If any of my friends gave me anything but props the first time they saw it, the next thing they'de see would be my backhand slapping them upside the face. Expecially those that own something far inferior.

 

What's wrong with Ford??? I love them.... and Mazdas too.... We're all one big happy family...

 

If your friend doesnt like your car, get a new friend. I have had nothing but compliments from friends and co-workers.

 

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Some people might have heard something about rotary motors a long time ago, and probably only remember that they were notorious for having the seals fail. Sometimes it can be difficult to overcome an old perception.

 

The problem of ignorance is much worse in the Midwest.
If your vehicle is not a domestic, then it is automatically labeled as "Rice".
What's worse is that the average Gomer will comment something along these lines:

"Hey is that one of them Ro-taaaa-reeees?
I heard they aint gots much torque and gets baaaaad gas mileage."

But back to the original question. It was idiocy for asking why you bought an RX-8 and ignorance for him not being properly educated about the RX-8.

 

Clearly those who took a little risk in the new 8- will be rewarded down the road. The selling price of this vehicle will defintley be going up--substantially, over the next 4 years. The car is a 40K vehicle, anyone who drives/owns one knows this. Predicts, first year slight drop, 3rd/4yr sales of 04 RX 8s- will surpise many people, bringing top dollar, as the outer shell won't change much. While you are not going to make money, I think you stand to lose very little down the road, and who can argue bang for the buck with this vehicle!

 

Same here - all positive comments. Even the guy walking in the parking garage yesterday while I was driving through, who gave me two thumbs up and said "NICE car!".

 

Yea I even got a thumbs up from a Miata on my way to work.

 

no matter what car you get people will always say "why" my cousin has a M3 and people say "why didnt u save a lil more and get a 911,or why not S4 or E55....simple..he likes the M3...if you like your car you dont have to answer anybodys "why's" especially if they have a lower car than yours.

 

I thought my Grampa would give me a ration of **** about buying a foreign car. Instead he went on and on about the rotary engine and how he was so pleased to see that they were still being used. He thought the technology was dead some time ago. He hasn't stopped talking about it since.

 

It's the doors that have got most of the attention in the UK - I was parking for the soccer the other day and the car park guy made me get out and demonstrate them for him. :D

Mine's in yellow which has two effects -

I get more attention from pedestrians - quite often see people going "ooo look an RX8" - the other colours don't seem to get noticed so much.

It has "sports car syndrome" - everyone cuts you up, undertakes you, won't let you into queues, drives right up close behind, etc... you have to drive much more defensively.

The correct answer to "why" is "Shut up, get in, and I'll show you." :D

My ex had that reaction when she first saw the Z (previous car) - when she got out again she said "I feel sick, but I see why you bought it now" LOL

 

Levan,
The last time I drove in England I must have had sports car syndrome too, in a grey rented Ford Escort fer chrissakes. When I waited my turn at the merge of two roads the guy behind me blasted his horn and looked like he wanted to launch a cruise missile my way. Then, when it was my turn to join the queue (or so I thought) the guy who had to let me in called me several very un-British names and made a face that would frighten a football hooligan. He actually tried to wedge me out, but ... I was driving a rental!

We polite Americans never act like this of course! :D

 

You had the opposite there, which is Escort driver syndrome. Nothing to be done except ignore them. Or give them the finger when you overtake. :D

 

Idiocy and ignorance are not mutually exclusive.

 

I don't know about that.... the resale value for the RX-8 hasn't been too great base on auction books. On the market the RX-8 can be had with significant discount and it's been like that since the car came out last year. (in New England at least) The resale value took a dive after the hp fiasco. I doubt Mazda has the ***** to up the price when most cars are sold at a big discount. Raising the MSRP will only scare people off from even stepping into the dealership.

 

zevans (sorry for that mis-spell before),
I should have figured that out, except I was actually impressed by the UK version of the Escort. It made my sister's USA Escort look like the real POS it was. I wouldn't give anyone the finger when overtaking in my 8 though. That might imply that we'd noticed them!

I've received only (wildly) positive reactions to my 8 so far, although one friend ribbed me about the color. He waddles around in some humongous dull gray SUV though. Nobody's drooling over his wheels.

 

What does your friend drive? What did he expect you might have bought instead? Had you seriously considered some other car(s) and talked about it with him?