Buying a Mazda RX8 in a few hours

Sammy_Jankis

Just looking for opinions on the deal i'm getting. I'm going in as a cash buyer and from a search on this site the dealer seems genuine. He does know a great deal about the car and has had a few of them before.

Deal is 5,400 with a 1 year engine and gear box warranty up to 1,300 euro. Car was advertised for 6,500 and he only reduced it a few days ago to 5,900. He has had it for over a month as a trade in. He has also offered to let me take to my mechanic and if there are any problems or i'm not happy I can bring it back. It does need two new rear tyres and he said he could source them for me quite cheaply. I dont really skimp on tyres but i'll see what he has.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4742613

pete4130

Get everything he promises regarding warranty in writing.

bazz26

Sammy_Jankis wrote: »

Just looking for opinions on the deal i'm getting. I'm going in as a cash buyer and from a search on this site the dealer seems genuine. He does know a great deal about the car and has had a few of them before.

Deal is 5,400 with a 1 year engine and gear box warranty up to 1,300 euro. Car was advertised for 6,500 and he only reduced it a few days ago to 5,900. He has had it for over a month as a trade in. He has also offered to let me take to my mechanic and if there are any problems or i'm not happy I can bring it back. It does need two new rear tyres and he said he could source them for me quite cheaply. I dont really skimp on tyres but i'll see what he has.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4742613

This would concern me. I'm open to correction but I recall reading somewhere that these rotary engines may need a rebuild at some stage of their life so €1,300 most likely may not cover that if it needs it in the next 12 months. Worth investigating a bit further all the same.

NinjaK

good luck, nice car:)

wandatowell

People will bitch about the fuel costs, f*ck 'em enjoy your motor pal

Sammy_Jankis

bazz26 wrote: »

This would concern me. I'm open to correction but I recall reading somewhere that these rotary engines may need a rebuild at some stage of their life so €1,300 most likely may not cover that if it needs it in the next 12 months. Worth investigating a bit further all the same.

Once its kept topped up with oil it shouldn't need a rebuild. Oh and of course warmed up before turned off.

goochy

Hope ur only doing low kms fuel consumption terrible hence low prices !

wandatowell

goochy wrote: »

Hope ur only doing low kms fuel consumption terrible hence low prices !

BOOOOOOO!!

mullingar

You dont buy a car like that for MPG, but SPG! (Smiles per gallon!)

goochy

There may be truth in that but u can be sure that many Plp have bought one and had to sell soon after because of mpg theres a reason they are so cheap !

goochy

There may be truth in that but u can be sure that many Plp have bought one and had to sell soon after because of mpg theres a reason they are so cheap !

fartman

i always wanted one of them ,i would go for it but make sure you get everything in writing for peace of mind,best of luck with it if you buy

hardCopy

Beautiful car, my dad had one when I was in college. I'll always miss it.

Well wear.

tossy

Bloody Irish motoring forum?

Someone posts up that the are buying a performance car and people get digs ( let's call them that) in a bout the MPG. Get the boat....

dickwod1

A thinly veiled I'm buying a Mazda RX8 in a few hours ... enjoy it

MetzgerMeister

When you get it on the road, let it warm up to where the temp needle is in the middle then rev the nuts off it. If it's very slow to reach or doesn't reach the limiter, this means the catalytic converter is dead.

Since it's a 2006 it should also have the upgraded starter and upgraded battery (70Ah) so you won't have any trouble starting it. If you do, that means low compression which in turn means engine rebuild.

smash

bazz26 wrote: »

This would concern me. I'm open to correction but I recall reading somewhere that these rotary engines may need a rebuild at some stage of their life so €1,300 most likely may not cover that if it needs it in the next 12 months. Worth investigating a bit further all the same.

Engine rebuild is €2,300.

