Bought With The Intention Of Reselling...But
 

Alright.

I live in Ohio, my son and I have been looking at cars as he is almost 16, and I want to get him a car so that I can teach him everything about it, before he assumes full responsibility of it when he hits 16. We've been looking at Mitsubishi Eclipses, and the budget was around $12k. We have seen a few RX-8s while on our searches, but they have always been 13k+.

Anyway, we went on a family vacation to Hilton Head Island, and I wanted to look at some cars down there because they would have no rust from winters. That is when I stumbled across the RX8. I did my research on it, checked it out, found out as much as I could over a 4 day period, I decided to buy the car and drive it back. The owner of the dealerships 30 year old son had the car, and traded it in for a bigger, family car. The car has a carfax history of all the oil changes, etc. The car was in 2 accidents, 1 accident no damage was reported, another accident the airbags were deployed. The airbags were replaced and as far as I know that is all the "damage" the car had.

We got the car out the door for $9k. The car is a 2005 Rx-8 automatic, has 78k miles on it, the engine and gas tank were replaced 15k miles ago. It has an aftermarket K&N Short Ram Intake on it, as well as the factory intake.

I KBB'd it for private party in Ohio and it came back with $13k for good condition. However, on the ride home I really enjoyed the car, and so has my son.

The dilemma: I feel that the car might be too much car for any 16 year old. I trust my son, but I don't trust other people on the road. My son understands that I might sell it, so I am coming here to see your opinions on the idea of selling it for a profit and putting that money towards buying him a car.

If you'd like to know any more information on the car, go ahead and ask. And I'm not posting this here to get insulted or hear sarcasm, so keep that to yourselves.

I bought my car a couple months ago and it's roughly the same as the one you picked up. It's a 2005, 6-speed manual, Touring package, cloth interior, had 74k miles, had the K&N Typhoon 2, lowering springs, 19" rims and had one accident on carfax. Truck backed into it in a parking lot and the front bumper was replaced. I got it for $11,100 and it was in pretty good shape.

What kind of options does it have? Maybe we can help give you a more realistic price than KBB.

As for the too much car dilemma, that's totally up to you. I think that if you trust him to be a responsible driver, then it won't matter whether he's driving the 8 or a Geo Metro. Changing the vehicle won't change a whole lot about how irresponsible other drivers on the road can be. But then again I'm only 20, maybe some other members with kids can provide some more insight.

It's a good first car to teach about maintenance, etc. But it can be problematic, especially the 4 port automatic usually because of the lower redline so carbon build up can be an issue if you don't rev it out every now and then. But if he is going to start with an 8, the 4 port lower power auto is probably best. He will still get the handling but not the extra horsepower. After 2006, the auto were a slightly detuned 6 port motor.

My son is 16, I wouldn't get him an 8. He is a good kid, well behaved, but lazy when it comes to chores. Lazy and RX-8 owner don't do well together.

Rotary engines are definitely different from piston engines. If you or your son can keep the simple things in mind like fluid changes and regular routine maintenance with no plans of major horsepower upgrades it should be just like any other car. The mpg's will probably suck but the fun you can have in the car usually makes of for it at times - plus it's a pretty nice looking car for a 16yr old in my opinion. The only thing in mind would have to be the flooding issue (periodically turning the car on n' then immediately turning it back off for an extended period of time). But even that is a pretty easy fix (many forum members have experienced this and found easy resolutions that can be done by even those that are not mechanically inclined).

As far as it not being a safe car n' you fearing other motorists - the truth is, no matter what car he may get, there are going to be poor motorists out there. It really doesn't matter what car he may get, if a poor motorist is going to be poor around your son, the car he has will almost be irrelevant (unless he has an SUV or something). To the 8's defense...we do have a 5 star crash test rating so...yeah, in case something unfortunate were to happen, at least you'll know there's a good chance he'll be safe :bigok:

as far as my opinion on what you should do goes...unless you want something more practical for him for college n' such or unless you can find a better deal on a 'better' car...the 8 should be pretty good to have.

anyways, hope this helps.

