zeliggusgus

hi everybody. i'm thinking of buying a new '05 8 in the next few weeks. i was a little reluctant until recently because i'm not very knowledgeable about cars and i've heard it has some reliability issues which intimidates me. i've done a lot of reading and a friend of mine has one and has had no problems with it. also, a coworker had an rx-7 but knows a lot about cars and has heard some things about the 8. he and i just spoke about generalities. after talking with him and telling him that i'm not a racer, he thinks that i would like the 8 a lot. i'm pretty convinced, but it would help put my mind at ease if you could share some words of comfort. and i want to know if you think that this is the right car for someone like me.

my main concern is the short-distance driving (i.e. don't shut off the egine before it gets warm enough). i live where winter temps can drop pretty low, and i live very close to work so it is very likely i may be facing this issue on a regular basis. i drive a 95 accord v6. this morning, the temp was in the 20s (it's been known to be sub 0, but that is extreme). by the time i got to work (about 1.5 miles, stop-and-go, avg. speed limit 30) without warming it up, my engine temp was halfway between blue and the middle. is this too short a distance for the 8? i read rotaries create a lot of heat anyway. if i just keep a close eye on the temp guage, will i be ok? is getting a remote start system stupid?

i don't know much about cars. i'm not a picky driver. i don't care how fast it runs a 1/4 mile, i don't want to mod it to 500 HP. i actually like that it doesn't have a lot of torque. i just want to get from point A to point B reliably. i know it's a sports car and, naturally, sports cars require more attention than your typical family sedan. there are issues i'm prepared to accept. i just don't want to spend half the time getting my car towed to the shop, loaner or not. and i'm very mechanically challenged. the only thing i'm probably able to do is check/add oil when needed. this will be my first MT too, but that's not a big concern. i can learn. so, first sports car, first MT, paranoid about reliability issues, is this too much for me to handle? or am i just being a wuss?

i follow the rules. i can learn to rev up to 3500 for 10 secs before shutting down. i can warm up my car a few secs before taking off each morning. i THINK i'm capable of following the "break in the engine" rules for a new car. i'm very adaptable to what's put in front of me. if there are little REASONABLE quirks you think a guy like me can tolerate, i'm going to go for it. what do you think? am i just being paranoid? afterall, EVERY car has issues right?

thanks again everybody!

Sephiroth

You've done your research, you shouldn't have any problems with reliability. Let the car idle for a 2-3mins, then go to work. By the time you get there it should be warmed up and can be turned off. Flooding is a big issue because people forget about it or don't know about it. You are clearly informed about the issue. Cold weather isn't much of an issue.

On the weekends or evenings remember to take the car out and after it's sufficiently warmed up, rev it some and have fun with it. It's a sports car built to be revved and driven.

Break-in isn't too complicated, they tell you to keep a rev limit for a certain number of miles. First MT? No problem, get a friend to show you the ropes and you will be good to go.

I think you are being paranoid, but for good reason. Every car does have issues, be aware of the issues with this car and you are good to go. RX8Club is here for you if you have any other issues.

Scrapula

Why bother driving if you only live 1.5 miles away from work? I'd walk or bike to work, then use the 8 on weekends.

zeliggusgus

2-3 minutes? is that just for cold days? what about regular days? where i live, one day it can be 30 and the next it can be 70. summers get as hot as 90s and even 100+. is the rule of thumb just to watch the guage? i'm the kind of guy that feels better when you attach a # to it.

a bike? that would be way too obvious and easy. but i'll think about it.

RevTo9K

You've got it... just watch the needle, and don't turn it off until the temp needle makes it to "full warm", which, in those first few days after getting your 8, you'll see the exact spot on the gauge. I'd do that regardless of the weather, understanding that it will just take longer when it's colder outside.

Just one more thing to think about - if you're in an area where you need to drive in the snow, the tires on the car are "summer-only" and have almost no grip on even tiny amounts of snow... even if you're only going a short distance, the stock tires on snow just don't let you start, turn or stop. You'll need all-season or winter tires, and there are recommendations all over this board.

I'll reiterate something that was posted previously as well... Once the car is broken in, especially if you're primarily driving it on short trips, you'll need to take it out occasionally, warm it up, and run it fairly hard, running the engine up to redline a few times to help burn off carbon deposits and keep it running right.

From your description of what you're looking for in a car, it sounds like the 8 would be a good choice... you're not looking for a drag car, you don't mind that it doesn't provide V8 torque, and you seem to kinda like the idea of needing to do a few special things, because you have a special car. Kinda sound like my attitude, and I've had my 8 for a year-and-a-half now, with no problems and no complaints. Best of luck to you!

Rotor Kreuzer

It shouldn't be a big problem. Prior to getting my 8, I hadn't had much knowledge about rotaries, but I read up on it, learnt the basic little rules, and today, after 29k kms, I'm happy I got it. It's a year old now and after a good wash I still look at it and think to myself 'Daym, this car is hot, I'm glad it's mine!!'

