Automatic Anyone?
 

I ordered my RX-8 Automatic with the sport package.

Has anyone else ordered an automatic?

:D

I don't think many people are willing to give up the 40 HP for a little extra convenience every once in a while. Not to mention rowing your own gears is very satisfying.

it would be more convient for me to get a automatic since none of my family knows how to drive a stick but i dont want to sacrafice the power and assessories... so stick it is

Go with the manual. I got an auto for the same reason you posted on my last car and boy did i regret it!!!

Trust me you want the manual :D

And this is going to have quite a manual transmission. The RX-8's gearbox has been getting a lot of praise from whoever has driven it so far. And I quote. "the gearbox is a delight to use. Throws through the narrow gate are short and positive, requiring no more than a hand flick to swap cogs." Now why would you want to get an automatic?

sigh no offense but anyone who orders this car in auto doesnt deserve this car.

Oh come on now... Don't be rediculous. Not everybody wants this car to race stop lights, dude. There are thousands of people in this world that don't know how to drive manuals (not that I'm one of them, but still). Regardless, eventually manual transmissions will probably disappear all together except for a very few cars. Get over yourself.

Hum...
 

While we at rotarynews didn't get a chance to drive the one automatic at Laguna, the folks from Car and Driver did, they were un-impressed, almost to the point of cringing.

I don't know if it was just the fact that the slushbox zaps that much more horsepower to the rear wheels or what, but they said it was disappointing, after driving the 6 speed.

Less forum posts, more Laguna Seca test drive article. Somebody lock the doors at RotaryNews until that article's done. I'm about to wet myself in anticipation. :D :eek: :D

Well, I'm done, just waiting for Berny to get back from the race to proof my stuff...

No mention of the automatic in my article though (to keep this thread on topic)

I've noticed that automatic versions of sports cars seem to be made for the female market that just like the looks of a car, not performance( i.e. secretarial chariots). You can't buy most sports cars with an automatic and wanted it for performance. It's really like buying castrated car.

"Secretarial chariot.....castrated car" LMAO!! :D

good....analogies.

Funny, I've met more men befitting that marque than women. Hell, several people have posted on this forum about the RX-8's ability to lure ladies...I think your sexist remarks are a little nearsighted, friend.:D

Automatic
 

I plan on getting a automatic one. I dont mind manuals but I plan on using this as a daily driver. Which involves a lot of stop and go traffic.

I'm getting a 6-spd, and this is going to be my daily driver as well. As far as the stop and go traffic if you don't like a manual in that, (as I don't prefer it) it helps me find time to find more fun ways home with less traffic and more curvy roads that are fun to play on :D

I think some cars are built from the ground up to be manuals. The automatic version is offered to get more sales.

Some cars are built from the ground up to be an automatic. (lexus es300)

To each his/her own... If you can't stand the manual for your driving routine then don't get it -- your choice.

But I'll also say... your loss :eek:

But you have to get what suits you.. the manual tranny will suit me for the rest of my life.. having had an automatic for almost 5 years now gives me aches for a good manual car :)

What did they (C&D) think of the six-speed version? I believe someone asked this before...

As I explained before in this forum, I first ordered an automatic, for the sake of being easy to drive in traffic. I wasn't too keen on giving up the 40 HP however.

Then I realized, although the handling would be incredible, (if reports are true) and the car would no doubt be nice to drive, the acceleration would certainly suffer greatly. Straight-line performance would probably be comparable to V6 powered 4-door family cars, (Camry, 6, Altima etc.) when you look at power to weight ratios.

Also, the 4-speed auto. seems to be kind of a temporary marketing thing; Mazda supposedly doesn't have any other auto tranny available at this time that can handle the high-power Renesis, but I'm sure they'll develop one in the future. (6-speed sequential has been discussed)

The 6-speed manual box is reported to have smooth and precise shifting. Think hard about all the factors and do what you think is the right thing for you. I changed my order to the manual.

Where can I read about the test results on the Automatic?

If you really want an automatic, I'd wait a year or so before buying. I'm sure Mazda will release a new version with a much better 5spd auto...maybe even an SMG style!

