need some feedback, just ordered an automatic gt (had to wife can't drive standard). Was not able to test drive one as they did not have any. Does the difference in the horsepower have a
significant impact on the performance and power of the car?

 

yes.

The AT has it's HP cut down, and the redline is much lower....

When you consider the rotary motor makes most of it's power at the upper rpms, the AT is basically cut off at the knees.

On the other hand, the AT is geared lower, and with normal driving I doubt you'll suffer as much as some may say.

Suffice to say, it's sub-optimal...

 

Spoken like a true MT owner. As an AT owner, I don't find the car "sub-optimal". It isn't the same as the MT. You really SHOULD drive both if you can. Yes, the AT has less horse power. Yes it doesn't rev as high. But mostly, I don't drive under those circumstances where it matters. And try driving around in the manual mode in the AT using the steering wheel paddles or tapping the shift lever. You can make the rev buzzer go off all you want. You can hit 75 in 3rd. Heck, you can hit 50 in 2nd. But it isn't an MT.

mm

 

Positronin my automatic gets to 45 in 1st in2nd gear I can getall the way up to 80 and in 3rd I canget to 120. Thats what I get byflooring it all the way from 0. Maybeyou arent pushingyours as hard as you think??

 

I own an AT too...

Basically, just think about your driving habit currently.
Do you floor your current car, or even have a chance of doing it?

I think every type of course has its advantages and drawbacks.
I live in the city, and I really enjoy my AT more than I will ever MT.
You can chat up the chick beside you in a jam, fiddle with your audio. So easy to drive.

The way I think about it, the great handling which the 8 is well known for is there on the AT version too. Sure the MT would beat AT in the straight line, but then again the 8 is not known for its acceleration. The MT would get you what? 7 seconds? the AT 9 seconds... both are just as mediocre in the world of sports cars.
You wont go beating 350zs, Evos and Rexes with either thats for sure.

 

I thought he said that far nicer than most would. I testdrove an AT and it's downright slow. I'm not saying this to **** off AT owners but to warn you that you really need to testdrive one before going through with this deal, if it's not too late already. Some AT owners may think the car is fast, and more power to you if you do... But when were talking a car that might have a hard time outrunning a Corolla it's best to testdrive one first.

<dons his flamesuit>

 

Now thats just wrong dude, a corolla??? I own an automatic and I've kept up with cars that people wouldnt dream of me keeping up with. You have to play with the automatic in manual mode to really feel the power the car has. Plus we have more torque then the manuals owners. I wont even state what cars I've stayed up with and some I've acutally beat because I dont want any arguements. But I test drove the manual and own a automatic the power difference is NOT as much as people make it seem. Pop that auto into manual mode and redline it til you hear that beep and youll see what I mean! Tell me a automatic car that has a redline of 7500! Get the automatic and love it for the beauty it has, your not going to go out there and race people.

 

I agree with "cas2themoe". I've had mine up to 132mph on the road course, plenty fast for me. I don't know why people want to bash the auto so much, its a great car. Have fun and play with it become one with the car.

 

I test drove th 6spd and it flies--I liked it alot; but it came down to the money for me--the 6spd w/ sport package was goin for about 27K, I got my AT with sport package and 6000miles on it for 24.9K. I don't regret the AT at all--the difference is noticeable from a dead stop--once the revs get up it is pretty quick. You won't be disappointed in the AT unless you go by magazine numbers or a stoplight racer--and If you are either of those two then you shouldn't be lookin at any RX8; because the RX8 shines on the twisties. The AT has all the handling prowness of the MT. I thought I would yearn for a M/T, but it is a decent tradeoff especially in traffic.

 

while the AT may have more torque, the gearing is taller, and you're not talking all that many pounds to begin with. The MT has that third port, and with the 6speed, you can STAY in that high range all day.
The AT relines at 7500, when it shifts, it falls down to like 5000
the MT redlines at 9000, when it shifts, it falls to like 7-7500

so...
in spirited driving, the MT's MINIMUM power is about the same as the MAXIMUM on the AT. Big difference.

 

Wow that took ***** Ike. I did the same thing one week after starting this forum and I got into it with the all times great posters and haven't since. Nice job dude.

 

same discussion, different thread. Suffice it to say that if you have to chose at AT for whatever reason, you are still getting a wonderful car. I was in your same boat Dash 8, and I have had the AT for 5 months, and absolutely love it. YES I test drove the MT and loved it even more, but the 8 is the 8. Enjoy it!!

 

no offense to automatics , but the manual feels alot better in the high range. ALOT better. But down low the automatic feels allitle bit better, if not better.

 

spoken like a true dick.

hard time outrunning a corolla... yeah tell me another, assface. Not every street is STRAIGHT & not all of us are after 1/4mile numbers... the AT gearing not exactly ideal for straight line racing & that is why the AT feels slow. 1st= 35mph (approx) 2nd= 73mph (approx) 3rd= 110 mph (approx) 4th= don't know have tried. You really should try driving your WRX in something other than a straight line. I guarantee it's more rewarding.

 

The car starts of with terrible torque..

Do not get a automatic.. if you want an automatic choose another car like a G35 or Rustang. With auto... omg it's like the car is asleep from every stop light you take off of... meanwhile someone in a celica or hyndai is honking at you to get the F` outa the way.

 

I love how every1, auto or manual, says who cares that the 8 has less hp and is slower than other cars in its class because we didnt get this car for its hp..so the evo's and 350z's in the same price range are faster, but our car is unique and has handles great..but then when it comes to auto vs manual 8's every1 says the at is bad cuz of the decreased speed and hp compared to the mt..whether ur manual or auto, almost every car in this class will hand u your *** (evo, srt-4,350z,g35,wrx, etc.)..so the mt is faster than the at, but regardless ur going to lose the majority of races neway..and ive seen 1000's of times people say who cares about speed thats not why i got the 8, which is true because for the same price you could of gotten much faster cars. im not sayin either one is better, but i just hate seeing speed and hp as reasons mt is better. If you got the 8 for its speed, then you pissed away about 10 grand (srt-4's msrp 19,000).

 

to be honest, both the AT and MT do not put up great numbers. 200-240 HP at the fly really isnt anything to be proud of. When i bought my AT, i knew that the car didn't have the kind of power i was looking for. Thats why i am waiting for tuners to come out with F/I for the car. The car is great to drive, i love the steering and the looks. thats why i bought the car. but i know there isnt alot of power. if people are worried about 1/4 mile times, F/I is the only option. nothing N/A will boost your numbers significantly and that goes for all cars. just my $.02

 

Are you retarded or stupid? It's how LOOOONGGG it takes to get to that speed. Hell a Kia can go 132 mph... it's the fact that it takes an automatic rx-8 over 9 seconds to get to 0-60 will have coralla's honking at you to get the f` outa the way at each stop light.

 

lol voiding the warranty on a rotary == pure genius.

 

Do you race the car all day or have to use it for normal driving?

Everyone has thier own reasons for buy the car - either AT or MT. If your wife would like an AT then there ya go - be happy because she is happy (an unhappy spouse is a bad thing).

 

If I stillhave this car after my warranty expires -- and Im not sosure about that -- I willdefinitely consider putting in F/I and then selling my automatic turbo. Ill probablyget a lot more money for it thatway then selling it stock.

 

my question about the fi for the automatic transmission is this- they limit the redline on the auto because the transmission can't handle it, will a supercharger affect that? if you had an automatic are you looking at upgrading the transmission?

 

it really takes RX8 9 seconds to reach 60mph? even my 92 Miata can beat that time