just test drove one for the first time
 

So I'm a little behind in the game, but i finally was able to test drive the RX-8 this afternoon. The little gem was a fully loaded titanium grey metallic 6 speed with the GT package with black on beige colored two tone leather, power sunroof, rotary accent package, rear spoiler, and had a dealer-installed Alpine 6 disc CD changer in the trunk with the controls mounted in the center armrest. Basically everything but the navigation system.
When the dealer fired her up she started quickly and nicely and then fell into a nice burbble rythme, very nice. The only problem was the exhaust was barreling out of the twin pipes rather fast and it smelled like a lawn mower, as if it wasn't burning the gas completely. It also wasn't as throaty as I had hoped.
1st gear is a bitch......acclerates like a bat out of hell and you're at 9K rpm before you know it! I found 4th gear to be the first "calm" or easy cruising gear. Because of the small test drive length, I never got to 6th gear :( . I touched 85 but the dealer then calmly told me to slow down haha. I was in a 65 zone, oh well.
There were only 2 bad moments; the 1st was when I drove it off the lot. I got down on the clutch, slapped the rotor knob into 1st, got on the gas to 1400 rpm and then slowly when off the clutch and then KPEW! I forgot to take off the e-brake! Opps. He was cool with it tough. The next was when I was cruising at 78 or so mph in 4th and I deciede to adjust the climate control, so i reach for the temp knob and accidently knock the shifter and it clicks in neutral and then into 3rd gear without me going down on the clutch. the rpms soar to 9k plus and the rev limiter catches it, but not before the car slows by 15 mph and both of us are thrown forward in our seats. I thought the salesman was going to cry.
Oh well, that was my little adventure. It sure was fun. The main problem is that little RX-8 that I drove cost 33 grand, which I can't afford. I may get a stripped 6 speed for 27K or something. Maybe. Thanx for readin..........


Dave

Geez, mechanical overrev on a test-drive. Brings a tear to my eye, especially since someone is going to wind up buying that car. :(

why wouldn't it have the optional in dash 6cd changer so that you could use the steering wheel mounted controls?

I dunno why it didn't have the in-dash...........
the dealer probably makes more off the aftermaket changer

How does one "accidently" take the shifter out of 4th and into 3rd without the clutch being engaged?? You would have to hit the thing pretty damn hard to accomplish that.

it happened...........i wass moving my hand kinda fast i guess. i know it was a huge mistake, but it happened none the less. i was just pointing out a gripe of either the shifter placement or the climate control knob placement

Sounds like you had fun. I got on the one I test drove to. But didn't buy that one. Bought a blue one instead. With all the options I wanted. Hope you end up getting one I have had alot of fun driving which I havent really enjoyed in awhile

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks 1st gear is a bitch. I've had my car for a little over a week and learned stick on this car. As of today, I still couldn't get a smooth start if my life depended on it. I don't even know what to try anymore.

I can tell I am getting smoother because my wife's head doesn't fling around as much anymore :)

Just joking but it has been about 20 years since my last standard however it is coming back and I get 4 out of 5 shifts smooth as buttaa.

Keep working on it and you will find the sweet spot for each gear.

they should make that guy buy it...its like breaking an expensive vase in a store...

I don't buy the story; there's no way the rev limiter will catch a mechanical overrev, it can only shut off fuel to stop a throttle-induced overrev...

Unless he was going over 90 then the engine didn't over-rev... 3rd gear is almost exactly 100xmph for the engine RPM. So even if the 4-3 downshift happened at 90mph, the engine would only have spun up to 9000, which isn't over-revving. A bit hard on the gearbox though...

keep your left heel on the floor.

Try putting your seat closer to the steering wheel. I was having a bit of trouble when I first got the car. I'm 6'4", so normally sit way back. I moved the seat forward and found it far easier to use the clutch smoothly. I should also note I've been driving stickshifts for 8 years, so I'm not exactly new to the whole thing. :)

I'll try those things. I can actually shift through all the other gears pretty well. I still get a little bit of a lurch between each one and once in awhile I have gone through a few in a row perfectly, so I am getting better. It's just getting started that is my problem.

On the first gear thing- are you making sure you've let the car's revs stop jumping before you move it? Because every time I forget and just go, the car jumps around a bunch.