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Hi all - I bought a 2004 model year RX8 ... in late 2003, I believe. I remember this forum from early days, but I'm not sure what account I may have used then, or if I just browsed. Lost track of it until recently. I drove mine for ~ 21 years, until a couple months ago, the engine died just a bit under 150k miles. I ... have to admit, I didn't realize it was dying a slow death and that's why it would have starting and re-starting issues or I would have gotten an engine much sooner.
BUT... I did a thing! First RX8 - still in my garage, it's in pretty good condition other than the dead engine.
SECOND RX8 (low mileage 1 owner Series II) is newly acquired this week! Compression test was good, and I got it at under 26k miles. Since I found this place again, I will be planning very different things for this car, like fancy ignition coils and whatnot. I've saved the "recommended maintenance" post/thread and intend to refer back to it as the car gets miles.
I have many threads to absorb.
No questions currently, just trying to read what I can.
But my 2004 hadn't driven like the 2011 in *years* and now I know why!
And knowing is half the battle, as the cartoon says.
Yeah maybe, I've never done anything on the track. I think I did one RX8 meetup in Virginia in like 2004. I'll have to look at what's available in the DC, MD, VA metro area and I'm also fairly near Baltimore MD.
Nordic Green, GT. My first adult car was a Dodge Neon, which ... worked, although it had trouble with going up hills. I traded it in for the RX8 (after, mind you, the Neon was stolen by a joyrider and then the stupid moon roof left open for a couple months. Stupid joyrider. Found that car due to getting a ticket for only having one plate literally the day I was about to sign the check for it).
My first *ordered* and waited-for and picked all the options car was the RX8. I will admit, seeing it in one of the early X-Men movies was what did it for me. Prior to that my "oh that looks nice" was a Mitsubishi 3000 GT. I still love the two-tone inside.
I had a dilemma this past week: had a nice silver 2004 in PA in good condition waiting to be bought, ~ 25k miles. Day I was going to buy it and after I got a personal loan to get it, I thought to look around one last time, and apparently had extended the range on Autotrader, found one ~ 8 hours away, and kind of ... hopped on a plane the next day. Fortunately I have a lot of leave built up. Driving the car back after flying to buy it was a first.
2004 with ~ 25k miles or 2011 with ~ 25k miles for about the same price? Uh... I had to go check. My work friends and wife all thought I should get the 2011. I already HAVE a 2004, after all...
Short term dilemma. I paid the dealership to do a compression test, and it came in very well according to one of the posts here. Some ... bank logistics... later, and the car is now paid for and back home in MD.
I am *so tempted* to get the old one fixed up, I've had it so long and it's MY CAR, but we have a 16 year old who will get a used car soonish and I have to now save up a bit for hers. Wife is okay if I keep it in the garage though, apparently her dad kept a car to restore for years, and eventually did.
I have a Lightning Yellow, but NG is my 2nd favorite.
I recently bought a 2008 40th Anniversary in Metallic Gray.
I think it's a tie now.
The mica on it really pops in the sunshine.
There are a few active NG owners here.
Or what passes for active anymore.
Nordic Green, GT. My first adult car was a Dodge Neon, which ... worked, although it had trouble with going up hills. I traded it in for the RX8 (after, mind you, the Neon was stolen by a joyrider and then the stupid moon roof left open for a couple months. Stupid joyrider. Found that car due to getting a ticket for only having one plate literally the day I was about to sign the check for it).
My first *ordered* and waited-for and picked all the options car was the RX8. I will admit, seeing it in one of the early X-Men movies was what did it for me. Prior to that my "oh that looks nice" was a Mitsubishi 3000 GT. I still love the two-tone inside.
I had a dilemma this past week: had a nice silver 2004 in PA in good condition waiting to be bought, ~ 25k miles. Day I was going to buy it and after I got a personal loan to get it, I thought to look around one last time, and apparently had extended the range on Autotrader, found one ~ 8 hours away, and kind of ... hopped on a plane the next day. Fortunately I have a lot of leave built up. Driving the car back after flying to buy it was a first.
2004 with ~ 25k miles or 2011 with ~ 25k miles for about the same price? Uh... I had to go check. My work friends and wife all thought I should get the 2011. I already HAVE a 2004, after all...
