I am very dissappointed. After planning on getting an RX-8 for some time now, I have concluded it is going to be impractical with a family. Here's why -- please challenge my logic.

I need a 4-door car as I have two small children and am now having to take them to school, etc. I currently own a Miata but have owned mostly BMW's in the past. I have been really excited and have been following the RX-8 as an alternative to a new 330i or used M3/4-door and is more of a sports car as i am used to, but now don't think it will work.

After really studying the pix on rotarynews.com, i think the RX-8 is impractical for children. Why?? If you have a standard 4-door, the kids can get in and out without you having to get out of the car. Well, with the RX-8, you have to open the front door before opening the back, right? I realized this and was OK with it, but then I saw that the back seat is divided. So, not only must you get out and open the front door and then the back, but then you must go around to the other side and do it again as second kid cannot slide over and out the driver's door due to the large dividing console between the back seats. So, any time you take two kids, all 4-doors must be opened every time you stop and get out. Call me lazy but this is not practical.

So, my conclusion is that Mazda is being somewhat deceptive when describing the RX-8 as seating "4 adults." Most people are interpreting this as a statement of large back seat size but i think the hidden message is that it really doesn't work for someone who wants a sports car but has to take kids along. Given this, I think the value of the car is *greatly* diminished .

Who cares about cramming in 4 adults? I have never had a problem with the Miata as if there are 4 people that need to go somewhere, we either take two cars or one of the 4 has a larger car. Screw the adults -- I need a family-justifiable sports car!

If anyone has more insight as to how the doors work on the rx-8 or if i am missing something, pelase let me know. I was really excited about this car (getting ready to put down a deposit) but i think i am back in the bmw camp now. what a shame.

YMMV

-Paul

 

i don't think they were really marketing it as a family car but more as a practical sports car. ie. times when u need to take more then one person with u and this is ur main car.. the main reason i lost interest in the 350z. and also im hoping it will be considered a sedan for insurance purposes..

you should check the infiniti g35, its getting some nice reviews so far..

 

Whats so tough about getting out and opening the doors?

 

Do you have kids?

 

I can kinda see your point, but that's the only way a design like this could work. If you just have 1 kid it wouldn't be a problem really ... 2 it would be a bit more of a nuisance.

Although kids will just trash the car anyway, so better that you trash a Bimmer than a RX-8 :D

 

NO manual trans unfortunately. BMW is about the only manufacturere that makes 4 door, rear wheel drive sports sedans.

would rather open 4 doors ever time i get out than drive an automatic! :D

 

Well, some of the cars that I were interested in were the BMW 330i and the Lexus IS300. I personally fell inlove with the Lexus. It is only slightly slower in 0-60 and has more high end power, the features are about the same to the high priced Bimmer at a lower cost. Thats just in my opinion. but check them out.

 

yep, have looked at one. can't get past the ricer tail lights (sad to see the rx-8 had to go that way too) and cramped interior. also, if you read some of the long term tests of them it is clear that it is no real match for the bmw. just a (good) pretender. maybe the next gen. will be the bmw killer.

i've been considering starting a business to "de-altezza" new cars that are coming out with hideous tail lights such as th altima. what do you guys think?

-pk-

 

you'll surely have my business! altezzas blow..

 

This is a repost from another Thread in the Forum:

here something I was gonna do with an IS300's tail lights.

Take the light from the car, or order a new set, and remove the glass that encompasses them.

Cover the lights and make sure that no paint can get on them

Take them to a body shop or paint shop (Maaco wont do this I dont think) and have them spray over the chrome, you may need rough the chrome with sand paper before you do this.

After they get painted simply put them in the car again and you now have a custom looking taillight thats not clear but not generice either. Ferrari Did Something Similar to the front lights on the 360 Modena.

 

Just get a 4 door RX-3 or something.

 

New IS300's in darker colors (red, black...) have smoked taillights that look much better than the clears.

 

a couple weeks ago in Boston, I saw a "de-altezza'd" Altezza (IS300).

They painted over most of the clear, so that only the circle for the reds, and the little sliver on the bottom for the blinkers and reverse were shown. It looked VERY clean, and actually better than stock, IMO.

DOWN WITH ALTEZZA LIGHTS! (gawd, like every stupid Nissan has them now, too...ugh)

 

for sure a is300 would meet your needs better.

 

Can't you just make one of the kids sit in the front seat and his/her sibling sit behind each other? this would make much more sense in my book. if there are 2 adults in the front, all you have to do is open your door. No one said anything about getting out of the car. Just open the door so the sucide door can open. Thats just my 2 cents.

 

that's a good point but my kids are little at this point (4 and 2) and have to be in a car seat in the back seat for several more years. that's what's keeping me form an early e36 m3 -- getting the kids out of of a 2 door will kill my back!

thanks for the thought. -paul

 

I do. What is so tough about getting out and opening the doors?

At ages 4 and 2 I would not be allowing the kids to get out on their own anyway. I get out of the car every time my kids need to regardless of door configuration. My older eyes are more tuned to parking lot dangers and such.

If your oldest is four, legally he/she can be done with child seats if necessary for your sanity, although I plan on keeping mine in them until they don't fit any more, because it is vastly safer than having adult seat belts going across the kids' necks.

Hell, you could probably use the exorcize if you think walking around the car and opening a door is too much work. There was a time when that was expected (for your date) if you were going to try to make children in the first place. No wonder us middle aged guys get love handles so easily... :D

 

You need to make them enthusiast while they are very young, and teach them to respect fine automobiles. My kids have yet to trash a car. It's my WIFE I have to worry about... :D

I agree on trashing the BMW instead of te RX-8 though. If you MUST trash the car that is. But don't blame the kids. They only know what you teach them.

 

4 years, 10 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days since this thread has seen the light of day.

 

The 8 is definitely not really marketed at being a family sedan. I think of it more as a spacious 4 seat coupe.

Freebie!

 

Celica GTS, works OK with kids.

 

Wow, this is a blast form the past and I am still here.

As an update, I ended up having a deal I couldn't refuse come my way on a 3 series coupe and have owned it for several years now. Great track day car and it has more usable interior room and is easier for the kids to use. Now they are 7 and 9, so they're huge and get in and out by themselves!

I still like the RX-8, but have been additionally turned off by the reports on gas mileage and oil consumption I have heard about. I guess the "Renesis" marketing was all smoke and mirrors, pun intended.

Who knows, maybe I'll get a second hand one someday if they get cheap. If I am going to spend new car money, the way to go is definitely the new BMW 335i coupe or sedan as they are making mid 300 whp and torque from a quick software change.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41284

 

That's an interesting complication. Hopefully people will be able to learn from this, and properly weigh the consequences of marriage and offspring with their rational minds.

 

good stuff.