The 1st Thousand Miles (1 of 7)
07-05-2005, 01:00 PM
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The 1st Thousand Miles (1 of 7)
Well, we've had our RX-8 now for about 2 weeks now, and I thought that I would share my thoughts and impressions of the car. Note: this is a rather long and lengthy post, so it's been broken up into seven seperate sections. Enjoy.
I Love How It Looks: Let's face it, I don't think that a single owner in this forum could really disagree with this statement. I admit that the demographics for this group might be a little slanted, but it's hard to believe that anybody with even a tiny mote of emotional spark could look at this car and not go "Oooooohhhh. Aaaaahhhhhh.". From it's pouty, almost mantis-looking nose and evil slanted headlights, across it's muscular shoulders for fender wells, the dramatic rotary inset in the long sloping hood continuing upward along the windshield and down along it's back to that gorgeous butt, it looks like it's breaking the sound barrier while sitting there, but at the same time, it also looks like it's crouched and ready to pounce. It's a joy to gaze upon, and I'll be the first to admit to standing in the driveway and simply staring at her. Washing and waxing her is a joy. My wife thinks I'm crazy.
I Love How It Looks: Let's face it, I don't think that a single owner in this forum could really disagree with this statement. I admit that the demographics for this group might be a little slanted, but it's hard to believe that anybody with even a tiny mote of emotional spark could look at this car and not go "Oooooohhhh. Aaaaahhhhhh.". From it's pouty, almost mantis-looking nose and evil slanted headlights, across it's muscular shoulders for fender wells, the dramatic rotary inset in the long sloping hood continuing upward along the windshield and down along it's back to that gorgeous butt, it looks like it's breaking the sound barrier while sitting there, but at the same time, it also looks like it's crouched and ready to pounce. It's a joy to gaze upon, and I'll be the first to admit to standing in the driveway and simply staring at her. Washing and waxing her is a joy. My wife thinks I'm crazy.
07-05-2005, 01:01 PM
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The 1st Thousand Miles (2 of 7)
I Love the Way She Makes Me Feel: Of all of the cars that I have gone through, 17 and counting, including two '85s and two '87 RX-7s (one of the 87's was the turbo model) this one by far has the best road feel I have had the pleasure of knowing. It's firm, but not rough. I can feel every bump and ripple in the road, but she only let's me know that they are there, she doesn't beat me up with them. And she goes through the corners as if she were on rails. It's "point and shoot" with a steering wheel.
While the salesman stepped out of his office tracking down some paperwork, leaving my wife and I alone to contemplate what we were about to do, I asked her if this was really the right thing to do. I was concerned, as any soon-to-be-new-car-owner would be, with trivial matters such as insurance, the additional financial 'challenges', blah, blah, blah, blah. She turned full toward me in her seat, and calmly but with a slight touch of incredulousness said, "Didn't you drive the car??" I love my wife.
The fact of the matter was, yes, I did drive the car, hard. We had a good salesman, Peter, who knew not only the value of the car, but knew exactly why people bought this car. During the test drive, with Peter in the passenger side, and the wife in the back seat, he was going over all of the little features of the interior of the car, like any good salesperson would. Halfway through an explanation about the "awesome Bose stereo system" I snapped the car into a sharp 90 degree right turn that rose slightly, peaked at the apex and fell away into a small downward straight stretch with another left-hand 90. I nailed them both, getting the DSC to kick in and stopping Peter in mid-sentence. It was at that moment that any trace of sense and sensibility on my part was replaced with pure unadulterated lust. The 24 hours after the test ride and final delivery of the car was pure hell. I was between convincing myself that life would go on if we didn't get the car, and mentally justifying each and every objection that came to mind as to why we didn't need the car.
While the salesman stepped out of his office tracking down some paperwork, leaving my wife and I alone to contemplate what we were about to do, I asked her if this was really the right thing to do. I was concerned, as any soon-to-be-new-car-owner would be, with trivial matters such as insurance, the additional financial 'challenges', blah, blah, blah, blah. She turned full toward me in her seat, and calmly but with a slight touch of incredulousness said, "Didn't you drive the car??" I love my wife.
