If I were you (melikeRX8), I'd do the A/T. I drove both b4 choosing the A/T for similar reasons. Ever try driving in stop and go highway, drinking coffee, answering the cell, and on top, HAVE to shift into 2nd gear. You don't have enough hands!!

I agree with the person who commented on the M/T bigots. Don't let em sway ya too much...

And as far as the chicks diggin' the M/T -- maybe, but the 1st one I had in my A/T didn't seem to mind as her feet changed the radio station ;D Tranny type didn't seem to matter to her!!

Do what's right 4 u... Personally, I have no regrets on the A/T and besides - I can flip it into M+ when I feel like shifting (back roads mostly) and then Auto when I don't feel like it. But hey, I'm a mature adult, not a 20 somethin' (been there, done that).

ZoomZoomZoom

 

The wife and I went on a test drive with the salesman starting the drive, just to show us what the car would do. He drove it about a mile and it was a helluva throw-you-back-against-the-seat ride. I took it out after him and it was awesome the amount of power that's there, even though I didn't abuse the thing like I feel the salesman did. When I asked my wife what she thought about the car she said "I won't ride in it!" She wasn't being bitchy or manipulative, she was honestly scared of the thing because of the speed and accelaration power. She loves fast cars but only when she's the driver. I understand and respect that. SOOO.. we test drove an A/T. In back-to-back test drives, yes you could sense the drop in power but, know-what? It still would haul *** and the paddle shifter option made it a good compromise. A car that I could enjoy, that she could drive as well.

That put me in the AT shopping mode. What I soon found is that in this part of Texas anyway, AT's are hard to come by. I suddenly went from having four offers in hand at the dealer's desk to nearly begging them to locate me a car. We never got to the final stages of dealing on an AT because, after a week for the fear to wear off my wife softened her position on the MT.

I was able to shop the MT quotes much more easily and (I hope I'm right) was able to get a better deal overall (relative to dealer invoice) than I could with the AT. I'm brand new to MT shifting and I'm over 50 years old so it could be a mistake but I figured hell in half the world, EVERYONE drives a manual. If they can do it, I can too. There's no doubt about the extra power with the MT but then again, I'm not taking the thing on the track and you can only go from 50 to 85 in x-point-y seconds so many times without running into a speed-trap somewhere.

So, what's the takehome message? The MT has an obvious speed and power advantage over the AT but if you're not apt to use the speed and power and if you're saddled with hours of shifting in and out of first on a long, slow, commute (or if you like to juggle or work cross-word puzzles while you drive), then there's certainly no disgrace in going with an AT - especially if it doesn't cost you more (relative to dealer cost) in the long run.

I'll pick up my new MT tomorrow and probably won't be able to walk with my sore left leg by the end of the day. I've got a week off from work (excess vacation that I'll lose if I don't take it) so I've got a week to get used to the vehicle and the nuances of manual shifting. I think for me, given the local RX8 market and the relatively minor traffic that I go through on a typical commute, it's a good move. By the way, my wife's even come around to the point of not saying "hell no" when I offer to teach her to drive the stick. We'll see.

 

I love the RX-8, and got mine in MT. But, based on your words, I would advise you against the RX-8. Why?

1) You sound young, and this is a lot of money to depart with for a dream. Spend it on an education (the best investment you'll ever make); or save for a house. It's pretty funny to see someone with an expensive car renting a 1-bedroom appartment (i.e. They got their priorities screwed up).

2) If this is difficult to afford, wait until you try and maintain a car like this. High Performance cars come with High Performance accessories. For example, you may be buying tires (at $200+ each) every 20K to 30K miles. To keep this car handling well, you may be looking into shocks ever 50K. When the bushings get worn, you'll be wandering all over the road - those will also need frequent replacement (or sacrifice what you bought the car for). Insurance, especially if you're young, will be outrageous.

3) Your words indicate you are not into the potential of the RX-8. It's a car for driving - especially twisty roads. It's made for heal and toeing; quick transitions in speed and direction; to drive with the radio off. Leave the cruising for a sedan... where you can eject your passangers through their own doors rather than opening yours first!

If you really can afford the car (i.e. I misread you)... then your situation calls for the Automatic. With the paddles on the steering wheel... you can still have some fun.

Personally, I don't thinking driving is driving without a clutch. But, that's because I love to heal & toe (i.e. downshift clutch assist on syncronization); bypass gears (per situation); and stay in tune with what the engine is telling me (i.e. the clutch just seems to give you that one on one connection without electronic isolation). This picture does not sound like YOU.

 

I don't believe there was anything in the original poster's question that was indicative of his age.

Ironically, you are also accusing him of perhaps not being able to afford the car, simply because he wants to save some money. You don't know a thing about what his financial situation is! For all you know, he is doing very well indeed, due in large part to the fact that he is financially responsible and doesn't spend more money than he has to, especially on big-ticket iterms.

