^ I agree , whats the point in owning a sports car if the Drive is boring? Kinda defeats the whole purpose of everything imo.

 

Those that are so easily board should just do something else besides being on the road. Driving should be a experience in which you use all your senses no matter what the transmission. Only inexperienced "experts" are board and will ending up killing or maiming someone.

 

You can get bored shifting a manual as well. While the RX8 was my first manual car, after 80,000 miles of manual experience I find I get lazy shifting while daily driving sometimes cause I'm so used to doing it I'm not paying attention.

I've simply found that even with the 4 port, 4 speed autos that there are certain race applications where they can be superiour to a manual transmission because of the nature of the gears and there being no need to shift in certain spots. At least in auto cross, I think Easy picks up half a second at least cause he doesn't have to make a harsh transition from 1st to 2nd.

Where I get him is on the longer courses where he has to shift into 2nd gear cause you have to drop below 30mph to get back into first. Then he tend to run a bit slower...still spanks me though.

The only frustration I see with the auto is the tuning. There seems to be some kind of pcm override that has reared it's head while tuning.

If anyone things auto's are slow I'm sure Phil can show you what RX8 taillights look like.

 

woot! i have an auto too =] lol whose phil?

 

Me. If you have questions as to what my a/t 8 has see my garage. It changes all the time because I am constantly improving my mods

 

So do you upshift and downshift constantly on an empty freeway instead of leaving in it 6th gear and just cruise?

Highway driving would be the one reason I wish I had an auto....

Highway driving is also the reason I wish I had a luxury car!

 

For me, it's the traffic jams I get into so often on my local expressway that makes me glad I do have an auto. More than once I've been stuck on an uphill, with traffic creeping 10 feet at a time.

 

Don't forget Jim Hall and the Chaparrals back in the glory days of USRRC and Can-Am. Automatic transmission lets the driver keep both hands on the wheel and pay attention to the track.

Ken

 

If your going to buy a sports car, especially the rx8, why would you get automatic? Sports cars in my vision NEED to be manual. Plus i have talked to mechanics at dealerships and they say that any rx8 that comes in with a problem, is usually an automatic. That is why my rx8 is a 6-speed (as it should be)

 

I'am a Mazda service advisior. I have yet to see a 8 come in with a automatic trany problem/issue. I do see alot of issues with the MT.

 

ha are u serious my at rx8 tranny stop workin and blew out

 

the only car I will buy with an auto is a Ferrari or a GT-R.

 

If you buy a sports car, it should be a manual. If you want an auto, get a luxury car. That is the bottom line. Sports cars are meant for constant shifting on curving courses. Auto's are meant for highway chillin. My 8 is a 6 speed, and anytime I get the chance, I take the back roads. Screw the highway!!!!

 

So is this AT FTL?

 

no, this is thread FTL

 

yes, the only thing that fails is the creation of this thread and blatant arguments. I have an AT and im the only person that it should matter to. Telling me an AT sportscar is pointless isnt going to make me run to the dealership to trade it in. My beater is MT and its just fine as well.
Now I value peoples opinion because they are entitled to it, but if people are just going to keep forcing their ideas as the only valid ones..then they are better of picking a fight with their keyboard because I and im sure others dont care

 

At the risk of repeating myself, tell that to Jim Hall.

And miss the enjoyment of shifting gears? My brother bought a high end Lexus with a manual transmission. He always had cars with gearboxes, and saw no reason to change.

You get what you like, not what someone else likes.

Ken

 

This is true!

 

Agreed! It always amazed me why other people care what others drive. If you dont test drive a car before buying it and starts bashing it because the MT is faster who's the dumb ****? It is what it is.

 

May I add that Mazda probably sold a lot more MT than AT on RX8? That could be another reason.

 

I believe 8 should be in MT. But for some, there are always reason's they don't/can't buy it MT.

I love driving MT. I never mind when going through traffic jam with MT.

Had a Mazda MX-3 MT for over 100,000miles. Then I had a couple of ATs before I came back to MT RX8 (CRV, Mazda6, TSX, Pilot). My right hand is always on the **** even when I drive an AT. It's worse with my CRV and my Pilot as it's a column shifter. I have no where to put my hand on.

I bought those ATs because my wife who doesn't drive manual needs to drive from time to time.

But it sure is fun to drive 8 with 6MT.

 

your car will feel like it only has 5HP when the SI u

 

There is no debate just as many others have said. I live in NJ right outside of Philly so I hear you with traffic. Trust me traffic is just as bad around hear. Get the manual so you will have no regrets down the road.

 

I'd agree on no real debate. I enjoy MT much more than AT, but that doesn't make the AT any worse of a vehicle. Until some proof can be pointed at the red line limit, transmission or anything else that helps break the engine, they are both fully capable in my eyes.