Sucks, just about any other weekend and I am in (kenny chesney consert). I am not going anywhere...next time!

 

rxgrl ever go to downtown springfield i see another sunlight silver sometimes, also a grey and yellow one.

 

Hey downshift, took a brief tour of (at least a few) parking lots over by that Canadian company in the corner... but no 8's, saw an Acura NSX... though :-)

Do you have an 8? and I simply missed it as I was touring one of your tiny little parking lots? Sorry for not doing a complete search, limited time frame here. Is your 8's delivery still on hold? Or do you have the pretty blue Mazda I spotted in the back lot?

Either way, we should get together sometime and grag a beer... being as we are so close!

I actually live up in Nashua, so it's pretty much on the way this Sunday, if you want to commute, let me know. (You will have a PM shortly).

--Tig!

 

We met briefly outside Stephanie's where you asked me if I know this forum. So, you've seen my car but you probably missed it since it's a Ti Gray. If you checked yesterday, I took advantage of covered parking and parked the '8 in the garage. Today, I parked close to the building on the same lot where the blue Mazda 3 is parked. Yep, the red NSX is nice. There's also a nice, black G35C on that same lot too.

 

Of course, I remember meeting you at Stephanie's... had forgotten all about it... food was on my mind at the time.

Didn't check the covered parking... may have missed you in there :-)

 

You've seen the pictures of my wrecked car. Does anyone want to take a guess at the estimated damage?

 

$5,000?? higher or higher?

 

I wish it was that low.

 

My bumper, a headlight, and an Oil cooler was 2k+

Add to that a windshield at 800, a hood at probably 1500?? another head light at 500??, radiator, plus AC radiator 2000??, Air intake 3000?? Air bags at 1200?? x2, a lot of little parts. You said you thought the front Quarter panels were ok... but for good measure 3000?? x2 plus all the frame structual damage, realinment... I'm going for between 11k and 15k.

--Tig!

 

All wild guess's I might add...

 

Im in Kingston...next to Plymouth......had the 8 for 9000 miles but new to this site

 

Tigger,

Hey, your good! The quote was for $10,700 but after he wrote the quote we noticed that both headlights are scratched. So that will probably add another grand. Ouch!

The body shop was very impressed by the construction of the car and noted how the removable crash beam absorbed 90% of the impact. The frame is only slightly tweaked and he'll be able to get it straight as an arrow. The only thing that he is worried about is matching the Velocity Red paint.

 

Josh,

Welcome to the club!

A few of us are going to meet this Sunday in Manchester, NH to help my10ae with some mods. If you're free on Sunday you should stop by. You can find more info on this thread.

 

I tried to log on earlier... and got told the sight was MIA... know I guess I know why...

Guess the changes must be for the better... so I'll get used to them.

More imprortantly... what time are we all meeting up on Sunday?

--Tig!

 

The thought to drive in the Maine winters has NEVER crossed my mind,and I can tell you from one early spring test drive in an 8 on a lighly-snowed road,that traction-control,ABS,and the rest don't do anything to improve the 8's loose rear end-when you're dealing w snow and ice.
(My 1980 RX-7 wasn't much worse,lol!)
For $1000 get a 'winter-beater'....
**There's FAR too much salt on the roads,it'll WRECK an 8 in a few short years....
I bought a nice lil' truck that I drive in the winter,when it rains,(nope,I don't intentionally drive my 8 even in the rain!)....Oh,yeah,and when I have to park on the street or in a parking garage....you guessed it-I don't drive the 8....it's mah' bay-bee :D ....I drive the beater....
(I got rid of a super-clean,forest green SR5V6 Limited 4-Runner and replaced it w a beater,the SUV's are pigs-all the way around....and the beater doesn't need to be washed.....just beaten.....)

 

Heather,

Sorry you can't make it... there'll be another meet up soon... but since you can't make it, make sure to post us a picture of yourself up on stage and your 8 outside the stadium looking longingly at the concert awaiting your return

--Tig!

