Mantis

Rednecks in Camaros think girls in 8s drive slow.

Nick Alvarado

I have both and there is something to say about the strong initial torque of the SpecV. But be nice to your friend and let him drive the 8....that will prove your point....Front end drive on the Sentra allows you to feel like it really more that it is. Let me know how your friend feels after. N

captain mercury

i tried this once, in my 86 plymouth and at the next stop sign 4 cholos jumped out of the car and started coming at us . needless to say, my friend threw a beer at their car and we took off.

NomisR

Where do you guys get all these people trying to race you? I haven't noticed one person that tried to race me yet in my 8. Only time I did have someone trying to race me was when I was in my RSX-S and it was a huge truck reving at me.

Do you guys consider another car accelerating fast out of the light trying to race you or is it something else?

CaptDharma

For me, its the driving looking at me and pointing, where I just shake my head. Or the next one is like some punk-*** popping his clutch and revving......As if he is stuck in a rutt in the snow. The one that gets me though, is when I am on the hiway doing about 80 and some assh*le on a crotch rocket rolls up next to me, clutches it and gives it some MORE throttle...Attaboy!! Go for it! I'll watch>

juikster

For me its the flashy looks of my aftermarket mods that gets they're attention .After that I have to be on my toes for what follows

Budweiser8Jr

Well, got 2 more tonight. This is ridiculous.

Dodge Ram 4x4 Turbocharged and about 30 feet off the ground, cooked him with no problem, then he pulled up behind me to rev his engine at the next light, revved his engine signifying his triumphant loss...moron.

Next one was a Mitsu Eclipse...once again I didn't even look over.

A guy at work argued with me that the 8 has no ***** and a Z or a Impreza STI would kick my ****...for some reason people just don't understand the 8. I think the STI would give me a good race, but the 8 to me doesn't lack the off the line speed like I hear so much, to me it has plenty off the line. I had the Dodge ram before I even hit 3rd gear, never even revved the engine over 5K either.

Kid_Icarus

actually I really don't get people wanting to race me anymore, when I first got it everyone and their grandma would try since noone really knew what it was yet. I get more people in the seven doing the quick look and rev method. I think its funny since most of the time its a bunch of rusty *** cars or neons with oversized tails and cardboard body kits.

Kid_Icarus

umm... dude if the person knows what he is doing he'll take you every time in an sti. The eight has a good jump if you launch it right but its still not the greatest.

Hidehiko

in that case...step on the pedal and drive away as they exit the car...

or make sure you have some backup b4 you do this...

Vertigo-1

iTrader: (3)

I agree with you on just wanting to find out where the RX-8 fits in...I'm a car enthusiast myself, not a car punk with an attitude. I'm an average driver at best, and I definitely never take my car to the limit. I've actually learned not to underestimate the sporty coupes out there, in the hands of a good driver they can most definitely keep up or even beat an RX-8 in twisties or anywhere else for that matter. Case in point...I have a friend that used to own a MT Celica 2000 GTS w/ Ingen intake and TRD exhaust, stock suspension. I was there with him when his car was new, and when he added each of the mods...he most definitely gained power with those upgrades. My RX-8 is an AT with no mods, so overall I thought his car after the mods made an excellent car to try myself against, as we were pretty even HP wise.

What I completely did not expect was how much better his car actually gripped in some of tight curves in the twisties. He was actually able to take those curves at higher speeds than I could without any hint of tire slip. If I had attempted the same speeds, I most definitely would be slipping my tires. I observed this both riding in his car, and trying to follow him in the RX-8 through the curve. I didn't know what to make of that in the end. I think I would attribute it to his tires being possibly superior (Bridgestone S-03 Poles), and my stock Dunlops did noticeably take a huge nosedive in grip after 5000 miles (I'm at 9000 miles now). He still thinks my car handles better but I dunno about that anymore. Maybe it *feels* better but all I know is I couldn't even get close to him through those curves. And when attempting to follow him in a straight line with both of us going WOT from a standstill, he maintained 2 car lengths at all times. I don't mess with Celicas anymore after that little experience.

astro

Vertigo:

The type of transmission also has something to do with the overall "feel" of the car. Manual transmission is in general have better engine braking effect compared to an automatic and has better throttle response. Overall feedback just feels more connected with what is happening in a car. RX8 in manual form is like an extension to your thoughts. I guess that's why lots of us joined this forum to share our experiences with respect to how well this car handles or just purely the driving experience.

