23109VC

I am 34. wife, 2 kids. The wife has a family car. I currently have a 4 door sports sedan that I like but is getting "up" in miles, and is probably going to start costing me an arm and a leg in terms of maintenance/etc etc.

I am going to sell or trade my current car.

I am looking into 4 doors. I'd love a two seater like an S2000 or Boxster...but need back seats. While my wife shuttles the kids (5 and 1) around most of the time, there will be times where I have to take them somewher ein whatever I'm driving..so back seats are a must...

any of you who have kids, and have dealt with putting kids (both infants or toddlers) in/out of an RX8 - fill me in of it is really doable..or if it's a big fat PITA.

I considred the 335 and IS350..which would be similar to my S60R in terms of power/luxury..etc... but I candidly don't want to spend that much money, and I kind of want something more sporty. I considered an EVO or STi...they are 4 doors, VERY sporty and very fast..but at 34, being a professional..I don't see myself rolling to the office in an EVO. it just has that "rice" image to me. my coworkers would think i'd lost my mind.

a 350Z or RX8 looks a tad more mature. The Z is out - no back seats. the RX8 is an interesting car. it is really a sports car..but a very functional 2+2 - almost like a sedan but not quite.

the power may be a tad "low" for me..coming from an S60R that has 300 hp..and I chipped my R so it's more like 330 with 300lbs of torque. my car is a high 13 second car....so the RX8 may feel slow..but I'll bet money the RX8 will feel more sporty and more tossable. more like a sports car and less like a powerful sedan.

i want something relatively safe..i don't want to get killed in my car, and i may have my kids in it. i am assuming the RX8 is less safe than my Volvo..but how much so?

i know the 1/4 mile times aren't that great in the 8..but how is the car from roll? if you are willing to rev the stink out of the car, is it faster than the 1/4 mile times would suggest?

reliablity - i plan to lease the car for two years. as long as it won't rattle, squeek or fall apart in two years, long term reliablity is not a concern. have there been tons of people with lemon type problems in the first two years of ownershp

feel free to offer me advice, suggestions, or other comments.

i don't really plan to mod this car. i went down the mod road on my S60R and it caused me just as much pain and pleausre. the car go tfaster but i had issues iwth the delaer, more relaiblity problems due to mods..the dealer was a major PITA and refused to work on stuff due to my mods...i just want something fun, relatively fast, relaible, and functional/pracitcal.

i like to shift gears, i like to take corners fast, i like to redline my car and get that pushed in my seat feeling..and have "fun" behind the wheel of a car.

i used to own a 79 RX7 and briefly had a 88 TII. both cars blew motors...i later had a miata...great car...then a VTEC prelude..great car...then the S60R. R has gobs of torque vs my past cars...but a lot of reliablity issues and it's not as asporty feeling as the miata or RX7s.

i assume the new renesis motor is not as prone to blowing up as the older ones...

i need to test drive one.

Keef

dude... you just posted a similar issue in another forum... Try moving this issue into the Tech Garage now...

stanleylee

i dont have an 8 (yet but should be in a few months :p), i dont have kid and i am only 24
the first reason i like this car is coz it has 4 sit, so i can drive myself and friends around, the second reason is it is a great japanese car,+ the superb handling (from the test drive).

i own a 03 vw 1.8t now, from what i learned at the test drive, compair 8 to vw, 8 have less torque under 5k rpm, but anythings after 5k is awsome , it very smooth too.

but what i think a bmw 335 is more a family car + a little sporty,and might be* fit you more
(my mom own a 330 ci )

ken-x8

Everyone needs to test drive one. The result is then needing to buy one. Especially someone with the symptoms you describe.

IMHO, it comes down to how tall you and your wife are. If you need to put the front seats all the way back, it's a two seater with an upholstered storage bin. If you're not that tall, and the kids fit, go for it.

Take the family on the test drive.

Ken

mkztg

This sounds exactly like the situation I was in when deciding to buy my 8. Take the family with you and do a test drive. See how it fits you and the wife and kids. If it works for you then go for it.

I know I love my 8.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

DaveCM203

I won't flame you for making two similar posts.

If you loved the Prelude, you will be blown away by the 8. There is NO comparison. Your S60 MIGHT be faster in a drag race than an 8, but the 8 is a true drivers car.

06shinka06

I have one son no problem getting in and out of the car i just worry about him spilling juice and staining my seats...

otherside

If I were you, no. If you were me, yes...

Astral

If you love to redline it and love shifting, then this is definitely the car for you. Redline it twice a day.

Reliability is not an issue. 2 years is nothing. Many owners here with 2+ years of ownership and no problems. Many 1st year kinks have been worked out. I have 32K on my car, having owned it for almost 1.5 years and no problems. You may develop some minor rattles.. my driver's seat was squeaking after 1.2 years, got warrantied.

Honestly, gas mileage and power are the major considerations. Can you live with the gas mileage? Can you live with the power? Test drive it to get a feel for the power (better yet, test drive a used 8 first, so you can redline it guilt-free).

Make sure your kids like the backseat.

With 3K in incentives on the 8 now, you can get a brand new sport package 8 for under 24K... add on leather and all, goes up higher, of course.

CTrx8

iTrader: (2)

i have a toddler and infant as well and it's not difficult to shuttle them around. granted, they don't go in there that often and are with my wife in the accord but it's not that bad getting them in and out of the 8 plus my daughter loves it much more than the accord but who can blame her? now keep this in mind - you're on a forum for RX-8s so it will be biased answers.

it is a rotary engine and as you've learned before owning 7s, 1/4 mile times aren't the strong point. safety is very good according to the tests and i feel safer knowing the side curtain airbags are there. as everyone said, go test drive one and find out for yourself how you like it. also, please read the sticky threads and do some searching as these (especially the reliability question) questions have already been asked many times before.

btw - was your '79 a 4 speed manual?

