Hey guys i was thinking bout getting a 8, i was wondering what their like in the snow. I know 2 older ladies in my town that have 1 andthey drive it all year around and they say they love them. I know it wont be compared to my subie but i really want a rx8.


And does any1 have a carset in the backseat of their 8?? haha:lol:

as with almost any car, the tires are what makes it driveable. Throw some blizzaks on it and it'll ride like it's on rails. Dare to leave the stockers on it and you'll be lucky to stay on the road with a 1/4" of snow on the ground (not joking either).

Your only issue is going to be clearance. Obviously it sits lower then many other car out there, but as long as you get the rubber in line, you'll find that it's a perfectly capable car on snowy roads. DSC only furthers to help it out.

and i wouldn't be surprised to see carseats in the back of one. not at all.

ye i test drove 1 in the snow and it wasnt bad..i figured it had sum kind of winter tires on it, and with them 2 older ladiesdriving them in my hometown made me think haha..


i hope carseats fit in them, got a kid on the way but it will be sprng b4 hes born so dont hafta worry bout snow issue then

I got a car seat in mine and it fits fine.... just wondering what age or weight can a child sit in the front seat..???

im not exactly sure its like a scale though hasta be a certain age or weight can be one or the other haha..

thats good to hear that they fit in there..that just puts me closer to getting one

I got a car seat in mine and it fits fine.... just wondering what age or weight can a child sit in the front seat..???

you'll have to check with your state's laws on that. here in ohio, the rule for a child not having to be in a car seat is 4yrs old or 40lbs.

child seats fit in the back quite well. part of the reason i bought my 8. i wanted to be able to transport the entire family.

Your choice of tires will make or break you with the 8 in the snow. I get around fairly well with all-seasons as long as I have decent ground clearance.

For the amount of money you would spend for winter wheels and tires, you could also buy a beater and keep the miles and salt off your 8 for a few months. Thats what I do.

yea i got a 02 impreza 2.5 rs right now...a beast in the snow my fiance has a evo 9 SE and its alright in the snow not as good as the subie haha..but dont know if i can afford impreza rx8 and a evo insurance haha wll both of us..especially with a kid..lol..


its not like we get alot of snow imfrom western pa we got hit hard this weekend but its rarethat this happens

im juss glad to hear a baby seat fits..

what should i look for on these cars when going to buy 1?..i had a rotary b4 had a 88rx7 that i loved but it was bad n winter and small

id have to say this is the best forum id ever been on if i wold of posted this on subarus forum,honda tech or aything they woulda tried putting me don and tel me to search for it haha

yeah ppl here do drive them all year around in the snow however when i lived in the North I bought a beater and kept the salt and miles off my 8 like renesis07 said

For the amount of money you would spend for winter wheels and tires, you could also buy a beater and keep the miles and salt off your 8 for a few months. Thats what I do.

Just a thought tho...then you have to also pay tax/title/insurance and worst of all, MAINTENENCE on it as well.

It may just be a beater and barely needs to run, but it still needs to run and be dependable. Unless your buying a $3-4K set or rims/tires, you'll likely end up paying more in the end. My "beater" that I bought only for the purpose of winter/towing just had to have a total of $2000 paid consecutively after one more thing kept on breaking.

If you really are buying an 8 for the purpose of a summer car (no snow/salt/weather), you should already have another car lined up for when you buy the 8.

a set of used/winter rims should run you no more then $500 (they don't have to be blingblingin) and if you keep an eye on clearance at tirerack or discounttire, you should be able to find a new set of winters for roughly $600. If you really strike the jackpot, you might be able to find someone with wtiner tires mounted on used rims for around $500-700 (i've did that twice now).

^my beater was 350 dollars with tax title registration etc was like 500 out the door! then insurance was 200 bucks a yr so that's 700 dollars so about the cost of tires however the salt and rust got on the already rusted car and the miles also while my 8 was sitting in the garage waiting till spring! so it depends on what u call a "beater" to me a beater is a beater and if it would break i could fix it(kept tool box with me) anything that breaks i would b able to fix but if u cannot do that then i would not recommend getting something that may have problems

I got a baby due in feb hope the car seat fits:) and does not mess the seat up

Just a thought tho...then you have to also pay tax/title/insurance and worst of all, MAINTENENCE on it as well.