The fact of the matter was, yes, I did drive the car, hard. We had a good salesman, Peter, who knew not only the value of the car, but knew exactly why people bought this car. During the test drive, with Peter in the passenger side, and the wife in the back seat, he was going over all of the little features of the interior of the car, like any good salesperson would. Halfway through an explanation about the "awesome Bose stereo system" I snapped the car into a sharp 90 degree right turn that rose slightly, peaked at the apex and fell away into a small downward straight stretch with another left-hand 90. I nailed them both, getting the DSC to kick in and stopping Peter in mid-sentence. It was at that moment that any trace of sense and sensibility on my part was replaced with pure unadulterated lust. The 24 hours after the test ride and final delivery of the car was pure hell. I was between convincing myself that life would go on if we didn't get the car, and mentally justifying each and every objection that came to mind as to why we didn't need the car.
07-05-2005, 01:02 PM
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The 1st Thousand Miles (3 of 7)
I Love How I Feel In Her: It's hard to pin down exactly why this is so. It could be simply that new car pride. It could be the unmistakable sense of empowerment sitting behind the wheel. It might be that glance across the street and catching your reflection in the store front window and saying to yourself, "Sheeeit! That's me in that car!". I love how the cockpit cradles you, and everything seems to be in it's proper place. (That is, once you figure out where the hell everything is.) When my wife and I pulled up in dealership to get our shift-**** replaced. (The original one had been stolen right off of the lot, and we actually were driving around with a "temporary" one), one of the salesman remarked from the balcony that "You two look ten years younger sitting in that car." We laughed, and I asked "And what about when we get out?" He just smiled with the realization that I had just put him in an awkward spot. Be careful when you fish for a compliment, you might end up loosing your worm. But he was right, I do feel ten years younger being in it.
07-05-2005, 01:03 PM
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The 1st Thousand Miles (4 of 7)
It's Fast. Fast Enough: Now I know that there a umpteen million threads flying around here on how not-fast this car is, and how they feel cheated because "So-and-so as a such-and-such that dusts my *** on a regular basis.", but really now. How fast do you have to go? Having owned a sport bike for awhile, I guess my perspective of fast and how-fast-is-fast-enough has been tempered down somewhat. If you have ever owned a sport bike, you know what I am talking about. From a stop light on a four-lane street, you can break the largest legal speed limit posted anywhere in the United States before you hit the crosswalk on the other side of the street. And, you've only gone through two gears. After that, unless I want to spend truckloads of cash for some ridiculous exotic, nothing else will go faster. And, the fact of the matter is, the faster you drive, the more apt you are to end up at the end of some line of cars. (Of course, the corollary is also true, the slower you drive, the more apt you are to end up at the front of a line of cars.)
There is almost a sense of smugness that you feel while cruising along in 4th gear, 4000 RPM at 55 MPH knowing that an almost imperceptible amount of pressure on the gas pedal will pull you into the power band, and past that mini-van that insists on driving in the left hand lane (talking on their cell phone, of course), and back down to settle in. It's fast enough.
I have also come to appreciate being able to take a turn with, well let's just say a little more momentum that an ordinary driver would tolerate. That feeling of force against your body as you maneuver through a turn, and the confidence that she'll obey and serve you to her best is exhilarating and truly addicting. And you can't help smile whey you punch out of like a watermelon seed squeezed between your fingertips. But I also understand futility. When I had one of my two 85 RX-7s, there was this particular turn on the way to work that I always looked forward to. It was a long sweeping left hand bank that dumped into a sharp right hander. Each morning, I would take this turn with just a little more speed than the previous day. Until, one day, the inevitable happened. Too much speed coming out of the first turn and carrying it into the next broke me loose, with a vengeance. Watching the scenery fly by the windshield and holding onto the steering wheel, the feeling of being in a carnival ride and holding on for dear life like was unmistakable. While that moment seemed to stretch on forever, it gave me time to think and to ask myself "What in the hell are you doing? Have you lost your freaking mind?" When the car finally stopped pin wheeling and the final gathering of my bearings showed me that I was looking back at the path I came in on, I released my death grip from the steering wheel, shifted back into 1st, made my u-turn and went on my way. The illusion of immortality that youth affords you, on the one hand, brings you to places that you wouldn't normally go, but on the other hand never guarantees that you'll ever come back. I was lucky. Lucky beyond belief. The next morning, approaching that turn again, it dawned on my that this turn will always be here. It was here yesterday, it's here now, and it'll be here tomorrow. It will always win. You may feel some victory at taking it a 50 MPH, but you'll always wonder if you can take it at 51 and on and on. It's a hollow victory That's futility.
