Mazda RX8, I just Fancied One!
Discussion
Despite all of the horror stories you read online about these things being ticking time bombs, the horrendous fuel and oil consumption, the typical older Japanese car corrosion etc., I'd been curious about RX8s for a while, so I bought one.
It's a 2007 231 ps model with 55k on the clock and an immaculate M.O.T. history.
I paid £2,000 for it a few weeks ago, and I know you can get them cheaper but after looking around I fell for this one due to the colour and its general condition inside and out.
I've owned an RX7 previously so I'm not a stranger to the quirky rotary engine thing.
I've had this RX8 for about a month now and so far I've changed the engine oil and filter, gearbox and differential oils, brake fluid, front tyres (I went for Avon ZZ5) and taken it for an M.O.T. which it passed with no advisories.
For the first couple of days doing short-ish trips I wasn't sure I'd made the right choice, but then a blast down a local, and well known to me, country road and it all started to make sense!
After giving it a good look over I will replace the rear tyres soon as they are slightly perished on the inner side walls and the rubber boots on all of the anti roll bar links are perished so I'll be renewing those too.
I've found the brakes a little disappointing, lacking bite and ultimate stopping power, even though I've thoroughly checked the calipers operation, so I'll probably get some decent pads and see how they are then.
Today I filled the fuel tank for the second time (after 164 miles!) and calculated mpg at 14.5.
Good job it's not my only car!
These cars seem to me to be excellent value for money at the moment, or are they?
Is the internet hype about how terrible they are accurate?
I guess I'll just have to find out for myself and let you know!
It's a 2007 231 ps model with 55k on the clock and an immaculate M.O.T. history.
I paid £2,000 for it a few weeks ago, and I know you can get them cheaper but after looking around I fell for this one due to the colour and its general condition inside and out.
I've owned an RX7 previously so I'm not a stranger to the quirky rotary engine thing.
I've had this RX8 for about a month now and so far I've changed the engine oil and filter, gearbox and differential oils, brake fluid, front tyres (I went for Avon ZZ5) and taken it for an M.O.T. which it passed with no advisories.
For the first couple of days doing short-ish trips I wasn't sure I'd made the right choice, but then a blast down a local, and well known to me, country road and it all started to make sense!
After giving it a good look over I will replace the rear tyres soon as they are slightly perished on the inner side walls and the rubber boots on all of the anti roll bar links are perished so I'll be renewing those too.
I've found the brakes a little disappointing, lacking bite and ultimate stopping power, even though I've thoroughly checked the calipers operation, so I'll probably get some decent pads and see how they are then.
Today I filled the fuel tank for the second time (after 164 miles!) and calculated mpg at 14.5.
Good job it's not my only car!
These cars seem to me to be excellent value for money at the moment, or are they?
Is the internet hype about how terrible they are accurate?
I guess I'll just have to find out for myself and let you know!
Thanks! 
I only took any notice of the Top Gear review (on Youtube) after I'd bought it and they did seem to like it very much, as did Tiff on 5th Gear.
I'd say it's not quite as quick in a straight line as my Nissan 350Z but it's more agile and more fun in the corners, as long as you keep the engine buzzing.
I'm not a fan of the engine noise (I prefer the noise of a petrol engine with more than four cylinders) but 9k + revs is a bit of a novelty, and the gear change isn't the best I've had, but for the purchase cost it's still a very nice thing to sit in and to hustle down a winding road.
I only took any notice of the Top Gear review (on Youtube) after I'd bought it and they did seem to like it very much, as did Tiff on 5th Gear.
I'd say it's not quite as quick in a straight line as my Nissan 350Z but it's more agile and more fun in the corners, as long as you keep the engine buzzing.
I'm not a fan of the engine noise (I prefer the noise of a petrol engine with more than four cylinders) but 9k + revs is a bit of a novelty, and the gear change isn't the best I've had, but for the purchase cost it's still a very nice thing to sit in and to hustle down a winding road.
RobDickinson said:
Loved mine.
Brakes should be spot on so there's something up there.
They're not bad, but I think I've been a bit spoiled by the large Brembos and uprated discs and pads on my 350Z and the sharpness of the brakes on my lighter weight MR2 Roadster.Brakes should be spot on so there's something up there.
I couldn't find any problems with the braking system when I checked it over, I just think a good set of pads (I'm thinking of EBC Redstuff or Yellow stuff) might sharpen them up a bit. The discs are in very good condition so I won't change those just yet.
Neith said:
Lovely looking 8, looks the same colour as mine!
I've had mine about 7 months now and its been trouble free. They do seem crazy value at the minute, even if they do drink like nothing else I've driven...
Enjoy it!
Did you buy super carefully, getting a compression test done, lots of history etc; or do you think the scare stories are overblown?I've had mine about 7 months now and its been trouble free. They do seem crazy value at the minute, even if they do drink like nothing else I've driven...
Enjoy it!
I figure if they've got to ten or eleven years old they are unlikely to explode tomorrow !
Question to OP too.
I was careful buying mine; there are a lot of failures but many are down to owners not knowing how to treat a rotary. Mine had a recent compression test and the dealer let me start it from both cold and warm.
