New car advice

I’m very interested in the Miata but find it a bit small. I owned three RX7s back in the day and loved them. RX8 seems to get mixed reviews. More functional space is a plus but expense and needing to “baby it” seem to be the minuses. Is it substantially different than what the RX7 needed? Any truth to the idea that hot climates are bad for the engine? Comments based on experience with either car would be welcome. Thanks!

They are two very different cars that just happened to be made by the same company. I’ve owned and driven both. The Miata is one of the best handling and affordable convertible sports cars made. The RX8 has lost the mystique created by the RX7 – the rear seats and “mini doors” don’t make sense to me. The engine has some power, but no torque. It drinks oil like a diesel. This will be it’s last year of production (does not meet EU mileage or emissions). I’d gladly buy another Miata but would not touch an RX8.

Buy what you like best.

Twotone

Sadiegirl,

I hate to recommend against buying a car, but I would recommend against buying an RX8.

I love the styling and I love the theoretical benefits of a rotary engine, but in modern terms, the RX8 has never been very reliable.

The sales of them have been rather poor. Through May, they have sold 523 of them in the US. Selling at a rate of only 1200 per year is VERY poor sales. Further, the RX8 can’t meet Euro emissions standards and is being pulled from that market, and I’ve seen several stories that they are going to end production of them either this year or next. You would then have a car that few mechanics (even at Mazda dealers) understand well for repairs. Not only that, but parts would be hard to find. We’re not talking about a Pontiac G6 or something like that which would be easy to find parts for years after they stopped production. We’re talking significant wait times on parts…

All said, I would avoid the RX8 like the plague. There are too many good vehicles on the market to compromise so much.

If you’re considering the RX8, give the 370Z a look instead.

You could get a 2008 BMW Z4 for the same price as a new RX-8. Ditto the Honda S2000. Test drive them and see if you like them. Test drives only cost you some time. Im not knocking the Miata, just ofering some similarly priced alternatives.

Quote: “It drinks oil like a diesel.” Unquote

What is that supposed to mean? My diesel car uses very little crankcase oil unless you intend to mean that diesel fuel is oil. Your anology may be faulty.