Chris_Heilong

fair play, I was only looking at these last night. they are advertised at 220 hp but in reality make around 197 hp which is more than enough for Irish roads. Join http://www.irishrotary.com/.
They have the best info on these cars.

pippip

They are available as 190bhp or 230bhp, I'm surprised the ad doesn't mention which this is.

tossy

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

197 hp which is more than enough for Irish roads..

Another Irish motoring forum classic

ARGINITE

Have the exact same colour combo just with a UK reg

Read the RX8OC buyers guide

Sammy_Jankis wrote: »

Deal is 5,400 with a 1 year engine and gear box warranty up to 1,300 euro.

This seems funny, a rebuild for low compression will be €3K ish, cheapest rebuild in the UK is £2250. But as long as compression is good then this is not required at any milage.

Get a compression test.

If the service history does not include a coil change in the last 20K (coils need to be changed every 30K) then budget for that, there is currently a group buy running on rx8ownersclub.co.uk for uprated Rotary Rev coils with a free set of plugs.

Have you taken it for a test drive yet?
Does it start from hot without issue?

What sort of MPG do you expect from it?

MetzgerMeister

pippip wrote: »

They are available as 190bhp or 230bhp, I'm surprised the ad doesn't mention which this is.

192 = 5 speed, 230 = 6 speed.

And no, you can't remap the 190 to 230 as there's also an extra 2 ports on the engine which you'd have to cut into it :P

Just from looking at the ad, I'd say it's a 230 as they usually came with the red and black leather interior and were normally either black or red.

I would also echo arginite's comment about a compression test. Sadly, it's not as easy as you'd think because the rotary engine requires a different compression tester which only a handful of Mazda dealers have in ROI and even at that, they're shared between them.

wandatowell

mullingar wrote: »

You dont buy a car like that for MPG, but SPG! (Smiles per gallon!)

Thats quality

coolisin

Well wear OP yeah you'll spend a few bob on petrol and oil but enjoy it they are a lovely car and can be gotten cheap, because Mazda is the badge mostly.

Enjoy and have the craic with it listen to MM on this he knows his stuff with regards what to look for.

My only concern would be the low amount of warranty he's given price wise.

wandatowell

Has anybody driven one of these badboys before, or better still owned one?

Whats it like to live with as a daily runner.

ShadowHearth

wandatowell wrote: »

Has anybody driven one of these badboys before, or better still owned one?

Whats it like to live with as a daily runner.

:pac::D:pac::D

pippip

wandatowell wrote: »

Has anybody driven one of these badboys before, or better still owned one?

Whats it like to live with as a daily runner.

My mate has one and the only thing that would bug me is the need to warm the engine up before driving anywhere. He literally just sits there for 5mins. When your just going to local shop or running late that would annoy me.

wandatowell

pippip wrote: »

My mate has one and the only thing that would bug me is the need to warm the engine up before driving anywhere. He literally just sits there for 5mins. When your just going to local shop or running late that would annoy me.

Damn that is annoying, might entice you to walk to the shops more though. Its the time of the year for it anyway

ARGINITE

wandatowell wrote: »

What is it like to live with as a daily runner.

Currently own one and the GF using it everyday.

As a daily runner it's like most other cars except for the 15MPG that you get with city driving and remembering not to turn it off while cold. As for oil usage it's not really an issue just as long as you keep an eye on it.

Regarding maintenance in the last year of ownership I have done four oil and filter changes, new set of plugs, coils, and leads, all four drop links have been changed and gearbox and diff oil change.

ARGINITE

pippip wrote: »

My mate has one and the only thing that would bug me is the need to warm the engine up before driving anywhere. He literally just sits there for 5mins. When your just going to local shop or running late that would annoy me.

There is no need to wait for five minute to warm the engine up, turn the car on wait a minute and then drive keeping the revs below 4K until the engine is up to temp.

Nonoperational

No way in the world I'd buy one without getting a compression test done. Just not worth it.

hardCopy

wandatowell wrote: »

Has anybody driven one of these badboys before, or better still owned one?

