Used 2004 Mazda RX-8 Consumer Reviews
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Mazda RX-8
I love my RX-8. It handles like a dream, hugs curves and moves with cat- like reflexes. The four doors make it a great choice for small families. The tons of safety features make it an overall choice for people with small children, such as myself, who want a sports car, but still need exceptional safety features. The options are unique, yet great...and endless. The price is affordable. It is one of a kind.
DontDoAnRX8
I owned an RX-7 and loved it. I thought the RX-8 would be comparable but was wrong. The car has been towed 5 times in the last six months, the battery has been replaced and Mazda said "the batteries installed initially were not strong enough for the car" The car floods and need to sit for "days" before it's operable again. If you live in the north east or anywhere it snows, you can kiss you Mazda 8 goodbye until spring, if there's a slight dusting of snow I can't get it out of the driveway. The only silver lining here (if it is really, is that I lease the car and I get to dump it back in Mazda's lap where it belongs.
- Manual CoupeMSRP: $9,500113 mi away
- Manual CoupeMSRP: $17,800215 mi away
- Automatic CoupeMSRP: $19,999368 mi away
rx8 has superior handling /transmission
Felt the rx-8 handling and transmission were superb. the only car I have ever been in that handled the curves as good as the rx-8 was a (race car) triumph 25 years ago. Nothing beats it on the curves and the brakes are extremely good too. Thought it handled much better than the z350, g35 sport coup, and saleen s281 mustang.
One Excellent Car!
Great futuretro styling makes it uniquely beautiful to look at from every angle, both inside and out! Quality fit and finish, and of course top notch rotary performance make this one stand out from the rest! She closely resembles a magnificent thoroughbred. Maybe a little hesitant out of the starting gate, she makes up for it in the stretch with smooth linear acceleration. On the road handling inspires confidence with quickness and agility. For unqualified driving enjoyment, elegance, agility, and styling there is very little competition at this price! Comfort for my 6' frame is very nicely accomodated in the front, and relatively adequate in the back.
NOT FAST and FURIOUS
This is a great car, handles excellent love the 18" stock rims!! The car looks FAST standing still, too bad it isn't!! I love the back seat and like most people I need it (350Z has alot more torque for around the same money, but NO back seat) this car looks alot better than the 350Z in my opinion, but lacks the torque big time!! I also did NOT like the fact of buying an option package of 3500.00 to get the moonroof!
Dragon-Slaying Machine!
I have taken the car on "the dragon" aka Deal's Gap (www.tailofthedragon.com) and had 2 strangers making movies of me! Thia car handles like a bullet on rails! The dragon has 318 curves in 11 miles ao believe me, I KNOW how these cars handle! Also, the attention you get driving this car is unbeleiveable.....Not too many people wanna run you in this car, they know better, esp. around corners. Mazda issued a service repair order to replace the oil pan, so my dealer did it and all is well now. If you want a true high-revving sports car, then look no further........get an RX-8.
Weak Attempt
I purchased an RX-8 fully anticipating a real sports car. little did i know that not to long after i took delivery, my car lost horsepower, what was once quoted as a 5.9 0-60 car is now a 7.2 0- 60 as tested by mazdaspeed. Very dissapointed.
Been a long time comin'
It's been a long time comin'...waiting for the rebirth of the rx car. The rotary engine is smooth, quiet and jumpy. People complain about horsepower, but it's just that much more impressive. No one can handle me in the curves. It's the sexiest machine on the road for under $60K.
ZOOM, ZOOM, DOOM!!
Thinking of buying this car? I'm stranded AGAIN after losing power on a major interstate & having to drift to a stop on the shoulder. I knew what was wrong because I'd been through this before: the "glass bottles" sound rattling under the hood, the jerky take-off & the oil light that just couldn't be corrected. Yes...once again, the rotary engine was dead. This is the THIRD ENGINE IN 1.5 YEARS!!!! Engines are on back order from MAZDA til February, '11. Wanna hear the real horror? I traded my HONDA for this terrible piece of machinery!! Will I ever forgive my bad judgement in buying this car? With all the GREAT alternatives out there, why would you consider Mazda? Take it from me, DON'T!!
Road Warrior
I purchased the 2004 RX-8 I have now in 2006 as a used car. There have been some nitpicky items but overall I am happy with the decision. As a note, just this past weekend I turned 100K on the clock, so this car has seen more than it's share of miles. As to the nitpicky items? I am a tall guy, with both longs legs and long torso, so I get hit on the headroom and on the legroom, particularly with the dead peddle, which I remove for longer road trips - there's an extra five inches of leg room that thing eats up! The laughable part, my SUV with 260K on the clock regularly gets 25-27mpg on the highway. The best I have ever achieved in the RX8? About 23. But heck, it's a sports car!
