Hi all,

After lurking the forums for over 3-4 yrs or so, I finally signed up as the time to buying my rx8 is coming close. After being compulsively obsessed about the car, i think 4 yrs is enough of a wait time and my time has now come (or will be in march).

So, here's my dilema: I have 2 options that I can choose from:

1- Brand New '05 GT model (no appearance package or nav)
2- Demo 05 GT model with speed kit (well, speed front, rear and spoiler + OEM side skirts) - Demo has about 5-6k kms on it.

Both would cost me around the same $$.

Now, I refuse to believe that a demo car is not driven hard and thus, I can assume that engine was never broken in properly. Also, when I personally test drove the demo car, i red-lined it the first 2 gears (i could not help it).

So, what to do? Which one to buy?

I am totally happy with an 05 new model and break the engine in and then add the speed kit... BUT.. i have an option with a speed kit installed rx8... ready... just the fact that it has been a demo car is workign against it.

Any suggestions is appreciated and greatly valued.


PS: This site and forum rocks! I have been reading forums for a looooong while.. just never wanted to sign up as I did not have an 8 yet... now that i will soon have it, i just had to sign up and thank you all

Cheers!

 

Just for peice of mind alone I would skip the demo. My car had minimal miles on it when I received it and the tranny was replaced around 10,000miles and the engine at 21,000miles.

Edit - Forgot to say that Jiffy Lube was responsible for the engine damage. The dealership was kind enough to just take care of it.

 

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a "speed kit"?

Regardless, I'd go for the new one, for the reasons you just mentioned. A demo car with 5-6K Km's might have (and probably was) abused enough for me not to be worth it.

 

I'd do the brand new. An MS bumper alone isn't enough for me overlook that it's a demo. Poor car, don't even know what it's been through.

Have you negotiated down the demo? If it was significantly less than the brand new, then it might be worth considering.

 

Tamas: Speed kit is the mazdaspeed body kit.

I have not yet sat down for exact number crunching just yet.. waiting till march when I officially hunt down my rx8 and buy it and have the downpayment ready.

I dont fancy the concept of buying a demo rx8 myself... i want a brand new one... the only reason i have this dilema is that I like the speed kit and if I add it myself, there goes another good chunk of $$ ($5k cad) or so... but in the long run, a new car is indeed the better choice.

I guess if the demo is significantly cheaper than the new 05, then perhaps is worth a shot?

*sigh*

 

yep.

 

I bought my 8 as a demo with 2.4k miles on it. It runs fine, never had any trouble with it after 2 years. I'd be more concerned about tranny abuse than engine abuse on a rotary demo. rotaries can be reved to red line new without any ill affects. It took me awhile to get used to a 6 speed and I have to admit I missed some shifts at High rpm. I bought snow tires and rims with the money I saved. If you have problems the 4 year warranty will cover it.

 

or you can always have the speed kit worked into the deal, it would be more money...but there would be no miles, and no abuse.....and you'll have the car exactly the way you want it

 

Normally I would have said take the peace-of-mind with the new one, but Roaddemon's story gives me pause...

 

buy new, that way it can truly be yours. you waited this long for it. no reason to get used goods if you can get one made just for you.

 

Thanks all.
Dinhx8... I did not think of it like that... waited long enough...i should and i deserve a new one.. not used goods... ok.. all the more reason to get a new one

 

I would NEVER buy a demo vs a new car. You dont know how the engine was broken in. Or the clutch/trans abuse. The kit parts you mentioned cost approx. $2600. Thats certainly not enough of a discount for a car with that many miles/kms on it. Pass on it.

 

just imagine the last guy who test drove the car
imagine them abusing it

now would you really want that?

 

uhm.. I was perhaps the last few before the car was taken off as demo.
Now, I personally red-lined for gear 1, 2, 3 ... and did a few other things... now knowing what i could not resist doing, there are other ppl who wud have done the same. AND, to top it off, there was a point when the car was running on very very very LOW oil tank.. next to empty... so.. come to think of it, i dunno what i was thinking to even consider this car... the speed kit can wait or i can pay for that.. i rather get a brand new!

DOH!!!


well.. better late to realize than never!

 

Ditto. Bought one demo (a Toyota Celica) years ago, and had nothing but problems.

 

fredw1, would you be so kind as to elaborate? What kind of problems did you have? Specifically, were they the kinds of problems that could be attributed to having been a demo car?

 

It sounds like they are not discounting the demo enough, even with the NAV and MS kit, I would worry more about the clutch than the tranny and engine. Also, does the demo come with the 4yr/50k warranty??? I have never bought a demo, nor would I ever. Demo is just another way of saying Beater, which in most cases they are. I remember when the G35 came out the dealer by me had 2 demo cars. The sales guy took me out to one, started it up and proceeded to mash the gas and take off around a series of s-curves at which point he nailed the brakes to demonstrate how good they worked with the ABS. He asked me if I was "impressed" I said, car seems to be able to keep up with you, is it my turn? At which point we switched places and I repeated the S-curve test, only 10mph higher than he did it and thru in a snap u-turn with DSC OFF leaving about 12ft of rubber coming out of it. What did it prove? The car was very capable, would the average Joe ever do that in his? was I going to buy that one, NO, but maybe one like it. The scary thing was that nothing I did to the car phased the sales guy in the least, wonder where that car is now???

 

I've bought a 91 integra demo, 2000 626 demo, and my rx8 demo. All MT except the 626. Never had trouble with any of them. I admit the clutch would be my biggest concern with a performance car. People miss gears test driving, start out in wrong gears, accidently downshift when upshifting at high rpm etc. I personaly have had good luck while saving some cash. The salesguy came along when I test drove the 8 2X and would'nt let me rev past 5k. I did the speed limit the whole time. They assured me the car was not abused and broken in properly. The third time they let me take it home overnight. I bought it the next day. Been happy ever since.