Some of you have been asking how I made it this far. Here is the tale of my 8.

When I bought my 8 back in 2004 I was travelling from Montgomery AL to Dothan AL to go work (100mile each way). The main road was 65mph but usually averaged 70-75. I just basically set it on cruise and off I went.

For the past year since I moved to Orlando I have been driving roughly 80 miles a day round trip to work on I4 during rush our traffic.

I have used 89 octane gas for the most part because I never really found much difference in mpg between 89 & 91, but I have used 91 often. I still average 240 to 250 miles per tank of gas.

I have changed the plugs only twice since I bought it, once at the dealer around 50,000miles and most recently at 130,000miles.

I have had regular oil changes done.

I haven't changed the transmission fluid, engine coolant or brake fluid as of yet but I have been encouraged to maybe do so. These are still original fluids.

I am on my 4th set of tires OEM (after 35,000), Fuzion (after 95,000), ?? (after 115,000) and now Kuhmo.

I still have the original front & rear rotors & rear pads, I replaced the front pads back in January.

I realize I may have neglected some maintenance issues over the past 4 years but a) dealers are hard to get to when it is your only means of transportation b) dealers rape you from all sides c) It has always ran great so if it ain't broke why fix it.

I have never really drove it "HARD" for any lenght of time. I have on occasion on long trips gotten up to decent speeds but only for short bursts. No need to race the ricers from light to light, not my style.

I just enjoy driving it and it has been reliable to me for the most part. I would probably consider another one in the near future even of it does decide to stop running for me.

With that said I am starting to notice a little loss of power during hot days and even the odd stall at a light. It is not frequent but has occured on two occasions in the past 3 - 4 months with the most recent being last week. Sometimes on the highway when I reach 70-75mph it will start to "choke" when it has been running for 30 minutes or longer, again not always but does happen.

That is my story and I am sticking with it.

EHT


Update:

Had IG Coils and wires changed this past weekend. Now at the doctors due to stall issues at stoping when engine reaches temp....

 

wow, you're REALLY stretching out that maintenance schedule that you're SUPPOSE to do on the 8!!! best to get it in to get all that fluid changed and hope it'll last another 100k miles!!!

 

Nice update. You're definitely one of the highest mileage cars out there.

It's good to hear someone who actually owns a car and puts a lot of miles on it too. You've never changed the transmission fluid yet? That's quite a lot of miles. Some people say that if you don't change it often, then don't change it at all. Somehow people who go for a long time without a change have problems with their transmissions soon after doing it. Knock on wood.

Let's have another update at 200K

 

damn, thats a lot...congrats for sticking with the car

 

Lambert Rx8 Representing the Rotary engine.

 

How could you have lasted 150k with original rear brake pads????? thats what I want to know....damn! My car has about 39k and the pad are wearing somewhat thin....I mean they'll last for about 7-8 more months...thats about it..........my front pads ..i replaced them at 32k ....

 

Wow.............good deal! Congrats!
Think I'd go change that tranny fluid and your coils must be shot by now. Check the CAT as it might be glogged up now, but damn.....you got some miles out that thing! Keep it going!
Best bet now.....change the coils, plugs, and wires............then report back and let's see if it persists. Oh...and change that tranny fluid.
Worse case............if you are loosing compression and you may be, then a new motor might be in order.

 

a testament.. to stretching out maintenance? hahaha, 150k on the original transmission fluids is nuts!!

at any rate, thats awesome to hear.. 200k?

 

sounds like ur loosing compression once the engine gets up to temp... may have to do a rebuilt soon

 

He has to be #1 for an original engine. I bet it is the CAT also.

 

And the coils, and the wires, and the tranny fluid, and the diff fluid......and anything else we can think of!

Whoa, I see you never had the coolant changed/flushed.

Ever change the air filter?

C'mon quit holding back!

 

The reason he can go so long on the tires, brakes & the rest is because they are all expressway miles.

Good Job BTW

 

And it's relatively flat in the areas the car was/is running. But probably more so to do with highway miles.....you're right!

 

thats good to hear...

 

yup. nothing but small rolling hills and long flats in these parts. Get those fluids changed soon. I'd hate to open the hood and see what color your radiator fluid is.

 

well its highway mileage. but still, thats a lot of miles, not a lot of maintenance.

 

Random stalls could be a result of coils?

 

Damn that's alot of miles... Get a grip on the maintenance though ... Most of the regular stuff is not that hard and you can do yourself (I'll never let the dealer touch my car if I can help it)

Congrats, keep it up

 

Dude, at least change the tranny, rear diff fluids, and coolant !

Im really shock that your car last that long ! without changing the stuff I mention above !

You can actually do them yourself, a wrench, a screwdriver, a jack, a jack stand, and a pump will do.

 

Congrats but really if you want another 150k more I would def read everyones matinence advice. This is 150k Miles right? I ask because of the Canadian beer in your Avatar....

 

Oh and one more thing.. If you're taking a picture of your odometer, at least pull over, don't do it while driving along at 70 mph

 

Exactly. And for anyone aghast at the coolant and brake fluid still being original - those are only four years old. I've gone a lot longer than that with no problems. FWIW, is anyone else here old enough to remember when glycol coolant was billed as "permanent"?

Ken

 

Pssh, best time to do it

Congrats! Lets hope to see another 50k out of it, AT THE VERY LEAST!

 

Woo Hoo #1 at 150k. Congrats!

 

I too would like to know how many miles you put on your air filters. I would try 4-6 oz of pre-mix in your gas tank and see how it ran on that tank. If it runs better with the pre-mix your engine might be going down. Then you might try a few cans of engine cleaner to de-carbon your engine. That might give you some more miles. If it does nothing(the pre-mix, which is just a small shot of oil in your gas tank) then you could have any number of other problems. You might move to a higher viscosity oil on your next change. Might be a good time to pickup a low mileage newer eight. Of course we all would like to hear how it goes from here too.