performance package option
 

Quick question I can get a 04 RX-8 base sports package without the MT Performance Package for a pretty good price ($15k). The only option Im really interested in the from the package is DSC traction control, is it possible to get this installed now, if anyone had done this how much did it cost you. thanks

Nope.

+1

Can't tell from your description, but if this is an automatic transmission car, it has the "standard" engine which is to be avoided in my opinion--for a variety of reasons. This engine is a quite different design from the "high-powered" engine found in the '04 MT car and the '04 AT cars had only one oil cooler. Some engine failures were experienced in hot, dry climates in the early model years until the "standard" engine was replaced in more recently-built cars by a slightly de-tuned version of the "high-powered" MT engine and, as I recall, another oil cooler added. My advice is to look for another car, either a more recent AT car with the "upgraded" engine or an MT car.

That's a negatory.

Your car either has it or it doesn't. I'd be an astronomical number to add it to a car...IF it's even possible to do so.

Is it possible to add DSC to a car that didn't come with it? Sure, anything is possible given enough time and money. Is it practical to add DSC to a car that wasn't originally eqiupped with it? Not on your life.

If you want DSC, find a car with DSC.

Why do you want the DSC?

FWIW, I have been daily driving my base '05 6MT all winter and it does great in the snow with a good set of snow tires. If you remember to go slow and never lift the throttle in a corner, DSC shouldn't be a factor.

DSC is a great learning tool on the track. I've had instructors insist on me turning it off and I've had others that say do not turn it off. The two lines of thinking go like this:

DSC Off:
Learn to drive the car without it so you know how it reacts when pushed to the edge. It's the only way you can really learn how to drive it to it's full potential and yours as well.

DSC On:
Teaches you to drive smoothly. The DSC is very smart and let's you know when you are pushing the edge or when you are driving improperly. Once you correct a few things like entrance to a curve or putting the brakes on at an improper time then you will find the car handles much better and you can go faster.

Ultimately, if in an HPDE environment you will be turning the DSC off but on the highway and city streets, I always keep mine turned on.

A few cases I have experienced on and off the track.

1. I totaled my first 8 six months after purchasing it. I turned the DSC off for the first time and made a turn about 30 seconds later.

2. At Road Atlanta driving with NASA in HPDE1, my instructor kept telling me I needed to turn my DSC off and I insisted NO! Turn 3 kept making my DSC come on and it was really annoying to me and my instructor. The next event at Road Atlanta was with Panoz and I was able to drive the car following a different line than my previous instructor had me running. The change in exiting turn 1 through 2 and entering turn 3 was completely different and even though I was going faster, the DSC never kicked in. It was great and it seemed no matter how fast I took that complex, it was never an issue again.

3. Turn one at Barber Motorsport Park is a very fast turn. I was driving with PBOC and my instructor was a no DSC type. This scared the hell out of me and on the first run I conveniently forgot to turn it off. When entering turn 1 the back right tire started the scrub thing and my instructor didn't say anything the first time but the second time he insisted I turn it off coming back around on the front straight. When entering turn 1 the third time, the car started to move around just a little but controlling the car was a much different experience as you have to work with it just a little and open up the wheel to counter the movement. When controlling the car in a long carousel it was very exciting to have the DSC off as the car would move out and you could throttle steer which was not as easy to do with the DSC turned on.

All said and done. I think it is a good idea to have DSC on while driving the streets and on the track sometimes. At Road Atlanta... for me...it stays on! At least for now.

I know this was a long winded explination but I really wanted to make my point. I suggest you go ahead and get your 8 with DSC. At least you will have the choice then.

I don't have any track-oriented stories, but from my back-road runs:

DSC on causes major understeer past the limit, almost impossible to kick the back end out to correct it on a narrow road.

DSC off causes perfection, with oversteer on demand. PERFECT.

DSC on helps a lot in the rain, at least for me.

If you drive with it on, you drive expecting it to kick in, thus you compensate accordingly

If you drive with it off, you take the extra precaution that you didn't worry as much about when it was on.

DSC's usefulness if clearly user-defined. Some like, some don't.

I myself, am pro-DSC - BUT could easily do without it. I have in the last 5 cars i've owned

DSC saved my butt or rather my wheels on snow, taking a gradual curve, at maybe 20MPH on neighborhood streets, mid way through the turn, back end starts to slip, and started thinkin i was goin to slam into the curb.......DSC kicked in as i was countersteering and slid me back into the direction i wanted to go. DSC definitely is a good thing for daily driving, on the track, i be tempted to turn it off. But the DSC on our cars imo allows you to have fun at 90% of the time until you're really driving very aggressive, borderline dangerous then it seems to kick in and it also helps in incliment weather where the road conditions are less than perfect. But it is no subsitute for driver awareness.