A young driver with questions...
 

Ok, so I just recieved my permit in March and have been driving for awhile - I won't be getting my provisional license until October - and my mother is handing down her 1998 Accord coupe to me and told me if I don't crash within a 1 year window she'll consider getting me a car. So I started thinking about new cars and I've been perusing through these forums the last few days and decided I want an RX-8. However, I ran into a few questions...

1. Should I just drive this Accord until it explodes?
3. Is it smart to get a used RX-8?
2. Is it even a good idea for me to get a new car?
3. This Accord is an Automatic and I would like getting a Manual Rx-8, how hard is the transition? I've driven a manual before around a parking lot but yea..
4. I'm going to college next year and although my mom said she might buy me a car, is there a way for me to at least pay for part of the car to ease the budget off my parents?

Sorry for the long read and thanks in advance

From personal experiences, driving a car until you start getting into costly fixes is the way to go. Best bang for buck, really.

Used RX-8's aren't bad, as they lower in price fast. Just make sure it was maintained.

I don't see why it wouldn't be a good idea. Just because you're young doesn't mean you shouldn't get a new car. Just don't thrash it and be a dumbass. If you searched and researched, you know this isn't a torque beast. You'll know street light drags are an idiotic thing to do as you WILL NOT win, and it's dangerous.

Try finding a friend or someone who has a manual car and practice. Takes a couple days and your good to go.

If you have the extra funds, and it will NOT interfere with your college funds, go for it. Otherwise, I'd say college is much more important than a car.

After a year of driving you'll know if you're ready to get a new car or not. A year is a small time frame to get enough experience to be a perfect driver, but if you're a safe driver I don't see why it would be a big deal to get a used RX-8.

You'll pick up the manual fast. Some say its a hard car to learn in, but I only briefly learned in a Volvo before getting my 8. It really does become natural after a few days, week at most.

If you want to make it easy for your parents then its best not to get an RX-8. The cars are around $15k for a decent used one, not to mention the insurance premium. The insurance isn't crazy, but it could be high on a new driver like yourself. I guess if you do get one you should get a second job to pay for the insurance, maintenance, gas, etc.

ive had my rx8 since i was 16 and im about to be 18 i love the car i just recently started autocrossing i have also driven my friends manual rx8 and it is really fun...

POST 300!!! :)

Absolutely. Get your fender benders out of the way in a beater. They also get much better mileage then an 8 which is a good thing as a teen with limited income. I loved my old accord, and drove it until the brakes started to fail. Lasted me 6 years, 75,000 miles, and only ever had 2 major problems with it (both times being the ignition control module failing due to bad spark plug wires) accords are some of the greatest cars ever made to have as your first vehicle.

Yes, if you do your homework first and get a good one.

New cars are a terrible investment. The moment you drive it off the lot you loose a 3rd of it's value. Save the first new car for when you get your first good job.

I was in the same boat as you when I got my 8. It's not the easiest car to learn to drive stick on, the bite point on the clutch is very narrow making it easy to stall, but once you learn you'll be spoiled rotten by how nice the gearbox is.

Get a job and make payments to your parents. Intrest rates on car loans in California are murder, so my parents arranged a no interest loan for me and I'm now paying it back in full. Bank of your family is awesome.

I was observing my uncle's MR2 when I was in Canada and I'm thinking of trying out track days and auto crosses. About the RX-8: Yea, I know this won't be high in torque, but I'm way more into circuit racing than drag racing. Mind you I won't rice out this car like certain people in my current school, although my hand-me-down has fake muffler tips installed by request of my mother :lol:

^^LOL your mom is a ricer

LOL maybe, maybe do you guys think it'll be easy for me to take them off myself?

depends on how they are attached....welded perhaps? Maybe just held on with a bolt?

Alright I'll check when she comes home...Thanks a lot guys!

just be careful thats all, don't do stupid things when you don't know the car.

Best advice I can give you is to take any car you have to an autocross and realize how much you really suck at driving. That's not an insult - going to an autocross will absolutely ground your ego, which is a GOOD thing. Pretty much, if your car has 4 wheels and a seat, it can be run at an autocross. It'll also go a long way toward preparing you to own a sports/sporty car.

As far as the 8, you can learn stick within a day with the right instruction. The 8 isn't too bad for a newish driver - I got mine in college and never got a ticket with it - it all depends how you drive it. They can be had for reasonable prices used as long as you research the car and make sure it's in nice shape. Good luck with everything!

Do a 2JZ swap on the Accord instead...

2jz???? :rollingla

1.) do you have any idea how much money that would be?

2.) your talking about converting a fwd car into a rwd car. (thats a bitch to do i tried it on a crx)

3.)a 2jz wouldn't fit in the accord engine bay unless you serious fabrication.

:rollingla

NVM THANKS FOR TAKING IT SERIOUSLY.

1. Yes just hold onto it even if you do end up getting the RX8. Might want it for a DD (Daily Driver).

2. You might want to look into getting a used 06 RX8, its way cheaper for pretty much the samething unless you want the refreshed model -2009-

3. Learning to how to drive stick is really easy. I learned on my friends Evo 8, so it shouldnt be hard for you to learn. Heres a really helpful website that has videos/tutorials on how to drive stick! http://www.standardshift.com/faq.html

4. Work. Pay for insurance since its pretty cheap for this car.

So your and going to college next year..

Stick w/ da Honda

dont buy an rx8....honda owners tend to rice it out to the max..... ((dont lie, u know u wanted underbody lights in that accord or at least thought about it.... and u wanted blue or green.)) lol jk. :)

but honestly if ur goin to college soon, you should just wait it out~