First track impressions
 

Drove a stock 04 GT on a lapping day and some observations follow:
-on a course with long straights it will lose ground to a 350Z, but will smoke it in the turns.
-the brakes fade fairly quickly-after 6 laps on a course with 2 hard braking points. While the brakes seem small, I think the issue is the OEM pads, and can be easily fixed.
-headroom is an issue with a helmet as noted in many posts.
-lateral support in the leather driver's seat is virtually non existant-a lot of bracing with knees etc.
-on the very good side, in the bends this car is as much fun as anything out there-on a par with my Boxster S. It dives into corners, the tail will slide out comfortably and the slight understeer noticable in daily driving seems to disappear.

Wow, your impression is the brakes are small in the 8? They're oversized if anything. As for the pads, the OEM definitely don't cut it on track days.

edit: almost forgot, lateral support is defintely not great, but I still retain the OEM seats because of the air bags and don't want to lose them.

the rx-8 has small brakes?

thats it, im getting a GTO

Thanks for the positive feedback davig. Glad you found the car as entertaining as we all do. I think more people need to ride along out on the track in order for it to get the respect it deserves. :)

A decent alignment and some trackable pads is all this car needs to make it a true track vehicle capable of sustaining lap after lap after lap of intense track time.
The OEM rotors and calipers are up to par (and then some). I agree that pads must have been an issue for you as well as the fluid may not have been freshly bled with the good stuff.

Cheers.

i say the stock pads are good for 20-25 minute sessions of hot lapping

the fluids should be flushed with the high-temp stuff though

other than that, the combination of stock-ish tires + stock pads will cancel out each other in terms of how fast you can accelerate and how fast you'll have to slow down

smoke? you wish. They are close, just a little different. It's like comparing a Camry to an Accord

My experience in 04 with stock pads, stock fluid at Watkins Glen with multiple braking points, 2 from above 110mph, 4 or 5 from ~80-90mph for two days running showed that the brakes got numb, but fade didn't seem to be an issue. More likely was glazing, as it went away after a few hundred miles driving.

If you were really experiencing fade, I would look at your fluid or lack of bleeding. Certainly DOT 4 or better fluid is the recommended, and bleeding should be done after each session if you're up for it, or certainly before and after any day at the track at the least. You can't abuse brakes wo/maintaining them.

Only other question, have you had the revised brake pads installed bythe dealer? Don't have them myself, but I understand they're more street pad than the originals and may just likely be sucky track pads from the getgo.

I tracked the car last October at Road America and then this past weekend at Road America. Definitly need to swap out pads during track days mine weren't cutting it towards the end. Since last october I put in the MS suspension and I can definitly say it made a world of difference, cornering is much more stable now. All in all the 8 is an excellent track car :)

Only other question, have you had the revised brake pads installed bythe dealer
That may have been the case. It had new brake fluid so that wasn't the issue. Upgraded pads are all that's neede to make this a very respectable track car even with stock Dunlop 2000s.

Just having new (street) fluid won't help (like the dealer would put in). You could change the fluid after each session with 'new' dealer supplied fluid for that matter - still wouln't help. Dot 3 is what is speced for the 8 and its low boiling point won't take the heat track driving generates. Then it boils, and when it does, you'll feel like the brakes have 'faded' because you are compressing a gas.

The only solution is DOT 4 or better fluid which has a considerably higher boiling point and so stays intact as a fluid under track brake temps. The stock brakes themselves are some of the best in the automotive world as far as performance is concerned. It's the fluid Mazda puts in that for street driving conditions that's the problem on track more than the pads or anything else. After fluid certainly better pads help too.

In most cases it will, but not just because its better in the turns. It is better - marginally. In my experiance, the reason that 8s "smoke" 350Zs, G35s, corvettes, S2ks in the corners on a track day is that they're much more forgiving to take too the limit.

Average driver to average driver, the 8 has a bigger edge because of the confidence you have. Thow more experianced drivers behind the wheel of both cars and the gap in the corners will shrink up a bit or in the case of the vette or s2k, the good driver will be able to wring them out to thier full potential and beat the 8.

This stuff is great for the money and can be found at any Autozone:

http://www.valvoline.com/pages/produ...asp?product=51

Here's how it stacks up against the high dollar stuff (look for the chart):

http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/faq/Brak...omparison.html

synpower is what i used for the event i attended this past weekend, worked great for my street tire-wearing 8 :ylsuper:

I found them to be quite crappy. THey absorb moisture way too fast, there are many fluids that are better. I had better luck with the OEM fluid simply because they dont absorb moisture

I agree with some of the things you said, but you are crazy to think the RX-8 is a better car than the ones you mentioned. The RX-8 is very nice, but it doesn't have the whole package to compete with most of the cars above. I am with you 100% that the RX-8 is the easiest car to drive out of all the ones you mentioned, but at the same time you do have to realize there is only so much the car can do. If the car can't do it, there is only so much a driver can make up. I am not a great driver, I can still drive around the 8 easily. They all have their own pros and cons, just buy whatever you want and stop telling people how much better yours is.

Stock RX-8 comes with soft springs and not very good tires and definitely not enough power, but on most tracks, because of the balance, it will keep up with all of the cars above that you mentioned. If you put stiffer suspension on the car, definitely it will beat the cars above on most tracks. 350Z is not a sports car. It just LOOKS like one but does have good power, and so does Mustang. RX-8 is a true sports car. It's just too bad that it doesn't have the same power as the others but definitely as it is I will tell you it still out performs most of those other fancy cars.

The RX-8 will not get blown out, but it will not really keep up neither. Get over it, they can only keep up at the autox course due to its quick reflexes! The Z came with the same tires as the RX-8 in case you want to name more excuses. I hope you know stiff suspension isnt everything, there are a lot more factors involved in how to make a car fast. Here we go again, the 350Z isnt a sports car. It is a minivan that is faster than the RX-8 okay? Do you feel better? I still haven't found a good reason why the Z isn't a sports cars. It is only 200-300lbs lighter than your car. The Lambo engine is used in VW, does that make them family cars? The chassis on the new EVO is based on the caliber, so it isnt sporty anymore? Get a grip, lap times is what matters.

^
Stock Dunlops have held up pretty well at the track thus far- I like 'em. They take the heat cycling very well. Our cars are indeed very balanced. Very pointable and precise with steering and pedal inputs. Pretty much does what its told.

makes it a great car, but great car doesnt mean it is the fastest (Miata)

I still haven't found a good reason why the Z isn't a sports cars

Dude, I think you should read more about the differences between a real sports car and others. If 300 hp means sports car, get yourself a GT mustang. Go ask any miata owner and they will tell you the difference between a real sports car and those others that want to look like one. There is lots of information online for you to read. and make sure drive one and you will know the differenes.

Oh wait, did you just say all Ferraris and 911s are not sports cars because they have over 300HP? You really need help, and stop getting a hard on over a Miata

Miata, I think I owned one and I drove tons of them at the race track....

Also before you go on, I also own a RX-8 and had a RX-7 and a few other SPORTS cars. My Miata had 260hp, does it mean it is not a sports car?

After tracking my car I felt that the brakes needed help and the shocks could be stiffer.
The 8 is a terrific street and track car. :worship:

{famous last words} Hold on a sec!

Let me hold the wheel with my knees,
put the coffee in my lap,
hang up the blueberry,
turn of the laptop,
and the Nav...and

.... and I'll call and we can talk about that!

LMAO so true! :rofl: :rollingla