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BRAND
Bridgestone Bridgestone Michelin Michelin Pirelli Pirelli Yokohama Dunlop Dunlop Kumho Yokohama Avon Michelin
Potenza RE050A Potenza S-03 Pole Position Pilot Sport Pilot Sport PZero Nero PZero Rosso Asimmetrico ADVAN Neova AD07 Direzza DZ101 SP Sport 8090 ECSTA SPT AVS ES100 Tech M550 A/S Pilot HX MXM4
Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall
Size:225/45YR18 Size:225/45YR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45ZR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45YR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45YR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45VR18
PRICE $211.00 $223.00 $207.00 $232.00 $215.00 $212.00 $245.00 $129.00 $238.00 $99.00 $156.00 $136.00 $219.00
PERFORMANCE Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Max Performance Summer Ultra High Performance Summer Ultra High Performance Summer Ultra High Performance Summer Ultra High Performance Summer Ultra High Performance All-Season Grand Touring All-Season
CATEGORY
SPEED RATING YR YR WR ZR WR YR WR WR WR YR WR WR VR
TREADLIFE WARRANTY None None None None None None None None None None None None None
HANDLING RATING 9.4 9 8.9 8.9 8.6 8.5 N/A 8 N/A N/A 8.3 8.5 6.6
DRY TRACTION 9.4 9.2 9.1 9.1 8.9 8.8 N/A 8.5 N/A N/A 8.6 8.9 7.1
WET TRACTION 8.5 8.7 8.1 8.1 8.3 7.6 N/A 7.5 N/A N/A 7.8 8.9 5.8
SNOW TRACTION N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 7.8 4.4
RIDE COMFORT 8.4 7.8 7.7 7.7 8.1 7.3 N/A 8.5 N/A N/A 7.4 8.8 6.7
NOISE COMFORT 8.3 7.6 7.3 7.3 8 7.2 N/A 8.1 N/A N/A 7 8.8 6.4
WEAR 7.2 6.6 6.7 6.7 7.3 5 N/A 8 N/A N/A 6.6 8.8 6.2
TREADWEAR RATING 140 220 220 220 220 220 180 300 280 320 280 360 300
TRACTION RATING A AA AA AA AA AA AA A AA AA AA AA A
TEMPERATURE RATING A A A A A A A A A A A A A
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BRAND
Bridgestone Bridgestone Continental Dunlop Pirelli Avon Michelin
Blizzak LM-22 Blizzak LM-25 ContiWinterContact TS790 V Winter Sport M3 Winter 240 SnowSport Tech M550 A/S Pilot HX MXM4
Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall Blackwall
Size:225/45VR18
Size:225/45VR18 Size:225/45VR18 Load Rating: XL Size:225/45VR18 Size:225/45VR18 Size:225/45WR18 Size:225/45VR18
Load Rating: XL Load Rating: XL
PRICE 223 198 198 178 198 136 219
PERFORMANCE Performance Winter Performance Winter Performance Winter Performance Winter Performance Winter Ultra High Performance All-Season Grand Touring All-Season
CATEGORY
SPEED RATING VR VR VR VR VR WR VR
TREADLIFE WARRANTY None None None None None None None
HANDLING RATING 7.8 N/A N/A 8.1 8 8.5 6.6
DRY TRACTION 8.1 N/A N/A 8.3 8.2 8.9 7.1
WET TRACTION 8.3 N/A N/A 8.7 8.4 8.9 5.8
SNOW TRACTION 8.9 N/A N/A 9.2 8.5 7.8 4.4
RIDE COMFORT 8.1 N/A N/A 8.5 8.2 8.8 6.7
NOISE COMFORT 7.6 N/A N/A 8.2 8 8.8 6.4
WEAR 7.8 N/A N/A 8.4 8.1 8.8 6.2
TREADWEAR RATING NONE NONE NONE NONE .ONE 360 300
TRACTION RATING NONE NONE NONE NONE N/A AA A
TEMPERATURE RATING NONE NONE NONE NONE N/A A A
There was about 12 inches of snow yesterday in Kansas City with about 1 to 2 inches on the pavement. And my stock tires were COMPLETELY USELESS! Running at 20MPH on flat roads, my car slid left and ride at the rear end. It was difficult to steer it back to a straight line. At about 300 feet away, I was afraid I would crash into the oncoming car even at that speed. :surprise: The car's light weight combined with those worthless stock tires were enough to force myself into spending $840 on a set of Dunlop Winter Sport M3s. I'm not taking any chances on all seasons.
