I'm thinking of buying one of these. My wife, as some of you may know, has been quite ill. She loves this car. It would be a great present for her after all she's been through. Does anybody out there have experience with this car or any advice. All comments welcome.

I've only had the joy of driving it in video games, and it just doesn't impress me as much as the old expensive RX-7, however modded RX-8's are rather cool. The real appealing one is the factory tuned Mazdaspeed RX-8 (Google it), which is the performance version.

Oh yes I like it, but I'm sure I couldn't afford it. I'm interested in the standard 231bhp car. Seeing as I currently drive a Toyota Corolla it would be a big step up in power. Talking of cost, the standard car only returns 20mpg and petrol over here is £5 a gallon ( $10 )

Normally Woody, I would have said go for it. I drive a Mazda 6, with a 2 litre engine, and with the cost of petrol over here spiralling completely into the realms of fantasy, I really wish I had something more economical. And I love my car.

The RX8 is a cracking car, and I'm sure you and your wife would get immense pleasure out of it.

Although I couldn't afford it, I gave it a good once over when I was choosing my car, but petrol price now has to be a serious consideration when buying a motor.

That said, if you can afford the pump prices so your new motor wouldn't be standing at the door not being used as much as you'd like to be using it, go for it.

My wifes had a very bad last two years, and we both now have a "lifes too short" attitude, but that doesn't enable us to get out in the car as much as we'd like to. Ordinary folk are just simply being priced off the road.

This of course, just MHO, but good luck, hope everything's good for both of you.

Thanks so much for that reply Dennis, I agree with every word you've written. About being priced off the road is true, the price of petrol over here is ridiculous.

Our situation is slightly different and ties in with your life's too short etc. Mary had a large stroke and is lucky to be alive. 15 months on she's making good progress. She's always loved this car and, even though we are stretching ourselves to afford it, I just think "Sod it " We discussed the pump prices and she said it'd be ok as we only did a low mileage.

In the Toyota maybe. But just point me to a twisty road in the RX8 and we won't be able to afford food for a week.

Sorry to hear about your wife's problems. Hope they can be resolved.

Go for it mate. I usually stand under the Angel Of The North, and wave to Hazel when she comes up this way.

I can be there to watch you cruise past in the RX-8 if you like.

The other half? She got the all clear just last week, so maybe we should fill the tank instead of the freezer. Life is definitely too short.

Those cars are alright but I would rather have (will be my next car purchase) a Honda S2000. They are comparable in price over here.

Funny you should say that Anthony because the Honda S2000 has been my favourite car now for about 2 or 3 years. But this purchase will be for my wife, and she has always loved the RX 8 . I tried to talk her into the Honda without success. The RX 8 though is more than all right, I firmly believe that, for the price, it's one of the world's best cars.

Woody.

Great news Dennis. Yes, I think you should fill the tank.

I think we'll go for the RX 8.


Woody.

Our fuel costs here are about 60% less than in the UK, and it's one of the main complaints and discussions on the news nowadays. People in the U.S. are at some point going to have to trade in those big gas guzzling SUV's, and cars with V8's for something smaller and more efficient. However even the 2.0 Liter and under cars available here in my views could be getting even better MPG, with the cost of fuel.

Who knows what will happen, although I surely doubt any substantial relief will ever come about and maybe the bicycle will make a rather big comeback! Although I must confess if I had to ride a bicycle to the doctors office which is way too far away, I'd have something else to thoroughly complain about.

I had to sell my '95 VW Golf because I could not afford the maintenance nor insurance costs so I purchased an Electric bike.

Its great but I don't use it if its wet or the least bit icy:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_...fromSearch=true

There have been demonstrations over fuel prices today, particularly diesel.

Link

I can't imagine the insurance costs for a 95 VW Golf were too bad even in Ontario, Canada the land where insurance people should have their faces amputated.

Caught the news about 9 o'clock, and the fuel protests are spreading.

Link:

I'm thinking at some point the fuel costs may go well beyond protests if something isn't done, like maybe hanging OPEC and big oil companies by their family jewels on some flag polls.