There is almost a sense of smugness that you feel while cruising along in 4th gear, 4000 RPM at 55 MPH knowing that an almost imperceptible amount of pressure on the gas pedal will pull you into the power band, and past that mini-van that insists on driving in the left hand lane (talking on their cell phone, of course), and back down to settle in. It's fast enough.
I have also come to appreciate being able to take a turn with, well let's just say a little more momentum that an ordinary driver would tolerate. That feeling of force against your body as you maneuver through a turn, and the confidence that she'll obey and serve you to her best is exhilarating and truly addicting. And you can't help smile whey you punch out of like a watermelon seed squeezed between your fingertips. But I also understand futility. When I had one of my two 85 RX-7s, there was this particular turn on the way to work that I always looked forward to. It was a long sweeping left hand bank that dumped into a sharp right hander. Each morning, I would take this turn with just a little more speed than the previous day. Until, one day, the inevitable happened. Too much speed coming out of the first turn and carrying it into the next broke me loose, with a vengeance. Watching the scenery fly by the windshield and holding onto the steering wheel, the feeling of being in a carnival ride and holding on for dear life like was unmistakable. While that moment seemed to stretch on forever, it gave me time to think and to ask myself "What in the hell are you doing? Have you lost your freaking mind?" When the car finally stopped pin wheeling and the final gathering of my bearings showed me that I was looking back at the path I came in on, I released my death grip from the steering wheel, shifted back into 1st, made my u-turn and went on my way. The illusion of immortality that youth affords you, on the one hand, brings you to places that you wouldn't normally go, but on the other hand never guarantees that you'll ever come back. I was lucky. Lucky beyond belief. The next morning, approaching that turn again, it dawned on my that this turn will always be here. It was here yesterday, it's here now, and it'll be here tomorrow. It will always win. You may feel some victory at taking it a 50 MPH, but you'll always wonder if you can take it at 51 and on and on. It's a hollow victory That's futility.
07-05-2005, 01:04 PM
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The 1st Thousand Miles (5 of 7)
Cruise Control Is My Friend: Let's face it, I can resist anything but temptation. Jumping on a freeway onramp, she just begs for you to run her out. Give in to that temptation, and you'll find out that there is a third digit on the far left hand side of that speedometer, and you have a couple more shifts to go. Now, I don't know about your area, but I am sure that the local law authorities here frown on any vehicle climbing onto the freeway traveling along at three digits plus. But, OMG!! It feels so g*d d*mn good! The maximum legal speed limit here is 70, with a fair degree of tolerance a 8+ above that. That puts you, in 6th gear, around 4K on the tach. It's only a mere flick of a downshift and a blip on the throttle, and hello 90! Again, an intolerable condition should you whip past your local authority lurking behind that grove of trees. I was cruising at 79 down highway 64 on my way from Raleigh to Rocky Mount, when a young girl in a Nisan Maxima passed me by while chatting on her phone (what a shock). A quick glance in my side mirror revealed a shadowy car sitting halfway up an onramp we had just cleared. I bumped the cruise down a couple of notches, and waited. Sure enough, within moments, a pair of alternating flashing headlights quickly approaching announced that the predator had been unleashed. As the silver and black IROC Camero passed me (and I let out a sigh of relief), and when I say "passed me", that hardly describes it. He went by me as fast as I was passing the road-kill sitting on the side of the road. I was awed. He managed to catch up with the Nissan and had her pulled over at the next off ramp a mere mile from where he launched. You do the math.
Right now, I have a mental contest going on as to who is gonna get a ticket first, me or my wife. With a car that makes it so easy to get into so much trouble, temptation tugs at me constantly. I'm not going to loose this one. Cruise control is my friend.
Right now, I have a mental contest going on as to who is gonna get a ticket first, me or my wife. With a car that makes it so easy to get into so much trouble, temptation tugs at me constantly. I'm not going to loose this one. Cruise control is my friend.
