Here's what I'll say about young people buying fast cars...

It's not smart. That's all. Statistically you are much (and I repeat, MUCH) more likely to get into an accident that's guess what... your fault.

That means that your first car, whatever it may be, is *much* higher of a risk to get wrecked.

On top of the statistics being against you, hormones are too. It's much more likely for a 15, 16, 17 year old being prone to peer pressure from friends to "BURN HIM" pointing to the kid your age in the car next to you revving his engine.

It's NOT TO SAY, that *everybody* will do this. I know lots of teenagers when I was younger that were very calm behind the wheel. But those people were also those that didn't care about what they drove.

The more 'into' cars you are, the more you will enjoy pushing them. And when you simply don't have the experience behind the wheel (regardless of what you experience *think* you have), couple that with your 'need for speed', then those statistics I was talking about before go up higher and higher.

I remember being 17 when I got my license and looking at a 1980s Camaro (rebuilt, bigger engine block, great deal), and I had enough cash to buy it on my own. But my parents in their infinite wisdom put their foot down and you can believe that I was upset about it. I didn't realize until after owning two other cars (one which got into a good accident, though not my fault but I could have avoided), that there was a method to their madness.

That's why I say that if parents are just bowing to the whim of their kids, money aside from this, then they are **** poor parents. It's not about being a 'friend' to your kids, it's about making the tough decisions they cannot clearly make, like I had a problem with when I was 17.

That said, I find it *very* hard to believe that any parent that would allow their kid to get into a 250 horsepower, 30k+ car as their FIRST car is doing a poor job at parenting. They just give in and give them what they want, instead of realizing the choices they make can truly affect their lives in the long run. I'm not 'jealous', I just think it's sad to see that parents keep getting easier and easier on kids because that's not the job they are meant to be doing.

Anyways, I've gotten quite off track. I will say in closing, that being an older brother and watching my sister get her liscense soon, that I too play a part in that 'adult' role in making sure she's learning how to drive properly for a few years, getting a reasonably safe and lower powered car, and graduating to whatever she wants. She doesn't share my enthusiasm for cars so I don't worry she will be 'egged on' by her friends; besides she's a girl so I think that she won't ever have that problem. But as an older brother I see that the tough choices that have to be made *need* to be made instead of letting kids have their way, regardless of whether 'you can afford it' comes to question.

So I'll end it there.

 

Yes, I'm 100% sure of this. No, I can't prove it - I was told by a confidential source within Mazda, and I can't/won't say any more than that.

And again, if they wanted a good auto tranny, they would have had to invested a few million dollars to develop it for the car - and they simply could not afford that development cost or effort at the same tiime as the rest of the development.

For Crouzer: It has 40 less hp because the 4 speed auto trans can not handle engine revs higher than 7500 rpm, IIRC. The extra 40 hp of the manual trans engine is in the region from 7500 - 9000 rpm - at 7500 rpm, the manual trans engine only makes 210 hp also! So, the auto trans restricts the engine from revving high enough to make the extra hp. Blame the trans, not the engine. Because of this limitation, Mazda has eliminated the 3rd intake tract from the auto engine, since it only kicked in at over 7000 rpm. There's no way to "chip" the auto trans engine to raise the rev limiter and get the extra power - the intake systems are different, and you'll blow the trans.

Regards,
Gordon

 

Arent you being a little dramatic hercules. To call someone a bad parent because i get a nice car. You were grown up differently obviously, with a strict rule and many laws and regulations. My parents taught me right from wrong and they TRUST i will make the right decision. As you picture me as a little boy i do not need be told that it is idiotic for me to get a car that i want. All you are working on right now is stereotype and insurance "stats". I dont want to reply to this topic anymore because now you are just taking shots at my family just because your opinion is different. Before you judge me or whatever you are doing right now just remember you can say that you dont think its right for me to get a car, but DONT say its poor parenting. i know you would not like it if i was saying the things some of you have been. Surely you were GROWN up better then that. I have been nothing but respectful to you and i expected you would be the same.

