I just bought a brand new 2007 rx8-GT. Got it on Saturday, Tried to get it out of my Parking lot tonight (Monday) , and its all over the place, I could barely back it out, and I cant move it forward. I know I need to get snow tires, but is this normal? We have about 2 inches of snow where I live, which is nothing. I'm really worried about my purchase now, lol. Also, as I was getting nowhere in my parking lot, I saw that the damned engine light came on. Please someone tell me everythings going to be ok!

 

Yes, that is normal. The tires that it came with are summer performance tires and have no grip in the snow. Get winter tires ASAP if you are planning to drive it in the winter.

 

you def need snow tires, its not just the tread on a snow tiere that helps you, its is the compound of the tire as well because the tires that come on the 8 will get hard as a rock in the cold, where as snow tires will stay softer and flex better. also put a 50 to 75 pond bag of sand in your trunk all the way against the rear seats right above the axel. and it doesnt hurt to keep a small shovel in your trunk in caseyou get stuck

 

Below 50f the stock tires feel like someone greased the road. When the hot weather comes, they stick like glue.

 

I'm not sure about the damned engine light prob. I haven't had mine long enough to know what I should and shouldn't do. But I'd tow it to a dealership.

As for the snow, some weights in the back and all seasons will do just fine. I'm not sure what the 07's come with, but if it's a summer tire I'd get some black steelies and a good snow tire. I noticed on ice the rx8 will easily slip out, even if you're just trying to get moving. But with the weights and tires, you'll move like a fwd car, more or less. You poor guys just got that mini storm didn't you? Just be glad you're not in vancouver eh.

 

Don't forget to turn off the traction control - it is much easier to get moving without its "assistance", (you push the DSC button by your left knee.)


S

 

Are you sure it was the engine light and not one of the other lights, like when the DSC kicks in when you're sliding?

 

Actually if it got cold out, I'd bet my dog that it's the gascap. Mine trips a CEL every morning it gets cold overnight.

 

Thanks guys for all the quick responses! I did Read up on the car, I've been looking at an RX8 for Two years. I just figured I might be able to get away without snow tires this year . Apparently not. Anyway, Ill be getting them ASAP. Also, I bought 2
20 KG bags of salt for the trunk. Thats like 88 pounds. Is that too much, or you think thats ok?

 

What's your logic behind this advice?

 

wait till next week, hell be bitchin about fuel economy, lack of torque and he flooded it 6 times.............here we go

 

If you leave it on...the throttle gets cut when the wheels spin....try starting out on ice with it on...you basically can't go anywhere. If you shut it off...you can get some wheelspin and get going.......

 

I get a chuckle out of these posts, remembering how many of us tried to do the same a year or 2 ago.
I would stay away from salt in the trunk. The salt dust could lead to corrosion. I use bird seed for weight. Sand bags would also be a excellent choice. I keep 60 lbs (25 kilos ?) in the trunk.

 

driving an rx8 in snow is like pulling teeth, get it rx8dentist?

 

I woldn't put salt in the trunk. If it spills and gets wet, it's not going to do the sheet metal one bit of good. If you believe in weight and traction grit, get some sand or vermiculite.

If you haven't yet read the winter recommendations in the tire forum, and have 18 inch rims (are you AT or MT?) the common advice is to get something like Blizzaks on 17 inch rims. Narrower works better in the snow.

Ken

 

In essence, you're recommending power sliding over the ice/snow by spinning the tires with excess power using residual traction? No doubt you'll move, but that could be in a vector you didn't intend. Our DSCs our quite forgiving and will give you quite a bit of leeway to feather your clutch out of slippery situations as long as there is adequate traction to be finessed.

Try this:
1. Do not turn off DSC. You don't need to if you're good with modulating the throttle and clutch. Remember, these aren't ON/OFF switches.

2. Try a higher gear, like 2nd or 3rd. This way, you don't send excess torque to spin the wheels (no RX8 torque jokes pls.).

3. Gently feather the clutch pedal out, once you feel a slight movement, keep it there. If it bites a bit then slips, release the clutch and reengage immediately and smoothly. If you do this quickly and smoothly, it simulates the transmission-unfriendly rocking phenomenon, but with a smaller and more frequent oscillation. Once you overcome the initial inertia, you'll get moving. If you can't move like this, you probably won't be able to do much better by spinning the wheels.

 

I've gotta go along with the turn-off-DSC advice.

Quite recently I got stuck on a hill in icy snow. Some pinhead two cars ahead of me decided that half-way-up-the-hill was a good place to stop, causing pretty much everyone behind him to to get stuck half way up. The guy in front of me just gave up trying to get going again and just sat there with his flashers on. Since he was pulled over to the right, and I had my expensive snow tires on that I damn-well wanted to get my money's worth out of, I decided to give it a try to get going again, passing him on the left. I was able to slowly move ahead until I got about even with him, and then it wouldn't go any more.

I'd probably STILL be on that hill if I hadn't remembered reading on here about turning off the DSC in the snow. I turned it off and was able, with a lot of ornery stubbornness, to brute force my way slowly up the hill, spinning the wheels like a madman but inching forward and eventually able to pick up just a little speed. So there's something to the turn-off-the-DSC thing, at least under some circumstances.

 

The DSC off recommendation is most critical for getting going in deep snow and on ice. Modern snow tires depend on wheelspin for grip under these conditions. My daughter's school is on a steep street that they forget to plow...I just turn off the DSC, shift to second, and keep the revs reasonable (3000-4000) and, wheels spinning away, simply creep gradually out of the deep stuff. No wheelspin = no forward motion. Believe me, I've tried it...

 

The only problem the 8 has in snow is the popular misconception that winter tires are merely an enhancement—something that'll make the car handle "a little better" in the snow. People think that because most new cars come with all-seasons, which can handle snow and ice a little. Since the 8 comes with summer "performance" tires, winter tires are MANDATORY. The summer tires that come on the 8 are simply not designed for the cold, and are dangerous on snow and ice. It's not a subjective "hmm maybe I'll get winter tires" kind of thing—you MUST have winter tires.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I posted that if you do the wheelspin method, you'll move, no doubt about it, using residual traction, not unlike the RX-8s hard launches on pavement. I was merely suggesting an alternative method, which I use in the snow. This leads me to disagree with the statement about the DSC off being critical. Perhaps it's critical to most and optional for some.

 

I am so glad I live in NC and have a 4wd suv as back up.

 

Try not to rev the engine above 5k rpm when the car is cold. It can go into limp mode and throw a CEL to protect the engine if the engine is not warm. You may have reved too high spinning your tires. Loose gas cap also causes CEL. Both have happened to me. I have snow tires so snow is not a problem. Summer tires are useless in snow. Bridgestone protenza has some nice all season tires out now. I recommend them as replacements for your OEM's when they wear out in 15k miles. The all seasons will get you through 1-4 inch snow falls and have longer tread wear.

 

"We have about 2 inches of snow where I live, which is nothing."

The smaller amounts (aka 'dusting') of snow is always the hardest to grip through.

And you "read up on the car" but still "figured I might be able to get away without snow tires this year " ????

But enough pickin on you - enjoy ur 8!! & welcome to the club.