KryptoCanuck

So I'm starting a new job soon and the money that I'll be making MIGHT allow me to splurge and get the RX-8 (a car I've been drooling and salivating over since the day I saw my first)...

here are my questions:

(1) Insurance - I'm 25 years old and have a totally clean driving record from an insurance standpoint (my last speeding ticket was over three years ago). I live in the suburbs of Toronto. How much, approximately, should I expect my monthyl premiums to be?

(2) Transmission - Ok, so as a guy, this takes a lot for me to admit, but I don't know how to drive stick! ha ha ha! Seriously, all the cars I've had up until now have been automatic transmission. I have NO worries about learning stick (I've been described as a very adept driver). However, I was just curious what everyone would think of the idea of an RX-8 being my first stick car.

I look forward to hearing from you guys and I obviously hope to join this esteemed group in the near future.

KryptoCanuck
Toronto, ON

mikefrombarrie

if this is going to be your daily driver you should know that the RX8 is really bad on gas. I normally get $20 per 100km of combined city/hwy driving witn sunocco 94.

KryptoCanuck

yeah... with all the research i've done on the 8, (huge thanks to this board), I've quickly realized that fuel effeciency isn't great.... but i actually might be moving to Yonge/Eglinton and so will most likely subway it for the commute

the 8 would be more used for weekend driving and for driving to areas where transit is non-existant...

DarkBrew

This Belairdirect link takes you to a web based quote site. You get multiple quotes back right away. No guess work.

Transmission; Get someone to teach you the basics before you buy if you can.

Come out to one of the GTA meets some time soon.

jowettw

can't help ya on the insurance - i live on the west coast.

the car is a lot more enjoyable with a manual transmission - especially if you're someone who appreciates driving for driving's sake. i find it no more of a challenge than my old car (Mazda Protege).

as long as you've done some reading on the RX-8 and gone for a test drive, you'll love it!

BlueFrenzy

I too can't help you too much on the insurance bit (West Coast as well ... King Klein helped reduce our insurance by regulating it a bit), but I will tell you that it will be lower than compared to similar vehicles in its class (G35, 350Z, RSX, S2000etc). Reason being that insurance companies consider it a 4 door sport sedan! In fact when I was shopping around for quotes, the Imprezza (normal, NOT WRX) came out slightly more! Go figure.

In terms of manual transmission, you'll hate it for the first day or so. But after a week or so, you should be proficient. The RX8's clutch is one of the most forgiving clutches around so, no worries. There are a couple of old threads on learning manual shifting here on the board. If you want more,you can always go to www.standardshift.com .. they got some videos on shifting and other goodies. You'll love driving manual as it allows you so much better control of your car (plus more HP!)

Chris_Bangle

iTrader: (2)

Insurance should be relatively cheap as it considered a 4dr coupe with a 1.3L. The main reason I got this car was the low lease rates and cheap insurance, although it tries to compensate in gas consumption

DO NOT GET IT IN AUTO it would be a pointless and impotent car. The nature of the engine needs either SMG or Manual. Since Mazda does not have a SMG type box get the manual.

Just make sure that you learn to drive the stick without adopting bad habits and as you go one learn to double clutch then to heal and toe, this would increase your car control as well as make the progress smother.

Good Luck. If you are considering leasing it. Go to Mazda of Toronto on Yonge and Steeles or Mazda of Markham both have good deals, negotiate, the car is not selling that great and the deals are always sweeter in the winter. I got 590 taxes in on 4 years 20k per year, but I think you can go lower and make sure they wave the fees.

Agent008

Why even think of auto?? It only takes a week or two (max) to get on to manual. The only reason for auto is if you are lazy and are buying that car for the looks alone (sorry auto owners, but it's true).

Insurance is not great.. It is a 4-door but the insurance companies are not stupid, they know it's a sports car, and they have years of experience with that car so they will have the price based on some valid data. You might have gotten a deal in '03 or early '04 but not now.

Chris_Bangle

iTrader: (2)

Agent008:

My car is a 05; the deals are still on and are always going to be on, unless the thing become a turbo. Look at the bloody depreciation, you can get a 04 with 15k for 26CAD.
As for the insurance, the key word is “relatively”, an acquaintance of mine who is now at Budd's BMW of Oakville, used to sell Mazda and told me he had a client who went from a Hyundai Accent into the RX-8 and got a lower insurance.

http://www.trader.ca/Search/Details....ategory=&CAT=1

YT1300

Belair Direct is a reasonable start on rates; I think Monnex used to have a site that did the same thing. Most insurance quotes will come out to around $50 a month in similarity, at first blush.