^+1

Lazy + rx8 = broken rx8

:(

I would get something that is cheaper to maintain and that you could possibly work on yourself if issues arise.

Parts aren't cheap, maintenance isn't cheap. Get him something that can get beat up if need be because, you don't want to paying for stupid shit kids will do to the car. All it takes is some ass to put a nice key to the side and the car is ruined.

Least some little 4 banger can usually be repaired and worked on cheaply and if he is interested at all in working on the car himself, that would be a great place to start.

Parents ALWAYS say they trust their kids and their kid is mature but soon as you get him into that car and he is out with friends, all bets are off...Your kid just turned into the cool dude with a sports car and douchbaggery ensues.

I'm 19 and taking my 8 to college with me this coming fall semester.

It's funny, I hated to clean my room or do any chores around the house other than yardwork for my house and my neighbor's, but when I got my 8 I have become addicted to cleaning and waxing it any keeping it in check with the proper maintenance :)

Unfortunately, you were had.

The Rx8 has (off the top of my head): Moon roof, premium audio, leather heated seats, power seats, spoiler, premium wheels. It isn't the Shinka, but I think it is the touring or sport package.

I feel my son would be capable of taking care of the car (with my assistance). So the more often maintenance isn't a problem, it is the cost of it. I don't want me or my son to have to start spending chunks of change on any car, not much more then just regular oil changes, checking fluid levels, etc.

I've read that you should check the oil levels every 2 or 3 fill ups, maybe if I compile a list of things to check regularly, give him a few days to look over it and give him a "test" to see if he truly cares about the car then it is a keeper?

Mazda: Could you explain please? If there was no other damage reported on the car fax, then I would assume nothing else was fixed, or replaced?

Edit: Also, the car has very dark windows, I'm not sure of the actual tinted percent, but I am in Ohio where tint is 50% max, in South Carolina it is 72% max, how do I go about making sure my tint is legal in my state? And what do I do if it isn't legal?

AirBags Deployed means the car took a good womp and there could be frame damage.
KBB is not a relyable place to price cars. They're prices are abit optimistic for the seller. NADAGuides is the closest to what the dealers will use to price cars.
Engine replacements are not that uncommon in these cars and Mazda did extend the engine warranty period for North America. The gas tank replacement was a defect recall.

An accident with airbag deployment implies a serious impact. Did you at least have the monocoque checked by a body shop?

No, I didn't. I looked underneath the car, and as much as I could see there was no kind of damage to the frame. How come the carfax reports the airbags deployed but no other fixes to the car in the accident?

They could have fixed it on their own.

I have owned seven Mazda rotary cars since 1973, a RX3, two RX4s (sedan and coupe), all three generations of RX7; first gen, second gen Turbo II and third Gen. FD Twin Turbo. In 2008 I bought both a 40th anniversary edition RX8 and a 2008 Mazdspeed3 GT. I have driven unmodified and heavily modified cars on the street and track.

Looking back on my youth, as much as I would want to believe my parents did a great job raising me to be a good, safe and responsible person and driver, I pause at the thought of what could have happened if my first car had been a sports car such as an RX8, instead of the used chrysler sedan I was given. It is your son and your decision, but NO 16 yr old should be driving a car that can get you into trouble like a fast sports car, even an automatic RX8. I agree with poster bigbacon here, once he is with his friend the first thing they will ask him to do is show them what the car can do, and he will gladly comply. I am a career photojournalist and have seen countless "good" teen drivers wind up dead on the road. Two years ago I witnessed the results as three teens were killed in South Jersey when they crashed and burned in their RX8 , while out for a hot joyride. Despite the great handling and forgiving nature of this car, these young drivers lost control and died as a result, and no alcohol was involved. If he was MY son I would start him out in something less volatile and less tempting to go fast in.

Scientific study has discovered (check it out, it has been widely published) that the part of your brain that controls your cognitive ability to sense danger and react in a sensible controlled manner , is NOT fully developed until most people reach 21 or so, explaining why teens will risk life and limb just for fun ,believing they are invincible. Teens, even good teens will always push the limit, it is inherent in their nature.

