I currently have a Mazda6 and plan on selling to buy a 2004 Mazda Rx-8 with touring package. I know I SHOULD buy a 2005, but is the 2004 THAT much worse? I know, you're going to say to get the MT, but I will be getting the AT for several reasons. Will this be a big mistake? 04 is a reach in what I want to spend, so 05 is out of the question. I know you guys know your stuff, thats why I want to know if I am wasting my money. Thanks!

Is 06, though more expencive, has a beter AT. But as an AT2006 owner, I have had no complaints what so ever. The Manual shift mode is enough fun.

I understand that, however, the price of an 04 for me at the current time is all i will be able to come up with. Question is: Will I regret it?

well, if you cant afford a 05, then a 04 is your only choice.

As to your question if you will regret it, only you can answer that question.

i dont think there is a signifigant difference between an 04 and an 05 as long as all the recall and reflashes have been done to the car.

if any thing you could wait a little longer for more 07s to come out and then the price for 05s could go down

I would hate to buy one at this point then DStall. Save up your money just a little bit more and get the one you want. Buying such an expencive car, and not getting what you wanted will leave you later on with buyers remorse. True there will always be something beter down the road, but there is a good diference between the AT's. If you were going MT, then I dont think there was really a bid difference between the years.

Dont buy on impuse your you will get slapped with the remorsefull dead fish.

::Slaps Dstall with the Remorseful Dead Fish::


Too late

I will be getting a AT. So definitely just wait and get an 05? Am I safe with an 05 RX-8 W/touring?

There's no difference between the 04 and the 05. The 07s on the other hand have 6-speed ATs which may be worth saving up for another few months for, but I'm not an AT driver, so that's up to you.

And the differences between Sport, Touring and GT are just trim packages. GTs are a little heavier that the other two, but for all intents and purposes, it's the same.

I just heard that 04 AT are having LOTS of trouble. I didn't know if it was true. I plan on babying my ride. If I can get an 04, I'd love to, because of the price. I got college debts beyond believe

I just wanted to know all of your opinions because you know more than I do

I just heard that 04 AT are having LOTS of trouble. I didn't know if it was true. I plan on babying my ride. If I can get an 04, I'd love to, because of the price. I got college debts beyond believe

I just wanted to know all of your opinions because you know more than I do
babying it will cause MORE problems

babying it will cause MORE problems

Babying it by not revving it and driving it like it was meant to be driven may cause more problems.

Babying it by taking very good care of the car won't. ;) I use the term babying to mean frequent oil changes (yeah, every 3k, not the 7.5k the friggin manual says), top-offs with gas fill-ups, fluid checks, air-filters, and using good gas, etc. :angel:

Thats what I meant by babying it. So you think I should go for the 04 AT if i cant afford netihng else or hold off for an 05? Does it matter?

an 04 shouldnt be a problem as long as all the flashes are up to date and there isnt anything broken before you get it

What do you mean flashes? All of the recalls, services, etc? I wont buy it unless it has a perfect carfax and I check it out myself

yeah just recalls and stuff a dealership can take care of that

I can find all of that on the carfax right?

I read a lot on the pitfalls of buying an '04. Mine is an '04 6spd and has been perfict as far as I am concerned. Well, they did replace the left tail light, passenger side visor, and I am now waiting for a control module (?) for the sunroof (it opens a little shaky and I only even complained about it because I thought they would lube it up and send me on my way).

Ok, it is not "perfict" but those are the only issues in 34,000 miles. I am VERY happy. But mine is not an Auto.

save up your money mate, wait another year for the 05 or 06 models. it'll be worth it for th AT's

PS,My car is better than my spelling

Mayb I could get a good price on one of these in an 05 AT in mid-winter. Ya never know.

The 04 and 05 autos are the same. The 06 has the 6 speed auto. The 04 and 05 autos are what they are. They dont perform as well as the MT at all.

Im not looking for a crazy performance car. I just love the body and want to get it in auto. So if you said the 04 and 05 arent different, ill buy the 04, because i dont want to wait for the 05's to go down. im low on cash

Why not just buy my 04 for 20K; excellent condition. Save money.

See cars.com. I'm in Chandler (Phoenix) Arizona.

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?tracktype=usedcc&searchType=21&paId=209942360&pageNumber=0&numResultsPerPage=50&largeNumResultsPerPage=0&sortorder=descending&sortfield=PRICE+descending&certifiedOnly=false&recnum=23&leadExists=true&criteria=K-%7CE-%7CM-_30_%7CD-_6388_%7CN-N%7CR-50%7CI-1%7CP-PRICE+descending%7CQ-descending%7CZ-85248&aff=azcentr

Oops .. mine is a MT; never mind :)

What do you mean flashes? All of the recalls, services, etc? I wont buy it unless it has a perfect carfax and I check it out myself

A "Flash" is a reprogram of the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). A number of them have been issued by Mazda, usually by way of a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that authorizes dealers to provide the flash as a warranty service, but not a recall.

Flashes have changed the fuel-air map across the RPM spectrum, changed the oil-metering etc. to minimize flooding, address longevity issues, improve performance, etc.

Flashes are free as long as you have warranty coverage. They may be emissions issues which fall under the longer emissions warranty.

I don't know if CarFax can pull up the complete service record on the vehicle. A Mazda dealer can.

I have an 05 AT and really enjoy it. Paddle shifting is a lot of fun, and you have the convienence of the AT when you are feeling pretty tired, etc. It needs more power down low, but I understood that sacrifice when I got the car.

From my understanding the 04s are basically the same except for the stuff that is covered by recalls and TSBs. That said, in general 1st model years are less reliable. But hopefully any of those issues are covered by the recalls and tsbs...

I did read where someone commented that the 4 speed trannies would be better for FI than 6 speeds. Not sure exactly why. But just be aware that 1st gear in the 4 speed AT is VERY tall. If you are into having a lot of power from a standing start, then don't get this car. If you want a car that handles like a dream, looks great, and has 4 seats with fairly easy rear seat access, then this is a good car for you.

Also, if you have a tight budget, you might not want to consider this car due to fuel economy issues. The rotaries are not very fuel efficient. I average 15 to 16 around town with mine with lots of revving. I'm sure if I babied it more I'd get around 18, but then i'd have problems with carbon build up, and the joys of revving it are worth the extra cash to me. I view it as a hobby/entertainment expense :)

There's no difference between the 04 and the 05. The 07s on the other hand have 6-speed ATs which may be worth saving up for another few months for, but I'm not an AT driver, so that's up to you.

The 5-spd AT came out in 2006. If you can wait until the 07's are on the lot, you might be able to get an 06. In my opinion, it is a better car than the 04-05 AT 8's.

It it's used there may be a good reason it's being sold - there seem to have been a lot of engine problems with the earliest 8s - and you may be due for a free upgrade if the dealer will honor it. %s are harder to find because people are holding onto them tighter.

Yeah, Im going to look around. I def want one ASAP. Gotta sell my Mazda6 first, or look for a descent trade in. Hopefully it all works out so I can ride in my own Rx-8