Good luck dude, I'm sure you'll love the 8 if you get it.

vectorwolf

I'm sure you'll enjoy it. This is my first and only rotary car as well. I pretty much "impulse" bought it back in January. I have 30,000 miles on it now, and have yet to have a problem.

Keeping in mind, I tend to be VERY hard on my cars... I'm a firm believer in the value of reaching my cruising speed as quickly as possible, so the car sees redline *cough*multiple times*cough* over the course of a given day.

Reliability concerns were high on my list before purchase as well. But, the more I learn about this engine, the more unwarranted those concerns seem. The Renesis has just three moving parts; not 60-100 as in your typical 4-, 6-, or 8-cylinder engine. And those three parts are pretty darn beefy. Historically, a rotary's biggest weakness was simply excessive heat... Improper modifications (i.e. bigger turbos) introduced too much of it, thus causing seals to fail, among other things.

But, the RX-8's cooling system is more than adequate, so as long as you follow the standard maintenance schedule, and keep an eye on your oil (something I've admittedly forgotten once or twice, but has never come back to bite me...) you'll have many happy years with it. Good luck!



P.S.- Get Winning Blue. It's the fastest color. Trust me.

zeliggusgus

i'll def keep that in mind. it does get icy from time to time. in fact, it's doing that wet non-stick snow right now.

so this is AFTER i follow the break in rules? i can do that. good advice.

thanks everybody for exactly the comforting advice i was looking for. i'm off to the dealership right now to start my pricing homework. wish me luck.

Ike

I really think you should stick with a good old reliable Honda. You're not going to drive it fast, you're not going to test it's handling limits, and it's not the most reliable car or maintenance free car out there despite what some might say. Just seems pointless for you to buy a sportscar and that you should just stick with something more practical that's lower maintenance.

It would be like marrying a gorgeous high maintenance woman that's great in bed and then never having sex with her...

Tigster

I have to agree with Ike, the 8 needs to be redlined a couple of times a week to prevent carbon build up. The car is a high maintenance car, nothing like the Honda you are used to. If you want a fun car that requires some looking after then get the 8, if you want hassle free get a Honda, if you drive alot in the snow get a WRX.

If you do get the 8 get a set of winter tires right away the summer performance tires suck in the snow.

buzzardsluck

I HATE to agree with Ike but I do in this case. It sounds to me like you want to try out having a sportscar, have you thought about buying an older sportscar that is cheaper and see how you like it?

BTW, aside from paint problems and recalls my 8 has never had a problem. Had mine since 8/16/04. To my knowledge you could of bought a brand new 8 back when they came out and never had a recall done and your car would still be running fine. IMO this car is reliable but time will tell.

Everyone knows VR is the fastest 8 , geesh it unbelievable the ignorance on this forum sometimes

gonnahanvan8

Buy it, be happy. It's a lot of fun. Sometimes, I walk out into the garage just to look at it one more time before i go to bed.

Snow tires are a must, neat thing is, it drives better in the snow then any car I have ever owned (snow tires of course).

Gray-8

You from Chicago?

I take the train to work, and only use the car weekdays to drive a mile to pick up the kids from daycare and come home. Haven't had any issues with flooding and temps have been below 30 for weeks.

As others mentioned, I go out on the weekends and get the revs up and have fun with it, and pretty much any other time I'm in it without the kids.

zeliggusgus

for all my paranoid talk, i think i've failed to mention how much i've always wanted an 8. this has been my #1 dream car for a long time. #1 as in i can't think of any car that i'd rather have if i had the choice of any car i've ever seen. i've honestly considered an rsx, wrx, lancer, etc., but none of them even came close to the appeal of the 8 to me.

but seriously, thanks for the concern. i think i'll be alright though. the fact that it is my first sports car coupled with the fact that i'm naturally skeptical about things i don't know about, makes me paranoid. but like i said, there are issues i'm prepared to deal with. i know it's going to require more attention than what i've been used to. i wouldn't go through with it if i thought the risk i take with reliability outweighed the potential of loving the car i've always wanted.

i doubt i'll have any problem strectching her legs on weekends, if not more frequently than that. i've had 2 cars in my life, the accord and a tercel. not the most fun cars in the world. so gimme an 8 and i'll have fun with it. just because i don't race doesn't mean i won't use it as a sports car.

plus if it does end up being too much of a hassel than it's worth, i can always sell it. it'll suck BIG TIME, but i'll at least learn from it and i won't regret never getting the car i've always wanted when i had the opportunity. besides, i've always got you guys to help me out right? i'll return the favor with computer help, although i prefer macs over windows machines. if any of you have ever considered the switch from windows to mac, i'm the guy to talk to. but i digress. thanks for the replies.

Scrapula

I inititally made the switch to Mac in 1993. I love my G5 for the same reasons I love my 8. It is sleek looking and beautiful. There may be faster computers out there and ones that are easier to modify, but why mess with a thing of beauty. This is why I will keep my 8 all original. Buy the car and enjoy it!

zeliggusgus

if my 8 is half as satisfying as my powerbook, i'll be thrilled.