I have driven over a million miles in my lifetime, mostly in rotary cars (on the road and on the track) with just a few street accidents and some minor track incidents. But if I had been given an RX8 when I was 16 years old, I would not be here today. Tomorrow is my 60th birthday, and I am here thanks to the grace of god and glad I didn't get a sports car at age 16.

Hey a teen can die in any car, and you can't be with them all the time as they drive, and you can't control other bad drivers. But be the great dad you are, love you son and don't give him that car. You may live to truly regret it. The parents of those South Jersey teens sure did.

couldnt find the article with that wreck from two years ago, but here is another involving teens and an RX8. If you search fatal accidents, RX8 and teens , there are too many.


http://www.tbd.com/articles/2010/08/...-say-2672.html

Before you do anything, I would recommend taking the car to a body shop, and having the car looked over by professionals. Get them to look for signs of repairs, and what their opinion of the car is.

If the car checks out, then the rest of my post applies.

Well, when I was 17, my dad and I worked together to find the next car the FAMILY should purchase. Since I was 17, the choice wound up becoming a 1981 Pontiac Grand Prix. After getting it, dad asked me what color it should be painted, and we went to a local paint shop, and after looking through all the color choices, I suggested Midnight Blue, and that's what it wound up being painted.

Granted the car was only the 231 Buick V-6, with an automatic, and wasn't very fast, I still pushed that car pretty good every time I knew I was in a safe place to do so. Did I mention that I grew up in the NYC area? Bit of a difference than someplace like the backwoods of Georgia.

Anyway, I learned several things.

Since it was the family car, I wasn't allowed to break it.
If I did break it, I had to fix it, out of my own pocket.
I also had to learn how to maintain it, too, and that came out of my own pocket.
If I couldn't fix a maintenance issue, I had to pay a mechanic to do it for me.

I never wrecked the car, though I did bump a barrier pole while backing up, that squished the bumper in a bit, but no damage to the body of the car. I spent lots of money on oil changes, plugs, wires, and etc over the years, and even installed a trailer hitch, and used the car to move from NYC to New Brunswick Canada in '94.

I was pretty much the primary driver of that car, and it survived me being a teenager, living in NYC, having my friends in the car with me, and going through many many years of use and abuse.

I was a responsible, but still a fun loving teenager, and having a sporty car worked out.

Honestly, if you can set some rules with your son, and he works at it, and can live up to FAMILY promises, it can work out well. Teaches him responsibility, and the value of many, many dollars.

The first thing you should put on the budget should be new ignition coils, spark plugs, and wires. Just buy them, and install them. The instructions on what you should buy, and how to install them are on this very site. Good introduction to the car.

After that, YOU should drive the car for a week, giving it a proper Italian tune up, over the course of a tank or two of gas.

Once that is done, I recommend taking it to a Mazda shop, and getting a proper compression test done, with the required tester.

If the engine passes the compression test, then you can hand the keys to your son.

And here's where you need to get involved.

Every weekend, you and your son should look the car over for damage.
If you see a new scratch, ask him for an explanation. If he hands you a load of bs, take the keys away until the next week, or until he has repaired the car to your satisfaction. If the accident was another person's fault, work with him and the insurance people to make sure your son doesn't get screwed over, because THEY WILL.

Good luck,

BC.

Yes there are certainly many sides to the arguments pro and con here, and everyone has their own youthful driving experience to relate.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you both the best.

A rotary devotee since 1973, and still driving the heck out of them.

BTW, I also recently drove my 2008 40th Anniversary Edition RX8 down to Hilton Head Island S.C. to visit an old friend. The drive back and forth from Southern New Jersey was a pleasure and certainly such a long drive home to Ohio , could and would make you fall in love with the RX8. It is a small world, as I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and still have relatives there I visit in my RXs.

I didn't have my first car until I was in my 20's. And it wasn't a sports car for sure!!

Peer pressure is real among young people and cars. Hopefully your son will be strong and mire mature than his friends.

Also, I echo the advise that your car should be inspected by a pro. Even though air bags can at times deploy under "minor" situations, you never know what could have happened to that car.

A good point. To be safe, whether you are going to keep the car, or you are going to sell it, you don't want any unseen frame damage or other mechanical problems to go unrepaired by a professional mechanic or licensed frame repairer. On one of my RX7s a seemingly small fender bender resulted in non apparent frame damage. My professional body shop laser-measured the frame on the car and found out it was bent. It required a professional frame repair to be certified for coverage by my insurance company.

You seem to have a level head about all this, and you came to the right place to get advice, and knowledgeable opinions. So I am sure you will do right by the car and make the right decision for your son.

My 2 cents regarding young RX-8 owners (drivers) from my New Owners thread (https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-forum-197/new-potential-owners-start-here-202454/)

If you found found the pleasure of a well handling car, keep the 8 for yourself / away from him and get him a 1990-1996 Miata for a couple grand, let him use that for a time. 100hp from the NA is quick enough to be interesting for him, but not fast. It's small though, and not as safe as the RX-8 if it's in a collision, so that may sway your decision. Agreed with some of the points above. I've always thought I was a good driver, and when it comes to car control and reaction, I don't think I've ever been bad. But I made A TON of stupid decision at a moment's notice when I was a kid, and I come from a family of fighter pilots so speed just doesn't overwhelm me as fast as other people.

If I had an RX-8 as my first, or near first car, I'd probably be dead.

well said RIWWP !

This is an easy answer: DON'T GET IT FOR YOUR SON.

I am a surgeon. I've seen too many traumas of good kids in bad car accidents. Deaths, and life-changing permanent deficits. Heart breaking.

Why put your son in a high risk group?

ummm... The RX-8 has a 5 star crash test rating, and has an excellent crash avoidance score from consumer reports.. What other car would you recomend for under $12,000? I doubt very many would be as safe as the RX-8

I am not a father but I lost my father at a young age so I had to do a lot on my own...
My Rx-8 was my first car, I bought it myself, pay for everything myself, I've had it for over 2 years, was never in an accident. Now an Rx-8 6speed might have 238bhp, but it's rather slow compared to other cars and is actually a lot safer than 90% of cars on the road. I think it was the first car sold in the U.S to get 5 star crash rollover? Again, I do not know your son, but no matter what car he drives there's always a possibility of getting in a wreck.

As a side note, if the airbags were deployed, the crumple zones might not be at factory specs and could possibly be dangerous if an accident occurs in the same spot.

Good post devtec. I agree.

Hey kingdan2 no five star rating helps when teens in RX8s plow into trees and the car burns to the ground, or crash head on into other cars at speed. As a news photographer I have seen the results. an RX8 is too tempting for teens to push the limits of the car and their young driving abilities ,especially with their abandonment of any caution while behind the wheel.

like I said above, if you search fatal accidents,RX8 and teens, there are way too many sad results.

Any parent giving their 16 yr old an RX8 is rolling the dice on their life. Let them get some years of experience first in a less volatile car. Help them live long enough to become the mature, experienced and cautious enough driver to handle all the capabilities of an RX8.

Yes, I am an anesthesiologist in a Level One trauma center. Seen things you can't believe. We had to take a teenager's dominant arm off at the shoulder joint the other day because of a car accident. Do not get this car for your son now. Maybe when he's twenty.

I was a 16-yr old boy once, and I remember how I and my friends drove... NO WAY would I buy my teenage son a sports car. (Actually, he got my 4-banger Accord for his birthday, when I got my 8. ;) )

It doesn't matter how mature or responsible he is. No 16-yr old completely understands the potential consequences to their actions.

So Furious Porkchop you started this thread and asked for our opinions. So many of us have responded. Weeks have gone by here. What have you decided or already done ?

Agree with much said above. To add, the RX-8 is a sports car, meaning it goes where you point it *right now*. A teen is the definition of a distracted driver. Also it's small, low and difficult to see and see from. No way my 18-20 yo got behind the wheel of my 8. At 16, he wouldn't have lasted a week, which is why bus, bicycle, and foot took him where he needed to go through high school and didn't get his license until 18.

