After almost 9 years 152,423 miles of insanely pleasurable driving, I had to part ways with Vanellope, my 2005 Shinka. For the curious, she was still with her original motor, and she still ran like a scalded cat. But she broke, so much, so often, that she wrote her own divorce papers. The last straw was this past tuesday, the driver window's mechanism broke somewhere. I didn't even bother fixing it. I just sighed and went "It's new car time."

I tried to find a way to keep her *and* get a new car, but in the end, I had to give in to reality -- at the point I am in my life, in my job, and how the world is right now, Vanellope was a liability and I couldn't justify keeping her. I need a practical, cheap shitbox that won't eat me out of house and home in repairs.

I emptied her out, kissed her steering wheel, whispered "I'm so going to miss you," and turned her over in trade for a 2013 Mini Cooper S, pepper white w / black top.

So.. goodbye, Vanellope.. I am *so* going to miss you. I wish I could've found you a collector for a buyer, but it wasn't to be.

The lady who sold me the mini, she's wanted a shinka since she was in her teens (she's in her late 20's now), so I told her "Maybe this is the one for you." I hope Vanellope's spared from a fate like being all modded out and ruined, or worse -- sent to the scrap heap. After all, she was #126 of 844 stick '05 Shinkas ever made.

I cried when I kissed her wheel. I sobbed uncontrollably when I got home after driving the mini home, I reached into my pocket and out came Vanellope's keychain.. it broke me.

So.. goodbye, 8 club.. thanks for all the infos, all the insight.. everything.

I do so hope Mazda makes a new rotary again one day. But I fear Mazda may have lost me forever. Too many bad experiences with service. Unforgivable things. Lies, butchery, not owning up to mistakes made or damage to body, interior and trim.

But.. if they ever make a new rotary, I may look at mazda again. Most of the miles I've driven on this earth have been Rotary miles, and I still say it's my favorite motor, just ahead of the ferrari v12 and jag XK straight-six of olde.

Until then..

Sayo-nara.

 

Good luck with the Mini

Sure wouldn't be my first choice for a reliable car though ; (

 

So a window regulator was the last straw for you eh? I had to replace the window regulators on both driver and passenger side in the past 3 years. I guess you must have spent much more on other repairs and parts though that in the end you didn't want to justify another $200 bucks or so towards a repair.

I'm sure it's only a matter of few more months before I'm starting a similar thread and/or making a similar post as you. I know exactly how you must feel, cause I'm in the same boat. And it's not that I can't afford to keep repairing the 8 every time something new comes up - in fact, I've done the math, and if I keep repairing the car for the next few years, I'd actually save a ton of money over making payments on a brand new car (at least the ones I've been looking at). I'm just tired of playing that waiting game. Waiting till my next major breakdown...waiting for the next solenoid valve or spark plug to fail....waiting for the next CEL. Plus all it would take is 1 minor fender bender in the 8 and it's a total loss since the car is worth so little at this point.

Anyway enjoy the Mini. On the bright side...at least you got into another vehicle with great handling.

 

I felt the same way when I sold my '96 F-250 in the fall. It's funny how cars and trucks get into our hearts like they do. I always thought I'd get the body fixed up on the truck, get a turbo-back exhaust and a locker in the rear end and have a really cool, older truck to run around in. But now I have my 8, so that plan obviously didn't work out.
I just found my spare truck key in my wallet the other day, brought back all kinds of fun memories. The box of trashed synchros in my shop though, not so much.

 

Sold my 2004 at the end of 2011 . It was a nice-looking car with very good handling but in many respects it was a pain in the ***. Now I drive a car with a true rotary powerplant (electric).

 

Keeping a car through good and bad makes you an enthusiast. Buying a new (different) car when the current car "you love" gives you a few problems makes you a consumer.

 

Sad to see her go but sometimes, for some people it just becomes too much, I understand. There have been plenty of times over the past 143,000 miles that I have wanted to set this bitch on fire and walk away, But when it's good, it's GOOOOD so I put up with her bullshit.

 

I'm not saying I will never sell her, but I know I would regret it them moment I do it. Just recently I was offered 10k for the car and she's only worth about 6. Every time I pull her out of the garage to clean or work on it, it seems this guy shows up. I sold my Markviii, and I really loved that car, but had a damn good offer for it. Now I am currently looking for a luxury replacement for it. I don't "plan" to make the same mistake with this 8.

 

Yeah for me, my 8 has been paid off for years and I have 5 times the amount of money into it than it will ever be worth even in immaculate condition. So there is no reason to sell it since I have a reliable daily driver.

 

Yea, it's hard to beat paid for.

 

True, but you also have to factor in peace of mind (which I no longer have with my 8 since every 3-4 months something else is going wrong or has to be replaced) and the forgone opportunity to own newer, faster, better handling vehicles with newer technology and higher quality interiors in this short life we have.

I could have gone through 3 different cars by leasing over the years, but I didn't have the slightest care for any other cars available during the 10 year time period I owned my 8. That alone speaks volumes about this car, but yeah...reached a point now where it's just time to move on. I could still keep mine and get something new anyway, since it's not worth much to trade in or sell...but I'm just getting tired of driving stick, as well as dealing with more and more failing components. Might as well pick up a couple grand while I still can