BlueEyes

No apologies needed for morning mistakes. IIRC, the 0.3 was the result of the euro-lip spoiler. I think it comes on the shinkas over here.

snizzle

Does any of this really matter unless you're going 100+????

I for one love the look of the stock spoiler. In fact, it was the only appearance option I purchased originally on the car.

mysql101

what are you saying? You never go over 100?

Romancer

On public roads? You shouldn't be.

You don't actually try to race people in your 8 do you?

A spoiler should mean nothing to track newbies and daily commuters. I am spoilerless..and until I hit the track regularly in the future, I won't even think twice about it. I'm not a fan of the stock spoiler..and I think that the MS spoiler is ugly.

mysql101

Why would you assume you need to be in a race to speed?

snizzle

That's what i'm saying. Maybe 99 once

Ericok

There's actually 6 holes: the four bolt holes and two "alignment" holes hidden under the wing. The two alignment holes don't go completely thru the rear deck lid.

Romancer

You don't have to be. But I get enough kicks at 75-80mph. 100+ is just unnecessary on public roads...and In NJ, you are in big trouble if you are caught. The whole point is that whether you go 100+ or not on public roads...you really don't need a spoiler UNLESS you like the way it looks. I doubt you will feel much of a difference going 100 in a straight line with a spoiler as opposed to without one.

mysql101

interesting theory. I guess you don't belive in aerodynamics, or gravity...

The new lotus exige has the same engine as the standard elise. But the front splitter has 5x the downforce. the rear wing has 10x the downforce. The car has a max speed of 147 mph. But it must be just for show.

Nodoz

A base RX8 has a max of 147mph with no extra parts creating that downforce. The Exige also subtracts a few driver ammenities (like crank windows instead of power ones) and replaces heavier parts with lighter weight ones to make it an ideal track car, not something intended to be driven on the streets. All that extra downforce maybe gives it an extra 5-7mph - and that probably a generous assesment. Unless you're going to regularly race or barrel down the highway over 100+mph (if you live in the US you can forget about the latter) then the spoiler is just cosmetic. Yes you get a slight performance enhancement, but I doubt 9 out of 10 MS spoiler owners could truthfully tell the difference, and if you really want to go faster, there's better things you could spend that spoiler money on.

mysql101

Actually the exige is slower then the elise in several reports (0-60 mph) due to the extra downforce. And the top speed is lower then the elise.


I have no idea what you're saying though - you're talking about lighter weight parts and random jibberish - I was only responding to the previous poster's comment that spoilers don't matter at 100+ mph speeds.

phirewind

The spoiler may well be more cosmetic than functional for street usage, but technically I think that answerbag post is so full of assumptions that even if the basic statement is correct, the reasons are wrong.

First: "I expect you'd have to be going much, much faster than any legal; highway speed..."
In other words "I have absolutely no research or scientific data to back up my claim, but this is what I'd expect to be true." Also, there's no definition of what the author calls "significant". A minute downforce improvement of 1% at speeds of 60 mph can be considered significant by some, while others may consider 10% a negligible improvement. If you don't define your point of view, quantification makes no difference.

Second: "How strong is that trunk lid?.... Do you think the effect would be anything other than to violently rip the trunk lid off of the car?"
Well, considering that I and my friend could put all our combined 400-ish pounds on the stock spoiler with no effect (don't ask), and that the weight would be gradually added and not a sudden force, and that it's called DOWNforce for a reason (not UPforce or OUTforce), there's no logical reason to even imagine that even a 20% downforce improvement would put damaging stress on the structure.

Third: "You'd want the extra downward force to be on the FRONT wheels; yet spoilers are nearly always mounted on the rear. "
The hood of the car always presents a heavy downforce, but it doesn't matter how much your drive wheels stick to the ground if your rear wheels are floating.

Anyway, enough nit-picking, but I'm a technical thinker and those arguments are moot. The only data that answers this question is verifiable wind-tunnel results, hopefully with tracks under the car to simulate responses to bumps in the road.

otherside

Has anyone traveling the 5 freeway in California seen my trunklid? Its the one with the spoiler attatched...Maybe somewhere around pumpkin center in a cotton field.

Clavius

Ok so far I've read all the post and to me atleast the general consensus that its "whateva floats your boat" and "Depends on your intended use".

captain mercury

it's mine now. hey-ooooooh!

Jackallll

my spoiler adds 10 rwhp and +10 mpg

StewC625

The spoiler on the RX-8 does the following functions:

1) Convenient carrying handle for picking the car up when you're King Kong.

2) Blocks the view through the rear view mirror of ugly cars behind you.

3) Adds at least 30 horsepower to the wheels.

4) Is an artistic gesture of Feng Shui allowing the car's Chi energy to flow smoothly into the air behind the car.

In other words it doesn't do dick other than add to the price of the car.

Wish mine hadn't come from the factory with it, but that's what you get when you buy off the lot.

PUR NRG

Two unrelated facts:

1. The MS spoiler flexes too much. Put 10lbs of force on it in the center and it will deflect half an inch. Yes you can vary its angle of attack but I think it's too flimsy to add any appreciable downforce.

2. Note how honkin' huge Vic's wing is and how high up it is on the car. It has cut his times by a second or so.
________
Kids Wellbutrin

Romancer

On public roads, you SHOULD NOT be able to feel a noticable difference. That is the bottom line. If you do feel a noticable difference, you are going to fast.

He is basically saying you cannot compare an exige to an rx8 in that respect. I doubt anything mazda offers makes that much of a drag diff in comparison to lotus. Like the previous poster said..if you don't have a spoiler...don't buy one, unless you like how it looks.

Or...you can enjoy the small difference while traveling 100+mph on public roads. The whole track thing is a different story...at that point you may need a non-mazda spoiler anyway if you want to see real improvements.

Winfree

I feel the spoiler completes the designers intended image.. but it reduces gas milage. I have found that it does add stability in a side wind - which I rather like. It is also a signature for our current time - like the tail fins were on GM cars - or running boards on 1930 cars. It will reduce value for about 15 years and then added considerable value as the car goes classic in 20 years

Winfree

Hwy 5 between Bakerfield and Santa Nella and Hwy 101 between San Miguel and King City have posted speed limits of 75/85, good dry sunny conditions, long streight aways, and low traffic - Stay under 95 and there is minimal police interest, side winds can gust - usually 30 mph or less, but up to 60 during windy weather. Mountain road Hwy 1 Cambria to Big Sur have much slower postings but have odd wind gusts especially on winding turns - you can appreciate a spoiler on these - for Faster games there is the Track at Button Willow and the Mazda track at Monterey, but tracks have too many turns not enough long lovely stretches. Don't suggest testing out spoiler on Indian Valley Rd/Peach Tree to 93 - Great drive but too apt to hit a wild boar, wild turkey or deer at speeds over 55

captain mercury

thats an interesting point of view. i like it.