Can a Lambo, Ferarri, Porsch, Gts, or Corvettes go on snow - sure, but should they - depends on how much you are willing to lose...

I plan to keep my 8 a very long time - Old Red the 323 goes on snow, mud, stream beds, swamps and log roads... I save the Blue 8 for town, touring, and church...She goes under wraps even for rain!

 

^good choice

 

but not one we can all make.

so

my rx8 goes in the snow and i enjoy driving it in the snow.

dont enjoy driving it on heavily salted roads. :/

snow is np! its just water.

 

^
exactly. You'd be extremely surprised how many people seem to actually think that snow is just as bad as salt, and that the two are interchangable.

When I had my 8, the only thing that kept me from driving in the snow the first year was a lack of snow tires. I drove it in everything I could, and bought it new. I bought snow tires the following summer for a great deal, but ironically never got to use them since i sold it the following august. Yeah, didn't see that one comin lol.

 

I've been browsing this forum for a bit (since I am looking to get an RX8) and I had a similar question about driving in snow.

I am looking for a used RX8, and am trying to decide between a '04 MT/GT or an '05 base MT. The only reason I am looking at th GT is because they have slip diff. I live up north in NY (Ithaca), and I was wondering if the limited slip will help make driving in snow any easier/safer than the base - ofcourse, I will be getting snow tires.
I am not a bad driver, but have never driven RWD before.
So, I guess, my question is:

Is limited slip diff worth buying an '04 GT instead of an '05/'06 base, since if I get an 04, I will loose out on the transmission warranty.
TIA.

I am excited at the prospect of getting an RX8, and for the first time in a loong while, I can imagine spending weekends washing and waxing the car. What a car!!

 

GT's are more then just a limited slip differential. They also have DSC/TC, Xenon headlights, often times a sunroof, and a slew of other options. If the only option you're buying it for is the limited slip, i'm not sure on that one.

What's your primary useage going to be? If you plan to track/AX it all, i'd go with the GT. Since it's only 1 year apart, i don't know if the base would be worth it otherwise. How many miles are on them? Are they from private owners? Trannys on the 8 seem pretty well made, but still experience their share of problems.

 

Thanks Stavesacre,

Naah..it is the entire GT package. I am just trying to understand if all those options (DSC/slip diff) will make snow driving that much safer - I used to drive a toyota tercel '95 with nothing (no power steering even), so I can drive pretty well in snow - but that was an FWD.

The cars have around 45K miles - right now, I am looking at both dealers and private owners.

I will race it, but probably in autocross only. Otherwise, it will mostly be used to drive from home to Boston, etc - long drives, since I take the bus for work.

I guess I am concerned about both both the transmission as well as the clutch, since a couple of posts here suggest that that might be a problem - but that is just based on limited reading, so I could be completely off base.

Thanks for the feedback - I really appreciate it. I am new to the world of rotary, so the info that I've found on this forum really makes me feel much more comfortable about taking the plunge.

cheers!

 

Just my $0.02, but it sounds like you're gonna wanna try out a GT with what you're saying. If you get an 05, you're gonna have what? Maybe another 6-8 months of warranty? As long as you find an 04 from a GOOD owner that took care of theirs, you should have just as good of a gaurantee, if not at least for 6-8 months.

I'd stay out of the base with your needs.

 

buy studded snow tires and you should be fine. stock tires will kill you.

 

I always thought that LSD is standard on all manual ?

 

Are those street legal anywhere these days?

Ken

 

^In certain areas of the country they are a must.

 

That's what I thought as well. Are we mistaken?

 

2 child seats in mine. one forward facing one rearward facing. rear facing is behind me . You need to try them out before you buy. some child seats are IMPOSSIBLE> One we tried wouldnt even fit behind us in the old subie outback wagon. but the one we have now can fit behind me or my wife(shes slightly taller).

as mentioned many times before- BOTH my kids have come home from birth in the RX-8. It was bought as my family car. they go with me in the 8 to get groceries

 

Yes, every MT RX-8 (NA) has a LSD. You can also have a Sport w/ TCS/DSC and xenon headlights such as mine (04-05).

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...d+limited+slip
https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/limited-slip-differential-open-differential-4635/
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...ode=RX8&bhcp=1[/QUOTE]

 

Thanks guys! Looks like I will be going for a GT version soonish. I guess the only thing I now need to learn is how to spot a good car, apart from getting it checked by a qualified mechanic.

Ken, I know that in NY, studded tires are legal from Oct to April/May, except in NYC, where they are not legal at any time during the year. Not sure about other states, but would be surprised if any state that gets heavy snow/winter would prohibit them, atleast in winter.

On the other hand, I think NY does not allow use of snow chains, except to get out if you are stuck..Not too sure of that though.

 

Nice to know that modern winter rubber hasn't squeezed honest metal completely out. I used to get studs in the old days of rear wheel drive, snow tires on the back only. They were fantastic on ice, not that much help on snow or slush. Eventually made illegal here in Virginia, which isn't exactly the snow belt.

Chains were always fun, as long as you put them on the car while still in the garage, and not in the middle of a snow drift after getting stuck.

Ken