Less practical than touted: not getting rx-8 now (more)
01-03-2007, 02:30 PM
#26
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Southern California
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by User24
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.
Did they sell well?
If I am going to get 15mpg in my daily driver, it better have at least 400 hp and ft. lbs. of torque!
Last edited by plking; 01-03-2007 at 02:34 PM.
sorry, i had to.
01-03-2007, 03:29 PM
#33
DaveCm
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Central North Carolina
Posts: 670
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did you just come on here to dis our car? Otherwise, what is the point. I have carried kids in the back seat. Yes, I had to get out, go around, open the door. BFD. The kids love to ride in it. They would rather ride in it than have the ease of our SUV. My brother as owned 4 325s. I would rather put up with the doors on my 8.
If you are looking for an honest opinion, you came to a very biased place. If you are here to complain then, go away. We have enough of that on here now.
If you are looking for an honest opinion, you came to a very biased place. If you are here to complain then, go away. We have enough of that on here now.
01-03-2007, 03:35 PM
#34
Wow old thread!
FWIW my 7.5 yo sits in the front seat becasue he does not weight enough to activate the passenger side air bag. Thank you Mazda! My 3.5 yo daughter sits behind him so he opens both doors for them to exit the vechile. No problems here with the door setup the 8 provides.
FWIW my 7.5 yo sits in the front seat becasue he does not weight enough to activate the passenger side air bag. Thank you Mazda! My 3.5 yo daughter sits behind him so he opens both doors for them to exit the vechile. No problems here with the door setup the 8 provides.
01-03-2007, 03:38 PM
#35
Registered
From a user interface perspective, the 2 "doorlings" on the RX-8 can be considered analogous to flipping the front seats in a standard coupe like the M3. So the inconvenience is similar I think.
Regarding having to open an extra door for the child on the far side, I admit the RX-8 is at a disadvantage there because of the "backbone". However, I believe most kids requiring adult help are on booster seats, no? If you have two booster seats in the back, I doubt the "backbone" is an issue.
The only issue with RX-8 rear doors is when the car is in a tight parking spot. You need to do a little yoga with the front and rear doors.
Regarding having to open an extra door for the child on the far side, I admit the RX-8 is at a disadvantage there because of the "backbone". However, I believe most kids requiring adult help are on booster seats, no? If you have two booster seats in the back, I doubt the "backbone" is an issue.
The only issue with RX-8 rear doors is when the car is in a tight parking spot. You need to do a little yoga with the front and rear doors.
01-03-2007, 03:39 PM
#36
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Southern California
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
no, i was promted to come back by whoever revived the thread, then my sanity was questioned! 
I like the 8, I just thought the execution didn't live up to the buzz. to each his own.
I like the 8, I just thought the execution didn't live up to the buzz. to each his own.
01-03-2007, 03:43 PM
#38
i pwn therefore i am
This thread is over 4 years old and the original poster has 12 posts (7 of which are from this thread). But more impressively he came back after those 4 years to respond to new comments. I'm not even sure what to think at this point.
I must learn to look at the post dates. 
01-03-2007, 03:51 PM
#42
DaveCm
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Central North Carolina
Posts: 670
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by ZoomZoomH
i purposely replied just because of the post dates lol 
Ok, I geuss you were right.
01-03-2007, 04:00 PM
#44
printf("</%i pistons",3);
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: I'm a yankee trapped in Houston!!
Posts: 654
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I guess my dislexia kicked in at some point because I fail to see how getting 2 kids into a car with or without child seats is that big of a fuss?
With child seats you put behind you and one in the passenger seat, which can be easily done by reaching across the center console. The passenger seat can slide all the way back until the back of the seat is TIGHTLY pressed up against the rear seat. Lean it back a little bit and that'll leave you with 2 or 3 feet between the childseat and the airbag.
If you don't trust the spacing between the airbag and your child, why not just pop a squat in the driver's-side rear seat and reach over the console as you buckle them in? I've done the same when loading groceries (yes - I buckle the plastic bags in so that I can still drive hard without risking spills), and it's actually easier since you don't have to arch over whatever's in the seat while you look for the buckle.
If they aren't in child seats, just have them get in on the same side and have one of them climb over the center console. I mean, dude, they're kids! They'll hop over that console for FUN. You risk a few footprints and dirt on the seats from their feet, sure, but if you have kids you really shouldn't expect your appholtery to last long in the first place!
And, if you happen to have obise, physically challenged, or imbalenced kids that can't deal with the climbing thing, have you ever seen how far forward the passenger seat can go? Just have the kid reach down and pull up on the lever to make the seat lean all the way forward, and then pull on the bar underneath to slide it all the way up. After they get in, they have plenty of room to access both door handles.
Yeah, both cases require a little extra work, but it's not like it's grueling hard; just take a second or 2 more getting in and out to move some things around. It's no more daunting of a task than unlocking your glovebox and remounting your radar detector every time you get in...
With child seats you put behind you and one in the passenger seat, which can be easily done by reaching across the center console. The passenger seat can slide all the way back until the back of the seat is TIGHTLY pressed up against the rear seat. Lean it back a little bit and that'll leave you with 2 or 3 feet between the childseat and the airbag.
If you don't trust the spacing between the airbag and your child, why not just pop a squat in the driver's-side rear seat and reach over the console as you buckle them in? I've done the same when loading groceries (yes - I buckle the plastic bags in so that I can still drive hard without risking spills), and it's actually easier since you don't have to arch over whatever's in the seat while you look for the buckle.
If they aren't in child seats, just have them get in on the same side and have one of them climb over the center console. I mean, dude, they're kids! They'll hop over that console for FUN. You risk a few footprints and dirt on the seats from their feet, sure, but if you have kids you really shouldn't expect your appholtery to last long in the first place!
And, if you happen to have obise, physically challenged, or imbalenced kids that can't deal with the climbing thing, have you ever seen how far forward the passenger seat can go? Just have the kid reach down and pull up on the lever to make the seat lean all the way forward, and then pull on the bar underneath to slide it all the way up. After they get in, they have plenty of room to access both door handles.
Yeah, both cases require a little extra work, but it's not like it's grueling hard; just take a second or 2 more getting in and out to move some things around. It's no more daunting of a task than unlocking your glovebox and remounting your radar detector every time you get in...
01-03-2007, 04:01 PM
#45
Originally Posted by saturn
This thread is over 4 years old and the original poster has 12 posts (7 of which are from this thread). But more impressively he came back after those 4 years to respond to new comments. I'm not even sure what to think at this point.
a) lighten up
b) learn to have a little fun
01-03-2007, 04:06 PM
#46
printf("</%i pistons",3);
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: I'm a yankee trapped in Houston!!
Posts: 654
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by WantedTwo
4 years, 10 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days since this thread has seen the light of day.
CYA Statment: I only replied because the original poster was still here and I wanted some clarification on the "problems" I still fail to see.
01-03-2007, 04:55 PM
#50
Registered
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 589
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by plking
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 .
l
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 .
l
I use my car chiefly with one or two passengers. When we go somewhere as a family, the Passat gets used.
If I did not own a sedan, I could not own the RX-8.