Knees hitting the dash
 

I'm not exceptionally tall. I'm 6'0" even. My arm length is in average proportion to my height.

However, in the 8, I find that in order to get close enough to comfortably control the wheel, my legs end up bowing left and right around the steering column, and my right knee keeps jamming into the keys where they hang from the ignition.

Ugh. With no telescoping steering column, I don't see that I have many options for this.

How do you 6' 4" + people do it?

Im 6'2 250 lb and the rx-8 fits great ,
I just have the seat adjusted all the way down and slightly forward and recline the seat a little.
You just have to play with different seating configs.

That 's part of the reason I got the gt pak due the adj power driver's seat.

Re: Knees hitting the dash
 

Are/were you a NASCAR driver?:D

You said keys. do you have more than just the car key and key fob? if so get the rest of the keys on a seperate ring and see if that helps.

I'm 6 foot, and I have the seat all the way back. Maybe I drive more straight-armed than you like to do? I imagine adjusting the recline of the seatback will be your answer, such as lilbigman suggested.

I'm 6'1" and had no problems getting behind the wheel comfortably. I think the car I test drove had the Touring Package so it did have a sunroof but it didn't have the power driver's seat. Since I'd be getting the GT Package, I'm actually interested in knowing if the power mechanism steals headroom from the car. Sometimes power seats are elevated a bit in comparison to their manually adjusted cousins in order to facilitate the addition of the seat motor.

Has anyone noticed a slight difference in ride height between the manual and power driver's seats?

-Eric

Sue, I think several people have measured and noticed a difference in seat height with the power seats and sun roof. But I will say that I have no problem at all. I am 6' 1" and change and have no headroom issues. If you are tall and have a big dome piece (hair), then you might scrape it. The power seat allows you to tilt back and push back such that you might be able to work around it.

When i first got into the GT car w/the power seat, my head was hitting the roof... i'm 6'2"... i dropped the seat all the way to the floor and I was absolutely fine.

I'm 5'5" and if I don't get my seat adjusted right I hit my knees to. Thats why I hate takeing my car for in for anything. The seat gets reajusted and it normally takes me 2 days to get it perfect. Luckily for me my wife is the same size so she doesn't have to adjust the seat when she drives.

If you're hitting your knees at 5'5" then you are either:

a) Sitting WAAAAY too close;
b) Too short; or
c) Your torso and legs are extremely disproportionate in size.

I'm going with choice (a) although I think (c) could be very funny.

-Eric

I'd go with sitting WAAAAAY too close.

Quick method to check your seat position:
Sit straight in the chair, butt all the way back and shoulders against the seat. You should be able to touch the top of the steering wheel with one hand with the elbow slightly bent.

If that doesn't work, check your seat back position and seat height...

dang Sue is a tall woman

I'm 6'3 and have the GT package. I fit fine. My bud, paradigm is taller than me and also has no problem. This is why they should have had the option for memory seats!!!!!!!!!!! How much more would that have cost? I hate when my 5'2" wife attmepts to drive my car. She fu$cs up my seat adjustment for days!

rx8gator... well, you and your taller buddy might fit fine, but height isn't the only part of the equasion.

I'm 6-1 and I *don't* fit in the moonroof car. Why?

-- I have a long-ish torso, as opposed to longish-legs.

-- My arms are not albatross arms (like my 6-6 friend, who can sit in the back seat and reach the steering wheel, meaning he can recline super far to eliminate headrooom constraints.

-- I like to sit slightly upright, not reclined too far.

Add those up, and I don't fit in a moonroof 8... just like I fit poorly in an FD.

Take the roof away, and I'm fine.

Now Mazda USA just needs to offer the Moonroof-Delete option on the GT package and I'm all set. :)

Well, couple things...

Your seat distance from the wheel depends on who you listen to:

1) Your driving instructor who told you to put your arms down, touch the seat with your elbows, and your hands should touch the bottom of the steering wheel with no problem

2) Your sport driving instructor, who tells you to sit very very close for maximum control, to the point where your wrist can rest on the wheel, and your hand can dangle over it.

3) Your knees, which usually will put your further back, reclined, and force you to stretch your arms out to reach the wheel.

I'm pretty much using number 1, and rubbing my knees.

I've taken a few very basic driver instruction courses taught by BMW and the instructors never told us our elbows should be hitting the backs of our seats.

Regardless, the position you described is an extremely unsafe seating position for every day driving in an airbag equipped car.

-Eric

I always tended to pull my seat up a click or two when autocrossing, but for the street, just do what's comfortable. Now, don't do anything silly like recline so far you have a better view of the headliner than out the windshield...

But just get the seat where you still have about a 20-30 degree bend in your elbow when your hands are on the wheel. The other thing I do is press my back against the seat, making sure the back of my shoulders are touching the seat. Then I try to reach the top of the steering wheel. I'm properly positioned when I can reach the wheel without pulling my shoulders off the seat.

But... it's all down to preference. Don't live and die by those suggestions from the track instructors for the street. To me, that positioning is a little too extreme for everyday driving.

Exactly.

Sue Esponte,

I think I wasn't clear. The classic driving instructor's "elbows on the seat" bit is just for calibration of the seat, you're not supposed to drive that way:):)

The point is, the distance from the seat to the bottom of the steering wheel should be the length of your forearm.

i'm 6'1'' and i have no trouble seat allthe down and back a little plenty of head &legs room power seats

It all depends on your build; I'm 6'0 and there's absolutely NO way I could drive any RX-8 with a sunroof without my head wedged into the head liner... :(

I'm 6'5 and 210 pounds, I have to have the seat all the way back, I feel sry for the people that want to sit in the back seat hehe., but I have long arms. I'm happy i have the sun....gives me a little extra head room when open. Try proping the back of the seat a little more straight, It might help. I know what it is like having to reach forward for the streering wheel and not being able to put the seat forward. a telescoping wheel would be nice

Yeah... a telescoping wheel would be great in this car.