I know how this is going to sound and i prob might get a few flames for it... (dun get me wrong please, i'm a big fan of the 8 and a very happy owner)

but i reckon this car is quite diffult to forward park when the space is cramped? e.g cars at both sides close to the line.
the front side is quite wide, i am always worried about cracking the side markers (indicator lights) in those situations. this car appears to be quite wide when u're inside... i am not a unexperienced driver (sorta am tho, just under 2 years of driving), and have had no parking trouble ever since i got my license. always (almost always) get the right spot first time. however, i can't seem to see the line once my car is within 2 metres of it.... i think thats due to me being only 5"7(with shoes on, so slightly under that) and cant see pass the bonnet.

anyway, parallel parking is quite easy, and reverse is even more easier.... but i really am having trouble with front parking (most times i need to back out and try again, or even twice sometimes.... feels embarasing when ppl are around. i used to laugh at people (not literally, but mentally) who tries 3 or more attempts when parking.... and now i'm on the receiving end

anyone got ne suggestions? or neone else having the same trouble?

 

It's no more diffucult to park than any other car I've owned. You can just practice in a safe enviroment to get a feel for where the corners of the car are.
I had much more trouble in my 86 Trans-Am. That car had a HUGE front overhang and an annoying air defelctor underneath that was very fragile. I had to be very careful otherwise I'd damage that deflector. (I ripped one right off and then the car would overheat).

 

i have not had this problem but normally i do not park between two cars because some as/hole will ding my door it's worth the extra walk

 

i always find myself more to the left side of the paring space than i thought I was. I'm sure i'll get used to it and adjust though.

 

the RX-8 is easy to park because the turning radius is actually quite small.

but, I still find myself unable to judge how close my front bumper is to the curb when parking - i have to be careful as the bumper would be crused into the curb.

 

over here in my area, most of the parking space has about just enough space for me to open my door when i park perfectly in the centre of 2 cars. and most of the parking spaces are full... hence i got no choice but to park in between 2 cars. (talkin about shopping centres and school(university) and the city)

basically i can't see the sides of the left bonnet (passenger side) and it always seems like i'm closer to the left than i actually am. hence i end up being extremely close to the cars on my right... so close i cant get out without risking dinging someones car. hence i have to back out again, and then fix it. at other times when i'm turning front in, i feel like my side markers are so damn close to the rear/side of the other cars that it looks like it's already hitting. i had to come out of the car and realise there still 10cm space or so.... so no doupt i got alot to get used to. the only way i can park perfect everytime is to reverse park... thx to the mirrors that is. just that too often the cars behind u follow up to ur anus that u don't have an option to reverse park.

 

10cm between you and the next car? Those are some tight spaces. No wonder you're having so much trouble. How do you open your door?

 

no thats when u're turning in. ok, imagine urself driving on the right hand side of the vehicle and u wanna turn right into a parking space with 2 cars around it. when u turn, ur left side(passenger side) of ur bonnet where the indicator markers are would be the closest to the car on ur left. thats the gap i was refering to. obviously it widens up when u straighten up, but i am usually to scared to go ne further from my view... abit dawnting witout checking how far i actually am from that vehicle. basically i was refering to the position when u're 1/2 way through making the 90 degree turn into the parking space.

 

Yanje: I think it depends on what kind of car you're coming from.

Like northern-8 I drove an F-body (Firebird) and another nuisance on that car was that the doors were so long. So in order to get out you needed to open them real wide.

I've several times parked the narrow RX-8 in spaces where I would never have put the Firebird, simply because there would not have been enough space to open the doors.

And no, I'm not obese. 75 kg at um 1.75m (?)

I cannot think of many cars that are narrower (easier to park) than the RX-8.

-Peter

 

If you are having that much trouble feeling comfortable judging the front of the car, then you should intentionally park in two steps. (you're taking multiple steps to correct anyway) In your example above, if you are going to pull into a space on the left, turn left but intentionally "overshoot" and pull up with your middle of the front bumper aligned to the left/rear of the car that will be to your right once you are in the space. Then back up a bit while turning your wheels to the right. This will place your rear wheels centered with respect to the parking space. Then you just need to pull forward and turn a bit left and you will be exactly centered.

