wesley589

This has most likely been discussed many times but i was wondering if you all think the rx-8 is a legitimate car for an 18 year old (it would be a graduation present). Pros? Cons?

Mugatu

iTrader: (1)

no

you have no business driving a 200+ HP sportscar with very little or no driving experience.

encorez

It is a safe car, so depends on the person driving it.

I see many young people hauling *** in some **** car.

V_for_velocity

Prolly not but it depends on the 18-yr-old.

RX8Maine

Definitely depends on the 18 year old.

fatddyslam

i think it would be legitimate if you had your head on straight, didnt drive like a maniac and try to race every car at the stop-light, and absolutely knew the limits of your vehicle. I am 20 now, but im sure at 18 i would have been just as deserving of an RX8, but hey, i know how to drive like a sane individual.

i dont think its fair that people are quick to judge every young person as being irresponsible and unsafe drivers, and thats why i think a lot of people are quick to tell you that "no, 18 year olds dont deserve that much power," but honestly, some 18 year olds i know drive better than people who have driven in this country for the last 18 years. Everyone is different, just be smart. And for some, easier said than done.

lurch519

take some defensive driving courses first. at 18 you definately need to have a good bit of experience before you get into a car like this. of course as stated above, there are some irresponsible individuals who will push even unsafe vehicles beyone their limits.

it took me about 3 months before i was comfortable in pushing my 8 further that regular driving.

i was almost involved in a bad accident a couple years ago, in a rental box van that i wasnt very familiar with. i was doing the speed limit on an interstate (65 mph), when the truck nearly flipped over from crossing an uneven joint on an overpass. i fortunately was able to recover and made it safely to my destination, but i dont put it down to any great amount of driving skill or prowess, i put it down to being able to keep calm and not jerking the steering wheel around, even while my navigator (read helpless victim at this point) is screaming at me that he doesnt want to die. fortunately we can both look back at this with a laugh and a smile.

YT1300

Anyone of any age can be an irresponsible driver, or have poor driving skills. However, in general, younger drivers, or those drivers with less driving experience, will tend to make poorer driving decisions simply because they don't have the driving experience of people who have been driving for years. Insurance people don't just penalize people because they're young - it's just that young people die more in car accidents, for whatever reason.

All cars take some time to get used to, be it a Civic or a Corvette. How much trouble you get into, however, in that learning period does depend on the car. If you're worried that you're going to get yourself killed in a sports car, then no matter how bad you want it now, it might be enjoyed for a lot longer if you're 22.

sunilseru

Stupidity and ignorance kills. Period. Age has nothing to do with it. There are 50 year old idiots driving minivans like maniacs.

wesley589, if you are the parent/guardian of the 18 year old, make sure the driver is trained to handle a RWD car. If you are the driver, do yourself and the fellow drivers sharing the road with you a favor and learn how to drive a RWD car and know its limits. Either way, good luck and happy driving...

Razz1

You need to be at leat 30 to drive this car.

Your first car should be a used Toyota or Buick.

CarAndDriver

Stop posting Troll!

volk

It isnt a safety issue, it is a nausea issue...as in, compared to what I was driving when I was 18, the thought of an 18-year old driving an 8 makes me sick.

El Kabong

When my kid gets a car it's going to be huge (for his protection) and slow (for yours).

- Kabong

KoHC

First car? Go with cheap used (or just cheap) car first. At least you won't feel bad when you scratch your car.

I believe it comes down to your parents. Talk to them and see how much they're willing to spend and what kind of car they think you should drive. I don't think your parents care about what we think, right?

User24

iTrader: (1)

My 18 year old self was a more responsible driver than I am now approaching a decade later. When I was 18, I lived in Oregon and always drove the speed limit when using my mom's car. I rode the bus all the days of my high school years and my first two college years.

When I was almost 24 years old I could finally afford my first vehicle, and it was the RX8. In actuality I was going for a Mustang GT, but in late 2005 the dealers wanted thousands above MSRP due to the demand. By chance during this hunting process, I saw an RX8 in person in a parking lot, and the rest is history. If only Mazda knew how to photograph an RX8 I would have had one sooner, but most pics on the web make it look like a family sedan.

I live in California now where in practice, people in the left-lane go 15-20 mph over the posted limit. I feel that I need to make up for time lost during those years waiting at the bus stop and watching cars pass and all those other kids.

If you don't get an RX8 now, just as in retirement plans, the cost will be measured in years lost. I believe the roads would be safer if every car out there was a manual RX8. Good brakes, good manueverability, not blocking people's views and making parking lots difficult to navigate like those larger vehicles. They have 3 rows of seats and thus their side body means they have a much worse blind spot than an RX8.