07-05-2005, 01:05 PM
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The 1st Thousand Miles (6 of 7)
Every Silver Lining Has A Cloud: Of course, she isn't perfect. There are a few little things that don't seem to sit right, or things that leave you for wanting more. Many of these have already been posted, so this might serve to show my agreement on them. So, starting from front to back, here are my annoyances:
The Fog Lamps: Are they on? I'm not sure if they are cracked up to what they are supposed to be, but I find it annoying that I can't have them on without turning on the headlights also. I like daytime running lights. I am convinced that people are less apt to pull out in front of you if they notice your headlights. Maybe this is more psychological than actual, but nonetheless, I want daytime running lights. Besides, at night, I can barely tell if they are on or not. I have to turn them off first, then back on to see a difference, if any.
The Oil Dipstick: OMG! For having a car that checking the oil is essential at each visit to the gas station, they didn't make it easy to reach into what is a hotter-than-hell engine compartment to pull out that damn dipstick. Removing the engine cover is a must, and even so you still risk burning yourself on some part of the engine. Or, even more ironic, freezing it on the air conditioning tube running into the compressor. My wife will never check the oil, and somehow, I don't blame her.
The Sun Visors: I don't get them. They seem somewhat out of place with the rest of the cockpit. Perforated plastic? Why perforated, and why plastic. And I have mixed feelings about the vanity mirror on the drivers side, although I know that my wife will argue this feature.
The Sunroof: On the plus side, the noise factor when either cracking it open, or having it full open does not contribute an annoying amount of noise into the cockpit. Besides, turning up the stereo seems to fix that. But, on the other hand, the opening seems to be too far back to qualify as a true sunroof. Not like my 87 RX-7, where I could actually look straight up and see the sky. Not a showstopper mind you, just leaves a little feeling of wanting more. And I wouldn't have minded much if they had lit the controls up for night time conditions. I find that fumbling around for the either the tilt or open buttons a little distracting.
The Side Mirrors: They seem awful small, but I'm comparing that to my B2500 pickup and my wife's Saturn. You have to set them up perfectly to eliminate any blind spots, and I do mean perfectly. Because my wife's stature is a little shorter than me, her settings are significantly different, in both side mirrors as well as the rear-view mirror and seats. It would be nice if the car came with some kind of memory settings so that we didn't have to re-adjust the mirrors each time we got into the car. I'll take the time, because I know how important it is to see everything around you, especially if it means avoiding a big-*** SUV riding off of my 8 o'clock position (where, for some reason, people like to hang out there). But I do worry if my wife has taken the time to make the proper adjustments.
The Rear View Mirror: On the one hand, I love the auto dimming feature. Over the years, my eyes have become more photo-sensitive than I care for sometimes, and dueling with idiots that trade their (ill-founded) sense of safety over my annoyance of high-beams in my rear-view mirror is a welcome feature. On the other hand, three Home-Link buttons??? What the hell am I going to do with three unused Home-Link buttons.
The Thunk of the Doors: Or, lack thereof. Sometimes I get the feeling that when I have closed the door, whether from the inside or the outside, I get the feeling that they didn't quite close all of the way. I've come to the conclusion that this is because of the way that they sound. For a $30K+ car, I would have expected a little more definitive sound when closing them.
The Center Console: Here, mixed feelings abound. Sliding the door back, then lifting it to get access to the CD case storage seems more of a reach than I care to put forth. It also feels flimsy and somewhat cheap in construction. I've read a number of posts where the latch does not hold up very well, and I am not looking forward to the inevitable demise and replacement. Also, if you do use the cup holder to hold a bottled water or what-ever, 2nd, 4th, and 6th gear will find your elbow smacking into either them or the edge of the seat.
The Rear Wing Windows: Yes, they open, but it would have been nice if you could do so from the cockpit. If you are driving with the windows down, opening the side wing windows cuts down a little on the cabin noise, and gives the air a clean path to enter and exit the car. But, you have to do this ahead of time.
