Starting issues are from either not letting the vehicle temp reach the operating temp......which means that the temp needle should be between C and H. If its near C, might be prone to starting issues.

Also, other starting issues could be due to the battery and starter, i believe there is a TSB out there for upgraded battery and started for 04-05 models.

The car IMO is not for beginners in the snow.......it does fishtail a little bit and it does sit low to the ground, so if you get stuck in driving 4-6 inch of packed snow, might be a little tricky to manuever. However, be sure you have either winter or all season tires as you will slide as a hockey puck with summer tires (not made for snow or freezing temps).

But light snow 2-4, it is okay, obviously have to use common sense, never mash the throttle when your making a turn or from a stop sign, otherwise, your back end comes out.......

But depending on your area, if you get occassional snow fall like once or twice a year, then the RX-8 is fine in the snow. If you get consistent snow week after week in your area in the winter, they i would suggest getting a 2nd car.

 

If you test-drive it... you'll buy it.

 

All of you questions could be answered by searching + reading the faqs.

My only advice (outside of what you'll read in the faqs) is to make good friends with a rotorhead and/or visit the forums regularly and learn as much as you can about these cars. If you treat this car like a Civic SI or a Cobalt SS, you'll be needing a whole new car before you ever hit the 60,000 mark.

Here are some basics to get you started:
- watch your oil levels like your fuel levels; the car burns both just the same
- if your water guage is ever pointing straight up, you're overheating
- if your water guage isn't just slightly to the left of center, keep driving or you'll flood
- your redline is sky-high for a reason; visit it frequently once she's warmed up.



And heads up: you're going to get flamed hard for asking questions that have already been answered 1000 times over in the FAQs. Research more before posting next time... unless, of course, you like agrivating most of the regulars.

 

If i had to do it again i wouldnt. There are no $hit 17 RX-8's in my local Mazda service center with various engine problems including mine. This Tucson heat is laying down the smack upon a rotary engine!

 

The main thing about the Rx-8 is that the rotary engine is what the Rx-8 is all about. If you do not like lack of torque and hard to mod tradeoff for the 9k rpm and smoothness, then this car is not for you. Search the forums for the constant nagging issues that we have. If you cannot spend maybe a few hours every week to go the distance with this car, it is not for you.

 

Buy what you want. Life is short.

 

Maybe they all traded them in for new ones. Why? Because they love the RX-8.
I'm on my second one. Haven't had any problems that the dealer did not take care of under warranty.
Just get one with low miles and do a carfax on it. Ask the dealer for a copy of the Warranty Service Record on the car your thinking about buying.

Buy the car.

 

Only thing you need to know, the 8 sucks gas like a jet. Other than that this car is amazing.

 

gotta love all the people that come on this site to say how the "RX-8 breaks down all the time". Like any car, if you take care of it it will be just fine.

Pishposh, you gotta remember that this site, like most sites, we either have people who need to bitch about something or big fanbois that are obsessed with the vehicle. The truth is, you most likely won't have any issue with the 8, especially in a place like PA. AZ is literally 115 degrees right now, and with a high revving heat machine like the Renesis, that is not necessarily a good combination. I live in Connecticut, have had my 8 for a year, and have have absolutely no issues with the engine (except it did flood once).

For every 1 person on here that says they've had serious issues with their 8, there are 100 that have never had a problem. The people who have had problems tend to speak up more due to their negativity, which is why you get occassional negative comments.

I'd say buy it........it's a damn good car that should last you a VERY long time as long as you take care of it. The Renesis rotary engine has fewer moving parts than a conventional "piston" engine, which means it has the potential to last much longer than a conventional engine would. My dad's rotary lasted until 212,000 miles and there are members on this site who have already hit 100k miles on their 8's with no problems. Purchase it.....you won't regret it.

 

I won't let the story of 17 cars with engine problems at the same dealership scare you off. I work for a Dealer Network that has one of the few Mazda dealers in my area. I drove through the Mazda lot over the weekend, and there wasn't an RX-8 to be seen in the service department. These cars DO NOT like extremely hot and dry climates. Heat related problems will not be an issue for you in PA. I do not believe these cars to me much less reliable than a Chevy, and I would bet they would spend LESS time in the shop than a VW. VW's are FAMOUS for electrical and turbo related problems. As long as it's been properly mainted, and low milage, I wouldn't be scared of it. If you still feel a little uneasy, and you're not going to modify the car, then buy just buy a 100,000 mile extended warranty. You don't need to waste money on a bumper to bumper warranty, as the power and interior accesories are not a problem. Just get the basic powerrtrain coverage with a Loaner/Rental car clause you won't be stranded if the car goes down for a week. All reputable dealers will have these available. See if they will "throw it in" with the deal. If not, the dealer will generally have between 50-60% markup in the warranty. Whatever they price it at, offer them half and work up from there. Good luck, you won't be sorry, and chances are, with great maintenance, you won't have a problem. Even with the extended warranty, you'll still be a lot cheaper than an SS or GTI.