Whats it like to live with as a daily runner.

I used to borrow one fairly regularly. Super looking car and great fun to drive, especially on a wet day.

I only ever had it for a few days at the most so can't say much about running costs etc.

MetzgerMeister

ARGINITE wrote: »

There is no need to wait for five minute to warm the engine up, turn the car on wait a minute and then drive keeping the revs below 4K until the engine is up to temp.

...as should be done with every car!!!

wandatowell - with regards to driving it as an every day car, it's fine once you have the upgraded ignition components and good compression. I owned one for 2.5 years and loved it. I still miss it if I'm honest.

I have a post which covers everything about buying an RX8 that I have to copy and paste into every RX8 thread but I can't search for it right now, you'll find it easily enough if you search for RX8 related threads.

wandatowell

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

wandatowell - with regards to driving it as an every day car, it's fine once you have the upgraded ignition components and good compression. I owned one for 2.5 years and loved it. I still miss it if I'm honest.

I have a post which covers everything about buying an RX8 that I have to copy and paste into every RX8 thread but I can't search for it right now, you'll find it easily enough if you search for RX8 related threads.

Nice one Im going to take a look for that.


Thinking about going down the performance route myself. The max I will be doing with be 300km/week w/ 80% of that at dual carraigeway/motorway speed. With the very very rare trip to Clare or Dublin from Cork.

RX8 or Astra OPC my forerunners at the moment.

But enough of that talk,


OP any sign of the car????

MetzgerMeister

wandatowell wrote: »

RX8 or Astra OPC my forerunners at the moment.

The Astra is a good car and looks great but RWD over FWD all day every day if you want a proper sports car :cool:

Tea 1000

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

The Astra is a good car and looks great but RWD over FWD all day every day if you want a proper sports car :cool:

And by many accounts the previous Astra OPC was THE prime example as to why FWD doesn't work at that power, all the competition seem to have done a better job in making it work a lot better.

mullingar

Out of curiosity, I did a 5 min google on the RX8 and the general consensus on buying a second hand one is do NOT buy it until you get a compression test done. There are a few rotary clubs around that may have a kit to test, but it will cost.....

A symptom of a reduced compression is the engine is hard to start when hot, so by all means go for a decent test drive and then check to see if its hard to start when hot.

Jam00

Listen to MetzgerMeister as he is clearly talking sense - ignore the rest of the comments as it's just people offering opinions based on hearsay not facts (whether the posters know it or not)

For what it's worth Mazda Japan say rotary engines should be run on 10W 40 mineral oil, which will no doubt cause an argument on here

Consult www.irishrotary.com for all other information.

As for tyres I really wouldn't skimp on for a fairly powerful RWD

www.camskill.co.uk or http://www.mytyres.co.uk/ do fantastically priced performance tyres

A few worth considering: Toyo T1r, Goodyear Eagle F1 & Falken FK452

As above post get it hot and then pull over, turn it off, and start it again, if it has trouble starting it could indicate a problem.

I know on the rx7 you can take off the radiator cap on cold start-up to check for champagne bubbles, which means water seals issue, not sure about the rx8 however.

Good luck

MetzgerMeister

OK, I had time to search and here it is copied and pasted. NB - Since I posted this, Mazda have since said to use mineral oil as opposed to synthetic. Also, I don't have the MPS any more :P

It's a great car but you really do have to be an enthusiast to own one. They are not for the fickle hearted, but by the time I sold mine, I had it set up like a normal car other than the mpg.

By that I mean it started first time every time with no hesitation at all. I did have trouble with this issue for a year and half of ownership but I sorted it myself. I did some research, bought all the parts I needed and fitted them myself.

2003, 2004 and early 2005 models came with crap starter motors. Mazda couldn't have done a better job at almost destroying the reputation of the rotary because of this. Once an RX8 has the upgraded starter motor, upgraded battery, ignition coils, HT leads and the hot leading plugs (RE7C-L), and has no compression issues, it will be fine.

