Is the RX-8 the car for me?
 

Hey guys, I am Rick and I am soon to be leaving for the Army, probobly 2-3 weeks til basic. I plan to have a few thousand dollars, maybe $4,000 or so to put down on a car and I have been in an endless debate of what to get. I have considered cars like used EVOs, SRT-4s, STis, WRXs and even RSX Type S. I have drifted away from those cars for the following reasons: The STi and EVO tend to be a bit out of my budget, my credit is not the greatest in the world, I am only 20 and have a couple dings on my report but nothing major, I've never missed a payment on my car, credit card etc though I have been late a bunch of times, I struck a really broke spot financially mid year, this is my first year in college and I went into it with a truck payment and that was a bad idea so shooting for a car that may be out of my range for financing can't be good. I also pulled away from the EVO/STi because they are very high maintinence and when things break, it isn't cheap. I really really like the SRT-4, in fact I like the look as well as the power and modability however on a nice summers day I don't picture myself in it ripping around back roads. Finally the RSX Type S, my friend JUST bought one... a 2004 with 24k and I must say, I love the look however it is slightly underpowered for my taste and the modability just isn't there... you can go with an intake, header, exhaust and after that you either go forced induction, a built motor (equally expensive) or your just STUCK.

I live in Maine, though the RX-8 is not the BEST choice for winter I am sure that with a good set of tires and keeping the RPMs low and the RX-8s perfect weight distribution it wouldn't be a bad car in the snow. I want a car I can buy, know it has more potential but I don't plan on going deep into mods, I want a nice car that's built well, won't give me alot of trouble and something I can count on down the road as well and I have come to realize power is nothing if the cars not running right. I want a car that handles well, looks well and feels nice to be in inside but also is not SLOW. The RSX-Type S being a 15.1 second car (14s with a really good driver) is the borderline between me being happy and NOT being happy with the stock power, the RX-8 is a 14.5 second car stock and I'm sure with a good driver you could crank a low 14 out of it... for stock that's nice. Overall the car is intriguing to me because it looks and feels nice, I love the interior but my main concern with it, is the reliability of them NOW... I know that the B13 RX-7 was NOT a car to have if you didn't like maintinence... I see 6 speed RX-8's around for under $20,000 as well but with miles on them, I know that the mileage numbers are different from a conventional piston car, what are "low miles" to these cars and what are "high miles". Feedback would be great, thanks. If you guys don't think the RX-8 is for me because of its issues then alternative suggestions are welcome. I do need to stay under $20,000... maybe even the $10-18,000 range.

"I love the look however it is slightly underpowered for my taste and the modability just isn't there... you can go with an intake, header, exhaust and after that you either go forced induction, a built motor (equally expensive) or your just STUCK."


Having read that, I dont think the RX8 is right for you. Maybe look into a used GTO.
You arent going to get much gain out of the 8 without going FI and that will run you about 5k.

loaded question.

First off, I would personally recommend you get a beater car and not even think about buying a car that costs more than $6,000 until you're financially stable. That means putting your money into things that are much more worthwhile - such as housing.

If you want to ignore that advice, then the next thing I would say is that it's hard to say what you'll get with the RX-8. Some have really really REALLY poor mileage and there is nothing you can do about it. We're talking 8-12 mpg. Others get 18-22 mpg. Luck of the draw. Some are perfectly fine, others have huge transmission problems. With that said, most of the RX-8's are perfectly fine. Try to find a car that you can get the complete repair history on. Even better is if you can drive it 50 miles or so and see what kind of mileage it gets.

A well cared for rotary can easily exceed 200k miles. The RX-8 is of a newer design, so we don't yet know if this remains true, but I have no reason to think otherwise. Remember, rotary engines have 3 moving parts, there's a lot less that can go wrong ..

*adjusts thermostat*

Welcome to to forum. While you were somewhat thorough in your relaying your position, the replies that ensue will not. While we welcome newbs with open arms, we do discourage threads that pose questions that have been asked requently. That form of discouragement comes in the form of flaming. If you make your way to some of the other discussion threads e.g. the Lounge, Major Horsepower and Upgrades, or RX-8 Discussion you will find a wealth of infogmation. For there are many like you that venture into this sect of the internet that pose similar queries. Oh, do not hesitate to make use of that handy-dandy search button; it works wonders. All of the answers you seek are here.

btw, what the hell are you thinking? the srt-4 is ass-ugly....you gets no respect comin in here with that jibba-jabba sassa-frass FOOL!

