I've been looking at a few local 8's. They all have about 40k on the clock. What type of "questions" should I ask when viewing the car? I'm going to look at a couple next weekend.


I'm a clean slate when it comes to the Rotary engine.
I've been browsing RX8 Club for the past few days and I've been seeing people talk about engines needing rebuilds at 70k. How true is that? That number seems a bit ridiculous in this day and age where a car manufacturer would produce an engine with a service life under 100k…or even 200k. You can say performance…but in an under 30k msrp car? Owners are stressing at 50k about their engines. That’s seems pretty outrageous to me. Does the rotary engine have a bad rap? I've read through some of the then engine threads and they left me more confused more than anything else. Same with the motor oil threads.



The main thing that concerns me is the mechanical reliability of the vehicle. I'm buying used at 40k...it would really suck if 30k later I would need a engine rebuild. I'm not an abusive driver and its not going to be my daily.
Modwise, I’m going to start with some coilovers and maybe some wheels.
Anyhoo…I do like the RX8 looks, performance numbers, and all.


I also read that Mazda extended the warranty to 8 years or 100k miles. Is the warranty transferable?

Heres what I have now





Thanks
-Lee

 

IMO, the real problem behind rotary engines is the fact that a lot of people just don't know how to take care of them. they really only need three or four things:

1. OIL... the right type. a lot of it.
2. to be kept cool.
3. to have the **** driven out of it on a daily basis to keep away carbon build up.
4. NEVER take short trips in it. always let the engine get up to temperature before turning the car off.

i'd ask any previous owners about what kind of oil they've been using, whether they've been taking it to the dealership to have that done (usually a bad thing), whether it's ever overheated (automatic NO) and if it's had the msp16 reflash by mazda. The best advice i could give anyone looking to buy an 8 is to have a daily driver.

i bought my car with 68k on the clock, and the motor had been rebuilt at 61k. the previous owner (who had no clue how to take care of it) flooded it (which is very, very easy to do).

 

it is an amazing car if you know how to take care of it.

 

Treat the engine right and it will last unless you are one of the unlucky few. As far as the oil to use good luck finding a straight answer because there is not one to find. I just follow the Mazda specifications because I figure they might have a smart person or two working for them. lol And yes the warranty is transferable and it really helps to relieve the worry of being one of the unlucky few. If you buy one you will love it.

 

The 8 shouldn't be any worse than a VW (I like VWs and yours is sweet). That said my car has had some problems, but I love it. I think about buying something else sometimes, but I can't think of anything I would like as much. Well, maybe a Porsche.

The warranty is transferable.

 

The year of the car matters too. Technically the 09' RX8 is the only model that's "different," but there were a lot of TSBs that have been resolved since the vehicle's initial release. Also, the original PCM configuration didn't inject enough oil into the rotor housings which is where a lot of the engine failures have come from IMO. The less miles put on an engine with one of those early flashes, the better off it will be.

Rotary engines are definitely capable of high mileage if taken care of. They do however require a lot more TLC than your average Honda or Toyota engine, so buying used is more risky. Talk in depth with the previous owner of the car about their driving habits and maintenance schedules. If you're buying off a lot, you're obviously out of luck in this department... get a compression test done before buying, and make damn sure the warranty is still valid and transferable so if you do have problems you'll be covered.

It's a very fun car, but it demands some attention... if you're not the kind of person that enjoys putting a little time into learning about the car and taking care of it properly, then I'd suggest looking for something a little more conventional.

 

Also make sure the tranny is shifting smooth and there is no grinding.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm a heartbeat away from picking one up. Knowing that the warranty is transferable is probably the deal sealer.

I don't really mind doing a bit of maintenance...with the Corrado I did alot...I mean alot. If there are issues here and there I'm fine with that. I just don't want it to be like my VW where I was constantly fixing it. The main concern to me is the engine. I was just worried that if I picked up a 8 with only 40k on the clock...by the time it hits 70k... the motor would self destruct.

 

there are plenty of people on this forum with high milage 8s. One guy has 160k on his