I think they will also replace the digital speedo...but I'm just guessing based on what I've read somewhere.

i did
 

I got auto and i'm not afride to show it off, from what i've known the engine is only detuned to lower hp, i think by rasing the rev limiter u could easily gain like 40hp back. (from the understanding of the rev between the higher version and the lower version) I also think that it's very cool to have auto transmission cuz it have peddle shift (like the F1 cars) and it also has sport tronic which is really fun to drive with (i had a 01 BMW330 ci with auto transmission) i think it's really cool. I could bet u that if u have 2 cars of the same car, with one auto and one stick shift most of the time u will win with a auto unless if that person is pro at shifting gears. I know this might make no sense to some people but i think it's very true.

Turbo charge it
 

I think turbo charging it is the best way, then u will be faster than stick shift;)

Don't be a prick, prick. Because pricks don't deserve RX-8's. :cool:

Re: i did
 

Nope. The engine installed in the auto trans cars has a different intake manifold setup (only 2 tracts instead of 3) - it's not capable of breathing at higher revs like the manual-trans engine. Raising the rev limiter would NOT get anywhere near 40 hp. Further - the reason Mazda lowered the rev limit is because the auto trans could not handle the high revs - if you raise the rev limit on your auto trans car, say bye-bye to your transmission warranty!

Quote:

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I also think that it's very cool to have auto transmission cuz it have peddle shift (like the F1 cars)

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No, putting some fancy electronics and shift paddles in front of a regular slushbox automatic transmission is nothing like the F1 transmissions, which are true manual transmissions with hydraulic actuators on the shifter and clutch, with electronics to control the actuators. Most of the tiptronic et al shifters on the market these days are nothing more than fancy electronics on regular slushboxes. F1-style hydraulic-controlled gearboxes are
in the Ferrari F1 system, BMW's SMG, Toyota has one in the MR2. Maserati and Alfa also have these true auto-manual gearboxes. Even those systems are poorly suited to street use, Audi's new DSG transmission on the new TT3.2 is a much better version.

Quote:

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I could bet u that if u have 2 cars of the same car, with one auto and one stick shift most of the time u will win with a auto unless if that person is pro at shifting gears. I know this might make no sense to some people but i think it's very true.

---

Sports cars aren't just about drag racing in a straight line! (You also don't have to be a "pro" to be any good at shifting ;) ) There's a lot of driving pleasure and enjoyment to be had from operating a good manual transmission, it's simply a lot more fun (especially in twisty back roads). I would never give that up and go to an auto trans that takes away that involvement - we have 3 vehicles for our family, and every one is equipped with a manual trans, even for our daily commuter.

Regards,
Gordon

Get a life...

When I am ready to buy my next car, it will for sure be automatic. WHY? Because automatic transmissions are made way more sophisticated than manual trannies. Also automatic transmission is well known to be able to run big HP numbered cars than manual trannies. Also, I could bet that if mazda had put at least 5 speed auto in RX8 vs. 6 speed manual, from straight line, it auto would probably win. Why? Shifts gears faster than any human on the earth and also most people that buy manuals for fun aren't professionals and really don't know how to drive manuals like pros. I'll wait few years to see if mazda is releasing 4th gen RX7 and I'll probably get it with auto. Or maybe if mazda adds 5 speed auto to RX8 then that would be good too. Or I may just forget about rotary and get mazda6 hatchback auto that runs mid to high 15's for auto and low 15's for 5 speed manual (and thats only when pros drive it! ;) )

...sorry, i gota leave.... i'd comment but i've gotta get a cheque with my name on it. will be back later to retort. :)

For "sophisticated" read "complicated".

As for a 5-speed auto beating 6 speed manual for straight line acceleration, no way. The only "autos" that could conceivably do this are expensive F1-style boxes which are actually "automated manual" transmissions, not your standard slushboxes which are notorious for throwing away power.

In straight line acceleration, manual shifting is trivial to do in < 0.5 seconds, the tricky part is when changing down for corners, where you need to use heel'n'toe for best results, and even that takes only a little practice to become proficient. You don't need to be a "pro" by any stretch.

And besides, as others have mentioned, manual is more fun. If you want a car that does everything for you, you can always hail a cab. ;)

I never heard of RX8 cab.

