flip

Alas, today i said goodbye to my 8.... i've had her since July '03. We've been through a lot... from the reflashes to brake squeal, group buys and the rotary revolution.. good times! it was bittersweet to part with her, the 8 is a great car to have. With the recent purchase of the G35 for my wife (which is a blast to drive as well) we came to realize that we needed a larger "family" car since we traded in the Navigator for her G35...

I ended picking up an '06 Honda Ridgeline RTL..

shaolin

got any parts left over? I'm local..

Eatsomerice

dont worry you wont miss the brake squeals with the G35. about 30k miles you will probaly be at teh dealer getting pads and rotors. I used to work for infiniti. Great cars but the brakes suck.

Chrisbert

You can swap the headlights / tail lights on the Ridgeline and drive it backwards; nobody will know.

Mugatu

iTrader: (1)

nothing like going from a sports car to a truck!

-=Rowdy=-

lol

rx8wannahave

Why didn't your wife get the truck and you get the G35? It's just odd to me how she traded in her family car for a sports car and now you are forced to get a family-like truck and trade in your sports car????

BUT, it's your money and while most of us love the RX8 it's just a car so do what is best for your family. I hope the best...

Deslock

Exactly. When we need more room, we take my wife's Forester.

LOL... I don't know why that's so funny, but it is.

JRichter

That's why I'm not married.

RotrDoc

Flipstream--I'm so sorry!!

Chrisbert

Well, let us know how the Honda works out. Don't see too many on the road here. This is mostly a "big 3" area (GM, Ford, Dodge).

rx8wannahave

You know, I'm not trying to start a fight between him and his wife (yeah like she cares what an Internet voice has to say, lol) but I just don't understand how he ended up with the truck.

When I got married my wife and I had a simple conversation.

Who loves cars more? Who is a auto enthusiast...not just “like” cars or use them as a “tool”?

So...it's more important to me than it would be to her so she pick's the car she wants knowing we will have a family soon and we get it for her. If she want’s a SUV, Minivan, etc that's fine but she made the wise choice and got the Mazda6. That's our family car and I got the 8 which allows me to fit 3 rug rats with me if mom aint coming with us. That’s why I like 2+2 sport cars, I just dread the thought of being “forced” into driving another car other than the one I love.

So, I laugh at everyone that tells me..."now you will have to sell your 8 when the baby comes" because frankly that AINT GOING TO HAPPEN (unless something unseen comes along and I’m forced into it). My wife has the main family car and I have a sports car that can fit 3 people beside myself.

If we need a bigger family car, then it's time for an upgrade for my wife and not my car.

BUT AGAIN, it's his money and his family so he will do what's best for them. He can live without the RX8...but I'm glad I don't have to.

Especially because going from a sports car to a truck would put me in therapy (LOL).

Aratinga

I think you'll be happy with the Ridgeline. It's a very cool truck! I wish we had one to use full-time, instead of just once a month or so when my boyfriend gets to bring one home from work (he works for Honda Technical Engineering). It's VERY comfortable, has tons of room, a very usable pickup bed and the lockable trunk/icechest bin under the floor of the bed. It tows up to 5000 lbs and gets better gas mileage than the 8. And when you get the need for speed, just swap cars with wifey for a day. Enjoy!

Mugatu

iTrader: (1)

Not sure that was important to him, since he had the 8 to begin with and didn't mind at all.

BlueEyes

The ridgeline is alright for what it is, a minivan with a bed. I'd take it over other small pickups, ranger,s10,dakota etc. But, make no mistake, this isn't a truck.

flip

I miss my 8 already... seeing them driving around makes me feel nostalgic--reminisent on the time when i picked her up from the dealer w/ all the shipping wraps... I appreciate all your condolences... the Ridgeline is nice, lots of torque and it can haul and has potential to "bling" and i can load my sportbike on the back for trackdays-- but, don't count me out as of yet... i may end up w/ her G35 since she loves the Ridgeline... LOL. Heck, i already have 19" staggered Hiro's on the G already...

