leykias

hi...i just totalled my car recently.. (not my fault btw)

i never own'd a stick shift before, but have driven it before...

i was wondering how bad is it to drive a manual car in heavy traffic? - for those of you in california...i will be using the 405 on a daily basis..(uggh)

my father says that i shouldn't get a manual because it becomes tiresome in heavy traffic....

so that leads to the choice of getting an automatic car: i have the choice between an rx-8, mazda 6, 350z.

is an rx-8 automatic even worth getting?? the lose of power is pretty dramatic when compared to the 350z...

(please dont' flame me for getting an automatic sports car...i would get a manual if it wasn't for the traffic i have to go through..)

another thing that's preventing me from getting a rx-8 is the rotary engine..

my father says that rotary engines typically dont' last too long and because mazda is one of the only companies that produce rotary engines......if the engine ever has a problem i can only take it to a mazda factory.

i want a car that lasts long and is reliable, any advice is appriciated!!!

ranger4277

The fact that the rx8 has a rotary engine is the very reason I bought one. In NA form it is the epitomy of reliability.

As for manuals being tiring... that's a matter of personal opinion. I prefer a manual transmission in traffic to an auto anywhere else. (This is my first manual transmission car... and I never get tired of shifting those gears )

I'm glad you're opening your mind to information other than what your father is telling you. Welcome to the forum.

leykias

well...ranger, you dont' count because it's your first manual....obviously it will be fun.....i'm talking about long term usage..in heavy traffic....



but thanks anyways. =)

RXcellent

I have had manual cars for 9 years now and even with a 50-60 minute stop and go commute in LA traffic I don't tire of it.... it becomes second nature. Ranger is right, it is a matter of personal opinion.......

zerobanger

If it makes a difference...the Rx-8 is the easiest car do drive I have ever driven. Its an engineering masterpiece, a work of art.

Drive it. Buy it. Live it.

Nubo

Traffic, schmaffic! Get the manual and have fun. I've been driving stick for nearly 30 years in every kind of traffic, terrain, and weather. Manual gives better control and a better driving experience in all conditions, imo.

There's nothing hard about a manual in traffic as long as you unlearn some auto-trans habits, especially tailgating. Yes, if you insist on keeping as little space as possible between your bumper and the next, then you'll forever be shifting, clutching, and braking. If you lay back you can cut that activity dramatically and modulate your speed with throttle alone. And when you do need to shift, having a great gearbox makes it a pleasure, not a chore.

shift_zoom8

get the manual RX8 or get the automatic 350Z

8_wannabe

You'll be shocked how much more responsive stick can be in heavy traffic. Think about this: You want to accelerate quick and change lanes to a gap in the other lane. With A/T, you check your mirrors, blind spot, signal, jam the gas, accelerate. A second or two later, the engine/trannie figures out it needs more torque to accelerate fast. so it drops into 3rd for quicker pickup and the car jerks forward. If you're lucky that gap is still there and the jerky acceleration didn't mess up your trajectory.

Same scenario, in a manual transmission. You check the mirrors and blind spot while simultaneously dropping a gear or two in anticipation of needing extra torque. By the time you jam the gas, you're already in the right gear with zero delay, zip and you're in that gap in the other lane. It is so responsive it feels like the car is reading your mind and ready to do what you need before you need to do it. This is not uniquely a Mazda characteristic, but is true for stick shift in general. However, the smooth-shifting '8 makes this very easy and natural.

leykias

thanks for the replies guys....i really appriciate it....

now can anyone answer my question of the lifespan of rotary engines??

do they last as long as the conventional piston based engines?

DrComputer

If you see a Lightning Yellow RX-8 on the 405 passing you... it's mine... and it's an automatic. Sure the stick is faster. Sure it's not a true "sprots car" if it's an automatic. But when everyone stares at your RX-8 because it looks so cool and you are having fun taking Mulholland at shockingly high speeds, nobody will notice that your right hand is not on the stick but on the steering wheel.

I haven't driven a stick in years nor do I want to. The RX-8 A/T is fun to drive even though it's the "low power" version. At freeway speeds the automatic transmission shift perfectly fast and you can still talk on your cell phone while you change lanes without having to worry about grabbing a stick. I test drove the 350Z auto and the Z4 auto. Although the RX-8 had less "suck you into your seat" feel off the line, it was far more fun to drive and just looks so much better. Get the RX-8 A/T... you'll have a blast. Just don't get yellow--I want to be the only one on the 405 with an RX-8 :-)

ml2316

driving a manual in heavy traffic isn't so bad. but the clutch on the z seemed really long when i test drove it (it travels a long way from full engagement to release). i'm not sure how that would be in traffic.

i3man

BINGO!!!! We have a winner. Exactly how you should drive in stop-and-go traffic.

flatso

actually because of the large RPM band I find I can leave it in second and use this car almost like an automatic if I dont feel like shifting. Plus comparing the shifting in this car to say my Z3 this car shifts much, much better..snick snick.

