First Winter Season With RX-8.. What Should i Watch Out For?
 

Hai All~ this is my first winter season with my RX-8.. i've gone thru previous winters with my FWD mazda3 without much issues.. and if i ever run into slipping ill just have to down shift and usually it gains control.. after switching over to RWD.. i just realize how shaky a RWD car can be even with just wet road..

i know many of you been driving RWD for the longest time.. what are some of the tips i should know about driving in wet and snow with RWD? i definitly got winter setup.. new winter wheels and tires!

let me know.. thanks!

Opposite lock and gas, vroom vroom!

watch out for oncoming traffic in smaller streets though, your car will probably bottom out if you have to pull over to let someone by, obvious but nonetheless important

Make sure you check your oil!

Smooth inputs on the throttle and the steering wheel... don't be abrupt! Since you got snow tires already, you're well ahead of many others. :)

Slow down a lot too!

slow the fuck down, thats all u need to know haha

Watch out for snow.

what out for JB's.

just stay focus on the road. avoid any big piles of snow or you will probbaly need to push your way out.

lolol :thumbsup:

still trying to get very specific with the throttle.. have springs coming for lowering.. but most likely gonna wait til next year.. but exhaust can go in :)

just got snows put on hopefully that will save me when time comes.. but i hope we'll never get to use it!

dont drive like a retard

get winter tires TODAY! i thought i could do it with the stock tires when i had my Rx-8.... lets just say it was disastrous! this coming from someone who learned to drive on the snow covered streets of Montreal and Halifax...
after 2 180s and 1 360... i parked the car and waited till snow melted and then booked it to the tire shop! trust me DO NOT try winter on those stockers... otherwise once you have the winters driving it will be a BLAST!!

lol i could already feel it by driving in the rain.. heavy rain fall lately and + all the road crack replair.. you know the slippery shit.. it shakes so easily.. maybe with all RWD.. but i dunno.. hopefully i can get use to it b4 winter :)

Leave DSC on and u should be alright. only turn it off if you want to have fun or crash.

Are you serious?

What do watch out for? Um, snow and ice?

RWD isn't' shaky in the wet. the snow sorta sucks though, with lower cars it's hard to get up hills.

but in the snow. just drive slowly. it's really not that difficult. just don't' lower it yet. cause my S14 with stock height was awesome, once lowered i got fucked up the ass.

Other idiotic vancouver drivers on bald summer or all season tires.

haha wow ur gonna take out ur 8 during winter? adventurous aren't we =p. Um I say get a good set of winters which you already did. And just be easier on the throttle and clutch. Which exhaust did you get? I just got my racing beat one put on.

This is my 5th winter with my RX-8...

Starting in 2nd will help you in most slippery situations. Shutting DSC/Traction will help in the very worst stop/start situations. Some people recommend sandbags in the trunk to increase the weight on the rear tires, but I've never done it.

Also the ABS can be quite finicky in icey stops, more finicky than any of my other cars. So you might want to take it easier (brake earlier, and with a more linear application of the brakes).

If this year's Vancouver winter is like last years, you probably won't be getting anywhere in the smaller streets. :thumbsup:

Get snow tires for sure!!!

Last year, I saw a Modded RX-7 with all season tires driving north bound up the hill from Marine.

the car was go up the entire hill at a 25 to 30 degree angle. HE had no choice but to keep gasing it up the hill or he would end up on the side of the curb as it was slipper as hell.

He was lucky there wasn't much traffic ahead of him.

Props to him for not losing control and was calm.:thumbsup:

Since you drive a rotary, erm... oil levels?

Greddy SP2 with Straight pipe :P

and ordered Tein S-techs.. but not gonna put it in unless i get too excited lol

Apex seals....

Don't flood the engine........

RX8's have known issues with cold starts

if your car has problems starting when temperatures start to dip, go to the dealership

Make sure the battery is in good shape. Not a bad idea to change it out if it's starting to get low. Just leave the weaker one as a spare. Gotta keep up with these tune up stuff. Battery, spark plugs, ignition coils etc.......

And like some other ppl said, get snow tires for the 8.