Looks great and nice performance
Looks great and nice performance. The only drawback is the useless backseat because only a child could use it. Owner since 2004, brand new straight from Japan.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Luckily strike
I bought the car with 25,000 miles and I now have 82,000. I have read a lot of reviews of people who have problem with these cars. When I bought mine, most of the recall issues were already addressed. Whenever I did have a re- call issue ( side air bag light, condensation in the tail lights ) the dealership took the car in and gave me a rental car at no charge. The dealer was always professional. Other than that I have never had any issues ( knock on wood) with reliability of the car. I live in New Hampshire and the car started up one morning when the outside air temp was -4. It has always started and drove without any problems. The car its self is great.
looks fast goes slow
Like in my other reviews looks good Handled great Int/Ext great, But you red line before your peek HP. Need to add oil every other fill up Rotarys I dont get them.
Nothing but problems
Everything from not wanting to start on days at 50 degrees to starter problems. Cd player crapped out, brake sensors, air bag sensors, you name it. My girlfriend's is currently sitting in the driveway with a failed starter. I guess the way you have to crank these cars to get them started really takes it toll on the part. When it drives, it's great, but it just has way too many problems. Not worth the aggravation, in my humble opinion.
I love this car.
I'm an 18 year old that just graduated high school, and i'm in the military. I purchased this car loving it at first sight. I got it for a great deal. Yes i paid for it, its in my name not my parents. I get about 24-25 highway 18-20 city. I shift between 3-4 but i heard its good to be hard once in awhile so ill take it up to 6-7.Premium gas (93 octane) always. Also good to rev to 3 before shutting down. Also i warm it up for 1-2 mins and hold it at 3 for 5 seconds. Its a great car, lots of fun.
beautiful crap
This I feel is the most sexy looking car on the road BUT.....I put 3 starters in it in 2 years,the visors both split down the middle,various plastic parts broke without reason. I treat my cars like babies.Also,it's true....if you are only driving 2 blocks and shut the car off,it won't restart. Trust me....buy an eclipse instead.
Car just great
I bought brand new a 2004 rx-8 and had no problems, for 5.5 years. Not bad. had 75k on it when in 10/09 discovered the oil cooler line(s) was/were rusted. Common problem (they should have been anything but rust-prone metal), and they were recalled in Canada. Anyways, the car sat for 9 months ($2500 repair approx), and was started with not much problem. I temp repaired it with a hose clamp and drove it for a month now (still leaks a good bit) , but it drives nearly as good as in march 2004. You either love this car or hate it, and i do feel for those who "have towed it 8 times to the garage in its first year", but i have had NO reliability problems; peace; out!!!
Zoom Zoom
Outstanding. This is the first new car I've purchased since 1989...It was worth the wait.
Great car
This is one of the best sports cars I have driven. I had an old RX-7 and loved it. This one is almost 200 percent better. Step on the throttle and you get a real quick response throwing you back into your seat. The ride quality is what a sports car should be like. Fun, fun car. Very quick and agile. Outside and inside of this car are awesomely done. The cockpit is beautiful. Much better than the 350Z. Seats are very comfortable (again better than the Z). Back seat and suicide doors are great too. Sunroof is a necessity too!
Motor to rotor
Like a lot of other people, I was afraid of the rotary. It is so much different than anything on the road. That difference is what scared me, but that was till I drove one. I fell in love with this car in the first minute behind the wheel. It does have some dos and don'ts but what car doesn't. A pure sports car at this price is almost to good to be true. It is a high maintenance car so if you want to race stop light to stop light go buy a Honda! If you want a perfectly balanced extension of your thoughts to the road buy a RX8!
Inexpensive and Fun to Drive
Love the car - only complaints are its extremely noisy on the road - highway (tire) noise - and the radio volume increments need to be eliminated - either too quiet or too loud.
THE WAIT IS OVER!
I waited for over 8 months for this vehicle and for the first time ever ordered it without driving it. I could not be happier. The outside appearance is stunning, the engine revolutionary, and the functionality perfect for me, my wife, and 2 kids. Mazda was definitely on to something to create a car to meet the needs of a family driving sports car enthusiast! On the day we got it, the 4 of us went on a 100 mile trip and camped out for the labor day weekend...bringing everything we needed stored in the back trunk. How cool!