A well looked after example will have very few issues if any. Your best bet is to buy one owned by an entusiast i.e. someone on irishrotary.com or the likes.

With regard to oil consumption, the harder you drive it, the more oil it will use. It burns oil as part of the combustion cycle in order to keep the rotor tips lubricated. When a rotary is starved of oil, the tips aren't lubricated and this causes them to fail hence compression issues. It's not what some make it out to be by saying "oh jaysus ya have to put more oil in than petrol". Simply not true. If you're looking at one and are wondering if it's been taken care of, the owner will keep a bottle of oil in the boot or in the boot access panel.

Try to get a compression test done on the one you're really thinking of buying. Drive a few of them and settle on the one you're happiest with. Thing is, there's only a few rotary engine compression tester machines in Ireland which all the mazda dealers here have to share as apparently, they're wicked expensive. You should book a few days in advance with your nearest dealer to make sure they have it on site when you show up.

They are very nice cars to work on, albeit a little cramped in the engine bay but once the engine is cold, nothing to worry about except if you're doing an oil change.

Unlike normal cars, the 8 uses 2 types of plugs - 2 leading (RE7C-L) and 2 trailing (RE9B-T). To buy them from a dealer is rape but I used get mine from the US for $80 + P&P.

I never bothered with calculating MPG when I had it, nor do I bother with the MPS. I just drive how I want and fill up when I have to. "It's nice to have money like that" you say? Well I don't, I just think that calculating mpg takes the fun out of owning a performance car. And if it's a performance car you're after you should get used to this way of thinking too.

The claimed figure of 25mpg is in a simulated environment. If you're expecting to get that in the real world with either the 192 or 232 models, stop thinking that right now

I must say, I really, really miss my RX8. The MPS is great but since it's a big saloon with a 2.3 piston engine, it's not as light or nimble as the 8. I miss not having to slow down in order to take bends

If you are interested in buying one, I would be more than happy to help by answering any questions you have.

Here's a video showing the difference between the original starter and upgraded starter. The starter used in this was manufactured for MazdaRotaryParts but the OEM Mazda one is identical:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt8_7dl98cY

smash

wandatowell wrote: »

Has anybody driven one of these badboys before, or better still owned one?

Whats it like to live with as a daily runner.

Loved mine until it shat it's oil all over a road a few weeks ago.

Actually I still love it, just don't have the cash to sort the engine yet.

ARGINITE

smash wrote: »

Loved mine until it shat it's oil all over a road a few weeks ago.

Failed oil cooler line?

smash

ARGINITE wrote: »

Failed oil cooler line?

Yea, but I'm hoping it's nothing worse than just that. Should have the new lines in a week or so we'll see.

ARGINITE

smash wrote: »

Yea, but I'm hoping it's nothing worse than just that. Should have the new lines in a week or so we'll see.

Is it being sorted by Mazda under the recall or out of your pocket? It's an expensive job to get fixed.

Sammy_Jankis

ARGINITE wrote: »

Have the exact same colour combo just with a UK reg

Read the RX8OC buyers guide


This seems funny, a rebuild for low compression will be €3K ish, cheapest rebuild in the UK is £2250. But as long as compression is good then this is not required at any milage.

Get a compression test.

If the service history does not include a coil change in the last 20K (coils need to be changed every 30K) then budget for that, there is currently a group buy running on rx8ownersclub.co.uk for uprated Rotary Rev coils with a free set of plugs.

Have you taken it for a test drive yet?
Does it start from hot without issue?

What sort of MPG do you expect from it?

Yeah I have it now. I brought it to my mechanic and first thing he did was pull out the dipstick. It looked like a cappuccino. It wasn't like that when I looked at it 2 weeks ago! Is this normal??? I looked like an idiot bringing that to my mechanic!

