No, this isn't a "Just got my 8" thread. Actually our (my 8 and I) one year anniversary is just around the corner . This is a "What people who know nothing about the rotary say" thread. So I was at the carwash, and a guy walks up to me... the conversations goes a lil something like this...

Guy: Beautiful car
Me: Thanks, I like it.
Guy: So what kind of engine does it have? A V8?
Me: No, its a rotary engine.
Guy: *blank stare...
Me: (trying to dumb it down) Instead of cylinders, it has two triangle shaped rotors that spin in cirlces instead of move back and forth.
Guy: Oh! So it's like a Hemi...
Me: *blank stare... yea... it is... (sorry guys, i gave up trying to explain...)
Guy: I knew it! It must be fast!
Me: It's not bad.
Guy: It must be really fast at lower rpm's!
Me: it suuuure is!

Sorry, I felt left out a while ago when people were posting these types of threads. I just had the urge to share my own experience... :p

 

Haha. Funny. :D

I usually do that when I talk to my friends regarding my car.

They have no idea about the rotary engine at all!

 

This is where the thread takes the left turn into where to buy the rotary keychains that everyone carries to explain the principles of rotary operation.

 

Yeah. I got the rotary shaped keychain from autoart. It really helps.

 

I've tried to get that keychain but they are out of stock.

 

fortunately i live in los angeles where theres a large import scene and everyone intrested in cars knows what they are, never had to explain what a rotary was before.

 

OF COURSE! Just like the rotary powered HEMI ... they have "tough manly" square rotors instead of our "wimpy" triangle rotors. Ha ha.

I too had to explain the rotary engine ... I think the way that the person comprehended it was that it was like an airplane propeller that spun the transmission. Close enough eh? I'd love to get my paws on the keychain too.

 

Rosenthal has the key chains, but I don't know if they ship to Canada.

 

At the last LA Autoshow, there was a display of the rotary engine at the Mazda section. As I was marveled at the simplistic, internal operation of this cutaway, functioning power plant model, I heard a voice behind me saying..... "you see....that why this engines are so unreliable". I wanted to turn around and back hand the dummy who made that comment.

 

Check this site out. this is the one my wife got me for christmas (eventhough I only have an rx-8 in my dreams at night )

http://www.rotary13b1.com/page_4.html

The key chain is of awsome quality and it works great. I just wish I had an rx-8 to go with it!

 

Why did she get you a somewhat expensive keychain of a car you don't own?

 

the keychain certinley helps. But some people are just daft