Lex

You're cutting on auto but you've never even driven a manual? What are you, sixteen?

TerenceT

come on guys
this thread is not to cut on auto
is good/bad idea to learn manual on the 8

now my opinions:

if the 8 has a light clutch go for it
the 8 has relatively low torque and if it combines with a light clutch, it's no big deal as far as slippage goes
however, since it's lower in torque, for beginners, you might have to rev higher (reads: 2-2500 rpm) before easssssing the clutch out

it took me 1 wk to drive without stalling to and from work everyday and 2 wks before i can drive smoothly in traffics, but about 1-2 months before i am comfortable to negotiate the steepest hill (with a red light on top). That was my first manual car and even tho i've driven manual before, driving your own is a different story. For me, i wanted to learn manual and have been driving manual ever since. I must say, it's not for everyone and definitly not everyday even i like manual myself (traffic)

Point of references:
-Get use to the pedel feel, so that you can comfortablly feel the gas, and hold at certian range without looking at the tech
-Most "teacher" will say give more gas, but what's more gas? 2000 rpm is usually a good start
-EASE the clutch out, count to at least 3 before completely releasing the clutch
-When in doubt, clutch IN then brake
-On a slight incline, learn the sweet spot or fritcion zone of the clutch, don't look force yourself to use muscle memory to know the fritcion zone
-Stall in traffic? big deal, just know your re start sequence good, ebrake-clutch in, neutral, restart, 1st gear, ebrake out, sweetspot and gas
-Don't drive with your stereo on until you are comfortable in what you are doing, that goes for cell phone pls

Eventually you'll opt for heavier lutch :D
Good luck and go for it

Efini 8

I've driven a manual. I am not sixteen, i am 18.

ElementalsIn

i kinda take that as an insult... i learned to drive a stick when i was sixteen on a 98 corvette, yet i've never owned a manual myself. the rx8 will be my third car, and my first manual (i'm 18). some people don't have the time or car for that matter to learn the manual RIGHT as soon as they get their license. i mean come on, not every family has a manual car. thats just my take on the whole situation here...

AndyPearce

Here in the UK almost everyone learns to drive in a manual car and people don't consider getting an automatic unless theya re (a) over 55 years old or (b) so bad a driver that they can't pass the test in a manual.

To answer the original posters question from what I've heard about the rotary engine (and reading the RX8 review on Rotarynews.com ) the technique for a smooth pull off in a rotary is not the same as other manual cars and takes a little practice to get it right so it may not be the best car 'to learn stick' as you like to put it!

Having driven several automatics and hundreds of different manuals I think that driving a manual is actually driving the car where as driving an automatic is not much more than pointing the car in the right direction and slowing down and speeding up as necessary - no fun at all.

jpalgrave

I live in the Uk where the majority o f people drive manual. Personally the thought of taking delivery of an automatic rx8 would be to totally miss the point of what this car is about. It is a sports car designed to engage and excite the driver, an automatic would negate the cars purpose. Learn the manual, the car will be quicker, more involving and ten times more fun! Its the only way to get the most from the car.

Efini 8

totally agree dude. Manual allows better control over the car and plus its a real driving experience, I love driving...even with an automatic, but a manual I know will make it paradise. My parents didnt want me to get a manual because they thought I would kill myself by street racing. Now that I am more mature, I feel I am responsible enough for a manual car (that sounds ridiculous) and will race, just on the track

JCo872

The best way to learn to drive a stick is to go to this great website I found: http://www.learnstickshift.com. For $19.95 you can download a manual and an .mp3 file that you can burn to a CD that you can play in the car to teach you exactly how to drive a stick shift car. This course is great because it takes you through the process step by step. It is also a great way to teach others. WIth this course you will be driving a stick just fine within 30 - 45 minutes. And most importantly, you will be doing it correctly and error free.

JCo872

Sorry, the link above has a period in it. Here is the right link:
http://www.learnstickshift.com

Keiqo

Guys,

Personally I'm all for the RX-8 manual. But last week I burned out the clutch on my beater and the transmission followed shortly after. I only had the car for a year, I'm sorta worried now because I thought I had the hang of manual. Words of advice and encouragement cause I really want to get the manual.

Edge

suggestion i got from a female truck driver was that men try to baby it too much and take way too long to allow the clutch to engage. that tends to burn out clutches faster (more slip = more wear). her opinion was to make sure you got off the clutch as soon as you could and probably faster than you think you should.

really goes to the concept of get the shift done and get your foot off the clutch. if you're either A) slipping it a lot, or B) leaving your foot on the clutch when not shifting you should expect a LOT of clutch wear. these are easy habits to get rid of though, and then your clutch should last a LONG time. I've yet to lose a clutch on a car I've owned. (Typically turn them over at about the 60K mile point). I also do not race, so can't speak to the conditions generated by that.

