Hello all-My folks are looking to buy a new RX-8-while on a test drive the oil light came on-the salesman said thats common-they use oil.Anyone own one of these that my have some info regarding this???thx .......

 

the oil light should never come on. if the oil light is on, the car is minutes away from having the engine destroyed. Don't buy that car.

You should expect 1 quart to be burned every 1,000 - 3,000 miles. So just check the oil every other fill up. I get my oil changed every 3,000 miles. So every other 1,500 mile mark I add a quart as needed.

 

Sure they do by design, but occurrence as described is highly unusual. Most folks report no more than 1-qt. per 1,000 miles; my car goes about 3,000 (I worry that it does not inject enough). I would not buy the particular unit they test drove, at least without a much better explanation.

 

Ditto - don't buy if that oil light is on - low oil pressure in an RX-8 spells big trouble.

 

In the defense of the car, the oil may not have been low. There is a TSB (service bulletin) to replace oil pans, and the associated pickup and sensors in this car. Many people were getting the check oil light when they were well within the range needed. If the car was new at the dealer, and had low miles on it, then it's very likely there was enough oil in it, and it just needs the service recall done.

 

There is a vin range for the cars effected by that issue - and unless I'm mistaken, the tsb only applies to cars built quite a long time ago - mine was made in dec 2003 and didn't need that fix.

Either way, I wouldn't want a car that was beat up till the low oil light came on, or so old that it's been on the dealer lot over a year.

 

It also only occured when travelling at highway speeds for extended periods of time (usually).

 

Definitely not "common" for the low oil light to be on. Could be that the connection to the sensor popped off. That happened to me on the way home from the dealer when I bought my 8. BUT, the salesman is blowing smoke so suggest to your parents that they visit a different dealer.