New Owner SAFE Question and Answer thread
05-19-2011, 06:57 PM
#227
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Yee haw! Good for you!
I'm assuming a clutch pedal and not an entire clutch right? To be honest, I didn't go back and read all your previous posts since your issues first cropped up.
05-20-2011, 08:40 AM
#228
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just finished reading everything and i still wanna get a rx8 just want some thoughts on what owners think of me using it as a daily driver to and from work and work is only a few miles away and with my job i do alot of short trips back and forth is it still good to use that car for that i understand everything i need to do for the upkeep i just dont wanna kill it with short trips if that does happen any thoughts
05-20-2011, 08:52 AM
#229
I've used mine as a daily for 2 years with the exception of storing it last winter. I've had no issues. If your short trips are less than 5-10 minutes, just follow the short trip guidelines in the owners manual and you'll be fine. When it's cold out, just make sure it gets up to temp before shutting it off.
The gas station i stop at almost every time is only ~3 miles away and I've never had a problem shutting the car off to get gas on my way to work. I also bounce around from client to client and make short trips across town quite a bit with no issues. When it's cold, i just give it an extra couple minutes to warm up. Not much more work than any other car.
The gas station i stop at almost every time is only ~3 miles away and I've never had a problem shutting the car off to get gas on my way to work. I also bounce around from client to client and make short trips across town quite a bit with no issues. When it's cold, i just give it an extra couple minutes to warm up. Not much more work than any other car.
05-20-2011, 09:00 AM
#230
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Thanks for reading 
Agreed with Fuz. Daily driving it is fine, just make sure it is warmed up and you don't just lug it around. Short around-town trips generate more carbon than highways, less opportunities to open it up at full throttle, etc... So you may want to decarb more frequently than once a year, maybe twice a year or so. Unless your short trips are between highway exits, in which case you should be fine.
I don't see you mention a location, so hard to give more specific advice for where you live. Temperature ranges of the season will adjust this around a bit.
Mine has been my daily driver since Oct 2007, with the exception of the last few months, which my wife has been daily driving it to work.
Agreed with Fuz. Daily driving it is fine, just make sure it is warmed up and you don't just lug it around. Short around-town trips generate more carbon than highways, less opportunities to open it up at full throttle, etc... So you may want to decarb more frequently than once a year, maybe twice a year or so. Unless your short trips are between highway exits, in which case you should be fine.
I don't see you mention a location, so hard to give more specific advice for where you live. Temperature ranges of the season will adjust this around a bit.
Mine has been my daily driver since Oct 2007, with the exception of the last few months, which my wife has been daily driving it to work.
05-20-2011, 09:45 AM
#232
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Every combustion engine out there generates deposits during the combustion cycle, and these deposits are carbon in nature. The same thing that Shell gasoline commercials or other fuel injector cleaner commercials talk about.
In piston engines, this is an annoyance only. Decreases the mileage and power of the engine a bit, but never really harmful.
In our rotary engines, it can be (and usually is) deadly to the engine, since it starts forcing seals out of place, reducing compression since the seals aren't holding right, which the hot gas blow-by starts wearing the seals and irons further, etc...
So it's important to keep the engine as free of carbon as possible. This is one of the justifications we give for full throttle acceleration to redline. It's fun, but it does also serve a purpose in helping to burn off that excess carbon. Our engines run much hotter than piston engines, so this is actually possible. This by itself will not keep the carbon clear however, so it is recommended to decarbonize (decarb) the engine occasionally. About once a year on a daily driver, but varies by how you drive, what type of driving, and how many miles. No real set rule on it.
Decarbing can be accomplished at a dealer for a crazy fee, or you can do it yourself with seafoam (Available at any autoparts store) for about $5, 5 minutes of work, and an hour or so of waiting.
As far as location, typically the hotter climate you are the more cooling concerns you are going to have (not just water cooling, but oil cooling and generally trying to keep the engine temp down), the colder climates help this, but make it more of an issue to make sure the engine is warmed up properly before you stomp on the go-pedal.
Temperature is a fairly big concern with our cars
In piston engines, this is an annoyance only. Decreases the mileage and power of the engine a bit, but never really harmful.