Not putting you down at all with your choice of transmission, but the renesis give its best at the higher revs... > 7000 rpm. Also the gear ratio in the auto is a little tallish in each gear. Perhaps next years '06 AT offerings will be much better with the revised/ completely new AT 6 speed. Power is also in line with the current MT 6 speed. That should be good news to those who prefer AT.

However, you still share the RX8's dynamic handling DNA! I bet you still had a smile on your face. That's all that counts.

cas2themoe

You should do this!


Click here to see Video

niadvance

damn that is one funny video.!!!

NoTears316

Nice, that vid is great.

Astral

I don't get people trying to race me as often as some others do. It all depends on where (and how?) you drive.

So far, the following have tried to race me:

* A 350Z in NH, did the usual drive past me, flash hazards, then keep up with me for a while
* Some Thunderbird on CT-15 in CT in the middle of the night. Kept pulling up next to me, then WOT'ing away.
* Ford F-250 just last night (funny, the truck was shaking from his revving the engine)

The funniest though was this Turbo Beetle two nights ago. I mean... sure, you have exhaust, blining chrome wheels and sitting so far back, you might as well be driving from the rear seat. But, c'mon, it's a Beetle! I couldn't keep myself from laughing.

Anyways, I never do it as I don't want the trouble. So yeah, I am also looking for that "stop wasting your time" sign... I tried shaking my head, but it didn't seem to do much.

Roaddemon

I tested my MT 8 a few times when I first bought it just to get an Idea what it can do. I know now that it will stay with 3300lb pony cars of 260hp up to 340 hp heavy weight high priced luxury performance sedans. Since I know that and I'm satisfied I let challenges pass. There's no point. I just enjoy driving it as it was meant to be driven. like a sportcar. Not a muscle car.

NomisR

I get other 7s reving at me too but I don't think it means they want to race, it's more like Rotary owners acknowledging each other type thing.

Bart!

Haha, the oposite for me... no one EVER wants to race me.. except for this one time on the garden state parkway going south, about 5 miles of fun with an Audi S4.

jeffrx8gt

i love you all, this one is even better i was driving home after grocceries shopping with my mom and my 3 yrs boy. some jack *** driving a lancer ralliart thinking that he drives an evo 8 or something to race me. i just could not believe that at all. i even made sign that i have a kid in the back by turning around clapping hands and have fun ignoring the bastard but he still on my side the whole 20 blocks down the road.

dmorales

I don't see many 7's around but when I have they always acknowledge me and I them. Two even wanted to play. BTW N/A FC's just don't match up to the Renesis. But I think it's really cool there's some pride in the rotary. So just think of that, you got a incredibly engineered rotory engine, and they got what 99% of cars have, an old piston engine!
________
AVANDIA LAWYER

Big_Mike_4488

Latest challenger was last night when I was driving to my GF's. I am sitting at a light, and a new looking Grand Prix pulls up next to me. He looks at the car for a few seconds, and then looks back at the light. No reving, no rolling down his windows, nothing. The light turns green and I had pretty much forgotten about him at this point. All of the sudden I hear a massive burnout, and the guy takes off. After a few hundred feet, he has to know I'm not racing him, but he still flashes his hazard lights, and darts off into some side street.

I wouldnt have raced the guy anyway, (especially seeing as we were less than a half mile from the police impound), but come on, at least everyone else at least has the nuts to let me know they want to race. I might have to try the previously mentioned ***** idea.

NoTears316

Maybe his wife was giving birth to his child and he was in a hurry to get there. Ever think that someone just might be in a hurry to get somewhere and not actually racing you?

ZGlide

The funniest though was this Turbo Beetle two nights ago. I mean... sure, you have exhaust, blining chrome wheels and sitting so far back, you might as well be driving from the rear seat. But, c'mon, it's a Beetle! I couldn't keep myself from laughing.

Don't laugh.....a Bettle Turbo S will pull on our 8s.

Avalonstar

That's what I do. But it's funny when I start passing numerous cars, and then you have these gigantic SUVs start follwing you. I was on the way to LA one time and I played with this one guy for about 10 miles, come to find out when I let him pass me that he was some 60 year old guy. I guess he was really bored.