Is the RX-8 really slow?
 

So far with a month of ownership , i got to have some highway fun yesterday.....not racing but more cat and mouse play. Needless to say i am really shocked at how well the 8 did compared to a new '06 BMW 525i, '99 745,early 90's cobra,the not so hot 225 or 245 HP one. Anyway the 8 was on there bumper, or either walking away from them. It was intresting to see when the guy in the cobra shifted(possibly 5500,6000 range), and i look down and i still have 3000 rpm left to go in the 8.

Is it me , or is the rotary a bit more responsive then piston engines? Seems like just a touch of the gas and the rotary reacts instantly, especially doing highway speeds. The car just pulls effortlessly and smoothly, not compared to my Z, which was like a F16 jet hitting you from behind when downshifted.

This car still amazes me everytime i get into for a drive....
For a 1.3 motor , it can hold its own amongst some of the larger displacement motors out there. Very impressed...... :icon_tup:

You do know about bliping the gas during a downshift to smooth it out right?

The Renesis is definitely faster than it feels and better than many give it credit for. It's a deceivingly smooth little engine.

No, the RX8 is not slow. The only people that think it is slow, are the pimple faced street racers. A true car enthusiast will be delighted to drive a modified RX8 platform on a road course track. Mine is a sheer joy to drive.

Haha.....funny you mention that.....my 18 year old cousin was in the car when all the cat and mouse action was going on , and he is from the fast and furious era. He is all about twin turbos,large single turbos, blow off valves, excessive negative camber,wild paint schemes,NOS, etc....He loved my Z, and lost respect when i purchased my RX-8 a month ago. He was bad mouthing my 8 it saying its slow, its weak, it will get walked by Type-R's in the corners and straits,etc...

Well he was dead quiet as i was glued to the Cobras tail and walking away from it as well, as well as the other two beemers. When i dropped him off , he said my 8 was ok, but would still get rocked by a 350Z. :rolleyes:

And maybe so, but at least i know the 8 is no slouch......

The RX-8 is slow if you don't know how to drive and they other person does, and vice versa.

I find a large majority of people are not experts and it's a possibility that just by you becoming better than most people you will make your Renesis faster! :)

congrats on your 'conversion'.... sounds like you are someone who appreciates all cars for what they are. good deal.

welcome aboard!

I have run even with SRT-4 and Mustang GT. The engine continues to open up over time. Yesterday it pulled harder in 3rd than I've ever felt before.

Sorry, but that was a Neon SXT :rofl:

Fast enough for me. Racing Mustangs is sort of like kissing your sister. :yumyum:
Them fords are over wieght with about the same Horsepower and a little more torque.

Power to wieght is the key to being fast. Plus We got better brakes and suspension.

i agree with u guys our rx8s are the sh-t!

They are deceiving. The power is so smooth, it can make you think car is pulling slower then it actually is. However, they are still very vulnerable to those high displacement cars like g35, 350z once rolling. You need to work harder to go faster, as the RX8 is not as easy to go fast in as most other cars. No they are not slow, but I've had my embarassing moments on highway against the g35 and 350z before, and they will eventually reel you in, no matter how good you are, and take you out. Nonetheless, I have never felt a better feeling engine in my life, and I wish that engine was in my S2K. :)

I guess that depends on what you've experienced, doesn't it?

Yep it sure does. I my neck of the woods - the kids cannot buy anything but Hondas & Neons. Most of the Hondas have white body kits on them with big arse wings. The Neons have 4 to 5 chicks in them. The WRX is the only one that I truely acknowledge as legit.

No I think he meant an SRT-4.

I know what he thinks he meant, and that you think he meant that. I'm just pointing out both of your mistakes.

And for Ike's sake - I also acknowledge the EVO as legit :)

That sounds like alot of the kids around here. The Type-R isn't anything to be scared of in the slightest. It's just a higher level of slow. My little nonturbo 1st gen RX-7 walks them hard and by no means would I call it terribly fast. Before someone comments, yes I know what a real Type R looks like. My little car hangs with the SRT-4 Neons pretty easily. Overrated cars. Those kids always ask me what type of turbo I have. They get mad when I say none. Of course I have a ported (mild) motor and just about everything done to it shy of a turbo but that's never the question I get asked. You beat the average ricer around here and they think you must have thousands under the hood since they do.

I also remember hearing 2 of them talking in Barnes and Noble one day about gains from each mod and then adding them up like it's all a cumulative gain! That must be it! The WRX and Evo guys around here are decently quick but I've never found one that didn't have an attitude and think that they weren't the absolute shit on the road. They always have that attitude (until they get burned by a Z-28 or something else faster). I actually don't hate those cars although I make it sound like I do. Many of the kids that own them around here are punks. That's where my angst with those cars really lies.

I actually couldn't care less who's faster. I just like annoying the punks with the attitudes who apparently have something to prove. I like my car and that's all that counts.

