Petscar

Bought my 05 8 over a year ago with 26k miles. Didnt know about compression test before buying. Had Kris from this forum do a comp test after I bought it. Passed although one rotor was in the category of having some life left but will eventually fail due to blowback.

Have 35k miles currently and was considering selling before compression does fail. So for months, I have been testing other vehicles. These are my feelings and want feedback from your findings as well.

350z: Was a little quicker than the 8 but I felt handling was better in the 8. Also not as comfortable as the 8.

New Miata: Overall good ride. A little too slow for me and definitely too small.

Genesis coupe: Nice looking car but ran like a friggin Sonata.

Corvette C4: Always loved the way vettes looked but this one didnt impress me as far as power or handling. Was not too comfortable inside.

Corvette C5: Drove 2 of them. Loved the power. Handling was very good but not as good as the 8. There was some body roll in high speed curves whereas I virtually have no body roll in my 8 at least up to the 90 mph I've done in curves.

Mustang 5.0: Good power but I was expecting more from it. Some of the power was perceived as it had an aftermarket exhaust. Front end could have been tighter. Steering seemed a little sloppy to me especially after driving my 8. In fact, after driving it for 30 minutes and then getting in my 8, I wondered if I really want to give up the driving experience of the RX8.

Overall, so far, nothing handles like an RX8. I realize I'm asking for opinions from an RX8 forum so there may be some bias here 😁 but I find the 8 to be the best overall driving experience so far. It's agile and nimble, holds the road like no other, turns on a dime, good braking and while lacking torque it flies pretty well once you are in motion. Also I find the 8 to be very comfortable.

If you have any other suggestions on another car, I'm all ears. I didnt try the Challenger/Charger as I think it is a little too big.

jcbrx8

Have you considered your 8 with a properly rebuilt engine,...and perhaps an additional goodie or two? It sounds like you're fully aware, and enjoy the "driving experience" of the 8. Congrats...I have to agree. So, in the absence of any additional context, e.g. starting a family...and need a bigger car, etc; have you considered that option? When you consider how much you're likely to get for your 8 w/ a low compression engine, and what you will likely pay for another suitable vehicle, which by "your estimation", regardless what anyone else thinks, will deliver decreased "driving experience"; why not restore & enhance what you have and enjoy...perhaps for equal or less $$$? Just a thought.

As for other cars that will deliver as exhilarating a driving experience...anywhere near the price range of a used 8...I got nothing for ya. There are some out there...some on your list..., but you'll drop a sizeable chunk of change to make that exchange.

All the best

40th8Jake

Yeah if I had to pick one from that list it would be a C5 all day. The torque, availability of parts, ls engine, ls engine, ls..oh wait.

But at any rate a decent c5 is still going to be probably 1.5-2x more expensive than getting a very reputable shop to do a rebuild and port since you are in there. My buddy has a c5 with 100k on it. Engine is good. He had a coolant issue, but that’s about it. The interior is horrible though and cheap. My only gripe.

Petscar

Yes I've considered it. I wasnt thrilled about dropping money into it knowing that a rebuild still has a limited life span in comparison to a normal engine. That is why I started looking at other vehicles.

That being said, and after test driving other vehicles, I am certainly reconsidering doing a rebuild. Unless I come across something that grabs my attention and gives me the driving exhileration of an Rx8, a rebuild seems like a plan at this point.

My car still runs well. I read on this forum that someone had been driving his 8 with bad compression for 4 years and was still going. Once my compression fails, at what point should I do a rebuild? If it still runs decently, can I keep running it or will it create other issues?

Petscar

Jake, when you say port, what do you mean?

40th8Jake

By porting I am referring to opening up mainly the exhaust ports on the end and middle plates in the Renesis. There is a lot of debate about the significance of the horsepower gains but ultimately it is a choice you have to make based on research.

Initially when I first got my 8 I wanted to turbo it, I’m in California so not going to happen (unless I can “live” in AZ). Calculated the cost to benefit and porting is mainly only beneficial for boosted application unless doing a rebuild. For N/A it is more of a do it while you’re in there and the engine is apart already sort of thing.

yeah man I plan to run mine till it no
longer hot starts then rebuild.

