Just got my 2004 RX8 GT yesterday. The car is so much fun, and I can't believe something that looks that good in every dimension, and handles the way it does, was as cheap as it was.

My question is, when should I shift when I'm not playing around with it? 2500 RPM? 3500 RPM? With this car, it's so easy to get to 5000 rpm with out even trying.

What do you guys think?

Also, I put in 93 Octane gas. Anyone put anything different in (91 or 89)? The reason I ask is because I Work an hour away from where I live, so I drive 100 miles a day. It's not going to be fun filling up every other day, especially high test.

 

Well, your manual gives recommend shift points that are approximately 14, 21, 28, 36, 46.

The first one ends up being around 3500, then 3000, then subsequently are 2500-2750 range. Basically, try for right about 3000.

Edit: My premium seems to be 92. I drive 70 miles roundtrip for work each day. I shift as close to those points as possible. I do in a place or two each way rev up over 5000 and make sure I redline it on occasion. I get an average of 23 mpg.

 

good advice, Bunny Girl. Thanks a ton.

I'll try to keep it around the 3,000 mark, for gas purposes. 23 mpg isn't great, but I think I'm doing a lot worse than that (I've driven it 150 miles and the tank is more than half empty. Of course, I just got it, so I am flooring it everywhere....

 

When premium starts getting up around 3.30/gal I put in 89 and it seems to do fine. I don't really notice much difference at all from 89 to 93. I do a mix of city/hwy and get around 250 miles per tank.

 

3000...that seems extremely low to me.

 

Normal driving I usually shift around at 4-4.5k Any lower than that It seems like traffic around me is zooming by.

 

shift when it feels good; gas mileage is not so much where you shift but how heavy your foot on the pedal is........(and 3000 does seem too low, to the point of lugging)

Me, if I'm in one of my "I swear I'm gonna get above 16mpg moods) try to shift at about 4000. If I'm driving normally, around 5-6K.

But the whole dymamics of the car improve drastically (not just shifting but handling, steering, etc) when you leave the tach above say, maybe 5K

 

and Bunny, I gotta know how you're getting 23mpg.............you got like an auxillary rabbit or something in your engine??....)

 

Maybe.

I don't know. Just lucky I guess. I do mixed driving, also.

My usual commute involves 12 miles of country roads with varying speeds and stop signs. Lots of nice curves though! Then I have four stop lights (not all of them are red on the same trip, just usually two of them). Then I get on highway, for about three miles before it turns into two stop lights, although between the first and second light it might as well be a four-way stop because that is how traffic seems to move when we aren't sitting idling for several minutes. Then I get on I-205 where it promptly varies between 15-55 mph all within about an 8-10 mile stretch for no apparent reason. I then get on I-84 where it moves between 50-55 mph for maybe a mile and then starts slowing down to around 35. Up to a mile after that it turns into maybe 15 mph and lots of idling. Then comes where it splits into I-5, where we go maybe 5 mph on the ramp with tons of stopping. I then get to drive about 500 feet on I-5 at about 15 mph before exiting. Then I hit stoplights pretty much every block as I make my way to the bridge to get downtown, where I then promptly stop every block to maybe every other block if I am lucky. Then I get to my lovely parking garage at work, where I will have to circle the basement (staff parking) a time or two before I give up and pull over in front of the security shed to wait for someone to leave. During this my car idles for about 10 minutes because if I am sitting there with my car off security will come over and have a tantrum because they seem to think I am parking there. This commute is 35 miles from my house. Meanwhile, if I leave 5-10 minutes later to go to work I would spend nearly my whole time from I-205 on at 20 mph or less and get to work late. Otherwise I get there about a half hour early. At least on the way home traffic is much lighter and moving since I get off at 11:30 p.m.

Edit: My car doesn't in the slightest feel like it is lugging around 3000 rpms. However, when I have to drive at 5 mph in the parking garage (security seems to scream otherwise ) it definitely feels like it is lugging. Must go 7 mph before it stops.

 

If I'm being conservative I generally shift between 3 and 3.5k and the car feels fine.

When I'm wanting to hurry a bit it's around 5-6k.

I generally go about 1 red line a day, perhaps less.

 

well first gear puts you at 42mph at the fuel cut off point so you can just throw in 6th from there ... though i may see that you would like the jerk of the cut off then get i to the beep which is about 37mph and just cruise in 5th from there

heh .. city driving makes you try some strange things .. i wont be sharing my mileage results though i've noticed them improve over time without really changing the driving style

ohh yeah pretty much any grade of fuel works .. just be warry of some cheapo gas station that may have low quality fuel

 

When I have to accelerate much more quickly than the normal I usually do 1, 3, 5, 6, which is where I get up over the 5K range.

 

shift when you want to. just don't bog the engine.

 

I'm averaging around 21 mpg on the crap that they call gas here in California. My normal driving is about 70% highway. I shift quite low and generally try to stay below 3750, though get the car above 7250 at least once per drive.

 

3750 is generally a good shift point. But when pulling out into traffic, It's normally around 5000rpm in first, 4500rpm in second, etc..

 

My tank is hovering around the half right now and I have 178.

 

Secondary fuel injectors inject at 3750, shift below that on normal driving.

I typically shift around 3100, and get 19mpg, that's 80% city driving, and I redline a few times a day at least, I might as well enjoy the car.

A few beeps a day keeps the Mazda dealer away?

 

........and gets you marbles.

 

I shift around 4-5K. I don't think I've redlined yet. Should I? And if so, which gear?

 

Redline it in second.

You could redline it in third or fourth if you have a good radar/laser detector. :-)

 

that changed with the new flash it's much higher now...

 

23 mpg... I wish.. I'm getting about 17-18 mpg.. I try shifting around 3500 but like you said it's so easy to be a 6000 rpms and no realize it..

 

o rly? What is it now?

 

17-19 I Wish... I average about 13-15!! That's mostly short burst driving... Lots of stop signs and back roads...
Highway 100% I only get about 19 tops...
I hit 8k just about every time there's no one else in front of me. That's in 1st and then by second, I am usually already at the point where if i got stopped they'd take my licence. But if I have the right Road, I'll shift at 8k or higher every time.
Especially on the Turn pike... I'll be in 3rd gear at 90+ before I even know it... Usually it beeps at me as I'm sliding to the left passing the people in front of me on the on ramp....

But seriously, In the grand scheem of things, yes better milage would be great but it's the price you pay... As for shifting at 3-4K, Why have the car in the first place?? Some of them get better gas milage then other's it's luck of the draw...

 

I'm sorry. I'm having a hard time getting my head around this. I actually tried this routine of shifting at 3K today as some folks here have advocated. I felt like I was driving my nephews beater Volvo!!!

What is a "nice curve" when you're probably in (at least) 6th gear at this point. What possible, and please, somebody enlighten me, benefit is it to drive this particular car like a Volvo when the highest awards given to the car is handling, weight distribution, perfect balance, etc, etc, etc.........

Check it out. The car responds beautifully to trottle input, steering angle, etc, etc....

I'm not advocating crazy, stupid driving. But come on, you own an RX8. Yes, I know the gas mileage sucks. But what is the real point of buying an 8 just so you can drive it like my mothers Honda.....................