Beefy98

I'm about to make it into the Series 2 100,000 mile club--I'm at 97k now. Is there one guy here ahead of me? Not one thing has gone wrong. *

Just 5W20 all the while, plugs every 25k, and "C" coils, wires and fresh coolant at 72k.

And I drive at least 10 miles per outing.



* I DID just get a squeaking from the right upper front strut bushing. Silenced it with silicone spray. But the dealer said it should be replaced, prolly due to "driving too hard on a stock suspension".

Iluvrevs

Not even close here with only 45k. I've started car pooling with my wife and we take the CX5 for fuel savings so the 8 only gets drive once a week now.

Only issue is a seat belt/air bag light that the dealers can't keep out even though both systems seem to work. Guess too many stops on track straights.

jasonrxeight

whats your trick? how often do you redline?

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

I know of a local guy who had almost 90k a few years ago on his R3, he had an 80 mile daily commute. He got married and fell off the map but he still owns it and likely has well over 100k by now.

G_ man

iTrader: (2)

Wow I'm only at 32,000 kilometers or almost 20,000 miles on my R3, after 3 season but its not my dd and I store it for the winter.

That's awesome news and glad all is well, I would love to see some compressions #'s

poacherinthezoo

That's some impressive mileage, and it's refreshing to see someone posting about how reliable their car has been instead of what has gone wrong (as is human nature).

I have yet to put a decent amount of miles on my car. All in due time.


Best luck to you and many more trouble free miles!

REtali8

iTrader: (2)

2009 with 94k. Some things need to be sorted out, but still runs good.

77mjd

Nice to see the series II cars seem to be holding up a lot better than the series I's.

poacherinthezoo

The series 2 is what the RX8 should have been in 2004 (in my humble opinion). If only.... It could have been a real money maker for mazda. Sadly, now "Average Joe's" opinion of the rotary engine is forever altered.

On a more positive note; the changes made from series 1 to series 2 fill me with optimism for the future of the rotary and mazda in general.

New Yorker

Really? I prefer the S1. The engine changes in the S2 were decidedly minor. In fact, when the S2 was introduced, the automotive press talked about the revised appearance, suspension and instrument panel and, of course the new R3. Hardly a word was said about the engine changes.

Ask yourself why. (Or... don't. If that's inconsistent with your own personal perception of RX-8 reality.)

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Decidedly minor? Man you are clueless.

different rotor housings, front cover, different oil injector setup, specially coated rotors, completely revised oil metering pump system, different engine oil lubrication system, a substantial increase in oil pressure, different oil pan setup, different fuel injector configuration, etc., etc., etc.

New Yorker

Clueless? Read the Automobile review of the S2 and note which changes are mentioned - and which, curiously, are not. (And I gotta big stack of reviews here that give your "important" engine revisions the same short shrift.)

But hey, what do professional auto journalists know? They can't all have your keen insight into what revisions are newsworthy - and which ones are not even worth a mention, now can they?

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...take-road-test

GK1707

iTrader: (10)

IMO I think Automotive journalists tend to take the user friendly approach and give more attention to the revisions most normal drivers would notice as opposed to the mechanical changes. If the S2 had a completely different engine I think that'd be something noteworthy, but I doubt they'd make a big deal out of the changes in the engine from S1 to S2 (oil injector setup, and rotor housings) as most of their readerbase probably isn't much familiar with the Rotary engine in general. Now something like the differences in the 2nd generation to 3rd gen Rx7 is definitely mention-worthy (different engine and completely different chassis on the same platform..ish). Just my opinion though.

REtali8

iTrader: (2)

Let's just all get along....

9K - You're right
Yorker - You're right

Here's why I think that:

The changes in the motor were pretty big as far as rotary guys go. The extra oil injector and oil pressure I'm sure will help with the longevity of the S2 engines. They were enough to help constitute a "revision".

On the flip side, the general public doesn't understand our engines to begin with, let alone what the changes really mean. Does that make them minor? I don't think so, but not really "report worthy". Did the displacement, hp, torque change? No, not really "report worthy". What was "report worthy" was the exterior changes and addition of R3 model.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

, They don't know **** actually. 90% of them are wined and dined and influenced to say what they are told to say. And that fact that you think automotive "journalists" know much about cars just proves how clueless you are. They are flown out all expenses paid to review the cars, do you think they would say anything truly harsh or bring up the engine debacle? If they did that, it would be the first and last all expenses paid vacation that Mazda would pay for.

