zitch

Sorry about the length. Skip to the end if you want a short version.

Hi, I'm a soon-to-be 25 year old male in a soon-to-be 6 year long relationship with a soon-to-be 24 year old girlfiend (possibly soon-to-be fiance, but that's a later story... ) and I am a RX-8 driver wanna-be addict. This is my story of how I came this way:

Flashback to last August. I've been driving a 94' Honda Accord LX (4 Cyl auto tan colored) that I bought used in my High School Senior year in 1997. It's been hella tough vehicle to take all of the abuse that I've given it. I've maybe spent $3000 in repairs in the 7 years I've owned it. I've taken it up to 120 mph on the interstate once.

But before I graduated college in 2001, I started driving it sanely. No driving over 5 mph above the speed limit. No taking tire squealing turns around corners. No flooring it to get up to speed. Just use it as a dependable workhorse to get me on my 27-mile one-way drive to work and back home. And the weekly 52-mile-one-way drive to my girlfriend's parent's house each weekend and back home.

Err... sorry about that. Back to last August: I decided to take advantage of the 04 models coming out soon to purchase an 03 model. You know, some dealers may have some cars that they are looking to get off the lot.... . My only requirements: good mileage, reliability, midsize room, and a stick shift. I thought about getting a hybrid, but their size, relitively unknown reliability, and price kept me from then. So I decided to go back to the Accord. Ends up, I get a 03 Accord LX with the 2.4 I4 and 5-speed automatic transmission for a rather good price, and an MP3 CD player thrown in for free. A little bummed that I didn't get a stick, but the only stick they had was in an EX version, and I had no need to pay thousands more for leather, sunroof, and electric seats just to have a stick.

Well, this car revives whatever little passion for driving I had before I entered the job market. Sure, it's not a sports sedan and may not have the fastest 0-60 times in its class, but its handling and speed and feel on the road was like night and day compared to the 94 accord. Sure, the exterior styling did do it for me at first, but I didn't hate it at all, and it's starting to grow on me now. And the interior is alot more luxurious than any of the other cars in its class (8 Drink holders?!? You gotta be kidding me! and how the Stereo and airconditioning is setup on the dashboard. And how the dashboard lights up during the day, and dims when I put the headlights on). It feels no different when your driving 100 then when you're driving 60. Nowadays, I floor it to get the the speed I want. I love it when it downshifts from 5th to 3rd and presses me in my seat. I like doing the 1-2-D3-D shifting from a start, even though it lags behind me. I like forcing a downshift from D to D3 when I'm forced to slowdown, and the minor whiplash when I add throttle (and it's already in 3rd gear) is sweet.

What does this have to do with the RX-8 you say? Well, the interest I hold in my car and driving brings me to Edmunds.com to read about the Accord in December. While doing that, I look over into hybrids to see how they're doing. From there I... what's this? Wankel engines? I've heard of those before. Aren't they rotory? Hey! Mazda has a rotory engine! And they're using it in the... um... RX... 8? RX-7? Huh? You mean that rotary engines were in commercial use before? Wow! I've never known that before! Lemme check out this RX-8 car...

And I would say that the rest was history. But something a couple days ago brought the RX-8 to the forefront for me. You see, I was driving with my girlfriend (who thinks I'm silly for getting all into cars and stuff, when before, even though I know the basics of how cars work and all, I wasn't all that interested.. well, back to the story...), when a red RX-8 passed us up. I caught up to it at the next stop light, and I see her eyeing it. Remember, she's a practical one. She's currently driving a 93 Camry, and not into sports cars at all. I ask her how she like the RX-8, and she mentions that it look pretty sporty. And I tell her that it is! And so she says that she really doesn't like 2 doors. And I smile, and tell her about and point out the suicide doors. We talk abit more about it and when we get home, I get on the laptop, go to someone's site that had all kinds of pictures of their RX-8, and show them to her. She approves of the backseats, the doors, and like the exterior and the interior styling. She then asks what colors is it available in. I show her, and she picks out the Winning Blue exterior with the black cloth interior.

And here's the best part; she asks, "When do I get this?" I answer, "When you get the other job and we get married." (She has a job now, but a better one is in the works for her. We'll be making probably about $500 extra a month if it pulls through)

You should have seen the ****-eating grin on her face. It looks like a Blue RX-8 with an MP3 player is gonna be in our future. I liked how she comments that even if we "accidentally" have kids, she doesn't have to get rid of the RX. She is even willing to let me teach her to drive a stick. If we get a trim, it'll be the Sports trim only for stabilty control.

So I get onto rx8club.com, head into the forums and start reading around. I find the "Little things" thread and read every single post.

You know what, I'm sold. An RX-8 is in our future. Ya'll should get commision. It is rather unfair ganging up on me...


ADHD version: I drove 94 accord. Used it only as a commuter. I get 03 Accord. It makes me like driving again. I spot RX-8. I like. Girlfriend spots RX-8. She likes. We will get.

Super ADHD version: I like RX-8.

