Silver_Z

How did you guys calculate the 0-100 timings? I mean what kind of device was used?

coupe07

this friday. Kallang 10pm

sqflyer

A stopwatch... lol just kidding. We use a $500 "stopwatch" attached to an accelerometer.

lowrider

We are back to that old chestnut again are we... AT vrs MT?

IMHO, it all depends what you honestly see the RX-8 as -- a performance car or a car to look good in?

If its for performance, then nobody should ever drive a automatic "performance" car. Its sacrilegious to have a sports car being automatic. Any purist will tell you, sports cars just should not come in automatics. Has to be manual. A sports/performance car is not there for convenience driving.

If you buy it for its looks or to get other people's attention, then by all means, drive an automatic -- you don't want to look silly doing a bunny hump or stalling when cruising down the high pedestrian roads, soaking up the other gender's attention. (same gender too if you are into it.)

Therefore, this discussion of whats the straight line speed/performance of an AT is really, in my humble opinion, moot. If you care so much of the AT's straight line speed, should have got a manual to start with. The AT was never meant to be about straight line speed.

bkrx8

Well said ! BTW I'm at Raffles CC every sunday afternoon. Cheers !

stryder

Alright fellas, great , will try my best to drop by and meet u fine people.

PS: Rx8 is a top dog.

Dont know if ShenWen is out here somewhere? Hows ur golf?

Emperor

Partly true that purists dig MTs. F1 drivers only uses a semi-automatic sequential gearbox. Taking the chore of clutch balancing enables the driver to devote more attention to driving and keeping to the line than balancing power.

If i am not wrong, amatuers driving automatic ferrais can outdo pro drivers lap times. Of course, ferraris have great gearboxes. Think smart nano-second gear shifts, shifts way faster than the neuron firing throught your brain.

And recently car manufacturers are making more car automatic, see the new clutchless evo and skyline. Most people just do not like the hassle of a clutch; 90% of vehicles sold in SG are ATs. Including the new AT commercial vehicles.

If people really want straight line; theres always wrx, evo, 350, skyline, s15.

And me. I like MTs too; only on long open stretches of road. With traffic lights at every 100 metres with super slow reaction drivers, AT is a godsend.

Silver_Z

Totally agree with you on this!! lol!!! Too many retards around. They take like 5 secs to register in their head that they are looking at the green light.

Silver_Z

What is it called? G-Tech? Apexi RSM?

CoupeM

should be a g-tech pro if it is 500 bucks. g-tech only cost less than a hundred.

Cal

Really? I went to G-tech website and they're selling the standard one (SS, not RR) for US$199. Where can I find the <$100 one? I want one... for CNY

lowrider

Emperor: Unfortunately I can't afford the cars you mentioned. It still kills me that you get automatic ferraris... I can understand it in the States as they can't drive manuals amongst many other things but elsewhere.... in UK they drive stick plenty.

I have been driving stick/manual for 25yrs now.. never really noticed it during traffic.... its pretty much like brushing your teeth... you just do it without noticing it. However, I do notice it (in a good way) when I accelerate from a standing start or go around bendy, mountainous roads fast. Personally thats what I think the RX-8 is built for -- its not a car built for speed nor fast acceleration but great balance and thus grip/stability around bends... mountainous roads. Should have a mini-mountain climb: up Mt Faber race.

There is one affordable car that has great performance with semi-auto: VW Gti. Its DSG system is fantastic. It was a dream... very linear acceleration, great grip around corners Good thing I drove it before the infamous MX-5 crash otherwise the sales girl would have been petrified. (As it was, she didn't seem too all please with me then and asked me to end the test drive much earlier than I had wanted. Phuq her if she can't let people have a bit of fun in their lives!.)

sqflyer

Yep, G-tech Pro RR. Nice call CoupeM.

Cal, there are older model G-techs available on ebay for cheaps. Still does pretty much what they are meant to do without the fancy LCD screen but don't think they can download the data into PC. Don't forget to add shipping and possibly GST at Singapore Customs if the declared value is greater than a certain amount.

Silver_Z

Does the RR tap into the ECU/Speedo for readings? I bought the 1994 version when it first came out. Threw it away after 1 mth. Its very inaccurate. Coz it is mounted on windscreen and based on the G force in the car to measure the timings for 0-62 and 1/4 mile. The timings for my quarter mile were like +-2 secs of the timing i get from a drag strip. It may be the road difference, but the range is too wide. On the drag strip, i get a range of 11.59 - 12.34secs, but the G-tech gives me a range of 12.29-14.67secs.

Cal

SQflyer, thanks. Checked out E-Bay but the cheap (<$100) ones are 1994 model. Not sure how "good" they are now...

I recall some people on the main forum talking abt the pros and cons of G-tech, including accuracy issues. Didn't pay attention then. Will go back and look it up before spurging on one.

Emperor

First drivers sees green light, registers in brain "Time to go" (strangely takes seconds to happen) , find biting point (or in AT, shift their fat leg from brake to acc).

Then second tortoise see first car moving off and the above procedure happens. And so on...

And whenever it rains, everyone becomes reaction-impaired. I was on the CTE today and it slowed to 30 - 40 kmh! WTF.

sqflyer

All G-techs are standalone units using accelerometers to measure performance. I believe the G-techs have come a LONG way since 1994, the times we get are fairly accurate and consistent. Short of an actual drag strip and speed/timing equipment, accelerometers are as good as it gets. ECU/Speedos are rather inaccurate so no point in using them for performance measurements.

Terrance26

I've had both, the auto pick up is very slow until you hit about 4000 to 4500 rpms then it start to pull. The manual picks up a lot quicker.

Emperor

I think its the case with all cars. MT will always fel the pull faster. There is always a lag in AT cars unless you do some trans killing manuevers. I think the weak link is the torque converter.

Silver_Z

My advice to you, bro, is that you not waste money on the 1994 model. Get those that will directly link up to your speedo reading. The 1994 model is setup by sticking it to your windscreen and adjusting the tilt of the unit(very sensitive, can take almost half hr to do it) to ensure that it is at 0. Then went u Accel, the unit will tilt and the timer goes on. and I dunno wat sensor it has inside that actually figure out that u hit 100kmph. As for the bhp rating, u need to set the wt of your ride + all your accessories + yourself into the unit, and then do a straight line run.

sqflyer

Silver_Z, speedo readings are even less accurate than accelerometers. Think about how changing rims and tires will affect your speedo readout and you'll know what I mean. I think even tire pressure will affect the accuracy of your speedometer. ECU gets it's data from the speedo so it isn't any better. That's why I said it's pointless to use ECU/Speedo data for performance measurements.

The latest incarnation of the G-tech does a self leveling when you launch, no tilt adjustment required. The unit should be fitted onto your car so that it tilts along with your car when you launch and that's how it measures the G forces. It basically works like an aircraft's Inertial Reference System (although it does this with simpler electronic accelerometers instead of laser gyros) to calculate your speed, distance traveled, times, etc. And naturally, if you want to know the calculated BHP, you need to plug in the weight of the car which can be easily obtained at a weighting station.

Silver_Z

Hmm.... you got a point there on the tire pressure and changing of rims. Well, if you had tried the 1994 model, you will understand my frustration with it. haha...... Its nice to know that the new unit has a self leveling feature. I only remember that I took like hrs to level it, and when I finally got it done and relax back into my seat to launch, the reading goes haywired again.

sqflyer

LMAO... I would be pissed too if that was the case! The RR is a breeze to use, in the drag mode, just press 1 button, wait 1 sec for it stage your launch and off you go. Lift your foot off the accelerator and it stops capturing your run automatically or hit the brakes and get your 0-xxxkm/h-0 timing and braking distance too. Plug into a PC, download all the data and you can analyse your runs til the cows come home.

Silver_Z

Thats a great improvement over the 1994 model. Can consider. Better pay $500 for real measurement, than $100 for frustrations.

sqflyer

I think the SS will do an equally good job, just that it doesn't have the ability to download the data onto the PC. Definitely can consider if it fits your purpose and budget. The SS is US$100 cheaper.