As for creating more issues, I’m not too sure to be honest. I’m sure others can chime in. From my understanding most compression loss happens from broken or worn apex seals due to carbon deposits. Also the housings can get chatter marks from excessive high rpm loads, and the plates can warp from excessive heat.

CaymanRotary

Apex seal issues aren't mainly due to carbon but it can be a factor. Opening up exhaust ports is a great mod because carbon can build in the stock port and come off as a big chunk which can also damage seals.

The main issues I've seen is compression loss due to heat, bad exhaust, bad cooling systems and wrong oil. People still out there running 5W20 with no premix and wonder why their engine breaks haha. The Renesis engine is reliable with regular oil changes and use of proper oil and premix. Also, Seafoam is a great idea to clean out the gunk. The trick is to make the engine last a good long time without having to rebuild. Otherwise, the car just isnt worth it from a cost perspective.

I'm against rebuilding it on your own unless you have good experience doing it. Personally, purchasing a good used or reman engine to swap in is the way to go. As far as a rebuild not lasting long, it's only as good as the person who rebuilt it. This is another reason why I avoid this altogether because you aren't saving that much money on a rebuild. Better to have someone good who knows what they are doing to do all that work for you so all you have to do is a swap.

Petscar

Of course I want to keep it going as long as possible. I've been using 5 30 conventional oil and premix 1/2 oz/gal of Amsoil Sabre. 1st owner didn't premix, 2nd was intermittent. I recently discovered I'm not burning enough oil although mazda has a record of the update being done to increase oil injection. I brought it in to have the update done again. I will know shortly if I'm burning more oil. I was only burning a 1/4 quart per 1000 miles and I drive the car pretty hard. I'm guessing this contributed to the one rotor having a lower compression.

Petscar

If I do a reman, I would probably get it from Mazda and have Kris install it.

CaymanRotary

Best way to do it.

jcbrx8

Generally, I don't disagree w/ this statement...but believe it depends on the person & skill set. How does one gain experience..., but by doing a thing? For most... probably not a prudent path. I originally wasn't going to rebuild my engine...but after researching the process...; decided to pursue the project. It's worked out well so far.

• Saved considerable $$ vs the quotes I received ...especially considering the porting, doweling, studding that I added.
• Saved turn-around time ...completing the project in 2 mo. ...avoiding the generally much longer, & unreliable "shop" turn-around times.
• Gained .....wait for it......"experience".

Of course, getting a reman in advance, swapping it in... then returning your core is also a good option.

CaymanRotary

You have to be the right person in the right situation to try it. For most people, the reman is so much safer. I could probably do it and have considered doing it but I'm just more convinced the reman engine is just worth it compared to the job that most people and I are capable of. I'm glad it worked out for you though but I've heard my fair share of horror stories of people trying to do it themselves. Put in all the hard extra work just to find out you missed an O-ring on a dowel or something.

scruggyj

S2000 may be another good choice to consider as well. High revs , great handling and fun.

Petscar

The S2000 seems to be hard to find although I have been looking. The ones I found were very expensive. The drawback for me is the same as the Miata. A little too small but I will definitely drive on if I get the chance.

Steve Dallas

Have you tried a GT86 / Toybaru? Anything in the BMW camp strike your fancy?

I recently tried everything on your list plus a few more and arrived at similar conclusions. I ended up with an M235i, which is a lot of fun, but quite different than the 8.

Petscar

Actually one of the first cars I looked at was the Subaru. They look great. Dealer wasnt letting anyone demo the car which was a turnoff. I did sit in it and found it too be a little small and uncomfortable. Too bad. This was my first choice as far as looks.