If money is a major concern, do *not* get this car. Autozone won't have most of the parts and few mechanics know squat. A beater is cheapest but will take more time to keep running. A new Corolla or the like, the opposite. His time is not free - you are paying $$$ to keep him fed and in school and that's where his focus should primarily be. Auto maintenence as a life-skill is best learned on a used car that's like every other car and not on probably the weirdest one possible. IMO, no 16 yo should have his own car. If he does, make it a common inexpensive sedan, preferably one shared with the rest of the family. Have you looked at what it would do to your insurance rates? (Have the Tums close by.)

I ended up keeping the car.

Right now my son is attending his drivers ed, that 3hrs a day coupled along with 5hrs of football for him doesn't give us much time to go for drives anymore in the 8, but he still gets an hour in daily driving to and from driving school. Judging by the way my son has been driving with me, I believe he will be able to handle the car. I know you guys don't know my son, and some of you say you would never trust a 16yr old with an rx8 but I think maybe if you saw my son, you might make an exception. The behavior and maturity he has isn't like any other kids I've seen. As long as he keeps his grades up, behaves, continues to do well in football and then indoor track, I believe he and I will have no problems maintaining the 8 and a healthy father-son relationship at the same time.

You didnt read the threads. It is not about the father-son drives, where he is going to be on his best behavior. It IS ABOUT when he is driving alone and driving with his teenage friends that he will have the peer pressure to show what the car can do. Too many well-meaning parents have given their good teens an RX8 and wound up with horribly injured and deceased kids. As I said before just do a internet search , fatal accidents-RX8-teens, and you will see the sad stories of other good kids whose parents thought they were good drivers, and good responsible kids. Once they got alone in the car with their friends, everything changed and lives were ruined and lost.

I think from the first post you had already decided to give him the car, so why bother asking for our opinion at all.

You think you are being a great dad, and you may be a great dad in many ways, but I am sorry to say, here you are being an idiot, and risking the life of your son and any other teen that rides with him. . I just pray you don't live to regret this for the rest of your life. At this point there is no reason for this thread to go further, you had already decided from the beginning. Keep the car for yourself, but don't make the horrible mistake of giving it to your son. Grow up and think like a responsible adult and parent here.

"The behavior and maturity he has isn't like any other kids I've seen."

Yes of course, being the product of you, your son > my son and everyone else's on here with kid-raising + RX-8 experience advising you not to do this. There is not a 16 yo beginning driver alive today that I would put in an RX-8 and turn loose. There is not a 16 yo on the planet with a fully-wired brain either. Oh well, you didn't come here for advice, you came here for props on your dumb move. You remind me of the father of a best friend in back in high school who gave his son a tricked out new Mustang fastback for his 16th birthday. Lasted 6 months before he lost control at high speed on a road near my house one night, flipped, killing himself and 2 of the 3 other teens riding with him. I got to see the blood dried into the ground where they died, and the shiney chromed 390 V-8 his dad was so proud of sitting by itself in the ditch. Another dad who let another BFF drive his 'tang at 16 - he lost it driving normally on a wet road. Didn't kill him, but both paralysed his passenger and gave him brain damage; it took 10 years before he died of those injuries. Both Jerry and Reed were "A" students, btw. So was friend Gary (finished 3rd in a graduating class of 750) who skidded his Mustang into a concrete bridge support. Common thread: good kids + sports car = disaster.

Hope your kid and his buds survive your decision.

when(if) I have a kid, I will not let him get his licenses until he is 18 (which he can get it on his own)

I was young once and I know exactly what 16 yr old feels like.

Some people might think "Rx-8 is slow" so it's good for kids, that simply means this "person" can't drive for shit and have no idea what the rx-8 is capable of.

I also wouldn't get a Civic for my kids, if he/she wants something, go get it on your own. That's what I did and I think that's the right way to do.

If I can powerslide and spin 180* at AutoCross, then it is too much for a 16 year old.

