Before I e-mail Mazda or call the dealership, I thought I would ask y'all. Please be gentle. I'm a woman raised in an all Chevy family. They're all mechanics but know very little about the RX-8. My husband has no clue. I've been the nerd and read the manual from cover to cover.

I love my car, but like y'all, I've had my problems. When I first bought the car it was out of alignment. It wasn't fixed until my first rotation. The tires have roared ever since...can't wait to get new tires!!

I have an automatic. To my questions, when I'm slowing and touch the brakes around 35 or 40 mph the gear handle shakes up and down. Also, the car seems to not stop smoothly all the time. But these 2 items aren't dependent on each other. Sometimes the handle shakes as the car slows smoothly down. I did grow up in a car family, so I was taught not to ride my breaks and to use my gas as a way to slow down. That's one question...why is it shaking?

Another question, since day one, say if I forgot and needed over in the other lane at the red light and needed to beat the other car off the line, I will punch it. Well, as someone else has said on a thread, it just feels like 1000 pounds is in my trunk. It eventually takes off, but it sure bogs down on the punch. And somethimes after it gets it little spurt, it just loses it. Then other times, I just barely tap the gas, and it takes off. I feel like I'm having to learn to drive this car. It shouldn't be so hard to punch it to fall out and pass someone.

Not a question, but I'm with everyone on the door rattle!! ugh!

I just love my car, but it's kinda embarrassing if someone is riding with you and your car won't get up and go sometimes and then other times it's like she has a mind of her own...she just takes off.

Appreciate the help.

 

Sounds like you bought a used car, right?

 

when your car is bogging down, what's your rpms?

the door rattle is common. Most dealers don't deal with it once the car is over 12k miles. Look up fatmat/dynomat/etc. They would help stop a lot of it.

 

no. Bought it with only 265 miles on it in July of 2004. I now have 19,700 on it.

 

well there isnt any linkage to dampen the vibration- the tranny is right under your shifter about 4inches and the shifter is directly connected to it so the vibrations come rigth thru. Sports car afficiandos call that FEEDBACK and its something to be cherished in a world of numb feeling cars

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-specific-performance-mods-97/interesting-tranny-info-80655/

read that and see if its talking about your situation.

it all depends on what gear you are in and what speed/rpm you are at when you want to make the change. have you tried the paddle shifters?

not everyone- i dont have a door rattle

 

Tranny mount?

 

Door rattle - make sure your back windows are fully closed.

As for lack of power: are you pressing the gas pedal all the way to the floor? This car doesn't have very much low end torque, y'know.