So I've read about all of those little things that make us love our 8's in another thread, but as found recently there are a few things that the salesguy didn't point out that I wouldn't have known about if I hadn't read the manual or just tried them out. Since I've only had the car a week, I'd like to hear from others of features they've 'discovered'.

1. Silly one - but I now know that if I hold the up or down arrow on the steering wheel radio controls for a couple of seconds that it will search for the next station. I kept wondering how to do that.

2. The headlights apparently clean themselves when you have the wipers on. Read that in the manual, but not sure what it means.

3. The little reference card does not have the correct way to program the Homelink garage door opener on the rearview mirror. You actually have to hold the key down for 20 seconds or so until it starts blinking slowly, then press your controller a few times until it blinks quickly. Then you have to let your garage door opener know about it. The reference card doesn't mention that you have to hold it down for 20 seconds before it looks for your controller.

I'm sure there are others, would like to hear about them so I don't have to wait a year to find out some cool thing that I didn't know about.

Paul

 

Here, check it out :

https://www.rx8club.com/australia-new-zealand-forum-37/10-things-new-rx-8-owners-should-know-day-1-a-35405/

 

The one that blew me away (I'm impressed easily) is that the rear view mirror is double-hinged. If you're tall, try moving that sucker up, you'll be amazed.

 

Thanks for that link, hadn't seen that one. I've read tons of stuff here. Learned a couple of new things. Hope there's more.

 

Welcome to the "cult." Can't think of any little tricks or secrets about the 8 at this late hour, but keep going through the manual and keep it handy and in the car wherever you drive it. It's a tad more complicated than learning how to use a new cellphone, to say the least, but it will all become second nature soon enough. Was just down in your area a couple of weeks ago--may be back soon and looking for 8's on the road. What color is yours?

 

The RX-8 attracts hordes of onlookers when in a parking lot, but it actually becomes almost invisible to people approaching quickly from behind, often resulting in expensive rear-end damage.

 

Also becomes invisible to people in the right lane and people making left turns in front of you. I've been run off the road by right-laners changing lanes numerous times, and had at least 4 people pull our right in front of me when I was going 50+ mph.

 

Well in that case, I should back my 8 up to the nearest ATM and rip it off the wall. I'll be invisible! :p

 

I like this invisibility theory. I think other drivers are just dumbasses, so drive defensively! Especially when you have a sweet *** ride like an RX-8.

 

How do the headlights clean themselves? I don't have my manual handy.

 

It's not in the manual, but I hear on the 6-speed if you turn off DSC/TCS and rev to 8000 and dump the clutch in first, the rear wheels will spin and make lots of noise... It also makes u-turns a lot easier!

 

Not available on the US versions.

 

I think we sit too low for the SUV/minivan crowd to see easily out the rear view mirror. The blind spot makes it hard to see them, too. Bad combo.

The manual does a nice job of explaining home-link. It works way better than the actual opener (3x distance).

 

yah those little tiles infront of the headlights on the euro version pop open and spray them . thats only on euro version only.

 

And Canadian Versions...

They work every third tap of the wiper sprayer or so... but only when the headlights are turned on.

And not everybody likes them... It's not a great thing when youve just washed your car. It covers the hood in fluid.

 

I find that my homelink has LESS range than the normal opener ... maybe my normal opener had a freakishly long range

 

all this is in the little things thread...

 

Wow, a face from the past! Haven't heard from you in a while.

For those of you who don't know, 8 wannabe started the best thread ever on this forum, a must read: "The little things."

It's a sticky. :D

 

Thanks - I'll have to give that a try. I was unable to get my homelink to work after following the manual to the letter....

 

5th tap according to the manual - but I have this habit of using a couple of squirts every time I activate it so it kinda works out to every 3 times anyway.

Try it on a dark back road with mainbeam on - you get cool spooky shadows stretching about half a mile. :D

They do seem to keep the headlights clean.

 

Yes, that's a euro/canada feature, but the original poster is listed as being from the "OC" CA (assuming Orange County, California).

intheOC, did you buy a Canadian RX8?

 

sorry for thread jack, but is it possible or has anyone done the US->CAN bumper conversion to include the washers? wondering what is entailed. IMHO after having them on my current car, they DO come in handy when snowy/raining/mucky out.

 

I remember someone in this forum mentioned that it would be cool to modify the Headlight sprayers so that when those annoying windshield washers guys comes to wash your window and gets his dirty self next to your RX8, so that the washer will spray him instead of the lights. ....


...or modify it so that it could spray that car next to you if the driver was pissing you off.


...oh the possiblities. :D

 

Man, between the headlight washers, the auto climate control, and a better auto transmission, why are the US versions so handicapped? Is there anything MazdaUSA made for us as an advantage? I feel gypped.

 

Advantage ........... um, you decide ..... Only US RX-8s come with the Tire Pressure Monitoring System.