Just wanting different opinions. Thought it would be a fun little topic. Plus i am new to rx8s, so besides the obvious that a standard is alot more fun to drive and it has a little more power, why is a mojority of people and owners so against the automatic 8s? I mean they do have there pros and cons.

 

Name 5...

 

Well here where i stand for an auto
Pros-
1.easier to drive in rush hour
2.easier to teach my wife how to drive it.
3.dont have to worry about the clutch or thrust bearing.
4.anyone can drive it which kinda makes it a little easier if you have to sell it.
5.its easier on your knees if you are on the older side.
6.just not as much to worry about things going wrong.
Cons of an auto.
1.not as much power.
2.much more work to manipulate the rpms like a standard.
3.not as fun to drive in the least bit.
4.limits you on the upgrades to the engine of the car.

Pros of a standard
1.they are faster.
2.they are alot funner to race around in.
3.you can manipulate the rpms anyway you want.
4.it allows you to do a few more upgrades to the car because of the 6 port that it is paired with.
5. They are the more popular of the rx8.
Cons
1.somewhat a pain in the butt to drive in stop and go traffic.
2.have to teach your wife and kids how to drive it because its a standard.
3.have to replace the clutch after they burn it up.
4.more maintanence than an auto.
5.sometimes on road trips going through canyons and mountains you would rather enjoy the view of the world than shifting.

I mean they do have pros and cons no matter how small i was just curious what everyone elses opinions were.

 

The manual RX8 is already too slow.. the auto could barely beat a minivan off the line.

The auto 4 port engines have also been shown to fail sooner than the 6 ports.. probably due the average lower revs of the auto.

I'd never ever buy an auto RX8. About 75% of the fun of driving an RX8 is removed. May as well buy a cheap hatchback.

 

Part of what makes a sports car make you feel truly alive is a manual transmission. No automatic trans can give you the thrill of rowing through the gears. You are one with the car in total harmony when you have a manual transmission. I can't think of any driving scenario where I wouldn't prefer a manual transmission. Stop and go traffic doesn't concern me and I don't let my wife or kids drive my car. My wife is not that great at driving a manual transmission and we all know that a clutch kit is expensive. I've never owned and driven a car that was automatic except one Corvette which I got for free and promptly traded for a Porsche 944...with a manual transmission, lol.

Manual transmission vehicles are:
-better on gas
-much more exciting to drive
-you are more in control with a manual trans
-more powerful engine with a manual trans 8

Auto trans:
-enables a driver to be more susceptible to becoming complacent and lazy
-slower
-less driving excitement when the engine bogs around a turn from an unresponsive trans

I can't really justify it anymore. Go drive one with an auto trans first and then with a manual trans. You'll clearly see that the manual trans 8 is the better option any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

1. Okay, I'll grant you this. Having sciatica, Chicago traffic is literally painful.
2. Um, does your wife not already know how to drive an auto? Start car, shift to D, go.
3. Unless you're a muppet, you don't really have to worry about this on a MT car, either.
4. Don't sell it. I sold mine and regretted it so bad that I bought it back after 2 years.
5. Stop being old.
6. IIRC, AT Renesis engines were the proverbial canaries in the coal mine.

YOU don't have to teach your wife to drive standard. In fact, I recommend against it. Get a friend to do that for you.

Also, I think you're neglecting your children if they don't learn to drive stick before they go to college.

Edit: I should clarify my position. I'm not against automagic transmissions. I'm just more in favor of manuals in the RX-8.

 

autos suck and i have a hard time driving them. im always trying to kick a hole in the floor looking for the clutch and often cant get the key out of the ignition cause i forget i have to put it in park. no way in hell i would buy a 4 port 8

 

For the first few years of my driving career I owned automatic cars, and I enjoyed them because I have a bad back. But I realized if I wanted to drive sports cars or really any car hard or fun, I needed to learn stick. Currently, I'm looking for an autotragic daily driver, but that's just it, daily driver. The 8 gets taken out on the weekends so I can SINNNNNNNGGG across the Colorado mountain range.

 

Auto's don't suck, just the automatic in the RX-8's. There are really good autos and really bad ones but they have improved leaps and bounds over the past 10 years. My 335i is an auto (6 speed ZF paddle shift) and would walk 99% of the RX-8's on this forum, including mine (yes in handling too). When you have significant power having both hands on the steering wheel is a good thing.

Not to mention that modern automatic transmissions can be tuned, which is cool. My 335i has a transmission tune from Alpina and a company recently released an android app that will allow custom tuning by the user.

 

You make me want to own another bimmer, 9k.