If there weren't any power lost with the Auto, the Auto is not a bad idea. And if Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes, and Audi offer Auto trans on their cars, why can't an RX8 has one? Could it be that adding an Auto would make the RX8 more upscale?

i can't be sure of this, but there doesn't seem to be any distinct advantage teh automatic tranny has over the manual gear box as far as torque handling goes... of course, the design has to fit the application, but i'm looking at this from a fundamental standpoint.




as has been said before, an automatic doesn't really shift that fast, and most people can indeed outshift an automatic... and don't forget that they are far larger and heavier, so when comparing two transmissions you'd always be able to put more speeds into a manual box for less weight anyways...

i'm not knocking your choice for an automatic, it's a good decision based on what you want in a car... in fact, i've only ever driven automatics on the street (a sad state i hope to rectify with my first real car), and it's not a bad thing, and fun can still be had in them. :) s'all good Haris, but autos aren't superior in every way.

some auto trannies in development can shift very fast, but this is only timing the shift itself. My protege, while not designed as a perfomance auto, does shift very fast. But, the auto is stupid. Since the gear shifts are based on a crap load of measurements by the ECU (tranny speed, RPM, throttle position, brake position, etc). The damn ECU takes so long to think about shifting that its already past the sweet shift point. I find myself grabbing for the shifter then kickin my own ass remembering that i have an auto and can't do anything about it.

After "learning" the tranny's moods i've been able to better control the shifts but there is still no way to control downshifts and when your on the highway they happen all the time in the worst times

Automatic doesn't go well with Renesis
 

Since the RX-8 has 4 doors, I can understand how some potential buyers would see this car as a more stylish sedan. I suppose some RX-8 owners would get the automatic transmission for day to day driving and convinience. It all depends on what you look for in the RX-8, looks? performance? value? luxury? or practicality? If you were to get this car for convinience and practicality, then I'd suggest an Accord or Mazda 6. If you want performance and handling, then getting this car w/ slushbox really makes no sense. I hate to say this, but I'll bet an manual transmission Mazda 6 would be more fun to drive than an automatic RX-8. If you don't know how to drive a manual tranny car, you owe it to yourself to learn how. If you are truly a driving enthusiast, then there is no substitution for the ability to precisely control the gears in a car.

Second point: The "T" curve of the Renesis engine will not go well with an automatic transmission. The 40hp deficit in the automatic model doesn't really matter, since automatic RX-8 owner wouldn't benefit from the higher end power anyways. The T curve on the 210hp and 250hp engine are actually very similar, but the problem with auto RX-8 is that you won't be able to keep the engine in power band. Imagine carrying a couple of people heading toward a hill in an automatic RX-8. It's not a pretty sight. However, if you live in an area with no hills, then it probably won't be a problem.

If you really want an automatic RX-8, then I would have to assume you are getting the car for looks, conviniennce and practicality. If these are truly what you look for in a car, then maybe the RX-8 is not the best choice. A 240hp Accord sedan/coupe or even a n auto 3.5L Altima will be cheaper and more practical. A light weight, high revving, sport tuned car like a RX-8, is not meant to be built with an automatic transmission.

Just my opinions~ For those of you wanting to get an auto RX-8, try to testdrive an automatic RSX, and you will get a good idea of what you might encounter with the RX8.

I think you're off base here Skyline.

Only reason is that getting a RWD car and FWD car are such different worlds. The Mazda6 is fun but not nearly as fun as an automatic RX-8. It's RWD and with the performance package has a LSD and 18" tires.

There's a saying, if you can't go fast in a 90hp car, 900hp won't help you. I think most people buying the automatic car like to whip themselves around the curves but not at the expense of getting uncomfortable in the traffic that surrounds their area.

Mazda6 is nice, but I wouldn't take it over an automatic RX-8 as far as 'fun factor' is concerned. Just my $.02.

The 6 is over there with the family man, the RX8 is over here with the single family man who may have to take passengers every now and then. The 6 can be auto to suit that drive, the 8 needs to be manual to personalise the drive and get the most out of the free reving engine.

rael

Ahhh FREEDOM!!!
 

Let's remember here folks that our brothers our out there fighting and dying just so we can live in a great place where we get to choose...even such things as what accessories to get on our cars. I see no reason to belittle someone for getting an automatic, even as I see no reason to belittle one who buys a stick to sit in rush hour traffic day after day. Speaking as a guy approaching 40, I am young enough to see the stick side, but old enough to understand the comfort/convienence side as well. Personally, I am not getting an *, my wife is, am me AND my insurance agent are pleased with her decision upon the auto, as I do not want her speeding all over town.

THe reason
 

i'm getting auto is that i have to spend lots of time in traffic and sometimes i would use the car to show a couple of civics not to show off in front of me now and then....besides that i would like to get a stick shift, yes i do know how to drive one but since there are many factors that would effect me on my choices so i have decided on AUTO, which has sports shift and peddle shift.....for both convience and the Racing Blood inside me....

By the way
 

A auto TT Supra could take RX8 stick shift anyday.....so i dont think HP is that much out of reach, if i want more power then i get it turbo charged, yeah yeah yeah everyone says stick is more fun, but IMO i dont think there is much of a differece between a stick shift and sports automatic shift.....besides the HP difference i dont think y wouldnt anyone take the AUTO over the STICK SHIFT....:D

Everyone's entitled to their own opinions :)

I'm getting the 6 speed, as I honestly don't like automatics very much- and I can't imagine ever buying an automatic sprts car. Perhaps, if it was a true tip-tronic shifter(a la ferrari)I might change my mind, but it isn't, and just pressing buttons on the steering wheel doesn't do much for me.

However, I can also see why someone who didn't grow up driving a stick, especially in traffic, would be more comfortable with the automatic.

Re: By the way
 

Ever heard of something called a clutch? :)

Re: By the way
 

If you can't appreciate a stickshift and clutch then you never will :)

It's all about being ingrained with the car.. being one with it. When I'm in an automatic it's more laid back and reclined, but when you're actively shifting, easing off the clutch, using it to help your braking and adjusting it to give you maximum power out of a corner... there's nothing like it. All four apprendages are at work, unlike an auto which requires only two.

Oh an addendum:

An automatic Supra TT could only take an RX-8 in a straight line. And for the most of us, that's not important. Having the heel-and-toeing available around a corner to get max power out of a corner instead of letting a dumb automatic lazily shift it out for you, will definately make up a lot of time.

Either way it's your choice... convienience of auto or involvement of manual. I have no problem with people getting automatic RX-8s, as they still will provide driving enjoyment but just minus the power that comes with the high power version. But a Miata is fun at low horses too, and nobody complains about those :)

Re: Re: By the way
 

*rofl*

not to insult anyone that bbertha might be referring to-- but that was really funny :D

I'm all for auto
 

Due to life and reality (their not always the same for me) I'll be waitting at least a couple of years before I trade up to the RX-8.

...And as I've posted before, I don't need the speed, but I do want to enjoy the "driving" and since this will be my daily driver ... plus I also like the idea of the paddle shifter ... and I tend to enjoy eatting a late night snack of fast food in the car...


:D

You will not enjoy the full flavor of the RX-8 with an automatic. I have owned auto tranny and manual tranny cars and I DEFINITELY have MORE FUN driving the manuals.

If you don't know how to drive a manual, don't worry. I learned the first time I sat in my first car. Bought a manual without knowing how to drive one. Received instructions and away I went. Thank God I was 16 years old then. I wanted the car and it was available how I wanted it only in a manual.

I know that for me, baring any unforseen circumstances I want a manual for my next car. Of the 4 I have now, only one is auto, but I got that due to the size of the car.

As far as the debate between an automatic and manual, I went through that the last time I was looking for a fun car and chose the stick. I found that the auto, even the autostick, was not as much fun as I had hoped and the problem with the autostick that the sales rep raved about was that even when I told it to shift, it would wait until it was ready if it thought I shifted at too low an rpm. With the manual it shifts when I am ready, no surprises.

In daily driving, I like the manual because I can adjust my speed without stepping on the brakes. Nothing I hate more then having only two controls for speed. Even in "stop and go" traffic, I rarely have to step on the brakes which helps traffic flow smoothly since the people behind me don't panic when they see my brake lights.

To each his own, but for something like this were not only do you loose HP and revs by going to an auto but possibly also feel for the car, I plan to wait and see what it feels like. Then decide.

I think
 

it depends on the ECU of the sports shift, and have u guys tried out the 4-speed sports shift from Prelude? it's fast and responsive.....(i wish RX8 could be like that)

I think no matter it is manual or automatic, the RX-8 I still going to be a great sports car. Besides, look at couple sports car that came out earlier (Audi RS6, Audi T.T., MB C32, Jaguar S-Type R, etc.), they all equipped w/ sports shifts automatic, and they are still fast. However, I just don’t understand why Mazda puts a 5AT in the 6 but a 4AT in the 8.
Anyway, since I am a daily commuter in downtown San Francisco (yup, going through those STEEP hills and stop-and-go traffic), I think it’s a better choice for me to go with the AT.

the 5at in the 6 wouldn't fit right in the 8 and they weren't going to have 1 that did in time so they just used the 4at in the 8. supposedly may be fixed for 2005 or 6 production.