mkaresh

I've had my Protege5 for only a year-and-a-half, so when I got the RX-8 bug a few months ago I made sure my father caught it as well. He found a 2005 Sport with 4,000 miles at a ridiculously low price.

I live in Michigan, he lives in Virginia. But my kids go there for two weeks each summer, so I flew them down and drove the RX-8 back. I'll be doing the reverse next week.

For the trip I selected roads that some research suggested would be the most challenging, most notably WV 16 and OH 26. Also traveled a stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway for good measure. If you haven't driven these roads in an RX-8, well, you need to.

Some high and low points for those interested:

The RX-8 is the perfect car for these roads. Nothing upsets this chassis. I selected a gear to place the engine between 4000 and 5000 RPM, hit the brakes before the turn, hit the gas at the apex, and sailed through at 20-25 over the posted speed without incident hundreds, maybe thousands of times. I never heard a complaint from the tires that was not due to the throttle or brakes. This was in hundreds of miles of hard driving. I hear far more tire squeal in my average test drive.

I consider myself a moderately skilled driver. A highly skilled driver could no doubt go through these turns faster still, and still very safely. Ultimately, the brakes and human reaction times are the limiting factor, not the powertrain or the suspension.

Twice I misjudged a turn, and the stability control had to save my bacon. Still nothing hairy. Unlike in a Honda S2000, I did not have to worry that the rear end would step out without warning.

Actually, the second time I was simply unaware of how fast I had exited the previous turn in a series of three tight ones. Some people claim the RX-8 is slow. Then how was I manage to enter tight turns at 45-50 and exit at 70+ way too many times using only part throttle at the apex? The car accelerates so smoothly that I was surprised by my exit speed many times. What do people want, to exit a turn posted at 30 MPH going 90?

I suppose they just want a quicker 0-20 without dumping the clutch. Since the RX-8 easily goes through even 15 MPH turns at 25+, not really an issue when you don't have to come to a complete stop. On these roads I often went 15-25 miles without having to stop the car.

I like the instruments. But I really wish I'd had a heads-up display. These were very challenging roads, and often I couldn't take my eyes off them to check the instruments, as easy as they are to read. Hence the above issue.

A number of these turns included steep uphill climbs. I don't know if any other driving experience tops powering up one of these with the engine wailing at 7000+ RPM.

Ride quality was excellent. How the Shinka could be an improvement is beyond me.

Now for the downsides.

With a lot of time spent between 5000 RPM and the redline, fuel economy was dreadful. MPG for the four fill-ups was 21, 17, 15, and 20. Given the mix on each tank, I'd estimate 12 MPG for the curvy bits, 22 MPG for the highway. A plane ticket would have been cheaper than gas alone with premium around $2.45 a gallon.

Second, the seats are okay, but I'd like more lateral support. I had to use the steering wheel to keep myself in position more than I would have liked. Seats like those in the Honda S2000 would be most welcome.

Third, I often had trouble finding the right gear. Third, which I used for most turns, could be very elusive when needed RIGHT NOW. I learned to just shove the stick forward, which generally found it. But I'd have liked to feel more confident and been able to use a lighter touch. Also, a couple of times I found second when I was looking for fourth. A bark from the tires and a beep told me I'd found the wrong gear, and I instantly put the clutch back in, but definitely something I'd have liked to avoid. When I first started driving the car I often found fourth when looking for sixth, but soon learned to go down and slightly to the right from fifth.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE THIS ISSUE? I'd like to know. Not something I experienced around town, when shift timing isn't critical, but those who race would be in a similar situation.

Bottom line: I cannot imagine another car I'd rather have taken this drive in. I'll be writing a more polished, detailed review over at epinions.com under mkaresh. It should be up by the end of July.

missinmahseven

You got bit by the slick gearbox and the lack of inertia inherent to the wankel: The shift rythm for these cars is different than most other cars. It's a lot quicker and demands a light touch.

Practice will get your shifting right. 2-3 was giving me fits at first, after a month or so I was back to shifting with fingertips.

When you're not in gear, this engine will gain and lose RPM like mad. Like the proverbial chainsaw or racing motor. That's why the shifts need to be quick, light and precise.

I found when leaving 2nd for 3rd the best way for me is to just flick the shifter forward with my thumb.

zoom44

hehhehehheh i wanna go for a drive hahahahahahhehehahhhae

1.3L

Oh horrors, a direct comparison of the RX-8 and S2000. Certain members of the Honda crowd won't like this!