It may just be a beater and barely needs to run, but it still needs to run and be dependable. Unless your buying a $3-4K set or rims/tires, you'll likely end up paying more in the end. My "beater" that I bought only for the purpose of winter/towing just had to have a total of $2000 paid consecutively after one more thing kept on breaking.

If you really are buying an 8 for the purpose of a summer car (no snow/salt/weather), you should already have another car lined up for when you buy the 8.

a set of used/winter rims should run you no more then $500 (they don't have to be blingblingin) and if you keep an eye on clearance at tirerack or discounttire, you should be able to find a new set of winters for roughly $600. If you really strike the jackpot, you might be able to find someone with wtiner tires mounted on used rims for around $500-700 (i've did that twice now).

Well, I kinda weasel my way around each winter lol. Last winter I borrowed a relatives 06 impala from October - April as long as I maintained it for them. This winter my gf is sharing her 03 Grand Prix with me, I paid the insurance (400 dollars) and I do all the maintanence (20 bucks so far for 1 oil change) and I have a car. Its also extremely convenient that Im her manager and shedule her for the same hours I work :lol2:

Hey guys i was thinking bout getting a 8, i was wondering what their like in the snow. I know 2 older ladies in my town that have 1 andthey drive it all year around and they say they love them. I know it wont be compared to my subie but i really want a rx8.


And does any1 have a carset in the backseat of their 8?? haha:lol:

I got a baby due in feb hope the car seat fits:) and does not mess the seat up

I use a set of Pirelli 240 Snowsports in the OEM size (not ideal but it minimised my cash outlay and thereby kept my wife happy) in winter without any trouble.

I've had no trouble with either of two different car seats (the original rear facing Graco that my wife and I used until my daughter was 1 and the convertible I'm using now both fit without trouble or any harm to the rear seat). The convertible I'm using now is called a 5 in 1, so it has retractible wheels to let it act as an erstwhile stroller and is also FAA certified for use on an airliner.

For a new-born, I do recommend a dedicated rear-facing seat. I used the Graco with an extra base (one for my car and one for my wife's car) so it would just snap in place, making securing the baby a snap. I'd recommend a rear-facing seat that has a removable base that you can secure to the latch connectors in the rear seat ahead of time. I'm also of the opinion that the latch connectors are so much easier to get at in the RX-8 than in my wife's Subaru, making it that much easier to secure that base.

^my beater was 350 dollars with tax title registration etc was like 500 out the door! then insurance was 200 bucks a yr so that's 700 dollars so about the cost of tires however the salt and rust got on the already rusted car and the miles also while my 8 was sitting in the garage waiting till spring! so it depends on what u call a "beater" to me a beater is a beater and if it would break i could fix it(kept tool box with me) anything that breaks i would b able to fix but if u cannot do that then i would not recommend getting something that may have problems

wow, that's one heck of a lucky break on a beater. I don't think i've ever even met someone who bought a car for less then a grand and didn't have to end up putting in about the same within a few years. If it works for you, let it ride...but it's definately not the norm.

thats guy this is sum great info, cant wait to spring rolls around

I had my 8 through 4 New England winters. The past 2 winters I got snow tires (Hankook Ice Bear) and they worked great. I was able to drive in 4 inches of snow. When I say drive I mean I was able to move and keep it steady at under 30mph. Over that and not matter what tires you have you are going to be shaky.. Car is very light and rear wheel drive sucks period no matter what car you have in the snow. But like I said I could manage just fine keeping it under 30-35 tops.

To compare, I unfortunately traded in my 8 for an AWD car and what a difference. The car laughs at snow now, but the 8 can still putt around ok best with snows though.

Recently bought a set of snow tires for the RX8 . We got an unexpected snow storm Monday (4-8 inches).Wife took the car to work and was blowing by SUV's,AWD's and FWD's. She said more than one suv owner look over in shock as a sportscar drove by them during a snow storm. Snow tires make a HUGE difference.

wow, that's one heck of a lucky break on a beater. I don't think i've ever even met someone who bought a car for less then a grand and didn't have to end up putting in about the same within a few years. If it works for you, let it ride...but it's definately not the norm.


Don't get me wrong this thing was not the prettiest thing on the road and needed some work to pass inspection and had it's downfallls that needed repaired(holes in floorboards fixed with sheet metal, rivets, and roofing tar) :lol:

I had to put 30 bucks in for a broken side window(2 weeks before i sold it)....also drove it for about 5 months and then sold for 500 so i made money on the deal haha!!!!

