Grab yourself a beer, she's a long one.



This was my first car I bought. I bought it when I was 16. I had a great job opportunity with my father, and would work with him when I got out of school and on the weekends. I didn't have a social life. I karted, played PS2, did my homework and worked. I calculated how much I was making per week into how much I could shell out every month for a payment on a car and went from there. My parents didn't help me with this at all, I had to pay the payment, insurance, gas, everything. At times I had to literally knock on doors throughout my neighborhood and ask if they needed the lawn mowed or driveway shoveled off. But I was pretty damned determined to get a car. I hated the fact that I had to have my parents or friend drive me places. And let's be real, I had to atleast try and impress the girls at school - even being the awkward, anxiety-rigged, acne teenager I was.

I was looking at so many different types of cars before I bought the Mazda; C3 Corvettes (give me a break, I was 16), First gen Miatas (which are almost as equally awesome as these cars to a certain extent), GC8 Imprezas, Acura RSX's, ANYTHING that looked appeasing to my sporadic, young and look-biased mind was sought after. Then I remembered how much Need For Speed I played when I was younger, even at that time for that matter. I remembered my favorite car was the RX-8. Even with that weedwhacker exhaust pitch, massive roof scoop and park-bench spoiler, it still presented itself to me as a car that I HAVE to own. Besides, the looks alone on these cars are ahead of it's time and the curves create a beautiful focal point. I assumed these cars cost a fortune, until a simple Craigslist ad assured me I was absurdly wrong, and being wrong felt pretty damn good at that moment.

It was an 04' Velocity Mica Red with only 29k miles. Grand touring with the Bose, sunroof, HID's, THE AWESOME SEATS THAT I WISH EVERY CAR CAME WITH, and the half-way-on-the-side-of-the-car sideskirts. I went to the dealership and had to see it. And when I got there, it was a very surreal moment. I never really imagined myself driving the same car in real life as I would be doing in a video game. It just felt weird and almost synthetic. I talked to the salesman and went for a spin. Mind you, this is the first manual car that I EVER drove, I had no practice before this point and time, so I could only imagine the hell I put on the clutch and the stress on the salesman. But I bought it that same day. My parents were pretty concerned, they thought it was an F1 car (Let's be honest, so did I) because they were very overprotective, but they actually let go for once and let me do my own thing.

I drove it everyday for almost 2 years before I sold it. I put some money into new wheels, intake, tune; the normal stuff. Nothing fancy or crazy. Thank god I bought it with a warranty. My friend coaxed me into putting one of those negative battery grounding kits on it, and a day after I installed it, the electronic steering failed while driving. It was like $2300, but the warranty covered it. I also launched it at a red light with a girl in the car, and blew out the transmission. Warranty covered that, too. I didnt have my phone, and neither did she, so I made her walk 2 miles up to the gas station and call my father and come get us and tow it back. I told her I didnt want to let my car sit there all alone, and instead of getting pissed for having to walk 4 miles, she understood me. Needless to say, that same girl is now my wife. And she misses the car almost as much as I do (by the way, if you managed to somehow have sex in this car, you deserve a multiple medals). I drove it through whiteout snowstorms, concerts 400 miles away, PSU main campus to try and be cool and party with my brother, everywhere. I drove it anywhere and everywhere I possibily could. Remember when 93 was $5.15? I do. Because in one week I spent over $200 on a roadtrip to Erie just to take pictures of it at Presque Island. I think the only thing I hated about this car was the fact that after I washed it, the water would stay inside the fender vents and the honeycomb grille. And if you forgot to take a shammee to them and went driving, you would get water spots all over the hood and doors. I have OCD, so water spots are pretty much satan trapped in the form of hydrogen and oxygen. Anyways, I sold it because I wanted something faster. I wanted something that was still RWD, maual, and sounded a little better than the Renesis..which I thought was an '02 Mustang GT.

It was faster. It sounded orgasmic (before you ask, yes, it had the catless X-pipe with Stingers). But thats all it really was. About 3 weeks after driving the mustang, I started noticing how much I miss the Mazda. No sunroof, terrible road visibility, HORRIBLE SEATS (it's seriously like riding a rollercoaster with a foam pad, and more body roll than an airplane at a stunt-show to say the least), no awesome stereo, no "SHIFT NOW SHIFT NOW SHIFT NOW" 9K warning chime; No fun. No driver engagment. No solidity-like feeling. No precision steering and weight transfer. No confidence in taking a bend going over 50. No transmission-heated cup holders to keep your coffee warm on -20 degree days. Hitting a pothole caused a devastating loss in brain cells, spine damage and bruised tailbones. So I sold the Mustang, to find something with double the speed, the ergonomics, and the "feel" that my Mazda had.

