I have been in love with the RX-8 since the first time I saw one. I am currently trying to sell my car and have been in touch with the seller of a 2004 RX-8. It have 68,000 miles and has an extended warrenty until 90,000 miles.
As I get closer to thinking I finally am getting the car my heart has been set on, I have been reading more and more negative reviews. CarSurvey.org is just horror story after horror story about the RX-8. I am starting to second guess my decision to get an RX-8. I read them all with a grain of salt, keeping in mind that when something goes wrong people will always go online to rant, but when things go right people rarely spread the word.
The most complaints:
Engine flooding after starting car?
Headlamps damaged with builtup condensation?
Can't drive the car small distances?
Fuel consumption (I am already prepared for this, I currently have an SUV anyway)


Can anyone comment on these issues? Has anyone had any recall work done on their RX-8?

Also, I have never had a manual vehicle. I kinda already know how to drive one but never got really good at it. Is this vehicle going to be hard for me to catch onto?


Thanks in advance!

 

Flooding is a thing of the past

Condensation in the bulbs was cured in later years, and can be fixed easily

You can drive short distances, just make sure to warm up the car fully. (prevents flooding)

Sports car = fuel consumption

And these cars a light weight, low torque cars. That make them very easy to drive a manual tranny.

 

none of those reasons are sizable enough to keep you from buying... the engine only has a chance of flooding if you turn it off before its warm, simply prevented with running the car five minutes.

 

mines an 04 and ive already owned 2 8s and ive still havent had a problem with flooding...i got the new flash last month and i can see an improvement in gas mileage and smoothness through out the car...the condensation in the back should be covered by the dealership as warranty work...i havent had a problem with either 8, just keep maintaining it well and your good...

 

Tail light condensation was caused by poor gaskets. The gaskets were reworked a little while after release. If the car you are looking at doesn't have condensation in the tail lights now (easily seen), it either has replacement gaskets or the gasket it has is fine. Dealerships are very aware of the problem. I'm on my 4rth right taillight and only 1 had condensation issues. The other 2 were victims of vehicular intercourse.

Flooding - flooding an rx-8 is possible. So, really, if you bother to read up for 2 minutes on what flooding is and how you can possibly flood your rx-8, it should never be a problem. Deflooding is not really an involved process. If you let your spark plugs get really crapped up and old and you start the car, run it for 10 seconds, and then turn it off and let it sit, you can probably flood the car.

As for the manual, I had never owned a manual and hadn't driven a manual in a couple years when I bought my 8. I picked it up from the dealer and drove it home without much of an issue. I stalled it a couple times over the next few weeks mostly not giving it enough gas when taking off on an incline and the car not having much low end torque. Really, though, it's pretty easy to drive.

 

^ What they all said!

Now, get it!!!

Btw... I am a proud owner of an 04 LY MT "8".... and I still smile everyday like it was the first day!!!

 

^1 bumble bee!!!

 

Wow, great replies and info everyone. You have restored my confidence in my decision.. Now if I could only unload my 2000 Trailblazer with leather interior, heated seats, cd changer, in great condition to someone.. LOL.. let me know if you need a family car!

 

The engine warranty is 100k miles or 8 years so you will still be covered past the 90k.

 

"let me know if you need a family car!"

Isn't Trailblazer a frickin' truck? Not to bash on you personally but this strikes me as a common misassumption, and one of the reasons the U.S. fleet has the worst average mileage in the world. The other, related misassumption, is that the "sports" in sports utility vehicle means you should drive down a crowded freeway switching lanes in your Suburban like you own a Ferrari or Rx8.

 

I'd stay away from the 04 unless you are getting a super deal.... even then I would hold out for at least an 05 maybe 06

Pull the service history to see if the Engine has been replaced.

 

the tail light is a problem that will NEVER, EVER go away. well if ur area is *clean*, u might not see a problem ... much, but if its dirty and polluted place like NYC, well, expect ur light turn itself into a fishtank around like 15K miles.

Flooding? whats that ? I never flood, I shut them off cold all the time.

Fuel consumption, well, who cares. Im having fun

 

LTABA - Hey now, I am just trying to sell. For the same reason a realtor is allowed to call a tiny house "cozy". I majored in marketing and just trying to put it to use.

SHOAFB - I pulled the carfax. It seems it has never had ANYTHING replaced and has had it's maintenance at every 3k on the dot! No accidents either. We negotiated on the price $11,400 which sounded like a deal to me.

 

Not to say that I think it's a bad deal, but I agree with avoiding the 04's if you can hold out. They are sort of a crap shoot, being a first year model.

When you test drive it, make sure you drive it a good distance, get the revs up there, look for things like hesitation or power loss.

Ask them if the plugs and coils are new. If it needs them, that will cost you a few hundred bucks if you do it yourself, but it's an easy job.

Also, if it were me, I would take a friend who is more familiar with manual transmissions with you for the test drive, since the trannys (and clutches) are also problematic and could lead to an expensive repair that isn't covered under the extended engine core warranty.

My 2 cents, hope it helps.

 

Sounds like a fair price. Do you have a rotary expert nearby you could take it to? It would be nice to have a compression test done for peace of mind... but that might be a little more difficult buying from a private seller and not a dealer.

 

Since I live in Atlanta, so I think I can take it to the Mazda dealer here. The seller agreed that if I decide to buy it he will let me take it in for an overall check before the purchase is final.