Well after 21,700km it's time to say farewell to the 8. Loved how it looked (especially in sunlight - red with gold sparkly goodness). After 6 years, apart from the usb audio attachment, it was all stock parts and options. Aside from the couple of times the battery decided to die if not used for 72 hours, easily fixed by a hill start, absolutely no problems at all. Still riding on the original tyres it came with.

6 years of carting around 2 rescued pound dogs to various parks, a baby, overweight in-laws and their baggage (long gone now :D ), supermarket and ikea shopping trips, and late night lifts for friends. Even once was used as the bridal car at a wedding!

Interesting times, mostly fun times! Parking in the "babies with pram" spots next to SUV's and getting dirty looks was priceless when I opened the boot, hauled out the lightweight baby stoller, then opening the back doors and sliding out my daughter from the baby seat and watching the fury and envy made it very hard not to chuckle while mr&mrs SUV struggled with all their baby survival gear for a few hours of shopping at the mall.

But time for change. I figured now that I'm 40 time for something less practical than the 8 :P Toss up between a Boxter and an MX5. Boxter is a fantastic car to drive but The 5 won on price, and it was almost just as fantastic a drive. Thumbing my nose at purists, I got the retractable hard top. I do love my luxuries :)

Fun times! Hope the new owner enjoys it as much as I did.

Cheers,
Azza.

Well since you are a new owner of another Mazda thats no reason to leave the forums though :). Btw good choice on the MX5, I actually really like the looks of the entire new Mazda lineup (especially the mx5 and the 3). Also, as silly as it sounds, the Boxter is like the black sheep of the porche family. It gets a crappy rap as the "poor mans porche" .... whatever that means lol.

Jeez Azza
21700k....in six YEARS???
Hope you put the MX5 to better use.
They're great cars-had one in the early 90's when they first came out.
Hardtop is a great idea-I was looking for one just before I sold mine.

Jeez Azza
21700k....in six YEARS???
Hope you put the MX5 to better use.
They're great cars-had one in the early 90's when they first came out.
Hardtop is a great idea-I was looking for one just before I sold mine.

I only drive on special occasions because I do like my beer. As you can tell, I've had rare moments of sobriety :D

Anyway, here's the new car. Strange how It took me 3 hours of driving to get an iPod, new home internet router, and a few other goodies.

Frankly, Aaron, I'm amazed you made 20,000ks. Great to hear of your new car. Still have the fluffy dice and dancing Elvis?

Fluffy dice had to go due to the windshield being so small, they blocked my view. Elvis lives! But I don't think he's happy in his new spot. I might swap him for the Hawaiian grass skirt dancer.

Must say the 5 is a great drive. Less power, but less weight. Hard to describe the physics of it all, but where the 8 flashed the traction control light around certain well known corners, the 5 just powers through without fuss.

Oh and forget about climate control. It's all up to mother nature :)

congrats on the madza purchase... unlike most of us went German.

Hey I still have my 8... just not been driiving it. As I prob mention previously. I have more miles on my new bike since May than my 8 this year... that includes my trip to Wakefield and back!!!!

God I am showing off now am I? You know, old habit die hard haha.

Hey Az
Did they give you a decent trade in? I went to trade my 8 in and they wanted to give me f*k all for it, so I now have decided to keep it, wasnt worth me trading it in. Damn Euro dealers think they are so much better. I went to buy an MPS but I dont think I'm ready to let her go quite yet... I looked at the mx5 too but thought the 8 is a bit more practical and I aint ready to go less practical yet ;)

Hey Az
Did they give you a decent trade in? I went to trade my 8 in and they wanted to give me f*k all for it, so I now have decided to keep it, wasnt worth me trading it in. Damn Euro dealers think they are so much better. I went to buy an MPS but I dont think I'm ready to let her go quite yet... I looked at the mx5 too but thought the 8 is a bit more practical and I aint ready to go less practical yet ;)

Hello!

My rule of thumb is that you will never get a "fair" trade-in with a dealer, but you will come to a point where you feel "comfortable" with the trade to get what you want (well as comfortable as itchy underpants.) My 8 was completely stock, and the 5 was a used demo so had some optional extras fitted, at a discounted price.

The problem with trade-in is that what the car is worth for you is just a headache for dealers especially after all the expensive mods you attach to it.