Can anyone help me with what may be going wrong or what I need to do?
Jake in Orlando
The factory rep told me that the 2006 model year will be very short for the RX-8...There is talk about only doing a Shinka for 2006 and maybe a limited run of regular versions. At this point they need the production space for cars in high demand.
I hope you have researched the problems that will surely come with your RX-8.
We purchased a 2004 in Oct. of 03 and it has been in the shop no less than thirteen times, twice it had to be hauled to the shop for repairs.
I have an appointment with my attorney tomorrow to investigate the possibility of invoking the Texas Lemon Law.
Instead of you being concerned over rebates and/or leasing versus buying, I certainly would suggest leasing, at least this may give you a way out.
Jkeith2
I hope you have researched the problems that will surely come with your RX-8.
Sorry to hear about your problems but the 2005 model is recommended by Consumer Reports...According to them the 2005 is alot better than the 2004.
Lexus uses a simmilar 6-speed auto-manual in their IS series and it's a blast to drive compared to 4 speed versions.
The HP increase would be barely noticable but the extra gears would allow better use of the automatics limited RPM powerband. The manual engine revs. to 9000 RPM but the automatic has to be limited to 7500 RPM due to the torque converter's limitations (it would suffer much greater fatigue above 7500 RPM and would be more likely to fail - probably explode - within normal operating lifetime). So they limit the RPM of the engine to 7500 RPM. The "high power" engine produces its' extra power due to the #5 and 6 ports, which open around 6800 RPM and become fully functional above 7000 RPM. As you can see from the 212 HP rating, it can't produce the full effect of the manual transmission car (238 HP) because it can't utilize the RPMs necessary.
I was told there was a delay in production on 2006's because the new Mazda 5 (the mini minivan) is built on the same line in the factory as the RX-8 and the 5 was having a parts "issue" which I understood to mean the availability of some part or another basically held up the line a month or so longer than it should have. The RX-8 was initially supposed to start production on October 1 but got pushed back to November 1 and then to December 1. It is my understanding that they are currently in production now. I was told a week or so after I placed my order, by headquarters, that it went into production Dec. 14. I don't know if that was my car or the RX-8 in general.
On another forum I was informed that "reliable" sources are all informing "them" that the RX-8 won't be availble until after spring break! If that is the case Car and Driver wouldn't have voted it 10 best since it's criteria states that vehicles tested are supposed to be available for sale no later than January 2006.
I guess we will all have to wait and see but I am definitely hoping for the sooner rather than later date! Originally they were supposed to come out in time for Christmas (by the early to mid December) so I don't think they are that far behind their schedule, only about two months. I had also been told that they were talking of adding an extra shift at the factory to get them out as soon as possible.
Drove it this afternoon for the first time in a while (clear, dry roads) and it was as exciting as the first time I drove it home from the dealer!! I love it!!
The car would be more fun with the six speed. It's a little slow with the 4 speed - some like it, lots don't. It depends on what you want. Personally, I would pay the extra $3,000 as I wouldn't want the car with the 4 speed.
The 4 speed - it was good for an automatic but in no way did it approach the feel of a manual. Move over to an IS300 and - shifting with the paddles in one is very close to a stickshift. Just no clutch.
It'll be much much better to drive.
Funny thing about my test drive, they had to jump start the car I wanted to drive (dead battery sitting on the lot) and then send me out in it with a "Don't stall it, it won't restart!!" Lord I was nervous - I was revving the heck out of it on every take-off. But, I managed!!
