Might be stupid...but would you recommend an RX8 for me in my situation?
 

Hello there. My name is Kris (age 18, NJ). I am thinking about buying a new car for myself,
and I happen to be crazy about the RX-8, but the thing is my Dad is complaining
so much that it is rear wheel drive (since he drove a rear wheel for nine years
and he says its horrible in the snow which i can't argue). The fact that rear
wheel drive is extremely bad in the snow is the only reason why he doesn't want
me to get this car. However I did read another person's comment where they said
that in the snow, its not the type of car that it is that matters. Its what
kind of tires you get that matters. I wanted to ask you if you got the different snow tires, was your car moving (rear swinging etc.) at all to the point where you couldn't really control it? Or to the point where you would consider it to be unsafe for a young guy like me? ( I mean in the winter). Would you think that purchasing this car (and possibly getting those tires later on for the winter) would be a bad idea for the whole situation that I am in? Can you please help me out? Thanks alot.

As long as you get dedicated winter tires and some wheels to go with it you will be fine. The question is, can you afford or are you willing to spend money on an extra set of wheels with some winter tires on em (you're looking at $1000-$1500 for some cheap alloys and tires)?

Honestly, an inexperienced driver in a RWD car with a decent amount of HP in winter isn't a very good idea. So your dad is probably right to be concerned. But if you use some common sense and get the right tires it's certainly doable.

tires definetely would help the situation, but ike is right to an extent. The difference between RWD and FWD really is a learned-from-experience kinda thing. The one thing that you might hear from others that could possibly help a little would be DSC/traction control. Although it shouldn't be depended upon primarily for control, it certainly wouldn't hurt the situation!

first thing i would recomend is you delete your mutiple posts....

after that... for a everyday driver in ny state. no... but ike is right with dedicated snow tires it can be done....

for the same money you can get the mazspeed 6... all wheel drive... sell you dad on that...

but i have to admit..... at age 18. i would get a mazda 3. and learn how to drive...

find a local racing school. or driving school...

good luck.

beers :beer:

Ok cool thanks...Well.....I've been driving for two years....and I am a very good driver...so i'm not TOO inexperienced haha...And I am very careful...Thanks for the advice

the big hint was delete your multiple posts..

yes you are a excellent driver...

beers :beer:

Swoope you crack me up. Reminds me of Rainman...

I have said this before but don't mind saying it again with the tires I have on my 8 for the winter (Dunlop M3 Winter sport) the car has been the easiest to drive of all the cars I have driven during the winter. From what I have heard Blizzaks do quite well also.

Main reason for ease is the traction and stability control. This is somewhat critical if planning to drive in snow and cold conditions.

when i lived in mass i was driving an 86 monte carlo didnt have money at the time for snow tires and i did fine with the snow tires and traction control u should be fine i had some fun times in my old car in the snow =D

a mazdaspeed 6 wouldnt be a bad choice though in your situation. awd is a good thing for snow. and if you're looking for room, ms6. if you're looking for speed with awd, evo or impreza. Many choices, just find out which one suites you best.

I think your father is being overly protective. Rear-wheel drive cars are definitely not "extremely bad" in the snow if you know how to drive competently. Yes, with a front-wheel-drive car, it's easier to stay out of trouble when driving in the snow. But if you drive with a bit of caution and common sense, the rear-wheel drives do just fine.

You can't use the OEM tires that come on the car to drive in snow. They're summer performance tires, and they turn into hockey pucks on snow. If you get decent snow tires and swap them before the first snowfall you'll be fine. It's cheaper to put them on the same rims, although for the sake of convenience you could also buy a second pair of wheels just for the snow tires.

Do like a lot of us did when we were teens... When it snows, take your car to an empty parking lot and spin it around a few times to get the feel for the handling. That way you'll have a better idea for where the car's limits are. Best of luck!

ps - I have the Dunlop Winter Sport M3 as well. Terrific snow tires. Below is a comparison of Performance Winter tires at The Tire Rack. The Dunlops rated #1 on the list. At $178.00 each, they're not a bad price either.

We were all GREAT drivers at that age, as most of us thought.......NOT :hahano: .

Likewise in your case, you need more wheel time with a RWD car, its a totally diffrent beast from a FWD car. Before you get into trouble , because" you think your a great driver", why don't you participate in a performance driving school and get some serious time behind a RWD car. It would be the best 250 bucks you ever spent, and you will learn driving skills that will last wth you for a life time. :ylsuper:

18+RX-8+snow=wreck

driving two years = good driver? Yeah, I've heard that one before.

Driving 2 years makes you too inexperienced.