Thank you, and enjoy your stay.

05 GTO FTW!! :rock:
Do you have a DD? If no, get a regular WRX or a used STi cuz you will need the AWD in the winter. If you do have a DD, get yourself an 05 GTO

Until you are financially stable, don't even think about getting a car. Furthermore you sounded totally unsure what you really wanted, it could be just a spur of moment in wanting a sports car. If you seriously wants a sports car, I don't think the 8 is suitable for you since most people that look into cars like STI or EVO will eventually regret they bought the 8, not all but most do. Save your money and when you think you can afford a STI or EVO, go ahead and make that purchase at least you know you won't regret it.

low 14's with a good driver?

they used good drivers to get to 14.5 (or 14.4, depending on where you look)

you are not going to get lower less you get better tires and go turbo, but that kills the reliability of the engine.

go with something you can afford, and because of cold weather issues, I don't think an rx8 would feel at home in maine.

you can get a decent 2000 or 2001 model year saturn for 2-4k that has 60-80k miles on it that will run for quite a while and allow you to save up for a house.

Cars depreciate too much, and the RX-8 will be one expensive car to keep up once it's out of warranty (Just look at the parts list to see what the oem replacements cost). Don't do it unless you really want it.

To give you an idea, I really wanted the RX-8, but kept researching it for about two months before I finally bought it. You should never rush into something unless you can shrug off the payments should something go wrong (and I don't mean defaulting on payments).

I researched the 8 for 2 years before finally buying one.

From one veteran to a soon to be fellow soldier: The best advice that I ever had (as far as cars go) was to NOT purchase a car that I would have a payment for prior to going into basic training. The 2nd best advice that I ever had (as far as cars go) was to NOT purchase a car that I would have a payment for after AIT and prior to my first permanent duty assignment. The primary reason for this was due to money. Months prior to entering the service, I bought a $1500 car since I could pay cash for it. Once you get to your first permanent duty assignment, you will find that everything costs way more than you could ever imagine - including the need to purchase things that you have always taken for granted when living at home. Several of my friends in the barracks were "car broke" - meaning that after they paid their car payment, insurance, and gas, they often ran out of money 4-7 days prior to payday, and couldn't drive their cars. By not having a car payment, I had enough money to do the fun things that I wanted to do and had a great first two years in the service until I bought a used car with a low payment. I was also able to afford some of the things my “car broke” friends could not, such as a TV, stereo, game station, etc. In addition to the financial part of it, you never know where you are going to be stationed, so you may want to keep your extra money in a bank and not buy anything until you get to your first duty assignment. If you end up in Germany or somewhere, it is easier to buy a car there and sell it again prior to PCS'ing to your next assignment than it is to deal with shipping cars and waiting on them. Additional advice that I would give would be to be very careful when buying a car once you get to your first assignment. Ask an NCO what dealers you should stay away from and that try to take advantage of new service men and women.

That said, I applaud your choice to join the service, and wish you the best of luck.

I'd like to echo Duke15s comments. Focus on your PT now, not buying a car :) Seriously, he's right. You don't know where you are going to end up, and you most likely won't get to use the car at all while you are in boot anyway.

What MOS are you? I am in Kandahar right now, so PM me if you want to know more about the ARMY.

Ok first off, the financial part is not the issue so I really need no more advice in regards to that I am very smart when it comes to money however there is a difference between having a good paying job and a crap job because your in college. I will be in the SMP, simultantious membership program which is ROTC for those who are enlisted, I will be in college as well however I not only will get $297 (gi bill) per month but E-5 drill pay which is probobly $250 on top of that. There is $550 per month with NO job, if I decide to work part time I sure can making $10+ per hour on top of that drill pay and GI bill. Suggestions like a used STi or an 05 GTO or ANY GTO for that matter show that someone was not reading. I am 20, do you have ANY idea what insurance on a GTO would be?!?!? Friggin INSANE! Like $350 per month-400 per month on TOP of the car payment for a $20-25,000 car! and it is not even THINKable to ATTEMPT winter driving with that car... I said $10-18,000... no I don't need a beater and no I don't care about a house or deep investment plans for wayyy down the road, I am young and still responsible however you only live once and using my early years obsessing over preparing for a future that who knows, may never exsist is out of my intrest. I want a car, I know my budget and analysed it extensively before... basing my financial stability on what my situation was like 5 months ago is completely unrealistic. It's like saying oh well you worked at McDonalds 5 months ago and things were bad then but now your making $1200 per month net working part time... I won't be buying before basic and AIT, as I stated. I am prior service Army... long story so don't ask I have explained it 60 zillion times. I got hurt in basic right before graduation so I was sent home, now it's attempt number 2.