9291150

Funny, you sound like me...38, 2 young kids, wife with SUV. Came from a boosted 1.8T Passat, also had a Miata I loved. Bought mine 15 months ago, 330i coupe and G35 coupe was on my final list.

Kids? It's perfect. Access is better than the coupes I mentioned, space is great, but legroom tight for anyone well into 5ft. tall.

Reliability? Got a new tranny under warranty, otherwise it's perfect.

Performance? Braking and handling as good as you'll find, and it'll feel as tossable as your old Miata. Otherwise the 14.5 quarter flatters it, 'cause if your caught in a roll on anywhere under 6000rpm you'll be dissapointed. I have a MS flywheel that makes a nice diff, but it's not an easily or cheaply modded car. If you love linear power delivery (I hated my turbo!), smoothness like nothing else, and high revs you'll love it.

mabdeliz

I was in virtually the same scenario as you 4 months ago and decided on the RX8. I am in my 30's, married, and two small children. Wife has a family sedan, etc. I compared to the G35 coupe and M3. Ended up with the RX* out of a 2003 Maxima (6 spd ). I cannot comment on maintenance, etc. since I have only had the vehicle for a few months now and do not drive it every day, however I can say it should fit your needs well. I will note, though, if your children have not hit the booster seat stage yet, it can be somewhat challenging strapping the belt buckle in the back seat (clip is recessed and somewhat hard to reach over the booster seat. Not a deal breaker, but something of note.

In the end, the RX8 does not "push" you into your seat, but it has a "feel" that you must experience for yourself. This is an engine with a solid, flat torque line versus a "peaky" torque curve as you find in many piston engines. The power delivery is linear and smooth. This is an engine that does not make you cringe when revving beyond 5K. The RX8 is not a ¼ mile queen. From a roll, it is even worse, unless you can keep the revs above 5K. In the end, I liked the feel of the RX8 better than the G35 (and ~$8500 in price difference also helped), however I will say I did enjoy the M3 (cost/maintenance costs were the major deciding factor in this instance). I would suggest a test drive on a very twisty road to determine if this is the vehicle for you.

Safety, I cannot comment from personal experience, however it has received excellent crash ratings. It does have TCS/DCS that works relatively well yet remains "invisible" until absolutely required.

I am not sure I would recommend a lease due to the poor depreciation associated with the RX8. I found that a purchase was a wiser decision (at least for me). The 2006 models should have all of the "first-year" issues ironed out. If you are buying a 2006, make sure that all the recall bulletins have been performed on the vehicle. These should not apply for the 2007's, however note that the 2007 models have a shorter warranty than the 2006 models. The 2006's have ~$3K in rebates/cash back (vs. ~$1500 when I purchased mine ) and there are a number of 2006's still in stock.



Then this is the car for you. I would also recommend keeping the older car as a "beater". The RX8 has a quality that makes you obsessive about it and having a beater (assuming your location subjects you to inclement weather) is a good idea for bad weather days.

You said it . The drive is what hooked me.

My $0.02. Hope it helps.

Phantom Menace

Depends...Post pics of your wife and we'll get back to you on this one? j/p
+1, almost exact situation. 4 doors or no, the 8 is a great car to own. If you wife has a larger car then that makes it even better.

DaveCM203

If you are the jealous type do NOT listen to Phantom. He is the poster child for Team Leg Humpers. He was even caught humping a table leg more than once. (He is also near sited.)

NoTears316

yes

Ike

If you decide the RX-8 won't work out due to the lack of a true 4 door and space then you might want to consider the '07 STI Limited. Much more understated than the regular Evo and STI but should give you the thrills and practicality you're after.

http://www.subaru.com/sub/misc/2007/sti/index.html

dbb

Disagree. The STi is simply not as agile or as fun to drive.

The high driving position, the tendency to run long on corners, and the lack of driver feedback are real killers for the fun/thrills factor.

Go with the rx8.

Phantom Menace

Hey, hey, hey, now. That coffee table and I had something SPECIAL! Then she went and got refurbished...it was all down hill after she got them "implants."



And I see just fine ...

NotAPreppie

What about a Pontiac GTO? I rode along on a fun-run in the back of one of those and it wasn't half bad as far as room and comfort go (except my helmet kept hitting the rear windshield over some of the uneven concrete joints).

shaunv74

The RX-8 was made specifically for you and your demographic. Go test drive one. Bring the family. I love it! You will too. I bought it! you will too. I have an '04 with 53K miles on it and have not spent anything more than regular maintenence on it.

it's truly an amazing car to drive and your kids will think it's really cool.:-)

to answer your question: Yes I would buy an RX-8 if I were you. I already did!

Astral

That's not correct, 2004 was the first year. 2005, and 2006 models have the kinks worked out. My 2005 had none of the first-year issues.

Buy a 2006 and save money *and* get a better warranty to boot.

rodrigo67

The Legacy Gt is a little more grown up while still giving you that throw in your seat, grip the road feeling.

The 8 is an excellent car. I got an 04 and had no issues other then a dead battery. The car connects you to the road better then anything I ever drove ( with exception to my 944). The rear seats can fit kids easily. The interior is very good and well layed out. The power after 5K is good, but not mind boggling. I've had faster cars on my butt until we come to a bend. Not one of them could keep up.

The was a guy here that roll his 8 a few years ago. The car look a mess but he stepped out with just a few bruises. Saftey is rated very good.

Take it for a ride and if you can deal with the lack of torque and the gas issue, then you should get it...

DaveCM203

Getting in and out of the back of a GTO sucks. The seats won't tip forward much so you have to slide the power seat forward on both driver and passenger sides.


But if you want one, I have one I would like to sell you.