Short term dilemma. I paid the dealership to do a compression test, and it came in very well according to one of the posts here. Some ... bank logistics... later, and the car is now paid for and back home in MD.
I am *so tempted* to get the old one fixed up, I've had it so long and it's MY CAR, but we have a 16 year old who will get a used car soonish and I have to now save up a bit for hers. Wife is okay if I keep it in the garage though, apparently her dad kept a car to restore for years, and eventually did.
I just paid way more than book value to drop a new engine in it and fix all the 20 year old car problems in my LY.
Worth every penny, and I have so much fun driving them.
Get your daughter to help you fix up the NG and give it to her.
I bet it's safer than a lot of the cars on the road today.
I had my teenage daughter help me wrench on cars.
She enjoyed it.
Some of my favorite memories.
Her favorite thing was packing grease into wheel bearings with her hands.
She wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty.
Nice. I'll admit I've been less of the DIY and more of the "here, independent mechanic shop, take my money" type over the years, but YouTube has a lot of videos and there is also a bunch of DIY stuff here to absorb. I'm a computer / databases guy, not per se very good as a mechanic (yet, although now I think I should learn.)
Nice. I'll admit I've been less of the DIY and more of the "here, independent mechanic shop, take my money" type over the years, but YouTube has a lot of videos and there is also a bunch of DIY stuff here to absorb. I'm a computer / databases guy, not per se very good as a mechanic (yet, although now I think I should learn.)
8s are relatively easy to work on compared to a lot of cars imo.
Higher maintenance, but, except for a few of the more common gremlins, I've found them pretty dependable, and they can take a helluva good thrashing on long road trips every now and then.
I'd spring for a fully remanufactured one, or if I really had a good budget, looks like Mazda has their factory going again (I did see rx9 concept stuff recently... and some buzz about pairing the rotary with an electric), I think I saw an actual for real new one from them for $5900 just for the engine recently which felt pricey but is probably worth it. Probably. Unless I misread something which is entirely possible.
I think I saw a fully rebuilt engine on its own for about $3800 on one of the sites I checked, not counting shipping, installation, etc. That would have been within budget without getting a loan, but... 2011 gets me a flat out better car NOW, while I wait on fixing the 2004.
Another site that escapes me now had a total of like $8k, but also required that I send them MY core which... um... probably not going to help...
There's also weird issues as any 20+ year old car will have OTHER than just the engine that I kind of hadn't addressed for reasons (like, 2 kids activities...).
So... that project may wait for next year but it's not like my car is going anywhere without a tow... just wish now we had a three or four car garage...
I would love to see pictures of your Nordic Green 04! I own two 04 Nordic Green GT's. Both are 6spd and both have identical options. I think its an exceptional color. I'm glad to hear that you're hanging onto your car as well. Can you share any more details about your new S2 RX-8?
When these cars were new in 04, I went to the dealer to buy one. I wanted one in Nordic Green and I wanted it to have the black/chaparral interior and have the 6spd manual transmission. The salesman told me that Nordic Green was tough to get and that it would likely have to be ordered. I could however, have one that day in Velocity Red, Brilliant Black, Sunlight Silver or Titanium Gray. He told me that Nordic Green and Lightning Yellow were nearly impossible to get and that a Winning Blue would be delivered in a couple months time. I waited a bit and found a Brilliant Black RX-8 that I liked. So, I finally purchased my Nordic Green car, sans the black/chaparral interior. Both of my cars have the black leather. One is nice, the other not so much. Either way, I'm a huge fan of the Nordic Green color!
Here are a couple pictures of my Nordic Green cars. The first one I am in the process of restoring and making as perfect as I can get it. It came out of Virginia and was destined to be a parts car. Someone stuffed a 4 port engine in it and was trying to make it run. It was a literal basketcase when I got it. I did put an engine in it and it does run and drive, however the engine I put in was weak and should be replaced. Unfortunately the car doesn't get driven;
The second one I've had the longest out of the pair of NG cars and it will be a restoration project with my sons. It needs and engine and a lot of rust repair. I traded for it quite a few years ago, but it was much rustier than advertised. But it was my first, so I kind of want to stick with it and see it through:
Here is my Brilliant Black 04 6spd. I absolutely love the car and it's been with me the longest:
Old first: Front I have always liked the two-tone Back And curse you stupid cell phone case. After an engine, fixing the seat is on the agenda someday New one Back Looks nice Front Both
Add
Last edited by James_Bonnell; 06-03-2024 at 12:57 PM.