I expect 20mpg at best. Do mostly motorway driving.

It starts from hot with no problems. I tried that 2 weeks ago.

Coils are only included in the full warranty 500 quid for 6 months. The other is 12mths for 250 (250 one included in price).

MetzgerMeister

Yes, the white gunk on the dipstick is normal. I nearly had heart failure when I first saw it on my one

Sammy_Jankis

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Yes, the white gunk on the dipstick is normal. I nearly had heart failure when I first saw it on my one

Cheers. I was told to "bring that back quick". I also had the Engine coolant level warning light come on twice. I was told by the dealer that both of these are normal. Is the issue with the light true?

Dealer is going to flush the oil system and change the filter for me anyway.

Wheres My ForkandKnife

It sounds as if you're going into it with your eyes open.I have one six years with no real problems.MPG is early 20's.Mine is an 04 so has the earlier starter and it starts on the button.The newer starter spins faster and increases compression so it can mask low compression but if its starting on the button when hot I wouldn't worry too much.

I would suggest a compression test to the seller.His reaction will say a lot about his confidence in the car.If you're unlucky and lose an engine within the year a rebuild starts at about €2400 in Ireland.

One other thing, if you have to drive a short distance and the car is still cold(trip to the local shop) when you stop bring the revs up to about 4000 and knock off the ignition.This will stop it flooding.After that its like any other car.Service it on time and keep an eye on the oil.You will be throwing a drop in every couple of weeks but nothing excessive..

Enjoy

MetzgerMeister

Sammy_Jankis wrote: »

Cheers. I was told to "bring that back quick". I also had the Engine coolant level warning light come on twice. I was told by the dealer that both of these are normal. Is the issue with the light true?

Dealer is going to flush the oil system and change the filter for me anyway.

The coolant thing isn't normal but is a common fault on them. It's due to coolant actually getting into the sensor and since the sensor is encased in the coolant reservoir, you need to replace the whole thing.

Sammy_Jankis

Wheres My ForkandKnife wrote: »

One other thing, if you have to drive a short distance and the car is still cold(trip to the local shop) when you stop bring the revs up to about 4000 and knock off the ignition.This will stop it flooding.After that its like any other car.Service it on time and keep an eye on the oil.You will be throwing a drop in every couple of weeks but nothing excessive..

Enjoy

Cheers I read about that before I bought the car. Think I'll lose a bit of weight as I'll just walk. Can see the shop from my house!

I have been told by two different people (mechanic & recovery truck driver who averages one a week) to just bring the car back. Not happy as I've sold my own and thought this was in good condition.

Ferris

Wheres My ForkandKnife wrote: »

One other thing, if you have to drive a short distance and the car is still cold(trip to the local shop) when you stop bring the revs up to about 4000 and knock off the ignition.This will stop it flooding.After that its like any other car.

I don't do this despite it being put about like wildfire. The OMP fires oil into the compression chamber when you turn off the engine. This improves the seal upon restart. Revving the engine burns the oil off.

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

The coolant thing isn't normal but is a common fault on them. It's due to coolant actually getting into the sensor and since the sensor is encased in the coolant reservoir, you need to replace the whole thing.

Or just unplug the sensor:D

Wheres My ForkandKnife

Ferris wrote: »

I don't do this despite it being put about like wildfire. The OMP fires oil into the compression chamber when you turn off the engine. This improves the seal upon restart. Revving the engine burns the oil off.



Or just unplug the sensor:D

I'm not a mechanic and not going to debate what goes on inside any engine.All I do know is that I flodded the engine once and since using this method I have never flooded the car.

If I had to sit in the drive waiting for the car to warm up or I could not drive any short distances I would get rid of the car.Its a nice car but not that nice.

Coolant light is a common problem.It used to come on sometimes on my car until I disconnected it.Now I just keep an eye on it when checking oil. No point in buying a second hand coolant bottle as it could have the same problem and they are silly money from Mazda