1st Day Driving Impressions! Got an '07
05-25-2008, 07:38 AM
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1st Day Driving Impressions! Got an '07
I just picked up my 07 Stormy Mica Blue RX8 Grand Touring 6 speed on Friday. Before I give you my impressions, I feel the need to give you some context. This is my first ever forign car. This is my first non-V8 car. This is absolutly my first rotary 
Everything I have driven until now has been rear wheel drive solid rear axle, silly amounts of HP and TQ. Needless to say, corners were not my friends.
I picked up the car and drove it home. I was still getting used to driving a stick after 10 years of driving an auto. There was a sweeping turn to get onto my freeway which my old car could handle at 70 so I wanted to compare. Old car at 70 = concentration and tire scrub. RX8 at 70 = I went into the corner without even feeling it, then I started to zig zag through the corner. I swear this car could handle it at 90mph no problem. Amazing. I was giggling like a school girl.
Compared to what I have driven there is no comparison. I thought I would miss my old car, but actually, I have not given it a second thought.
I have the keyless entry and starting, and at this point it is smarter than me, but it's pretty cool. The car came with the Ipod hookup, and I can't yet figgure that out, so I guess I will have to read the manual.
I consider myself a pretty competant driver, but after a day of "de-carbon-ing" my engine, it is safe to say I need driving lessons to fully drive this car.
Oh what bad fun. This car is like a puppy begging you at every turn to play.
And I like the fact that everyone else with an RX8 waves to you. What a welcoming bunch!
Everything I have driven until now has been rear wheel drive solid rear axle, silly amounts of HP and TQ. Needless to say, corners were not my friends.I picked up the car and drove it home. I was still getting used to driving a stick after 10 years of driving an auto. There was a sweeping turn to get onto my freeway which my old car could handle at 70 so I wanted to compare. Old car at 70 = concentration and tire scrub. RX8 at 70 = I went into the corner without even feeling it, then I started to zig zag through the corner. I swear this car could handle it at 90mph no problem. Amazing. I was giggling like a school girl.
Compared to what I have driven there is no comparison. I thought I would miss my old car, but actually, I have not given it a second thought.
I have the keyless entry and starting, and at this point it is smarter than me, but it's pretty cool. The car came with the Ipod hookup, and I can't yet figgure that out, so I guess I will have to read the manual.
I consider myself a pretty competant driver, but after a day of "de-carbon-ing" my engine, it is safe to say I need driving lessons to fully drive this car.
Oh what bad fun. This car is like a puppy begging you at every turn to play.
And I like the fact that everyone else with an RX8 waves to you. What a welcoming bunch!
05-25-2008, 08:56 AM
#4
look into your local car clubs for cheap high performance driving events. cheap is relative though.
relative to www.skipbarber.com
one day i'll take a 2 day skip barber course...
relative to www.skipbarber.com
one day i'll take a 2 day skip barber course...
05-25-2008, 09:20 AM
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They have a new race track just south of Houston and I think they have classes. I know there is also a fairly active SCCA group here also. Anyone from Houston know about the track that is South on 288?
One interesting side effect of driving this car is that I went grocery shopping and was "handling" the shopping cart differently through the store. Is this a side effect of the "zoom zoom zoom" effect implanting into my brain???
One interesting side effect of driving this car is that I went grocery shopping and was "handling" the shopping cart differently through the store. Is this a side effect of the "zoom zoom zoom" effect implanting into my brain???
05-25-2008, 06:59 PM
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I drove about 65 miles to see a group of Impala SS guys and to show them the new car. EVERYONE was impressed.
We were all amazed at one thing more than anything.
The REAR brakes on the RX8 are the same size as the FRONT brakes on the Impala.
RX8 = 3000lbs
Impala = 4600lbs
God, I am begining to fear the LACK of performance of the rest of the cars on the road!!!
We were all amazed at one thing more than anything.
The REAR brakes on the RX8 are the same size as the FRONT brakes on the Impala.
