As in drops like a rock. I find it surprising that a typical 2004 MT with 50,000 miles is selling for about $4000 less then a Gen 3 RX7 Turbo with 50,000 miles.

Granted in a straight line the RX7 is a bit faster. The RX7 handles pretty good, no where near how the RX8 does, and on the gas mileage side, the RX7 really sucks. Not to mention 7 out of 10 with over 80,000 miles seem to have "new engine" written somewhere in the ad.

Comparing a Gen3 Turbo RX7 to a C4 vette at about the same price isn't a fair fight. The vette gets better gas mileage, handles better, drives a lot nicer, is easier to get parts for, yet doesn't need parts nearly as often. Insurance is about the same cost for both. The only negative is the vette seems to have more little squeaks & rattles.

What surpised me the most though is how fast the RX8 has dropped in value. While it's more of a sports coupe (seats 4) then a sports car I can't imagine why anyone would buy an Infinity or BMW 3 series over an RX8. I've driven them both, and frankly they just don't compare to the 8.

Is it in the lack of advertising? My neighbor bought a Bimmer 3 series a while after I bought the 8 and we did a little swappping - she wished she had drove the 8 sooner as she liked it MUCH better. One of my co-workers felt the same way about his 350Z (bought used) a few months back. He still asks me about once a week if I'll trade.....

BTW, I'm NOT even considering selling mine for many years to come. I'm very satisfied with the way Mazda built it.

So what do YOU think is holding the resale of these fine cars back?

 

As has been discussed, mazda overproduced the RX-8, expecting higher sales.

They then had to drop the prices drasticly in order to move them. So it was not uncommon to see 8k under MSRP for a new RX-8. That in turn forced used car sales to go down even further, as no one will buy a used car for the same price they can get one brand new.

Mazda has since dropped production, but the resale values are going to remain low for a while.

 

Just hold on to it for like 12 years and don't drive it, then in 2019 when they see "04 Mazda RX-8, 50k miles, $16k", people will jump on it. Haha, wishful thinking huh?

 

I think your comparison between a c4 and a RX-7 is off. Top it off with the fact the C4 was made in large quantity and the 7 is relatively rare. Only 10k sold in the USA and much less than that on the road today.

 

I don't believe that you know what you are talking about my friend when it comes to the third gen RX7. How is comparing an RX7 (93-95 MY) to a C4 Vetter not a fair fight? I still have magazines from that era where it was picked over the Corvette overall. As far as new engine in the ad, keep in mind that the RX7 was tinkered with by alot of idiots who did not know what they were doing. I would also say that as far as handling, the Third Gen RX7 would not be far from the RX8. I can tell you that my RX7 will clearly outhandle yours (although I do have a highly modified suspension setup DMS).

 

Magazine reviews are like looking at a photo to choose the wife you would be happy with. I've driven both a couple thousand miles each. The vette wins by a landslide based on practical experience. Granted thats my opinion, yours may differ.

That could explain it. So why did the RX7 need so much extra tinkering? Wasn't it fast enough compared to some other cars like the C4?

I love how stiffer springs are always needed to mask a geometry problem in suspension design. No doubt with better tires and some suspension work an RX7 can outgun a stock RX8.

Don't take it the wrong way the RX7 is an excellent car. If Mazda made enough money on them they would still be selling them today. The point was comparing the RX7 to the C4. Both cars stock, the C4 handles better, rides better, accelerates much better, gets much better gas mileage, has much more comfortable seats, and runs longer between services. Thats part of what people tend to think about when they buy a sports car.

 

It made somewhere around 260 hp. People turned up the boost without knowing what they were doing and blew them up. Thus the remark about "idiots"

People seldom blame themselves for their own actions, instead they blamed the car for being a POS.

 

kartweb, you're a funny guy. I suggest doing more research before posting.

 

i'm wondering next year when i dump the car if its even going to be worth trading it in...

 

..sigh.

Always amazes me that the same guys who don't pay anywhere near full list price when buying a RX8 compare its used value to full MSRPs.

 

^^ Ja

 

Thanks.

The original question was about resale value. I agree they built more then the market was ready to buy. Simple supply & demand. I paid 26500 out the door on a car that stickered for 33 & change. Texas has some bodacious taxes on new cars so it's safe to say the deal was a wee bit under the MSRP. Thats OK since Mazda actually has a hefty profit margin on the 8.

Obviously the demand is much weaker then the supply. Otherwise they wouldn't drop value at a rate that even Chrysler products can't keep pace with. Look at the other cars in Mazda's lineup. I paid $25000 out the door on a CX7 that stickered for 31 & change. Granted I bought early in the life cycle and probably got a good deal. Yet today I could trade it with 9,000 miles on it and get what I paid for it. Look at a 1 -2 year old 3. They sell for 80% of sticker with 10-15,000 miles. 8's on the other hand sell for about 70% of actual prices, or 55% of sticker.

I hardly think "research" will change that. Granted the Mazdaspeed 6 also has the same problem.

When I talk to a 3 owner they say "I love my car". Better then a Jetta for less money.
When I talk to a 5 owner they say "I love my car".
When I talk to a 6 owner they say "My car is cool but I wish it had...."
When I talk to a 7 owner they say "I love my car". Best value on the market.
When I talk to an 8 owner they say "Rotary motors are cool. I wish it had more power and got better gas mileage".

