Advice about buying RX-8's
 

Hi All

I am looking at potentially buying a Mazda RX-8 however i am totally new to them and i have read a lot of different reviews and posts online which all have mixed messages which is why i am here :hahano:

I've never really been into cars until recently (Now i'm in my early 30's i want to learn something new), i started watching random videos on how an engine works and then i stumbled across rotary engines. I couldn't believe how simple a rotary engine looked and how much power it produces (again as i've never really been into cars before these may be a lot more complicated than they look, so please correct me if i am wrong haha!). Once i had discovered rotary engines i noticed that they were in RX-8's which was a car i'd always had my eye on buying but never looked into them until now...

Anyway enough of me going on, i have a few questions:

1, I've seen about having compression tests carried out on an RX-8 before buying one, what is the rule of thumb regarding compression tests and their results?
2, I know that the engines will require a rebuild at some point in their lives, is it better to buy a car that has had a recent rebuild or would it just come down to mileage or depending on the compression results?
3, Should i also be making sure that the previous owners have been premixing fuel?
4, Can you guys give me any other recommendations?

Thank you in advance :worship:

Welcome!

Wankel rotary engines are simple in principle, but if you want to get into the details, it can still get very complex.

Personally, if you are new to cars, this would still be a lot to take in, but if you are very invested in it and have the money, it's a decently fun car.

To answer your questions, you could start by reading the links in my signature.

1. It's all explained in detail here.
Mandatory Compression Test

2. It depends. Some people actually purposefully buy an RX-8 with a broken engine but is good otherwise. Costs about $1k. You then have a reputable Mazda dealer/shop put in a reman engine while replacing some other stuff(clutch, some cooling components, etc.) while you are in there.

3. It's a tough question. Some people swear by premix, others don't. I personally think it's good but that's just me. I wouldn't let that concern you too much if the previous owner didn't do it. There are other questions you can ask them to see if they are knowledgeable about the car.

After you read the links, I think you will understand a lot of the stuff. Feel free to ask, though.

Best advice I can give for a prospecting RX8 owner is to spend some time on this forum. Read all the relevant threads to build your own knowledge base. There are a ton of info here.
Unless you plan to do a full rebuild, take your time. Be patient. There are great well kept specimens that are turn key. You get what you pay for.

Welcome, definitely check out the new owner's sticky while you are here. It will give you more understanding about this car. Take your time and look for a good example, even if it takes months. It will save you so much pain and heartache.

rx8help.com has the condensed knowledge (similar to the new & potential user threads).