Alright like the title says I am looking at buying a used 2006 mazda rx 8. the vehicle only has 29,000 miles on it. It checked autocheck and carfax just fine, but I have a couple questions, I keep hearing about thise horrible 420f(ithink) motor issue. is this preventable? and it 5w30 ok to use(void warranty) or is 5w20 all that is suppose to go in? I love how the car drove and I love how it looks, but it will be my DD and I want it to last! thanks for any help.

 

anybody have some insight

 

I drive my car every day 40+ miles and I have no issues. Im at 77K, I pre-mix my fuel, I took out my cat and I drive very hard sometimes. The rule of thumb is that you may have to spend a lot on maintenance, (ignition, plugs, starter, motor mounts, cat death, 16 mpg...just to name a few) but it's a rotary so you knew it wasnt all fun and games. This is why I like this car though. I love working on it and its fun to drive. I would say go for it, if you want something dependable then you don't want a sportscar at all.... they all have their own issues.

 

With only 29k miles, you should be just fine. If you want to be super safe, premix your fuel, always keep up on maintenance, make sure you do all the regular things *Don't flood, replace items when they require, etc*. There are quite a few people who just do the normal things with their car and have 100k+ miles.

 

im a newb, what do you mean by premix?

 

Premix is adding 2-stroke oil to the gas. Look for the premix thread...it's a sticky, i.e., locked near the top of one of the forums.

There's also a thread on 4206f, which was a fix, not a problem. Call Mazda (either a good local dealer or Mazda USA) with the car's VIN. Ask for the car's service history, particularly what recalls and/or service bulletins have been done. The key ones are 4206f, which was a check on engine condition and a reflash, and MSP16, which was a reflash. Search engine here is not very good, but it should respond well to searching on 4206f and on MSP16.

5w30 is fine. My dealer sometimes fills with 5w30 instead of 5w20. Virtually all the oil grades that folks here recommend are OK.

What color and trim level is the '06 you're looking at? IMHO, the finest people own '06s.

Ken

 

To keep it simple:

The newer RX8's added an additional port for lubricating the seals in a specific area that the earlier models didn't have.
So............older models don't have this extra port, and a lot of people pre-mix. This is adding anywhere from 4-6 ounces of a good quality two stroke oil(to the gas tank)when they fill up with gas. I personally use Idemitsu since it's made for rotaries.



Damn it, I didn't see Ken was typing!!!!!!!!

 

I've had my 8 over 4 years now, and it's been as trouble-free as any car I've ever owned. (And I bought my first car, a used Saab, in 1972.) I've never thought of my RX-8 as problematic; it's as reliable as my refrigerator.

I do check the oil level every other fill-up but, guess what, I've always done that for every car I've owned. I remember to let her warm up for a few minutes before heading out, and I redline the engine a few times per trip. Big deal.

Regarding oil, there are many opinions on this forum about that. Many here feel it's better to use 5W-30, since that's the grade Mazda recommends everywhere in the world except here. Personally I use 5W-20 just like the Owner's Manual recommends. If you take care of your car, I doubt it makes much difference whether you choose to use 5W-20 or 5W-30. Know that the vast majority of people in this country undoubtedly use 5W-20, and most RX-8s in this country run just fine.

Premixing means adding a few ounces of lubricant to your gas tank before filling it up. Those who premix believe it helps extend engine life by providing extra lubrication for the engine. There are many lubricants that people use as a premix; if you search "premix" here you can read all about it. Again, realize that probably only 2 or 3% of all RX-8 owners in the world premix (or, for that matter, have even heard the term). Personally I don't believe it's necessary; many here do.

So, bottom line… maintain your 8 (it's not at all hard to do) and, I believe, your car will be more or less as reliable as most other cars.

Good luck!

 

thanks for all of the help guys, I'm coming from owning a 2005 Honda accord, so honestly I could lack on maintenance and it would run top notch still. I maintain my vehicles, but I'm trying to get as much info as possible on the rx 8 as possible before I jump in over my head.

 

That's smart. I would say do it if you like working on cars. Keeps cost down and it's fun. The 8 can be reliable but not like an accord. Some people do all the "right" things and their 8s have nonstop issues.

 

well, hopefully I can enough of the right things to keep my car running strong. I'm not very good with cars or motors, but I am very interested in both. So I am going to try and repair and install as many goodies as I can on this vehicle. I honestly didnt start changing my own oil until I owned my Accord. haha it is sad I know, but it is cheaper to have a shop do it than to buy it yourself. Can anybody reccomend a good site to by a RX8 specific repair manual.

 

The owner's manual has a remarkable volume of do it yourself insight. If you didn't get one you can join the owner's section of the MazdaUSA site and download a pdf.

This forum also has a DIY for almost any task you can imagine, from simple oil change to removing the engine!

The more extensive workshop manual is linked here as well, so no need to buy.

I personally use 5w30 and Idemitsu pre-mix in my 2005 (also with under 29k miles) and have had no issues.

As others have cited get a service record from any dealer and ensure the aforementioned TSB/MSP's have been implemented. Other than that just more frequent checking of oil level since the rotary is designed to burn a bit of oil.

Enjoy!

 

alright thanks guy, you have been a huge help!

 

S2 also injects a LOT more oil too.
wonder if that can be done to S1. half a quart every 600 miles.

 

^ more oil certainly can be metered to an S1, if you have a Cobb Accessport.

 

Damn, now that im broken in I'm going thru between a quarter and a half every 600 (2 tanks). Best mpg I can do is 21.

 

21 is pretty good. I normally average around 18. And I have a cobb ap + straight pipe.

 

Yep, 21 is pretty good; 18 mpg myself. CobbAP-MM tune and spirited driving style as well tho'.

 

I did end up getting the RX8 this morning! and I am in love!

 

^ You have chosen; wisely!

Fifth season for me and I am still impressed with how easily it does what I want it to; almost by simply thinking about it. And it still turns heads.

 

ive had mine 3 tears now and put nearly 60k miles on it myself got it with 30k n its been the most reliable car i have had

 

I am already loving it. only complaint all the plastic covers under the hood. no show appeal at all. and dealer didnt have owners manual so I am waiting for it to come in the mail.

 

you'll probably end up taking the main cover off; it's just in the way.

 

While you're waiting, you can read it online right now! http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...earHome.action (Bottom of page)

 

Actually, I would recommend he sign up in the owners section of that site and input his VIN. It will then display all kinds of useful info, give you a place to put in all your maintenance things, access to the manual, tell you if you have any outstanding recalls etc!.

Oh...and welcome to the addiction Gory!


Please read that owners manual!!!!!!!!