38 here, and lustiing for an 8. (currently "stuck" with an Audi A4 and a Miata...) Like many of our young friends here, I got my first new car at 24; it was a 1989 Taurus SHO. That car cost more than I made that year. Ahhh, the good old days...

Good choice on a a first car! My family is on its second SHO, the first of which (a silver/black 89) bit it on the DC Beltway. The current SHO is an auto 95, not quite as fun as the stick was, but it hasn't eaten any transmissions either (the 89 went through 2 before its accident).

But definitely, trade in the Audi and get an 8!! (keep the miata :))

I looked at an SHO stick but its having the parking brake pedal still on the floor down next to the clutch convinced me that they weren't serious about the stick. BTW my issue of RX8 Tuner finally came today. Great article by Maurice, aka CanZoomer.

Re: Re: 24 too
 

..and after you've learned how to master a manual transmission, you should go pick up an older rwd car with manual tranny and practice some tricks! like burnouts, spinouts, donuts, drifting, chirping, powersliding, etc.etc.etc... all the things I miss doing now that I have the 8...

I turned 23 in October, and got my 8 in November. The first time I saw one I told my wife I was going to get one. I expected her to say I was crazy, instead, she wanted to go to the dealer with me that day! As soon as she drove it, she was sold on it too!

"go pick up an older rwd car with manual tranny and practice some tricks! like burnouts, spinouts, donuts, drifting, chirping, powersliding, etc.etc.etc... all the things I miss doing now that I have the 8..."

Is this to say that you can't do these things in the 8 ????

Hmm.. I know it doesn't have much torque but with a little reving and some nice clutch action, these things shouldn't be any prob.

b.s. oops. p.s. if you want some real rotary action try driving a twinT 7 thats been upgraded a little. :)

YOU LET HER DRIVE IT? Assume this was BEFORE you bought it.;)

Sorry let me clarify. What I meant was "it's cheaper to do such things with an older car that you wouldn't care for as much as a brand new RX-8"... I have no doubt in my mind that the RX-8 is more than capable of such abuse.

:)