baboya96

Question ! ... this dickhead I know who I would refuse to call him my friend due to his personality just purchased 04 Mazda RX-8.. It could actually be 05 but don't think there's much of difference. I'm pretty sure his is manual. I have 03 Cl-S 5AT stock as it can be. No modification on it whatsoever. His must be stock too considering he just got the car. Lately, he's been talking shit about front-wheel cars, saying how unreliable they are or how slow the cars are. I want to shut his ass up but don't know if my CL would be compatiable with his brand spnking new RX-8. Just comparing numbers, CL has more power but it's a heavier car. What do guys think?? Should I give it a try?

RevTo9K

I've got an RX-8 and a CL-S, both stock 6 speeds. Off the line I'd say the CL is quicker, but we're only talking a tenth of a second or so in the quarter. And that's the 6 speed CL.

Handling-wise, the RX-8 is world-class.

I'd say in a drag race it would be very close.

Seattle Cl-S

It'll be close enough that even if he beats you it won't be by much. Not enough to justify "FWD cars are slow and suck". My guess is that he can't shift like a pro and you'll end up beating him 9/10 times. Both cars trap about 96mph stock.

Like Revto9k said, don't even bother if there are corners to be taken.

Car-Stats.com Report for 2003 Acura 3.2CL Type-S
Obtained from R&T July, 2002
0-60: 6.5 Transmission: Automatic
1/4 Mile: 14.9
1/4 Speed: 96

Car-Stats.com Report for 2004 Mazda RX-8
Obtained from R&T April, 2003
0-60: 5.9 Transmission: Manual
1/4 Mile: 14.5
1/4 Speed: 96

Moodist

iTrader: (2)

For those numbers in the RX-8, don't you have to do a huge clutch dump? Maybe it was like 5-6K.

RevTo9K

Yep. Very different from a 6 speed CL-S where you have available torque all throughout the powerband. The Renesis makes its peak power at very high RPMs. I think you're right - most people recommend launching at about 5500, feathering the clutch rather than just dropping it - otherwise you're dealing with some serious RWD wheel hop.

Hecuvalotta fun though.

Moodist

iTrader: (2)

So I have heard...how are you doing with gas mileage and/or oil burning? A friend of mine is seriously considering buying one.

RevTo9K

Gas mileage is not good - 13.5 - 17.5 mpg - but I'm having too much fun for it to bother me any.

The rotary burns oil by design, but on my car it's only like a quart every 3000 miles or so. They suggest you check the oil every 2nd fillup, but you don't have to add oil that frequently unless something's wrong with the car. The car can be 1.7 quarts low and still be above the 'low' mark on the dipstick, so you've really gotta neglect it to cause a problem.

I'm very happy with mine - I love the rear suicide doors, the sound, and the handling. People seem to either love or hate the looks. I think it looks great.

6peedSleepR

hey guys ... i had a race with an all stock rx-8 one time and blew him away off the line... didnt expect that at all... but it was great.!

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

So did I. In fact 2 of them. Both were 6 speeds. Maybe the guys couldn't drive or didn't know about launching so high. I also blew the doors off of one on the HW recently. I was in front the RX8 was behind me riding my ass. We were merging on the FL turnpike. Long stretch of on ramp. He thought he could punch it & go around me to merge first, making me have to slow down to get in behind him. I puched it as soon as I saw him try it. I ran the length of the on ramp merged & had it up to 120. He was way back. I slowed down, & he did the fly by.
However in some twisties the RX8 owns the CLS

Moodist

iTrader: (2)

I knew the oil burning is part of the rotary design, just wasn't sure how frequent. The gas mileage, that would take some getting used to. I am waiting to see what Mazdaspeed does as far as turbos go, the rx-8 should be able to handle insane amounts of boost.

Moodist

iTrader: (2)

I think you blowing the doors off them isn't that surprising, I mean you did run a 14.2. I doubt most ppl are willing to launch so high, I know I wouldn't.

baboya96

ummm.. I appreciate eveyone's comments... sounds like I should take it out on a road and shut him up... but then again... all you guys with racing experieces with RX-8 have 6 speed... still think my 5AT would take it?? I'll make sure we do it somewhere that doesnt require any turnings.. =)

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

I think it would. If not, as said it wouldn't be by much. Might be even in fact. Even if you lost it would shut him up.

