Got my car back from the smash - WEIRD!
 

Ok so I picked up my car today after it got rear ended the other day parked on my street.

They basically replaced the bumper, the rear headlight, and the entire exhaust system including the mid-pipe because the tail pipe got bent and shifted.

Now I am experiencing a couple issues.

Firstly, I wasn't sure if it was because I hadn't driven my car in 3 weeks and forgotten what it feels like but I could have sworn there was an incredible amount of clutch freeplay to the point where I could engage and disengage the clutch by barely lifting my foot off...The clutch would disengage only when i floored it and i could feel the friction point almost right above an inch above at most. Until the friction point that is almost at the floor, the clutch felt like the accelerator of an arcade racing machine.

The gearbox was also really notchy and I kept grinding the gears because I couldn't get the gears in etc...

This problem however is now gone? After driving to my gf's house which was about 30km all up after running some errands the clutch seems to have a lot more feel and disengages a lot higher off the floor. The gears are also a little less notchy.


The other problem I have is there is this weird smell that comes from both my rear right tyres. Like a burning smell, almost like rubber burning. I cannot for the life of me figure out where it is coming from. I recently rotated my tyres fronts to rears (directional tyres) and painted my calipers. I am definately noticing some weird alignment issues such as steering wheel shudder in a straight flat road which I need to get checked out ASAP.

Does anyone have any idea about what is going on with my clutch and the smell?

the smell may be from the new exhaust. mine smelled for a couple of days when i got my catback until i burned off all the stuff from manufacturing.

Perhaps this is part of your problem?

I agree to that... you prob forgot what a new car smell like... awesome

Hmmm.... The car always tramline if you have aggressive alignment (toe zero) and rotate your tyres.

Maybe he just forgot how to drive an RX8. Did you stall the car mogley ??
Or maybe your gf's heels caused some problem ?

any chance they have replaced the Gearbox oil? I had the same reaction when I replaced mine recently... both smooth feel and smell.

yeah i think i forgot how to drive it feels a little more normal now...
although I stall every now and then still...

I had wheel alignment and balance done today but the smell is still there.

I think it is from the brake pads. A burning smell...

Also the gear box is a little notchier.

I doubt they would change the gear oil for a rear ender bumper job..

I had a bloody plastic bag blow up and melt itself onto the mufflers. Now that smell lingers. Need to go for a country run and burn it right off, city driving doesn't get hot enough!

That happened to me. Had lots of country runs, and it is still there, faintly.

About the burning smell. Has your car been checked for chassis straightness after the accident? Did the align the rear wheels as well? Perhaps I'm over-dramatizing, but could the gear box and clutch problems be due to chassis-misalignment too?

Maybe the car had been standing for a long time while being repaired and the gearbox/clutch just needed a little more use...?
Maybe also your painted calipers are burning somewhere - the rears don't get that hot on normal driving, so it could take a long time to burn off any overpainting?
Unless the repairs were backyard I'm sure they would have checked all chassis/body alignments etc.
What were you driving while the 8 was in repairs? It always feels different to me after driving another car for a while - especially if it was a more ordinary car...