Z93

Hi all!

I'm very excited to be sharing my first post here at RX8 Club. I've been a member for a long time but I've not done any posting due to multiple reasons. Mostly, because I didn't want to seem ignorant as I was learning about these cars and how to deal with them wisely. Here is my 8, an all original 2004 Sunlight Silver.





My wife and I bought the 8 over 5 years ago as our first car in our marriage. Up to that point I had owned three other vehicles of varying levels of reliability and condition. Since that time that list has continued to grow and grow as vehicles have come and gone but the 8 has stuck around. I've always been a DIY guy and for the most part have an appreciation for working on cars. I've dabbled with many different types of automotive repairs out of financial shrewdness, and have busted my knuckles on vehicles enough time to learn how patience goes a long way with cars/trucks/equipment. I like working on cars, just not old ones that are rusted to oblivion. That being said my Dad and I totally restored a 1974 VW Beetle- Re-welded the pans, heater channels, rear apron etc etc. Picture of it all finished:



It's funny, in recent years, the RX8 has seen very little driving. I just got caught up with other projects and my daily was a 91' 4runner, which I enjoyed but has cost me a lot of money, time and gas money that looking back on things would have been better off spent on the RX8. Currently the 8 has 112,000 Kilometers on it (69,000 miles). I've never winter driven it and generally maintained the car well, especially frequent oil changes and basic mechanical fixes as they came up. It's still my favorite sports car that I've had the pleasure to drive, let alone own. My wife and I have been trying to sell the car for 6 months because three vehicles is expensive for not a lot of reason and we're trying to be fiscally responsible with our vehicles/life. But it just would not sell. I've had it priced well and it hasn't driven anywhere all summer other than to start it up, stretch it's legs, and parked again. Really, I can't complain with how the car has treated us. I've spent far more money and time on my 4runner trying to keep it on the road.

Yesterday, my wife and I had to come to the West Coast for a wedding, and I had always talked about doing that mountain drive in the 8 and decided to go for it. And now my mind is flooded with the possibilities of owning this car long term again. Not being able to sell it for anything reasonable (4,300 CAD listed price) knowing I've done quite a bit of due diligence in keeping it nice, and driving it and having an absolute riot of a time in the mountains begs the question, can I keep it?

My wife is fond of the car as well, she didn't own a car when we got married and this became her "first" car. We went on our honeymoon in it, have driven it all over the country and have just loved it. We're discussing what it would look like to own this car and use it more as a daily through winter. I've read through all the "New owners stat here" posts and all of the newbie posts to get a handle on the scope of effort it will require. I'm confident in my mechanical ability to maintain the car and to work at making it as reliable as I can; All the while preparing for an engine replacement and what that might look like and what I'd be willing to take on when that time comes.

Anyways, I'm happy to be here. This forum is absolutely priceless when it comes to information about this car. I don't have many car friends and the people who I do know who are into cars often mock the RX8. I disagree wholeheartedly with their estimation of it, and some people simply won't understand the pleasure of this car. I hope to start posting about my car and what I'm looking into doing as soon as my newbness wears off as I contribute posts.

Thanks to all who put in the effort to make this website an easy-access wealth of question-answering information.

Hi from Alberta!

-Z

Red line envy

Welcome and hi from New Brunswick. No one really understands our 8s unless they drive it.

I suggest keeping it and rebuilding it as I have. I can guarantee I will have this car for the remainder of my life.

Loki

iTrader: (1)

Hello from Montreal. Welcome aboard.

Maybe get your rotary-bashing fiends to drive it around corners once or twice, might sway their opinion

arakawa

Hello from Calgary. There are quite a few of us here.

Z93

Thanks for the welcome! I appreciate the Canadian comradery!

Did you do the rebuild yourself? I’m trying to gauge how I’m going to go about all of this!

Red line envy

I was going to but didn't have time and ended up traveling a little for work. Ok am going to do it next time though. There are books and videos you can order that show you the clearances and the assembly process.

Z93

Nice! I was watching videos and it really doesn’t seem so bad. I think it’s more the time to do it and having a vehicle offline for a while. I’ve rebuilt a couple of piston engines so I feel like I could at least transfer the tool skills to do it. But it will require research. When did your rebuild happen? My car is about to turn 113,000kms and I’m trying to figure out how soon I should plan for the rebuild. It still starts easily enough, and while hot it doesn’t seem to hesitate much. But of course these are all only symptoms.

Red line envy

I'm at about 180k km. But it already had a used/unrebuilt motor when I bought it. My new motor now is a little over 3000 km now.

arakawa

There's RX7 Specialties on 17 ave, close to Westbrook Mall, if you need parts or if you'd rather someone else rebuild your engine.

Z93

Very helpful info- thanks!

Has your engine been rebuilt yet? Do it yourself? Had a shop do it?

arakawa

Mine is still original, and it's still under warranty until November I think.

Z93

Nice so it’s a series 2? What year?
My warranty wore off a lonngggg time ago.

arakawa

2011. Mazda extended all engine warranties for the RX8 to 8 years, mine will be one of the last to run out...

delhi

Welcome to the addiction. My RX-8 has been with me since Day 1. Original engine. It'll probably stay with me for the remainder of its years as it has earned the right to be. Only issues I had were coils. Apart from that the car has been flawless. I don't premix and I give it 87, dino oil and catless.