Well for starters I drove an 08 Auto and only drove on their "test track" which was just some square "track" the size of a small parking lot, so I really can't conclude much. Also I only drove the auto as I don't feel comfortable driving a stick yet (read very little stick driving experience).

Anywho, I now see what everyone means when they say it doesn't pull til the higher R's. This auto didn't really pull til about 3.5k-4.0k RPM. The suspension was much tighter and more predictable than my Grand Am, but I really need to drive it on the road to get a better feel for it. I did like how a 90degree turn at 40mph it stuck to the road extremely well. I did catch a hint of understeer on one sharp turn, but that may have just been me not turning the wheel far enough. I can see that taking some getting used to. The cockpit was comfortable, but I'm worried about head room with the sunroof. They had a showroom model with a dead battery that had a sunroof, but I don't think the seat was down all the way as I had only an inch or two of headroom, and I sit pretty short compared to my dad and brothers.

The salesman was really nice, and a "tuner" like most of us, with his own project car. Nice as he was though, I dunno if I can trust a guy who drives a Honda

All in all, though it was interesting. I look forward to trying out a manual on open roads. But if the thing is as sluggish as the auto in those lower R's I KNOW its gonna need some work. Heh maybe by then RG will be accepting "orders" for ported rebuilds!

 

I stopped reading your post after u said "...I test drove an AT" LOL

 

Yes the manual will still be sluggish in low RPMS.

 

All cars sluggish in low rpm.

whats your point ?

 

No they arent. Heck my Spec V was more sluggish on top than down low.

 

Unfortunately I couldn't really red line it as he said it was against company policy, but he didn't stop me from bringing it up to 7k. But seeing as how it only had 18 miles on the odometer I think its reasonable.

 

Not with a VQ35 =D .

 

Meh, my grand am is sluggish til about 3500, but it doesn't pull like the 8 does once it gets going.

 

Now that I've had time to think about it, I'd say one feature remains foremost in my mind:

When pulling the corners at a high speed I noticed the turn was too shallow, so I turn the wheel farther and LO AND BEHOLD, the car turns! It blows me away. I'm too used to my GA where the moment you begin to push the car it understeers...FIERCELY! I can't wait to get in a MANUAL and cut loose.

 

AT - oy.....

 

Allow me to STRESS that at this point in time I am NOT EXPERIENCED with a manual trans. However, upon delivery if my car does not have a manual trans I'm walking out. I REFUSE to live with another auto, city or not!

 

The MT will be weaker very at low RPMs because of the lack of a torque converter. I'm not sure what kind of converter the RX8 uses, but they will probably even out by 1500 or 2000 RPM. I doubt you'll find too many cars with 8500 or 9000 RPM redlines that are strong at low RPM's. You just have to learn to drive them higher.
As far as understeer, I haven't felt my car understeer yet in about 4000 miles. I still haven't pushed it that hard either as I haven't had a chance to play somewhere that's wide open and, as I'm not used to a car handling this well. It definitely shouldn't understeer compared to a fwd car. I guess it all comes down to the differences in the feel of the steering.

 

The MT will spank the AT 8 in all possible scenarios.

 

 

one thing I must tell u is that AT gets wayy better mpg than MTs, its true, personal experience from owning both

 

It's probably because of the different way you drove each of them.

 

no, I drive them the same man, I thought I should get more mpg for the MT actually, I don't know why it is the opposite for this car, most likely because the MT doesn't have massive overdrive like the AT, at least 6th gear MT isn't as useless as the AT

 

If you want AT get a g35 coupe. More torque = happy AT = joy joy driver.

 

b u t i t s n o t a r o t a r y

 

Nah, I'm still guessing that now, especially with your nitrous kit, you spend a lot more time with your foot in the carpet than you did with your AT. Not that that's a bad thing.

 

^ true true, but the nitrous does get me better mpg! (lol, joke of Chrism) but it was like this ever since I bought the car, its getting better now though, I get about 200 to a tank, but I used to get 300 for the AT........there shouldn't be that much of a diff!

 

It depends. I've gotten as low as 260 on a tank, or as high as 330.

 

haha...wow...id have to say its getting deep in here....take it from me...no matter how good a deal you get...dont buy an auto...(disclaimer this is the first auto Ive ever owned, but i got it for cheap and Ive driven enough exotics that well...you get the point) anyways It's still a fun drive, but the gear ratios are better in a manual IMO, and theres something about 9k rpms...but the auto isn't a dead fish either...the handling IS spot on though in any model...id say for buying a 6k mile 05 for 17,8 to get supercar handling is worth it for me

 

Just my 2 cents:

I got my RX 8 about 4 months ago, and it was the first manual I've ever driven. I probably spent at least 6 hours grueling over every piece of information I could find about driving a stick, and it probably took be about a week to get mildly comfortable, and about a month for it to become natural.

Looking back though, I'm SO happy I decided to bite the learning curve bullet and teach myself to drive a stick and be able to now enjoy the car to its fullest. Personally, for me the amount of control which a manual gives me has increased my appreciation and enjoyment of driving at least two fold for a car like this.

 

Really? How much worse are the ratios if the AT can't beat the MT in the first 20-30 ft (without dropping the clutch?)
I don't think I've ever heard of a car that the AT does worse right off the line than a normally driven MT will (engage clutch around 1500 and let it drop to 1000-1200 before fully engaging.)