This ride is hot!
great ride. turns plenty of heads. drove it home last night. hit a possum though...geez! oh well, my car can handle a possum.
I CANT GET ENOUGH
THIS IS THE BEST CAR CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. MINE IS DUE NOVEMBER AND COULD NOT FAULT IT. I BROUGHT FROM ALEX AT ORPINGTON MAZDA AND WAS IMPRESSED WITH HOW HELPFUL AND HONEST EVERYONE AT THE GARAGE WAS. I JUST CANT WAIT TO GET IT.
3 Year Owner with 80K miles
I've owned my RX8 for 3 years now. I'm a rotary enthusiast, owned RX7's and work on RX's of all sorts. First off, this car is an amazing machine as far as handling and value for a very affordable price. However, before you buy make sure you know what you're getting into. Like most rotaries, this car is temperamental, it WILL be high maintenance and its important you know that. Acceleration is good for a stock car but modding this car with simple bolt ons will do NOTHING. Major dollars are involved if you want to go faster. Overall, I'm a very happy owner, I plan to keep this car when its paid off and turn it into a track car.
Fun to drive and own: a real head turner
This car is great. It's stylish and comfortable to drive. It responds quickly and hugs the road better than my 90 Miata (which I traded in on the RX8). The dash is easy to read and the controls are easy to operate. The manual mode of the automatic transmission (controlable from the stearing wheel and the console) allows for complete control of shifting gears. A flat tire repair kit is included because the spare tire is an extra cost option. The Grand Touring Package is a must and worth every penny - it includes all the options of the other touring packages plus electric driver's seat, lumbar support, heated leather trim front seats and heated mirrors.
Great Car
I just picked up my RX8 and it's still the first I've seen in California...Face it the car turns heads! Other than the lower that advertised HP I have no complaints about the car.
Another dud from Mazda?
So far I have 750+ miles driven on this car. My Observations are: 1. Poor gas mileage. Between 14 & 16 in city driving. And I drive like granny! 2. Some interior elements do not keep up with the price tag. Too much plastic used on the interior. 3. Extremely fun to drive. 4. Engine sound is unique; however, cruising its silent like a good night of sleep. 5. Above average acceleration.
rotor
Outstanding.Smooth ride.Seat of the pants handling.Accelerates as if it had turbos.I'm keepin' this one in the family.
love to hate it
I bought my rx-8 in April 09 with 27k. It is now Sept. 09 and i have 34k. I got a great deal on the car and loved the first 2 months i had it. Recently the airbag light came on for 2 weeks and then just shut off. A few days later and a month after an oil change it ran out of oil because the warning light never came on. Now every time i drive it it smells like burning oil, and mazda has no answers to these problems. The brakes squeak horribly and still squeaked after replacement. Heat from the cupholder area is ridiculous,and everything rattles. The stereo for a bose is awful, but the car looks awesome and if u get the clutch perfect in first it will take off pretty fast. Keep it or sell it?
best ride
hot and spunky....not a ford donkey.
Love it!
I got mine about a month ago, and I'm absolutely thrilled with it. I get a lot of looks, and its a blast to drive.
TO MUCH FUN AND TO MUCH GAS
I had the car a full 1200 miles now, and I have adjusted it to the point of action. As of now it runs like a sports racing car, and you can hear the engine on both auto and man-auto, as it goes to through the RPMS. It has a great deal of torque and is comfy to be in for long rides.
Mazda RX8 after one month
This vehicle is an absolute delight to drive. It is quick and handles with ease. Strangers stop to comment on it's good looks and it is quite a head turner. The ride is smoother and more quiet than a new Volvo I recently drove, and seating is quite comfortable for me at 6 feet and 215 pounds.
Achieving neither goal
Great looking car with good handling. Have previously owned RX-7's and this is definitely a different car. Actually, I was expecting more from Mazda with the amount of time they spent in R&D. It accelerates well off the line, but its high end acceleration and speed is still average. With all the cars out there improving HP, I would have expected better from something trying to be a sports car. It could also drive smoother if it is trying to pass as a sedan. Thus, this car tries to be several things but masters none of them. If you need cargo space it has absolutely little as most large items(golf bags) will not fit in the small trunk opening.
Reliable Fun
I had this car for a 4 year lease and didn't have any major issues with it. It was pretty rock solid, I didn't have a major issue with anything really. It did have its quirks and things that irritated me but nothing that left me stranded. I wish it had more power, but on the twisties it was outstanding. The interior styling won it over for me over the g35 at the time. The g35 had more power but just felt bulky and heavy compared to the lightweight agility the RX-8 offered. I always felt I could toss it around and maintain full control. Most of issues I had have been fixed for the 09 year as listed below. Mazda must have really listened because nearly EVERY quirk has been addressed.
