I just wanted to know from you guys, that own an RX-8. Would the RX-8 make a good first car for an 18 year old????

any thoughts would be helpfull

-- thanks

That would depend on the 18 year old.

I know now that I was not responsible enough at 18 to own a car like the 8.

who's buying it? It's too good for mom and dad to give him. Maybe a 3. If he's buying it himself and he's not looking for a way to kill himself or his friends, then maybe...

Don't be so critical.

Hell im 16, but I paid for it, well I'm still paying for it.

If your parents buy it for you than it sort of devalues the hardwork and struggle that will teach you better than any lecture. And it ends up just being a toy daddy bought for you. Do yourself a favor and buy it yourself. Assuming your responsible enough to save the money and work off the payments, you'll be responsible enough to drive it so you don't end up killing yourself.

Depends on the person, i know when i was 16 i wasn't reponsible enough to get my liceanse so i waited till i was 17 to get it and learn what a responsibility/privilege (sp) to be able to drive. Looking back on it i doubt my parents would have co-signed on the loan inorder for me to purchase one 6 months ago when i was 19 (now i'm 20) if they had not seen how reponsible i was in regards to driving.

NOPE
drivers 18/under or with only 2-3 years driving experience are SO not responsible enough for a new car. Start with a beater up, a safe, but beater upper.

When I was 18 I crashed my parents brand new Alero. Insurance took care of it and at least I turned into a better driver, now 3 years later I'm ready for my 8

I only started driving at 20, and even then I cannot say that I was a responsible driver. I was always trying to overtake every one else, and the fastest I've ever driven (besides a couple of German autobahn runs) was when I was still an inexperienced driver. Having said that, I have never had any major accident besides one while rally-driving.

So, as others have said, it depends on the driver's maturity. But in general I would not recommend it. The 8 can be a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands.

No no, holy SHIT no.

Absolutely not.

RWD is never a good option for a first car... get a cheap beater Subaru Impreza or something from the mid-90's. Indestructible and AWD, it's a perfect car to start out with.

My first car was a Camaro, but an 83 Camaro, well I learned how to drive on a Nissan Z from the 80s.... but my real first car was an 83 Camaro.. it was rear wheel drive and I took it nice and slow and got a real handle on it. I mean I still have it... nice car.

Sometimes in the rain I'd skid in the back wheels etc... but I always kept a handle on it and stayed perfectly calm. This was after my accident that is. Yet in high school I knew a guy, like 17, who had a brand new camaro. one time, with 3 other guys including me in the car he went speeding on a 90 degree left turn in the light rain and we fish tailed for like 30 seconds and then ended up facing the opposite direction of traffic.

And not to mention all through out high school there wouldn't be a week gone by where I didn't hear some stupid bimbo talking about how she got in an accident "again" and they joked about it and took it lightly....

I got in an accident just for looking away....... distracted because of my thoughts of a love interest.... nuff said.

I was actually lucky i was in my parents new car, more safe, insurance that covered it and I got to keep my car (camaro) but if it had been an RX-8.... oh man :(

Here's another thing, if he's ready to make a $10,000 down payment on it, maybe even with your help.... he might be ready...

Don't buy the car outright for him.. that wouldn't be good either. Not cuz it's just handing things to him but because part of responsibility of owning a car is the work that goes with it.

If the 18 year old owns a body shop, sure!

Teenagers almost always wreck their first car.

ok first off.. like other people said you need to make sure the kid learns responsibility. By buying him a new car at such a young age he'll have nothing to really strive for. If you have always been giving in to his demands then you are pretty much screwed as now more than likely he is a leech... I have been noticing this an aweful lot lately. Kids expecting the world to be put at their feet. Make him earn the car. Its the best thing you can do.

My parents gave me just enough to survive. If I wanted a nice car then I would have had to work to go get one. It was made clear to me that if I wanted something I would have to learn how to become a self suffiecent person and get it myself.