The sad part is the rotary is just one component of a package. The best part of the 8 is the chassis. It doesn't matter to most what's under the hood as long as it performs to expectations and does so economically. Rotary power maybe cool to some, but 98% of the market will have no interest in even changing their own oil. They want to turn the key and drive. Pistons or rotors make no difference at all.

Whats happened here IMO is many of the owners are so wound up on the fact that it's a rotary yet doesn't deliver the power and economy they really don't deliver a desireable message about the best qualities of the car.

Funny thing is outside the Mazda crowd few people really know much about the car, like prices. People see my CX7 figure it's a $35000 SUV. Not real surprised when I tell them it's $10,000 cheaper, expecting it to drive like an Explorer. I did a little left seat swapping with the owners of a Murano and Tribeca, and they both came away feeling cheated by Nissan and Suburu. As for the 8, several folks mentioned they thought it was a $50,000 car. Well it certainly looks like a $50,000 car anyway. Not that I really care, so much as it fits my daily sports coupe needs pretty good.

In the end my question still stands;

What do YOU think has impacted the resale values the most?

Oh and on the research side...While I want to hear some answers, there is more than meets the eye of what I'm really looking for.

 

I agree..Not to mention the C4's rode like a truck and you sit in a bucket......

 

Ride like a truck? Not quite, but definately stiff.

Sit in a bucket? Like a bucket seat? Definately a better seat then what the RX7 had. They don't tear stitches out after 60,000 miles either.

The RX7's were pretty limited in production. But wasn't the thread about resale? So why is the 93-95 vette resale value higher then the 93-95 RX7 resale vaule?

 

This is an absurd comparison! You are talking about, basically, a three-year-old car versus a six-month-old SUV!!! Of course there is going to be a big difference in the resale value between the two. Next time when you want to compare the difference, at least compare apples to apples. How about a comparison of the resale value of the same-age RX-8 and CX-7 with the same miles and the same MSRP, not out-the-door cost, and see what the percentage drop in value would be.

From what I see evidenced at this time, I have only seen one CX-7 out on the road since they came out, and that was turning in to the dealership for servicing. They are still quite uncommon, at least around here. I'm sure resale values were also high on a few-month-old 04 RX-8s when they first came out because they were still new to the market and not a lot of them yet.

Does it really make a whole lot of difference anyway, unless you are planning to dump your car.

 

Hey everyone. Lets compare this chair


with this mail box!

 

Guys, the RX-8's resale value really isn't that bad. Cars tend to drop 15-25% in value the second you drive it off the dealer's lot. And then another 10-15% every year therafter. And anyone that pays MSRP on a car that's been out for more than 3 months is dumb, and comparing the current value to original MSRP, which you probably didn't pay in the first place, just isn't realistic. You can only compare it's value to what you paid for it to begin with. And since 2004 rx-8s are usually going for between $16-20k, and most people paid $25-30k for them new back in 2003, that's a pretty decent value retention.

 

Yep ^^

But I really do want to make that comparison. I would say that mail box is far superior to the chair.

 

Chair:

Pros: Classic Design.
Cons: Purple.

Mailbox:

Pros: A work of ART!
Cons: Middle of nowhere


Now let's compare this BOWLER HAT


to this Welsh Corgi!

 

In my case, I bought the 7 6 weeks after I bought my 8. Both new. I have no interest in selling my 8 either, I'll own it for another 5-10 years.

Today the a handful of same 8's with 10,000 miles can be bought for 55-60% of sticker that sold new 9 months ago. Some owners who are selling end up not selling as they owe too much and can't afford the loss. Mine's paid for FWIW.

Part of what elevated my interest came from dealing with an insurance adjuster. (None of the Mazda's we own were involved - a rock shattered the windshield of my tow vehicle). If my 8 was written off today I would get 56% of sticker. Yet my 7 would bring what I paid for it. If I owed money on the 7 I would certainly have Gap Insurance.

What's interesting is when an obvious question about the resale value comes up on a forum thats dedicated to RX8 owners and out of a dozen or more responses, only one or two really addressed an answer that was relevent. Like it or not the same issue affects all RX8 owners.

 

Bowler Hat
Pros: Unique!
Cons: Makes you look like a leprecon

Welsh Corgi
Pros: Cute!
Cons: Doesn't make a very good watch dog.

Lets compare this old LAPTOP


to this stack of paper!

 

It is interested that we all live under a double-edged sword. We all love that the RX-8 is a really good value for what we paid for it. Yet that same value means that the RX-8 will remain a niche vehicle that will probably never be in high demand, even 5-10 years from now, even while it continues to turn heads and get good reviews.

It's honestly the only thing that worries me about my car, the fact that if it gets totalled for some reason, whether due to deer, winter weather, or jackass drivers, that I'm going to get a tiny check from my insurance company. Time to add some gap coverage, I guess.

 

TRICK QUESTION!

 

Now that you throw the Corgi in the mix I'm perplexed???????????????

 

Kind of looks like Shakey Jake after a trip to Pizza Bobs. Or is that Pizza Bobs uptown?

Or could it be the Keyboard/Sax player from the Whiz Kids?