As far as my statement went on the Type S, how the Type S wasn't for me because it was slow, well there CAN be a fine line between satisfying and unsatisfying. I have driven both and the RX-8 is significantly quicker... it is not even comparable to the RSX in many ways and I don't like regular WRX's, the turbo lag= SUCK and there ugly and feel cheapo, also have glass trannys. So back on topic, RX-8... there are some bad eggs you say? So considering I would be buying used as long as the car checked out I should be ok? How have the "good" ones treated people? Is it a hit or miss, great car to pain in the ass ratio?

I don't know why you think that's a good thing. I make more than that in a day.


I knew it would be an uphill battle trying to argue this point with you. I know because I didn't think about the future when I was your age either. I had two Porsche 993's and a 944 before I was 23. It's just money down the drain. Yeah, it's cool to have a nice car, but you don't get success by doing what feels good here and now. Think of it like a snowball building up as it rolls down the hill :) Yeah, advice is easy to give, I don't even follow my own advice half the time...


I don't have any solid numbers for you, but I'd say the number of people with bad RX-8's are very few. The only thing to keep in mind is that someone who has problems will complain about issues, while someone who doesn't isn't likely to raise hell over it. Having the car "checked out" isn't going to help as the car is operating normally. You would just see horrible gas mileage. If you want horror stories about what can go wrong with the transmission, talk to abbid. My RX-8 is now 2 years old and runs without issue (just some minor rattles that I will end up taking care of by dynomatting the doors).

I think you're delusional with the $10-plus an hour job in college part time unless you wait tables and make tip money or take your clothes off. When will you find time for this other job between college with all the studying and work involved and your military obligations? It's going to be difficult to find one with enough flexibility in hours to accommodate your other obligations.

I think you need to figure out other priorities instead of acting pissed off. You may or may not get anything out of your military. You got hurt last time and sent home, so I highly doubt they paid you for not being there. Who's to say you are fully recovered to be up to par, or that you won't do it again and lose that money you are very much depending on? Then you are in college and are counting in a part time job that pays over $10 an hour. This strongly suggests you have no real world experience with anything beyond what's inside your brain and your desires.

I'd say your best bet is a nice, new pair of tennis shoes and a bus pass becuase you'll sure be doing a lot of walking or riding. Although, you could get a decent bicycle at a fraction of the cost of a car. :)

From what is sounds like you want in a car you might not be happy with the rx8. I'd also say that the fact you live in Maine is reason enough not to get an rx8. I'd get something with AWD if I were you, or move, cuz Maine is too cold man :)

You make more than that in a day? Well good for you, sounds like you make a crap load of money. Just because I want a nice car now doesn't mean I am snowballing down him because I want to invest money into having a nice car while I am in school, I put those numbers out there because that is the car payment and insurance paid for, right there... and that is not counting the job I will have when I get home, I have no other bills and I in fact understand cars are just money down the drain but so what, you go out on a weeked and spend money hanging out with friends, drinking whatever a person does... you don't NEED it but going out and having fun is as well money downnn the drain but so what that's life you can't win them all. I am in college, on top of that I will have my comission as an officer in the US Army after I was already an enlisted, I will be an NCO even before I get my comission. I have goals in mind and I am not just some stupid 20 year old kid that wants to blow all his dimes on a car, if I was irresponsible I would get the fattest car loan I could and blow everything and eat ramen noodles and drink puddle water. I want a car that looks nice, handles well and I think the RX-8 is that car that feels like a million bucks, nothing looks like it and in my opinion there isn't anything like it. A rear drive car with 4 seats and a big trunk, believe me I'd shoot for a 350z or some crap if I could get it for $15-18000 without a zillion miles but I can't and it is not all weatherable it makes too much tq. has a whopping 2 whole seats and a dumb trunk, yay. I don't want a WRX.

I was talking about having it checked out in the sense that if it has not had a ton of problems YET then it probobly wasn't one of the problematic ones seeing that the RX-8s with issues, have already displayed them. The gas mileage check is simple as well, I'd put a deposit down on the car and then drive it for a hundred miles or so and see for myself. If these issues have not shown themselves in the used RX-8 is chose then is it safe to say it's one of the good ones?