I guess it worked as now I have a good job and can afford a car like my rx-8!

damn y'all are up early. I didn't think I'd get a reply so fast, let alone two.
I'm still awake from the night before haha....

I have paid for my car and I'm 17. It all depends on your responsibility like everyone is saying. Too many of my friends have gotten into accidents, but it depends on your awareness of the road and driving style. If you work hard for the car you will do everything in your power to not screw it up...and make it your "baby"

yeah see at least Nova has something to compensate for non natural responsibility that's needed

Originally posted by NoVa
I have paid for my car and I'm 17. It all depends on your responsibility like everyone is saying. Too many of my friends have gotten into accidents, but it depends on your awareness of the road and driving style. If you work hard for the car you will do everything in your power to not screw it up...and make it your "baby" I'm not saying this to be critical; I am genuinely curious as I have a 15-yr-old son: How does a 17-yr-old make enough money to buy a car like an '8, and pay for insurance and gas, while still devoting enough time to school? I've seen a few cases where extraordinary kids make a bundle of money like programming for summer jobs, etc. But how does an ordinary, run-of-the-mill kid do this?

Myself, I plan to get my son a decent, new car when his grades are good enough. This is because in high school I don't want him to be preoccupied with earning money for a nice car; I want him to be preoccupied with his classes. The Mazda 3 is a good candidate or Acura RSX (base, not Type S.) That way, when he graduates he keeps the car and has no maintenance problems like with a beater.

on the contrary i had a new car when i was 16, never drove anything older than a year or two up until now. now i am driving a 1990 subaru legacy.

only 2 of the vehicles i have had were given to me no strings attached. My father bought me my first truck and i later traded that in for a car with more room, there are the two given to me. the rest i bought myself.

i have never crashed a car however i made the mistake of letting a friend drive one and they totaled it.

Lesson learned wether you have insurance or not dont let anyone drive your cars ;)



Originally posted by BlueOakleyz
NOPE
drivers 18/under or with only 2-3 years driving experience are SO not responsible enough for a new car. Start with a beater up, a safe, but beater upper.

When I was 18 I crashed my parents brand new Alero. Insurance took care of it and at least I turned into a better driver, now 3 years later I'm ready for my 8

i would like to note that i was a semi responsible kid but my parents giving me my first car and having it be a year or 2 old, was the best thing they could have done. I had the nicest vehicle amongst my friends, yea some thought i was spoiled but what i learned is that if i want to remain having nice cars i have to work to keep them.

the next car i bought after that vehicle was a 99 grand am, then i bought a 01 grand prix, traded that in in 02 for a 98 and 99 cavalier(s) then traded one of the cavaliers in for a 01 grand am, dont ask lol

had one car and a fiance to boot out her excuse was i dont have a car so i traded my beautiful baby in so i could give her a car to get the hell out with ;)

i am 23 and i have had about 6 cars, i think the 8 will be my last for a while LOL i wont be trading that baby in for ANYTHING

Originally posted by 8_wannabe
I'm not saying this to be critical; I am genuinely curious as I have a 15-yr-old son: How does a 17-yr-old make enough money to buy a car like an '8, and pay for insurance and gas, while still devoting enough time to school? I've seen a few cases where extraordinary kids make a bundle of money like programming for summer jobs, etc. But how does an ordinary, run-of-the-mill kid do this?

Myself, I plan to get my son a decent, new car when his grades are good enough. This is because in high school I don't want him to be preoccupied with earning money for a nice car; I want him to be preoccupied with his classes. The Mazda 3 is a good candidate or Acura RSX (base, not Type S.) That way, when he graduates he keeps the car and has no maintenance problems like with a beater.

I agree with the "beater" comment. Stick with something no more than 3 years old (doesn't HAVE to be brand new you know). A car of that age has all the latest saftey devices and is practically new.

I'm going to try not to tell you how to parent, but...

