the same topic comes up.. mom and dad are buying it... who gives a shyt... i drive my moms car... but i have a job.. im 16.. by the way... my parents told me to drive there car... til im 17 and they will buy me a rx-8... shyt i know im spoiled... i work but my parents tell me to save that money.. not my fault...

YES...you should buy the RX-8 it is a great car to own.. at t he age of 18... buy it you sure wont regret it... i test drove one... and im sure as hell getting one while im young... JUST drive reponsibly... and race on the track.. and drag strip.. NOT the streets... and at traffic lights... or at the parkig lot.. you get the point...

 

I'm embarassed to admit my first car was a '69 Dodge Dart with a 225 - 6. Perfect beginner car, no power, lots of sheet metal... took much more abuse than I'd ever admit to, and still came back for more.
Damn. I miss that car.
Not really. I love my 8. I also loved my RX-3...
Now that's one I wish I had back. :D
My point is this; can the 18 y/o handle that much power?

 

I would agree with most...it depends on the person. I would not be here if today if I owned a car like the RX-8 in my teens. The same holds true for motorcycles...when I sold bikes in '91 I refused to sell a new Kaw ZX7 to a 17 year old with his dads checkbook. He would be dead in a week and it would be on my mind for life.
But, PoLaK is young and working for it. Obviously, understands the responsibility of owning a car of this level. Not to mention his entrepreneurial spirt for making the RX-8.com club decals and selling them online.
Bottom line - it depends on the person.

 

Save it for college, you can't wreck a college education...

 

Depends on how responsible you are.

I"m 17, purchased black rx8 just a lil over a month ago.

 

I'm glad to hear I"m not the only one who wrecked a car when he was young(er, I'm only 21 now, 17 then).

But I'm going to get an RX-8, trade in my Camaro and sell stuff and make some money to make a 10,000 down payment. The car should sell for 25000 with a sports package after haggling.

My parents pay for insurance+gas which is really nice

 

How did you afford it? Just wondering...

 

I think i just may buy him a 97 240sx, and help him with an RX-8 or Rx-7 when his 21...

- thanks guys

 

maybe i will get him the rx-8 if i see how he does with his old 300zx that he has

 

What? A 300ZX? So he's already driving a fast car?
You said "...Would the RX-8 make a good first car for an 18 year old????"
What are we debating about?

 

Again even this depends on the responsibility/maturity factor.

i am in college now... an online college and it is more demanding than a traditional college. A person can wreck a college education if they are not ready for college. I know that if i went to college directly out of highschool i wouldnt have been ready and i would have failed or dropped out. I took the time to wait and respect the fact that an education is needed in today's world. When i graduated highschool i hated school and would never have taken it seriously.

 

Wrecking an education probably won't leave you dead or with broken limbs or with sky-high insurance rates.

I didn't have a car until after I graduated from college and I got it myself. Not saying I would have turned down a nice car from my parents if they could have afforded it, but I think doing things for myself has made me more responsible and appreciative. (Ever go on the dtmforums where some punk is complaninig because his dad is making him drive the family A4 instead of the M3?)

A car is also not a very good investment, money wise, within 4 years it will be worth half if not more..

 

true it wont lead to broken bones or death but i would rather be dead or have the broken limbs than work at a place like McDonalds for the rest of my life.

 

Sorry about that. I forgot about this thread. Well, I made a deal with my parents. My father didn't think it was "fair" for my sisters to get a $14,000 sweet 16 and for me to be left with nothing. So, the money used for their sweet 16 would be towards a new car for myself. I realize I am very fortunate for my parents to do this. I currently work for my school district wiring and building computer labs over the summer and for the winter(basically being the slave for the network admin). Also to help me further I will probably be attending the Naval Academy. So i guess you can say i didnt fully pay for it myself, but I do make payments.

Edit* This might have been the 4th time I've had to explain myself. I'll stay away from these kinds of threads from now on

 

Issues of 'responsible driver' aside, I will still say that the RX-8 would not be the best choice for an inexperienced driver. This is because the 8 handles SO MUCH better than MOST other cars on the road, the inexperienced driver might get very used to phenomenal handling. Then, when they happen to drive something more "normal", they'd be more likely to get themselves in trouble by asking the "normal vehicle" to do something that it simply CAN'T do. Inexperienced drivers have a hard enough time determining the limits of the handling of their cars - you shouldn't give them one whose limits are so much better/different than most other vehicles on the road.

 

coming from a 19 year old, i think an rx-8 would be great as a first car. it will last awhile, be reliable, has that roadside service deal so you dont have to worry about getting stranded somewhere and has room for friends.

but you cant just give him the keys and say ok have fun. if you get him the car you should both agree to having him take a performance type driving course using his car or go autocrossing. if you dont want to pay for that stuff then just set aside one or two days a week for the both of you to go out to a huge empty parking lot and have him learn the limits of the car during the night and day and in wet and dry conditions.

 

que?

So having an RX8 would prevent you from working at McDonalds but a college education won't?

 

Good point.

 

I agree, and driving a "bad" car as a new driver can make you a better driver. For example I know I would never be the driver I am now if I didn't get my learners practicing in my family van, and then driving SUVs (ponderous handling, vague steering, mushy brakes) and now with the 8 I can control it precisely. In a way, bad cars are like weights, once you take them off, you're way stronger than before :D
so yea, why not go with say... a heavier bigger sedan, that way you can practice spotting the edges of your bigger car and get used to the limits of a lower car.
but then again, I know, you're a 19 yr old, and I wanted a M3 when I was 19 too and I would've told off anyone who suggest I get a bigger sedan like a grand prix (or a tinted out crown vic so no punk in a S2000 or mustang would pass you :D )
so it's down to the 2 words "your call"
good luck

 

Im a 16-year old chick and my Rx-8 is my first car, its not a bad thing to have a nice car as your first as long as you dont **** it up. It's safe so thats a plus too.

 

You just proved why people have been saying it depends on the 18 year old. Was there a reason to put the F word in this post?

Are you paying for it yourself or was it a present?

For your sake I hope you don't wreck it at 120 mph trying to show off.

Just my .02

 

My first car was a 1978 Datsun B210 4 door gave to me by my parents. I drove it as hard as possible (sounded like a mad hornet) but luckily didn't ever wreck it. Bought an 1982 RX-7 after graduating high school almost 3 years later (1991). Glad I learned on something with a little less juice first. BTW, kudos to Nova on the Naval Academy. I've been in the Air Force 11 years and have seen and learned more than I ever imagined possible. Good luck.

 

i'm 22 and the rx-8 is my first car ever, also on another note i bought the manual transmission and didn't even know how to drive manual.

 

It was a present but as far as the way i drive it, it would be the same because its a car. Im safe with it, im not the kind of person whos gonna take it for granted just because it was given to me. I love it, its like my baby.

 

Best friend (16 years old) got a 93 supra... wrecked it...TOTALED IT.... he got another supra... 95 Supra... lets see what happens...lol

shyt happens in every car...fast or slow...