Rotor head; GT 6mt
I bought this car January 2005, getting a 2004 model which saved me 1k. It is a joy to drive based on shifting, cornering, speed at mid to high range RPMs, responsiveness and agility. Gas mileage is poor and range is sad. I filled the 15 gallon tank about every 1.5 weeks, until I parked it and use it only for joyrides. I replace about 1/8 quart of oil every other tank fill-up. Engine flashes were all performed without difficulty, I experience rough idling and occasionally idles to a stop if not allowed to warm well before driving. A rear taillight was replaced for condensation. I've had zero mechanical or engine problems in 4 years. Truly a joy to drive.
New RX8
The cockpit is just perfect but the rear seats are not comfortable for adults, but is roomier compared to other coupes.
AWSOME
LOVE IT TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!
Fun Fun Fun!
Great handling...smooth and very linear power band, and you can fit luggage in the trunk AND carry 4 people! I feel like a kid!
By far the best car ive ever owned
This car far exceeded my expectations for mazda. It is an extremely fun and inspired car to drive, and gets a lot of attention as well. The best way i can describe the amount of driving pleasure this car sparks, is by referring to the honda s2000. In terms of power delivery, it is very similar to the s2000, in my opinion having better steering feel then the honda, and a much better ride quality, however the shift feel is not quite as good as the honds (but it is still excellent)
zoom zoom
lots of fun to drive
Can't Wait for the Hybrid!
The perfect drivers car. Not much for drag racing, but look out corners! Now if only it could be mated with an advanced hybrid propulsion system, we'd all be in a much better place. I wonder what kind of mini- "Hoover Dam" a tuned out rotary generator motor could be for powering four wheel located electric motors, ala GM's skate chassis? 50-100 HP at EACH wheel?
Great Sports car
The car is a delight to drive. The steering feel is very good. The brakes allow you to break late in a corner. I find the seats supportive and comfortable. The six speed manual is easy to shift.
When does 250 hp equal 238hp
It's 3 week now since I purchased my rx8 Handling is scarry I hav'nt got this car to break out yet. On wet pavement its like a regular car on dry pavement. The thrill of thr rotary winding out is musical. All the controls are just right I am 6'1'tall and fit just right. The cbbin is so roomy its amazing. the Freestyle, "suicide", doors amaze friends family and strangers. This is not a car. It is anextension of me. When driving I have never experienced the feeling of being one with a machine I get from the RX8
RX-8 Rocks!!!
Got 2500miles so far and this RX-8 rocks big time!!! Paid $30300 for the sunlight silver GT package. Acceleration is good (not great) but driving is fun with that 9k RPM limit in second gear getting me to 60+mpg in just over 6seconds. Handling is great. Fits 4 adults. Slim 6 footers can sit in back and enter/exit with relative ease for shorter trips. Best combo of sportiness, civility, and practicality that $30k can buy IMHO.
Amazing Car!
Like another person who rated this vehicle, I had to wait four months before I got my car. The wait was worth it! You get tremendous bang for the buck with this vehicle. Usually when I get a car or anything expensive, I have a few moments of buyer's remorse. However, I haven't experienced one second of it since I bought this car! That makes me so happy!
Zoom Zoom
My wife talked me into test driving it while I was preparing to buy a Mazda 6. Well that was all it took. A lot of car for the price. will make you feel young again at any age. And talk about drawing attention, the stylig is great.
Fun little car, not too Reliable
I purchased this car in 2006 with only 11K miles on it. It is loaded including navigation. Overall I love the car, the way it looks, and particularly the way it handles. Throughout its life I noticed a steady decrease in power, and in gas mileage. Complaint about it several times to Mazda with no fix. The doors also rattle quite a bit after you have it for about 40k. The car now has 67K miles, it is at the dealership for a new engine; and somehow I am still responsible for the "bad" O2 sensor which probably was damaged by the overwhelm amount of gas going thru the cat converter. I also had to replace the clutch at 62k.
Hard to Believe
The experience of driving the RX-8 cannot be described: Smooth, quiet, FAST, precision steering, comfortable, easy handeling and lots of interior room. Drivers seat with power can be adjusted to the shortest or tallest. You must start the engine to appreciate the power and sound of this new rotary engine. Mazda has a real winner in this vehicle. You must drive one to experience the excitement and thrill of this new machine.