The cars with the mileage problems always had the mileage problem. I don't think anyone suddenly "got it" out of the blue.

You'll have to do some searching on the forum about issues others have had to find out more. I don't want to make any recommendations since I've not seen them first hand.

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/green/au...1a.asp?caret=2

"Need a general rule of thumb? If you're devoting more than 15 to 20 percent of your household income to transportation, you should probably scale back."

Good luck.

The RX-8, Evo, STi, are all bad choices. A Cobalt SS, SRT-4 are probably your best choices. I don't quite get how you can be so opposed to a WRX and want an STI or Evo. Your gripes with the WRX are pretty easily fixed and I doubt you've actually sat in one recently, the glass tranny thing is also blown out of proportion and '02 was the MY that really had the problems.

What about the GTO?

How can you not have any other bills at all? Don't you eat? Don't you need heat and a roof over your head? What about a phone? Everyone always has basic living expenses.

It's beyond me how people can say they don't have any bills and it would just be all car related. :dunno:

ROTC can take up a significant amount of time (I earned my commission through Navy ROTC, so I know of what I speak :). If you have a difficult major you probably won't want to deal with a part time job on top of it, especially to make a car payment.

That said, if I were you I would avoid the 04s if you want reliability. The 04s were cited as having worse than average reliability by consumer reports, but the 05s improved to the point where the recommend them. If you do get an 04, make sure it has all the recalls, etc performed on it. Here is a good site with info on recalls and TSBs http://www.finishlineperformance.com...ins_index.html

I've been driving my 05 AT for about 3 months now with no problems.

You my dear are foolish. I was sent home because I was in high school and had a manditory release date to uphold, meaning I could have caught a COLD and been out of training and with a training schedule that tight be sent home because I was not going to be home to attent school, this was 2 years ago. I am a finely tuned athletic machine, I demolish the PT test, someone out of military experience could not really understand this. a $10 an hour job hard to find? Not with training in medical supply and administration for the Army, in case you did not notice but government training as long as it's acredited is one of the best ways to get a job, who will say you are un qualified? Discipline wise or work ethic, sorry chief but not me. A part time job making that money is a small fry snag. I have other bills, a cell phone bill ($60 a month) I eat but it's all incorperated in a meal plan, who cares about other little expenses they are insignificant. And as far as that "standardized affordability guideline"... I'd bet you 50-70% of you guys do NOT fall under that catagory of efficiency, some times when things are worth it to you, you MAKE it work. Financially I have it covered... now back to the car part.

Not to mention the ROTC obligations, half of them I am exempt from because I am an enlisted soldier, the annual summer training gets swapped out with Airborne school or Air Assault school for me. One day a week and weekend obligations, sorry but it's not an issue.

Bunnygirl is the last person on this site that should be talking about financial responsibility and priorities.

As far as the car part, like I said earlier, I really think the SRT-4, WRX, or Cobalt SS is the way to go. They all have strong engines, fall into your price range, take well to mods, and handle better than I think you realize. They also shouldn't be as expensive to own as the Evo, RX-8, and STI.

I guess you don't read what you type, either. You said you got HURT and were sent home. You didn't say you were sent home to go to school. I have a government job as one of my jobs I work, which gives me fairly high-level security clearance and have been through several "training" courses. It doesn't mean a whole lot in the real world, particularly looking for a part-time job. I also happen to work for a large hospital group. Your "medical supply" mentioned above, at my hospital, means you're the person that pushes the cart down the hallway to drop off supplies at the predetermined location for the department requesting supplies. This job pays $8.50-$11.50 maximum, the high-end being for multiple years of experience (more than five). Since Oregon has a relatively high minimum wage ($7.50), you would think this job would have higher pay, then.

Maybe it's like my job for a company I just quit. It required schooling to obtain this position. It promised high pay and flexibile hours. It was paying me $25 an hour for quite a while (well over two years). They restructured and cut my pay down to $9.24 an hour. Then they did another round of pay cuts again, which made my pay $7.50 an hour only because they couldn't pay me the $6.16 an hour they wanted to. Mind you, this was a job also with six years experience and I was the #2 and then #1 producing employee out of over 13,000. Face it, most jobs just don't pay that great without college degrees and/or technical certificates. Even then, the pay isn't that great for a lot of things.

Going around saying "I'm in the Army" doesn't count for much with a lot of employers, particularly as pertains to your paycheck. You may get a job but don't count on it meaning decent pay.

