So, I am not new to rotaries. Thought that's a good opener. I would be really new to the RX-8. I've driven like 5 or 6 of them. I've always really enjoyed the car, I've always managed to talk myself out of buying one though. But, I got a solid raise and I'm looking to hate life, so the 8 has caught my eye once again.

Just a few questions..

First one, I hate to ask, but I haven't spent enough time to post in the interior forum yet, so, the car is a series II GT and I am tall. I saw the seat mod and that may work for a bit, but can someone recommend brackets to me for fixed back seats? I will be using this car for AutoX and as it is, as low as I can go isn't low enough to wear a helmet. I figured a replacement seat my do the trick, like a Corbeau Forza or something maybe, but I'm having a hard time finding info on brackets and if I'd actually sit lower. I need about 1.5 to 2 inches to really be comfortable. I have a long torso, so it's troublesome to fit properly.

Second, and maybe final, if I get the car, my immidiate plans would be general maintenance, then reliability mods, mostly upgrading the cooling system based on what I've read (radiator, hoses, move the battery, under panel, making sure air is directed over the radiator). Anything else that I should really do right away to keep this engine alive?

My eventual goal is to REW swap with a single turbo, but I'd like to keep the car alive as long as I can before that so I can focus on suspension set up and what not. Right now it's at 48k, and I probably wouldn't drive it more than 5k a year, so I'm hoping keeping it alive won't be too bad.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for the help. Hopefully I'll be behind the wheel of a rotary again soon. It'll be slower than my daily, but it will be 1000 times more fun.

 

Welp, nevermind. The deal has fallen through. Thank you RX8Club. I'm hoping to be visiting with you again soon if I can find a car.

 

You know, actually I have one really important question. Anyone here Daily their 8 a long distance. I drive close to 300 miles a week. I won't be next year, but I'm averaging between 16000 and 20000 miles a year right now. So anyone else doing this, and if so, how is it and how bad of a toll has it taken on your car.

Gas and space are non issues. My Miata was my daily for 2.5 years and I have the money to fill up an 8 and keep oil in it. Just wondering how reliability really is for someone who takes car of their renesis.

 

If it has good compression
and you premix
and you maintain the ignition
and you change oil every 3K miles
and you keep the catalytic converter in good condition
and you keep the cooling system in good condition
and you keep the fuel delivery system in good condition
and you drive it properly

then it should last to 150K+ miles before a rebuild.

 

I picked up my 04 with 91k miles, no compression test, original motor, drove it until 106k, finally got around to getting the test done and had failing compression on all faces with a 3.9 on one face in rotor 1. I've premixed in it since the first gas I put in it. I got a new motor for it last week. Had the compression test done, all mid-upper 9's. Started premixing right away. We'll see how long it lasts for. I use mine for autocross as well so it sees hard driving.

Your success or failure with am rx8 entirely depends on how the previous owners treated it, how much they knew or cared about it, and how much luck you have

 

Is the coolant holding? The engine O-rings could have gone bad and the wet plug is actually coolant.

Was the smoke white? Usually that is a sign of coolant in the exhaust system.

 

His last activity was 2 years ago, so he either figured it out or gave up.