Automatic V.S. Manual debate
 

Hey guys, just have a question about the transmission on the 08' RX8s'.

From what i've read, I take it the automatic transmission is very unpopular. This was in part due to the fact that the old RX8's had 4 speed auto, and 6 speed manual, correct?

Now that the new 08' models have 6 speed auto, and 6 speed manual, is it still a grave sin to own an automatic Mazda? Im not keen on getting a manual since San Diego traffic is stop and go, but I hear that the car is pitiful in automatic.

What is your input on the transmissions for the 2008 series? Does is severely take away from the car if I eventually do get the automatic?

There is no debate. the manual will always be better than the auto. Even with the same engine and 6 gears, the new auto doesn't have the same redline as the manual. It's the higher rpms where the rotary engine makes it's music heard :)

Of course, if you go aftermarket, and increase the rpm limit and make sure your slushbox can handle it, then you might get close to breaking even.

Except as a daily driver. I know that San Diego traffic.

Get the Auto you will be happy.

as long as you get the 6 speed auto i guess you wont be too disapointed...0-60 in 7.2 is what ive heard....but MT's ftmfw every time

im with you there desert and razz, i live in OC, so i know what the traffic is like. im thinking bout getting an auto myself. yeah sure MT > AT anyday, but look at the circumstances for yourself

for me:
1) im not much of a mod/circuit racer/dyno goer/race track driver or whatever kinda guy
2) my driving style is very casual, easy going and laid back, and the auto tranny is very very smooth, compliments how i drive

so in total, i shift less, my smooth driving is enhanced with the rotary's smoothness of the auto, and its still plenty of zoom zoom for what i do :)

all in all, its down to what you do and what compliments your abilities/skills and heres the big ??? - would you get anoyed shifting so much?

if yes - AT
if no - MT

hope this helps

There is no debate get the M/T and you will never regret your purchase. Get a A/T and you will regret it atleast once a month.

i love my AT. i dont regret it at all.

thats debatable though. what if its someone like me, who doesnt like shifting at all? i hate the act of shifting, imo it gets really anoying. and for me, the AT has the sportronic shift if i ever get in the mood, which is enough shifting for me :lol:

im just an AT kinda guy though :)

i know shifting is fun for some, makes you "part of the car" and stuff and im not bashing MT, im just saying its not for everyone. everyone has there opinions and likes/dislikes :)

Anyone that's not "into shifting" really shouldn't own this car, anyway.

If you are an "AT kinda guy", the RX-8 will just be a constant heartache in every other aspect of ownership.
It is a very hands-on car. It makes demands and has requirements.
If you want a car that will sit patiently in the driveway, waiting to take you effortlessly to work or the salon, get a Bimmer.

what other areas of ownership you refering to? i test drove an AT 8 and i loved it

performance? im not into the track/dyno anyways and i dont race cars :)

i just like the handling of the car and the looks, unless theres something an owner of one can tell me that i dont know, i dont forsee any problems with an AT in the future.

edit: refering to it like breaking down earlier or more chance of it blowing up or whatever the issue is, not opinionated problems with it

MT.

NYC, BEAT My traffic.

^ lol,
cant beat NYC, but im still standing strong in my likeing of the AT :)

part of the Magic....
 

For my taste the manual is an essential ingredient to the RX8 prescription, that being said, my first test drive was in an 6sp paddle shift auto. Even in it's automatic version the RX8 was my clear choice over other cars I had test driven,(Mustang GT conv., GTO, etc..) as a matter of fact it was so good I didn't even bother to drive the next car on my test list (G37). Sometimes the Automatic is a must for people for various reasons, heavy stop and go being one of them, it shouldn't stop you from buying the RX8. You can still hold gears and tach higher than most cars with manual trans. however you will have to sacrifice about 10%of the top end. This shouldn't however impact 90% of the real world driving you'll be doing.

Whatever you decide I hope it'll be the RX8, regular or extra strength, the RX8 is your prescription for the "driver blues."