Where's My Trunk?!?: Okay, I'd be an idiot if I drove around without a spare tire, and I thank god that it's a neutered tire (I would hate to think of the real estate I'd loose if it were a full size tire), but even with the diminutive tire hanging inside the back lid, the trunk is a pain in the *** to get something in and out of like a laptop case. I understand that the rear passenger seating is such that it has to eat some of that space up, but a few bags of groceries, and that's all she wrote. (This is, on the list of things to gripe about, way, way, way on the bottom. After all, it's a sports car, not an SUV).
The Fog Lamps: Are they on? I'm not sure if they are cracked up to what they are supposed to be, but I find it annoying that I can't have them on without turning on the headlights also. I like daytime running lights. I am convinced that people are less apt to pull out in front of you if they notice your headlights. Maybe this is more psychological than actual, but nonetheless, I want daytime running lights. Besides, at night, I can barely tell if they are on or not. I have to turn them off first, then back on to see a difference, if any.
The Oil Dipstick: OMG! For having a car that checking the oil is essential at each visit to the gas station, they didn't make it easy to reach into what is a hotter-than-hell engine compartment to pull out that damn dipstick. Removing the engine cover is a must, and even so you still risk burning yourself on some part of the engine. Or, even more ironic, freezing it on the air conditioning tube running into the compressor. My wife will never check the oil, and somehow, I don't blame her.
The Sun Visors: I don't get them. They seem somewhat out of place with the rest of the cockpit. Perforated plastic? Why perforated, and why plastic. And I have mixed feelings about the vanity mirror on the drivers side, although I know that my wife will argue this feature.
The Sunroof: On the plus side, the noise factor when either cracking it open, or having it full open does not contribute an annoying amount of noise into the cockpit. Besides, turning up the stereo seems to fix that. But, on the other hand, the opening seems to be too far back to qualify as a true sunroof. Not like my 87 RX-7, where I could actually look straight up and see the sky. Not a showstopper mind you, just leaves a little feeling of wanting more. And I wouldn't have minded much if they had lit the controls up for night time conditions. I find that fumbling around for the either the tilt or open buttons a little distracting.
The Side Mirrors: They seem awful small, but I'm comparing that to my B2500 pickup and my wife's Saturn. You have to set them up perfectly to eliminate any blind spots, and I do mean perfectly. Because my wife's stature is a little shorter than me, her settings are significantly different, in both side mirrors as well as the rear-view mirror and seats. It would be nice if the car came with some kind of memory settings so that we didn't have to re-adjust the mirrors each time we got into the car. I'll take the time, because I know how important it is to see everything around you, especially if it means avoiding a big-*** SUV riding off of my 8 o'clock position (where, for some reason, people like to hang out there). But I do worry if my wife has taken the time to make the proper adjustments.
The Rear View Mirror: On the one hand, I love the auto dimming feature. Over the years, my eyes have become more photo-sensitive than I care for sometimes, and dueling with idiots that trade their (ill-founded) sense of safety over my annoyance of high-beams in my rear-view mirror is a welcome feature. On the other hand, three Home-Link buttons??? What the hell am I going to do with three unused Home-Link buttons.
The Thunk of the Doors: Or, lack thereof. Sometimes I get the feeling that when I have closed the door, whether from the inside or the outside, I get the feeling that they didn't quite close all of the way. I've come to the conclusion that this is because of the way that they sound. For a $30K+ car, I would have expected a little more definitive sound when closing them.
The Center Console: Here, mixed feelings abound. Sliding the door back, then lifting it to get access to the CD case storage seems more of a reach than I care to put forth. It also feels flimsy and somewhat cheap in construction. I've read a number of posts where the latch does not hold up very well, and I am not looking forward to the inevitable demise and replacement. Also, if you do use the cup holder to hold a bottled water or what-ever, 2nd, 4th, and 6th gear will find your elbow smacking into either them or the edge of the seat.
The Rear Wing Windows: Yes, they open, but it would have been nice if you could do so from the cockpit. If you are driving with the windows down, opening the side wing windows cuts down a little on the cabin noise, and gives the air a clean path to enter and exit the car. But, you have to do this ahead of time.
