canaryrx8, is right.
But I dont see a speed difference between the two 2?. After I see a AT Porsche kill a AT and a MT 8 on the track I dont think it would matter what RX-8 is better then the other unless you are running a FI RX-8 IMO. After all its still a RX-8 its a cool car. I think its personla preference...
~Gilbert.

 

To quote Hubert H Humphrey, "I'm pleased as punch" with the AT; last 3/4 cars have been manuals (2 Integras + 1 Miata; AT was a Mazda 6 GT). Less than 2,000 Km on the RX-8, so I'm trying to break it in sensibly, whatever that means, but I agree with all of the positive comments herein about (aboot?) the auto trans.... not a let down or a second bester..just not a Boxter beater off the line....for the first time in years, I have no residual feelings of, "Damn, why didn't I wait and get that.. ..G35, 350Z, Beamer, Audi.. etc."

Truly a unique work of beauty, grace, elegance and brilliant engineering, with power enough to scare the bej..s out of this geezer, if/when you know/ learn how to summon it up. Nuff said by me.


Afterthought re: 'Lazy' ( i. e. A T ) drivers? One man's (woman's) 'meat' is another's poisson..

 

IMHO it all comes down to , you have an RX-8, when people turn thier heads to look at it ,which i have found everywhere, no one is caring if it's AT/MT it's just damn good looking car that is a pleasure to look at and drive.

 

WELCOME TO THE NEW AGE SPORT SHIFTERS ARE HERE THROW YOUR CLUTCH OUT THE WINDOW OR SIT ON IT i DON'T CARE I LOVE MY AT I JUST WISH IT WAS A FIVE SPEED

 

I don't know what you're talking about... the MT only costs $1,385 more than the AT. But the MT can actually cost the same as AT because the AT packages cost more than the MT. For example, the GT package for AT is $3,957 vs MT at $3,355.

At any rate, given that the difference in price is virtually nothing, I don't think price should factor in the choice between MT or AT.

 

Thanks so much for all the AT/MT feedback. The AT will make it possible for my wife to drive the car (a necessity) and I'm sold on getting the RX8. My only thoughts are how important is the sports upgrade package. I realize the larger wheels/brakes over the base AT as well as the the Xenon lights, etc. But my concern is not having the Dynamic Stability Control. Just what does it exactly do and how important is it? I owned a 73 vette many year ago and posi traction (limited slip differential) was the big thing back then. Also, I'm told that the low profile tires come with a considerable extra cost for replacement and create a much harder ride than the standard 16 inch. Any feedback and thoughts would be most helpfull and appreciated. Thanks, Craig

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the replacement cost for the 18" rims.

A good set of Eagle F1's will run you $200 per tire, and will last you ~40k miles.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

... and there are other good tires out there that can cost you half that.

 

The advantages of the AT over the MT that I have found are ease and convenience. My friend has a MT and we have driven each other's cars. I prefer mine - so does he. I like having that free hand for a drink, cellphone, or whatever/whoever is sitting next to me. My wife insisted I get an AT so when either one of us drive it, the driver always has a free hand (never know what the driver might want to grab). Not much difference in the power until you get into the upper rpms. I will echo the others who said the best thing to do is drive both, think about where and when you are driving and what you want out of the 8. Either way my friend, get the 8 - you won't be disappointed.

 

You can hold drinks and other things and still drive stick. The only real problem that I've found is talking on a cell phone while driving.

 

i have the AT with touring package and yes the larger wheels and brakes are a must IMO.I did not know that DSC was not stock on the AT GT? All i can say about DSC is, if someone i loved was also going to be driving the car, i would feel better with DSC . With the larger wheels and brakes the DSC would be very helpful in keeping control in bad weather. My DSC has worked so good that i can stay on speed in the hard rain and feel no hydro planning. In fact other cars pull over because of conditions and i can keep going.

 

I don't know what you're talking about... the MT only costs $1,385 more than the AT. But the MT can actually cost the same as AT because the AT packages cost more than the MT. For example, the GT package for AT is $3,957 vs MT at $3,355.

At any rate, given that the difference in price is virtually nothing, I don't think price should factor in the choice between MT or AT.[QUOTE]

Well when I purchased mine it did, as it was about a 2500-3000 difference, since I'm already paying 500+ a month you do the math on how much extra my payment would be, and no car is worth paying 700+ a month for....except for maybe this one..heh this is only my 2nd car I've ever financed so I took a hit when I purchased it and I got mine loaded minus the 6 speed and I'm plenty stoked with it. Don't make me bust out the window stickers as the ones I priced were significantly more expensive, and they weren't really dealing on them yet as they were only a few months old and demand was making it an easy sell no matter what the price.

 

and the 700+ a month does not include insurance....ouch

 

Get the Sports Pkg. Zenons, 18" tires,DSC & TC and if you exceed your limits it will take over and get you out of trouble . I have auto in my daily driver and MT in my RX8 for FUN.

 

Yea thats me right now.:D

 

As per Mazda USA...

"The Touring Car Package has everything the Sports Package has plus Bose, Moonroof & auto dimming rearview mirror with Homlink system.. The Grand Toruing Package has everything the Touring Package has plus Leather trimmed upholstery, 8 way power driver seat blah..blah..blah.."

So the TP and the GTP do have DSC as well as the LSD, 18" wheels, larger brakes and sports tuned suspension...

..and indeed, both of mine (TP MT & GT AT) have all these...

 

Then what package is he talking about without DSC? I guess thats what i was trying to say.I guess its the Base?

 

Yep.. only the base model comes without DSC as standard.

 

Exactly. From a complete stop I believethe manual and automatic take nearly the same amount of time to get up to the place they need to be to finally get moving. The difference isthat once you get up there in the higher RPMs in the manual you feel a lot more power. But again even w/the manual its still going to takeyou a little bit before youget to 5000 RPM where you begin to feel power justlike in the automatic.

For instance ifyou were in a city drivingsituation where say you were the first car in the left lane stopped at a redlight and you needed get in front of the car in the right lane for an upcoming turn or whatever as soon as the light turns green -- if he accelerates moderately then youre not going to have enough horsepower to pass him at first even w/the manual until youve gotten the car into the higher RPMs. The same problem occurs w/the automatic. In other words ittakes just as long for the manual to getto its fly zone as the automatic does.

Onthe other hand Id say the manual is superior in highway driving b/c w/the extra gears and RPMs it has youget more control of what part of the power band you want the carto be in at certain times. In the automatic - if you are already going above 65 then only have about 1000 RPMs left to use in the 2nd gear for pick up so you are basically limited to only the 3rd gear once for pickup at that speed since 2ndgear tops off at 80 on the automatic. The same is not true for the manual though.