And, this car should be enjoyed by as many people as possible, not just those who heel-to-toe on mountain roads. That might be YOUR favorite aspect of it, but it is not the only good thing about the car.

 

Only those that heel-toe should buy this car. That way, Mazda will put out another flop, and the chances of another RX-7 or even another RX-8 will be gone. Can't wait for that happen since the Rotary engine is a piece of crap for the rest of the population that doesn't heal-toe everywhere. Lord knows the RX-8 is made only for the mountain twisties and is completely impractical for everything else. Everything else demands a SUV.

 

OK there, DAD!!!

SO the rx8 is only made for twisty roads and manual shifting??? Then I guess I should just stick to a Tercel !!

 

Personally I think the MT is more fun, but if your into looks and crusiing and dont plan on racing the car, AT is fine. I drive one a couple weeks back just for the hell of it and while it is much slower overall than the MT, it still handles like buttah.

And saving some cash is always good. So if your more an AT guy, go for it. The car is still a badass car. Your just not gonna get to 60 quite as quick as others. If I did mainly city driving I might have even thought of an AT as well, but thankfully I do much more open highway driving.

Still faster than or as fast as the rest of the stuff out there anyways.

 

It's a little bit annoying driving stick in traffic. But driving stick NOT in traffic makes up for it

I guess if all you want is a pretty car, the 8 is that. But driving stick is 100 times more rewarding if you're willing to put up the rare situations where it's annoying.

Two other options:
-public transportation to get to/from work; lots of people in NYC get by without a car entirely. Then just drive the car on weekends.
-get into work either before or after rush hour. I come in to work at 9:30-10:00 and it lets me avoid all the Beltway Hell we get in DC.

john

 

Surprised these statements haven't been corrected yet.

* F1 cars do NOT have fully automatic transmissions. Those were banned 2-3 years ago. They all use semi-autos throughout the whole race.

* A semi-automatic is NOT the same as an automatic. Not even close. Here's a brief explanation:

- As you know, a manual transmission has a gear shift lever and a clutch. In a semi-automatic transmission (e.g., those used in F1 cars, the BMW SMG, and the Ferrari semi-auto), the gear shift lever and clutch are hydraulically oeprated. In essence, these are manual transmissions with a different, faster way of manipulating gears.

- An automatic transmission (and the Tiptronic style shifter used in the RX8 AT) are completely different types of transmissions, using a torque converter instead of a clutch and using a planetary gear set, like a traditional automatic transmission. In essence, the RX8 AT merely is an AT with a "neat" way of shifting gears.

Here is an article explaining how automatic transmissions work.

 

Well, this thread WAS 6 months dead! There's a few of us who do try to correct misconceptions like these, but there have been so many posts like this over the months that some slipped through! Thanks, though, it is always important to keep this straight.

Regards,
Gordon

 

It's funny how most of the manual owners always bash the auto owners. Is that the only thing manual owners have to say when you buy an automatic sports car? Do you guys ever think that a sports car is not always about 0-60 times? To tell you the truth I would prefer having an automatic with manual mode any day if they could produce the same times as the manuals. Yes I know as of now they can't. But if they did, a lot of manual owner would be popping their butts in an automatic. Everyone has their own preference, so don't start bashing people just because of their transmission in their car! The RX8 is a great car regardless of your transmission preference. But if you’re about 0-60 times, which it seems that your not, then it shouldn’t matter anyways! I'll tell you one thing name one thing that the auto RX8 doesn’t have besides 0-60 times that the manual owners have?

A).How many more things can RX8 owners name besides 0-60 times that would make an auto RX8 a sports car?

B).What if Mazda gave the automatic more HP, how many of the manual owners would jump over to the auto just because of 0-60 time being faster???

C).Now besides the transmission what makes the auto RX8 anything but a sports car?

D).How many sports cars can you name that have an automatic transmission?

Dude buy what is best for you and you can always pop that automatic 8 into manual mode and hear the beep! I own an auto and love it to death. I'm not all about 0-60 times anyways, I'm about being able to get the chicks in the car and that’s exactly what the 8 does for me! To me the RX8 shows its sporty side and its classy side at the same time!

 

I have no harsh feeling for either owners of the auto or manual. Both types of owners still own a unique car not matter what. The RX8 is the best looking car on the road, point blank!

 

You can delete your posts. Go to edit..

 

I learned how to drive a stick just before I was faced with making the decision. I did it primarily because my early "front-runner" was an Acura RSX Type-S which ONLY comes in a manual. However, faced with dropping $30k on an RX-8 (a superior vehicle in all respects), I elected to go automatic, because a) I still wasn't super-comfortable with driving a stick, and b) my daily commute didn't seem to warrant driving a stick that much (although people have since told me my commute actually is *perfect* for stick driving, c'est la vie)...

The only real "regret" (and it's not even that much) is that the aftermarket environment, in terms of performance and such, seems aimed at manual transmissions. I do this with every car I buy (I've bought two before this one, all traded in now), but "This is going to be the car I'm going to learn how to fix/maintain myself!" Of course, working with an automatic transmission seems like it's going to be more "fiddly" than with a manual transmission...