Where's My Trunk?!?: Okay, I'd be an idiot if I drove around without a spare tire, and I thank god that it's a neutered tire (I would hate to think of the real estate I'd loose if it were a full size tire), but even with the diminutive tire hanging inside the back lid, the trunk is a pain in the *** to get something in and out of like a laptop case. I understand that the rear passenger seating is such that it has to eat some of that space up, but a few bags of groceries, and that's all she wrote. (This is, on the list of things to gripe about, way, way, way on the bottom. After all, it's a sports car, not an SUV).
07-05-2005, 01:06 PM
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The 1st Thousand Miles (7 of 7)
Conclusion: If you haven't already guessed it, we are in love with this car. It's a sheer joy to drive, and we look forward to getting behind the wheel every chance we get. Oh, it's not as strong as the love I have for my wife and family, but it's definitely higher than "I love pizza." Like a daughter or son, I am not looking forward to the inevitable heartbreaks that await me down the road. The first car door ding. The first rock that comes bouncing off the back of some dump truck and careening towards me as I helplessly watch in horror. My first broken part. My first tune-up (ouch). My first set of replacement tires.
My wife's step father might have the right idea. The first thing he did when he brought home his new vehicle was to take about 20 paces back, pick up a small rock, close his eyes and fling it at the car. His reasoning was that now he can get over the stress of finding that first parking lot ding. Somehow, I think that he has a lot more guts than I'll ever have.
I believe that, as in any relationship, you get out of it exactly what you put into it. As long as you exercise a reasonable amount of expectation management, and are willing to accept the shortcomings for what they are, you'll never be unhappy. This car is no exception. Yes, she gets terrible gas mileage. The number of cars in this class that have worse mileage are far and few between. There are even some SUVs that get better gas mileage. But, on the other hand, I challenge any SUV driver to claim that they nearly as much fun out of driving as we do. No, it's not the quickest car, but as I wrote earlier, it's quick enough for me. She's rare. In the two weeks we have driven her around, we have seen only one other RX-8 on the road amongst the thousands of Hondas, Toyotas, Subarus, and on and on. She turns heads, and she deserves it. Rotaries are not for everyone. And judging by some of the posts here, rotaries are not for the inexperienced either. But we'll go into this relationship with our RX-8 with the respect and care that she needs and demands, and we know that she'll return us the favor by providing us with the most damn fun we can have with our clothes on.
Thanks for letting me contribute.
My wife's step father might have the right idea. The first thing he did when he brought home his new vehicle was to take about 20 paces back, pick up a small rock, close his eyes and fling it at the car. His reasoning was that now he can get over the stress of finding that first parking lot ding. Somehow, I think that he has a lot more guts than I'll ever have.
I believe that, as in any relationship, you get out of it exactly what you put into it. As long as you exercise a reasonable amount of expectation management, and are willing to accept the shortcomings for what they are, you'll never be unhappy. This car is no exception. Yes, she gets terrible gas mileage. The number of cars in this class that have worse mileage are far and few between. There are even some SUVs that get better gas mileage. But, on the other hand, I challenge any SUV driver to claim that they nearly as much fun out of driving as we do. No, it's not the quickest car, but as I wrote earlier, it's quick enough for me. She's rare. In the two weeks we have driven her around, we have seen only one other RX-8 on the road amongst the thousands of Hondas, Toyotas, Subarus, and on and on. She turns heads, and she deserves it. Rotaries are not for everyone. And judging by some of the posts here, rotaries are not for the inexperienced either. But we'll go into this relationship with our RX-8 with the respect and care that she needs and demands, and we know that she'll return us the favor by providing us with the most damn fun we can have with our clothes on.
Thanks for letting me contribute.
07-05-2005, 01:14 PM
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I concur on most of your write up. I'm amazed that I haven't gotten a ticket yet, but I avoid driving agressively in or near traffic. And there are so many SUVs around here, who based on the bumper stickers, think they're NASCAR #8 and drive like it, I'm usually not the fastest on the road.
I know people who do similar things to the "throwing the rock at a new car". I never have to, within a week of any car I buy, I get a ding. I was driving my 8 home from work, and a branch fell out of a tree! Creased the roof (not too noticeable). Six inches back it would have come in through the open sunroof! I was ticked initially, and then realized it was my first car in a while, and it was all part of my karma. Aside from paint chips, haven't had another ding in over a year.
