j-apex rx

is auto good to drive as the stick and if any problems .

Bankotsu

I don't have a RX-8 yet so I would also like to know.

stangmatt66

There are a lot of threads running around here about the AT. Run a search for them and you'll find all the information you'll need.

Haris

RX8 auto vs. 6 speed difference

6 speed is faster from start obviously since you can dump the clutch at certain RPM and this would be hard to achieve on auto. Auto also has 39 HP less and about 5 lbs. ft. of torque more. Both are similar at higher RPMs. With pedals it can be as much fun to drive as 6 speed. Maybe even more. Probably not any problems now.

mikeb

I have a auto and I have no problems thus far
I love the option to paddle shift if I choose

myrx8

I love my auto also, and I use the shifter.

Test drive one, you'll like it.

asparapani

I personaly think manual is better. If your gonna get a hig performance car like the 8, get it manual. The tiptronic technology as fun as it can be, is not devlopped enough to deliver the same amount of power.

Manual is the ONLY way to go with these cars to have the " true " drving experience.

mikeb

thats not "TRUE"

asparapani

Hi Mike. I see you have taken offence to your decision of buying a RX-8 automatic. Let me clarify my opinion first before getting invovled in a potentiel "thread fight", ahahahha.

j-apex wanted to know if auto was just as good as manual. The answer is YES the auto is just as good as the manual. Of course you understand when I say YES it's just as good as manual, that means that everything mechanical about the system from gear shifting to gear placement and timing (except for auto there is a slight delay) works fine and smooth and everyone is happy.

Now this all depends on how he wants to experience the drive. Does he enjoy the flaps? Or does he enjoy stick? That's all up to him. But to reinforce my opinion on the manual gear box, you will ALWAYS get more power out of the engine if you go with manual. It is the nature of the transmission. Yes, flapping the gears up and down are cool,convenient, and one day will probably be the choice of the masses, but right now the only way to get the maximum power of the 2004 RX-8 is by choosing a manual transmission.

Now as for the " true driving experience " that i mentioned, I still stick to this because drving a car does not just entail going from start to stop in a straight line. Drving includes cornering,braking,steering,stopping, all of which are easier to do and you have more control with a manual.

Question: Do you drive manual?

My comments:

If you ever drove this car with a manual gear box and had to take a corner at high speeds while using the engine compression to "control" your momentum then you will understand what I am talking about. You can never get that type of control or feeling with the auto.

You can use the argument that ferrari uses tiptronic technology, but that's a ferarri with their millions of dollars of R&D creating the perfect response tiptronic system. Mazda doesn't use state of the art tip tronic systems for the RX-8. It's just another way of selling the car and getting auto lovers a chance to sorta feel what a manual is all about. Which is brilliant from them and seems like the trend these days.



It's nothing personal to you Mikeb and your choice of going with auto. I'm just stating a fact about the reduced power of the auto version of this car.

It's all good bro!:D

Haris

No, that's basically an RX8 statement. Look at supras for example. Auto supras can outrun a manual one with average driver. There are many cars like that. If mazda put same engine in RX8, then it would be very close performance vise. Probably only about .5 sec.

druck

Autos will always loose some power in the torque converter, however a really good one can do faster chanages than a manual, which can make up for this when accelarating through the gears.

However you have to compare like with like, the RX8 auto is quite an old design with only 4 ratios. Despite the wide power band of the renesis that is going to be a big disadvantage compared to a 6 speed manual, even without the difference in HP.

If the auto had a more modern 5 speed box like the Merc units, it would be a much closer proposition, and more fun with the paddles.

Cheers
---Dave

asparapani

Thanks Druck

stangmatt66

Dave, if he was talking about a turbo Supra, he could be correct. An automatic on a turbo car allows the turbo to stay spooled while the car shifts. In a manual, you'd have to let off the gas to make the gear change, thus dropping turbo boost. I owned a 2001 VW Golf Turbo with the automatic and could take on manuals all day long. There's not much of a performance hit with the VW automatic turbos. As for others, I'm not sure.

I do agree though that if the auto RX-8 had 5 ratios and the same horsepower as the manual, the race would be pretty close.

mikeb

no problem asparpari

I agree with many of your points

asparapani

No P's BREEZE! (montreal street translation for no problem brother)

myrx8

It is still an RX-8 - lets all get along

mikeb

excatly

sometimes I think its AT vs MT

asparapani

I agree. It's still F****** FAST!

Shocka

this is just my opinion and personal feelings.
manuals are more fun to drive.

i get alot of control out of the car that i wish i had when i drive my auto nowadays.

But here is a question my friend has an Auto/triptronic setup in his Jetta and it seems to just automatically change gears as it comes cloose to redline. Is this normal of all triptronic setups?
im not sure of the numbers exactly but for example if the redline is 6 at about 5200 rpms it switchs gears.

anyone with insight on this?

perhaps u auto rx-8 owners can tell us if this happens with the 8 at least..

grogiefrog

Yes, what RPM does the AT shift at?

myrx8

Right near red line if you don't use the automanual function.

I have used the paddles and have heard the little beep go off.

mikeb

I agree
car seems faster off the line when paddle shifting

grogiefrog

How does paddle shifting work? As well as the automanual function?

mikeb

paddle shifts let you shift which up and down functions that are located on the sterling wheel

myrx8

I don't like the paddle shifters on the wheel. I usually use the console shifter