Best RX8 for AutoX
 

Can someone kindly direct me to the threads on this subject as well as the setup threads for autox.Carter and I are going to buy an 8,we have seen the light.The 350Z is sold,in stock trim.
Thanks, Jim Thompson

I assume the best rx8 for autox is just going to be a 6spd rx8 with ZERO options. The only help I can give you is that most autoxers say that 275 on all four wheels is the way to go with the eight.

:hahano:

Everyone here will tell you the same thing. 6MT, no options is the one to buy. The only difference is color. Only 2004 cars came in yellow.

BS is going to be that much more interesting next year with you guys in the RX8. Wow.

Have fun guys!

What the heck? I woulda thought getting so close to the championship would encourage you guys to stick with the 350z.... shame to see a competitive one leave the class. :scratchhe

What, no sales pitch for them to buy yours? :dunno: :angel:

You want an 05' Shinka edition on stock wheels with 225 R6 hoosiers and tokico shocks. :Freak_ani

Jim,

You won't find much in the way of threads on this subject cause there's not much to discuss. A base model 6MT is definitely the way to go for a dedicated autox car.

Some guys, like me, have the sport model which adds HID headlights, driving lights, and TCS (which we sometimes forget to disable) as convenience items for street driving. But the Sport doesn't add any real sport features over a base in manual transmission form and does weight a few pounds more.

Welcome aboard! Let us know when you get it and I'll come up to Nashville to run with you guys.

Dennis Sparks

Dammit, now I really can't sell my 968.

Steve (who has been contemplating an RX-8 recently)

I should ask the obvious follow-on to mp5's question: given Carter's fantastic finish this year, what prompted the two of you to sell the car? Are there specific weaknesses that you're no longer willing to tolerate?

I wonder about the weight of Sport. I always assumed that it added a couple pounds between the xenon ballast and foglights. At the DC Pro, Buckley put Bryan's car on the scales right after mine. As best as we could tell, we had about the same amount of gas. My car was (I think) about 20 pounds lighter than his. We both have nav, but I have sport and his doesn't. His exhaust should have been a little lighter. The other difference were wheels. I had the Kodiaks and he had (I forget). Maybe not as light, but I don't think so heavy to account for that kind of difference. :dunno:

You should be able to find a new, leftover '06 base for about $22k ($27k list), no problem :)

But, I agree with Jason, you really deserve a sunroof, gps, leather etc....be good to yourself ;)

As far as buying a base RX8, I feel like you may have some trouble finding one (used at least). Ive shopped for my car for about 2 months on a daily basis and Ive never even seen an RX8 without the sport package. Plus, the HID headlights are oh so cool and very useful at night.

And to me, the weight is negligible.

:lol: I was going to say GT model with GAB''s and 285 Hoosiers ...


no-option Base moidels were a dime a dozen back in DFW TX :dunno: and these guys are top competitors, the Sport option is just asking for it i.e., forgetting to turn traction control off, you can see plenty fine with the std headlights once you adjust them to the max legal height position, they come set too low from the factory

Mine is a GT model... and I have the RB dual exhaust! :tear:

I really don't see why the 350Z can't be dominant in B Stock? In the new issue of Motor Trend (or maybe it was Car and Driver) they did some sort of lightning lap around a race course with a bunch of cars... the 350Z smoked the RX8 by like 9 seconds. I know road course is different than AutoX, but the 350Z definitely has some BS potential if it gets fully sorted.

Why buy an '8, Steve? After all, you'd be buying an inferior car, according to your sponsor line from Nationals. ;)

I've forgotten to disable TCS so many times that I'm getting pretty good at driving with it. Quick stab at the button to partially disable the system, then drive as smooth as possible. Only slows me down about .3 sec now. Good enough for a safe run if I need it.

I'll second what Baghead has to say. I found plenty of Base model 6MTs here in DFW, used and new. I decided to buy an '04 Sport instead.

The Sport goodies are kinda nice if you're going to daily drive the car, but it's not like the Base model is an R Package Miata or something - it still has all the amenities anyone really needs, including power windows, locks, mirrors, cruise, a/c, etc. And forgetting to turn off the traction control in a Sport RX-8 (as I did at both the Dallas Pro AND Nationals on one run each) is teh suck.

Apparently you haven't been following Jim and Carter for the last 4 years as they've completely developed 2 separate 350's to their max stock potential. :mdrmed:

Road courses stress power over agility -- thus cars like the 350Z can run away from cars like the S2000. Autocross stresses agility over power -- thus a well-driven Miata can give a 350Z a run for its money.

350Z competitive -- yes. Dominant? Not going to happen.

Oh, I'm more certain than ever after a month in Joe's car that the 968's the faster autocross car; it took me one walk of this year's West Course to regret not bringing my car. But while the 968 might be a half second faster on some 60 second courses than the RX-8, when I'm giving up a second and a half each day, being able to fit four tires in the back of my autocross car starts getting more appealing than those last few tenths...

Steve

The Z is just too nose heavy ..... you get a moderate grip surface like we had Tues morning at HPT and you can't dial out the push.If it had some front camber it might be OK, but it does not.

Can't argue with you there - I rode up to Topeka from Dallas this year in the car I co-drove, and we had room for a set of tires, all of our tools (including a 3.5-gallon gas can, a 2-gallon sprayer, and two chairs), plus all of our combined luggage. It's a very comfortable car to drive long distances in, even when loaded to the hilt with gear.

Moving to a new house and losing the space to conveniently park a 3rd car and tire trailer is one of the reasons I sold my Miata and bought an RX-8.

Is it bad that you guys are sarcastically recommending that they set their car up like mine? When will I ever learn?

Someone needs to ban the troll. :rollingla

--kC