They would have to actually know the RX-8 and do some real inquiring to determine what the specific important changes were. Any jerk off can become and automotive journalist.

J8635621

iTrader: (10)

Someone really thinks an automotive magazine article is a legit engineering masterpiece? Do you think the pamphlets at the doctor about varicose vein treatment are medical journals?

jasonrxeight

minor change that can make an engine twice as durable? thats 100% difference right there.
anyways, magazines are for normal car people. as an engineer and car enthusiast, I dont really read magazine even tho I have subscription to Car and Driver.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

According to him (owns a 10 year old RX-8 with 5 miles on it that recently showed great compression) there are no issues with the series I engine and that the issues are just over exaggerated on this site.

New Yorker

In fact, my 8 is nearly 8 years old and has 30K miles and yes, the engine is in great shape. I maintain the car regularly and carefully; why wouldn't it be?

And all engines have issues, however small. Even the Renesis:

• it produces relatively little torque, necessitating high revs to use it properly. Most Americans grew up having their torque down low; unless they grew up riding inline-4 Japanese motorcycles, they'll rarely rev it high enough to use the little engine in the way its designers intended.
• the Renesis drinks a lot of fuel for a "small" engine. Normally, high fuel consumption = power. People are cool with that. The 8 is different; the Renesis is quite small and light = superior handling and "feel" exceeded by just a handful of cars. So the equation for the 8 is different; high fuel consumption = tiny engine placed low and back = amazing handling and "feel". Many will trade fuel consumption for power; few will trade it for sublime feel and handling.
• the Renesis requires proper owner attention to stay in tip-top shape - a level of attention casual American owners are generally not willing to provide. Its margin of error for typical owner neglect is comparatively small.

The R2 revisions make that margin of error a wee bit larger, that's all. Not especially newsworthy, is it?

poacherinthezoo

For the sake of comparison, here are a few excerpts from Car and Driver's review of the revised 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe (in R-Spec trim)[1]:

"Along with a handsome midcycle face lift for 2013, Hyundai has improved the coupe's base 2.0-liter, port-injected four with a new twin-scroll turbocharger and a larger intercooler. Horsepower jumps from 210 to a healthy 274 while torque climbs from 223 pound-feet to 275."


"Despite revisions to the manual transmission, the clutch pedal feels heavily sprung in both cars [4 cylinder turbo and V6], and the new sculpted shifer is balky and notchy."

^^^^ This 2nd quote is the ONLY part in the entire review that discusses mechanical changes made to the car that are not directly related to performance numbers or trim level changes.

"The R-Specs lack some luxuries you'll find in pricier models yet includes Brembo brakes, limited-slip differentials, firmer suspensions, and new 19-inch wheels..."


I'll let you draw your own conclusions from this.



[1] Sutton M. "2013 hyundai genesis R-spec coupe." Car and Driver. July 2012, 58(1);142-43.

Beefy98

I stick to the book. 5W20 every 5K, Factory S2 filters, F22 coolant etc. No "premixing" or synthetic. I think many get into trouble when they stray and start doing/adding things that they think will help but are in fact detrimental to the cars health. I redline several times a day. Have never shut the car down cold, and I always go out and get it good and hot! But I'm a little worried that the car doesn't seem to be burning as much oil as before..

I always get 19 mpg, can't do better--or worse.

jasonrxeight

for my driving style I think I am burning about half quart every 600miles left or right.
I am at 23000 miles and doing exactly what you are doing.
I took her to the track day once and its the easiest thing to drive. so forgiving and accurate. brakes never faded compare to mustangs have to cool down every 5 laps (maybe its the driver), handling is very precise. power wise it does feel a bit of low on power once its got hot enough (you can feel your firewall heating up). yes it burns gas like a madman. didnt have gas issue once its below quarter tank tho weirdly.

ei8ht

114k miles, no issues.

Beefy98

but I saw your battery packed it up after 3 yrs?! Yikes! I better go buy one now just to be safe.

BTW, are u still on the original coils? Those Bs last a long time..

poacherinthezoo

and what has been your general maintenance routine?