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Advise on whether to buy based on price / compressions results
I am brand new to this RX8 Club so apologies if there was a specific forum to ask for buying advise about an older RX8.
I have a refundable deposit down at a Used Car Dealer (reputable) on a 2005 RX 8.Car price is $4,200 Canadian. Car is very clean with 145,000 Kilometres. Car is certified for that price. Car Fax report shows a decent maintenance record and a 2015 accident on the right rear to the tune of 6,800 CDN. Dealer doesn't have details on the accident or maintenance records. I paid a Mazda dealer to do a compression test and check the clutch. Clutch has lots of life but the compression results seem marginal? Compression numbers are attached. Any guidance on whether to move forward? investigate more? run like hell?
Overall about par for the course for an original engine at that mileage. It depends on what you want from the car and if you're comfortable planning for engine replacement at some point in the future. Figure that's about $5k and it's a straightforward operation.
Maybe they can knock the price down, although its not bad already.
If it runs fine now (check hot restart performance... it should restart warm without trouble), it will be fine for a bit, assuming ongoing maintenance.
If you can find one that already had the engine replaced and has good compression, that would always be better. Personally, I would take a good body knowing it will need an engine, and when the time comes put in an engine built by a trusted rebuilder. Still waiting for that time to come though...
[edit] On second look, it seems that except for one face, it's in decent enough shape for the mileage. You could definitely do worse.
Check that the warranty applies to rotaries. Some of the aftermarket warranties explicitly list the failure modes they will cover, many of which don't apply to a rotary, and not list ones that do apply. So just be careful with the fine print.
Good advice I actually got the fine print and spoke to an Claims adjustor from the Warranty firm and they have paid out on rotary engine repairs in the past. I realize on a major repair they try to avoid paying out so I did look real hard at the language. Thanks again.
Some warranties are okay. Others will try to weasel out.
Those compression numbers aren't horrible. The car is probably down 10-20 HP but I doubt you'd notice without back-to-back testing against a car with a fresh motor in the 120 psi range.
I was into the low 90's when I got mine rebuilt and only had occasional hot idle/hot start issues (though, admittedly I got repeatedly smoked by a Spec Miata on the back straight of Autobahn Country Club). Of course, my rebuild was craptacular and it only took a year to get back down to the low 90's again.
There's probably at least a couple of years of life left in that motor if you take care of it (ignition, good oil, increase OMP rate, don't cold idle very long, etc).
Honestly, I probably wouldn't go with the warranty. It would depend heavily on how much the warranty cost and what their specific criteria for "failure" is. It may require that the engine exhibit a specific "bad" behavior. For instance, they may require that the engine take more than 10 seconds to start after being fully warmed up. With a good starter and ignition components, I'd bet that it would take that engine more than 2 years to deteriorate to that point. Also, if the warranty costs $2k (for instance) and will only pay out $3k then you're gambling a lot on what I consider to be an unlikely outcome with very minimal payout.
It's like betting on a horse with odds 100:1 against that pays out as much as a horse with 1.5:1 odds against. Doesn't really make much sense.
Now, if the warranty costs $500 and pays out $3k, that changes the calculus of the situation a bit.
Thanks I am not a big fan of these type of warranties normally but the price is $800 Canadian for two years of coverage and if you don't use it after 2 years you can extend for another year for $149. Appreciate your thoughts on the compression numbers.
The Car Fax report showed it being done through the dealer which usually means it was the most expensive route. Good suggestion I may see if I can take it to an independent body shop take a look at what was repaired. Thanks for the insight
It probably was written off and the owner bought it back from the insurance company and had it repaired.
These cars don't attract the most rational type of people (I should know, I'm the 1st and 4th owner of mine).
Up here cars that are written off and put back on the road have to designate in the ownership / title under the Car Brand - REBUILT. You typically have trouble get collision insurance. This doesn't appear to be the case. I think we are about to join the irrational band of RX8 owners and buy the car.
11-27-2018, 03:15 PM
