about 2 months ago iwent to my local mazda dealer to test drive the rx-8. At that time i did not know how to drive a manual, so the dealer took me out for a drive. The dealer stalled the car at least 2 times, and was close to stalling 3 or 4 others. Is this evidence that the Rx-8 is hard to drive, or just that the dealer was an idiot?

 

I only stalled my 8 the 1st time I touched it. They had been letting it idle to warm it up for me. I wanted to move it 3-4 ft for a photo and I stalled it 1st thing. I've owned it for months now, and I have yet to stall it again.

 

I think it's that the dealer was not very good with a stick shift. I find the rx8 very easy to drive, indeed. The clutch does have a relatively fast up-take, so if you're used to a very easy clutch (say, for example, in a Jeep TJ or something) then you can get surprised by that, but the car is not difficult to drive.

I think the dealer was just inept. The other thing to realize is that the engine does not produce much power at all below 2k rpms, so if you're getting that low, you should be coasting or down shifting...

 

huge Idoit!

although the clutch does grab low! Practice Practice Practice.
The best manual car i've had to date... honest truth...

 

wow three replies 0 views hmmmmmm.

 

I think the views counter on the index pages are calculated pereodically to save load on the database counting the views for each display of the main page.... so they are not up-to-the-second numbers...

 

Well that would make perfect sense... thanks for the info

 

the 8 is a dream to drive, the gear box is one of the slickest you'll
find. and as far as the dealer goes.... idiot savant - savant = idiot

 

The car isn't hard to drive, but as others have said, the rpms move quickly, which makes it initially a bit difficult to shift smoothly. Regardless, if you know how to drive stick, you should be able to drive it without stalling out.

 

I can't attest to whether your dealer is an idiot, but it is usually a good bet.

As for the real question, the car is easy to stall if you don't rev it up before releasing the clutch, More so than other cars in my opinion. Once you understand that it is not an issue.

 

reply to 8pex: (the 8 is a dream to drive, the gear box is one of the slickest you'll find. and as far as the dealer goes.... idiot savant - savant = idiot)

savant does not mean idiot, an idiot savant doesn't mean the person is an idiot either, here are the definitions.

savant-A man of learning; one versed in literature or science; a person eminent for acquirements. -- someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field

idiot savant-An intellectually disabled person who exhibits extraordinary ability in a highly specialized area, such as mathematics or music. (ex. Dustin Hoffman in Rainman)

 

Don't let a couple stalls keep you away from this vehicle. I don't know wether the dealer was a bad driver, having a bad day or what, but I do know that this car is a joy to drive and the shifter and clutch are wonderful.

 

I agree with Jason Hamilton - it's easy to avoid stalling the RX-8, but shifting smoothly takes a bit more practice.

 

Reply to:Lakers GG: thanks for the english lesson. i think we've all seen the movie Rainman... idiot savant - (minus) savant = idiot
if you don't get it i can't help ya

 

After having a difficult time moving from 1st to 2nd and 3rd without lurching a just a bit most of the time (kind of like I lost all momentum), I evenutally found the touch. This was during the break-in period when I rarely took it above 5k before shifting.

However, now that I've passed 600 miles and have started to really enjoy the engine, I found that if I take the rpms past 5 or 6k before shifting, it engages each new gear without so much as a hiccup.

 

Hehe I'm glad I'm not the only one who stalled the RX-8 the first time. The very first time I released the clutch for a test drive, I stalled it and I'm an experienced stick shift driver too. Very embarrassing. I haven't stalled it since then, though.

Compared to my MX-6 and most other cars, the RX-8 takes higher RPMs to get it going else you'll stall. It's very easy to drive and shift, though. It's just different.

 

The few times I stalled my 8 has been in reverse. I own a 5 speed pickup, and it took me a few days to get use to the new clutch of the 8...

 

heckreck,

No, the car is not hard to drive. Like most manual shift cars, you'll have to adjust to it a bit. No problem.

 

Dealer is an idiot.

 

On this side of the pond you dont get an auto version of the 8. Its pretty rare to find any sporty car over here that has an autobox. (although semis have appeared recently for some other makes)

The 8 has a smooth box compared to many manual cars. The dealer had little or no experience with a manual. I dont think you can blame any car for the driver's failings.

When you get used to any manual car, I think you will find it more fun and rewarding than an auto when on the twisties. Go for it and dont worry about the stick shift. You will love it.

Mike

 

I didn't even stall the first time I drove an RX8. But then again, I do drive an RX7 and these rotaries tend to need a bit more revs down low.

 

I haven't ever stalled my 8, even on the test drive, which included starting on pretty severe inclines (bragging? who, me??). The dealer warned me about the quick clutch, and he didn't stall it in the only few feet he drove it. I can only conclude that your dealer didn't know what he was doing. If he's selling these things for a living, he should be able to drive one. I let my girlfriend drive mine, and she hasn't driven a stick shift in over 5 years. She never stalled it. Just be warned the clutch can be quick, and that it'll take some time to get used to it. Hell, I still can't even shift from 1st to 2nd smoothly....

 

agreed there on 1st to second, unless i shift really slowly, like a 2-3 second shift, then it is perfect