 

Well, I agree with Preacher, putting a beautiful 8 through a New England winter should be a crime... I'm afraid a beater is just not the practical thing for me... I need a reliable car, and beaters, all be them great for beating on, just aren't there for you when you need them.

Having said that, I'm inland so I don't have quite the salt the New England coastline has (which is like 360 days a year isn't it???). We do have the salt on the roads, and I try and keep my 8 as clean as possible, yet I'm afraid it goes out in all weather.

I've driven my whole life in New England (minus a bit of time in Australia, the UK and Ireland)... and the best advice I could give anyone about winter driving is STUDDED SNOW TIRES, and PRACTICE!

People really under estimate what a good pair of tires will do. My last two cars were Golf GTI's, front wheel drive, and I was frequently taking home the drivers of the big, all wheel drive, SUV's that lived at the top of the hill that my house sits at the base of. They’re always a couple of nights a year my driveway turns into a used SUV lot with cheap all season tires.

No, the golf’s aren’t some incredible snow demon, though they do pretty well... I just used the right tools for the job... Studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta's!

The difference on the 8 between the stock tires and the snows it beyond night and day... with the stock tires I couldn't roll out of my garage and get back in on 1/4" of snow... with the Snow's I'm happily passing the ultra slow drivers in the not so well maintained passing lane on the interstate in the middle of a snow storm with confidence (and cautious care).

No, the 8 is not going to overcome a properly equipped all wheel drive Audi, but with the Traction control, Stability control, ABS, excellent weight balance, and the proper tires... it will get you most places, in safety, even in the winter, as long as you don't live at the top of Mount Everest! (if you're really worried, throw a bag of sand in the trunk as well...)

Get a cheep set of 17" rims (more side wall to help with potholes, and a lot cheaper to replace when they do get wrecked). The 17's will also make your tire selection a lot greater and cheaper. After buying two sets of winter tires, you will have paid for the 17" rims. If you have a base model that didn't come with the larger front breaks... you can get 16" rims... but they won't fit over the caliper on most of the 8's

Then get a great pair of Snow Tires, I always get studded on all four wheels (yes you could stud just the rears for traction/acceleration... but I'm more interested in stopping,when I have to... and besides you will probably want to rotate your tires.) I love Nokia's, driven a number of others... and they are the best, Hawk I's (discontinued) I really love... but they've been replaced with the Hawk II's which are a bit quieter and smoother. I've got Hawk II's 225x55 R17's.

Now they have Hawk IV's out as well. I'd have gone with a narrower tire... but they're not many out there, and none were studdable... maybe there will be a better selection this winter when you get your's... and make sure you get them early, they got real hard to find once winter started last year!

Then, find an empty parking lot in a good winter storm (or a frozen pond is even better) and practice... start with the traction control on... then turn it off and see how much the traction control really does!

The down's... snows, especially studded snows, are really loud and handle like a brick on high heels... they don't corner, but they do what there meant to.

Just my 2 cents

And no I don't get sponsored by Nokian... just love them!

--Tig!

 

No problem! What else was I going to do on a Sunday afternoon?

P.S. Titaniumgray was a no show but Downshift was there to lend a hand.

 

Rxgrl:

You missed a good tech day over my house this past Sunday. Where were the rest of you RX-8 owners this past Sunday that live in the area?

 

ok, i saw a sunlight silver RX8 with a guy and girl in it on 190 and headed onto 290 east (Mass.) on friday afternoon...was it anyone in this thread?

 

Silver yes...

190 on friday?...Nope

 

I have a Nordic Green Mica... the only one I've seen in these parts

So if you see a Green 8, give a wave!

I did see two 8's out this weekend with in a couple of miles of my place, a nice red one, and a very abused black one... what a crime.

--Tig

 

Tig:


You know that black one was not mine!!

 

Kev,

Are you sure? The last time I saw your RX-8 it was in pieces! :p

 

Roy:


I know that, but we got her all back together without the help of all the kings horses and all the kings men The new grill has alreayd done its job... stopped a decent sized moth from slamming into my radiator. Bravo Hymee!!