Deslock

Then you could trade the G in for another 8!

rx8wannahave

Am I the only one who thinks rims bigger than 18's are not necessary? Especially when that’s the stock size!

Anyway, enjoy your cars…what ever they may be.

djgiron

no Wanna, I am in full agreement with you on the 18 thing!

flip

Hey now... i had 18's on my 8... the 19's went on the G.. tryin' to get that "balla" effect..

Perhaps... but i can prob hold off 'til they come up w/ revisions and such-- like in '07 or something. But then its a whole new ball game... its all a vicious circle i tell ya!

Umbra

I feel sorry for those guys out there driving minivans, pickups, and SUV's. I would honestly feel ashamed to be seen driving one. There's family and then there is teaching your children to have respect for a fine auto and setting them up for success later in life. Teaching them right from wrong(SUV), teaching them to destroy the environment in the proper way with some style, teaching them it's not ok to block visibility of other drivers who made the right vehicle choice, teaching them the value of going your own way and being unique, teaching them what a POS is and isn't, teaching them truth, happyness, and the american way.

The largest car I've ever had is the 8. I've had del Sols and MR2s with a family, not that big of a deal.

BTW, sorry but the G35 is a grampa car, just look at that awful interior with poor seats. It's for people that are too "mature" to buy a 350z. It needs staggard wheels and a body kit to look presentable.

Go get your 8 back, the 8 has style and grace, the ridgeline and g35 don't. Teach your children the right way to do things by example.

flip

i can assure you, our G35 looks nothing close to a grampa car... i appreciate everybody's comments, i just don't understand where all this "negativity" toward the Ridgeline and the G35 is coming from. i love having the 8, but lets not start knocking on other cars "just because its not an 8".. The G35 also deserves respect in its own.. it performs well and has a proven track record on having a great engine. It is, after all, the V35 Skyline...
In comparison w/ the 350z..
The Infiniti is A) the best deal on earth B) more refined in every way C) more comfortable, more driveable, and I like it's styling a great deal more (in lieu of your comment above). Oh no! 7 less horsepower and 4 fewer lb-ft of torque. whatever, nothing a few mods can't fix.. the 350Z is sweet, more of a Boy Toy racer though. For me, I'll take the smoother ride.

Now as far as the Ridgeline goes, i've got no complaints w/ it... and it too will look nothing like what you stereotype it to be. Good power/torque/ride and it can haul my sportbike. It WILL serve its purpose.

You don't need to sell me on the 8...like i mentioned in earlier posts... i'll keep my eyes out for what the 8 will come to evolve as... but for the meantime, i'll enjoy what i have. thank you again for your thoughts and concerns. enjoy your 8.... I DID. now, being the great enthusiast you are, i know you'll understand where i'm coming from.

Deslock

Uhhh... "teaching them to destroy the environment in the proper way with some style". LOL. Dude, you drive a car that gets crap MPG so quit yer preaching.

Personally, I also prefer smaller, lighter cars and I'm lucky that my wife has a Forester so that I can have an RX8. She hated the idea of getting an SUV, but she needed something higher-up (knee problems) so she got one of the smallest, lightest ones available (Forester = slightly larger Impreza).

That said, we rented a Dodge Durango while on vacation with my brother (we needed something bigger) and it was nice having the extra room. I can understand why families go for larger vehicles. And everyone picks on minivans, but they're very utilitarian (and more practical and less flashy than SUVs). If we had more than two kids, we'd have one (probably a Mazda5, which was surprisingly fun to flog at zoomzoomlive).

As far as the G35 goes, have you ever driven one? It's a bit heavy, but is still a sweet ride. The 350Z is also a really fun vehicle.

Every car is a compromise. Good luck flipstream and kudos to you for taking all the abuse in this thread gracefully!

Chrisbert

Hey Flipstream, I was just pokin fun about the Ridgeline really. Don't take it seriously.