Reason: Added more pics
Both of your cars look great!! I love the interior on your Nordic Green car! Both of my driver's seats show wear in the same spot. I don't think that it's an abnormal thing. I'm considering taking my seat to an upholstery shop and just having the one small section replaced with new vinyl upholstery. It seems as though only the seating surface and bolsters are leather and the backing and outside portions are vinyl. Would probably be cheaper than replacing the seat.
^^All the drivers seats on mine are worn in the same spot.
The '08 has more wear than the '04 with less than 10K more miles on it, but I'm the 5th or 6th owner.
The leather is worn, but not torn.
The red inlays in the 40th have little surface 'cracks' that reveal the natural leather color beneath.
A coworker who does upholstery work on the side, after helping his dad who was a professional upholsterer, says you can buy spray dye to match factory leather colors from wholesale upholstery shops.
As soon as I get in a good place to start working on them, I'll try to decipher the VIN for the trim codes.
I bought my '04 in showroom condition with 18.5 K miles in 2012.
I think what might've made the difference are my short legs, long torso, then back & knee issues, resulting in multiple back surgeries, both knees replaced and a spinal fusion.
Even before I had physical issues, in order to get in and out comfortably, I got in the habit of powering my seat back all the way back to get in and out.
The last 5 years or so, I basically sit on the seat sideways and swivel my legs in instead of getting in like a normal person like I used to.
I'm pretty sure sliding in & out the 'normal' way with the seat in the driver's position contributes to the wear, but y'all tell me if you move your seats back & forth to get in.
I then put my foot on the clutch and power forward until I can depress the clutch fully.
IIrc, someone mentioned not getting the seat colors they wanted?
I know there's a company that does custom leather upholstery, it ain't cheap, but it's new leather instead of buying used seats.
I haven't made price comparisons, but I would rather spend more for new leather on my OEM seats than buying used ones that may be waiting to malfunction.
I was thinking about converting my front seats to leather in my Frontier, but I'm glad I didn't now that it's got hail dents all over it.
It still feels like a truck & not a mall crawler.
I don't move the seat. My rip on my original was due to a stupid belt-clipped cell phone holder. I don't do that anymore, carry in a back pocket and/or just set it in the car now, but the damage is just annoying. An initial rip just expanded and going to an upholstery shop never occurred to me. I did look at seats/fixing it, but then got a bunch of other things to fix first a couple years ago. Whee 20ish year old car problems.
It is interesting that the one I just got also has wear on the left drivers side.
Last edited by James_Bonnell; 06-04-2024 at 12:10 PM.
Oh yeah. Later on I need to post pics of my little RX8s.
I got a metal collectable, still in the box, with my Nordic Green when I first bought it. It's on a shelf. Not at home now but will post maybe tomorrow.
And when my now 11 year old son was 4, he was obsessed with cars. We ended up with several pull back toy RX8s!
He doesn't care about those anymore but I kept them for me.
Oh yeah. Later on I need to post pics of my little RX8s.
I got a metal collectable, still in the box, with my Nordic Green when I first bought it. It's on a shelf. Not at home now but will post maybe tomorrow.
And when my now 11 year old son was 4, he was obsessed with cars. We ended up with several pull back toy RX8s!
He doesn't care about those anymore but I kept them for me.
Cool.
Do you know about the AutoArt 18:1 models?
I waited for years before a LHD LY became available.
I snatched it up.
IIrc, it was $220.
They say to leave them in the box, but I had to play with mine, and I put it in a clear acrylic display case.
I think this is 2015.
My LY GT, local member Archwisp's NG GT, and retired moderator, (whose fingerprints are all over the forum) RIWWP's WWP GT.
RIWWP sold his WWP GT and regretted it.
I don't recall how many years later, he had a chance to buy it back.
RIWWP was Rhode Island White Water Pearl.
His car turned up in Seattle, I think.
Washington state for sure.
He flew there, then drove it back cross country with an impromptu get together off I-70 in KC.
06-02-2024, 09:48 AM
