47 replies to this topic

[Woody]

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.

[Andavari]

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.

[Woody]

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 )

[DennisD]

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.

[Woody]

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.

[DennisD]

Woody, on May 25 2008, 11:00 PM, said:

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.

[Anthony A]

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.

[Woody]

Anthony A, on May 26 2008, 01:42 PM, said:

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.

[Woody]

DennisD, on May 26 2008, 12:40 AM, said:

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.

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

I think we'll go for the RX 8.


Woody.

[Andavari]

DennisD, on May 25 2008, 11:03 AM, said:

Ordinary folk are just simply being priced off the road.

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.

[YoKenny]

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

[Woody]

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

Link

[Anthony A]

YoKenny, on May 27 2008, 07:26 AM, said:

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

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.

[DennisD]

Woody, on May 27 2008, 10:40 PM, said:

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

Link

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

Link:

[Andavari]

DennisD, on May 27 2008, 07:14 PM, said:

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.

[YoKenny]

Anthony A, on May 27 2008, 06:51 PM, said:

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.

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.

[YoKenny]

Andavari, on May 28 2008, 02:04 AM, said:

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.

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?

[davey]

Andavari, on May 28 2008, 02:04 AM, said:

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.

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

[Anthony A]

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

[Anthony A]

YoKenny, on May 28 2008, 04:45 AM, said:

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.

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