RX8 = 3000lbs
Impala = 4600lbs
God, I am begining to fear the LACK of performance of the rest of the cars on the road!!!
05-25-2008, 07:35 PM
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The punch is not there, but hitting the buzzer in first second and third is still damn impressive.
The RX8 gets there quick enough but with less "Drama", and the brakes on this car are amazing.
My father drove it this afternoon. He drives the Lexus GS 350 and he commented that it drove much like his sedan with the steering response. For some reason he would not rev over 7k.
The RX8 gets there quick enough but with less "Drama", and the brakes on this car are amazing.
My father drove it this afternoon. He drives the Lexus GS 350 and he commented that it drove much like his sedan with the steering response. For some reason he would not rev over 7k.
05-25-2008, 11:38 PM
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One Shot One Kill
The punch is not there, but hitting the buzzer in first second and third is still damn impressive.
The RX8 gets there quick enough but with less "Drama", and the brakes on this car are amazing.
My father drove it this afternoon. He drives the Lexus GS 350 and he commented that it drove much like his sedan with the steering response. For some reason he would not rev over 7k.
The RX8 gets there quick enough but with less "Drama", and the brakes on this car are amazing.
My father drove it this afternoon. He drives the Lexus GS 350 and he commented that it drove much like his sedan with the steering response. For some reason he would not rev over 7k.
check out local forum, we got 3-4 active B stock (newbie) tat participates very regularly to autocross.
05-26-2008, 07:10 AM
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Hey, I might be one of those "older generation" people you are talking about!
My brain is telling me not to go to 9k but my inner degenerate says yes. The inner degenerate has also found out about turning off the DSP.
Thanks for all the welcomes. Time to go fill her up again! Two tanks of gas in 2 days!!! Wooohooo.
My brain is telling me not to go to 9k but my inner degenerate says yes. The inner degenerate has also found out about turning off the DSP.
Thanks for all the welcomes. Time to go fill her up again! Two tanks of gas in 2 days!!! Wooohooo.
05-26-2008, 10:16 AM
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Hey, I might be one of those "older generation" people you are talking about!
My brain is telling me not to go to 9k but my inner degenerate says yes. The inner degenerate has also found out about turning off the DSP.
Thanks for all the welcomes. Time to go fill her up again! Two tanks of gas in 2 days!!! Wooohooo.
My brain is telling me not to go to 9k but my inner degenerate says yes. The inner degenerate has also found out about turning off the DSP.
Thanks for all the welcomes. Time to go fill her up again! Two tanks of gas in 2 days!!! Wooohooo.
05-26-2008, 11:31 AM
#18
Huge hole is huge
You sound a lot like me when I got my 07. Well, except for that whole "V8" thing. Only piston car I've owned was a 1990 Mercury Topaz....so obviously, not a V8 :P
I took that thing for a test drive, there was this little 'wobbly' side road I found and went bonkers there. My god, was that fun. That pretty much was the selling point.
I took that thing for a test drive, there was this little 'wobbly' side road I found and went bonkers there. My god, was that fun. That pretty much was the selling point.
05-26-2008, 11:26 PM
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05-27-2008, 09:17 AM
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I drove about 65 miles to see a group of Impala SS guys and to show them the new car. EVERYONE was impressed.
We were all amazed at one thing more than anything.
The REAR brakes on the RX8 are the same size as the FRONT brakes on the Impala.
RX8 = 3000lbs
Impala = 4600lbs
God, I am begining to fear the LACK of performance of the rest of the cars on the road!!!
We were all amazed at one thing more than anything.
The REAR brakes on the RX8 are the same size as the FRONT brakes on the Impala.
RX8 = 3000lbs
Impala = 4600lbs
God, I am begining to fear the LACK of performance of the rest of the cars on the road!!!
yeah, I think the brakes are possibly the most underrated aspect of this car, or any car for that matter.
05-27-2008, 05:46 PM
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First mod for this car is window tint! Here in Houston, I am going with limo on the rear and back windows and 35% on the front doors. Just to keep it legal....Inspection around here is **** like!
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