Rick

7.5K RPM is redline for the AT. However, you can take it to 8K RPM before it hits fuel cut.

mr2000x

Has anyone else made mods on their auto? Post a pic if possible!

Thanks

SimplexEffect

I am adding K&N Typhoon Intake System & GReddy Exhaust by the time of March next year.

But for now its just gonna be that spoiler im purchasing for X~Mas.

bmcc49er

WTH? How could a new transmission a week old not be covered under warranty?

mr2000x

Cool, what spoiler have you decided to go for?

budebaker

Pardon my ignorance, but does the spoiler make much of a difference in performance, or is it mostly cosmetic?

mr2000x

Well check this explanation out, hope it helps u understand the concept.

If a car goes fast enough and if the spoiler is designed correctly,

the car will have the opposite of what an airplane has to make it fly.

This is called 'anti-lift'.

The shape of the spoiler causes the car to have more weight due to the flow of air over the spoiler.

So, the faster the car goes the less chance it has of flying/lifting.

Just think of it as downward 'G-force'! :p

Hope that helped dude

RX Renesis

geez... ur just making it harder for people to understand it... simply it's jsut "downforce"

easy enough!?

mr2000x

lol @ RX Renesis

Did i go into too much physics there?

Dlin23

my a/t 8...lil old pics but here are a few. I got a 8inch lcd dvd player on dash now but it not in pics.

mr2000x

Dude that rear spoiler looks awesome

looking at the engine bay pic i just realised since yours is lhd, the w/s/washer liquid and brake fluid are on the opposite side to mine, freaky, never seen or thought about that b4

thanks 4 sharing the pics

Vertigo-1

iTrader: (3)

Umm...noooooot quite. I own an AT myself and it takes a little over a second for it to get into the next gear from the moment I shift, and that's if it's feeling up to it. There are some times where it strangely lags and takes over 2 seconds to get into gear, most noticeable if you shift while going down a hill with partial acceleration. If I accelerate down a hill, shift, then release the gas to coast, it just takes forever to get into the next gear, which is definitely one of the bigger annoyances I have with the AT. You can without a doubt shift way faster with a manual, especially if you have a short shifter and pop the clutch on the shift. Probably around half a second for the shift.

The second gear, as others have mentioned, is just stupidly tall. I mean, one gear handling everything from 10 to 70 mph seems a little wierd. Makes it impossible to get good revs out of the engine without blowing speed limits to kingdom come around town. On the upside, it might be good for dragging, as you can probably stay in 2nd while the other guy needs to shift twice probably.

I do enjoy being able to go through twisties without having to worry about a clutch. I doubt I'd be able to coordinate rev matching into a curve with a clutch while going 50. Much easier to just knock the stick and rev match, knowing the next gear will automatically slide in and catch on its own.

I prefer using the stick to shift, because there's practically no way to hit those paddles while going through a tight turn, and, strange as this may sound considering it's an AT to begin with, there's just something boring about pressing a button to shift vs. moving a lever. :p

mr2000x

Interesting post. I must say a few things here:

When changing gear in MY AUTO, the gear change is almost instant, for sure there's no 1 or 2 second wait. As soon as i tap the paddle its already in gear.

I would believe though, that, maybe around the world, manufacturers using different parts, build techniques and abiding by governing laws, this could perhaps have a major role with what your referring too.

Some owners here have had many problems with their auto tranny's, where i haven't had one. So obviously somewhere something isn't quite right!

But again there is another thread on this and you can see my views there, but in short, there is no way that an auto is slower in engaging gear as a manual, since in the manual, it's not done automatically but manually!!

But maybe if your tranny isn't upto speed, and while this could be the case for some, it is certainly not the case for the majority!

About what you prefer to use while engaging gear, whether it be the paddle or stick, this is one of the great things on this car, that make it the car it is.

I mean, if u didn't want to change gear yourself, the car would even do that 4 u aswell.

Your view about the prefered method to change gear by stick refering to the paddle as boring, perhaps makes me incline to believe, you would have been alot happier in a manual to start with.

There are some people today that would still go and buy a manual ferrari than go for the F1 gearbox. These people to me have a desired preference, although F1 is always my choice on high end cars with this option. It would be far easier to find a second hand manual ferrari, than it would be to find one with the F1 style gearbox!

If jumping into a Gallardo, what u said about long gears on this car would have u stomped in your tracks. In closing here, i would say in my view, the RX8 auto gears are not long enough, although if i had the option i would ask for one or two more gears rather than longer ones. :D

This is a fab car to drive around, it's probably more fun than most and in my opinion the manual version of this car doesn't even come close 2 the auto! :p

Everyone has a view and i respect yours, here, i have only given mine.

Thanks

ironmedic

i had to get an automatic cuz my wife cant drive a stick
i still love it though, one less thing i have to do while driving!

mr2000x

Glad to hear u still love the '8.

