Subtle_Cynicism
03-16-2006, 08:57 PM
Today I went to a few dealerships and test drove several cars in my ongoing attempt to find the perfect car for me. Here was the highlight of my driving today, by far:
I went to the dealership and spotted, immediately, a Winning Blue 2005 Mazda RX-8. Every option except navigation system installed. Beautiful car.
THE OUTSIDE:
It's a love it or hate it with this car. I know many people love it; I know just as many who hate it. The xenon headlamps, and the overall bulbous shape of the front end give the car an agressive stance. The front grille, housing the foglights, had the aero package, complete with the chrome rotary accent in the center, so it was pretty low to the ground. On the walkaround, the 18" wheels were absolutely stunning. The spoke rims are all it takes for me, which is why I'm partial to those of you with the G6 GTP out there. I love me some nice rims. The edges to the wheel wells are bulbous, and stick out, defining it from just about any other car on the road, and definiately giving it a unique look, that some may not like.
The fact that it counts as a four door, due to the high quality suicide doors makes it all the more appealing. Very nice, because your front two doors aren't nearly as long as most standard coupes, meaning no more tapping others cars in tight parking spaces. The backend has a unique, almost altezza like tailight set, and a nice rotary chrome accent between the two tailpipes, part of the rotary package.
THE INSIDE:
Where to begin. The second you open the door, it's high quality and nothing else like I've ever seen. The door panels don't shake, shutter, or feel cheap upon opening the door, and upon closing the door, it doesn't feel loose or anything. My Firebird's doors felt like the window would shatter when I shut them.
The second you sit in the cockpit, it's a buying point for those of you who focus on aestetic factors. The front, ridiculously bolstered and comfortable bucket seats have a rotary accent between the top and back, separating it, adding a nice touch. The window buttons I thought were a little oddly placed, on a panel nearly vertilal on the door, and that felt slightly odd.
I must say that the radio was exceptionally good looking. I didnt get to figure out what all the buttons were, but the long screen telling me the temperate, time, station, and where the air was blowing was placed so I could keep my eyes on the road at all times. The center console is unique in that stretches all the way from the front to the back, giving the backseat a storage compartment much like the front setas, as well as two hide-a-way cupholders in the back. There wasn't too bad of a blindspot, so it would just take getting used to, but overall, I felt extremely safe in the car, considering there were 6 or 8 (can't remember) airbags ready to deploy when needed. The seats were comfortable to a point I can't begin to stress. The heated leather was really nice, considering it was a cold day.
DRIVING:
The key is a unique switchblade type key, and the second you engage the clutch and turn it on, you know you're in for a treat. The electroluminecent gauges glow on, with a tachometer that runs up to 9,000, yes, 9,000 RPM. While deeply recessed, they were extremely easy to see, as the RX-8 offers three different colored backlighting. Blue upon entrance, white during the day, and red on black during the night. Very easy on the eyes. The one thing that took some getting used to was the digital speedometer.
The steering at first was tight, something that kinda concerned me, considering the Grand Am steering wheel is very easily movable. The smooth shifting 6 speed manual is a dream. Literally. Topped with a rotary accent, its the shortest throw shifer I think I've ever seen, and it find its gears by itself, practically.
You start the car up, and while the sound isn't exactly American Muscle, it has its own unique flavor. A very fine tuned, almost motorcycle whir (definately Japanese) idles comfortably. Taking off, it was kind of easy to feel the car stalling if you didnt rev the engine, but I expected that. Once on the road, the fun definately began.
This car BEGS to be pushed to its limit. Ridiculously easy to speed, the rotary engine whirs its way to high output later in the drive. I was driving in third gear going 65ish, and the engine was humming at a high 6-8,000 rpm. This takes some getting used to, because you feel as though you're stressing the engine, even though it doesn't even sound like it. My mom was impressed beyond believe that I Was running in third on the freeway.
Funny enough, if you shift TOO early, the car chugs almost similar to when you shift a regular sports car too LATE. The steering was phenomenal, and the transmission was impeccable. I stalled out once (yes, shame on me) because I wasn't used to it, but unlike most cars, you can't hear it, and no one even noticed. That spared me the douchebag factor, for sure.
Merging onto the freeway, was definately like a kid in a candy store. The dealer told me to give it, "you can't hurt this car", so I did. A few seconds later, I was winding through traffic in fourth gear, almost going 80 before I realized it and pulled back. There are really no words to describe what its like accellerating in this car, its unlike anything Ive ever been in. The engine is so smooth, you literally feel like you're cutting through the wind, minus friction. No tension at all.
I didn't want the dealer to get pissed, so I didn't redline it, but he said, "WHat, you're driving this sports car, and you won't even push it to it's 9k redline, what the hell!" So I did. Holy ****. That's all. Holy ****. A chime goes on and the lights change color briefly reminding you to shift, because yes, it would be EXTREMELY easy to forget, giving the engines complacent nature at all RPMs.
I took some corners going 35-50, really steep ones, where most cars would cause your mother to grip the emergency handle and say "SLOW THE HELL DOWN". My mom's jaw was dropped. The 50/50 weight balance, and the cars suspension keep it glued to the road at all times; not once did I feel out of control with this car.
OVERALL:
The rotary engine still makes me nervous, but Mazda offers a great incentive in its warrenty on the car. It's got great safety ratings, is classfied as a 4 door for insurence purposes
However, I was less than impressed with their sticker prices. The cars were MSRP $32,000, and they were only willing to come down no more than $4,500, which isn't bad, but many on the RX-8 boards are getting steals for the brand new 05's for anywhere from 5-8k off invoice, which is around 29.
Unless they are willing to come down more, I won't be able to buy from them, but there are retailers all around the country.
