The RX-8 is an affordable sports car. Well, in the US it may be, but not over here. Here in Norway there's about 150 RX-8's apparently, so they are somewhat rare. Before buying my car in 2008 I had a long period of considering it, if I could afford it and so on. But once I started looking I had to get one, and got one imported from the US (2004 model).

Anyway, I log everything I do with my car in aCar app for Android and I also have a fairly good overview of other costs, so I put down some numbers. It really does put the madness of RX-8 ownership in Norway in perspective. Everything is converted to dollars, but the exhange ratio has been about the same since 2008 for my currency.

Price of RX-8 imported: $57,755 (about $30,000 is assorted government taxes)

Loan payment: $440 a month (I own most of it now) - 6 mnts $2640
Insurance: in average $130 a month - 6 mnts $780
Parking space: $220 a month - 6 mnts $1320
Gas: $1000
Parts/Services: $3100

2640+780+1320+1000+3100 = $8840

MADNESS!!! But hey, I love the car and ANY car is expensive to own here. My car is 7 years old now according to the manufacture date, but it still looks like new

I'm assuming none of you spend anything like those mad numbers.

 

The madness is paying for a parking space!

 

This town is running out of space (it's in a garage, but still, it's mad)

 

Wow.

 

Looks like the average expense here, car price aside

 

Wow. That's dedication. I don't think I would own my rx8 if it cost me that much.

 

I know for sure I wouldn't. The whole point of the car for me was that it was a world class sports car in its own right for a fraction of the cost of cars like Porsche...

 

congrats and I understand your pain. My sister lives in switzerland and it cost me over 500 dollars to park for a month there. It was 300 dollars just for the city street parking license.

 

Yeah it's quite mental. This is private rented parking space, but the fact that there's businesses wanting them drives up the prices. If I'm lucky I can squeeze it down to $160 at some point or when I can move I can get it included. Don't want to park it outside either.

bse50: Yeah I guess Italy would be pretty similar except the car price itself. Of course it doesn't help the expenses that BHR and other companies release sexy stuff for our cars

Painful numbers, but I can't be sensible about cars.

 

Hey, I just started using aCar also! It's great to know how much money you are dumping into this poor thing :P

I did my number crunching, and an average 6 month period for me is about 5k bucks *I have expensive insurance....*. I just think to myself if I had some cheap 1995 beater, I'd be rich.

 

I would think a lotus would be easier for you to get a hold of. Then again it wouldn't be as rare for you. I do hope you get a chance to run on a track though. I also bet you can get michelin sport a/s plus cheaper since its a french company.