The car might look good and get a lot of stares from pedestrians and such, but when I am on the highway, people have a hard time noticing me since it is lower and smaller than all the soccer mom barges. I get run off the road almost every time I drive my RX-8.


Get your son a ticket/card for public transportation. That is more than he needs.

Thank you for flaming me, because I did not act the way you want.
No matter what car my son drives, if he speeds and crashes there are going to be chances of injuries and deaths. For every car out there, there is a horror story. The RX8 has 4 stars for it's crash ratings. We got a great deal on the car.
And to those saying get him a bike/bus card, there is no public transportation around us and there is no busing to his highschool.

Furious, take how they are saying what they say with a grain of salt.

There are those of us that have varying motivations for saying what we do, or pushing a particular perspective. Some of us don't want to see your son involved in anything deadly or harmful to him or others (we honestly care), some of us don't want to see another RX-8 destroyed in the hands of a teenager (even if it isn't their fault, it's WAY too predictable), some of us don't want to see an RX-8 in the news as the cause of a tragedy (have been a few of those, degrades the reputation of the community), and some see it in more than one way.

Everyone has a different way of pushing their perspective, some people with personal experience that makes them feel intensely strongly and/or emotional about it, others take a more clinical and logical approach. And probably none of them are quite speaking in a tone language that you are particularly receptive to.

So take the 'attitude' and 'tone' of people's written words with a grain of salt, and see their intent more than how it comes across. It's something I encourage everyone on the forum to do.

i think what everyone here is trying to say is yeah thats true but your raising the potential quite a bit by giving him a car that get to the 'danger zone' much more readily.

when i was 16 i drove the family full sized van with a V6, no tickets or accidents till much later and in a different vehicle. one of my friends graduated 1st in our class of just under 1000 and his parents bought him an older M3 as a reward, before college started in the fall that car was literally broken in 2 around a tree. being smart and a good kid really has nothing to do your judgement as a teen.

Furious Porkchop think here. It DOES NOT matter if the RX8 has a four or five star crash rating. In the RX8 teen fatal crash near me, the kids lost control drove off the road into trees, and the car exploded and burned to the ground, burning them alive. No crash rating will save your son in ANY fast collision or accident. You are really trying to fool yourself into thinking the car will save your son from foolish or reckless teen driving. Boy both you and your son are in deep trouble here. If I can find the phone number of those parents in our news files, and will pass it on to you. Talk to them and see what in hindsight they would have done differently. They have tearfully stated they never should have given their "A" student son a sportscar, and they will carry the regret and grief all their lives.

Just don't come back here to the RX8 forum with your angst after a tragedy that YOU could have prevented. But I guess it doesn't matter how many posts from people with experience, and who have witnessed these tragedies there are. You are set on doing it, hell be damned .

I'm gonna echo the general sentiment here that even a good 16 year old kid with high GPA, varsity sports, and responsibility, won't have restraint enough to control the spontaneous spurts of hoonage. Even adults don't really have a handle on this, so how can a 16 year old?

Testing limits and occasionally crossing them is a normal/healthy part of teen development.

All it takes is one accident.

FWIW...

The Rx-8 may not hit 60 in 4 seconds but it can still go damn near 150 mph. I'd try and talk you out of it but you don't want to seem to listen. Your son may be an excellent driver, responsible and level headed but he has ZERO experience driving in the real world right now. The rx8 is a very forgiving car, especially if you know what you're doing. However, to be quite frank, your son does not at this point and time have that experience.

No, *you* got a great deal on the car. Explain what that has to do with the safety of your son (hint: you can't).

RIWWP says it best. What you interpret as flaming is an attempt to get you to see that this is a really dumb idea. You may be brilliant in every other area, but this *idea* is dumb, regardless of the great deal you think you got on the car. :wallbash:

(BTW the 8's fuel tanks are ~2 - 3" under the rear passengers' butt cheeks.)

I just read this post and I too can add to this list from my experience in high school. I'll save the details, as this is all too common.

I think the best thing to do for your son is lock him in a padded room and keep him as safe as you can from the dangers of this cruel world... I mean think of all the hellacious things that teenagers might get themselves into.. If you take away all of the opportunities for them to make stupid decisions they can never make them! What a wonderful idea.

