RX8 vs MS3
 

okay guys sorry if im being annoying i just have a question
as an 18 yr old student who works part time and fulltime summers starting april-september do you guys think its realistic of me getting an rx8.
i was thinking about a speed 3 because its probably less on insurance then an rx8 and its definetly quick. But i am truley in love with this car its just so sexy and im in love :(. i know rx8s dont get the best fuel economy, i was browsing fuelly.com and ppl with ms3s get like 20mpg. i then look at rx8s and its all over the board like anywhere from 12-22 mpg. does it depend on the way you drive or are all cars different? i just have alot of questions ive been browsing this site for a while now probably over half a year and know alot about the rx8. im looking to start the search for a car in march i just want your opinions on what i should do as a student driving to school daily. i live in richmond hill so its like a 25km drive there and 25km back. any of your throughts are appreciated
thanks alot guys

FERA:Eyecrazy:

https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-forum-197/new-potential-owners-start-here-202454/

Check out post #3 particularly concerning affordability.

Hope this helps you out!

yeah ive been through that already. i want one so bad tho what do i do :dunno: i tried winning the lotto but it didnt work

used rx8 prices are also low so you can pick one up for not that much money. though my old rx8 and my current 7 are getting about the same mpg on the highway as funny as that is. I loved the factory warrenty though, went though 3-4 engines and had 2 transmission rebuilds(5th gear syncro went out oddly) . The rx8 requires alot of attention and the speed3 will probably be cheaper on the long run but my god was the rx8 fun on the twisty roads in austin(possibly the reason for all the engines...).

yeah man i know but like im obsessed with the rx8 so im basically gunna end up getting one regardless lol. im probably gunna look for an 05.

The speed 3 is definitely quick, but it's FWD. You can't beat RWD handling. The speed 3 handles very well for a FWD car but it has nothing on the 8 when it comes to the twisties.

As for mileage, the 8 can easily get over 20 MPG on the highway but in city driving it's like 13-15 MPG. So on long highway commutes the mileage is actually a whole lot better than on short commutes.

i assume it does more then 13-15 mpg cuz thats absolute ass mileage i was hoping i could get atleast 18 out of it. its a pretty coasty drive to school i just take a highwaay down mainly

Like the man said, on the highway you should be able to get 18-20.

On your commute you can expect about 20 MPG. But keep in mind that short trips around town will eat a lot of gas. It's not cheap to keep an 8 gassed up, it tends to drink up a lot more than you might expect.

You can affort an 8 until it breaks down lol, but a MS3 isn't cheap either...

yeah ms3s arent cheap there like 15 grand
but i can probably find an 05 rx8 with decent km for around 10 - 11
one in my area right now 68 000km 05 vr gt for 10888

Wrong wheel drive.

dont get me wrong id rather have an 8 like theres no second tthoughts
i was just curious of what u guys think i should do
do you think i should go for it ?

Frankly I don't think that either car is a good choice for a student, if you're like most students you don't have much money to spare and an economical car like the base 3 makes more sense.

But if you really must choose between the speed 3 and the 8 the 8 is the better car, just keep in mind that the cost of ownership is high aside from the purchase price. The gas will cost you, and also if anything goes wrong (and it will with an older 8) they are not at all cheap to repair. The parts are expensive.

The ms3 is not much different on insurance. They see turbo and they are like woo another 500

frankly, if you are worrying about the cost of ownership, then rx8 AND speed 3 is out of your comfort zone. don't bite off more than you can chew.

Yeah bro. buy yourself a cheap ride. Something easy to work on (Honda maybe?). Wait til you're finished school, and by then, the new RX will be out and you'll be laughin! And, if you still want the 8, I'm sure you could pick one up for a copy of your grad diploma semi-used toothpick!!! :rollingla

Don't get your hopes up that a MS3 will be cheaper. We almost bought one for my wife. Insurance was barely cheaper than my 8, they charge a premium for the car itself, and they aren't cheap when you break things.


I'm not telling you not to get either car, but really think about it. As others have said, as a student you might be putting yourself in a financial bind. Not to mention, cars get beat up on college campuses. There are quite a few people on the board who've managed to pull it off though. Just look at your income compared to the cost of ownership. Make sure you'll be able to afford it and your lifestyle. If you can, great and post picks when you get the car

I would probably say that if you are averaging about 18mpg on the 8, then you are probably not driving it the way it should(needs to) be driven

thanks for the advice guys
i really really want the 8 like im probably a bigger fanatic then all of you combined..
i guess when the time comes ill start the hunt see how much money i have and make sure my fulltime job is steady for the summer. i think ill be able to handle it my uncle owns a mechanic shop he worked on my buddies turboed 8 alot so he knowws about rotary and how to maintain them. also theres a shop in pickering ontario mazdees they specialize in rotary and there pretty cheap my friend said. also another one of my friends knows a shitload about cars so maybe he could help me out with the DIYs in plug coil change etc.

also one more question
i currently have 2 vehicles a murano and caddilac in my household
if i get the 8.. is it possible for my dad to say hes handing down his older caddie to me and he primary the 8 so its cheaper? he said im automatically insured on the more expensive car
we were having an arguement for half an hour yesterday
thanks guys

no the caddie will be more for you as the primary than the 8 will be. Its worth more.

I have a speed 3 for a street car and an 8 for a track car. I love the speed 3, Mazda did a lot of cool things to make it fast and drivable. Fastest production front wheel drive car ever... I love saying that :) Anyway it gets 28-29 MPG and we drive on backroads and highways. We live in NH so I don't think anything around here qualifies as city driving! For the street the 3 is very practical with the amount of space inside for friends or even my great Dane :)

Both are very fun cars to drive, but both can get you in a lot of trouble so please keep the racing on track and off the street!
Stephen

the caddies old its a 97... and im not really a "street racing" guy

You can say that as much as you want, but it happens to all of us at some point in your life. It just takes that extra bit of self control to not do it.


i still believe that caddie is worth more than the 8 :lol: