Im a huge active member on the vette forums and race an rx7 so I know its annoying when new people ask questions like this but I just am unsure what to do.

I have this guy who I offered him $1000 for his 2004 6-speed rx8. He accepted. However it has low compression on the engine, it has a bad ps pump, and some slight hail damage. It still looks very nice and interior is good. I know these renesis engines are pretty expensive even just for the block. I do all my own work and im very good with a wrench and like I said I w2w race the rx7.

I dont really want to blow another 2-3 grand getting it to running status or worse finding something else wrong with it. Race season starts end of this month and I need funds, but if its the right way to go ill do it. Im a teacher and have the summer off along with an empty garage bay so storage isnt a. issue.

Time table wise I dont want to have this thing for more than 8 months. Is there a market for this car as it sits? Or is this the status of many 04's. Is there enough demand (on this forum and ebay) for me to sell the big parts quick and then whatever is left come sept sell the shell and still turn a healthy 2k profit? Or is it really worth fixing and possibly driving it and having fun or selling for say 6 grand once it is running.

Any advice is much appriciated. And if anyone is interested in a 04 with an engine with low conpression and a brand new magnaflow exhaust (cost they guy well over a grand)..... give me a hollar!

Update: Well I know how the vette forums are and if there are no pics, it doesn't exist. Finally got it all cleaned up today (at least mostly) and filled it up with gas. It took a while but it finally cranked but will not idle. I am still going to run a compression test on it to be sure it is indeed the engine that is bad but this is what happens.

If I have my foot on the clutch it takes a less gas to keep idling, when I release, I have to double the amount I'm pressing. I estimate I am pushing it about 5% of its total travel. It doesn't pop unless I rev it up and let it fall back down. I assume this is the extra unburnt fuel in the lost compression housing. All signs point to dead engine but I remain optimistic!

You can see the hail damage a bit on the close up of the hood. It isn't noticeable until you get within 5 ft and only on a reflection of a white wall or something.


Update 2: its idling now. Think it needed to work out some corrosion and the ecm adjust. Still little blips in idle about once every 3 seconds.

 

pics, location? how much do you want for the engine? btw the rx8 doesnt have a ps pump. its electric and most likely its just a dirty elec connector

 

If the only thing that's wrong with it is the engine and you get the PS working for the cost of a can of contact cleaner, you're looking at a minimum of $2000. Plus incidentals, tune up parts, "while you're in there" parts like a clutch, MOP lines, water pump, blah blah blah, then you're up around $2500 - 3000.

Still, $4k for a running & driving RX8 isn't all bad. You'll have a hard time re-selling it with hail damage though if thats your objective.

Parting it out might sound like the quick cash solution, but there's only really a few parts you have that people on here want... the gearbox, propshaft, interior bits, some exterior parts. You'll make more than $1000 but it'll probably take you a year or two to do it, all the while this RX8 is sucking up valuable garage real estate and generally irritating your wife / significant other.

As always, your mileage may vary.

 

i'd be tempted to fix, a mazda reman is only $2001, so after the clutch/plugs/coils you're looking at like 3k to have it running with a new engine.

depends on the hail damage, but blue book on a non dented one is still around 8k...

i'd fix it.

 

Our car has a PS pump?

 

No the OP was mistaken. Not sure if you're being sarcastic or had a genuine question. I'm betting on the former but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt anyways.

 

just sell it.

my $.02

 

Thanks for the reply guys ill post some pics when I grab it tomorrow. Ill see how bad the hail dmg is.I got the power steering pump thing from the current owner. Thats what he told me which I guss he doesnt know much about the car. Thats prob why im getting it at this price. Im sure that is what some mechanic told him and prob the same that quoted him 5k to fix the engine.

The thing might still run for all I know. Id love to fix it but I will prob ebay/craigslist it first to see if I can quick turn it. If not id love to have a running rx8. They are such cool cars and fun to drive.

Ill keep you posted.

 

+1 for pics...

 

Go for it! (Pending the damage)

 

Wish I could find something like that around my area, I would fix it right up and then some!


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it really depends on how bad the hail damage was

but dont expect. u can resell it,

 

Updated OP with Pics and Running Condition!

I'm thinking it can be sold and easily too. If I can't get about 3k for it I'll fix it. Just spend the 2k, and then possibly get a body shop to ice the hail dents out. Then I bet I could get close to 6 or more since it would have a fresh engine. Here are two that recently sold on ebay. of coarse before anything I will verify that it is indeed the apex failure.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mazda...#ht_500wt_1182

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mazda...#ht_500wt_1182

 

Did you guys do anything with the car yet? If not, I maybe interested in buying it.

 

I will buy it. Give a pm if it a done deal yet.

 

I'd fix it up and sell it - ill buy the cat-back for $2 :O