I like the commercial on TV where there are several insurance agents on a boat on vacation in a warm climate and the tour guide insists that they go swimming while in the background there are several large shark fins hovering about.

How much profit did Exxon Oil have?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qi...01112658AAbYbwX
http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/ec...ion-profit.html

How much tax is on a liter of fuel?

That would be tit-for-tat justice.
Do unto others as they have done unto to you.Or something like that?
davey

I will play Devils advocate here and say that you are complaining about the wrong thing and the wrong people. Oil prices are set on the market. Oil companies don't set the prices. Its supply and demand and some speculation from huge hedge funds and a weak US dollar that is causing this. When Oil jumps $3 a barrel in a day do you think the oil companies set that price? WRONG. It is set on the futures exchange by buyers and sellers. I watch this everyday. You want oil to come down? Simply don't use as much of it. It's that simple. This creates demand destruction and supply goes up and prices come down.

Same with house prices which got out of control. Nobody sat around and set the prices. They are set by the market. Thats you and your neighbor and his mother or who ever. The sad truth is we are running out of cheap oil. As China and India and the developing countries of the world start to live an American life style they use more oil and increase demand at a time when supply is limited. Your seeing this in food prices as well.

Instead of complaining profit from it. If you think oil will further increase buy it. It's easily done for the average person now. USO is the ticker symbol for the US Oil Fund. You want to own oil and profit from the rise in prices buy it. It is an exchange traded fund that trades on the AMEX ( American Stock Exchange). It buys the futures contracts that determine the price of oil. You will track the price of oil up or down because you own the instruments that set the price of oil. Understand that when the price of oil drops this fund will get hammered.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=USO

There is another one where they are on a safari in Africa and the tour guide tells them to get out of the truck and "engage the cats and make plenty of sudden movements" because the cats like it. Of course the idiots get out of the truck and are getting in the cats faces and the truck drives away

I've always liked this one:
Do unto others as they have done unto to you, but do it to them first!

Of course we are all just joking around here.
Anthony's post is very informative.
Remember Anthony if the supply increases the price comes down also.
I still remember the lines in 1973 and knowing whose privates were in whose hands.No, not the oil companies, the guy at the oil well and they have been squeezing ever since.Saddam and his Iranian counterparts.
Lets face it the demand is not going down for a long while.
I can't wait for the alternative energy geniuses to come up with a viable alternative but it's going to have to come from some unknown
method and tremendous technological advances as came from the US vs. Russian space race.
Yes,racing gets the old competitive juices flowing.Last one to Mars is a "rotten egg"!!!
I would invest in oil transport if I could but all us old farts are suffering from lopsided cash flow situations at the moment.
davey

I watched a news article that got high billing next to the Obama vs Hillary campaign which was about the release of 2600 workers in my town that produce gas guzzling SUVs.

Also on the same documentary was an auction where a fellow tried to sell his $20,000 SUV and the highest bid was $2,400 so he left with the SUV and I guess he'll return home to park it in the driveway where he could make a sign for it Rust In Peace

You are witnessing first hand whats called "Demand Destruction". This is exactly what higher prices are intended to do to demand. There is a saying in the investment world that the best thing for high prices is higher prices. It kills demand and ultimately brings prices down.

That's the other end of the supply demand thing. Problem is that supply is simply running out. At least cheap easy to get at oil is. Look up the "peak oil theory" and read up on it. Many of these large oil fields are in decline. They need to find new supplies of oil. The problem is the new finds are hard to get at like deep in the ocean floor or in the Tar Sands here in Canada or in the frozen Arctic.

A huge factor is the big increase in demand from China and India and other developing countries. Something for you Americans to think about the next time you complain about cheap imports from China and their low Yuan. If they ever decide to let the yuan rise in value relative to the US dollar watch out! Suddenly oil and gas (which is priced in US dollars by the way) will become a lot cheaper to billions of Chinese and if you think they use a lot now watch their demand shoot straight up and take oil and gas along for a nasty ride. Their are so may factors at play right now it's scary.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/f...0,4540599.story

Little article to give you some food for thought.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...PStory/Business

http://www.oilweek.com/news.asp?ID=16578

Just to let you know that here in the UK at the moment Kenny it's around £1.15 a litre which is around 2.25 US dollars or 3 Canadian dollars a litre.