RX8by

Because of the rotary engine the RX9 is about the easiest car i have driven in traffic. You will have to space yourself. If you ride on the bumper in front you will tire. You can do the slowest creep in gear even slower then some auto's. I would not get the auto you would be missing half the fum of the car. If you must get a auto get a G35 or TSX not a RX8 or 350Z.

Psylence

Automatic transmissions are the gateways to automotive laziness. Next stop, cellphones while driving, eating while driving, etc. Truly the worst automotive invention ever.

Even in stop and go bumper to bumper traffic, manual is the way to go. It becomes second nature, and like so many others have said, the rx8 shifts so well. You'd really be robbing yourself if you got the auto!

Positron

I don't know about CA traffic, but here in the DC area the traffic gets pretty gruesome. The traffic was part of the reason I got an AT. I drove manuals in both my RX7s for over 16 years and I found it WAS very tiring to sit in traffic for an hour or more driving home.

The bottom line really is that its a personal choice. Go drive both and see which YOU like. Either way, the RX8 (IMHO) is a FABULOUS ride. I have had mine since October and still smile every time I get in and then again as I walk away from the car.

Rotary Nut

If you spend more than 20-30 minutes a day in stop-and-go traffic then I recommend the auto. In my mind the greater (and more:D) performance of the manual is of no consequence compared to the need for greater convienience and ease of use of the AT in high density urban traffic situations.

8_is_enuf

leykias

Not sure what kind of input you are looking for. Ranger 4277 gave you his input and you omitted it because it is hit first stick. (as a reminder this will be your first stick as well) One would think you would give him special consideration for sharing that position with you.

Rotary Nut

****! Do that and the dumb *** next to you will take it as an opening and WILL cut in front forcing you do just that... slam on the brakes and pushin'in the clutch! Its a vicious cycle. You must not spend a lot of time driving in traffic jams!

alphapenguin

How badly do you want the car? Also do you want to spend the money, and not to mention the gas. It is fun to drive, and the car just kicks ***, but for long commmutes, i'd rather take my corolla out. Cheap on gas, and comfortable anough to sit in traffic.

leykias

thanks for all your input guys..it's greatly appriciated..

still no one has answered my question on the lifespan of rotary engines?

MMGDC

I have a long daily commute, a fair bit of which is in stop n go traffic, and I enjoy driving the M/T... the clutch is relatively light and easy on your leg, and the shifter is a pleasure to work. Of course, my last car was also a M/T with an extremely long, heavy clutch, so by comparison anything might seem good.

As far as rotary reliability... naturally aspirated rotary engines historically have an excellent record of reliability and durability. Of course, the Rx-8 and the Renesis are both new, so nobody really KNOWS how well it'll hold up. There is good reason to believe it'll do just fine over the long haul, but I suppose it's possible the cars will all crumble into dust at 50K miles.

DangerMouse

FD wasn't all that reliable. However, my cousin had an older model. Late 80's RX-7 like 88-89 around there. Non turbo model. Got almost 300k miles before he sold it with no major problems. He takes good care of his car and takes it in for service whenever it was due.

tangierc

I live in Los Angeles too and I hear the argument of traffic in LA as the reason not to buy a manual all of the time (usually from those who never drove a stick though). I won't deny that I've been trapped in LA traffic on occasion (usually the 110 to 101 or 5 freeway transitions in downtown), but I look at like this: the times that I've been stuck in traffic with a manual is far far less than the time I am not. And the shear enjoyment of driving a manual versus an automatic and engine response is well worth it. Mind you I currently drive a 2000 Mazda Protege ES (top of the line, if you can call that in this class) and love the heck out of my zippy car as much as the first day I bought it.

As some have said, once you really learn how to drive a manual, you'll figure out how to drive it in a way that should never really get you tired (put it in neutral at stops, rev high in 1st or 2nd relax the left foot and coast a little in bad traffic, etc. I definitely see why people want automatics, but it's just not the same experience (don't ever let anyone tell you that driving a manumatic (or similar) is almost as good as driving a stick). MAJOR BS.

There's my 2 cents and (and then some). I am waiting for the 05 RX-8 before I purchase. Frankly, based on your choices, the Mazda 6 (though a nice vehicle) shouldn't be in the comparison. While the Z is great as a heritage car and off the line power, it lacks the quality, fit and finish, versatility, and long lasting satisfaction that [I think] the RX-8 will offer. Both are great cars. The Z is good at doing one thing: Being a Z as it always has been (power, handling, etc). The 8 adds extra dimensions to driving style and fun; and of course knowing that you have a car that may not accelerate as fast as some competitors (words carefull chosen), but throught twisties you won't be left behind; with four seats too, and a smaller engine to boot.

I relish the day a Z tries to leave me on PCH and I am right there, all the way, smiling, with a 1.3 liter engine, and my passengers waving hello to the single Z driver. Damn that would **** me off.


My extra 2 cents.

leykias

thanks for all your quick and informative opinions...!!!! =)