So how do you close your hood?
 

This may seem silly, and it is silly, but how do you close your hood? 3-5 inch drop? Close, then push? Just wondering, because people are telling me different things regarding on the "proper" way of doing it.
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Suzuki GS550M

Close gently, then push gently. It's an Al hood and easily bent.

Same here.

My friend that saw me 'close gently, push gently' told me that it was that very way that ruined his RX-7 trunk lid area over time... the pushing and pushing. :P He's scarying the heck out of me with that.
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YSR80

Drop it from a few inches. No pushing, *that* can dent it. ;)

I let mine drop from about 6 inches. I can't see how that would harm anything.

i drop from about 10 inches up...the hood dents easily. when I wash my car, if I use too much elbow grease when washing the hood, I can feel it cave in...pops back out though.

Ditto.

hood drop here...

why isn't this a poll? :p

i drop it from a short distance. i tried to push it a few times but it gives a little too much and i dont want to dent it.

The hood is designed to cave in upon pedestrain impact. It will dent easily. I was advised to drop it only and never push it closed.

Ok, so is it "Push gently" or "Drop it around 6 inches"?? Where's RotaryGod? Omi? MikeB? Anyone else have info?
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RC115

I drop like 12" up forget that gentle crap j/k. I just let it drop. Won't hurt it at all.

I have a few friends with s2000s which also have aluminium hoods and they all say you should never push on it. You should drop it from a few inches up. If you push on it you could dent it.

If the 8 is anything like the Miata's aluminum hood, then always drop it, don't push it... it will bend if pushed without uniform pressure. Since the 8's hood is even larger, it may be even more susceptible to bending. I usually drop from a foot or so and let gravity do the rest... the clasp mechanism is more than strong enough.

-Sean
http://theswamp.com/miata
"Sold" -> 96M-Edition Miata
"Guinness" -> 04 RX8 Black GT/Appearance Pkg/Spoiler/Rotary Accents/NAV/Black&Chaparral Interior (11 days and counting!)

my last car had a fiberglass hood that would crack if you just dropped it.
so I would close it then push into latch, but this scwred the latch over time

with the rx8 I have been dropping the hood about 6 inches up

I've been dropping mine from about 6 inches. Agree with the others about feeling the hood bend with any pressure (from all that Zaino polishing!)!

all hood should be droped about 6" to 8" exccept for the front hinged like the old bimmer and sabb, they are spring tension need to be pushed.

Drop 6 inches...always

That hood is a work of art... I drop it 6 inches and wince every time.

To get a feel for it I would push it into latched position(with a soft towel) to determine what height is needed to overcome the striker fork spring. Is 6-8" the optimum height? The 3rd Gen RX-7 is dropped higher because of the lighter-than-the-8 aluminum hood.

Another vote for dropping. I've always dropped the Miata's hood and it's aluminum ('alu-MIN-ium for you Brits). Can't say what the optimal height is for the RX-8 since I'm still waitin'. Just use trial and error and find the height that is just enough to get it to latch. Hold the hood at the center point with one hand, or equidistant from the center with 2 hands. Meaning - don't hold it by a corner to release it.

Crap...time to stop pushing and get comfortable with dropping...

Oops! thanks for bringing this up Outlaws. I have been pushing mine down - with delicate force. I thought dropping was harsh and crude. Shows how much it pays for me to think...

Drop it.
No push. Bad bad bad to push.
Only drop.

:D