Otherwise, screw it, I LOVE my automatic transmission. On those days I drive "zombie like" to work, it's one less thing to worry about. On those days I drive home and hit that straight, empty stretch of Skyline, I get to shove the shifter to "manual" and scream up to speed from a dead stop.

As for that RSX... My automatic RX-8 is shy only 3 hp from the RSX Type-S, and the automatic shifts so smoothly, I bet I could take 'em down off the line pretty easily.

...Paul

 

It seems you already know the answer, MT. Good luck.

 

Well--I was faced with this choice 2 weeks ago--I learned to drive a stick before I went out shopping for RX8s--I had listened to stick drivers bash the autos forever and believed I was finally gonna get the 6spd and be done--however the real deciding factor was cost--I got a killer deal on a sport package auto and that was it--the only regret I have is that the car is limited in aftermarket right now. It handles just as well as the 6spd -just slower. I also use to have an auto 93 RX7--with mods it was close to 300HP before I lost it in a flood--it would take stock M/T 350Zs, S2000s, G35s, and RX8s as well as C4 Corvettes--so I've had my speed days--and I'm 22 right now. When I finish my doctorate then perhaps I'll change my tune.

 

There's a hell of a lot more to wanting a MT over an AT than 0-60 times. In fact with many cars where the HP of the AT and MT are the same it's the track (with turns) where the MT really shines.

What makes it less of a sportscar? To me sportscars are all about fun, and putting a 4 speed slushbox on a sportscar with low torque and far less HP than the MT engine takes all the fun out of it.

 

The manual shines on the track? Give me one good reason why their coming out with the automatic/manual trans now? Slushbox to you, but everyones views on cars might be different from yours. Both manual and auto RX8's have the same cc(1308) and comp ratio of 10.0:1 By the way we(auto) owners have more torque then manual owners dont forget that! So I guess what your saying is that I can have a Geo Metro and it can be a sports car as long as I have a manual trans in it? Thats what it sounds like to me.

 

You need to work on your reading comprehension.

 

If you're refering to a SMG type tranny, that is noty a slushbox. It has more in common with a MT than a traditional AT. Why is it so popular? Because people are lazy asses that don't know how to appreciate the full driving experience. Take an M3 with an SMG and take a 6 speed M3 around a track with equal drivers the SMG will lose every time even though it shifts faster.

 

How would it lose if it shifts faster, that makes no sense! I got news for you and I have no idea if you own an RX8 or not but the RX8 is a great driving experience no matter what trans you have in it. You need to become a professional driver because thats all it seems that you like to do! Stick to your straight line 0-60 times in your WRX because thats all that car is good for. The interior of that car is horrible by the way! To me and most people in this world a car is more thans is 0-60 times and it trans!!!

 

If you're talking about F1 cars and SMG type shifters, as stated above, they have more in common with manual transmissions than they do with traditional automatics. Basically, an automatic has a torque converter and a manual has a clutch. In an SMG-type semi-auto, the clutch is hydraulically operated.

If you're talking about Tiptronic style automatics (like the one in the RX8 AT), the only reason they're coming out with them is because the uninformed can pretend they are driving a manual. It's a marketing gimmick.

The manual mode is just a different way of shifting gears and is no faster (0-60) than leaving the car in D. It does allow you to downshift before a corner, but so does putting the selector into 3.

 

Just my 2 cents worth....

My RX-8 is comming in this week and I'm getting a MT (I've always had MT in all of my cars except the Audi Allroad that my wife drives).

IMO, Tiptronic transmissions are a total gimmic. I never use it on the Audi. It isn't any faster shifting (I fact it is slower and more combersome) and I agree the only real use of it is to control a downshift for passing. Of course, using it like this is not different than the O/D off button you find on econoboxes.

I test drove an Audi TT that had a real semi-automatic box with dual hydraulic clutches, and it is a completely different animal. Shifts are so quick! But I would still get a manual! I just like being in complete control of my car.

 

Thats funny because I believe an auto owner on this site has posted faster times in manual mode then just by leaving it in D. I believe he has proof too. Might want to look it up.

I feel a difference specially when I hit the metal to the pedal. I've never heard the beep if I'm in D but on the other hand when I have it in manual mode I can hear it.

Manual owners need to give the auto owners some slack, we all know a manual is faster than an auto. Everyone has their own reasons why they picked their car, so dont go knocking them becaus of their trans. There more to a car than its TRANS!!

 

I personally don't like AT, but I would never make fun of someone who buys an AT. It's their hard earned (borrowed) money.

I only find that with the rest of the mindless masses out there in their AT Suburbans, Camarys and Sunfires, just don't know how to drive with any kind of flow. In traffic, I hate being stuck behind the person who stomps back and forth between the gas and the brake.

I general, I find that people driving MT are more aware and able to keep traffic flowing since it's in their best interest not to come to a full stop.

Just my opion.