Hey... what's summertime for? My parents paid for a lot of my first car (got it at 17), but I had to work my ass off and make a downpayment on it. I had to pay for my own gas, maintenance and anything I wanted like a stereo. I worked part-time during my senior year... kept my hours to a min... one week day since we got out early and weekends. That was enough to basically cover the above mentioned stuff. I went to a private school and graduated in the top 10% of my class. Went on to a top 25 university (and worked my junior and senior years)... could made top 10, but the tuition was a killer. MY point isn't to brag... it's that working while in school doesn't take away from studies (using myself as an example). It teaches not only responsibilty, but time management. And that is a skill that will be greatly needed in college (at least with the workload at mine) and later in the workforce. But you are the his/her parent... so you choose what you think is best. I just wanted to offer you another perspective.

If you insist on a new car... a leftover Protege 5 is a good car. I've got one here in Japan. I've looked at the Axcela (Mazda 3) and it seems to be a soild car... may have better straight line performance, but the P5 has got a firmer suspension.

As far as type of jobs go... I have no idea what these guys are doing. I worked for a nearby grocery store and saved every penny possible. So maybe he/she can't earn enough to buy a 3 much less an 8... but asking him/her to work hard and chip in towards buying the car sounds reasonable to me...

As far as a 3 vs 8... my 3rd car was a V8 Mustang... there is no way 16 year olds should drive it. RWD cars like that... especially without TCS are very easy to get in trouble with. Cloverleaf on-ramps... just sweeping curve on-ramps... very easy to go in too fast, tap the brake and the rear-end just steps out on you.

IN terms of driving responsibility...I look back on my driving when I was 16/17 and think how terrible it was. Other people's lives are at stake... your passengers and the other drivers. Kids of that age have little experience but lots of courage... and we all know that driving has a lot to do with experience.

So I'd suggest the 3 for these reasons as well. It'll be fun and it's stylish... and it'll have more room to hold friends and junk anyway. Plsu the insurance will be much cheaper.;)

getting off the money/responsibility issue, i think of the maturity/sensibility/experience level...

1) this car is RWD, which may not be a smart decision to give someone that doesn't have much driving any car. the fact, that some people on this forum commented on speeding without knowing it, makes this an unwiser decision. a little rain/snow and an unexperience driver may be in an accident.

2) is the kid mature? or is he the type to drive recklessly with his friends, to show off to girls, etc? does he know his limits? have a good head on his shoulders?

if you take into consideration these things, and you think it's a good idea to get him the car...by all means, i'd say go for it.

A Sport Car is like a Black Belt, you have to earn it to appreciate it.

Get a beater for the kid if is absolutely needed. He has all the time in the world to work hard in life and buy a Sport Car himself later on. Gurantee you'll see a bigger smile and a better person when that day comes.

My first car was an RX-7. Athouth mine was an 84 with around 150 hp, it taught me how to respect a fast rwd car. I drove that thing in the snow so I feel that I can pretty much manage any car in the snow now.

As for an 18 yr old buying any $30,000 car with his own money, I would say it is a bad idea. Insurance will be through the roof, your APR will probably quite high, and that much in monthly payments for an 18 yr old sounds like an easy way to miss payments and establish bad credit. But if you got a lot of money saved up, and a well paying, secure job, I would say go for it.

First car an RX-7!!!! that is awesome.
My parents got me a new honda civic when I was 17 (23 now). obviously not as fast as an 8, but still felt fast enough at the time. I reckon its all down to the personality of the kid. some are just more responsible than others. i know plenty of my friends who totalled their cars within a couple of years of getting theirs, but so far the only person who's bumped my car is my mother!!