Butch Brown

I have one of the first 8's built April 2003. 21,000 miles. Flooded 1 time after washing it and pulling it back into the garage. Other times I did that I revved the engine to 4,000-5,000 rpm's for 10 seconds and it never flooded when I did that. If I were you I would get the 8 and take the long way to work and back warm it up red line it and enjoy!

BunnyGirl

I keep hearing people talking about carbon here and on other forums. I mentioned it to one of the shop mechanics. He gave me a funny look and then started laughing. He said that isn't an issue at all!!! He said the gas nowadays is much cleaner burning and so is the oil than it has been in the past and that carbon is a nonissue. He said that used to be a problem when gas used to come leaded. He also said if you don't buy the recommended premium gas you will have some issues with performance but the car is not supposed to carbon up. I have also heard other people say things like that, so I just don't know what to believe. I know my mom's first husband back in the 60s and 70s had high performance muscle cars and he had an engine blow from carbon buildup because they said he didn't drive it hard enough but that was attributed to the leaded gas causing buildup also. He's a huge car buff and has been for years and he said carbon is not an issue in this day and age. Has anyone actually had a carboning up problem or is this just something people warn about as a good excuse to rev up the car and drive it hard?

I know very little about cars and I am not very mechanically inclined. Basically, I am like the guy thart started this thread. I read it and thought it could have been me that wrote it!!! I would appreciate some input on this since I just don't know who has the right answer.

Tigster

Bunnygirl,

Your mechanic is not the brightest. Even Mazda recommends to redline the car to prevent a carbon build up. Tell him to go back to Mazda school

zeliggusgus

so are you thinking of buying one or do you already have one? check out other threads i've started. you might be going contemplating the same questions. hope it helps. keep me posted too.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-trouble-shooting-95/dynamic-stability-safety-everyone-lead-feet-78836/
https://www.rx8club.com/purchasing-financing-insurance-56/initial-offers-want-model-not-dealers-lot-78846/

BunnyGirl

I have a 2006 on order expected to be here by the end of January or early February. It's a b-day present to myself.

zeliggusgus

wow, nice. may i ask how much you paid for it and what options you got?

happy birthday. all i bought for myself on my birthday was some sushi.

BunnyGirl

I went through Costco and will only have to pay a locked in price of $400 over invoice so I won't have to try and negotiate with them. (Costco saves a lot of money. If no store near you, you can still shop online and get a membership, $45 a year for basic membership but really saves a lot on a car if that is the only thing you use it for). The "official" 2006 price was not available but the person at headquarters I talked to to get the whole drawn out procedure going and in the works said they were expected to be keeping the same 2005 pricing. I guess we'll see. This is actually my first car, ever. It's my 25th b-day present to myself as a reward for working so hard (over 80 hours a week). This is also my first stick, driven one before regularly about six years ago, my friend's mustang, not since, out of practice, signed up for a lesson at Sears to relearn since I don't know anyone who has a stick at this time.

2006 RX-8 6-Speed M/T

Winning Blue Metallic

Black Leather

Grand Touring Package

Appearance Package

Rotary Accent Package

Navigation System

Alarm Shock Sensor Upgrade

In-Dash 6-Disc CD Changer

Rear Wing Spoiler

Spare Tire Kit

I am also getting the fender strakes and blue tint fog light lens covers (but that is not included in the purchase price).

MSRP of $36,100, invoice of $32,720, my price $33,120. The dealer told me he still makes $1000 bucks on the sale of my car, would normally have listed it at $37,000 with dealer markup.

BunnyGirl

I called the shop today and spoke to one of the "actual" mechanics about the carbon issue to get a clarification. He said that it is not so much of a problem from the gasoline causing a carbon issue but that it because the engine has oil injection which burns off, which is why the car takes so much oil. It is the oil that has the potential to cause carboning up. He said if you use synthetic oil there is a much slimmer chance of carboning up happening since the synthetic burns off much more fully and cleanly. However, he said Mazda recommends against using synthetic in the RX-8 since they don't know how it performs in it, because it also works/burns (something) a little differently than regular oil. He told me not to use synthetic because it would void my warranty with Mazda if something were to happen to the engine, specifically because they said not to use it. He said it was use at my own risk after that, too.

cmiannay

Gus & Bunny,

That's weird... I'm new to this forum (new to 8s), and I also was reading through this thread thinking, "This guy sounds like me!" I'll be on the hunt for an 04 next month, so I'm trying to do my homework.

I'm not interested in the fastest car, just the best looking one. Everytime I see an RX8 on the road there's a quick intake of air, followed by a broad smile -- they are soooo awesome -- I can't wait to own one.

However, I keep reading about recalls but don't know the details. Anybody know the reason(s) for the recall(s)? Some of these complaints are seriously raining on my little mid-life-crisis parade!

Needing encouragement...