 

HOW ABOUT SAFETY? WOULDNT YOU RATHER HAVE YOUR KID IN A SAFE CAR? THINK ABOUT IT. THE RX8 IS VERY SAFE CMPARED TO ANY POS 5K CAN BUY. IF I HAD A KID AND I HAD THE MONEY I WOULD MUCH RATHER MY KID DRIVE A SAFE CAR. THINK ABOUT IT. EITHER WAY THE KID WIL PROBABLY RACE AROUND. HELL IT SOUNDS LIKE 99% OF THE PEOPLE ON LINE ARE GOING TO RACE AROUND I MEAN I HAVE SEEN PEOLPLE BITCHNG BECAUSE THE CAR DOES A SLOW 0-60 SO DONT SAY YOUR NOT GOING TO BE DRIVING PAST THE SPEED LIMIT!! SO IF THE KID IS GOING TO CRASH HIS CAR AT LEAST HE WILL HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF SURVIVING IN AN RX8 THAN A POS 5K CAR, ALSO BETTER CHANCE THE CAR WILL NOT BREAK DOWN AT 2:00AM REQUIRING HIM TO CALL HOME AND WAKING UP DAD! SO JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE WORKING YOUR *** OFF, SO IS HIS DAD AND ITS HIS DAD'S MONEY MAYBE HE LIKES TO SPEND MONEY ON HIS SON! I AM WORKING MY *** OFF JUST TRYING TO MAKE A DOWN PAYMENT! I DON'T CARE IF SOMEONE ELSE BUYS HIM A CAR. HELL I WISH SOMEONE WOULD PAY FOR MY RX8! SO LETS STOP BEING JEALOUS OVER SOME KID BECAUSE HIS PARENTS WANT HIM TO BE SAFE!!!!!

 

Ok, so I guess that 40HP downgrade as a result of the transmission capability is the cause of the high 0-60 number. I would also think if its an advertised number (not magazine) then it may be on the conservative side which may benefit your insurance. Thanks Gordon.

Poll started! :p

http://www.rx8forum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5117

 

Crouzer, WTF are you reading? His dad didn't make his decision for him. He wants this car. His dad wanted him to get the auto. He'd rather have the manual etc.... I don't know where you're from but you got to get better at reading comprhension. What is it with SOME people on this board? Shesh.

 

Hahaha This is so lame. Please stop.

You really think he bosses his dad around? Haha

I can see it now. "Dad I want this car. Give me $15k." Maybe with some kids, but then why not go for a Porsche if you can do that with your dad.

Haha.. Get real.

 

How about you fix that caps lock key?

 

*grin*

Maybe not that easy... but some kids will get their way one way or another... just the method they use. I had been known a few years ago to do some games to get my parents to give me my way.... didn't work all the time, but sometimes.

Some parents flex easier than others. Mine were pretty strict on certain things though.

 

If your parents weighed the options out there, and made the educated decision to get you the car, kudos. I'm just being rather broad in my statements, so don't take offense, I'm not criticising any one person.

Also let me add, 'right and wrong' have nothing to do with this debate. It's a matter of control that I admit, when I was 17, I didn't have in getting my first car either.

Like I said... if your dad went thru all the options, read the reviews, and hopefully knows you as well as he should, then he's going to be getting the car for a person that will hopefully be responsible with it. And I'll just assume that he did, and that you're responsible.

But for every one responsible person like yourself and your father, there are 100 fathers who are irresponsible and don't use precaution in lots of things -- buying a car is just the tip of the iceberg.

Like I said.. I am not singling anybody out. Just making a generalization which I suppose is a bad thing :p Anyhoo... when you get the car as with everybody else, we will expect...

PICTURES

And since you're still young... don't do anything stupid, regardless of your friends. That's not to say you will... but I have put my 'caution' sign up for you... now when the time comes hopefully you'll remember me bitching about it :p

 

Well...at least you're are making me laugh, with outlandish comments like that. I'm going to sleep now, although I would love to wait for your response. They are the epitomy of ignorance and proving that you don't have a clue. Where is Sputnik to close this thread?

 

so basically we've gone from "Automatic 0-60 time" to a pissing contest over who should own a car. I need an advil.

 

I haven't been here in a few days, so after reading through this tread I got my own opinions about this issue of having a 17 year old own a sports car. I think the kid who is worrying about 0-60 is already barking up the wrong tree, hell when I was 17 (back in 1998) I HAD to buy my OWN car, even though it was on my folks insurance, and their rule was it had to be a very cheap crap box, cause chances are since it is a first car it'd get beat to hell. After looking they gave their blessing on me buying a 1987 Ford Escort with well over 120K miles, good overall body condition except for the rusted through hole in the trunk by the tire well, the fact it overheated that whole summer after 20 miles of driving. It cost me $300, yep three hundred dollars. And yes it did get beat to hell, one thing I didn't learn in drivers ed was about dips until I tore out the entire exhaust after hitting one at 30 mph, which I was HAD to replace and pay for. But after showing my parents that I was responsible with the car with no accidents, tickets etc, they let ME purschase a brand new Kia Sephia using the money I saved up slaving 50+ hours a week at two part time jobs that whole summer as a downpayment. After 5 years of ownership and only 1 incident with a very minor bump from a idiot DUI driver I am ready for my third car this coming fall after I make the final finance payment. That car being either the RX-8 or a 2003/04 Mach 1 Mustang for point A to B purposes as well as showing off (not racing) parked next to my uncle's beefed up perfect mint condition Buick Grand National.

This kid should get his priorities strait cause he sounds like the type of person who is so obsessed with speed that he kills an innocent person because of his negligent aggressive driving attitude. That is just my two cents.

oh btw the Kia is 2 months from being 5 years old with 58K miles I racked up on the odometer and it looks like it did the day I drove it of the dealership back in late August 1998. No problems or hiccups for all of you whole think a Kia is such a piece of crap that it can't be even used as a daily commuter without problems. 5 year absolutely no problems encountered - thank you very much.

 

wow i am surprised at how many terrible drivers there are out there. i have been driveing for almost 20 years with never a accident,scratch or anything! i have had a few speeding tickets and i am sure i will get more especially with the rx8. but there are a lot of stupid people out there that do not know how to drive. i guess iom the only one who has never crashed or bumbed a car yet. hey i still say WHO CARES WHAT KIND OF CAR THE KID DRIVES! nobody has ever meet this kid, they have no idea how he drives, everybody is accusing him based on there horrible driving habits. maybe you guys shouldnt get a rx-8 either! you guys have no expereinece drivinbg an rx8, unless you are in japan and then you only have about 2 or 3 weeks experience driving. and already one is crashed and who knows how old that person was. maybe he or she was over 40? they obviously hit somebody or something! so nobody here is really experienced in driving an rx8. let the kid have his car and enjoy it. as long as you dont have to pay for it. what difference does it make, just get over it! and stop being so JEALOUS!! beacuse your daddy wouldnt buy you a car!!

 

So you are 22 or 23 now. Big deal. A 22/23 year old doesn't need a $30K+ car to begin with. Face it...you're just jealous that he gets his car for nothing and you had to work your *** off. You know that is just the way it goes but you should be big enough not to care. If your parents made as much as his you wouldn't be having this arguement. EVERYBODY on this board is obsessed with speed. People are complaining over 0.1 secs 0-60 times. No one is going to drive this car to the limit on a daily basis, so when it comes down to it...does it matter? I'm getting this car because it looks good, has enough speed to make me happy, it's a very creative car and I have money lying around. When I was 22/23 I had an old beat up Lumina.

 

I'm 22 now too :p

But I'm buying it on my own, insuring it on my own, and I've graduated past the irresponsibility I had in my younger (pre-college) years.

After college I've matured a lot and even though I still enjoy pushing my car (which at 170hp is tough!), I am much more sensible than I once was. That's the only point I was trying to get across. Most kids get maturity after or during college... not before it. Which is why when you watch on TV that some 'teen was driving and killed a pedestrian and hit a tree' or something to that effect... it just makes you think twice about handing the keys over to somebody younger regardless of how 'in control' you think they are.

It's not the kid that will be changed.. it's his friends that will do it. Egging you on with your friends in the car during a high school level was a near sure-way to make you do something stupid. And like I said... a few kids can stand up to that. Some things though, like drugs, alcohol, etc... that's easier to turn down than just hitting the gas on the car because of course you don't think... what's the worst that could happen?