You almost always wreck your first car, I did, it was the only one ever given to me. A '76 Chevy Van, anyway, if it's a male, testosterone has a bad way of getting in the way of clear thinking, so the show off factor is definitely there. If it's a female (no offense to anyone) most female teenage drivers lack attention to drive a faster car. I also agree with an above statement, if they get everything now, what will motivate them to work hard and go after the things you want. My parents divorced when I was 6, my Mom struggled till I was almost 18, my father is very well off, makes about $400,000.00/year. Never gave me anything very big (Best thing was a set of $3,000.00 Bose speakers, when the name meant something). He told me he grew up poor, and if he can do it, I can do it. I also agree that if you work for something and pay for it yourself, you will appreciate it much more and will take care of it. If it is just given to you, the mentality is that "well I didn't pay for it, I can get another one".
I think that any 18 year old would love this car, however most would not have the maturity to drive safe or take care of it.
Also if the teenager can pay for it themselves, can they really? It goes farther than just a car payment, there's insurance, and maintenance.
Just my thoughts.

Well, I will concede that if the person has demonstrated the tenacity and discipline to save enough for a down payment and is working enough to afford the monthly payment, that certainly helps. However, I think it is still too young for a car like this. Just having the money and work ethic doesn't mean you are fully mature. There is no substitute for life experience; it is the only way to hone your judgement. Frankly, the kid would do better to invest most of the money and buy a cheaper used car initially. Make your inevitable mistakes with that car and then be better prepared for something better and with money to your name.

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...

Originally posted by BlueOakleyz
My first car was a Camaro, but an 83 Camaro, well I learned how to drive on a Nissan Z from the 80s.... but my real first car was an 83 Camaro.. it was rear wheel drive and I took it nice and slow and got a real handle on it.

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

Originally posted by monte
Depends on how responsible you are.

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

Originally posted by nt5k
Save it for college, you can't wreck a college education...

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.

I'm not saying this to be critical; I am genuinely curious as I have a 15-yr-old son: How does a 17-yr-old make enough money to buy a car like an '8, and pay for insurance and gas, while still devoting enough time to school? I've seen a few cases where extraordinary kids make a bundle of money like programming for summer jobs, etc. But how does an ordinary, run-of-the-mill kid do this?

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.

Originally posted by idle0ne
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.

que?

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

Originally posted by w2aew
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. Good point.

Originally posted by w2aew
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.

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 fuck it up. It's safe so thats a plus too.

Originally posted by OliviaVS
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...

Originally posted by OliviaVS
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 fuck it up. It's safe so thats a plus too.

a woman that calls herself a chick hmmm also uses the F word in thier posts on a public forum... This shows real maturity guys i dont think she will try to show off in the least bit ;)

rofl i didnt know 16 and 17 year olds could pay for a car thats 31,000+ with the gt package.

probably a gift from mommy and daddy

Are you kidding... I guess it depends on wether your trying to kill him? :)

Originally posted by idle0ne
a woman that calls herself a chick hmmm also uses the F word in thier posts on a public forum... This shows real maturity guys i dont think she will try to show off in the least bit Exactly my first thought when I saw the post. Ya gotta hope mom and dad know their little girl better than we do...

Originally posted by 8_wannabe
Exactly my first thought when I saw the post. Ya gotta hope mom and dad know their little girl better than we do...

Guys, she's all of 17. Don't be jerks. And in defense of a kid getting it as their first car, if they can drive safely, great. I never had a new car until the 8, but I never wrecked anything (at least not in the normal sense of the word) until I was 24, and the two accidents I had that year weren't even my fault.

i am not being a jerk it is great to be 17 and have a $30k car, sounds spoiled to me though

Some people have a lot of money. And if they want to buy their kid a 30k car, that's their decision, not ours. Certainly isn't our place to judge them for it.

sorry didnt mean to judge but most people that have things like this given to them dont respect the car for what it is, it's more of a toy to show off to your friends

A big part of this thead was judging the maturity and ability of younger people to deal with a car like the '8. Myself, if I gave it to my son as a first car, I'd feel like I was giving him a loaded weapon. It's not a toy or a plaything, it is potentially deadly. While he is the most responsible child I know, he does not have the experience you gain only through years of driving, thus I don't think the '8 is a appropriate first car. Add this to a kid who isn't particularly responsible in the first place and you have a recipe for disaster. Thus we commented on Olivia's post who, through her tone and vocabulary, did not strike a first impression of the highly responsible young person. First impressions can be wrong, but that's how she comes across. That's why I said I hope her mom and dad know best, because from the limited info I have, I see disaster looming for Olivia and her RX-8. This was not meant to be mean; it was entirely on topic and she is the perfect "poster child" to frame the discussion.

