I've been thinking about an RX8 for some time. I've been watching a dealer that has 3 '10 RX8 R3 and are marked down to $25K. I may buy one if it keeps getting lower, which I suspect is likely. I've googled these cars and have heard a lot of complaints about the older models. I have many questions: how far has the '10 come? do they flood easy, can I fix it if it does? Is it hard to find a garage (in Milwaukee) that can work on it? Do you have to warm it up to pull it into the garage? Please let me know what you think about these questions and any further info you can give would be helpful. I test drove the Grand Touring and liked it a lot. Thank you.

 

If they are brand new, $25k is a pretty sweet deal and they won't go much lower. If they are used you can probably get them down to ~22k. All your questions could be answered by some quick searching/reading the stickies/reading the FAQ's but Ill be nice.

The Series II's (09+) have improvements to make them less prone to flooding. I still wouldn't recommend shutting one off cold but I like to play it safe.

I'd recommend finding a reputable dealership or a garage that specialize's in rotary cars. Ask in the regional forums for more specific help.

^ See above, I'd recommend driving it for 5 mins or at least letting it idle until the moving redline indicator has increased.

Make sure you test drive the R3 as well. The ride is a little harsher and the seats especially are uncomfortable to some.

 

Just go drive the thing, Michelle.

 

^+1

Check out a meet in your local area n' talk to some locals about the car. Then go to a dealership n' drive it...n' not like granny it...i mean DRIVE IT like you stole it. Then look at the pricetag n' make your decision.

 

I've read plenty of stories of people driving evo's, sti's, etc, then test driving the rx8 and buying it that day

 

+1 There really isn't anything else out there in the RX8's price range that compares.

 

^And that's the fact jack.

 

When I started my search, I drove a used 2009 RX-8 GT. Half an hour later I drove a used 350Z. As soon as I got out of the Z, my mind was made up.

 

And then buy it, 'cause that's what you're gonna do. No way you will drive that car and not take it home.

 

Buy it, then post pics of you and the car.

 

$25K is the ideal price point for an R3. And like I tell everyone who asks about my car.. take a test drive and you will know if its for you.

 

Ideal, indeed. $25K is less than what I paid for my R3 back in October. I can't see it dropping much below that.

 

Nice to see a fellow Wisconsonite on here. I'm guessing you are talking about Schaumburg Mazda in IL that has the R3s. I noticed that too when browsing. You should have no trouble taking the car to any Mazda dealer around Milwaukee for service. Honestly, the only one I have heard bad things about is Hall Mazda in Brookfield. The only problem I still wonder about long term for these cars is the problems carbon buildup can cause and that goes for series II also. A lot of people on here are experiencing problems with stuck SSV valves and APV motors as the car gets up there in miles. Personally, I think this is an issue Mazda should be addressing and taking care of for all Rx8 owners regardless of mileage.

 

Rule of thumb for you to remember, the higher performance suspensions are usually less comfortable for the average driver. They tighten the suspension to improve performance, and the amount of power getting to the road. This makes the ride a little rougher, but gives you better handling. So its best that you Test drive the GT and the R3 before you make up your mind.

 

When I made my purchase on a new '10 R3 in late September, the best I could negotiate locally was $26,240 at that specific time, so you should be able to get it reasonably lower since the next model year is already out.

Like another member pointed out, you may be referring to Schaumburg Mazda in IL. When I was in the market back in late September, I believe they had 3 aurora blue R3's then (looks like they sold one of the blues and added a red), and the lowest price listed on Autotrader for one of them was $23,911. So it looks like they bumped up the price. I'm very confident you can negotiate lower. I'm thinking $23-24k + ttl.

Moreover, I read that you have driven the Grand Touring version, and I believe that version would have a little softer suspension compared to the R3. Also, the seats will be much tighter in the R3. And lol, I can feel the tight pressure against my chubby thighs when I get in every time. Still I have no complaints, and I love every single thing about my R3. I wouldn't change one single thing about the car, and I won't.

Like others have mentioned, take the R3 version for a test drive since it's the slightly more aggressive version compared to the Grand Touring.

Regarding, the flooding issues and stuff, just make sure the engine is warm before you turn it off. Other than that, you shouldn't have to worry about this updated Series II version of the RX8. Mazda has made plenty of updates, so hopefully that should improve the reliabilty in some aspects.

Oh yes, and don't forget to top off the oil every other fuel up, or whenever needed. Also, I'm pretty strict on getting oil/filter changes every 3k miles.

Btw, I just passed 5k miles on my odometer, and I'm lovin' it!

 

When I bought my 8, I had already made up my mind to buy a BMW 323. I just drove the 8 for a whim. 30 minutes later I was driving off and the car was mine.

 

While it may require a little more work, you could also try to find a used '09 R3. You should easily be able to get one of those in the very low 20k range and since there were pretty much no changes from '09-'10-'11 that could be another way to save quite a bit. For as cheap as you can acquire 8s these days, it more than negates the extra you will put into the gas tank. If you don't put on tons of miles these cars are a steal these days for the overall performance you get.

 

When I was in the market for my R3, I spoke briefly with some folks at the dealership in Schaumburg. It took several phone calls to positively confirm that they did indeed have R3s. Then they danced around a lot on the price. At best they wanted $1500 more than I ended paying from the dealer in Utah where I ended up getting mine.

 

<sigh>

I love happy endings.