Newbie RX8 Question
 

Hey everyone. I am a Cavalier owner and getting ready to come into some inheritance fairly soon and will most likely be upgrading my ride. I'm doing some research on three cars. An 06 Eclipse GT V6, an 07 Tiburon GS and an 06 RX8. All three cars have a lot of nice features to offer for what I want in a car. One important thing for me is that I want it to have Shiftronic Stick Shift. I just simply suck at manual and still want that sports car feel and look. My question is, do the 06 Automatics have a 4spd with Shiftronic or a 5spd?

The reason I ask is depending on availability, price and whether or not I can fit in the car, that may make or break an interest over the other two cars. The Tiburon is gorgeous but lacks both power and a 5th gear in the automatics, and I'd rather have 4spds to work with and a powerful motor. And also the RX8 is probably cheaper than the V6 Eclipse GT.

(I am not looking to buy something and dump $2000 worth of a turbo kit, just basic mods. I had to make that really clear in the Tiburon forums.)

Honsestly, I can't really tell you about auto RX-8's.
What I can tell you is that you should go drive each one and make your own decision.
You know the RX-8 has no low end torque right?
And if you search around on this site, you will hear a lot of auto bashing(myself included as one shouldn't buy a sports car and then put auto in it).
The auto also has quite a bit less horsepower.
Still, I'm very confident it will handle way better than the other two mentioned.

The '06 has a 6 speed automatic with the paddle shifters; fifth and sixth are both overdrive ranges though at .75 and .50 respectively.

You may find the RX-8 to be lacking power but a through test drive should help you decide that issue, there is a 20 HP difference between the auto & manual transmission models (212 vs 232 HP).

ewww paddle shifters. I guess a test drive is going to be the deciding factor here. And I just did a little quick price research, depending on mileage an 06 RX8 is roughly the same price as an 07 Eclipse GT V6.

And yea, to the other guy, I noticed the auto bashing last night when I googled for rx8 forums and found a similar post.

I'm really attached to the Tib right now simply because of how it drove, not the fastest thing on the planet but damn, it practically molded to me.

Wait till you take a drive in the RX! Which....again....you should with each car.
Yeah, I should've told you about the paddle shifters, the six speeds, and the exact HP difference, but I was in a hurry an knew someone would.

Are you really dead set against a manual, if not then there is an obvious choice.....hands down.

It doesn't sound like you want an RX8. The two other cars you listed are front wheel drive and the effective naturally aspirated RX8 mods aren't cheap. Those mods alone will cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $2K.

You should practice more at a manual transmission before you write it off completely. Some people buy auto's because it sucks to have a manual where they live (traffic) which is understandable. Unless you've consistently practiced for more than a few days and are still no better than when you started, I wouldn't write off a manual transmission, especially for a sports car and especially for an RX8 if you're not willing to put a lot of money into mods. Just my .2

Get the Eclispe

I'm not against a Manual...I've just had a lot of bad experiences with them.

First time: buddy of mine tried to teach me in his 94 Golf on a HILL.
Result: stalled out so many times and got honked at a lot. Really embarrassing.

Second time: my friend's Mazda Protege Turbo. First off, the RPM's shot through the roof and I was trying to shift really fast. Also...he took off the stock gear knob and replaced it with something else that wasn't mapped out. I was trying to shift into 2nd when I was actually going into 3rd on accident.

Third time: my friend FINALLY gave me a good lesson in his 96 Prelude. We took it to the campus parking lot that was empty. I was doing "okay" until one of our campus police officers came out of no where and pulled us over. He asked us what we were up to and accused us of drinking and driving or smoking weed and driving. A second campus police officer drove up and started talking to the guy after we explained i was getting a lesson in Stick. They started laughing. ( I HATE cops....)