:D

mysql101

So... to make a long story short, you used marriage as an excuse to get the RX-8?

hehe, whatever it takes, it's worth it. Just make sure the prenup says the 8 is yours.

poolsidenaz

Thanks for the ADHD version :D Ditto Jason on the prenup LOL (that's a whole other thread we're making reference to)

Be sure and post here the moment you get it, WITH pics! Congrats in advance

rjacobs

I have switched cars from one type to another and back 5 times now, but a girl has never been one factor in deciding on a car. I went from first **** car to gmc sanoma to honda civic to grand cherokee to rx8 and now am stuck. Just make sure she gets the accord and you get the rx8 otherwise you will get jelous.

Meowloud

Hopefully... WELCOME to the club!
PLEASE, just as Jason wrote... get a pre-nup!!! (See the pre-nup thread in the lounge)

went_postal

I hate to break this to you, Dude... She had the ****-eating grin because you mentioned the word Marriage out-loud and in front of her. :D

zitch

Actually, the other way around. I'm using the RX-8 to speed up our marriage. We're getting married. It's just up to me to get off my butt and do the damn proposal.

What kind of ring do you get for someone who despises jewelry and who will bitch at you if you "spend too much" on her?

I dunno about the prenup though. We are very reasonable people. If nothing else, she can have the RX-8, and I'll trade in the Accord for another RX-8. It helps that neither of us really want children. And if we do have children and we do end up divorced, I'll probably end up with them anyways... She is really set against having children. I really don't care if we have any.

rjacobs

dont get her any gold. Get silver or something like that, just dont go gaudy on the ring. Or only do wedding bands and not engagement rings. Or just DONT ******* TELL HER and get her what you want and then dont tell her what you spent on it. Or lie and say you got a deal on it from a buddy or some BS like that. No kids, does that also mean no sex? That would suck.

RodsterinFL

Yeah Yeah Yeah. There's a japanese video on this same thing - 2 bridesmaids jump out of the back seats and a bride and groom are in there too. Remember? the video with the piano music at the beginning and the violins? A really cool RX-8 commercial for Japan.

picosrx8

Great story Z Man. Sounds like you dont need any convincing. I had to share my 8 with my wife for a while. After six months she started to ask for the SUV again. I didnt ask questions but found out later her bad back made it difficult to sit in those buckets for long rides. She was driving in pain for six months in that car because it was so much fun to drive! Plus she had never had a car that causes people to stare before. If that doesnt tell you that your girl is stealing that car you are about to buy...

SiMplyBluE

Dude, just because shes says or pretends to despise jewellry doesn't mean she does!!! All women will say "don't spend too much" to you but you should know better!

But back to the subject, Congrats and post some pics!

tblazer

Good luck with the girl and the 8. Smart move to wait 'til she gets a job that will pay for it though.

On the engagement, get a ring with a setting shaped like a rotor...

Meowloud

OHHH Great Idea! I would have LOVED that! Not only because I love my 8, but because it is unique.
And Simplyblue, if she doesn't want you to spend much... KEEP HER! She is thinking of you before herself!!! VERY thoughtful!

SiMplyBluE

The ring is a great idea....what if the girl is not a rotary nut? :p And you can't be serious that a girl doesn't like to be pampered with nice jewelry especially if its the proposal ring?? It has have a minimum of a 1.5ct diamond in it... :D

Meowloud

If even if she is not a rotary nut... the rotary is the symbol of triangle. The triangle are the three aspects of life.. past, present, and future. It is the symbol of the first and symbol of the ever-lasting civilization. You could tell her these things and that she is your past, present and future :D
(A chic would dig that)

SiMplyBluE

Oooooh, oooh....let me write that down, repeat 10 times, commit to memory...all set. :D

Meowloud

He he.
I remember when Jon proposed to me. It was after 23:00 Eastern time, we were walking on Vilano Beach in St. Augustine and the moon was FULL. It was so bright, that it could have been mid-day during a thunderstorm! We were holding hands, and he stopped and looked puzzled, almost like he had lost something. I looked at him wondering and he said, "you know, this moon is bright, but I still can't see your beautiful face." And then he kneeled down and presented the ring, and said, "there, this will always reflect your beauty, and hopefully how happy you are with me!"
Of course I said yes! :D

SiMplyBluE

And that my friends is a beautiful ending to "My Story".

zitch

Lol! Thanks for all of the replys guys!

rjacobs: "No kids, does that also mean no sex? That would suck."

Notice where I mention that she could still keeps the car even if we "accidentally" have kids? Even if we have no plans for kids, doesn't mean that sex is out of the question.

rjacobs and tblazer: interesting ideas on the rings! I'll have to keeps them in mind.

Meowloud: Wow! Great story! And wonderfull advice! Ditto SiMplyBluE! Gotta commit that to long term memory.

SiMplyBluE: There is a reason that she jokes that people call her "a man with breasts"... Believe me, she is all woman, but having 3 older brothers while growing up does have an effect (Such as having bling bling doesn't mean anything and that dresses suck... )