 

I also would rather have a manuel than an auto but because if the deal i got on my rx8 i couldnt pass it up. The downside was it is an auto. I never had the luxury as i am the only person i know that owns an rx8 so driving one before buying one wasnt an option. My days of driving to the point of getting tickets is behind me so i figured an auto would suffice but who knows once i get it running and actually drive it i may decide to sell so i can buy a blown manuel trans 8. I have my jetta that is turbo and built pushing way to much boost and cant keep traction to the tires its a manuel and wouldnt have it any other way. But while in california on work and driving 3 hours each way for work and the traffic i refused to drive it anymore because it was rediculously frustrating and hard on the clutch. So there are times when an auto and a manuel is more logical really just wanted to know the downsides of the 8.

 

Every platform has it's limits. I love my RX-8 and it puts a smile on my face every-time I drive it. While the handling of the RX-8 is great, it doesn't make up for what it lacks everywhere else.

 

Very well said everyone. Looks like i will sell this one when i get it rebuilt and buy a manuel 6 port.

 

Manual.

 

Manual - you are in control!

 

I very much prefer a manual. However...with my back as screwed up as it is, and as much city traffic driving...there is no way I could tolerate the clutch for long. I think I want a second one, as a side toy and weekend driving.

 

Didn't you pretty much answer your own question? Some people want or need automatics and sure, fine, but nobody's going to recommend one as the best RX8 available, for the reasons you describe.

If you're talking sports cars, being fun to drive and having a little more power are usually top considerations. If they're not, you're not really shopping for a sports car, which is a different problem

 

As nice as 9k's BMW is, imo, it's not as unique as, and doesn't grab attention like an 8.
Yes, the 8 is slower than that car's automatic, but the timeless synchronicity of clutch, shift, gas, never loses it's fun factor.

 

Looks are subjective but yes my 8 is mucher sexier than my bimmer. I wouldn't say a stock RX-8 is an attention grabber though, at least not around here.

As for manual vs. auto, it's pure preference because from a performance stand point there is just no comparison, modern "automatics" (lumping in dual clutches here) are just better in every way.

 

I have three RX-8's and I daily drive an 06 BMW 330xi with a 6spd manual trans. Took me almost a year to find an 06 330xi with a manual trans, sport package, cold weather package, and the premium package. But in the end, it was worth the wait. The BMW is a much more comfortable and refined car. One better suited to my daily commute. With that said, it does not get near the attention my 8's get when people see them at a gas station or even at work. I have people asking me often what kind of car it is ad I get compliments on them often. There are ups and downs to both cars, but the best part by far is the manual transmission.

 

i just despise autos. personal choice i guess. i dont care if modern autos shift faster bla bla bla. i like having a third pedal

 

In the wide array of vehicles I have, my opinion varies on which method I prefer.


The typical argument was manuals were always faster and better on mpg, that is largely not true anymore. I love the control and downshifting ability of a manual, but with Tiptronics, DCT, etc the clutch is losing ground. In drag racing, the autos are favored because they shift quicker, are highly unlikely to miss a shift, launch more aggressively, etc


An auto RX8 where it has no power, there is no benefit aside from if you cannot drive a manual. Those things must be complete snails...hell I could tow it faster than that hahaha.

My tow rig, I love the Allison automatic. Tows so smooth, shifts smooth, no worries in traffic on a hill with 10K behind yah, and I have done nothing to it. Manual truck transmissions are just awful to shift, the lack of precision sucks the joy right out of it.


My DD, 00' Maxima. Love the manual in every scenario, but gets old in stop and go traffic. Plus the Nissan Autos have no where near the durability of the Manuals. I still have original clutch and everything at 200K+, same thing with the 97' Altima I had.


My rock crawler, automatics reign supreme. High stall with ample cooling, I can shift between forward and reverse insanely quick no matter the rpm...and the control is phenomenal when the transmission is setup correctly. Even in my Jeep XJ, I preferred the auto.


BMW 335i, the DCT is a beautiful creation, the control of a manual, shifts at full boost, perfect and precise shifts all with the well behaved manner of an auto in traffic.


17' Camaro, the new automatic is downright incredible, go watch it setting the record at Nurburgring, extremely impressive.

 

I personally could care less if an automatic shifts faster. It will never replace the feeling of driving a car with a manual transmission. Hands down an amazing experience every time you get behind the wheel.

An automatic is great for a tow rig and rock crawler I would certainly agree. All of my tow rigs have been manual, but I have borrowed some auto tow vehicles and I do prefer those.

 

I don't care about shift speeds either, but those drag racers seem to hahaha. I entirely agree, the feel of driving a manual just cannot be replaced. Nice car collection by the way!

 

how is this thread still going?
The answer is quite simple...


because they suck.