Oh definitely, i am a car enthusiast, i like all cars, some more than others. :yesnod:

Before the purchase of the 8 i was going to buy a '04 M3, another well balanced sports car. Well my wife gave me hell and said we could buy two vehicles for the price of the M3, she was right......Out of all what was out there and i test drove, the 8 besides the S2000 and M3 won my heart over. I loved the S2000 for its impressive four cylinder, and its open air motoring and go-cart feel. But i love the fact that the 8 looks sexy,its rare appeal to the masses and it has back seats that is actually usable for a average size adult, its quick, handles extremely well, etc.

After owing 3 Z's, '80, '86 turbo,'94 TTZ stage III....everybody thought for sure the 350Z was on my radar. To be honest with you i am impressed with power aspect of the Z, but to me Nissan has moved away from making passionate sports cars like they use to. The 350Z has become more of a cash cow mass market sports car than a "unique" niche car like it use to be. The new Nissan is not my cup of tea anymore unless they go back to making the Z more of a "unique" car again. IMO the 350Z is as special as a Ford Mustang......not that the Ford Mustang is bad, but its a common car.

The 8 is the best of all worlds, it can handle,hauls 4 ,performs and looks unique. And i can appreciate Mazda for keeping the 8 as simple as possible, like a sports car should be. So many cars have to much techno garbage in them, i love the fact that Mazda gives you the option of turning off the drivers aids(training wheels IMO :p: ) and letting the more advance drivers or enthusiast really put the 8 through its paces and unlock the true potential of 8. Yet the 8 can be driven as easy as a civic when need be....the 8 is truly a automotive marvel.

True this...

The 350Z is built on a heavy beefy platform of which is shared with many Nissan and Infiniti models, including sedans, coupes, and crossovers.

Edit: Let me add a little more... I've driven an '05 and it is no doubt fast, but doesn't seem very agile and feels numb (hard to explain or maybe I'm used to the 8).

You are 100% correct ....alot of these kids don't know whats up.....theres' more to it than having a fast car. So true what you said by beating there modded car in your stock car or semi-modded car, and then they want to ask you 21 questions after. You must have a large turbo,... no, NOS... no, heavy internal work.....no...... How about driver skill may be a factor and a world of experience. They then look at you like this.. :eek:

That looks is so priceless!

Actually...no.

No your not just used to driving the 8, the 350Z actually feels like this. When i use to get my Maxima serviced, i would almost all the time test drive a 350Z to try and convince myself i really need this car. But after every test drive , i felt empty, the car handle ok, but it was so numb, so vanilla, and the feedback was sterile, i was left unimpressed. Nissan rushed the 350Z, they didn't care about the enthusiast at heart, they cared about making a sports car for the masses to save themselves from going under, so they made a car that would appeal to everybody under the sun, soccor moms, newbies to the sports car world, old folks, etc....

Nissan knew that making a unique car doesn't sell well. So the only way to make money , is make a Japanese Mustang. Thank God there are still car companies that make cars for the enthusiast at heart, where the almighty $ doesn't have to influence or take away from what a sports car should be. After all a sports car isn't for everybody anyway.......Nissan missed this point when designing the 350Z.

i get a kick out of the kids with these fast cars. i didnt see too many up in maine and nh. but when i came back home to maryland they are everywhere. i remember when i first got back in the fall an sti tried to race me. some geek with a hot chick next to him. i didnt even bother, my friend in maine had one i know i'll lose. the jack ass srewed up his launch so bad he kinda twitched sideways before spinning all 4. once he hooked up he shot away like a bat out of hell and passed me(i was rolling at like 15mph). i did notice the temp tags though which meant his car was new and i could smell his clutch for no shit a mile or more.
another time i dropped it cause a z28 wanted me to. they still thought the car was quick when they slowed up to say high. i like nice people like that who respect all cars.
i had an evo that could not catch me once. i know the car is faster and do not dispute the fact but whoever was driving would drop like three car lengths everytime they shifted then shoot right back up on my ass(they had there own lane) but would lose it at the next shift. what were they doing wrong? and they were trying.
i miss driving with some of my old friends though. we had a lot of cars sti,2- 350z ,2- rx8, g35, z28, c5 vette, 83 Hurst olds, 79 vette
it was fun driving around with diffferent cars like that you really learn what different types of cars can do. i definetly loved that hurst olds my friend could drive it like no other too.

I just love that a mod is participating in a streetracing thread...

Not street racing! Cat and mouse, Ike. It's only weaving through traffic faster than the flow. Perfectly safe and responsible.

Nope... the other guy was pretty confused as well.

Oh, ok, that's much safer than street racing!

You will NOT keep up with an SRT-4 or newer Mustang GT unless they're driven by retarded limbless monkeys, even then it would be close.

You know where the 8 really shines????

I'm not sure if anyone knows or thought of this but the 8 is the fastest car I've ever driven in the twisties. And, street racing is fun if its done in the twisties where the roads are blocked off and there is chalk used to make the finish line(not spray paint which is flamable = unsafe).

