jocco

Hi all, I've been reading this forum for the last month, so I hope I wont ask any stupid newbie question.

Sold my other car, so now I want to get an rear wheel drive car for the first time.

I always liked the looks of an RX-8 so I started searching for one.

From the start I decided not to bother looking at the 192hp ones as I always want more power from any type of vehicle that I own.

So drove one 231hp that was regularly serviced with a low mileage, but the owner "failed" when answering the buyers guide questions for this forum.

The car had an "check engine" and the radiator light on. The owner claimed that the car barely consumes any oil, and that the gas mileage is excellent!

He said that the engine light is from the cat and probably the O2 sensor and he offered to change those on his expence which was nice, but the guy was pretty shady to me, so I suspect that he will change anything at all.

So walked away from that I now I want to get my friend RX8 which is immaculate.

Not a single scratch on it, has spend most of her live in a garage and has a really low mileage 45000km/28000miles on the clock.

Obviously its a lot more expensive, but definitively worth it.

The think is he insist that I buy some of the parts he has bought over thae past year for the car, but never got to fit them.

So I need advice are these parts worth fitting on the car if I do purchase it, or should I consider selling them to make up for the high purchase price.

He has Eibach springs, Fujitsubo cat back exhaust, ebay decat, Genuine engine mounts, OEM Navigation screen, K&N panel filter, some sort of air scoop for the OEM air-box.

The car is 2004 and was serviced last year with Genuine Mazda oil, NGK plugs and leads and OEM ignition coils.

The tires are still the ones that the car came with in 2004

And the radiator light is on, my friend says that its only from dirt in the cooler canister and just need a good clean, but I guess this will need replacing.


Any advice is appreciated and sorry for the long thread.

Might post a few pics of it later.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Springs are fine
Catback is fine
ebay decat is not fine (get a real midpipe, generic no-name ones are going to be very unpleasant to drive with)
engine mounts are fine
nav screen is not (nav was poorly done, costs a lot to get updates... the nav's main value is people ripping out the nav and using the hood to install a different system in the car)
panel filter is not (the OEM filter really is better at filtration, and no power loss vs the K&N)
air scoop depends. If it's the racing beat duct, yes, something else... take pics or something.

tires might be at risk just from age at this point.

coolant bottle sensor probably failed, needing a coolant bottle replacement. You can't clean it or service it independant of the bottle.


That isn't a long thread

jocco

Thanks for that quick reply and for all the comments.

Out of all the products on the list I was planning to fit the decat, as I read the cat can cause a lot of issues.
Do you think this no-name ebay one will not fit properly or will it be too loud.

I will be fitting the springs also. Can someone with Eibachs comment on the ride quality?

The Nav screen will end up on ebay.

The K&N filter I might try it on and take it from there, not really worth the hassle of selling it.

Not sure about the exhaust, I'm 34, so loud exhaust annoys me.

Obviously the tires will be the first thing that needs replacing, followed by coolant bottle.

Thanks

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

It will probably fit fine, but be raspy, drony, and/or too loud. If there is packing inside to quiet it down, those traits will show up in a few hundred miles once the packing melts from the rotary's exhaust heat.

I trashed one that someone gave me. Read this before you even "try it": https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tec...1/#post3849277

04Green

iTrader: (1)

Welcome

Not sure I saw the price for the car. Did you share?

jocco

I didnt. The price is 9500 Euros, which in today's dollars is 10150$

Around 2000$ is the additional parts that I have to purchase together with the car.

In my Country there are around 10 RX-8's in total, and only 3 are 231hp.

The one that I want to get is the best one, with the lowest mileage.


I forgot to mention that it had a new engine and a new gearbox 20000km ago.


The RX-8's are very cheap in Germany (4-5000$), so I'm tempted to import one from there.

TomX8

Why would you buy a 2004 RX-8 for 9500 euro?

jocco

Well I didn't bought an RX8 in the end.
Bought a Audi TT mk2 in the end

One day I guess I will own an RX8 ...

jocco

And the day has come. Bought an 2004 RX8 last week.

Not the one I intended 3 years ago, but found a decent one for a decent price.

And immediately have few issues with it no heat in the cabin, the CD changer gets stuck, rattly exhaust sound, rear lights condensation, jerky acceleration on part throttle at low RPM.

Other then that I love the car, the looks, how it drives, and finally I own a rear wheel drive car.

Been reading a lot this past week, great info here. I guess I might start a build thread, cause I plan to do a few mods and fix everything.

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

No heat in the cabin could be a bad control.
Do you know how to check it?
Check to be sure the rattle isn't a bad cat.

jocco

Thanks for the reply. I checked the control, but on my European rx I didnt get the A/C temp check, I got a different check for both the fan and the temp buttons.

I re-soldered all the connections and now I get a luke warm passenger side and still ice cold drivers side. So i guess its the heater core that need a flush?

I'm suspecting that the previous owner did something to the cat, as the car smells on petrol a lot from the exhaust, especially when cold.

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

Possibly the heater core.
Be careful flushing it, it could be corroded and start leaking onto your floorboard, have some towels handy.

No CEL?
Even if the cat is hollow, you shouldn't get a strong fuel smell unless you have a misfire and it's dumping fuel.
I have no cat, and it's a strong exhaust smell, but not fuel so much.