I eventually want to get a Camaro, big V8, halos, the works. I've been told that you can't stall a V8 because of all the torque they put out. So manuals are out of the question for me, they just aren't my cup of tea right now and I have NO ONE in my family who will teach me and give me a car for like an hour to get the shifts and foot movement down right.

I think the RX8's are sexy but it depends on how I feel in the drivers seat...and maybe the paddle shifters aren't so bad but it just feels natural to shift down near your waste.
I like the Tib because I didn't have to adjust anything, everything felt so natural, it's just unfortunate the engine isn't as powerful as the car looks. If the Eclipse feels as natural as the Tib, it will probably be the winner for me. I just rode with a friend in his new BMW 335i Twin Turbo inline 6 last night......the acceleration was amazing. That's kinda what made me realize that if I get the Tib, even if I do the basic mods, I/H/E, I will never feel anything close to that power and I may be hungry for it.




Sorry, long post, I know. One more thing, someone said the mods for the RX8 are expensive???? I can't imagine basic mods being $2k.

Get the eclipse, you are way in over your head if you get the RX-8.

any specific reason?

If your eventual goal is to get a Camaro with a V-8, you should really get something other than an RX-8. Something with a piston engine, so that you'll learn about those.

Basic mods for the 8 are expensive. It's just not that common a car, so the market is limited. In your first post you mentioned the idea of a $2K turbo. Take a look through the major horsepower forum and get a feel for what a turbo for an 8 really costs.

Have you considered getting an older Camaro-like car st start with? V-8, rear wheel drive, so you'll be getting experience directly applicable to your dream car. You can stall a manual V-8, but with the low end torque it's probably harder.

A couple of bad experiences with manual should not put you off. I had virtually no manual exprience when I bought my first car, an Alfa spider. I was living in Ithaca, NY, a city with no level ground. It just took a few days on my own to become competent. The lessons you've had are really enough instruction...you've been told how to do it, you just need to do it.

Ken

mkay, good advice. thanks.

I would go with the Eclipse too. The V6 should make it more tolerable with an automatic. If you're willing to stir your own, forget the other two. IMHO some cars really need to have a stick to get the most out of them.

Starting up a hill is easy. Hold the parking brake up with the button pressed. Let the clutch start to grab and put the brake handle down. It'll go.

1. You made it clear you aren't comfortable with driving a manual, so the RX-8 is an obvious big no no in terms of getting the most out of it. Sure you can still downshift with an auto but you lose that direct clutch engagement feel.

2. You wanted a high torque car so I assume if you get a RX-8 you will still find it somewhat lacking when you try to overtake or whatever even if you downshifted.

3. Among the 3 cars, I believe it would be more troublesome or expensive to fix if things do go sour.

4. Minor mods don't do crap for the RX-8 in terms of performance.

The RX-8 is for drivers who really enjoys the challenge of extracting every ounce of power from a high rpm engine. There are some drivers who drives stick since day one and still complains about having to downshift to pass someone let alone you being uncomfortable with driving one.

What are your goals for the car?
Do you just want something to drive from point A to point B that looks nice?
Are you modding for looks or for performance?
Are you willing to spend a decent chunk of money for little return on performance?
Do you want to get your hands dirty?
Do you mind doing your own maintenance?
Is gas mileage a concern?
Do you want a car that handles really well or are you looking for some straight line speed?
What's your budget?

You are essentially comparing two different apples to an orange. You'll need to answer the questions above, then do some research on each car and drive all 3. Find the car that has the most matches to your answers, and buy that one.

I have no experience with either the tib or the eclipse, but i can talk about the 8.
It's a drivers/enthusiasts car. It will get you dirty and empty you checking account, but put a smile on your face every time you drive it. It is one of the most comfortable cars I've driven, has a great interior, great looks, and great feel. It requires more attention and maintenance than most cars, but not to the point that it's unreasonable. I would do the same things on the same schedule for any sports car. It's quick, but not fast in a straight line. It's very fast in corners though. Don't take it the wrong way, as it is fast enough to get you into trouble. It's not a car for people who just want to look good during their daily commute though. It is a car for people who want to have tons of fun every time they get in it.

