I have two questions on how I should drive my Rx-8.

First of all, how should I shift? My friends make fun of me cause when I shift its really shaky and I want to get a sporty drive without the shakiness, is there a certain RPM that I should shift in?

Second, when redlining the Rx- 8, is it okay to red line it in 1st gear?

 

The correct rpm to shift at is whatever rpm you want it to be, although typically, regular driving would probably be anywhere around 3500-6000 for a shift point. But you can shift at 9000 if you want to...


Redlining in first gear is not any harder on the engine that any other gear.

 

You just have to practice on the shifting to avoid the shakyness. You'll get it eventually

 

 

its your car and your right it is a sports car so drive it like one... have fun with it... our clutches for the RX-8 are a bit shaky at first and takes some getting use to but you will get it eventually.... starting out is the shakiest part just get the friction point down and your all set to go....

as said before on this forum a redline a day keeps the carbon away so redlining isnt a bad thing for your engine... and whichever gear you do it in is completely up to you....

 

actually 1-3 is better for red lining seeing as the higher gears will
have you at higher speeds trying to red line..

 

well 1st gear redline keeps the cops off my *** but when i do get the chance to get into 2 or 3 gear redline ill take it.

 

I'm not a fan of 1st gear redlining... just because sometimes (like 2 in 100) the shifter will get stuck going into second. However there are no problems from second into 3rd

 

There is no better answer.

be careful redlining in 3rd... not because of speed (though you will be doing close to 100), but because of police.

 

I'm recovering from a wounded right arm in Afghanistan and am finally able to drive this way again! My family asked during Christmans if I could drive yet..."like I stole it" was my response. Got quite a laugh because i could barely move it at all at the time. But I digress.. Drive it like you stole it I concur.

 

Yea this has been answered pretty good but I'd say you'll get the smoothest shifts at around 6-7k, but redlining is pretty much always good for this car. I redline 1st all the dam time.

 

The shaking and shuddering is so much a function of what RPM you're at, but the speed that you release the clutch. It will smooth out with practice. From a dead stop, I don't find it necessary to rev up to more then 1.5K to get moving smoothly. If I'm really careful, I can get the car rolling at idle, but I don't like slipping the clutch for that long. When i was learning to drive stick still, I made a game of trying to get the car rolling by giving it just enough gas to keep the engine exactly at idle because it forced me to learn to work the throttle and clutch as a unit rather then as separate things. Now that I've developed fine motor control in my feet, I blip the throttle to 1.5k and off I go.

Don't think of it as "I need to be at X RPM to get the car moving" All you need to do is give the engine enough gas to keep it from bogging down as you apply load to it by releasing the clutch.

I find that first gear is a bit short for a proper Redline, but there's no real reason not to drive around all day long in first at 9K RPM other then getting 9MPG while doing it (and waterpump cavitation, but that's another thread). It's not like you're going to bend a rod, or throw a piston. Going from an idle in second gear at 9mph all the way up to a redline of 65 or so is the most satisfying to me.


As for those pesky "at speed" shifts, I look at the tach and speedo to decide when to pop the clutch. the difference in revs between first and second is around 1.5K, and around 900 rpm in the higher gears. Match the RPM's of the engine to the speed the transmission is going and the shift will be smooth. If you rely on the clutches friction, not your brains to match the speed of the engine to the speed of the transmission you will either be thrown through your windscreen or out the trunk depending on if your engine RPM's are too low or to high for the gear you're shifting into.


Practice practice practice. And drive it like you stole it.

 

^^^Wow, nice post. I guess that about sums it up then.^^^

 

I usually do an extra lap around the block so I can red line it before putting it to bed! It's just too much fun to pass up the opportunity, especially since the engine is all nice and heated up!

The best advice I have (as I'm re-learning driving a clutch myself) is to find a nice open area to practice where you can watch the tachometer without worrying about running into something. When you shift, watch the revs to see how they react when you let the clutch out. You'll get the hang of it as you see how to match the speed of the engine to the wheels, and get your timing.
Goodluck!

 

Shift whenever you want. Practice will get rid of the shakiness

And redlining any gear is fine. But 1st and 2nd seem to be the safest

 

I redline 1-3 every morning when im getting on the freeway to go to work. Hell, I redline it anytime im getting onto the freeway.

 

i usually shift at 9200rpm in first gear

 

Like you were Micheal Jackson coming out of a nursery. Jamonie!

 

Thank you for your service. Seriously. And enjoy that 8!

 

Drive the car the way you want to. Remember, Redline means Redline so use it when it's affable. My car has the Racing beat flash so if I redline in third gear I'm doing like 96mph. Second is best on the highway. I have driven rotaries for 13 years now. Spirited driving is best. Pick and choose your moments. A Mazda rotary is like a women. You feel her out and find the times to push the pedal. But of course you have to learn how to methodically please her in the mean time. Dont listen to your friends. Please how many of them can drive a stick? I love those supped up camarys with the loud exhaust and then they try to peel out in and automatic. It's sounds like a lawn mower running out of gas. If you really want to learn how to drive your car. drive it with no shoes just socks. Thats how your learn a stick.

Dmazda

 

yeah.. I drive this car like its meant to be driven. screw the mpg.. i've given up on getting good mpg.

the good ol sensation of redline in 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th is ooooOOOHHhh...

i love my car right now.

 

Yep yep, just keep practicing. You'll learn the shift points subconsciously.

 

Yea u will get used to it...I didnt know how to drive a stick until I had to go to work.....The dealer actual drove me to my house in my car.lol

 

You will get better MPG driving between 3000 - 5000 .. so shift at 5000 .. unless you want to go and do it proper at 9000... its where all the fun is at.

 

I always thought shifting below 3000RPM was best for MPG.