I cApstone I

So, I'm at my wit's end with my RX-8. Needless to say, (as many of you may know) these cars can be maintenance hogs. So, I'm at a dilemma--

Is it time to pour more money in it, or trade it in?

Basically, when I go to trade, the car is probably not going to be running very well....stalling/rough idle/hot start. What can I truly expect to get out of it? Surely they will sell it at wholesale, but would it even be worth trading in if they know its running like hell? I would much rather trade this car in, than sell it to someone else on the street.

2004 RX-8 auto (yeah, i know) 140,000 miles.

-2nd motor.
-2nd transmission
-coils/plugs/wires have about 20,000 miles on them (yes, about that time).
-Pre-mixed for the past 10,000 miles.
-MAF clean/ess clean/no known vacuum leaks
-battery has maybe 5,000 miles on it.
-Radiator has 10,000 miles on it.


Here recently my transmission went out (yay! $2300.00 down the drain). Now, my car is having the infamous idle/stalling/hot start problems again.

Current symptoms:

-No CEL's
-Rough idle.
-VERY rough idle without premixing.
-Much worse idle under load (a/c on).
-Idle much worse in 100 degree Texas heat.
-If I turn the a/c off...90% chance it wont stall.
-If I dont premix in this heat...ha, runs like complete hell.
-If it stalls, normally takes 5-10 mins to crank back up (literally have to cut the a/c on and off to keep it from stalling in bumper-to-bumper traffic).
-Im sure it's in dire need of sea-foaming.
-A/C fan (interior) is loud as hell
-freaking side mirror rattle drives me nuts, lol.
-needs front pads and rotors
-needs 2 new tires
-A/C sucks as always (cyclic hot/warm, hot/warm)
-MAF is clean, but screws are rounded-out (of course).
-Matrix Radio display (contacts are all screwed)

Now, I have a feeling my compression is low....and I know changing the coils/plugs/wires and seafoaming will probably help. But, I think it's time I let this car go.

With that being said....should I drive it up to dealership as is and trade it in?

or

Get a compression test? (which may indeed tell me my motor is gone, or it could be fine, in which I would still need to change the coils, plugs, blah, blah?

or lastly

Change out the plugs/wires/coils/seafoam....then hope that band-aid's it enough to pass for a decent trade in?

Basically, Im trying to spend the least amount of money as possible to get rid of this car.


Now, what would you do?

Thanks ahead of time

FLCL

Me personally, I'd sell it, automatic transmissions are horrible, they always break and cost an arm and a leg to fix. Pull aftermarket parts, put back on stock parts, sell it and get a manual.

way back in the day i had a 4cyl auto MX-6, when the transmission failed on me the 3rd time within 60k miles I swaped it to a J-Spec KLZE V6 with manual trans. I have never bought another Auto Trans again......and that first manual trans i bought it from a junk yard used and it is still fully functional to this day with no issues (12 yrs ago)!

MT FTW