Happy shopping

Like others have said, if you end up getting a rx8 you would probably hate it and sell it within a couple months.

There are a few quirks you would need to learn about the rotary engine, something that you probably shouldnt start trying to learn about it unless you are very intrigued. But if a camaro is your dream car... the rotary will not even come close to your expectations.

1. The rotary is designed with low torque and moderate to high hp. You must rev the piss out of it to make power. It is also very light, which helps make the car nimble and fast, and with great handling response.

2. The rotary burns oil by design to lubricate the seals in order to keep compression within the motor and help it run properly. Burning oil on a piston engine = bad news. So your buddies may think there is something wrong when you ask them for help. Saying "hey dude my car is burning oil.. why?" Buddies answer dude your car is a pos get ride of it, the shit is broken. That answer would not be true because it burns oil by design. But only a quart every 3k miles.

3. The sound of a rotary is more of a humm and the exhaust sounds like a brap when the cat is deleted with a straight pipe. This is probably a sound you will not feel comfortable with. It sounds nothing even close to a big displacement engine. Best way to describe it is like a street bike.. depending on your exhaust choices.


I believe the eclipse maybe best for you. Though since you like american muscle, why not look at a mustang?

First off, I want to thank everyone for not being jackasses unlike this RSX forum I visited a year ago with questions. I appreciate that.

Second....

What are your goals for the car? -basic mods if I can swing them (looks like that may be a bad idea lol) keep it in good shape for a few years, long enough for me to settle financially when I move to DC and get a decent paying job where I can afford my dream car and live happily ever after in the land of narnia. I'm kidding about the last part.

Do you just want something to drive from point A to point B that looks nice? -does the pope where a funny hat? ; )

Are you modding for looks or for performance? -performance, i wouldn't mod the others for looks, and I'm never putting a carbon fiber hood on a car again, they oxidize too quickly. Mine faded in 3 years.

Are you willing to spend a decent chunk of money for little return on performance? -that depends on your def. Several folks in the Tiburon forum have agreed w me that the 2.0L model is def not a rocket, but I would get roughly 15-25hp gains off the thee basic mods IHE, especially if I tuned it. That's over time, probably $500-600 dolars. Close to what I spent on the Cavalier, only those are greater gains...something that in my book would be worth it based on the experience I have.

Do you want to get your hands dirty? -does college dorm life count?? ;) seriously, no but I have just enough mechanical knowledge to install a new hood, change out headlamp assemblies, install an HID kit, and install an air intake. The rest of it is out of my hands.

Do you mind doing your own maintenance? -I still have yet to find anyone to teach me how to change my own oil. It's a little embarrassing.

Is gas mileage a concern? -where I'm eventually moving to, yes. Which is why the Eclipse V6 is pushing it's buttons.

Do you want a car that handles really well or are you looking for some straight line speed? -straight line, I'm not doing any AutoX soon.

What's your budget? -I'm getting $10,000 from inheritance as soon as my Gandfathers house sells. I'm going to fix up my Cavalier just a little bit and sell it to someone who knows what they are doing to use it as a project car for about $2000, I'm going to borrow $4000, so my budget should be right around $16k...been told there is a trick to haggling down a price if you offer a crap load of cash infront of the dealer.



And to answer the question about the Mustang. I have thought about one. My friend got a nasty GT a few years back before he sold it one of his fellow army buddies. It came fully loaded, loud enough to scare small children and wake the dead. We raced a Saleen (sp?) on the interstate one time with three people total in the car and had a blast. My only problem with Mustangs is....... I hate ford with a passion. I owned a 94 Escort as my first car. What a piece of monkey $&#!. Then we have my mom's Taurus, I have to drive her around for a month right now because she has a detached retina and is recovering from surgery right now....I hate driving that car. Supposedly it has the same engine as the newer V6 mustangs. If that's true......hell no. I don't care if it has a different transmission, that car is so slow. I remember racing it one time lol against some guy in an older cavalier, The cavalier won. Plus....everyone has them. And I don't think their automatics come with Shiftronic.

