TEST DRIVE
#1
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for those of you not in the mazda biz like myself, and let me say what a great privledge it is to be in the mazda biz.....you may not have heard of the rx-8 r3.
in short its a RX-8 RS. lightweight, recaros, better ecu mapping, better exhaust, so forth and so on.
now i am not a rotory fan, or a rx8 fan, in fact id like to put a ls1 in a rx8 and have it as a DD. but being a car guy, and since we are only the second dealer in the state to have one, i had to check it out.
its still gutless, but i honestly tell you that it has some serious stick. it rolls on 18in forged wheels with potenzas. its got bilstein shocks, bigger sways, bigger arms, bigger links. its just a much more beefy RX8, setup for the track.
I was impressed, would i pay 33k for one, hell no, but thats the perks of workin in a dealer. i get to drive new cars for free. LOL
in short its a RX-8 RS. lightweight, recaros, better ecu mapping, better exhaust, so forth and so on.
now i am not a rotory fan, or a rx8 fan, in fact id like to put a ls1 in a rx8 and have it as a DD. but being a car guy, and since we are only the second dealer in the state to have one, i had to check it out.
its still gutless, but i honestly tell you that it has some serious stick. it rolls on 18in forged wheels with potenzas. its got bilstein shocks, bigger sways, bigger arms, bigger links. its just a much more beefy RX8, setup for the track.
I was impressed, would i pay 33k for one, hell no, but thats the perks of workin in a dealer. i get to drive new cars for free. LOL
#4
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Sounds sweet.
Can you put a child seat in the back?
Also, I've heard rumors of people getting RX-8s for up to $10k off msrp - any legitamacy to this. I'm sure it wouldn't apply to the R3, but maybe in time...
Can you put a child seat in the back?
Also, I've heard rumors of people getting RX-8s for up to $10k off msrp - any legitamacy to this. I'm sure it wouldn't apply to the R3, but maybe in time...
#5
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$10K off MSRP is doable. A guy in the N. Tx forum got that much, though it wasn't easy.
#6
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Sweet. S2000 is gone for an Element SC b/c we have a baby on the way.
I miss the sports car, and more into handling than power so the RX8 may be worth a look. Other car is a modded Fit (which I love generally), but my wife thinks it's not safe enough for the newborn given the below average rear crash tests. The RX8 is 4 and 5 star all around, so it may just be the ticket if a car seat will fit without too much trouble...
I miss the sports car, and more into handling than power so the RX8 may be worth a look. Other car is a modded Fit (which I love generally), but my wife thinks it's not safe enough for the newborn given the below average rear crash tests. The RX8 is 4 and 5 star all around, so it may just be the ticket if a car seat will fit without too much trouble...
#7
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19's are optional, 18's are standard. but the 18's on the regular cars are cast, the ones on the R3 are forged.
its got all the same safey and usable space of the regular car, its just more track focused. like a RX8 CR, but with more track oriented stuff on board.
its got all the same safey and usable space of the regular car, its just more track focused. like a RX8 CR, but with more track oriented stuff on board.
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#8
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Originally Posted by replica,Sep 23 2008, 11:21 AM
they should offer the 2.3T in the RX-8 chassis and actually offer some power...
a bit off topic, but what's your opinion on the 06-07 MazdaSpeed6?
a bit off topic, but what's your opinion on the 06-07 MazdaSpeed6?
Let's see how that 16G or whatever turns out. It'd be nice to see a more refined version of the same 13B rotary I've been seeing forever.
#9
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I would love to see an RX-8 w/ the MS3's engine. Screw tradition, I'd never buy a rotary-engine car. The Wankel is the main reason I've never considered an RX-8, which otherwise seems like a pretty nice car.
#10
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Originally Posted by nala,Sep 23 2008, 07:46 PM
Sounds sweet.
Can you put a child seat in the back?
Also, I've heard rumors of people getting RX-8s for up to $10k off msrp - any legitamacy to this. I'm sure it wouldn't apply to the R3, but maybe in time...
Can you put a child seat in the back?
Also, I've heard rumors of people getting RX-8s for up to $10k off msrp - any legitamacy to this. I'm sure it wouldn't apply to the R3, but maybe in time...
You can get $6K to $8K off pretty normally.
Yes, the engine/car feels like an S2000 with even a little less hp & about 150 lbs..because that is essentially what it is.