 

a few hours every week?? What are you spending a few hours a week on? The weekly maintainence on the 8 is literally checking the oil levels every couple of fillups initially to ensure your oil level isn't low. Nothing else is different from a conventional engine on a weekly basis, except in extremely cold climates where you need to let the engine warm up before shutting it off. Unless you live in Alaska or the antarctic, that's only one season a year. If I am wrong, please, enlighten me as to what you need a couple of hours a week to do. I'd love to hear it.

 

washing and waxing the car?

 

Price is good, for cold weather get a battery with higher cold cranking than the standard battery and you will love it!

Get snow tires if you got snow - studded tires also very good!

some 4s had engine mount troubles - see if you can find original owner and talk to him/her - this one seems to be going for a little lower than it should - and most 8 owners will not let theirs go - ever!

 

I think he meant a couple hours a week to go out and give it some exercise. Hit a few beeps and twisties... burn a little carbon....

 

wow this thread helped me so much. i am actually going to test drive a few 8s today and ive had mixed reviews about this car. im leaning more towards buying this car now. thanks guys.

 

There is no think, only do.

 

Here's my "twin top 10 things to know about RX-8s" lists that I post for newbie owners or serious lookers. Buy the car, you'll love it - that's my opinion. It is unique and it handles like a dream. Yeah, the engine inhales gas, and burns oil by design and takes a little extra TLC, but what sports car doesn't? Use the time you spend with it to enjoy doing those tasks. For example, I check the oil every Saturday morning as part of a half hour to an hour spent puttering about the car - washing it, drying it, checking the tires, using compressed air to blow water out the cracks, checking oil and adding if necessary, etc. Good therapy. My guess (not fact) is that those that have big problems with their RX-8s haven't given them the proper maintenance.

Here's what I'd give you as a quick top 10 things to know:

1) Oil - it consumes oil by design - nothing wrong with that. Check your oil at every other fill up, or do like I do and spend an hour puttering around the garage every other weekend, and adjust the tire pressures, check the oil, give it a wash, etc. A little RX-8 love time.

2) While it says "premium recommended" you can safely burn '87 in most climates and areas. If you feel guilty, pop the extra cost.

3) Change the oil every 5000 miles at least, more frequently if you'd like to. Pay attention to the maintenance schedule in the book and do those items.

4) Beware, Mazda dealers charge through the nose for everything, and they will try to sell you extra crap during scheduled maintenance stops. Don't let them do it.

5) You can safely upsize the tires to 245/40-18s - they are fatter, fill the wheel wells more, and look **** hot.

6) The summer tires work like crap when the temp falls below 45F. All-season performance radials are an acceptable compromise. Snow tires are a must if you commute in snow.

7) Visit your redline often to keep you happy and keep the buzzer from getting lonely.

8) Keep your car shiny and sparkling clean for best crowd pleasing.

9) Watch out for idiots in Civics who will rev on you.

10) This car is NOT a straight-line speed car - don't get disappointed when you realize that LOTS of cars can beat you at the strip.

Enjoy - post pics when you can!

And search and read:

- The little things
and all the other stickies in all the other forums - DIY - Show & Shine, and more.


Here's a few other goodies - let's call them "unique features":

1) Drive by wire throttle with adaptive learning - the engine computer "reads" your driving habits and can flatten or steepen the throttle response curve to match. Drive hard for a few days and find "new" horsepower (it's always there, just visiting at different times). Baby it and it becomes a rental car ... weird.

2) The weird Bose adaptive radio in the GT will boost the volume automatically while you drive - you'l turn it down and minute later you say to yourself "I swear I just turned the radio down".

3) The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) will flash a warning on the dash when any tire is about 4 to 5 lbs down on pressure from the factory setpoint which is 32 PSI. If you get a TPMS warning, stop, do a walk around to make sure you don't have a tire going down, once you're sure, head to a gas station and fill the tire.

4) Never but NEVER use the fix-a-flat kit. It ruins the tire and clogs the TPMS.

5) Feel free to experiment with driving with the DSC off, but understand that there is a stern little Japanese guy hiding the in the works with his finger on the "I think not!" button when it's enabled, and it WILL save your ***! It saved mine once today when I hit a patch of oily pavement in the rain.

6) Don't bother trying to understand or explain the abject ergonomic failure represented by the sunvisors. Just accept that every hot supermodel has a knarly wart somewhere ...

7) Did I mention that the summer tires that come stock on it suck? Oh, yeah, I did. Well it bears mentioning again. If you stick with summers, at least upgrade to a better tire. If you live in a climate where the temp visits sub-40 ranges then consider all-season high performance radials - visit TireRack.com for good reccos, but can heartily reccommend the Pirelli PZero-Nero M+S.

8) You can buy used snows on eBay if you want to go that way. But if you don't use Mazda wheels with TPMS sensors, the light will be on all the time.

9) You can't make love in an RX8. I tried. Doesn't work. Either that or my wife and I both need to lose 7" in height and 75 lbs each (Ok, I could stand to lose 40 lbs ...).

10) Find twisty roads and drive them. Smile.

 

I laughed at your latest Post StewC625 AWESOME!!!