Based on your answers above, the RX8 is probably not the car for you at this time. I'd still do some research and drive one, but the 8 is the opposite of almost everything you're after.

I dont like Mustangs also, but I do like what Ford is becoming for american brand vehicles. Their European line is amazing, their trucks are great. GM and Chrysler are far behind and very low on quality, compared to Ford. 10 years ago was a different story.

Also do not proceed to get a Rx8, you like straight line speed and racing on public roads? it seems. The rx8 is not good for both, the rx8 will loose to a v6 camry off the line. You dont need anymore embarassment as it is ;).

If you love taking turns extremely fast and outrun any other car on the road on a cayon type run then you'll love the rx8. But we have already figured out you will hate this car.


Another car to look at is a 350z, I do believe a decent used one might be in your range. Also if you like Mazda check out a Mazdaspeed 3, its a hatchback sedan so 5 doors total. But it is extremely fast off the line and can get a extreme amount of power out of simple mods. Its a Inline 4 so it does get decent gas mileage, a lot better than the 8.

Yea!! Ford's Euro line is so impressive. I took a college trip to Germany and we stayed in two separate villages with host families. We were walking down to the local pub to watch the soccer game and the guy's in the group stopped and starred at this beautiful looking focus!! I thought to myself...."ford...I hate you...why can't you bring this to america lol"


Uhm, I don't do a lot of street racing anymore. I get enough attention as it is having a red car that is moderately loud and has bright lights in a small town in VA. I just love to hear and feel a decent amount of power and know I look good doing it. (that doesn't sound douche baggy at all)

I think a Z was in my list until I saw it's recall list. Maybe that's the wrong year though. And I think a mazdaspeed 3 is a manual but I'll double check.

how did you do that?
2nd and 3rd are in the opposite direction. mapped out? a gear knob wont change the shift pattern

manual needs practicing, the more your practice the better you drive. it a process of making mistakes and learning.
Im sure you had bad experiences, but you will have more good experiences with a manual too. its about man conquer the machine.

yeah the speed3 is manual only. But once you figure it out its such a sinch, then becomes 2nd nature. Dont feel as if your only made to drive a slushbox, there is a better choice out there.

The feeling you get from having 100% control of the car is great, also the fact that if it wasnt for you the car would go no where. Try learning again.

honestly I was a fan of straight line speed until I got in and drove an 8 and even in a straight line it feels faster than it is, my tip to you is don't get an 8 but definitly go test drive one because I guarantee you it will be one of the best test drives you ever have

Okay, I'm posting this on both the RX-8 forum and the Tiburon forum.

I found an 07 Eclipse w a 4 cylinder to try out. I figured if I liked the car overall, then I'd probably like the 6cylinder even better.

I'll be honest, I wasn't that impressed. The interior just wasn't doing much for me, seated nicely though but when I came back to the dealership to park, I couldn't see around me very well. I had more of a blind spot than I did with the Tib. Wasn't a fan of that. As for power....I could tell it had a little more spunk to it than the Tib, but because it has what I like to call a "badonka donk", I felt it slow down faster too. I also was NOT impressed with how it handled on the interstate. It felt kinda klutzy. It didn't accelerate a whole lot faster than the 2.0L tib either. But......if I think if I can find a V6 model at a decent price...then the Eclipse just might take it..I think I can get over some of the features that I didn't find as impressive for putting down over 200hp to the ground.

Bottom line, if a V6 is not in my budget with the insurance company....that knocks out the Eclipse and the 350Z. Tib takes it.

rx8's are cheep on ins, its a 1.3L 4 door sport sedan... :) lol