acezkillz

I really like the Rx-8 and want to buy one so I wanted to ask what year is a good year? I heard that 04 wasn't so good and I should get a 05-09. I want to ask for opinion stories on any of your Rx-8.

If anyone has any opinion on which year I should get that would help me out alot.

thejew89

ive got an 04 and love it other than the few minor problems ive had with the ignition and wheels, but other than that its a great car

Bunique

I too, have an 04. Mine runs fine. I love the way the car drives and handles. They're not the fastest cars out there but they are alot of fun to drive.

acezkillz

Nice, proved my theory of 04 wrong, the red 04 has red inside right?

Bunique

Mine does yes.

renesisjim

iTrader: (3)

I have an 04 except for the transmission mine has been an excellent car. I love the nimbleness of the car and its clean lines

987HYS

iTrader: (1)

The 04 RX8 has had its share of problems being the 1st generation with the new engine, the Renesis. There is a group of individuals who have already been on the 4th motor and some are still counting. If you find a 04, make sure you do your homework and make sure that the car has been serviced for all the warranty/recall notices.

Overall, the RX8 is a fantastic car. I have a 2005 w/ just over 50K miles on it and the only issues i have had with it has been the rear differential, 2nd gear, and the motor mounts (all replaced under warranty). Mazda (specifically Town North in Dallas), has been excellent to work with dealing with these issues.

Since getting the car, I have been involved with local autocross groups and taken it to the track on a few occasions. this car's heart is at the track, screaming around turns revving up to 9K rpm. This is not a drag car, so dont be surprised to be the lack of acceleration and torque. Don't get me wrong, this car is quick, but there are a lot of cars that are faster in a straight line.

If you are seriously considering buying an RX8, the best advise i can give you would be to do your research. this forum is an excellent source for great information, just search for it. with regards to what year you should by, ignore the year, be careful about the 04's and early 05's, just find the best value for your budget. make sure you get a carfax report to make sure that the car has been properly maintained and that overall service has been kept up.

This car is not a Honda, and regular maintenance is required to prevent problems. This car loves oil, and requires 1 qt about ever 1500 miles. its a small thing to keep track of, but the thrill of driving the car is worth it. it is an exciting car and will keep you on the edge of your seat weather its working or its not.

if you are still on the fence about it, i suggest taking one out for a test drive. not through the city streets because nobody has fun going from stop light to stop light. if you can experience the handling of the car on the highway through some traffic or winding through some country roads you will hear the heart and soul of the Renesis. it put a smile on my face when i did, and signed the papers that night.

best of luck with the decision,

agcutie03

I also was very against getting an 04 so when I found mine I did a TON of research on the particular car (carfax is a must, drilled the dealership for its history on the recalls, etc). In all honesty, I only bought my 04 because it was certified pre-owned so it was warrantied to 100K (which has since been updated to apply to all RX8's so that should help you rest easier if you go with that year).

Hesitant as I still was, I am happy to say that mine has been nothing but a true pleasure to own and drive. I'm always complaining about some little problem or another but in all honesty, all of my issues have come out of me screwing with my own personalized mods and other experiments I've done with it. The car itself has been great, no problems. I took it in once for a transmission problem but I was honestly just trying to get it in before that warranty ran out (took it to the dealer at 49,500 miles). There was not really a huge problem with shifting.

Other than that, had to replace the alternator and battery at about 55K. Can't complain, it's typical enough.

987 HYS has summarized my experience with this car more beautifully than I think I could myself so I won't repeat it, I'll just say that he is dead on, trust what he says.

The only thing I'll add is that this car has been more than transportation from A to B-it has inspired me to learn all I can and work on it myself simply because I cannot get enough of it. I love it. I read about it, I tinker with it, I try to get other owners active in the club and urge everyone to become more familiar with it so they can develop the appreciation and love that I have come to have for mine.

It's addictive, truly impressive, and there's no going back! Buy one and join the "cult" and you will soon understand the phrase:

"From the outside looking in, you cannot understand it; from the inside looking out, you cannot explain it."

Keep us all posted and message anyone with any questions-this is a great group, always up for helping anyone in any way when it comes to the 8-good luck!

acezkillz

How much do you think you spend fixing the Rx-8 and i really do like driving the

Rx-8 i tested it before but its just that getting one is different. Keeping one and

keeping up with it i dont know if i have the time to do that but for the Rx-8 I

probably just might make a couple of sacrifice's but its not that big of a sacrifice

right? How many times do you have to get it checked? Every couple of months or

so right?

agcutie03

If I wasn't always trying to experiment, I would never have to fix anything...

In general, tires will be needed every 20K miles or so-a set runs from $500 to $1000, depending on what you get. With gas, I average about 17 mpg city driving, 20 hwy so hopefully that gives you an idea. And it needs about a quart of oil every few weeks or so-I changed oil at 62,400 and my light popped on today at 63,600. Depends on how much/far you drive.

Past that, no more maintenance that I can think of specific to this car-just the general check-ups and oil changes you have for anything else.

On a side note, I've never taken my car in to "get checked", I usually figure out how to do the maintenance myself-the car is very easy to figure out when it comes to maintenance. Or we'll all have an install party and help each other out.