I was lookign at Mazda RX8s and the Mazda 3.

I was wondering if you guys had heard anything about these cars. If they were good cars or if they were having an type of issues?

Especially since the RX8 is a rotory engine. I was lookign at them as maybe a next car for me but they worry me a little. Think the RX8 might be a little out of my price range but the Mazda 3 looks pretty nice. But I want to get the inside scoop from people who know more and have seen or experienced any isses wit hthe cars.


Also lookign at the Acura RSX & TSX

 

the new 3 just came out, and i haven't heard of any issues with them. i did test drive one, and was pleasantly surprised. they're not super powerful, but they're not exactly dog slow either. i thought that they drove pretty well for a FWD car.

 

I parked next to a new RX8 the other day and was checking it out. I didn't like it in person as much as I did in the pictures. Something about the front end just didn't do it for me. I really like the idea of the Wenkel engine...

In general I have been impressed with Mazda's that I have driven. They have all seemed to handle well for their intended purpose and I like the feel of their brakes. That is all.

 

rx-8 and tsx are in the same price range.

my buddy used to have slightly modded rx-7 fd (the last gen) and that thing is still the fastest car i've driven. twin turbo. 0-60 in low 5 sec. mazda managed to squeeze out the same performance with NA rx-8...and it seats 4 adults!

if they come out with mazaspeed version of the 3, i'd seriously consider it.

 

RX-8 is an awesome handling car, killer in autocross. Its not the fastest car in the world, but the interior is excellent in my opinion, and everything is spot on for driving position and feel. I have yet to drive one yet, but everyone says they are sooo fun to drive...

 

Still I worry about the Renisis Engine (rotory) and what can possiably go wrong with it. THat and findign people to fix it if need be.


And the Mazda 3 is so new who knows what might be wrong with that. MAybe I should wait and see if Mazda does come out with a Mazda 3 Mazdaspeed.

 

I checked out the RX-8 back in August when I was on vacation in Hawaii. I was really impressed with the interior, and the amount of space in the back seat. I did not have the opportunity to drive one. I bought the WRX because I needed/Wanted something either All wheel drive and a sports car that could seat four. There were not many options other than the WRX.

 

well I dont think reliability is going to be as much of an issue as it was with the RX-7. The Renisis runs MUCH cooler and is not nearly as stressed, a mazda dealer should fix it just fine.

one question, why are you replacing your WRX?

 

I am considerign replacing my WRX because it is startign to have problems. Only at 35K and I had the fuel line thing happen due to the cold. They are fixing that. But I get clutch shudder every now and then and I have this thumping noise comeing from the front wheels when I take turns.

I have had it to the dealer 2 times now and they say they can not reproduce the sound. When they fix the fule line I am goign to take them for a drive in it to show them. But I am jsut tired of the hastle that you have to put up with whne it comes to the Subaru dealerships.

Seems like they make a car that is meant to be driven and then give you a hard time fixing any problem that arises. I have had nothing but a hard time with them. SO it has really turned me off from Subaru. On top of that I am wonderign what will go wrong next with my car. Remember 2002 is the first modle year in the USA so who knows what other bugs have yet to come about.

I do nto want to get stuck wit ha car that starts to deteriorate when my warranty runs out. And if I trade it in now I will get more for the trade in than if I wait another year or two. I am just worried about it and do nto want to have to deal with car repair expenses.

 

well if you are concerned about bugs coming out from the 02 being the first year wouldnt you also want to avoid the RX-8 and MZ3. Those are both in their first years too.

 

 

the RX8 has had some power rating issues.....something about catalytic converters coming loose and the power was not as high as mazda reported. rx7 looks better...........

 

rx-7 looks vs. rx-8 : maybe exterior but definitely not interior, the rx-8 interior makes the wrx look like early 90s

 

I don't know how to break this to you, but if you think this experience is unique to Subaru, you're in for a surprise. ALL dealerships hate to fix problems under warranty and problems that they can't instantly reproduce; both situations tie up their shop when the shopy could be working on out-of-warranty cars for premium fees; then they have to wait for reimbursement from the factory after they do your warranty repair, which they of course also hate to do. This is true of any dealership, from Daewoo to Lexus.

I've got friends and co-workers with VWs, Chevrolets and Acuras who have all had problems in the first two years and they've all had trouble with their dealership in the process. Cars are extremely complex devices made of tens of thousands of moving parts; there's just no way a factory can make 300,000 of them a year+ and not screw a few up.

Furthermore, the WRX is a performance automobile. It is designed with tighter tolerances (and thus less room for error) than family cars or commuter cars (such as the Honda Civic); the car is more responsive to the driver, and thus little problems are more obvious. It certainly isn't a fragile car, it is just so precision that the kind of problem that would go totally unnoticed in a minivan screams to be fixed i a WRX. I drove my wife's civic with a bad power steering belt and torn front CV boots for six months and never noticed, because of the mushy steering feel the car had from the factory. Would I notice that on my WRX? Before I reached the end of the driveway!

I also think you are making a mistake blaming your auto experience upon your dealership. My dealership has gladly fixed the three minor problems I have had with my 2002 WRX (creaky right front suspension, dashboard rattle, broken exhaust hanger) with a smile -- and each time gave me a free oil change and car wash. They've even talked enthusiastically with me about mods, and openly mentioned which ones could be done without voiding my warranty.

 

thanks for all the input