Do u ever find yourself feeling sporty sticking it in 'M' and using the paddles, if so what do u think of them?? Let us know!

Thanks

Thought i'd upload a pic of the dvd player in action aswell, not the best pic but u get the idea :o

Phil's 8

iTrader: (3)

I would.

mr2000x

There seems to be some fellow RX8-ers, who have had problems with their auto transmissions.

There are others who haven't had any problems!

Due to this being such an important issue, i've created a poll for all RX8 4AT owners to vote in.

This poll will give us an overall picture from around the world, so feel free to vote!

The link belows take you there, if this poll moves elsewhere, i will edit this post and redirect!

https://www.rx8club.com/polls-70/rx8-4at-owners-only-tranny-poll-46938/

Thanks

DreRX8

Of course I wish the auto had 5 or 6 speeds and more power--honestly if it had the extra gears I think that the existing powerband would be enjoyable. I always drive mine in manual mode. Supposedly an auto is in the works for the hi-power and also an SMG tranny for '06. Of course take those rumours with a grain of salt.

canaryrx8

iTrader: (3)

I like the fact the auto is about choices, you're not stuck with having to change gears every time you get in the car. I have no disrespect for the manual and I totally understand some folks like to play with a clutch and some don't. I do know that sometimes after a long hard day at work or whatever, it's nice to get in the car and sit behind the wheel and just drive. Then if I want to have a little fun I can take it on over to the manual mode and shift etc. I don't believe that either car is better than the other, nor do I believe a transmisssion defines what a "sports car" is. I'm just grateful I have such an awesome car, sure there is a lot to compare it to, it may not be the fastest car ever, of course it has its problems as does ANY first year vehicle. (thankfully mine has been flawless). what I don't get is that people kept screaming "bring back the rotary bring back the rotary" now that they finally have all I hear is complaining . We should all be grateful we have such an awesome car, owning the 8 is like owning a piece of history regardless of which tranny you have.

Tayninh

canaryrx8: have you posted yet to the forgiven.....com site yet? Just wondering. I think I saw one post once.

Gord96BRG

A few comments about automatic transmissions - you must have a very rare one that shifts more quickly than a well-driven manual transmission! For the most part, automatics DO shift slower than a manual being driven by someone who is trying to shift quickly.

In an RX-8, there are significant mechanical differences between the auto (referred to by Mazda as "Low-Power") and manual trans engines (referred to by Mazda as "Hi-Power"). The number of ports and intake manifold tracts are different to provide much more power from 6000 to 9000 rpm. Since the auto trans is mechanically incapable of surviving at over 7000 rpm, there was no point in Mazda providing the more expensive manifold system.

The RX-8 has a 4 speed auto (traditional slushbox, torque converter automatic trans, like nearly every Buick etc. of the last 50 years) because it was an off-the-shelf part. Mazda did not have the engineering budget to develop a new 5 speed auto trans in time for the RX-8's introduction. I have posted on this board many times over the past year+ that Mazda will be introducing a 5 speed automatic for the 2006 model year RX-8, and that 5 speed will be able to handle the full 9000 rpm redline (and power) of the hi-power engine (I expect Mazda North America to drop the low-power engine completely when the new auto appears for 2006). They will also be introducing a 6 speed SMG type gearbox at the same time.

Speaking of the forthcoming 6 speed SMG type transmission - your comment about a Ferrari F1 gearbox indicates either that you don't understand that the F1/SMG gearboxes are very different than slushbox automatics, or you are nearly delusional with your wishful thinking! A slushbox like the RX-8s uses a torque converter and a planetary gearbox, as do every slushbox-based tiptronic/geartronic etc. system. It doesn't matter what "-tronic" name you give to the electronic controls, they're still regular old Buick-style slushboxes, that will always be less mechanically efficient than a manual gearbox. The Ferrari F1, BMW's SMG, Toyota's SMT, etc. are true manual gearboxes with regular clutches, but the shifter and clutch are actuated by computer-controlled hydraulic servos.

Regards,
Gordon

canaryrx8

iTrader: (3)

Haven't posted there in a while, still visit from time to time just been really busy and swamped with bad luck lately

JeRKy 8 Owner

That SMG option is going to be pretty useless unless theyadd some power to this car

DreRX8

An SMG in the RX8 would be a very interesting proposition. How quick would the 'hi-power" RX8 be with a 5spd auto tranny or 6spd SMG? My guess is a mid 6-low 7 second 0-60 car?

mr2000x

Although i'm happy to hear about the new smg stlye boxes u speak of, i think if your going to quote me you can at least do it in context and not out!

This was the comment before:-

Your view about the prefered method to change gear by stick refering to the paddle as boring, perhaps makes me incline to believe, you would have been alot happier in a manual to start with

I was merely making the point that some people would be suited in a manual rather than an auto-

NOT comparing an smg style box to that of our RX8's auto!!!

By the way Gord96grd what car do u own, a manual or auto?