Just bought 09 Sport model and put Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 on. No problems whatsoever with snow / wet / icy, just be reasonable when driving it.

[quote=Stavesacre21;2812127]as with almost any car, the tires are what makes it driveable. Throw some blizzaks on it and it'll ride like it's on rails. Dare to leave the stockers on it and you'll be lucky to stay on the road with a 1/4" of snow on the ground (not joking either).
quote]
This is true I just took mine out and got caught in a small snow shower. Im running new Goodyear Eagle F1 all seasons and I almost got stuck on plowed but ice-base slush covered street parking as well as having to turn off DSC and spin out of a convenience store parking spot in reverse where others just backed out w/out spin.

But I expected this and have a commuter/Dodge and will be picking up a 98 Grand cherokee for $2400 to use in snow.

Recently bought a set of snow tires for the RX8 . We got an unexpected snow storm Monday (4-8 inches).Wife took the car to work and was blowing by SUV's,AWD's and FWD's. She said more than one suv owner look over in shock as a sportscar drove by them during a snow storm. Snow tires make a HUGE difference.

I believe it. I had a 97 Cobra coupe that I drove through a nasty winter here in Ohio, all on a new set of Blizzaks. It'll transform just about any car into a beast in the snow. Just don't get too overcomfident tho...all cars and tires can't stop on ice (cept chains, maybe).


This is true I just took mine out and got caught in a small snow shower. Im running new Goodyear Eagle F1 all seasons and I almost got stuck on plowed but ice-base slush covered street parking as well as having to turn off DSC and spin out of a convenience store parking spot in reverse where others just backed out w/out spin.

But I expected this and have a commuter/Dodge and will be picking up a 98 Grand cherokee for $2400 to use in snow.

Now that's the kinda deal i'm talkin about! I did the same and bought a 97 Pathfinder 4X4 and it's laughed at almost anything I could drive in. Ironically, the main reason i bought it was to pull jetskis in the summer, but it's proven almost more useful in the winter, so far!

I regret that I've not come across an all-season tyre that is he equal in snow of the old Goodyear Eagle GT +4. I had those on my 1983 RX-7 and even in near white-out conditions, I could make it up hills and through deep snow where I was dragging the belly of the car through the white stuff. I don't know what those tyres had that hasn't been replicated since; but to equal it, I'm a definite supporter of dedicated snow tyres. When my current Pirelli 240 Snowsports wear out, I'm leaning towards getting dedicated 17" rims and snow tyres so I can use a narrower snow tyre than the OEM size rims allow.

Winter tires FTW. The only way to go. Swap the rubber and enjoy the best performance for each season, instead of the half assed performance in all conditions delivered by all season tires.

Baby seats fit fine, though rear facing will force the passenger seat to be way forward on the tracks. If mom rides shotgun her knees will be jammed up on the dash if she's over 5'4 or so. The simple solution is to have her keep the knee pads on when you leave the house.

All of your questions have multiple threads to answer them in greater detail. Do a search by thread title and you will find plenty of info about different winter wheel options, car seat brands & choices, etc., etc. More threads like this will lead to declining pleasantness in the responses.

Can a Lambo, Ferarri, Porsch, Gts, or Corvettes go on snow - sure, but should they - depends on how much you are willing to lose...

I plan to keep my 8 a very long time - Old Red the 323 goes on snow, mud, stream beds, swamps and log roads... I save the Blue 8 for town, touring, and church...She goes under wraps even for rain!

^good choice

but not one we can all make.

so

my rx8 goes in the snow and i enjoy driving it in the snow. :)

dont enjoy driving it on heavily salted roads. :/

snow is np! its just water.

^
exactly. You'd be extremely surprised how many people seem to actually think that snow is just as bad as salt, and that the two are interchangable.

When I had my 8, the only thing that kept me from driving in the snow the first year was a lack of snow tires. I drove it in everything I could, and bought it new. I bought snow tires the following summer for a great deal, but ironically never got to use them since i sold it the following august. Yeah, didn't see that one comin lol.

I've been browsing this forum for a bit (since I am looking to get an RX8) and I had a similar question about driving in snow.