If everyone drove a manual RX8, I think accidents would be very few. I have lived in 6 states the past 3 years, and visited 13 foreign countries. Much traffic abroad is more packed and hectic than in the US, and yet the higher median skill level (manual transmission Taxi cabs) means you don't see accidents daily.

So, be safe and get that RX8, and be 18. Bad decisions are going to be on you, not me, but the RX8 is not a bad decision.

DaveCM203

You can look on UTube and see kids doing lots of very stupid things no matter what the car is. Some kids here in NC were killed going way to fast on an off ramp in an 8. Everyone seemed to be blaming the car. Chances are they would have done it if is was a riced out Civic or Sunfire. Those of us on here just don't want our insurance going up like on the STI and EVO becouse a bunch of dumb kids went out and totaled there cars and killed people. It is a great car, and if you can get one as a present you are very lucky. In fact a lot of us on here would be jelouse. Just be mature and keep it under control.

Joel Ramsey

What is it lately with all these supposed kids asking if the 8 is the car for them? Do your parents know you're on this website? Who cares what we think. Do all of us a favor and finish/get your education then you can think about wasting your money on a car.

guy321

MOST people on the roads in the US are HORRIBLE drivers. Yet MOST people also think they drive better than everyone else on the road. Those two things don't quite add up..

That being said, I think an 18 y/o would be better off with a more economical car.. Both in the sense of performance, insurance, and fuel consumption. Assuming it's a graduation present and the parents WONT be covering things like fuel, insurance, cost of repairs, etc.. the rx8 can get pretty expensive for an 18 y/o.

Endgame

^ I agree. I drove my dad's corvette all the time when I was 18. He would be the one telling me to push it when we were in the middle of nowhere. It depends on the 18 year old, mentally and physically. As stated earlier, taking some defensive driving courses at a race school like Bondurant would help greatly as to the physical aspect of driving the car. Financially, we do not know what your situation is. At 18 I COULD have afforded an 8, but it would have been too much of a strain to justify it. If you can, more power to you brother. You just have to get used to the 8. I have had my car since Sep and am still getting used to it; I have yet to push it to its limit. If you are in real doubt after reading all of the replies, keep it is simple and bypass the 8 for now...

Rootski

iTrader: (1)

I bought mine when I was 18, but I had 2 cars and 2 years experience before I did. I also bought it with my own money, so it means more to me than some kid who got one from his rich parents. That said, I think it heavily depends on the person. I knew a girl who had totalled 3 cars by her 18th birthday, and they were all crappy used Dodges, while I also knew a kid whose rich dad bought him a 350Z Roadster for his 16th birthday and as far as anyone knows he's never broken the speed limit with it. Irresponsibility causes accidents regardless of what car is being driven.

BrotherKoW

As an 18 year old with the car, I'd say it very much depends on the kid. I'd lie if I said I've never driven it fast before, or that I've never raced it off a stop light. But at the same time I'm generally a very careful driver. It certainly depends on your son's personality. If you plan on him having to pay for gas, the 8 is probably a good candidate for him. He'll find out soon enough that if he wants to get any decent mileage at all, he's going to have to be a defensive driver hehe

V_for_velocity

Quote: <Stupidity and ignorance kills. Period. Age has nothing to do with it.>

I thiink age has a lot to do with it. Ask any insurance company.

Vash137

I'm 19. I basically got my 8 as a graduation present when I turned 18. Paying for about 1/3 of it myself, as well as insurance ($3800 a year ) but luckily not gas. There are responsible 18 year old drivers out there. I had a 10 year old diesel work truck for 2 years beforehand.

I honestly only "speed" (speeding being 75mph) on the highway and thats not bad considering its Massachusetts. I really haven't taken her anywhere near her limits on any curvy roads. I don't feel like crashing my beauty, nor do I have any idea how to handle a sports car at its limits. I've never raced anyone. period. One reason being most other somewhat sporty cars would beat it in a straight line. And yes, I have said no to race requests.

guy321

It's not just that teens may be more prone to racing etc etc. They are also more prone to have other people/kids in the car, talking goofing off etc. Maybe not you, but what if a passenger knocks your gear shifter out and you go to put it back in 4th but they are goofing off so much you accidently put it in second ?

Also, just 2 - 3 years of driving may not give them the experience to be able to predict other driver's behavior, road conditions, etc as well as a more seasoned driver.

Although, I don't believe about 75% of all drivers in the US have any buisness driving anyway.