I really, really feel this is the right car. It blends performance, fun, sexiness, and comfortability and practicality all into one.
I went to the dealership and spotted, immediately, a Winning Blue 2005 Mazda RX-8. Every option except navigation system installed. Beautiful car.
THE OUTSIDE:
It's a love it or hate it with this car. I know many people love it; I know just as many who hate it. The xenon headlamps, and the overall bulbous shape of the front end give the car an agressive stance. The front grille, housing the foglights, had the aero package, complete with the chrome rotary accent in the center, so it was pretty low to the ground. On the walkaround, the 18" wheels were absolutely stunning. The spoke rims are all it takes for me, which is why I'm partial to those of you with the G6 GTP out there. I love me some nice rims. The edges to the wheel wells are bulbous, and stick out, defining it from just about any other car on the road, and definiately giving it a unique look, that some may not like.
The fact that it counts as a four door, due to the high quality suicide doors makes it all the more appealing. Very nice, because your front two doors aren't nearly as long as most standard coupes, meaning no more tapping others cars in tight parking spaces. The backend has a unique, almost altezza like tailight set, and a nice rotary chrome accent between the two tailpipes, part of the rotary package.
THE INSIDE:
Where to begin. The second you open the door, it's high quality and nothing else like I've ever seen. The door panels don't shake, shutter, or feel cheap upon opening the door, and upon closing the door, it doesn't feel loose or anything. My Firebird's doors felt like the window would shatter when I shut them.
The second you sit in the cockpit, it's a buying point for those of you who focus on aestetic factors. The front, ridiculously bolstered and comfortable bucket seats have a rotary accent between the top and back, separating it, adding a nice touch. The window buttons I thought were a little oddly placed, on a panel nearly vertilal on the door, and that felt slightly odd.
I must say that the radio was exceptionally good looking. I didnt get to figure out what all the buttons were, but the long screen telling me the temperate, time, station, and where the air was blowing was placed so I could keep my eyes on the road at all times. The center console is unique in that stretches all the way from the front to the back, giving the backseat a storage compartment much like the front setas, as well as two hide-a-way cupholders in the back. There wasn't too bad of a blindspot, so it would just take getting used to, but overall, I felt extremely safe in the car, considering there were 6 or 8 (can't remember) airbags ready to deploy when needed. The seats were comfortable to a point I can't begin to stress. The heated leather was really nice, considering it was a cold day.
DRIVING:
The key is a unique switchblade type key, and the second you engage the clutch and turn it on, you know you're in for a treat. The electroluminecent gauges glow on, with a tachometer that runs up to 9,000, yes, 9,000 RPM. While deeply recessed, they were extremely easy to see, as the RX-8 offers three different colored backlighting. Blue upon entrance, white during the day, and red on black during the night. Very easy on the eyes. The one thing that took some getting used to was the digital speedometer.
The steering at first was tight, something that kinda concerned me, considering the Grand Am steering wheel is very easily movable. The smooth shifting 6 speed manual is a dream. Literally. Topped with a rotary accent, its the shortest throw shifer I think I've ever seen, and it find its gears by itself, practically.
You start the car up, and while the sound isn't exactly American Muscle, it has its own unique flavor. A very fine tuned, almost motorcycle whir (definately Japanese) idles comfortably. Taking off, it was kind of easy to feel the car stalling if you didnt rev the engine, but I expected that. Once on the road, the fun definately began.
This car BEGS to be pushed to its limit. Ridiculously easy to speed, the rotary engine whirs its way to high output later in the drive. I was driving in third gear going 65ish, and the engine was humming at a high 6-8,000 rpm. This takes some getting used to, because you feel as though you're stressing the engine, even though it doesn't even sound like it. My mom was impressed beyond believe that I Was running in third on the freeway.
Funny enough, if you shift TOO early, the car chugs almost similar to when you shift a regular sports car too LATE. The steering was phenomenal, and the transmission was impeccable. I stalled out once (yes, shame on me) because I wasn't used to it, but unlike most cars, you can't hear it, and no one even noticed. That spared me the douchebag factor, for sure.
Merging onto the freeway, was definately like a kid in a candy store. The dealer told me to give it, "you can't hurt this car", so I did. A few seconds later, I was winding through traffic in fourth gear, almost going 80 before I realized it and pulled back. There are really no words to describe what its like accellerating in this car, its unlike anything Ive ever been in. The engine is so smooth, you literally feel like you're cutting through the wind, minus friction. No tension at all.
I didn't want the dealer to get pissed, so I didn't redline it, but he said, "WHat, you're driving this sports car, and you won't even push it to it's 9k redline, what the hell!" So I did. Holy ****. That's all. Holy ****. A chime goes on and the lights change color briefly reminding you to shift, because yes, it would be EXTREMELY easy to forget, giving the engines complacent nature at all RPMs.
I took some corners going 35-50, really steep ones, where most cars would cause your mother to grip the emergency handle and say "SLOW THE HELL DOWN". My mom's jaw was dropped. The 50/50 weight balance, and the cars suspension keep it glued to the road at all times; not once did I feel out of control with this car.
OVERALL:
The rotary engine still makes me nervous, but Mazda offers a great incentive in its warrenty on the car. It's got great safety ratings, is classfied as a 4 door for insurence purposes
However, I was less than impressed with their sticker prices. The cars were MSRP $32,000, and they were only willing to come down no more than $4,500, which isn't bad, but many on the RX-8 boards are getting steals for the brand new 05's for anywhere from 5-8k off invoice, which is around 29.
Unless they are willing to come down more, I won't be able to buy from them, but there are retailers all around the country.
I really, really feel this is the right car. It blends performance, fun, sexiness, and comfortability and practicality all into one.