Learning manual transmission in an RX-8 should be relatively easy - forgiving clutch, progressive uptake, easy detection of 'pick-up' point, low torque. A few quirks to the RX-8 in comparison to other manual boxes: much more direct feel, clutch has to be pushed ALL the way in (no cheating, or you'll grind...), and regardless what some may think, it has 6 speeds. Use them all. You won't stuff it in reverse at 120 kph unless you really, really, are trying to do so.

lancesir

Hey I'm 25 too, haha, with a clean record but no previous car ownership. I was able to get the best rate by using my university's alumni discounts. The savings was quite significant, so I suggest you find out if you qualify for a similar program.

lancesir

Yeah use all 6 gears if you wanna save gas, hahaha, otherwise just drive to have fun

The FOG

Hey Krypto. First, let me say excellent choice... you won't be disappointed with the car. I'm 25 also, with what sounds like a similar driving record. I searched online for insurance at first - Monnex was one of the highest quotes I got, Belairdirect was the second best. Economical, whom I already had a policy with, gave me the best rate - ~$2300/yr (not much more than my 95 civic). That was the rate last summer when I was 24... my car's in storage for the winter so I'm not sure how much lower it will be now that I'm 25.

KryptoCanuck

Wow! Thanks for all the info, guys. I'm going to do some more legwork and hope that it all has a happy ending (me behing the wheel of a sweet RX-8)....

I actually remember seeing a promotion in the Toronto Star last June for an RX-8 for only $298 per month with a $5K down payment.... now THAT looked sweet. I hope they do it again!

Thanks again for the info...

9291150

Try kanetix.com for rate comparisons.

And stick, its easy to drive stick, hard to drive stick well (heel and toe and all).

rotten42

Insurance is cheap for me. IT costs me less a year to insure my RX8 than it would for a Mazda 6

Don't waste your time on an auto...the stick is the way to go. It won't take you long to learn. Get a friend to take you out for a day in a car. The stick is more fun in both summer and winter.

Jamg

Sorry for digging this semi-old thread up, but since I have a question about insurance, might as well put it here.

Anyway, can I ask you Calgary peeps where you got your insurance from, and which one agent do you think is the cheapest? For some reason I have asked three agents, one hasn't replied yet, but the other two has about $1.4k difference. So I don't know which one to trust. Both are approximate price, and one(cheaper one) is based on 05 GT model. If you guys can spare some info, I'd much appreciate it. Who knows, if the insurance is cheap enough maybe we'll meet in Calgary gatherings, if there's any.

AC_SB

My Insurance provider is Morris & McKenzie and when I traded in my '03 Sport Trac for an '05 RX8 GT, my premiums only went up $14, so now I'm paying $150, and I'm 27.

BlueFrenzy

Jamg ... I get mine through TD Meloche Monnex ... I think on their website, you can browse to see if you qualify for a discount. I'm a University of Toronto alumni so I got a better break through that.

Oh that reminds me ... we're probably going to have a Calgary meet soon

Jamg

The expensive one is actually TD Meloche Monnex... I should call again to ask why since I have really clean record w/ six years insurance.

KryptoCanuck

Interesting thoughts by everyone..

I have a question, though... can someone give me a ballpark dollar amount I can expect to pay if I purchase an RX-8 (new or used).

I just turned 25 and my driving record is totally clean (my last speeding ticket was over three years ago).

Would my insurance be more than $300 a month? I wouldn't be able to afford much more than that (technically, even that is pushing it).

Thanks a bunch!

Krypto
Toronto, ON

two rotors

Just out of curiousity how much did they quote you.My daughter has her 8 insured with them for about $740 per year full coverage(Canmore AB)

YT1300

Even if you live near Toronto you'll be paying the GTA insurance rates. You need to be living out near Kitchener/Waterloo or Belleville before the rates change substantially. It's been a while since I've had to pay insurance in Ontario, so the insurance companies are the best place to start. Shop around a bit; you'll find, however, that for the cost of the car, the RX-8 is cheaper to insure because of its four door status. Go figure.

However, since it's evident that money is an issue, take a look at the used RX-8s for price, since the insurance will be the same. Search the forums for known problems on older model years, and make sure the requisite work to fix those problems (i.e. flood, flashes) has been done, and you should be OK. They're still under warranty, too, if that helps.

Jamg

$740 per year is very cheap. Is her policy under yours, if you don't mind me asking? From TD I got a $4650 quote, but I think thats because I wanted to put it in commercial use too. For the other company, I'm got an approximate rate of $3300 per year under personal use.

two rotors

No,but she does have another vehicle,Subaru Legacy, and she has been with them for~ 9 yrs,RX-8 is pleasure only, no claims,no tickets,and member of the Professional Engineers group.