Petscar

I've been staying away from German cars. I had a MB CLK just before the RX8. Nice ride. A luxury sports feel. Built solid however they are over engineered. Had it in the shop 3 times in the first 3 months. The Germans should farm out their electronics to the Japanese. After speaking to several people, they all agree that the German cars can be a pain to deal with and expensive to repair. Im told BMW in particular. One person said that MB, BMW and Audi have poltergeist 's in their cars. 👹 I did drive a BMW years ago and loved the way it handled. I loved the CLK as well. Sadly it got totaled by hail. Thats why I have the RX8. Next time around I hope to find a less finicky car. For the moment, I am loving the RX8 and hope she keeps running well......unless I can find something that satisfies like the 8.

CaymanRotary

Only thing that isnt finicky is a Toyota or Honda but seriously, who REALLY wants one of those boring cars. Anything fun is finicky but that's why we love these cars. Nothing out there even comes close to the 8 price range wise. It's an absolutely perfect car to drive. Most well rounded car ever made in this price point.

40th8Jake

For the price man the Rx8 can’t be beat. The Toyota 86’s are overpriced Miatas. They look cool no doubt, but 200bhp.. Rx8 with bolt on’s and a tune can make that at wheel pretty easily. No doubt I would love to drive an e36 or e46 but not pay the repair bills

S2000 is a beautiful car no doubt. Has slightly more power than a Rx8 and can be tuned to make quite a bit more. But would I pay 15k for one? Not with my pockets.
Also the sound of rotary is something to marvel every weekend I take mine out.
Thanks Pets, and maybe just changing coils and plugs and regular maintenance it will keep in rotating for a while.

CaymanRotary

I'm lucky enough to say I enjoy mine every day. That sound is insane with a straight pipe and stainless steel Catback exhaust. I roast any Honda on the roads here and look good doing it.

40th8Jake

Amen dude. I love when Civic Si try and race.
I won’t do any digs b/c I don’t want to put in a new clutch yet, but when rolling it’s a wrap.
Cheers

Steve Dallas

The bolded part is either very optimistic or inaccurate.

A NEW Renesis engine makes 200WHP. From there, it loses power every time you drive it, as its compression ratio continually declines. There are a ton of dynos on this site for cars with bolt-ons and a tune making 180WHP or less. The GT86 platform engine has more low end torque (same peak torque as the 8), which makes it suitable for plenty of applications. It can also receive bolt-ons and a tune. Being more durable than the Renesis, it is a better platform for FI.

E36 and E46 BMWs are perhaps the last of the easy and cheap to work on Bimmers. You need to invest in ~$100 worth of tools, but it is all pretty straightforward from there. I'm putting the tranny back in E46 tonight. No biggie.

40th8Jake

Also I’ve seen stock cars without any modifications making 170-180 Rwhp with mileage on the engines. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion with research. When it comes to vehicles there is hardly anything objective and concrete, even from manufacturers spoofing their numbers.

From different dyno’s ie mustang,dynojet to different atmospheric conditions.
This is Rx8 club after all, so I will probably be biased of course.
Yeah sure the boxer engine is good for boost till a point and you want to do headgasket, at least the ej25 has issues. Tomato/Tomato
Head gaskets rebuild/ apex seal rebuild

To me it is pick what poison you like the most and go with it

Steve Dallas

This is a bit of a false equivalency. A lightly boosted boxer will last a long time. A lightly boosted Renesis often lasts as little as 10K miles. Also a head gasket job costs a lot less than an apex seal job, and most enthusiasts can do a head gasket themselves.

delhi

E46 330ci ZHP is an honest well balanced coupe. No, it's not perfect at that age but what is.....older cars require attention. If you can deal with the usual issues commonly associated with German cars, it's a good choice and decently cheap. Also don't forget a 128i with the newer and sweet n52 I6 engine. Not as hot as the turbo cousins. A 135i with n55 is quite affordable with great bang for the buck. The 1-ers aren't pretty cars imho.
I've driven the toybaru twins. While they are good humble and fun cars, they are not as sophisticated as the RX8 in the handling dynamics. Didn't have there sublime feeling that for whatever reason the RX8 posseses. Had GC8 2.5RS and WRX in the past. Fun cars with truck like engine. Boxer burble is great. But they hate to be revved. Therefore ringing out the boxer 4 at high rpm is horrible. Totally an uncouth experience.