If you are paying for your own car (i.e. daddy is not paying), then buy what you want.

I personally think the RX-8 is not likely the car for you ...

I have to disagree on the mazda 6 comments... All Wheel Drive means exactly that - DRIVE. i.e. all 4 wheels will work to get the car moving and keep it moving, but when it comes to stopping, you have exactly the same amount of braking power as a regular 2WD car. All wheel drive does not equal better braking, and it often means worse due to the extra weight of the transmission.

I think in terms of safety, stopping distances, and general handling, an 8 with snow tires plus DSC is equal if not better to an AWD car with all-season tires.

It can be true, folks. Given a certain number of people that have been driving for two years, some of them ARE going to be good drivers. Geez, there's always such skepticism. Not entirely without reason - you're probably just playing the odds, but I'm tired of seeing young drivers get auto-bashed (no pun intended) just because they are young.

One thing to consider is, it can be kind of fun to have a beater car at that age for different reasons. First of all, with the money saved, you can get a kick-ass sound system. And another for your home. And a sweet microfiber La-Z-Boy (so comfortable). And...(etc) Also, you can treat your car like crap and not worry about it. In addition, others can treat your car like crap and you don't have to worry about it. The finance thing is something to really consider, as the RX-8 has higher maintance costs than many other cars (partly because it just does, and partly because we all take especially good care of our 8's!)

What part of the country are you in and how much snow are we talking about? I mean realistically around here in WI we get a lot of snow but there are only a handfull of days the roads are that bad.

If you do go with an RX-8 get the traction control and replace the tires with all weather tires and you should be ok.

Personally though if it's a car you have to drive all year I would get something else. Your going to spend a fortune in gas alone much less another set of tires.

I'm from Chicago and have driven the RX8 through 2 winter seasons now. The only time I had a problem was the first season and I tried to use the original Bridgestone summer tires. Just a little snow, even a dusting, and the car will not move. I immediately installed All-Season tires on the car and have never had a problem since. Just like any car, you still have to adjust your driving for the weather conditions.

BTW: Asmoran's signature is "*Disclaimer - I make stuff up"

You're right about the braking part. but wrong about the traction part.

The reason is that AWD will always get more traction than any 2WD car has to offer. When you comparing both with Winter tyres on.

Of course, with enough skills and the right tyres, the 8 do just fine in snow. (hey, Im in NY and I can live with All season, so I think u'll be fine, if u're getting the 8)

Read the Canadian forum...we know what snow *actually* is and there's tons of people who have driven their 8s (with SNOW TIRES) through three winters now with no problems.

Just make sure you get DSC/TCS, because it's very helpful in shitty weather.

:rofl:

2 winters on snow tires in Colorado and I haven't had any problems. Snow tires are a must if you are planning on driving in the snow.

The Summer tires the car comes with make the car impotent in inclement weather.

As far as RWD goes, if you get the a package with TSC/DSC traction controls, it will take care of you.

i'm in NJ as well, our snow removal is pretty well suited and does clear major highways and roads by the next day except for of course major major storms. go for all season tires, but mainly if you don't have to drive it in the snow then don't, most jobs (you being 18) won't care if you don't show up for work with 4 to 6 inches of snow on the ground, so just wait it out indoors.

Oh yeah, I forgot to turn that on :D

Statistically, however, I'm quite right. Perhaps you're one of the few who can control yourself when it's snowy and easy to slide around. Many teenagers can't. Especially the type who are attracted to sportscars, and can afford an RX-8.

Get the 8 but be cautious. The 8 has traction control and DSC that should help a lot. I drive my 7 in the winter on occasion and i can manage it without the electronics.

Consider tire studs for nasty weather regardless of car and drive system. Snow, especially fresh is not bad with good snow tires or chains, but when it goes into ice or you have one of those boilerplate ice storms where everything has an inch thick coating of crystal, then studded tires are life saving! Lived for a couple up years up a steep hill in Tenn. and had to commute to the school in Nashville, or OakRidge Lab, regardless of foul weather and we had some really evil ice storms - slow speed and studded tires and you can climb mountains!

While the stats are against you as an inexperienced driver, at some point you have to drive a RWD to learn how to drive a RWD. I know it seems ridiculously obvious, but Dad certainly can't argue that. I had pickups when I was starting, w/less rear weight & RWD they (arguably) can be even worse. The 'inexperience' arguement is kind of silly IMO.

Then again, the opinion about the $$$ saved getting a beater & paying WAY less in insurance is tough to argue. And then those damn statisitics that are not in your favor . . .

That's awful advice. He lives in NJ, not Greenland...