If you want an auto then I would say that there are much better options out there; cars with more power, 4 full sized doors and still look and handle well; oh and aren't as thirsty.

i like people like mbr up there, who, even if he suggests MT, still support AT's and not bash them just cause of their opinions +111 for you mbr

and gecko, its not bout "getting the best auto" its about "getting the best and sweetest car out there in an auto" (the rx8) :)

Man I gotta reply to this thread...
Actually I'm not offering input on this comment the way an 'auto vs manual' debate reply thread would. Instead I will agree that most of us (imo) owners would like the ability to have a stick in the rx8. Then again I think most of us (imo) auto owners would also say '...if we could only have a stick or an auto, it would be the auto...'.

Hum...did not realize the 'music' sound was that much different between 7k and 8k or higher. To me, in a rotary, once you hit 7k that is far enough into the uppper 'band' :) to hear the music.

Note to mothership Mazda...
you can now stop making the sportronic shift for the rx8...
that is unless the 10 to 15%+ previous buyers still want it; such as myself.

When I first got my 07 auto I felt that it was the 75% solution to having a manual but really instead I find the sportronic padel/stick shifting just lets you hold each gear unitl you want to change it. If one said the padel/stick 'shifter' was to be a 'true' replacement for a manual gear box then maybe mazda would need to make it better like those german? dgs? set ups. Still I do feel, for the price point, that mazda's sportronic gives us 'auto' ridres that have an 06-08 rx8s what we need to be happy.

Desert Fox, you may want to want for an 09 if that is doable since they will add a 'shift once even in auto mode' to the sportronic that 06-08 does not offer plus a few 'minor'? tweats to the engine as well. That is unless MazdaManiac gets mazda to stop making them in 2009. Only point to be aware of in an auto is that it is much easier to 'forget' to take her up to the upper rpm range so you must remember to do that yourself, say in 1st or 2nd gear...hit 6250 or 7k cause otherwise...if I recall correctly she will auto shift at 3 to 4k depending on how hard you hit the gas.

Really, can you explain why my 4AT version is a joy to drive handles like a Go-kart, stops on a dime, goes well enough to stir some trouble & looks the part through a mountain sweeper or in bumper-to-bumper everyday city traffic......??

A manual is a more rewarding car, but the Auto allows many to get an RX-8 plus keep their wifes happy.

REgards

if ppl want their wifes to be happy, he shouldnt even get a RX-8. Get like a SUV.

4AT go well enough to stir some trouble ? ...


They still make Auto because most people are lazy these days. and they refuse to try to even learn how to operate a manual.

Do you have any idea how long it took me b4 my gf finally willing to learn Manual ?

ppl gotta stop their laziness and start working on their left foot.

If u dont have a left foot, yeah sure then why not an Auto tranny ?

If the next rotary car has no Manual tranny option, I will not even buy it, no matter how much I love Rotary.

Just look at the newest GT-R, u know how many ppl bitch about it NOT having a Manual Transmission option.

Yikes! Amazing crew of MT snobs.

Hope everyone realizes that the MT has synchromesh, which already changes the purity of changing gears. So going from that to AT is just another step in the same direction of the car doing more of the supporting work.

So everyone should get whatever tickles their own taste.

Ken

In the definition of MT, its something that you actually have to *do* it urself.

Auto ... computer shift for you.

Yeah Auto u can paddle shift it, still shifting it urself techincally, but where is the clutch ?

You really want to be able to hit 8500 rpm since that's the sweet spot. I wasn't really talking about sound when I said music.

If the redline was the same on the AT as MT, then I'd have no problems with the auto. I still wouldn't recommend it, but it wouldn't be the red headed stepchild.

Facts are facts. With a car this nice, there have been people that bought it for the looks, especially in the beginning. I've seen plenty of women driving this car over the years, and the auto is the way to go. It's an enthusiast sports car, but Mazda aimed it at the general public. Of course that hasn't worked out very well, but nonetheless that has been the goal.

As a car enthusiast, I would like to see the RX8 turn into a pure sports car, like the S2000. Limited to one trim, 6 speed manual only. They have all these trims, and are available in both auto and manual, and over the last year+, they haven't been selling a whole lot more then the S2000 has. Time to turn it into a pure sports car MAZDA. ;)

With that said, it's nice to see some everyday people driving this car. It was built to be a practicle sports car your general consumer would buy, and some have. :)

front wheel drive would make the 8 the bestest ever......................................

Just put it in reverse and find a comfortable position looking over your shoulder...

yeah but now you have huge drivetrain losses by having your engine in the rear of the car, instead of having the engine right over the front axle.