Shini

Get the car. Make sure it's new, and a manual. Haggle haggle haggle haggle haggle haggle. I can't say it enough.

And then enjoy.

I got mine when I was 20, like my sig says 04 brilliant black, AT (Which I regret). 9k Miles got mine for 18.5 or 19 even, somewhere around there.

If you can find a used one with as low milage as that, I'd say get that since it'll be cheaper, you might have to get some recalls on it done but it's well worth it in the end.

My car looks brand new, no one belives me when I say she's almost 4 years old =)

8 Maniac

iTrader: (1)

Keep practicing! If you can smooth it out a bit, you can try test driving both AT and MT RX-8s to see which you like more. Then you'll be more certain in your decision. Got my 8 just before my 18th birthday (used). No problems so far, maintaining it has been easy and fun.

bertsbutterdtoast

well, im still praying for it. but what i want is
AT GT '07
yes its a lot lol
either red with black&red interior or all black
or black with black&red interior or all black
i would love a yellow one
I hope to go drive one this sat [[was suppose to be today]] hopefully to show my parents why I love them so much.
The earliest i could probably get it is Oct. pushing it. But most likely around Jan. since '08 should be out.

marceldwayne

AT is not the same as manual. just warning you

bertsbutterdtoast

So, its going to be a piece of ****?

Joel Ramsey

Slower than........

I know there are a lot of AT guys on this forum but this car is all about revs and shifting gears. It's what makes this car a shear joy to drive. The new 6 sp autos are quicker than their previous siblings but they are still slow.

bertsbutterdtoast

Well, yeah i know that but with my bf always with me I like to keep one hand open for him. But I always like my hand some where besides the wheel. But I couldn't change gears and all that nonstop. But yeah im not worried about how fast i can go. I like it for its looks.

AdRoCK3217

If you like it for its looks, are willing to deal with oil consumption, and aren't all about going fast...

You are basically everything Mazda is looking for in an owner. =)



But on the subject of insurance costs:

I am a male, and 17. I pay roughly 900 per 6 months on my RX7, and about 300 (yes) every 6 months on the RX8. The RX8 is put down on my insurance with no ones name, its just "on there". Put down as driven very, very little, haha.

If I didn't have the RX7, the 8's insurance would be about 2000-3000 per 6 months. So..you can see why I have that lump of junk sitting beside my house with a cover on it. =)

bertsbutterdtoast

Thats not bad. Mine is around or little over 100 a month [for my cobalt] i believe. I dont want to pay much more than double that. It will be cheaper that i am a female and I will be 18 soon so im guessing age will help.

Rems31

your age will help when you're 25...18 is still in the high risk group.

bertsbutterdtoast

I thought it was younger for females. Idk.

marceldwayne

berts the reason we suggest manual transmission is because it has so many beneifts, it costs slightly less than AT, adds Horse Power and Acceleration, and gives a higher value for resale.

When i bought this car i had never learned how to drive MT before I had been scared to learn how to drive cars with MT and probably would have never learned if it wasnt for wanting an RX8 so bad. I had tried before on my friends car and gave up out of frustration after stalling it like 5 times ina row.

So i decided on the day i picked it up that i would wait until 3am, when the streets where empty, and practice until i learned the basics.
It worked, i stalled it a few times, it took me a while to get the hang of it, but it was the best decision ive ever made. Nothing boosts the ego like being able to teach something to urself that you thought u sucked at.

reconsider getting it in manual it makes it really fun.

If you live in an area where heavy traffic jams are a real problem, then maybe stick with the AT. I hate to say it but severe traffic makes manual somewhat of an inconvenience.

Rems31

I thought the AT comes at no extra charge

bertsbutterdtoast

Yeah, there is a lot of traffic and stop and going. If there wasnt much of that i would consider MT

Fortunate Few

iTrader: (2)

i got an AT.... no im semi regretting it. i mean i still suck at manual but im starting to get the feel for it. Its all good though im going to trade up eventually for the 08 or the 10 once i get a good job. my sister might be getting my car. since she loves the 8s and its gonna be all fixed up.

j0eStER

Well im 22yo and been wanting an RX-8 since I was 20. I have an 04. And this car makes you want to go FAST!

So one day your behind a car whos going slow, you rev..he drives up faster ORRR he pulls over and lets you pass

This car is sooo not for you dude.

Rems31

If you do decide to get one, don't start complaining how you only get 14mpg especially in stop and go traffic. Take that into consideration when budgeting for this car.

Wilson

How can someone who makes $800 a month even consider buying a car that costs this much? Are you going to stop eating? How will you afford gasoline, insurance, tires, maintenance, etc.? You won't be able to afford to date girls, cause you will starve them to death.

Rems31

First she's a girl (not that there's anything wrong with that). And I believe she lives with her parents and they will be helping with the payments.

Wilson

O.K. Then dating girls is still fine with me. She may even end up in one of MazdaManiac's avatars.

bertsbutterdtoast

THANK YOU!!!
No i wont be dating any chicks. And yes i live with them. They can feed me, house me and all that good stuff. Considering i dont pay for anything now it will good for me to start. So yeah.
And the gas is bad i know. I will have to less just driving around and make up my mind where I want to go first.

Shini

I lived with my parents when I got my 8, I'm was pretty much in your same boat. But instead of them making me pay the car they just kicked me out and now I have to pay for the aparment

Apparently my old room makes a great office room >_<

I would say if you really like the car and are very interested in getting one, get it while your parents are hepling you out financially so when it comes time for you to fly out from under their wings you won't have a car payment to pay every month (hopefully).

If all you're paying for is Rent, Insurance, Living expendatures, 800 a month isn't too bad, depending on the cost of living in your area.

I make around 1200-1300 a month and I do just fine, I'm sure if I had a clean driving record and wasn't a 21 year old male I could afford my insurance too.

04RX8man

Well it sounds like you should just go to something else. Go for an Eclipse or something in that direction. If you're not goonna treat it the way it is needed to be treated/taken care of/maintenance then don't get it. Big difference from a cobalt to an RX-8.

ivory8

just b/c shes a girl and is getting an AT just to drive it for the looks doesnt mean she will mistreat the car. Personally i wouldnt buy a sports car that isnt manual trans but whatever floats ur boat.

Shini

Adding oil ever so often and red lining it atleast once a day isn't a big difference...Unless there's a list of atleast 10 other things you need to do to the 8 that you don't have to worry about in any other car I don't think she'll have much on her plate.

I mean honestly, why is it a few people make it sound like it's rocket science to take care of your car...