I bought an Evo. I bought it last October from a private seller. It's an 04' SSL, 2.3 stroker with over 500hp on-tap on a conservative tune. I figured I need the AWD for when I move out to Colorado or N. Cali, and the 4G63 platform has been through R&D for 10+ years, so I have alot of viable options and routes as far as keeping it running well and reliable. Don't get me wrong, I REALLY enjoy driving this car. It's amazing, handles incredible, throws your head back into the seat, and has an kickass sound system (better than the Mazda I would have to say). The sunroof, HIDs, Brembos, and seats are also icing on the cake...

But if I could go back 8 years, I would have never sold my RX-8. There is something that keeps me looking over my shoulder and over-analyzing the fact that I should have never sold it. There is something pure and just about these cars (besides the fact that they aren't reliable as the general public would like them to be), something that made me feel connected as a Man-to-Machine aspect every moment that I was behind the wheel. And i'm not just looking at it from a financial aspect, although I have lost thousands from switching from car-to-car, modifying each, losing re-sale value, etc. But there is something that many people in the automotive enthusiast community can't seem to grasp. We are always searching and thriving for something faster, stronger, qualified; as if what we possess just won't cut it anymore due to our comparison to what we don't have. But the truth of the matter is, there is a reason for the car you drive. Maybe that reason is because you need to haul your 4 children to soccer games every Wednesday with your minivan, or you own your own flooring company and have to store your materials in your truck or van, or maybe you have an urge to show up early for every track-day in your region you can with your 944 because you simply can't fathom to waste another second not spending time racing against the clock in an auto-cross section. Whatever your poison may be, I think it's safe to say that the love and passion we share for these cars, or any cars of that concern, is unconditional and should be cherished. It's not about the miles-per-gallon, it's about the smiles-per-gallon. It's about the connectivity and engagement this car holds so truly to itself. It's about them 9000RPM's, bro.

I hope everyone here enjoys(ed) there RX-8 half as much as I did. And I thank all of you who have which helped me directly and in-directly during my ownership. I would say so-long to this forum. But I know that one day, I will be back with another RX-8; Velocity Mica Red, of course

 

Good story.
The grass is not always greener.
I understand completely. I absolutely love my 8, and except for the usual minor gripes, I think it's nearly perfect for me.
I dread the day I have to let it go.
'04 LY GT, bought 2 1/2 yrs ago w/18k, 42k now.
There's also something special about your first.
Mine was also bought at 16 with my own money.
In 1976(!)
I remember people complaining how expensive gas was when it hit 75¢ a gallon.
A yellow '69 Javelin. Like you, I always regretted selling it, and toyed with the idea of getting a classic one, but then I went look at one, and the memories were not enough to overcome the somewhat primitive interior.
Seemed a lot plainer than I remembered.
In fact, I was determined to get a yellow sports/muscle car as a reminder of those great days I had in my '69.
I was a junior in high school, and at the time it was one of the coolest cars in the parking lot.
It was only the rich kids who had nice new cars, not like today.
Yep, you never forget your first.

 

TL;DR but yes mine will likely burn before ever being sold.

I made the mistake of selling the first car I ever bought and paid for all by myself, and I have regretted it ever since. The RX-8 and I have been thru a lot together, no one would care for it the way I do.

 

Your just the right person to but my 28k mile 2004 x-8

 

See my thread posted today.

Glad I kept my 8.

Drove over a dozen new cars recently and some cost 2.5x as much as the 8.

I didn't like any as much, on balance, as my 8.

 

I have done the same over the last couple of years, not as a replacement really, but just something to drive and enjoy daily and only a couple I really liked. Until I calculated the payment that is

 

Me too. I'm driving a 2013 Sti at the moment, I miss the RX-8 a lot. Every cons that people say about the rotary engine or the RX-8 exists on other sports car as well, drinking engine oil, bad fuel consumption, etc etc. The RX-8 is pretty good once you start lurking in other car forums and discover the cons and weaknesses of other sports cars but the somewhat adjust-ability of the RX-8's stock suspension and its balance are the hidden underrated pros.

In fact i started saving up and hoping Mazda would release a Rotary car again in the future. No engine feels smooth anymore after driving a rotary.