You said it yourself "No crash rating will save your (my) son in a fast collision or accident." That applies to every car out there that can travel on a highway. I'm not trying to fool anyone. But you obviously are so smart that you know me and my son better then we know ourselves, so please, tell us what we are going to subconsciously going to do next?

Regardless, this will be my last post on this thread. No matter what car I put my son in, there is going to be a risk he will crash and die. There is that risk in every car out there. There is nothing I can do, or anyone else can do out there. The only thing these crashes have in common is what caused them, whether it be drinking, speeding, distractions, other drivers, etc. It isn't the "car" that kills teens, it is the people driving them in extreme circumstances.
I too can name off deaths from when I was a young adult, none of those involved an rx8, but yet they still died. I guess that we shouldn't drive cars at all, because all cars are dangerous.
To the gas tanks under the rear passengers: I would assume in any car if the gas tanks/gas was ignited that there would be no survivors/fatal injuries.

Edit: Thanks kingdan2, it seems you actually understand what I'm saying.

YOU JUST DON"T GET IT!! YOU ARE SO THICK HEADED !! Yes a teen can die in a civic or an RX8, but the RX8 will do almost 150 mph and will get you into worse trouble as a teen pushes it to its limits and beyond. And at this higher speed and traction limits there will be less time or ability to recover from any mistakes.

Why did you even bother to post here? A complete waste of everyone's time. "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink." "You can try to enlighten somebody, but they have to have their mind and eyes open to see the light"

Your mind is closed to any possibility. Like so many, "It could never happen to my teen" But it does !

You just wanted someone to validate your decision to give this RX8 to your son, and you thought RX8 enthusiasts here would. Surprise, we who own and drive these cars (some of us driving rotaries for decades) know better what horrible risk giving any sportscar to a 16 yr old is. So now that you got 99 % negative feedback you will just go ahead and do what you had decided at the beginning. So be it.

how is 150mph that much worse than 120mph? You have not really convinced him that the car is killing people instead of people killing people. have you ever thought that maybe the reason your not persuading someone is because your argument sucks?

Hey Kingdan2 , Go ahead and give your teen an RX8. It's your choice. You two fathers can get together on this. Its a free country, even for dumb decisions.

Thank you sir, peace be with you.

^+1. I get it now. It's the same mentality I've been hearing for years, full of either/or thinking. Either lock him in his padded bedroom or put him in a car that maximizes the risk to himself and others. No middle ground, no process of learning acknowledged. "Real Men" take stupid risks, got it.

Humm, football season about to start. I'm betting after some game (dark night, wet road), this car is toast. :tear:

Waste of time to continue. <unsubscribing>

this is the same as giving someone that has no exp with firearms an ak47 or a popgun, yeah you could kill someone with either one but its far more likely that someone will die by accident from the ak....

I think...what the majority are trying to emphasis before it got out of context is that it's not wise to buy a sports car for your kids 1st vehicle. Reasons being multiple:

1) Usually more power (not in the 8's case) for trouble
2) Sporty feel for the kid to want to push boundaries and feel like a racer on the road
3) High cost associated with repairs (very relevant to our case)
4) Peer pressure from friends to speed excessively or do crazy things in traffic with a sports car than a typical sedan and/or truck.

Under those premises I would agree and I wouldn't get a sports car for my kid either if I had one. Start them out in a sedan or light truck that has about the same hp as the 8 keeping in mind they're much heavier and not as aesthetically attractive to work over someone to push the boundaries of the vehicle.

Regardless if you think your kid is a saint, it's not a matter or if but when your kid pushes it beyond the vehicles limit especially for a boy. It's part of growing up and finding those fine lines of what to do and what not to do, it will happen, we all have been there. Only question is will it be something they'll laugh and talk about years later with their friends how stupid they were growing up like we do, or will it be something everyone else will be talking about year later while they're in the grave.

We're not saying stuff them in a padded room, just chose wisely what vehicle you get them for starting out.