In our rotary engines, it can be (and usually is) deadly to the engine, since it starts forcing seals out of place, reducing compression since the seals aren't holding right, which the hot gas blow-by starts wearing the seals and irons further, etc...
So it's important to keep the engine as free of carbon as possible. This is one of the justifications we give for full throttle acceleration to redline. It's fun
, but it does also serve a purpose in helping to burn off that excess carbon. Our engines run much hotter than piston engines, so this is actually possible. This by itself will not keep the carbon clear however, so it is recommended to decarbonize (decarb) the engine occasionally. About once a year on a daily driver, but varies by how you drive, what type of driving, and how many miles. No real set rule on it.Decarbing can be accomplished at a dealer for a crazy fee, or you can do it yourself with seafoam (Available at any autoparts store) for about $5, 5 minutes of work, and an hour or so of waiting.
As far as location, typically the hotter climate you are the more cooling concerns you are going to have (not just water cooling, but oil cooling and generally trying to keep the engine temp down), the colder climates help this, but make it more of an issue to make sure the engine is warmed up properly before you stomp on the go-pedal.
Temperature is a fairly big concern with our cars
05-20-2011, 09:56 AM
#233
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thanks for the tip at least if i get the car i have a reason to drive like a crazy man last question and im done till i get the car what would be a good year to buy and is there a specific website for the repair and aftermaket parts with good prices majority of the work will by myself rotaries are the only engine i havent learned to work on which intisses me to buy one also and they sound awsome
05-20-2011, 10:05 AM
#234
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We highly recommend forum vendors here over other sources for parts. If nothing else, it helps keep them serving the community.
For OEM stuff, generally your best bet is Mazmart. He can get anything Mazda OEM, and he doesn't charge ridiculous markups like dealerships do.
For aftermarket stuff, it gets spread out a bit farther, as there aren't many people doing development on this engine (really only BHR and Mazmart that are also forum vendors, some other few companies like BDC, BNR, etc... are, but aren't vendors here), prices tend to be higher than new people expect, and very few vendors deal in everything, and those that do tend to have issues frequently as they are just the pass-through contact point.
For OEM stuff, generally your best bet is Mazmart. He can get anything Mazda OEM, and he doesn't charge ridiculous markups like dealerships do.
For aftermarket stuff, it gets spread out a bit farther, as there aren't many people doing development on this engine (really only BHR and Mazmart that are also forum vendors, some other few companies like BDC, BNR, etc... are, but aren't vendors here), prices tend to be higher than new people expect, and very few vendors deal in everything, and those that do tend to have issues frequently as they are just the pass-through contact point.
05-21-2011, 11:53 AM
#236
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05-21-2011, 03:43 PM
#237
I HATE SPEEDBUMPS!
05-23-2011, 10:29 PM
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05-25-2011, 10:08 PM
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05-25-2011, 10:26 PM
#242
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Just shy of 100,000 miles? So far, this stuff isn't unexpected or abnormal. Granted, it can depend on the previous owner(s).
And before you panic about the air pump, it's only an emissions control device, helps accelerate catalytic converter warm up to reduce the extra emissions while cold. Once the cat gets hot enough, it turns off, usually within ~30 seconds.
So you can ignore it if you like. You will slightly accelerate cat failure, but then, they don't last all that long on 8s anyway. I don't know how strict OK is on emissions, but I'd consider getting a midpipe (highly recommend BHR's personally), and keeping the cat for emissions time if needed.
Or just ignore the air pump in general and deal with the cat later on down the road. Entirely your choice.
(A brand new cat from the dealer costs $1,300, if it helps your decision)
And before you panic about the air pump, it's only an emissions control device, helps accelerate catalytic converter warm up to reduce the extra emissions while cold. Once the cat gets hot enough, it turns off, usually within ~30 seconds.
So you can ignore it if you like. You will slightly accelerate cat failure, but then, they don't last all that long on 8s anyway. I don't know how strict OK is on emissions, but I'd consider getting a midpipe (highly recommend BHR's personally), and keeping the cat for emissions time if needed.
Or just ignore the air pump in general and deal with the cat later on down the road. Entirely your choice.
