My new to me, RX8 Evolve
Discussion
For some time I've been wandering the adverts of Pistonheads day dreaming about a new weekend/track day toy. I had a smart Roadster I no longer used; and an EP3 Civic for track days and early morning hoons across North Yorkshire. The plan was simple, get the Ep3 into a sellable state and cash it for as much as I could. Add some savings and part-ex the smart as well. I could easily afford a 350z, a Boxester S or a Z4 3.0. Any of those three would be fine.
Then this happened:
The spark plug on cylinder #3 had been slowly unwinding, and eventually wrecked the plug and the coil. Worse yet, some ceramic from the plug fell into the head and did its damage. My plan out of the window.
So I set about looking for another EP3, that way I could use my old one as a spare parts bin. But then while I was looking at various abused EP3's and Renaulsports my eyes caught on this:
A Mazda RX8 Evolve in Metallic Copper Red, with a full service history, and most importantly a recent compression test to show two healthy rotors and a reciept for a recent coil change. Two big worries put at ease.
A new plan was hatched.
The EP3 was sold as a rolling shell to a gent from Nottingham who came, saw and towed it home to use as spares on his tarck day car. The smart was smarterned up and used as a part-ex.
Then this happened:
The spark plug on cylinder #3 had been slowly unwinding, and eventually wrecked the plug and the coil. Worse yet, some ceramic from the plug fell into the head and did its damage. My plan out of the window.
So I set about looking for another EP3, that way I could use my old one as a spare parts bin. But then while I was looking at various abused EP3's and Renaulsports my eyes caught on this:
A Mazda RX8 Evolve in Metallic Copper Red, with a full service history, and most importantly a recent compression test to show two healthy rotors and a reciept for a recent coil change. Two big worries put at ease.
A new plan was hatched.
The EP3 was sold as a rolling shell to a gent from Nottingham who came, saw and towed it home to use as spares on his tarck day car. The smart was smarterned up and used as a part-ex.
So I picked the car up yesterday, gave it full tank with 150ml of Two Stroke Oil to help protect the engine and drove it home.
Then set about doing some small jobs on it. First up an oil change:
Following advice on the owners forum I used a part-synthetic 10-40w.
Then I moved the number plate, the car looks much better with it off to one side and the "mouth" of the car opened up:
Then went out and enjoyed it.
I'm now wondering why I didn't look at one of these before now. I did in the past sit in the very first RX8 to hit these shores when my Dad was a member of the RX7 owners club, and Mazda brought one to Rockingham. The 7's all did a parade lap round the track following the 8.
We took my Dads RX7 to Le Mans a couple of times, and thats where my 8 will be heading for its first big test in June.
Then set about doing some small jobs on it. First up an oil change:
Following advice on the owners forum I used a part-synthetic 10-40w.
Then I moved the number plate, the car looks much better with it off to one side and the "mouth" of the car opened up:
Then went out and enjoyed it.
I'm now wondering why I didn't look at one of these before now. I did in the past sit in the very first RX8 to hit these shores when my Dad was a member of the RX7 owners club, and Mazda brought one to Rockingham. The 7's all did a parade lap round the track following the 8.
We took my Dads RX7 to Le Mans a couple of times, and thats where my 8 will be heading for its first big test in June.
I like these, like them a lot.
I'm sadly in the category that could purchase one, but alas id be at the ropier end of the scale but could not safely budget for when things were to go wrong. There ridiculously cheap these days and represent amazing value.
I hanker for a weekend toy, something cheap.
My days of M3 ownership well and truly gone and replaced by a Chrysler Grand Voyager lol.
But 9k of revs does sound appealing.
I'm sadly in the category that could purchase one, but alas id be at the ropier end of the scale but could not safely budget for when things were to go wrong. There ridiculously cheap these days and represent amazing value.
I hanker for a weekend toy, something cheap.
My days of M3 ownership well and truly gone and replaced by a Chrysler Grand Voyager lol.
But 9k of revs does sound appealing.
Thanks.
I got underneath last night and the rear sub-frame is rather badly rusted. I'm going to spray it (and the attached arms) with some red-oxide primer, and then some of B&Q's best BBQ paint. It'll stop it getting any worse for now.
Then come winter I plan to buy a subframe off of ebay and restore it and then do a straight swap.
I got underneath last night and the rear sub-frame is rather badly rusted. I'm going to spray it (and the attached arms) with some red-oxide primer, and then some of B&Q's best BBQ paint. It'll stop it getting any worse for now.
Then come winter I plan to buy a subframe off of ebay and restore it and then do a straight swap.
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