I know people who do similar things to the "throwing the rock at a new car". I never have to, within a week of any car I buy, I get a ding. I was driving my 8 home from work, and a branch fell out of a tree! Creased the roof (not too noticeable). Six inches back it would have come in through the open sunroof! I was ticked initially, and then realized it was my first car in a while, and it was all part of my karma. Aside from paint chips, haven't had another ding in over a year.
07-05-2005, 01:23 PM
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The Sun Visors: I don't get them. They seem somewhat out of place with the rest of the cockpit. Perforated plastic? Why perforated...
I wondered the same thing until I had to swing them to the side.
I am tall and with them at the side it would completely block my view out
of the driver side window (not good) But with the perforations, (voila!)
I can see through without getting blinded by the sun.
Oh and just loose the spare tire. The repair kit and roadside assistance is all you need.
I just took the price that I would have spent on the donut tire and mounting kit,
and bought a used 18 oem wheel and tire for less. It stays in my garage. and I
throw that in the trunk if I travel more than a few hundred miles away.
Nice to see more Raleigh cars around.
I wondered the same thing until I had to swing them to the side.
I am tall and with them at the side it would completely block my view out
of the driver side window (not good) But with the perforations, (voila!)
I can see through without getting blinded by the sun.
Oh and just loose the spare tire. The repair kit and roadside assistance is all you need.
I just took the price that I would have spent on the donut tire and mounting kit,
and bought a used 18 oem wheel and tire for less. It stays in my garage. and I
throw that in the trunk if I travel more than a few hundred miles away.
Nice to see more Raleigh cars around.
07-05-2005, 01:33 PM
#15
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Along4theRide,
GREAT write up!
Enjoy the new car, it truly is a thing of beauty.
GREAT write up!
Enjoy the new car, it truly is a thing of beauty.
07-05-2005, 01:41 PM
#17
Lubricious
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Originally Posted by Along4TheRide
The Fog Lamps: Are they on?
The Oil Dipstick:
The Sun Visors: I don't get them. They seem somewhat out of place with the rest of the cockpit. Perforated plastic? Why perforated, and why plastic.
The Thunk of the Doors: Or, lack thereof.
The Center Console: Here, mixed feelings abound. Sliding the door back, then lifting it to get access to the CD case storage seems more of a reach than I care to put forth. It also feels flimsy and somewhat cheap in construction. I've read a number of posts where the latch does not hold up very well, and I am not looking forward to the inevitable demise and replacement. Also, if you do use the cup holder to hold a bottled water or what-ever, 2nd, 4th, and 6th gear will find your elbow smacking into either them or the edge of the seat.
The Rear Wing Windows: Yes, they open, but it would have been nice if you could do so from the cockpit. If you are driving with the windows down, opening the side wing windows cuts down a little on the cabin noise, and gives the air a clean path to enter and exit the car. But, you have to do this ahead of time.
Where's My Trunk?!?: Okay, I'd be an idiot if I drove around without a spare tire, and I thank god that it's a neutered tire (I would hate to think of the real estate I'd loose if it were a full size tire), but even with the diminutive tire hanging inside the back lid, the trunk is a pain in the *** to get something in and out of like a laptop case.
Enjoy the next 1000
07-05-2005, 02:42 PM
#18
Follower of CHRIST!!!!!!!
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Nice...I too really love my 8. Every time I drive something else...I want the heck out of there ASAP so I can get back behind the wheel of my 8.
As of 3.7K...this car is a keeper...I just love it!!!!
As of 3.7K...this car is a keeper...I just love it!!!!
07-05-2005, 07:14 PM
#21
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Thanks Nubo
Originally Posted by Nubo
Check the DIY for a minor wiring change to make the fog lights independent of the headamps.
Originally Posted by Nubo
Wow, how big is your laptop?
I travel around to engineer's offices giving classes, so it holds my laptop as well as my presentation projector. Think of it as a small carry-on.
I'm glad to see another sensible person regarding the spare.
I've got a thread in the DIY for replacing it with side-mounted LED assemblies to get the light back.
07-05-2005, 11:39 PM
#23
Rotary only since 1980
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Welcome to the forum/cult Along4TheRide! That was a thoughtful and literate set of posts. It sounds like you're enjoying your car as much as the rest of us here.