You do need to keep your eyes open and do research beforehand but there are still some decent ones out there.
You do need to keep your eyes open and do research beforehand but there are still some decent ones out there.
Integroo said:
Did you buy super carefully, getting a compression test done, lots of history etc; or do you think the scare stories are overblown?
I figure if they've got to ten or eleven years old they are unlikely to explode tomorrow !
Question to OP too.
To be honest, I wasn't super careful, I was rather careless in fact!I figure if they've got to ten or eleven years old they are unlikely to explode tomorrow !
Question to OP too.
I'm not sure who actually has compression tests done on these before buying them, particularly buying privately, it's a bit of a fiddly job to do.
I did check that it started from cold and from hot, though, and it has got quite a bit of history in its paperwork.
I'm quite handy with the spanners so if the engine does eventually need a rebuild I'd probably give it a go myself.
I think, like with many cars (I'm thinking Porsche intermediate shaft bearings) that problems do get overblown on the internet even if there's an element of truth behind them.
With the RX8 rotary engine I think that problems can occur much sooner if the engine isn't looked after correctly, and you're never going to know exactly how it has been treated by previous owners, so it's always going to come with some risk.
Martin350 said:
To be honest, I wasn't super careful, I was rather careless in fact!
I'm not sure who actually has compression tests done on these before buying them, particularly buying privately, it's a bit of a fiddly job to do.
I did check that it started from cold and from hot, though, and it has got quite a bit of history in its paperwork.
I'm quite handy with the spanners so if the engine does eventually need a rebuild I'd probably give it a go myself.
I think, like with many cars (I'm thinking Porsche intermediate shaft bearings) that problems do get overblown on the internet even if there's an element of truth behind them.
With the RX8 rotary engine I think that problems can occur much sooner if the engine isn't looked after correctly, and you're never going to know exactly how it has been treated by previous owners, so it's always going to come with some risk.
The above is so true. Well done on your purchase, looks a nice car. I am suprised you don't like the engine noise but each to their and all that!I'm not sure who actually has compression tests done on these before buying them, particularly buying privately, it's a bit of a fiddly job to do.
I did check that it started from cold and from hot, though, and it has got quite a bit of history in its paperwork.
I'm quite handy with the spanners so if the engine does eventually need a rebuild I'd probably give it a go myself.
I think, like with many cars (I'm thinking Porsche intermediate shaft bearings) that problems do get overblown on the internet even if there's an element of truth behind them.
With the RX8 rotary engine I think that problems can occur much sooner if the engine isn't looked after correctly, and you're never going to know exactly how it has been treated by previous owners, so it's always going to come with some risk.
Neith said:
Lovely looking 8, looks the same colour as mine!
Thanks. I believe it's galaxy grey.
I don't remember seeing many this colour, I really like it. Although I also like them in yellow!
Nickp82 said:
Well done on your purchase, looks a nice car. I am suprised you don't like the engine noise but each to their and all that!
Thanks.It's got a few bits that aren't perfect, some aluminium corrosion just starting on one edge of the bonnet and the paint has faded a little on the boot spoiler.
There are a couple of small dents in the doors and the headlamp lenses could do with a refurb too, which I'll do when I have time, but overall it is pretty good for an 11 year old car.
The wheels have a little bit of lacquer bubbling up here and there but I'm reluctant to spend 15% or so of a car's value on a wheel refurb!
A few people have told me that it sounds nice, even with the standard exhaust.
Personally, I'd much rather listen to a V6, V8 or V12 but it's not a deal breaker.
Yep, I suspect that is another reason why they are cheap!
Also factor in that I'm putting premium unleaded in it.
To be fair I've only done quite short journeys in it so far so I suspect the mpg might improve a little, maybe high teens on a longer run.
I'm quite fortunate that I only do around 8k miles a year and I have other cars to use. I don't expect to do more than about 3k in the RX8.
But yes, it isn't a cheap car to run!
Also factor in that I'm putting premium unleaded in it.
To be fair I've only done quite short journeys in it so far so I suspect the mpg might improve a little, maybe high teens on a longer run.
I'm quite fortunate that I only do around 8k miles a year and I have other cars to use. I don't expect to do more than about 3k in the RX8.
But yes, it isn't a cheap car to run!
Very solid 2nd car material. If you ever do experience the famous rotary thing (the Renesis was better designed than the one in the RX7 though, and without boost there's even less risk) would you - on the rebuild - do anything fancy with ports, or is the power delivery quite pleasant?
To be honest I know very little about the port modifications.
It would probably come down to the gain / cost ratio of it.
I'm guessing that to get the best from internal modifications it would need a decent exhaust system, maybe improved air intake and a remap, so it could add up quite quickly.
Power delivery is very smooth but, like a lot of high revving engines, it only really starts to wake up at around 4 - 5,000 rpm.
It would probably come down to the gain / cost ratio of it.
I'm guessing that to get the best from internal modifications it would need a decent exhaust system, maybe improved air intake and a remap, so it could add up quite quickly.
Power delivery is very smooth but, like a lot of high revving engines, it only really starts to wake up at around 4 - 5,000 rpm.
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