(A brand new cat from the dealer costs $1,300, if it helps your decision)
05-26-2011, 07:13 PM
#243
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Just shy of 100,000 miles? So far, this stuff isn't unexpected or abnormal. Granted, it can depend on the previous owner(s).
And before you panic about the air pump, it's only an emissions control device, helps accelerate catalytic converter warm up to reduce the extra emissions while cold. Once the cat gets hot enough, it turns off, usually within ~30 seconds.
So you can ignore it if you like. You will slightly accelerate cat failure, but then, they don't last all that long on 8s anyway. I don't know how strict OK is on emissions, but I'd consider getting a midpipe (highly recommend BHR's personally), and keeping the cat for emissions time if needed.
Or just ignore the air pump in general and deal with the cat later on down the road. Entirely your choice.
(A brand new cat from the dealer costs $1,300, if it helps your decision)
And before you panic about the air pump, it's only an emissions control device, helps accelerate catalytic converter warm up to reduce the extra emissions while cold. Once the cat gets hot enough, it turns off, usually within ~30 seconds.
So you can ignore it if you like. You will slightly accelerate cat failure, but then, they don't last all that long on 8s anyway. I don't know how strict OK is on emissions, but I'd consider getting a midpipe (highly recommend BHR's personally), and keeping the cat for emissions time if needed.
Or just ignore the air pump in general and deal with the cat later on down the road. Entirely your choice.
(A brand new cat from the dealer costs $1,300, if it helps your decision)
05-26-2011, 09:42 PM
#244
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Yeah ive looked into that air pump stuff a lot since it came up and it shouldnt be a big deal.. i was just annoyed about the fact that something else was wrong!
Its so nice to have it back, maybe ill get to drive it for more then 3 days this time around!
05-27-2011, 03:37 PM
#245
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Choices
I am looking at 2 2004 RX-8
1.
engine replace in 2008 at 32000 miles (no compression test yet)
cat replaced in 2006 at 15000 miles
last oil change by dealer selling car at 56000
starter replaced in 2006 at 15000
have nav and the sports package
cloth seats, 6-disc sound (didn't see any Bose emblems so not prem sound)
56600 shows on odo
The exterior is beat up. it looks like it went through a hail storm (about 2 dozen small dents on the hood and one of the side panels. good service record on the CARFAX with most of the oil changes listed. Mazda USA said no open service bulletins. no fix a flat kit asking 10.5K
2.
engine replaced in early 2005 at 35000 miles
last oil at 41000 by selling dealer.
has GT package no nav
6 disc again no bose emblems.
shows 41600 on odo no further information
the car looks much cleaner has the spare tire and the fix a flat kit, minor damage to the interior but not bad. Mazda said no open bulletins asking 12.8k
I like the first one because it is more mechanically sound but the exterior would drive me nuts over time. I like the leather and heated seats in the second but not really a deal breaker wither way. Any opinion? Comment? thanks
1.
engine replace in 2008 at 32000 miles (no compression test yet)
cat replaced in 2006 at 15000 miles
last oil change by dealer selling car at 56000
starter replaced in 2006 at 15000
have nav and the sports package
cloth seats, 6-disc sound (didn't see any Bose emblems so not prem sound)
56600 shows on odo
The exterior is beat up. it looks like it went through a hail storm (about 2 dozen small dents on the hood and one of the side panels. good service record on the CARFAX with most of the oil changes listed. Mazda USA said no open service bulletins. no fix a flat kit asking 10.5K
2.
engine replaced in early 2005 at 35000 miles
last oil at 41000 by selling dealer.
has GT package no nav
6 disc again no bose emblems.
shows 41600 on odo no further information
the car looks much cleaner has the spare tire and the fix a flat kit, minor damage to the interior but not bad. Mazda said no open bulletins asking 12.8k
I like the first one because it is more mechanically sound but the exterior would drive me nuts over time. I like the leather and heated seats in the second but not really a deal breaker wither way. Any opinion? Comment? thanks
06-02-2011, 05:47 PM
#246
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the first one you are looking at seems like it has had a laundry list of problems over its time that there for me would raise a red flag and make me think what els is ready to go wrong with it
...also anybody elses 8 smell like its running rich?
...also anybody elses 8 smell like its running rich?