So you had a 1st and 2nd generation RX-7 and couldn't resist the siren call of the new rotary? I belong to that club too. Although I didn't notice the difference in the sunroofs (87 vs RX-8) that you did. Maybe I sit farther back than you. I also don't have the spare tire so I can make a Costco run (the ulitmate challenge) using the trunk and back seats. Other than that, I think I agree with everything you wrote.
May you enjoy the next two hundred thousand miles as much as your first.
So you had a 1st and 2nd generation RX-7 and couldn't resist the siren call of the new rotary? I belong to that club too.
Although I didn't notice the difference in the sunroofs (87 vs RX-8) that you did. Maybe I sit farther back than you. I also don't have the spare tire so I can make a Costco run (the ulitmate challenge) using the trunk and back seats. Other than that, I think I agree with everything you wrote. May you enjoy the next two hundred thousand miles as much as your first.
07-07-2005, 08:12 AM
#24
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Originally Posted by Blue87Sport
Welcome to the forum/cult Along4TheRide! That was a thoughtful and literate set of posts. It sounds like you're enjoying your car as much as the rest of us here.
So you had a 1st and 2nd generation RX-7 and couldn't resist the siren call of the new rotary? I belong to that club too. Although I didn't notice the difference in the sunroofs (87 vs RX-8) that you did. Maybe I sit farther back than you. I also don't have the spare tire so I can make a Costco run (the ulitmate challenge) using the trunk and back seats. Other than that, I think I agree with everything you wrote.
May you enjoy the next two hundred thousand miles as much as your first.
So you had a 1st and 2nd generation RX-7 and couldn't resist the siren call of the new rotary? I belong to that club too.
Although I didn't notice the difference in the sunroofs (87 vs RX-8) that you did. Maybe I sit farther back than you. I also don't have the spare tire so I can make a Costco run (the ulitmate challenge) using the trunk and back seats. Other than that, I think I agree with everything you wrote. May you enjoy the next two hundred thousand miles as much as your first.
I've always loved the rotary, and looking back, the ones that I did have the chance to own were always a blast. The two 85s I had were nimble quick and with the right set of tires (I ended up settling on Fuldas. They broke earlier than the Eagles, but in a slide they were much more predictable), every corner was blast.
The 87s, on the other hand, were heavy and demanded a lot more respect, sometimes more than I wanted to give. The turbo version was capable of ridiculous speeds on the highway, but I managed to only get three tickets while I had her. I should have gotten many, many more than that. The second 87 I had (this one had the tinker-toy rims, you know, with the four round holes. Ugh!) caught fire on me. The fuel line going up to the throttle body had broken, and dumped gas on the top of the engine. I had returned from lunch one day and noticed smoke coming out from under the hood. I thought, since it had just rained, that it was water vapor. That is, until I opened the hood. Three fire extinguishers later, the damage had been done. It was a total loss.
When the third gens came out, I wanted one in a bad, bad way. But Mazda broke my heart when they pushed the price of what was a sports car for the masses past the $30K mark and, at the time, way out of my reach. I almost never forgave them for that. Hindsight now tells me that I've waited for the right one. The current versions have all of the agility of the 85s and the comfort and speed of my old turbo.
07-07-2005, 09:51 AM
#25
it's all altitude
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Having had mine now for 6 weeks (and just turned the initial 1k last weekend), I generally agree with your observations. This beauty has indeed rejuvenated both myself and the wife. The kids (both teenagers) made the comment about us having a "mid-life crisis".. to which we both simultaneously responded.. "it's NO CRISIS!!"
About my only gripe is that since both of us drive this lil' gem, we wish it had "seat memory".
And I definitely agree with the cruise control issue..it's oh so EASY to just let this baby roll along unrestrained. With two teenagers and myself having gotten caught in January exceeding the speed limit slightly in my SUV, I DO NOT want to increase my insurance rates!
Cheers! :D
About my only gripe is that since both of us drive this lil' gem, we wish it had "seat memory".
And I definitely agree with the cruise control issue..it's oh so EASY to just let this baby roll along unrestrained. With two teenagers and myself having gotten caught in January exceeding the speed limit slightly in my SUV, I DO NOT want to increase my insurance rates!
Cheers! :D