The cost of the car aside (11K may be a lot to some and 50K a paltry sum to others) , a performance vehicle that SCREAMS to be taken to the limits is not something I would give to a child. No offense to the teenagers out there, but in the real world you are children. There are so many safe, practical cars out there that can limit the potential and possibly injurious or lethal consequence, I don't see how the question could remain in your mind.

dont be such haters... i drive safe and act like its a gift...dont think im irresponsible just because i said a "bad word" thats stupid you guys take things so serious...its not like youve never heard it before and if anything you guys should be stoked out of all cars i think this one is the coolest...obviously anyone with this car will push the limits every one in a while but dont sit here and tell me im irresponsible for doing that... if you havent dont that than thats ridiculous...

16 huh :)....i'm 18 this is my second car. I had a little accident with my first car and i learned my lesson. It all depends on the kids maturity level, you're just stereotyping that all kids drive like crap. I work 40 hours a week, done that since i was 16 now how immature can i be to do that (called in sick 1 time). If you're gunna stereotype kids stereotype adults too, anyone over 50 can't drive...for all of you over 50 you're like "what shut up prick" but that's the way it is with kids too. And man this thread is old.

Somehow, a person who starts life with a nice car like an RX8 will miss one of the grand rites of growing up - the care and feeding of a not-so-reliable car that always finds a way to make you humble at the most inopportune times. Now take me, for example. I can remember being stopped at the stop sign at the end of the on-ramp to the Pasadena Freeway, watching the traffic whiz by, wondering how the @%(W#%$ I was going to get my 57 Plymouth into the traffic flow with only 5 of 8 cylinders working. When I put the hammer to the metal, man, the only thing that went squealing was the smoke out the tailpipe.

My kids got something a bit nicer to start out with, but they were still hand-me-downs (and they were happy to get them!) An RX8, huh? Sheee-it.

bernieunger...

my sentiments exactly.

Whats with all these people having someone buy them a brand new 30k first car. Not to mention paying for college and everything else. Seems like no one works for anything anymore...

Originally posted by OliviaVS
obviously anyone with this car will push the limits every one in a while

Do you even know why your insurance is waaaaaayy more expensive than mine? It's called experiance! Yes, most of us will push our cars to the limits once and awhile. With experiance comes understanding of when it is acceptable to push your car and when it is not. And what to do when something unexpected happens.

No matter how responsible you are, it is impossible for you to have the experiance of an older driver.

I drove my parents' truck when I was 16. When I was 17, I drove it off a cliff in the rain. Talk about a lesson learned. I didn't have a car until I had to live off campus in college, when I was 20. My dad bought me a used Accord. What a perfect car for someone that age! Front wheel drive, no power, room for 5 and some trunk space. Not to mention reliable and economical. Call me sentimental, but I kept that car when I bought the 8. Hell, I drove it to work today. Sure saves me some gas money ;) Bottom line is: I wrecked a car when I was young and inexperienced. Everyone that age gets in accidents. My next car wasn't anything resembling a performance vehicle. Now that I can afford it, I have the 8, and I believe the way in which I accrued my experience has been most beneficial to the driver I am today.

My first car was a 3 year old 1994 4-cyl Honda Accord at the age of 17. I've abused the heck out of that thing. The mid-90 Accords make the perfect first vehicle, IMO. Moderate power (has enough pickup to drive safely, but not enough to get into trouble quickly), good handling (Enough to get out of the way of trouble), good size (It's a midsized sedan. Makes it a little more crash worthy than the compacts), a smooth ride (I took that 94 Accord past 110 MPH, it did not feel unstable at all. I might as well have been going 60. Yeah, I was young and stupid) and excellent reliability.