I understand all about your "PT" test. I had to pass the same test plus extras for my particular government position. :) I was also a high-level competitive gymnast for many, many years (training 30 hours a week throughout the year and 40-plus in the summer). Clearly, I know nothing about being in shape and hard work-outs and fitness requirements.

You are 20 so you will have expensive car insurance no matter what. You will have an expensive gas bill with this car. You will not have a small payment with this car either. You will exceed your $550 a month you set aside.

Since you have a "meal plan" this means someone else pays for you to eat. You make no mention of rent or housing expenses, so this means some is paying for you to be sheltered with electricity and heat. You are in college so that involves all kinds of expenses, unless someone pays for that for you, too.

Life experience (which you are lacking in at 20) dictates that you are not being very realistic in your financial goals at this time, particularly given that you think "Army training" means good money. You may be trained to do one particular type of thing but that certainly does not mean there is a part-time job in such a position that is there to fit your schedule. Even if there is, that doesn't mean you will "easily snag" one with your financial goal.

This, I know from experience after dealing with the realities of corporate restructuring completely interfering with my set budget and goals. I had to wait three to four months to find open positions in my field that had decent pay. I was fortunate enough to get them. I now make the equivalent of $32.40 an hour with a full-time and part-time job, not including the money I make with my government position. This enables me to pay down, off, and ahead on bills and plan for the future in case something bad happens. You can't do that if you have every last cent invested into one thing. You don't make purchase decisions based on what you hope to have. They should be made on what you consistently have had.

If you really want the car, you will buy it anyway. You will struggle with payments and may have to give up something, be it car, school, et ceterea. It's beyond me why someone with a part-time job income wants to make such a large purchase. :dunno:

People in metal houses with wheels shouldn't throw stones! Err wait... maybe that doesn't work so well with the metaphor.

you forgot with aluminum foil halos!!!!!

Is that to keep the tornadoes away and prevent alien abductions?

hey guy, imo go with a 4x4, or at least awd truck. but, it doesn't sound like u r worried about snow. if u dont get much snow/ice and want a car and like the stock 8, make it happen. i did two years ago and have no buyers remorce. the car is def not for everyone, but if the ext styling is to your liking, the rest of the car is a dream. like any car, there will be probs with the 8 like int cosm damage or engine light or harness, electr probs, but they are all warrantied for at least another couple years on most 8s and i dont mind getting the manuf to replace probs with my car at there expense and my gain. anyway, the only prob w/ my car is that is is not as quick as i'd like it at lower rpms. i solved this prob by pushing the car harder, and found out that the 8 drives, shifts smoother, and rides way better when u push it and have fun. i'm just saying if ur into the car get it. the probs like power can be solved with mods, like any car. there are plenty of mods available to get for the 8 that will make it haul ass bc the car is so light. little things go a long way on this car. done ranting bro, but if u think u want the 8, go drive it and u'll prob buy it. i heard the ng 04s were the nicest...

Interesting stat. I just calculated that my rx payment + insurace comes out to 21% of my net pay, so that doesn't even figure in maintenence (which isn't much really w/ warranty) or gas ($$$).

So I'm just over the reasonable amount. That being said... It *feels* like WAAAY too much of my money is going to my car. Do I regret it? Not too much, I'm a car guy and I love my 8. But I prioritize my car much higher than most would. I drive a nice car, so I scale back on things that aren't as important to me, eg. I don't get designer clothes or spend a bunch of money on (other) toys.

Whats my point? Even though I love my car and I'm close to the "rule of thumb" I still get a twinge of guilt every once in a while when I think about how much money I piss away every month. I could be putting into a house/savings/retirement or paying down my other debts faster (cc/student loan).

Also, I was driving a crap honda my parents got me during college. I graduated, got a good job, and bam got the 8. Now I'm 24 and I'm doing ok. But I still have some credit card debt and I'm only slightly above living paycheck to paycheck. If I had some patience and suffered by with that honda until now, I'd have no CC debt, been able to get an 8, w/ a lower interest rate loan (payment would probably be < 400/mo instead of 579 as it is now) and have a good amount of disposable income.

Moral of the story - a little patience goes a long way.

My house has no wheels as it is on a foundation, like a normal house. There were never wheels attached to it except when it was actually on a trailer that moved it to its current location. Still, the wheels were not on the house, just the thing it was sitting on. No funny antennae stuck on the house, either. It's also not any form of metal. Guess you are confusing "manufactured home" with "trailer." :rolleyes:

I'm not confusing anything, it's just more fun the way I tell it. :wavey: