Rootski

iTrader: (1)

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

manual.......

Roaddemon

For $16000 your talking 04 rx8. Lot's of us have high mileage 04's with no issues. If you buy an 04 try getting one from a colder climate. Cold climate 8's were less affected by heat damage before the corrective ecu reflash came out. Then make sure all tsb's and recalls were done including the compression test. You can get an excellent dependable 04 with low mileage for your price range. They are good cars. Have fun shopping

Razz1

Even an 04 manual is good if the person took care of the car.

It's the auto's you have to worry about.

motorups

Cann't offer any input on 04-05 automatics, they had a four speed gear box and my 07 has a six speed. On the one hand I guess a 4sp would be nice since you won't have as many gears to change though on the other hand (I'm guessing) a 6sp gives you more power ranges to work with. Maybe someone that moved from a 4sp auto to a 6sp auto can give some input on that thought.

Really to me, an auto is the 75% solution. Yes I know, if it isn't a stick it is not a sports car especially in a rx8 but I will tell you this (imo):

1. an auto is great for those of us that eat/drink and sorry to say talk on a cell now and again.
(edit)...that will get me in trouble for saying so let's just say, at times many of us may have a drink or a quick bite to eat as we travel, setup our ipods, check the gps setting, etc. Yes, most of our time is spent just driving but no, we are not at the track driving 90 plus miles an hour.

2. an auto does properly hold a gear until you tell it to change gears so you can keep those rpm ranges spinning when driving in manual mode (and to me that is one of the '3' advantages of what a stick does. Someone did mention they thought the older autos (04/05???) may have issues correctly holding rpm ranges in manual mode but someone on the board could tell you for sure...I do not know myself. I do know the 6sp auto/manual ability to control rpm ranges in manual mode is perfect and without fault....at least on my 07.

3. an auto allows you to 'shift' with the wheel or the stick.

4. an auto allows you to just say 'drive' by tossing back into auto mode

A stick allows you to control the car in ways one cannot with an auto/manual setup -
1. one can feather the clutch as an example, better control going into and out of turns I'm told.
2. one I assume can engage the gear change were as the auto/manual just mades it happen (though I do not see that as a bad thing).
3. control over rpm range in any gear (though the auto/manual does that just a well in manual mode...better if you take into account many drivers have to use two feet and two arms when changing gears while an auto/manual setup could be just one foot and one finger).

Is a auto/manual setup a true dgs/dsg (whatever they call it)...nope. Would I think john q public going to buy a auto/manual setup really care...I would guess not for the price point the rx8 sells at. Is an auto/manual fun to drive? To me yes, it gives me the 75% solution with 100% solution of having a auto mode when I just what to let it drive while I enjoy the steering, sound, looking out on the wide front hood and quarter panels over the front wheels. Man what a great view.

In the end, those that have manuals will mostly say (I'm guessing) that a auto/manual is not a '75%' solution but to me it is and that makes me very happy. I guess I should notice the lack of those 40 ponies in hp and I guess if I drove an auto/manual, one with 40 more hp and one with 40 less hp indeed I would but I won't give up my auto/manual setup for them. Want them 40 ponies, sure why the heck not it was not a deal breaker for me. In fact I feel the auto/manual is what made me purchase the rx8 since I just did not wish to deal with the attention a manual requires. I wanted a car that looks good, is fun to drive, that I can control the rpm range in yet just leave it an auto when I don't want to deal have to change gears. Mazda did a great job with their auto/manual setup I feel. Not a fancy dgs/dsg but I'm a john q public sort of guy and it hit the mark for me.

Hopefully others on the board will address the items in red above.

New Yorker

I hope I'm never driving near you. Do you honestly believe eating, drinking and talking on your cell doesn't compromise your driving ability?

Once upon a time, people didn't think twice about having a few beers before getting behind the wheel. Everyone did it; it was the most normal thing in the world. But not anymore. A day will come where what you do is recognized to be as dangerous and irresponsible as drinking and driving.

That day can't come soon enough for me.

That said, I'd go with the '06 or later automatic, too.

Ericok

Look at the bright side. If you get an AT you'll avoid:

Failed throwout bearing
Noisy throwout bearing
Gear rattle in neutral
Bad synchros
Having to install short shifter
Having to install lightweight flywheel
Broken clutch pedal
Sheared flywheel bolts
1500 less RPM to worry about

Myardor

iTrader: (7)

U want an unbiased opinion...at a RX-8 forum?
What have u been drinking?

kersh4w

iTrader: (3)

04 and 05 automatics: 4 speed automatic transmission. 197hp @ flywheel
06 and up automatics: 6 speed automatic transmission. 212hp @ flywheel
04 and up manuals: 6 speed manual transmission. 232hp @ flywheel

so.. if you can get an 06 or up. the difference isnt as big. and you get 6 gears. you probably can get a higher mileage 06, base model, for ~16k. you just have to look around for a while. but for 16k, most automatic rx8s will be a fully loaded 04 or 05.

like this one here
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2004-...em200196068402

motorups

Your right, talking on a cell is while driving is just plain wrong. It is not sometime I do all the time but now and again it happens...more then it should.
My god do we have enough smiles to pick from on this board or what.

So far a eating goes...well not much really in the rx8. It is better then the mx5 was for sure but still much smaller then my highlander and if I'm driving two hours or more then yes, I burger, soda and chips might be in the passenager seat.

Glad to know I'm only lossing 20hp instead of 40 at least.

Enjoy the ride

New Yorker

I can understand everyone driving & talking; it's so convenient. When I first got a cell, I did it too–'til I realized it really is dangerous. Now I pull over to take/make the call.

I suspect that, just like "havin' a few beers" back in the day, most people simply don't realize how dangerous it is to phone and drive. They think they're real careful—not like those "other" drivers—and can do both at the same time. Or they don't think—or care—at all. A few more well-publicized accidents and there'll be a Mothers Against It movement and then, gradually, maybe it'll become taboo.