Howdy all,

Picked up my RX-8 today-- Velocity red, manual, cloth trim for those who haven't red my previous threads. The true colour of the car isn't captured in any of the photos I've seen... if you're not sure about the red... go and see it for yourself.

Had to drive it from the Sunshine Coast back to Brisbane... and it was an enjoyable drive despite constantly changing revs, changing gears and going off and back on the highway via the exit and on ramps to give the car a chance to sit on some low revs for a while. Everyone who passed me must have thought "what is this idiot with the sports car doing", but I didn't care.

I'm really impressed with the handling... the car sticks to the road and there is much less body roll than I was anticipating. I never got the chance to really try the car out on test drives as I was still getting used to its handling, but when taking a few of my work colleagues for a spin I got to test out the cornering and traction on some fun tight curves (Ivory St ramp from Brunswick St for the locals) ... and I love it.

I've only caused the DSC to kick in once despite pushing hard a number of times. It kicked in the once while negotiating a traffic calming chicane... and I found it unobtrusive.

WRT the Drive train - I found the sound a little rough this morning (with 34kms on the clock) but it has quietened down and the car is very drivable even when limiting most driving to under 4k rpm and not too much throttle. I'm pushing the engine occasionally to 5 or 6k and rarely to 7k and will do this a little more as I get closer to 1000 kms.

Brakes are great. Clutch feels good. Gearbox is great, but I'm still getting used to it -- but I can't complain - I've only missed one gear all day. There is a little noise coming from synchro when changing down... maybe I'm changing down too soon... I'm a big user of engine compression to slow down (still on original brake pads at 110,000km on what is now "the second" car)

Can't wait to finish breaking it in and to take it for a spin round Mt Tambourine or Montville/Maleny/Kenilworth.

Definitely happy I got the car... and feel privileged to have got it so quickly... for those who are still waiting... your patience will be rewarded.

 

sco congrats on your new ride , if your going for a drive to mt tambourine give me a yell love to join in .

 

will do

 

sco,

Congratulations on getting your RX-8. Believe me, when you've had your 1000km service and you're able to start red-lining it.....then it is really fun ! I burned off a skyline from the lights yesterday. I don't think he was very happy about it but I did have a chuckle. It's not something I ever do really, but he obviously reckoned he could whip this newfangled 4 door speudo sports car thingy.....so I showed him how much rotary technology had advanced.

I have noticed occasional noise from the drive train. It's very minimal, but I can hear something. I too tend to use engine compression to slow down sometimes. I realise it's probably not the best practice but after nearly twenty years of driving like this it's very hard to stop old habits. I'm not concerned abuut it though.

Happy motoring.

P.D.U

 

Cheers P.D.U.

Just got back from a couple of laps around Mt Cootha at night... standard halogen headlights are great - you can see a clear delineation between what is lit and what is dark courtesy of the projector style lights. High beam does a good job of lighting up the periphery.

The better half got her first taste of the handling and was just as impressed as me.

Almost 1/4 of the 1000 down... at the current rate will be red lining next weekend

 

Hi SCO, we've got a standard red job too. I guess my impressions are similar to yours. I've been a compression braking man too, but I find with the 8 I am a gear higher than with my old ride, otherwise I stand it on its nose. I'm in no hurry to break it in - I see this as the start of a long, beautiful friendship. I think the standard sound is good, and the halogens really flood the road with light. I agree with the Ivory street off ramp into Brunswick - my wife asked me to back off the other day as I was making her dizzy.

We've done a couple of quiet cruises to Maleny/Montville and to Mt Tambourine - even at the speed limit it is a blast to drive.

 

What about making this Sunday a RX-8 day in Brisbane??

 

Would love to join in a Maleny/Montville 'for a coffee' run if we can organise it. Last time we were up there was in the Daewoo with 4 people, so the 'driving experience' was a bit of a blur. Going with the 8 should be entertaining!

I'm hoping to head up one day next weekend (Aug 30-31, weather depending...).

Haddock
Black 6MT in The Gap

 

Hey Haddock - hi to a fellow Gapian! Cool 'burb, cool car.

(Watch out for the red 8)

 

This weekend is off for me... got too much work to catch up on seeing I was distracted during the week.

Another weekend would be great... Sundays suits me best.

sco