PS Glad to see a "fellow female" interested in cars. I sometimes think I'm the only female in the country that knows about hp's, cylinders, rotaries, and car stuff!! Mine is a gift from my mechanic dad!! Thanks dad!!
You're gonna love yours!! I've got to drive my baby the last 2 or 3 days because we've had a break in the snow and the roads are clear and dry (couldn't make myself put an UGLY set of winter tires on it!), and it's like having a new car again!!
"In the beginning..." there were two basic RX-8 models - those with the "standard power" engine (market speak), and those with the "high power" engine. Here in North America all manual transmission models got the "high power" engine. All automatic transmission models got the "standard power" engine. The difference was claimed to be 41 HP.
Starting with the 2006 model year all models will get the "high power" engine. The automatic transmission models will be slightly crippled due to the torque converter reliable operation limit of 7500 RPM, so the engine will only develop a claimed 212 HP, while the manual transmission can handle the full 9000 RPM range of the renesis engine with a claimed HP of 238.
So, which transmission is "better". There are reasons to want an automatic and there are reasons to want a manual.
Manual - You control "fully" which gear you are in and you control the connection of the engine to the power train (clutch). I like this aspect because I can see the road ahead and anticipate when to shift. When I'm lazy the auto would be better. The manual transmission -should- be more reliable as it has fewer parts/is less complex. These days this may not matter, as you rarely hear of an automatic transmission failing when maintained properly over a reasonable time span (say 10 years). You can easily wear out the clutch on a manual transmission equipped car, for example. I'd say reliability is even between the two.
Automatic - If you drive in heavy traffic every day this is the preferred way to go. You can still "play" as the RX-8 has "paddle shifters" that allow you to select the gear. There is an extra loss of power in the torque converter, but it is small. The previous 4 speed auto with the "standard power" engine was, well, to be blunt, slow. That has now changed! You think a manual would beat the new auto? Think about what happens when you shift. There is a time when there is no power being applied to the rear wheels when you shift a manual (perhaps 1 second for each shift). An automatic can shift with almost full power to the rear wheels. This is why they use automatic transmission mechanicals in drag racing cars! I suspect this advantage will balance out the loss of HP the 2006 automatic suffers due to not being able to rev up to 9000 RPM.
Of course none of us would ever think of using the car in the manner implied above on the street! Would we?
So, being a manual transmission guy, would I consider the auto? It's tempting!
The 2006 will definately drive better.
The other plus of the automatic is - it's cheaper. 25-26K for one, plus factory deals/incentives - I bet 25K out the door is possible on a base with the 6 speed.
I hope I can manage to test drive it and at least get it a far enough distance away from the dealership after I buy it before I kill it, if I'm going to have a shifting problem. That would be really embarrassing otherwise!
But besides that, you'll do fine. Try a collumn-shift on an old 60s car. Lol. Now that's challenging.
They may actually raise the price up closer to that of a manual, but I don't know yet. Can't find pricing. On the 06s they upgraded the interior so you don't have plastic back on your seats and the chrome accents are now supposed to be shiny. I guess you get smooth leather instead of ribbed leather also. I saw a picture somewhere that someone posted of what the new key is supposed to be but I am not overly thrilled with it. It looks like a credit card with locking/unlocking buttons on it. The key snaps to the side of it (where there is a little block cut out; fully snapped together it looks like a credit card)and unsnaps from it, I am assuming so you can use it to drive. I am hoping they aren't that way. No holes for a keychain so you can put your house key with it. This way you have more things to try to keep track of and more things to lose!!! Uh-oh men!!!!
This gives possible advantages in the event someone tries to hyjack the car - you get out and let them drive away, but as soon as they get out of range of the key (still in your pocket, wallet, or purse) plus some number of seconds until the electronics looks for the key, the engine will quit and they will no longer "have" your car. Plus they will by then be far enough away from you that you should be able to stay away from them. Not something those of us who live in smaller centres have to worry about, but something good for LA or New York.
