6mm

After nearly killing myself in a S2000, that concluded my searching. I picked up the Silver Rex tonight.

Let's hope this is the start of a new beginning.

http://www.alaskazone.com/images/rx8/

DavisRx8

Welcome and Congrats. By the way, what happened to the s2000?

LordVagabond

Nice color choice :D Tis what I'm getting next summer I have to wait a year before I can afford an '8 :cry:

blksf8

your first mod is free....no offense, but dump the front license plate

6mm

S2000
Well, the test drive today with the S2000 ended up in a total spinout. The S2000 gives no warning to the break of traction and no forgiveness or drift. It just lets go. I held the spin out as best as I could and used standard techniques to bring it back in line. When it would not straighten out under power, I gently lifted the throttle to get a correction and it did the exact opposite of my expectations and spun 180 degrees. Fun car, neat sounds - but too jittery on the edge. Passed on it.

Z4
Drove the 2.5. Very nice roadster. Too little for the price and I didn't feel it was worth the cost to jump to the 3.0. Pass.

RX8
Like the old RX7 brochures read: "It just feels right" - and I have a motorcycle for "top down" driving.

Front plate modification...we have to wear front and rear in Alaska. We'll see about that.

sto16

Congratulation 6mm....

You won't regret your choice.. It;s been 4 months I have my 8 and love more and more and more every day...

Silver the best. turns lots of heads.

Simon.

LordVagabond

sto16... you and I share the same name... I'm a Simon too :D

Anywaaaaays, after that little tidbit, I'll return to the woodwork (disappears into shadow)

Elara

9kRever made me take mine off last week too- keeping my fingers crossed that I don't get pulled. And even if I do, they'll just make me put it back on and maybe fine me...

D MENAC 7

Such a small price to pay for beauty...

Reluctantly, I put mine on but I covered it with a tinted cover and it doesn't stand out too much. Though, that is still considered illegal, I have never seen anyone around here pulled over due to the tint. There are many people who use tinted covers all over. I might still take it off until I get caught.

crumpmd

That 1st mod thing is so true. I had just driven mine off the lot. (I had not seen this website yet so I had not heard).
Anyway, I was just looking at her and it struck me that the front dealer plate really bugs me. So I grab my leatherman from my back pocket and remove the front plate holder. MUCH BETTER.
Some dude walking by says " awesome car....what is it? And why are you taking off the front plate holder, are you from out of town? "
Well yes I am from MS where we don't have a front plate, besides it makes the whole car look bad. I felt better as soon as I got it off.

boarder

Nice color choice

I'd suggest washing and waxing with either Meguire's NXT or Zaino relatively soon. The stuff they use at the dealer doesn't last long (prolly just washed it anyways).

And yeah, i took my front plate off too (Ooops, did i forget to put it on, man i didnt know it was a requirement )

6mm

Wash and wax is definitely in order...and say goodbye to the front plate!

What's so hot about Zaino? I used to be a Zymol user, but lately I haven't much cared about my cars and don't have any "fancy" waxes around the house.

havyn

sorry to hear about the s2000...it's the tires that are the problem really. many people have complained that they give no warning - not even a squeal - at the limit. a lot of us have switched to s-03 or kumho MX tires instead (also give much better wet traction). still, awesome choice of car and color!!

also, wanted to add...the OEM s-02 tires are horrible if not warmed up. i notice you are in Alaska...maybe that contributed to the spin as well.

TwoZooms

Congratulations -- I think you made the right choice. (I made the same choice, so I can say that.) I learned how to drive in Alaska, and I always looked forward to the day when the studded snow tires came off, the summer tires went on, and I could go around corners at more than 8 mph again.

EstonRX

Congratulations!

I'm also a no front plate believer these days. I had left it on for the first two weeks and was chatting with my girlfriend about it one day in a parking lot after breakfast when I looked down the row of cars and noticed less than half of them had front plates (in CA where it is law). The cars ranged from brand new to 20+ years old, and from old junkers to pristine Lexus's (Lexi?). So, the front plate is in the trunk with the plate frame, should a cop in a bad mood decide to bring it up.

And,

The stuff is so much easier to use than traditional wax, and the results are stunning. After three polish coats (which are quick wipe on, dry 15 minutes or so, easy wipe off, no rubbing in like wax), I took out huge swirl marks that the car came with, and almost completely removed evidence of some scratches the car came with. Here's a few pics I snapped after my first try with Zaino.

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...threadid=22612

crumpmd

There are many good surface protectants. Zaino has a good family of products.
I use the same polish on the 8 that I do on my Mooney aircraft. It is called Rejex. It does a superior job of protecting the finish. You could pour hydroflouric acid right on the car and it would not react. It is that good. It has a very high index of refraction so it shines like mad. Looks like a mirror with color.
However you need other materials to prepare the surface for polishing. I like maguires products. They are not expensive, sold at wallymart and give a good result. I may buy some zaino clay soon. It looks like a good start for water spots or bug spots for the rare times that those occur.

Squidward

The S2000 is not the easiest car to drive, but it is designed to be a real driver's car... albeit unforgiving, like you said.

Getting the best of a car means understanding its limitations. I believe you may have pushed it beyond its controllable limits.


I've driven the S2000 before, and almost ate it too, but fortune was with me. Since then, after I slowly approached the limits and learned what I shouldn't be doing, I think it can be an even more fun car to drive than the 8. The suspension is much tighter (far less body roll than the 8), the exceleration is better, and the engine sounds superb.

The only problem is it makes for a HORRIBLE daily driver. The 8 maintains an acceptable level of a true sportscar but also has the practicality to make it one of the best, if not the best car that balances those two aspects. I honestly can't think of a better car that does this.


So you have made an excellent choice my friend.