It's also a note to parents on this forum lurking to think if this car is right for their kids. I'm not saying don't buy it... just think long and hard before you do. You are after all, going to be handing the keys over to kids that are much more hormonally imbalanced and immature than people older to them.

And with that... I'll shut up now. I am not 'dissing' anybody... it's just a public awareness comment. So take that as you will... either appreciate it or disregard it. I don't want to take the time to 'defend' my statements because you think they are directed at you personally.

 

I think 'GOD/MIKE' hit it on the head, you don't want the auto precisely because it won't win any stoplight races. Therefore your primary interest (0-60) is what is giving everyone here 'the *******'.
It is slower than your average Minivan, therefore not 'racing' material.
Buy a WRX Auto and you will be happier.
.
.
.
doc

 

The only thing I'll say to that... if you've been driving for 20 years it's safe to say you are in mid thirties to forties (at least).

And at your age... you don't have any kids.

You will understand better when you have a few of your own and completely realize the whole situation. First cars in my opinion, should be beaters that teach a person to drive and be responsible. Sure the RX-8 is safe... but when the time comes and you're paying for every scrape your kid got from 'jumping' a speed bump, or the insurance premium because he lurched forward because the clutch disengaged and oops... hit a car or worse.. a person.

When you have kids, you will realize that these factors are important to consider. I don't have kids, but I am a big brother that's going to be responsible and get my sister a cheap first car that will teach her how to drive properly, and also properly drive a manual. I don't care if she never drives a manual in her life again... she should know how to drive it. And I'd rather let her put dents into a 5k car that I would NEVER get repaired and instead let it die its death while she drives it. I'd only take liability on the car so if anything happened to another car the insurance premium would be minimal to increase. No bank will finance you if you put liability on your RX-8. You need full coverage. And if you hit somebody or something... just *imagine* your premiums go up. Specially if you live in the tri-state area like I do, and like NoVa does.

Trust me when you have kids that you need to watch over, or *ahem* parent... you will sing a different tune. And if you aren't by then... I feel bad for your kids.

 

yes i am 37 years old and no i have no kids, and i dont want any kids! if i did have kids i would much rather have my son or daughter driving a car that will be safe and not break down. and who cares if they dent a new car or an old car it can be fixed. and they can just as easily hit somene or something in a pos car than a new car. why not let them be more safe. i think if a parent can afford a new car and stil makes their kid drive a pos than who is irresponsible the kid or the parent! i sure would hate to be the kid stuck out in the middle of no where because my dad would rather me learn a lesson in a pos instead of driving safely!

obvious nobody here has ever driven past hollywood high school in hollywood california. the students parking lots has more bmw, mercedes ,ferraris and porches than anything else. the only parking lot that has pos cars are the teachers!!!!
and they are not crashing there cars every 5 minutes like it sounds like all kids seem to be doing across the rest of the country, according to most people on this forum! also take a look at this thread! the biggest complaint is how hard someone has to work to get their car. this whole thing is all about jealousy. everybdy is so concieded they are jealous because some kid's father makes enough to buy his kid a nice car. hell it happens all the time in california.
and not all accidents out here are from kids right out of high school. recently someone just had a major accident where a man 23 years old was diving his mustang racing someone in a honda. the mustang swerved around a truck at 90+ miles an hour and hit another car head on. killing the peolpe in the other car. somebody already admitted this is not about safety, when i mentioned it earleir, so that makes no diference obviosly. somebdy else said this is about a kid damaging a 30k car. so what if somebody wants to take a hammer and smash up every fender on his car. who cares its his car. if he is dumb enough to drive over a dip at 30+ miles an hour and rip off his muffler so what. its the same thing with a 17 year old driving a rx8. its his car who cares. this is all about jealousy! people are so jealous someone even made a STUPID poll about how expensive somebodies first car should be. who cares how much someone spends and what they do with their own car. and if anybody here thinks experience is a must in driving and no one with experience wil ever get killed and that they are mortal should just ask Dale Earnhart. he was expereince in racing and look at him! so what difference does it make if someone wants to learn in a rx8? it is just a car, it doesnt matter if he learns in a rx8 or a pos 20 year old toyota!!! i am so amazed at how stupid people are and i agree with farsyde
"so basically we've gone from "Automatic 0-60 time" to a pissing contest over who should own a car. I need an advil"
we are not here to tell someone how to live their life. this forum is so people with the same interest can talk and get the latest news. and talk about how FUN it is to drive an rx8. remebr this is supposed to be FUN! i think everybody here just needs to grow up and enjoy their own rx-8 when they get it and just tell everybody about their own personal fun not tell someone they should not buy one until they turn a certain age. and just because someone goes to college doesnt mean they are mature!!