Yeah, you need a permit to drive with tire studs in most places. They're pretty much a death trap in the rain and can cause significant pavement damage over time.

the rx8 is not a good car for an 18 year old. its too easy to drive, but has enough to get you in trouble. at 18 i would have argued with that statment, but i would have been wrong. the rx8, even with snow tires, is not the greatest winter car. they make a huge difference over the stock, but you can still get stuck easially enough.

IIRC, studded tires are illegal in VA. Check your own state laws before you consider buying them.

Given that you posted this in the "Wheels, Tires, Brakes & Suspension" forum, I'd say no.

But what do I know, I'm just some guy on the Internet.

You should listen to your Dad. Even when he's wrong, it's (almost) always right to listen to your Dad when you're 18. Wish I'd listened to my Dad more when I was your age. When he's not around any more, you'll be glad. My Dad always felt better when each of his kids had their first accident, especially if it involved a loss of traction in rain or snow. He figured you couldn't teach us anything until we began to realize how little we really knew. Your first car, even when your rich, should be modest and practical. Sorry, just my opinion.

I grew up in SD where you can start driving at 14 and there is snow on the ground half the year. I've owned RWD cars since I was 15 and have never had an issue. Maybe the way to go is something a little more "beaterish" but RWD to get you accustomed to the way they drive. 240SX's are really fun cars, they can be had for cheap, they are RWD and are a lot of handling bang for the buck. I've owned 2 and loved them both.

thanks,
that was the intent!!!

i drove an audi 80 with the blazzaks the first year they came out.... the audi was just fwd..... the traction was amazing.

felt like superman... and i am sure they are better now..

beers :beer:

What a lot of people don't get is that its the operating tempure of the tires compound that fucks you up. You could go out on a day thats 0 degrees with completely dry roads and your tires would grease over.
This part is important too: In the winter you want a skinny (width) tire with a thick sidewall. The MT rx8 (you'll be very dissapointed with the auto.. so we won't talk about it) has brakes that wont fit in a wheel any smaller than 17". That means to get a thicker sidewall you're going to buy a set of rims that are pretty much no wider than 7.5" and no smaller than 17". It's extremely important to get winter tires on any car but the rx8 is too nice of a car to wreck in the snow. If you think your life/car is worth at least a set of tires (rims would be nice too... becuase you'll get a thicker sidewall that way) BUY THEM. I know I'm going to because I plan on driving my 8 in the snow as well.

Your dad musta been a very loving person. :icon_no2: I'd assume he had some good auto and medical insurance also.

I don't understand why everyone just assumes this is my first car lol...its not ... I was tortured and made fun of cause I drove an '88 Chevy Celebrity for 2 years! And had to bring girls in it...How freakin' embarrassing haha ....The cool thing was....that it only had 30,000 miles on it.......but still....it is a shitty looking car and I deserve and RX8 since I drove that piece of shit to my private prep school where my friends drove Jaguars and Mercedes !! lol (i'm not rich though..so don't get that idea)

some of them read your first 3 lame ass posts.

beers :beer:

You "deserve" an RX-8?

Are you going to pay for it? :bootyshak

I know how you felt driving that around, I had a crappy Cutlass I had to drive as a loaner a month ago or so.

[QUOTE]It can be true, folks. Given a certain number of people that have been driving for two years, some of them ARE going to be good drivers. Geez, there's always such skepticism. Not entirely without reason - you're probably just playing the odds, but I'm tired of seeing young drivers get auto-bashed (no pun intended) just because they are young.


I guess there is no particular reason why 16-18 year olds have more accidents than any other age category...this includes the 70+ age range.

Multiple duplicate threads merged into this one.

No. Why? Simple, anytime you or anyone else says they deserve something because they dealt with a small inconvience, do not deserve anything. You deserve a $30k car because you had to be like every normal teenager who drives a piece of crap for 2 years? Most normal teens drive a piece of crap from high school all the way through college and then some to get the car they want.

Uh. Wow. Please go try an AWD car and then come back and try to say that with a straight face.

People's blind love of the RX-8 on this board really amazes me. I own an 8. I love it. I, however, do not thing it is the greatest thing since sliced bread for everything under the sun. The 8 is not a snow car. It can don some snow shoes and get around just fine, as long as the driver's not a moron, but jesus, get a clue.

Yay, I get to post this pic again :)

http://risingleaf.com/stang.jpg

:)

those people must be morons. The whole point behind tire chains is obviously traction.

and we all know how much FWHP that a mustang makes.

:scratchhe

Where's the other picture? You know...the one of them being towed out of a ditch. :icon_no2: