Automatic Rx8 and disgustingly tall 2nd gear
 

Now Iunderstand what all those manual 6spd owners were talkingabout when they would mock automatics for onlyhaving 4 gears in a high reving engine. They were just pointing out a major flaw in its transmission setup. I thoughtId make a post about this todaysince I almost wound up in a nasty accident this afternoon. Iveknown about it for a long time now but always thoughtit was irrelevant based on thetype of driving I usually do.

For thoseof you who never use tiptronic mode w/your automatic Rx8s or dontpay attention to how fastyoure going at certain RPMs (which is understandable sinceyou own an automatic Rx8) you may be wondering why it isthat sometimesyou feel no pick up at all eventhough youre flooring the damn pedal. There is a very weak zone in the automatic Rx8 powerband that is extremely noticeable in 2nd gear. If you ever find yourself driving anywhere between 30 - 45 mph and then suddenly floor the pedal --youll notice that youre not feeling much if any pick up at all until you get past 45 mph. Thisis b/c it is notuntil 45 mph or so that youbegin to approach 5000 RPM in the 2nd gear -- which the very beginning of the power zone.

The reason forthis is that the car refuses to downshift into 1st gear so longas youre going faster than 30mph. You willbe stuck in the low end power zone in 2nd gear for several seconds ifyou downshift between those speeds -- and the problem is that there is no friggin low end power w/these cars. So ifyou were for example driving slowly or moderately till about 35 mphand then suddenly gave thecar more gas you wouldnt feel that sudden umph you were looking for.

This may be important foryou to understand ifyoure ever in a driving situation where youre cruising between the abovementioned speeds and then suddenlywant or need some power -- like I did this afternoon when I was trying to prevent myself from being stuck at a notoriously long red light in this area. Ididnt notice that I was cruising at 32 mph before the light turned yellow. Once greenvanished I went WOT but didnt get any power to beat the light thanks to the problemI just got through explaining. Moreover someguy almost broadsided me since I completely ran the red light.

The only solution tothe power deficit youre placed in is to slow the car down to 30 mph before applying gas. That way under WOT youll be in 1st gear right at thepeak of the power zone.

Just in caseyou were wondering about your automatic--

1st gear tops out around 43 - 45 mph
2nd gear tops out at 80 mph
3rd gear tops out at 120 mph

(This is assuming you use tiptronicand stay in the gear till redline.)

Im still somewhat happy w/my automatic after a year of ownership and 18000 miles but lately itseems like my driving style has become a little bit more aggressive than before -- perhapsout of boredom. At times like these its unfortunate to have an annoying computer controlling everything w/two repulsively tall gears instead of a 6spd manual.

I hate to be the one to say it, but didn't you drive the car before you bought it?

Also, I am not known for strictly following every traffic law to the "T", but just as a reminder, yellow means "caution", not "speed-up". :rolleyes:

If you're going 35 and the light has time to go from yellow to red, and you're in danger of being hit by cross traffic then you're just plain running the light. In that situation, in any car - no matter how powerful, you should have stopped since it sounds like you had ample time to do so. Running lights just because you think you might have enough power to do so, then determining that you don't is not a flaw with the car, it's a flaw with the driver.

Simon.

I have noticed the same thing Jerky.

While I am pretty satisfied with the Auto, it needs improvement in the shift quickness. Someone needs to figure out to get this thing to shift quicker.

I love howpeople will go ahead and ignore the main point of my post and focus on the "morally wrong driving maneuver that Ill be damnedto hell for" as ifthey actually think I needed to read their pedagogic comments anddidnt know what I was doing. Thanks for looking out guys. I figured Id be honest in my post -- but christ -- can we just stick to the main point here?

calm down dude.. no worry.. about auto..-cuz greddy already develop a kit for auto.. but wat kit is tat?! I sorry.. I am not a jp-ness speaking person.. but tat kit make a great affect. it's about 260hp at engine. maybe about 200hp or around 200hp at wheel. so... u can got more power than 6sp 8..
hum..... but dude seriously auto 8 is not a very good choice..and it's not a good choice for rotary car at all..

The only thing I notice about auto is that it seems to want to shift to 4th rather quickly as you are scooting along and then when you give it more gas it wants to stay in 4th and it feels like it is straining some as you can hear the engine struggle a little bit. I have noticed this on express ways with a high hill climb. You floor it to stay up with traffic at 65 lets say and it seems to just go for 3rd. That's when the steering wheel pedals need to be used and I am not used to that. I have a manual toy truck and so I am familar with both autos and manuals. I prefer the auto but my choice was more given to my wife who flat out refuses to even try to learn manual so I got the auto.

No complaints with auto. Next time around it will be stick tho.

I am comtemplating the auto (no flames -- I have been driving manuals for 32 years), but thought you could manually downshift into first. Are you saying that above 30 mph you cannot do this manually or that the car will not do it by itself?

The auto has a manual mode that can be controlled by the stick or by padels on the steering wheel. You pick the gear you want to be in.

Go test drive the auto fredw1--I did back to back with the 6spd before I bought--I ended up with auto because of the deal I got; I decided I could live with the deficit in performance. More performance will be had in my next vehicle--this isn't my last car (if the Lord says the same) ;)

I have seen other posts in other auto treads that there is not that much difference from the auto and the manual in regards to pickup and speed. They do something with the torque converter to make it faster and yes it does have less hp than manual.

I test drove both the auto and manual versions,actually test driving the auto twice to try to figure out the complexities to it all. I still believe that the manual is the best choice for new buyers. The only issue I have with the manual is when I'm in gridlock traffic on I-4 creeping along at 5-15 mph.

Jerky, I can't find my old posting, but I definitely noticed the same problem with 2nd (and, of course, 4th) gear in my A/T. The more I drive my car, the more I notice a little more pep (not sure why that is), but lots of times I certainly wish I knew how to drive a stick.

Above 30, probably not, but I have accidentally downshifted into first doing 20 a couple times now...and none of them felt nice. But I mean, why the heck would you want to downshift into first while going 30 anyways? That's a big no no even in the manual world I would think.

Humm, correct if I'm wrong but I thought the RX8 was your car? Don' get me wrong getting an auto so your wife can drive it is fine...I just don't get it myself.

I told my wife IF you ever want to drive my next car, you better get better with the stick in my Probe GT cuase you aint testing it in the RX8. LOL, maybe I'm being mean...but I love stick and I never want an auto.

The only MT/Auto I would consider is that BMW one that is based on a MT but can work as an auto also...it's 6sp MT/Auto...now that IS GREAT!!!

That's fine, stay in first and go 10mph. ;)

It's when you're doing 0-7-0-7-0-7 it's a pain in the ass. I say 7mph because that's about the lowest speed you can stay off the clutch totally.

Also of note--someone posted on here that a 5speed Automatic and 6 speed Sequential transmission paired with the 6-port Renesis are in the works for MY2006. Of course take that rumour for what it is worth, but its seems credible. If Toyota can put SMT in the MR2 then I have no doubts. I am guessing that a 6-port RX8 paired with an SMG should be good for 0-60 times in the mid 6 second range.

::drools::

As an owner of an Auto, I must say that I love my car even if the power is lacking a bit. I still don't understand why Mazda didn't at least put a 5speed Auto in since they have other cars with that option, this would help to smooth out the range. Also, why is it so hard to find an Auto that can withstand 9000rpm redline? Was the Auto just rushed to the market?

yes. ouch. *pats your car* there, there, now...

Agreed. I tell my imaginary wife that all the time. =P :D

Well lets see, the RX is OUR car and not just mine. Course when we got married over 30 years ago she told me what is mine is hers and what is hers is hers. LOL So what is with that? She has the Honda Accord (auto) to drive around but the RX is our fun toy car and she always wanted something a little more sporty. The only manual we have in the Toy truck and does not like even being in it let alone drive it. I like to keep the peace around the house and although she told me to go ahead and get the manual I knew she didn't want me too so I gave in ---again! I did tell her perhaps the next car will be another RX and it will be manual for me!! If I could afford it I would get a manual just for little old me and have two of them.

LOL

LOL

LOL, 30 years of marriage will do that to you right...LOL

Forgive me, I'm a young married pup...more lumps are to come...LOL

I understand, I have been married for 3 years so I still got a little (if not alot) o selfishness in me...I'll learn the hard way...probably, since that's how I learn the best.