2003TL-S

I've taken a 6 speed RX-8 out from about a 20mph roll in first gear until about 80 when I let up, he was at my bumper by that time.

RevTo9K

It seems to have a lot of potential, but it has a very invasive ECU that tends to fight any mods (and nobody's come up with a replacement ECU so far, just piggyback units, and the stock ECU tends to frustrate them.

My lease is up in '07, and if there's a Mazdaspeed RX-8 with FI, it's mine.

Gas mileage seems to be very driving-style dependent - certainly more so than any Honda/Acura I've owned... and when you have an engine that revs to 9K but is capable of 14,000 without blowing up... well, like I said, I don't get great gas mileage.

koolmonkey999

I myself raced a RX-8 on freeway. I have a cl-s 6 speed w/ intake & exhaust. Had no problem pulling on it on freeway but still it is a worth opponent. Auto cl-s will most likely lose to rx-8 6 speed if hes a decent driver. On the other hand if his is auto you should toast him b/c there is a 40hp difference between auto and 6 speed rx-8s?

Iwant2run13s

About two weeks ago I raced a RX-8 in town, we hit three red lights and he ran every time (you can hear that Roatery revving up) and I pulled away from him every time, well over a 1/2 a car length by 55-60mph, when its time to find the breaks (rember in town) which is good because he probably would have caught me once I hit third gear. So it's just weather you are racing a 1/8 or a full 1/4 mile

P.S. my first post, just want to say I dig the site, and love my CL

98 3.0CL
4spd auto (what else?)

sgmotoring

I think you need to know your car more. RWD should always launch better than a FWD with similar tires.

koolmonkey999

In most cases yes but the cl-s has so much torque to get a good launch if done right. The rx-8 is only pushing no more then 160 torque which is why im guessing they need to feather the clutch while launching and most people don't know how to do that quite well. IMO off the line cl-s will take rx-8 just because we have so much more torque. We all know how torquey our cl-s can be.

RevTo9K

There are lots of other factors, though... power-to-weight ratio, drivetrain efficiency, etc.

I'd still say that off-the-line, the performance is comparable.

I should also mention that since this conversation started, I got my RX-8's PCM reflashed with the latest revision from Mazda. Remember when Mazda restated the crank horsepower from 250 down to 238 on the RX-8? Apparently they had not complied with a new emissions regulation requiring catalytic converters to last 170,000 miles. So they reprogrammed the fuel map and the car ran pig-rich, and lost power. Also ate cats due to the unburnt fuel volume (kinda defeating the purpose), and made the cars prone to flooding if shut down cold. Mazda's done multiple reflashes over the past year and a half, leaning out the mixture each time.

Anyway, the 8 seems quite a bit quicker now with the reflash. The PCM's just getting done with learning mode, and since the motor's broken in, I pushed it a lot more through this learning cycle. Is it quicker than the CL? If not, it's a lot closer than it was.

koolmonkey999

Well for my part I can say the rx-8 on high end is dead even or mayb a little faster than the cl. I say this because i have intake and exhaust and i raced a one on the freeway and we hit atleast 130(yes call me insane). I pulled on him pretty slow but eventually kept pulling. The rx-8 looked bone stock but also lets not negate the fact i had 4 ppl in my car and he only had 1(himself). So you guys can do the math or get an idea of atleast where it the rx-8 stands with us cl-s drivers on high end. Btw my car is a 6 speed.

clpimp12

I've got a 5AT and have had no problems with RX-8. The only question is I read somewhere theres 2 models one with apx, 198 and one with apx 235. Maybe I'm racing the slower ones. Anyway, with a good launch, you should be able to beat either one or stay close at least!

rickfio100

My friend just bought one we race all the time we are close but I win all of the time I have the 6 speed.

ssk0771

I think you will have a good chance even if you have an auto. If you compare the performance of 2 cars, they are similar in performance with RX-8 with little more edge so I think it will depend on the driver.

But once you you get over 100mph, it will be very tough. CL/TL tranny sucks after 3 gear on auto.