 

Exactly. I can't believe some parents out there..geebus. My kid is getting a civic or another car of equal or lesser value, even if I am loaded.

 

This forum is *not* intended to tell anybody how to 'live their life.'

It's here to provide information and insight on a car that is soon to be released to both potential buyers and guess what... PARENTS of buyers.

As per 'maturing' in college... No, not everybody does. But it's obvious then that you haven't been to college either. Which is why I'm going to call BS on your "i've been driving for almost 20 years" comment. Not to mention, you have by your own account put your age at around 30, 35, maybe more. And then you mention high schoolers? My guess is that you're another high schooler that's simply in the same position as NoVa with convincing parents to get you the car that's faster.. and we aren't here giving you the insight in how to 'trick' your parents into doing it.

Hopefully your parents as well are responsible, and will think before buying you any car, nevermind being the RX-8.

It should be noted to all parents that the faster a car LOOKS, the more likely kids are going to try to go fast in it. I'm guilty of it myself, and I had a piece of crap Ford Taurus as my first car, the second being another piece of crap Chevy Lumina. But after nearly destroying the first (transmission and other things), and giving the second a damn good workout, I am in the Millenia which I've had for 4 years and for the last three years have kept in mint condition. The first year I got it, I did do a little bumping and scraping (the car was TOO low and I went a little *too* fast) but otherwise in mint condition.

Hopefully NoVa and your parents are also reading these forums trying to find information about this car and if it's right for their kids. And if they decide to get you the car then let's hope you use it in good practice and be safe yet still have fun in the right circumstances.

It's just been my experience that teens will act one way with their parents, and another with their friends. That's why a really flashy car of any sort is in my opinion (please keep in mind it's my opinion) is a bad idea, at least for a first car.

Like all things in life... graduate to that car. You don't start life being the entire way up the ladder.. Besides, it's likely you will appreciate it a lot more when you dish out the money all on your own and go to the dealer and negotiate the terms by yourself.. I know when I come home from the dealer... I will have a smile on my face that will take years to wipe off, and it's not because I have the RX-8... that will be only a small part.. it's because I put in my time, my effort, my blood and sweat, and also my experience from my past cars to get here.. and when I get there.. it will be sweeeeet

 

My sister too... but the first car has to be a manual just so she learns to drive it.

I could care less if she never drives one again but if she's part of my family... she *has* to learn it. Everybody including my mother can drive manual, and thus she must take part in that 'tradition.' Besides, I find it sad that more than half of America can't drive a manual.

 

so you would rather have your son or daughter get stuck or break down or get into an accident than rather have them drive a safe car. and no matter what kind of car they get chances are they are going to race it. even a honda civic is capable of going way over the speed limit. so why not let your kid drive safely! my frist car was a 4 cylinder plymouth arrow and that thing could fly. i canm remmeber many times driving that thing over 100 miles an hour it took a few minutes to get there but it did! as i am sure most people here have raced their car too!

 

so why cant they learn in a rx8? why does it have to be a pos car? so what if they dent it. they should be able to learn in any car they want...

 

Don't you know!?!?

It's impossible to get a reliable car for under 5k!

And sure, they will probably race any car they get (by your view of it anyway), so why not give them a car that will every time... LOSE THE RACE? That way they will concentrate on being a better driver and when time comes... can show off the skills they have learned by how to handle a car properly instead of pushing the pedal to the floor like any moron can do.