I am looking for a used RX8, and am trying to decide between a '04 MT/GT or an '05 base MT. The only reason I am looking at th GT is because they have slip diff. I live up north in NY (Ithaca), and I was wondering if the limited slip will help make driving in snow any easier/safer than the base - ofcourse, I will be getting snow tires.
I am not a bad driver, but have never driven RWD before.
So, I guess, my question is:

Is limited slip diff worth buying an '04 GT instead of an '05/'06 base, since if I get an 04, I will loose out on the transmission warranty.
TIA.

I am excited at the prospect of getting an RX8, and for the first time in a loong while, I can imagine spending weekends washing and waxing the car. What a car!!

GT's are more then just a limited slip differential. They also have DSC/TC, Xenon headlights, often times a sunroof, and a slew of other options. If the only option you're buying it for is the limited slip, i'm not sure on that one.

What's your primary useage going to be? If you plan to track/AX it all, i'd go with the GT. Since it's only 1 year apart, i don't know if the base would be worth it otherwise. How many miles are on them? Are they from private owners? Trannys on the 8 seem pretty well made, but still experience their share of problems.

Thanks Stavesacre,

Naah..it is the entire GT package. I am just trying to understand if all those options (DSC/slip diff) will make snow driving that much safer - I used to drive a toyota tercel '95 with nothing (no power steering even), so I can drive pretty well in snow - but that was an FWD.

The cars have around 45K miles - right now, I am looking at both dealers and private owners.

I will race it, but probably in autocross only. Otherwise, it will mostly be used to drive from home to Boston, etc - long drives, since I take the bus for work.

I guess I am concerned about both both the transmission as well as the clutch, since a couple of posts here suggest that that might be a problem - but that is just based on limited reading, so I could be completely off base.

Thanks for the feedback - I really appreciate it. I am new to the world of rotary, so the info that I've found on this forum really makes me feel much more comfortable about taking the plunge.

cheers!

Just my $0.02, but it sounds like you're gonna wanna try out a GT with what you're saying. If you get an 05, you're gonna have what? Maybe another 6-8 months of warranty? As long as you find an 04 from a GOOD owner that took care of theirs, you should have just as good of a gaurantee, if not at least for 6-8 months.

I'd stay out of the base with your needs.

buy studded snow tires and you should be fine. stock tires will kill you.

I always thought that LSD is standard on all manual ?

buy studded snow tires and you should be fine. stock tires will kill you.

Are those street legal anywhere these days?

Ken

^In certain areas of the country they are a must.

I always thought that LSD is standard on all manual ?

That's what I thought as well. Are we mistaken?

2 child seats in mine. one forward facing one rearward facing. rear facing is behind me . You need to try them out before you buy. some child seats are IMPOSSIBLE> One we tried wouldnt even fit behind us in the old subie outback wagon. but the one we have now can fit behind me or my wife(shes slightly taller).

as mentioned many times before- BOTH my kids have come home from birth in the RX-8. It was bought as my family car. they go with me in the 8 to get groceries :)

I always thought that LSD is standard on all manual ?

Yes, every MT RX-8 (NA) has a LSD. You can also have a Sport w/ TCS/DSC and xenon headlights such as mine (04-05).

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=134442&highlight=lsd+limited+slip
http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=4635
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsSpecs&vehicleCode=RX8&bhcp=1[/QUOTE]

Thanks guys! Looks like I will be going for a GT version soonish. I guess the only thing I now need to learn is how to spot a good car, apart from getting it checked by a qualified mechanic.

Ken, I know that in NY, studded tires are legal from Oct to April/May, except in NYC, where they are not legal at any time during the year. Not sure about other states, but would be surprised if any state that gets heavy snow/winter would prohibit them, atleast in winter.

On the other hand, I think NY does not allow use of snow chains, except to get out if you are stuck..Not too sure of that though.

...Ken, I know that in NY, studded tires are legal from Oct to April/May, except in NYC, where they are not legal at any time during the year. Not sure about other states, but would be surprised if any state that gets heavy snow/winter would prohibit them, atleast in winter.

On the other hand, I think NY does not allow use of snow chains, except to get out if you are stuck..Not too sure of that though.

Nice to know that modern winter rubber hasn't squeezed honest metal completely out. I used to get studs in the old days of rear wheel drive, snow tires on the back only. They were fantastic on ice, not that much help on snow or slush. Eventually made illegal here in Virginia, which isn't exactly the snow belt.

Chains were always fun, as long as you put them on the car while still in the garage, and not in the middle of a snow drift after getting stuck.

Ken