what it is? It’s a Mazda RX-8. It’s fun, it’s quick, and it’s for the vehicularly-focused to fully appreciate, and live with it.

I’m a person that loves sports cars; I like them small, light, and tightly sprung.  A real sports car doesn’t need to have mind blowing power, Colin Chapman proved that to us in spades. However, it does need to stick to a curve like baby-food to that wall over there!  When the RX-8 first came out I was driving a first generation S2000. I adored that car (still do), and at the time there were only 2 (human) people in my little family.  A test drive at that time revealed it to be a bit slower than the S2k but it did have what these crazy kids needed; a backseat.  It also shined at stirring that gear-head inside while allowing me to be a responsible parent.  Admittedly my requirements for transportation now have a different slant but that’s what happens in life.

For the record, this experience is based on a 2005 Grand Touring RX-8, with approximately 35k miles on the clock.

Interior:
The RX has a wonderfully driver-focused cockpit with plenty of creature comforts in my GT version.  The leather covered seats are supportive with power adjustments in more directions than mathematically possible, they are even heated for those chilly winter evening drives. The interior materials are not luxury car-grade but they are hardly low-rent and as evidenced by my 4 year old example wear very nicely over the long haul.  The Bose stereo well… Blose, but turn it off and wind that engine out to 9200rpm and you won’t care.  This car has factory Navigation, which since the car was purchased used had no real bearing on the price. The nav is nice and moderately helpful, but if you are considering one of these cars don’t let this be your decision maker, take the cleaner, lower mileage car and opt for the $200 Garmin which will be 10 times more user friendly and several years more up-to-date.

Family Hauler Segment:
For those of us with tiny people to tote around I’m here to report that a rear-facing infant carrier fits just fine, the rear demi-doors allow fine (if not sedan grade) access.  The front passenger seat will be a little upright with a rear-facing baby-seat installed but it’s not unusable. My wife actually prefers to sit in the other rear-passenger seat for comfort and to keep an eye on the little one. This is an area that couldn’t be worked around with the previous string of 2-seaters we had.  The three of us have taken several weekend trips in the RX-8, with baggage and a full-sized stroller, all in relative comfort – take that big-ole-floppy sedans!!

The Driving Experience:
Driving the RX-8 is a joy, let her warm up and then flog her like a misbehaving teenager.  The Renesis Rotary engine is unique to the current production automobile world and actually needs to be stretched out somewhat regularly to prevent carbon buildup, so indulge yourself!  A snick-snick gearbox somewhere between the S2000 and a Miata (and for those that know, those are about the sweetest on the planet) is a joy to row through that wide rev-range.  Tight and communicative steering keep the nose pointed in exactly the direction you intended, with barely a hint of oversteer happily managed by the throttle (or the stability control if you get a little too ambitious).

This isn’t a muscle car, it will get to 60mph in less than 6 seconds but that’s not it’s forte’ and your clutch will certainly leave itself on the pavement in a hurry. If you want beastly torque look at a 350Z or a G35 Coupe (the better of the 2 especially if you need the back seat).  The RX-8 is a very high-revving 4-seater sport bike; it’s a willing and playful companion above 4000 rpm.  The engine note is like no other, vaguely like a turbine engine spooling up and down. Give the RX a winding road, glance in the rearview and note the smile plastered across your face.

And now, the “but”:

The rotary engine, and it’s previous RX-X carriers have a bad rap. They actually require the driver of this wonderful machine to pay an ounce of attention, and even open the hood at a gas station (the horror).  The design of this engine allows for drinking a bit of its oil, you actually have to add oil every 2-3 fill-ups; sorry Mildred but this isn’t your Accord that you don’t even know where the hood release is. Furthermore the RX-8 doesn’t respond well to being cranked just long enough to pull it out of the garage to wash it as it may not start back up for a bit if you don’t let it warm up before shutting it off. There is actually a startup procedure if this happens and you might have to actually read your owner’s manual to figure out (more horror).  Lastly, unless you ordered it specially there is no spare tire, instead you have a cute little electric pump and tire sealant; a minor concern, but do you really want to lose all that trunk space?

Mazda has stepped up to the concerns of Mom & Pop America about this odd-duck engine they are so skeered of, by offering up an 8-year/100k mile warranty on the motor, on top of the already generous 4-year/50k mile bumper to bumper.  Is that enough?  Not for some, I researched this car extensively and knew exactly what I was getting and getting into (didn’t seem unreasonable to me in the slightest), but my better-half had no idea of these nuances.  She’s an appreciator of sports cars as well but asserts that she would walk away (with this as her primary transportation) or have been very upset to learn later there was that much “work” involved with driving this car.  I guess that keeps it for us and not for everyone but is a poignant highlight for me why this is not a car for our masses.  Personally I couldn’t be happier with it!

You can find endless reading on this fantastic car at RX8Club.com to answer deeper (and shallower) questions than have been presented here, or visit MazdaUSA to look at the freshened for 2009 version.

This article was written by Travis Keedy for carguydad.com. In addition to being a carnut, Travis is a Professional Automotive Detailer. He currently resides in southern Alabama with his wife and a 6-month old son. Click here or leave a comment below to contact the author.