Nice write up, by the way.

1.3L

FoxTypeR

I always want to go out and drive so much after I read these threads.

JonsToy

I'll occasionally have trouble finding 3rd gear myself. It normally happens when I consciously move the stick up-over-up out of 2nd. I find it helps to just push straight up. The gearbox won't let you into 1st because of your speed, and 5th is quite a ways over to the right, so 99 times out of 100 you end up in 3rd.

mkaresh

I figured out the need to make the shifts quick. My father actually clued me in on that after I complained that shifts weren't as smooth as I remembered them.

The problem I had on this drive was not being able to find third when downshifting into it from fourth or (need lots of revs fast) sixth. I developed a technique that worked, but never really felt confident about it. The stick didn't give me enough guidance, so I just aimed in the general direction of third and pushed.

At least I never got first by mistake. I spent hardly any time in first. Generally I used second for turns rated at 20 or slower, third for turns rated 25-35, and fourth through sixth for turns rated 40+. If there was a step uphill drop another gear for the faster turns. Second in a step uphill tight turn was lots of fun.

mkaresh

I should add that the warning beep is an awesome feature. It was nice to be told when to shift. If I'd had to take my eyes off the road to check the tach all those times...well, I would either hit the limiter a lot or something much worse.

zoom44

third from sixth is much is easier if you make a short stop in 4th first.

Nubo

Interesting. 2nd to 3rd is the smoothest shift on my gearbox. The centering mechanism makes finding 3rd pretty simple. 3-4 is the "home position" laterally. I sort of pop the stick out of 2nd, let the spring move the lever over, catch it and forward it into 3rd. Stick sort of goes from thumb to fingers during the maneuver.

Spin9k

Two points you mention, I experience(d) alot as well and have fixed, so may be of interest to you...

1) stock, 3rd gear is very elusive downshifting. It is just poorly done by design apparently IMO - Answer: Get the RP short shifter. It's all the shifter fault...not anything to do with the gearbox. This simple replacement shifter is amazingly wonderful. The car should have come with it. Just do it!

2) Although some will tell you ways of doing this for free with plastic toys or moving the seat... nothing beats a CG-lock for holding you down in spirited driving. Another must have cheap mod IMHO!

Happy twisties traveling

Along4TheRide

The whole downshift sequence for me was little elusive too. Especially from 6th to 4th (for the quick highway pass), but I found that it was much easier if I used 5th, if only for a moment, to line up the drop down into 4th.

4th to 3rd doesn't seem to give me as much trouble, I just try to visualize a straight push-through, usually with my palm.

missenmaseven is spot on about the downshift inertia. One of the (hard) lessons I had to learn about the rotary is that downshifting alone does not bleed off the speed, the motor simply jumps up to the rpm to match your current speed. This can be a little disconcerting, especially when approaching a curve at a high rate of speed. Brake early, downshift (and maybe blip the throttle to match up the rpm with the speed), and you should be able to hit the apex with everything all lined up.

OMG... I think I'll have to forgo lunch today just to take her out and thrash for awhile!

mkaresh

Thanks for all the tips.

I blip the throttle during downshifts, but don't nearly have it down pat. I need to practice on some less challenging roads, to see how much of a blip gives me the right amount of revs. Right now I think I get a few too many, probably because of that light flywheel once again.

I felt the rotary provided a decent amount of engine braking, but at higher revs than a normal engine.

I did do the into fourth before third a couple of times, generally without letting out the clutch while in fourth. When there was time for this, it helped.

The throws are already so short, I would have never thought a short shifter would make sense. I have one for the P5, though.

Spin9k

I don't notice the shifts are 'shorter' (it's already short as you say) only much much much simpler (no hunting around for the gear..it's already to pop in where it should be), and it gives the shifting a very 'rifle bolt action' feel rather than a vague & stiff mechanical feel. If you study the two shifters side by side, you'll see little difference, but in the car it's major. Richard has that black magic art down for turning little mechanical details into wonderful driving experiences!

mkaresh

Sounds worth looking into. At the very least I now know there's nothing wrong with this particular car or driver, as you've described what I feel quite well.

Along4TheRide

Do have a link handy where I could find this? And, is this something that you have to take into the shop to get installed, or is it a relativly easy "DIY"

Thanks

Spin9k

It's an easy DYI, just read the directions thread when you start and go slow. I could install it again (now knowing how) in about 5 minutes. Get it here http://www.axialflow.com/rx8shift.html