Boozehound

Or you could just shift without the clutch.... You only REALLY need it for startups and downshifts...

j1mb0x99

I've been a little worried about that too. Although I have never burned out a clutch, I have wondered if I could be shifting better. I was never really taught how to use a manual, I had to learn on my own.

Story time:

I was picking up an F150 (my current vehicle) from Kentucky, It was from my cousin's business and it was a semi-old work truck. (Lots of miles, lots of dents, but still ran good I was told). So I got a ride to Kentucky, found the truck and lo and behold, it was a manual. I had to learn how to drive it on my way back from Kentucky to Michigan. The only thing I knew about driving manuals was what my father had told me, "Let out the clutch smoothly while you step on the gas." I have had it now for three years and haven't burnt out the clutch so I guess I am doing something right.

I just hope I don't start burning clutches when I get my 8! :p

-JiM

Keiqo

Thanks guys,

I sort of taught myself two since my parents were leaving for a weekend and if I wanted to drive anywhere I had to learn a clutch. But, hopefully I make a lot of improvement when my 8 comes in taking your advice into consideration.

Midnight Flyer

Keep in mind that the clutch is considered a "wear item". It is supposed to get used up at some point. The fact that the clutch on a beater that you got a year ago went does not mean that you did anything wrong, how long ago had the clutch been replaced. If the answer is never then don't worrry about it. My understanding is that most clutches will last 80 - 100K miles depending on how they are used/abused.

Just put a new engine in my son's Miata and had the clutch checked before putting it in. The guy at the repair shop tested it and said it still had 60% of its life left. Should be good for about 50K miles. If the car lasts 50K miles I will happily replace the clutch and go another 80K.

The amount of wear you will put on a manual tranny/clutch learning to drive it is nothing. You should be able to learn in under an hour in a parking lot somewhere and then improve your technique over the course of the next two weeks as you learn in different environments. After that it is a non issue. What percentage of wear are you going to do in the first two weeks of ownership? Maybe .001%.

pmacwill

Assuming an even distribution of wear over the entire life of the car if 0.001% is applied over the first 2 weeks that means the car will be in operation for
100000*2 weeks
= 1.4E6 days
= 3835.62 years

Maybe you put a conservative 10,000 miles on your car each year,
thats a nice 38,356,200 miles on your clutch. Happy driving.


:p :p :p :p :p :p

Midnight Flyer

Don't cloud the issue with facts.

DreamWarrior

LOL :D

Anyway, I learned on a friend's Camaro with a really badly messed up clutch and an engine like liked to stall if you turned the stearing wheel too much at idle (because of the engine was so badly hurting that the pressure of the power stearing pump was enough to stall it). God that car was in sad shape....

Anyway, I bought my next car as a stick and haven't changed back since. My 1st was a Firebird then a Camaro, now the RX-8. I've drive several other various MT cars and never had an issue, just have to get used to its clutch which really takes no time.

My current car is a '96 Z28 w/ 103k miles on it, original clutch, I've put about 50k of those miles on myself...it's starting to chatter, but I'm sure I can get the extra couple hundred miles before I hopefully take delivery of the RX-8. If I end up keeping the car I'll be changing the clutch very soon I'm sure.

I slip the clutch a little much (especially lately because it's engagement sucks as it, as I've said, needs replacing) and always have for smooth starts. However I've been generally complimented that I drive smoother than a lot of other MT drivers...maybe at the expense of my clutch life. I've heard, however, that the RX-8 may require a bit more RPM matching and higher reving to attain that same smoothness...again at the expense of clutch longevity. We'll see...it'll be a fun ride, and I'm sure even most seasoned MT veterns will have a small introductory session...so we're all in this together - be it our first time with a manual, or a returnning vet with a new engagement and gear box to get the hang of.

Efini 8

my friend is letting me watch his MR2 Turbo for a month, so I learned stick on it in like 10 minutes. I havent driven a stick in like 2.5 years and that time I hardly drove it. It is super fun. I thought it was very easy, but maybe it was because I knew what to do before I actually tried it physically. Only problem with this car is the clutch is a racing clutch and you have to push it all the way down and its rather difficult to engage it because its also a bitch to shift maybe cuz its an old car. However it is a fun car and definately helped me gain confidence when I start driving my rx8.

AndyPearce

My current car (Volvo C70 T5 GT) puts about 245bhp through the front wheels and I'm still on the original clutch after almost 120k miles. Quick changes / starts and using the handbrake on hills ensures a long clutch life.