 

i find parallel parking a little bit more of a challenge in this car...really funny viewing angles make it entertaining to crane my neck and stick my head out the window while i parallel park...sigh i hate leaving her in the street too.

 

I agree, your best bet is park about 400 meters from the closest possible car. That's what I do. Well 400 feet anyway (for sure). In a high-rise parking situation, I'll go up two extra floors just to get a spot away from traffic. But if that's not an option (makes me squeemish to think about it actually), then I guess you're stuck parking between two cars at close-range.

I agree with whoever it was above that said "practice". I'm 6'1" and the 8 is not the easiest car on earth for me to see out of either. Although I have a pretty good feel for where the front corners of the car are. My wife drives a trans-am and holee smokes, you might as well be at the controls in a flying saucer, cause you are NOT going to be able to see the end of the hood or the edge of the far fender (regardless of your height - unless you're a freak-o-nature). You just have to practice, use your best judgement and over time it gets to be natural.

Good luck!!

 

A lil Helpful hint that I have unfortunately have learned with my 8

Dont part next to others....

I have door dents from damn trucks and Rice burners(haters)

I now ALWAYS Park away from conjested areas. ie. end of the parking Garage, End of parking lot.

 

I had to park my car in the spare third car garage last night and I had to have my husband push the car in because the garage door wouldn't shut. I just didn't feel comfortable driving it all the way it. The front of the car is just way too hard to judge. Heh, don't ask how on earth I'm going to park in a lot! I'm deathly afraid I'll crunch!

 

I have problems parking when theres a curb in the front dont wanna hit the front lip, and also parking parallel because I afraid to get the rims scraped upon the curb

 

this is why i installed the revew camera.. the trunk hi hige so backing up is more difficult. but my other car is giant so the 8 is still easy to park

 

Don't worry, it's not that wide a car. Just choose your spaces wisely. One trick I use is to always try to park next to compact 4-doors because they are small to begin with and their doors will not swing as wide as a 2-door car or a large sedan.

I agree parallel parking took a while to get used to because my previous car had straight sides and the RX-8 doesn't so you can't tell as easily when it is parallel with the curb when looking in the side mirrors.

 

i don't like parking near other cars, especially the crappy cars or minivans, or SUVs. the trouble is that usually i have to wait 5-10 mins to find a open parking spot.... e.g. have to sit and wait for people to come out and wait for them to leave b4 i can get a parking spot (thats for uni, as well as shops, and also the city. meaning i don't have a choice... no matter how small the parking spot is.... its take it or leave it and wait for another 10 mins in the car park for a better spot.

this car is slightly wider than my civic (that i used to drive and still do at times) and the side of the nose of the car (directly above the front rims) makes the car looks really wide compared to the civic. in the open parking lots where not many ppl use, i practice and managed to get perfect 4/5 times. however, when i go back to the crowded parking lots.... i almost killed my side markers(indicators), 4-5cm away, pheww.

anyway, i only been parking it outside my garage for the 2nd day now. so i'm sure i'll get used to it in time (i hope) (used to use rx8 to cruise and civic to work/school all the time, but i have to give my civic to my sis, so the 8 is gunna be my daily car)

but reverse parking with this car is so much easier... the only prob is once i drive past the spot to reverse park... some idiot (waiting behind me) will steal my spot that i waited 10mins for!!!! i just dun wanna embarase myself by parking like alot of young women e.g. go forward, back abit, forward abit, back a little, .... (sorry, i know i'm sterotyping, but in Perth, not many young ladies can park properly. i'm sure alot of u girls can park heaps good)

 

Do what I do. When unsure I point the side view mirror downwards so that I can see the curb. On some cars, the mirrors automatically point down when you shift to reverse.

 

If you've switched on your indicator the driver behind you has no right to steal your parking. It's driving etiquette.

 

Nice tip hotpot, thank you I've never had issues parallel parking, but I suspect the first time I do with the 8 I'll be pretty nervous.

 

Get a piece of 2x4 wood stud (about 6 ft. long) and lay it on the garage floor where your front tires roll up against it at the right spot where you want it to stop. If you really want to do it right, anchor it down to the floor so it won't move.