Also, I once was involved in a cat and mouse race with a f430. I was at his bumper the whole entire time. After the race I pulled up next to him and waved but he was on the phone and some chick was giving him a hummer.....

"unless they're driven by retarded limbless monkeys, even then it would be close."

rofl


so tru, so tru

Yeah, I didn't even realize the RX-8's steering wheel could go straight. I thought you'd void the warranty if you drove in a straight line (non-twisties) for more than 10 ft.

Also, I saw this episode of Tom and Jerry where Tom was in an RX-8 and Jerry was in a S2K. They were playing cat and mouse with each other. I'm pretty sure Tom woulda been able to pass Jerry, but the douche Jerry drove through a hole in the wall and Tom got stuck. Then an iron fell on his head or some crap like that. It sucked.

I never made any claim about their drivers... just stated what I experienced. :)

Nor did I claim my car to be stock. Funny thing was the SRT-4 was trying to egg on a C6 vette a few miles down the road. Now do you believe it was an SRT-4? lol

Do you have a turbo, because that's what it would take for you to beat a decently driven SRT-4.

depends, on the highway the 8 doesn't stand a chance stock vs. stock. But if it's a short race to 50mph you might be able to hold your own. The 8 would jump out the hole first. It's a drivers race from that standpoint but anything past 50mph the srt would win easily imo.

I hope this is a joke...

I don't want to have to dig through my Automobile, Road & Track, Car and Driver, Motortrend, Sports Car Ilustrated, and EVO, etc. magazines from the past few years to pull up the test data facts from professional drivers on the these two cars ('05 and up GT is quite fast so it's not included but the right driver in an RX-8 has a chance) as I feel like I'm in junior high talking about this.

or perhaps any curves in the road where any type of driving skill or handling dynamics are required...

I always like the concept of the SRT-4, probably was the best bang for the buck, but in real world every day driving it really isn't that much faster for the POS car you have to put up with that it's developed from.

I drove one and it was fun to drive, but then I got out of it and looked at, and saw a Neon.

due to excessive power being put to the front wheels of the SRT-4 which loose grip when the weight shifts to the unused rear tires

weight shifts to the back of the 8 when launching, giving the drive wheels the most grip perhaps

Yes, you can take him in teh twisties!!!1!!!!!one!!1!1onzorz!!

nyc here. all these kids with srt-4s are pretty much everywhere.

but I dont know, for some reasons, they all suck at driving. Im not the best driver on earth. Far far away from that . but ahh, they cant even take any serious speed. they probably thought that "my srt-4 has the torque to pull me back, its da shit, I can beat anybody", Yeah, their overall balance is horrible, cheapo material.

Afterall, just a NEON

Need I say more ?

With equal drivers, the RX8 will get reeled in, and taken out fast against an SRT after 60mph. I had one give me a royal fit in my STI. That car is almost as fast, and maybe just as fast as me once rolling. If you were to race from a start, and shut down very early, yes, you can beat an SRT. It's definitely not fair for the SRT if you shut down and claim a victory right before he's about to blow your doors off, but hey, do what you gotta do. ;)

lol

that's when you throw on your blinker and act like you are about to turn at the next side street

rx8 are so slow. =P

No, you turn on your hazards and claim victory! :hahano:

I've been driving RX-8s on the Autobahn for roughly 70.000 km now.

You'll encounter many fast cars (especially BMW, Audi, Mercedes of all types and the occasional Porsche) here as well as drivers who are used to drive fast everyday. Fast means above 200 km/h in Germany.

The RX-8 sometimes feels slow to me, because I can't pull away from other cars as I would love to, but at second look, the RX-8 is in no way slow. The only cars that really overtook me were Porsche Turbos and a Testarossa, anyone else backed off sooner or later, probably because their roadhold started to fade.

What makes the car feel slow is the absence of a massive amount of torque, no hit like a hammer. What makes this car fast in reality is its not-so-bad-at-all acceleration and its incredible roadhold and steering precision.

Well it's fast enough for me. I suppose I'd feel different about it if I were 18 years younger.:cwm27:

So it's the third fastest car in Germany?

this car is not slow at all. i was going at it with a VW golf R32 the other day. the guy in it was teasing me by gunning and braking infront of me, so i cut him off before the stop light. i just floored it without launching when the light turned green. i was with my friend in the car so i can see him really really slowly inching me from behind. im not sure was it because of the extra weight in my car or not but right before i enter the corners i dropped a gear, but the R32 was tapping on the brake. i didnt even need to brake at all. my car just kept going faster while loosing him. by the time i got out of the corners, i was about 4.5 cars ahead of him. by the way i live in san francisco and the corners were in Lake Merced Blvd. im sure the people that live in SF will know about these corners too. :rock:

Congrats, you're a bigger moron than the guy in the R32!

...from this thread alone. Digress, insult, troll...what else is on your to do list?