So to get right into it, I found a 2011 Mazda RX-8 R3, 37,000 miles, certified pre-owned, the second owner, an RX-8 enthusiast bought it at 6,000 miles, immediately removed catalytics converter and went with a BHR catless midpipe and racing beat exhaust. Agreed upon price is 13,500, seller agreed to get a compression test done for me.

What do do you guys think about the price? Is it fair? Clear title, appears to be like new...

 

Anybody?

 

Well it all sounds good but of course get a compression test. The r3 is definitely nice and it’s low mileage but that sounds a bit steep even in that circumstance. Financing or paying cash?
If you have cash I would try and haggle a bit. I’d start at 10k maybe 10.5 and work my way up.

 

Well, I have never seen a 2011 with similar mileage and condition for 10,500, at this point I am burned out of looking, every other RX-8 I have looked at is either ragged out or the engine needs rebuilt. I seen a black R3 on here for 16,000 I do believe. And there is a 2009 for 13,000 for sell on here with similar mileage

 

Well seems like you know what you’re getting in to. Get it if you like it and enjoy it my friend.
Welcome to the club.

 

R3 with low mileage is rare. There is a premium to it naturally. If you keep the cars for a few years, the extra 2-3k is nothing in the grand scheme of things. If it checks out, go for it and enjoy it.

 

Seems like a good price to me. Does it need anything done maintenance wise? Coils, plugs, wires, coolant flush, trans and diff flush, tires, etc. If that's all good then yeah, great price.
Don't listen to the lowballers. They don't have a clue. I own an R3 myself, with 11k miles. The R3 is the rarest and best version of the RX-8 in the United States. There were only 950 imported and lots are high mileage, wrecked, or hacked up by wannabe modders.

Don't do any mods that you can't bring back to stock, don't sell the wheels, or any stock part. My car can be made stock in 1 afternoon.

 

Its going to need new coils and plugs, but the owner is like me, obsessively meticulous, all new coolant, transmission, differential fluid change at 30,000 miles, he had plans to change plugs and coils at 40,000 miles. Has had a BHR catless mid-pipe since 6000 miles and constant 3000 mile oil change. Car looks like brand new.

And you are absolutely right, and these cars are so hard to find, the series 1’s are like the Japanese equivalent of the Pontiac firebird v6’s, nine out of ten have been purchased by the wrong buyers and they are trashed out.

I have a 10th anniversary Miata with 50,000 miles, beautiful car, fast too, 230 rwhp and 220 ft lbs of torque, but I regret turbocharging my 1999 10th anniversary Miata, changing the suspension, all that stuff. Beautiful car, looks identical to a 2004-2005 Mazda speed Miata, same wheels, same shocks, sway bar, even same turbo, but it would be worth so much more in ten-twenty more years if it were completely oem than it is today...

 

Guess I’ll go make a thread for post count too.
These are Rx8s dude. No matter how you spin it. Shinka,40th, R3. Comparing any Rx8 to a Pontiac you obviously have no clue what you’re talking about. If you get a compression test before you buy a rotary it covers 90% of your potential problems from the beginning.
These might have some value far down the line but these will never be a FD3S

 

what I meant is that the series 1’s dropped to prices so low that many of them fell into the hands of people who just destroyed them and trashed them similar to F body’s, leaving the clean and pristine models few and far between (and destined to command a high price in the future.)

 

Ah I understand your position. Thanks for clarification. Very true, most owners did not understand the fundamentals of the rotary engine and oil consumption amongst other things. Go get that R3 man. I’m not saying to necessarily lowball but it’s always good to negotiate, especially with stealerships. With all the mods done also like BHR midpipe, RB exhaust, it’s a good buy. Just those two and the labor to install is around 1k. I have done both and don’t recommend doing yourself without a lift.. jack stands won’t cut it

 

Good deal! I’ll get the compression test results this Monday, I really really pray that it all goes good, if so, I’ll be making the purchase!

 

Got the results! Rotor 1 and 2 are both in the 9’s. We are good to go!

 

Awesome dude. 9 bar is right where you are supposed to be. Sounds like you got a good buy my friend.