Used it though College, and through the first 2 years in the workforce. Had no problems with reliability. I had "bought" it with money that my dad basically went "Here's $40,000 to help with a car and college. Have fun." Spent around $10,000 on the car, and went though college (I did get tuition and some paid for through scholarships), moved out of my parent's house in my Junior year, and purchased a $2000 computer system, and the only jobs I had was refereeing hockey games for $10-$15 an hour (which most of it was spent to pay for equipment and league fees to play hockey :) ) and tutoring athletes (which was an "interesting" experience). And I still had $5000 of that money after finishing college. I feel that I could have gone months without finding a job with my spending habits at the time, but I ended up pretty much getting a job right out of college.

I ended up trading that 94 I4 Accord in for a 03 I4 Accord last year. More power, more room, better handling, and better mileage.

My girlfriend has a 93 Toyota Camry that would serve well as a first car. Less power and not as well handling as my old Accord, but a much more confortable ride and the same excellent reliablity. When we get married, we'll probably keep the Camry and buy an RX-8. If you want more to that story, lookup "My Story" in the general discussion.

There is something to the thought that if YOU pay for something, you respect it more.

I tend to agree - a nice Accord or Camry, three years old or less, is probably a great first car.

Ya know what's scary??? All the young kids out there in the V8 Mustangs. They are all over the place, dirt cheap, and in a young driver's hands, a recipe for DISASTER, at least IMO.

Rather see them in an RX8 than one of those!

I Agree with you guys

I am going to be completely honest here....the RX-8 IS owned by my dad, but he lets me drive it whenever i want and he will pass it on to me once i graduate high school (i will be 19 when I graduate)

Ahhh. Don't count on it. When I was a freshman in HS my dad got a BMW 2002 (this was a LOONG time ago) I loved that car, and back then no one had b-mers. In fact it was before they were cool and then not cool. He promised me that it would be mine at graduation. I learned how to drive on it - and then one day, being that it was a b-mer and all, way more car than he had ever owned before then - he took it out on a rally and smashed up the front end. After that he decided it would be too much car for me, and sold it .
Moral of the story - make sure he drives responsibly, acts his age and doesn't find out just how much car the 8 is!

I am 20 years old, and in the next 1-2 weeks I will be purchasing an RX-8. It will be the 3rd car I will have owned, all of them purchased by me.

My first car was a 1990 Nissan Sentra with over 200k miles on it. A 90 HP 4 speed that tended to jerk spastically while driving through parking lots...but it was still the greatest thing in the world when I put MY money down on it. Finally, after I got out of school, I purchased a 97 Accord for a great deal from a neighbor. It is my current car.

I think that parents giving their kids such a large gift such as a car does devalue it, and gives a sense of entitlement. Although I am 20 years old, I am now a service manager for a major national bank, looking to run one of the busiest branches in Northern California in the coming year.

I earned my RX-8...your child may (will, actually) love the car that you purchase for them, but how much greater will the appreciation be when they have to wait, and put some hard work and sweat into it?

i think its a fine car to start out with. I'm 16 now and will be getting the 6 speed with GT package and other options....But i feel confident enough in my driving ability that i wont get it into an accident

Doesn't everyone say that.... right before the accident that kills them. Same for drunk driving as well. Don't over-estimate yourself.

Driving skills aside... Spazm has expressed everyone's (that's not 16-18 years old) feelings on the issue to a T.

Everyone here has a good point, but i do cherish my car. I treat it with respect, obviously not on the same level as someone who has worked hard to get it. But in the end i take it serious. I dont mess around and when i do its not where i can really make a stupid mistake. I agree with the fact that i am young and dont have as much driving experience, but if anything im safer because if there is a close call, i have a car that can handle quick reactions. This car is very powerful and i make sure im responsible when it comes to driving. But not all young teenagers are stupid and im not one that is. Everyone makes mistakes, even older more experienced drivers. Theres a rise and fall adavantage to both young or older drivers. But they do have years of driving experience on me.