Oh, and I was not trying to say the automatic is "better" than the manual previously. Just that it's now "different" and perhaps "improved" compared to the older 4 speed.
You'll do fine with the manual with a little practice. It's the easiest manual to use that I've ever driven. Best part for a beginner is the fact you can use one of three gears at any given speed, so you don't have to shift as often if you are in a "busy" situation! Once you get used to it you get to shift just because it's fun!
Currently, I can walk to work and have access to a POS jeep if I need to go anywhere else so I have opted to keep Rex off the icky roads. I do try to start him up and take him for a spin when the roads are clear and dry so he's not fully retired for the season.
Bottom line is I still smile as I hop behind the wheel and drive off. Sure it's not the fastest off the line, but nothing beats it in the point and shoot traffic of urban Boston. Its light weight and low low rotational moment of inertia (sorry, showing my geeky side) make the car a hoot to drive every day. The Avons compromise a bit of stickyness, but give me more driveability which is a trade-off I'm willing to make since I can't afford a dedicated set of rims and snow tires. When I was a kid, my Dad bought sight unseen the first RX-7 shipped to Milwaukee in August of 1978, and I've been a rotary Mazda fan ever since.
Traveling from Boston to western NC. This is one instance where an automatic is much nicer than a manual tranny. A fully automatic tranny lets the cruise control maintain constant speed going up hills and mountains. Years ago when I drove manual tannies only, driving on highways over steep hills and mountains I always hated the downshift at highway speeds while going up hill. No matter if I shifted at the bottom of the hill or mid way up, the cruise control would get in the way so badly that I could never maintain my speed. I was really love'n my wimpy RX-8 AT 4 speed this trip as I did 80mph all the way up I26 to Ashville NC.
I've looked all over the place and found sites that talk about "keyless entry and ignition start". Why would they make it so you have to click a button on the fob (as a believe they're called -- this thing with the unlock and lock buttons) to open the doors, but not need anything to start it? The new Corvette and several other types of cars now use an intelligent entry system that let you just open the door and start the car when you're in proximity of the car with the credit card thing. No buttons on the fob need to be pressed.
Wanted to tell a brief story. Was very excited about getting the RX-8, have been diligently shopping, researching for months now, but I really wanted to lease for various reasons and the deals have not been there since the good one in Sep/Oct. Long story short, turns out BMW is having a huge sale on leftover 2005 Z4, and I ended up with a 3.0, for less than the cost of an RX-8 lease....I'm having a blast now, though I do feel like I've betrayed my first love a bit...;) Have fun everyone, I'm off to some top down driving....
the reason for the button on the door is so you don't unlock your car by accident when just walking by...
Should i simply get winter tires, all season tires, or a package of new rims and winter tires altogether???
In the last snow storm, the Avon Tech M550 A/S 225/45ZR18's took me through the snow coming down so fast, that the windshield wipers jammed solid four times. My RX-8 AT with it's DSC and Lim-Slip-Diff was going up and down heavy slush and packed snow with hardly a slip of the Avon Techs and in four inches of unpacked snow I could confidently power through by turning off the DSC.
Some people, think I'm nuts, giving up the 10% on either end of the performance spectrum, but having fantastic value for the money is worth it in the middle range.
Is this true or just sales B.S.? I'm curious but really don't care that much... I've got an '05 6 speed that feels great.
I've been having a blast all afternoon burning that 93 octane.. I had an rx-7 in the 80's and this car seems to be very similar except for a better ride (over street imperfections, etc.) and a very cool, modern, up to date cockpit. I loved my first rx, and so far this car is a kick to drive hard.
The fire Japan was a year ago. It split the 2005 manufactured RX-8. I think the 2006's are being delayed because they are switching the RX-8 to a lower priority in order to make more Mazda 3s and such in greater numbers.