Steering Lock
 

Well took delivery of the first RX-8 out of Stockport today at 4.00pm.
Massive thank you to Peter who has sorted my car out after my orginal salesman left the company on Monday -- Joy!!
Black Hi Power and Cloth got to say the cloth seats are superb. Far better than on the pre production. Was having massive panic attacks about not ordering leather but got to say very happy with what I got.
Car is just fantastic, family think it should have cost twice the price looking at it!!
Still got this stupid grin on my face and keep going to the front of the house and looking out of the curtains just to check she is OK!

Two questions 1) how many people are going for the gap insurance - seems like a good deal at £299 for 3 years (got offered it on my BMW and they wanted £450 for 2years!!). Any comments appreciated.
2) Does this car have a steering lock? Certainly doesn't seem to on mine unless you have to yank the wheel half way around to engage it (which I don't fancy doing!!)
I am going for a long drive tomorrow got to get to 600 miles asap as 7000+ RPM is calling me constantly!!

You can still have some great fun at 5K RPM though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All cars have steering locks. The point is they dont engage unless you try and steer without using the key.

The RX-8 has a thatcham 1 alarm/imobalizer. Short of a tracker system there isnt much it needs security wise.

Rob
The strange thing is on all my previous cars I have had a habit of turning the car off, removing the key and turning the wheel a fraction to hear a nice sounding clunck of the steering lock engaging. While I appreciate a steering lock is pretty redundent in a car with Cat 1 Alarm/Immb it just seemed weird that on the 8 it doesnt engage with my usual small turnof the wheel. Just wondered if anyone else had noticed this or whether it is just me being weird!!!

Re: Steering Lock
 

Incase you haven't seen my other post; if you go with Direct Line, you get gap insurance thrown in for free. As long as you are the first owner of a brand new car, and give them all the details of options and accessories, they will replace with an identical new one should it be written off or stolen. And the quote was the best I found by far, but I am an existing customer.

Cheers
---Dave

ricm56

Well done on the new car. Look forward to your full report after your excellent weekend of driving!

Would be interested in some picutes of the cloth interior if you get a chance.

Cheers

Yes, I get gap insurance too through my broker. Its a LOT cheaper doing it that way.

As for the steering lock - did you know about the door deadlocking system which you need to press the "lock" button on the remote within 5 seconds of the initial press (and flash of the lights)?

Yes the dealer didn't mention the deadlocks but have to admit to being a sad git as I have now read the entire handbook!!!!! what a dork!!
Anyway you can actually hear a cluck from the locks on your second press and the light on the dash comes on constantly for a few seconds. I use it every time I leave the car now.
Still haven't been able to engage steering lock but hey ho don't think it really needs one anyway!!

Does anybody know what is meant to go in the boot space right at the back of the car???
There is a hollow in the boot just under the lip where the boot lid closes. It has two pieces of straping with buckles on as if something is meant to go there!!!
Intial thought was fire extinguisher but does anybody else know??????????

BTW on another thread -- Clarkson -- suspect handling in wet?? Not on my car or on the dealer car been out in wet weather in both and not let up an inch car just grips and grips!!!!

ricm56 - I noticed the recess as well. From the shape, I suspect it is a slot for a warning triangle, which I should get one day.

Re: Steering Lock
 

I noticed this at the end of my test drive. You have to turn the wheel to the left, not the right as in most cars.

So always park it so that the car thief has to do a left hand turn in order to get away :)

Re: Re: Steering Lock
 

Tesco Insurance offers this as well, but in both cases it looks like it only covers the first 12 months.

Bulkhead