There have been a few rolling lorry protests on roads to try and draw attention to the problems it's causing everyone.

That even made it onto the cable news here in the U.S.!

Some of us might be qualifying for bus passes in the not too distant future, although I'm not pointing any fingers.

I can't wait.

I qualify for a Senior's discount and usually I don't have to show proof of age as my silver hair and beard attest to my Senior years.

After all that has been said in this thread,Woody your wife certainly deserves the car she wants.
We have been way off topic but this is the Lounge.Please forgive our ramblings.
Best wishes,
davey

Thanks for saying that Davey, but I don't regard it as being off topic at all. The rx8 has a rotary engine. The known benefits are smoothness and power. The downside is petrol consumption which is a huge topic at the moment.

Woody

Woody my man, life is definately too short. I am very sorry to hear about your wife, having an ill spouse cannot be easy. For either of you.

I will tell you, 4 years ago my mom was diagnosed with terminal leukemia. 3-5 years to live. My parents said "thats it, pull the plug on work", retired (they were both 55) and now live it up. They go to mexico for two months every winter, my dad bought a new harley which they go riding on, and they spend all their time together just having fun. If they spend every last dime and more enjoying their time together, i say go for it.

You never know what life will bring, money comes and goes, but time is only given once. You will only get so many years, so stretch the cheque book, and get the car, have some fun, spend it together. Dying poor, but living well is not a bad thing. And heck its just a car, if you dont think you can afford it later, you had some fun, you sell it off, eat the debt, move on and stay happy.

Took RX 8 out for a test drive and didn't like it!

Ordered BMW 320i M Sport Coupe instead.

Woody.

I love it.

I doubt I could afford the accoutrements that would be needed to drive that car such as an Amani suit, Ray Ban sunglasses, Christian Dior Mens Dress Shirt, Gasoline ( Petrol ) insurance and a suitably clad lady to accompany me.

Woody as you know, you don't live too faraway.

What make's you think I'm trying to get you and your other half to drive over and take me for a spin?

And I never mentioned popping up the A1 for a visit to Dennis

It can do 48mpg and 145mph!
When stationary and in neutral, ie at traffic lights, the engine shuts down. touch the clutch to engage gear and it instantly restarts, thus saving petrol. Stunning technology. Our car will be in a darker grey than the one shown. Expect delivery at the end of July.

We saw it for the first time on Sat. Another look on Sun. Test drive on the Mon. Ordered on Tue.

Woody.

I thought you were only looking at the RX8 because the wife wanted it. Not liking it was your chance at the S2000

We test drove it and she didn't like it. I've tried numerous times to persuade her about the S2000 but she's not interested. Ah well, we're both happy with this. Ours has better wheels (imho) than the one in the pic as well. And it's as cheap to run as a family hatchback. Unbelievable.

When we went to see the BMW her first words were "oh dear, it's stunning."

Woody.

We might just take you up on that Hazel.

Woody.

But not at the same time. Now that would've been nice.

You little devil, a BMW, and it looks stunning. Enjoy it mate, but carefully.

Thanks Dennis. I just hope it'll be safe on our drive. This will be the first brand new car we've ever had.

Woody.

You'll need a new forum signature, something like "The smell of brand new car in the morning is great."

WOW!!! BMW !!! Now I call that a great compromise and an excellent selection.

davey

Its more like I love the smell of brand new car in the morning

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078788/quotes

I remember watching Apocalypse Now in wide screen with the latest Dolby sound system and the Whop Whop of the Huey Helicopter blades blasting my chest and being scared excrement less when the tiger jumped out from the jungle and the attack on the bridge while under the influence of a substance recommended by Timothy Leary

Estimated delivery is end of July or first week in Aug. Mary's birthday is Aug 2nd. Perfect. Our car is the m sport version. More sporty wheels etc.

Woody