OnebaddRx8

I recently purchased this 04' rx8 auto so my rx7 wouldn't feel so lonely. It was a great deal 64K fresh stock 4 port Banzai Racing rebuild 4k. New Borla exhaust, m
Mangaflow cat, 18" MKW rims and tires, and tinted windows for $7k.
Now my rx7 just feels neglected but I am happy anyone that says they are the same kinda car because of the engine is just silly it's a whole different beast.

So here's my question i did some searching and couldn't find a definitive answer, can the shift points on a auto be changed so they aren't so close together.
I don't like to be doing @ 45 and my car already be in 4th gear.

Thanks

Mysterion

After a bit of digging online, the only possibilities I came up with are : 1) bang it into manual mode and use the paddle shifters or 2) try contacting TransGo during their business hours and see if they have a shift kit for it. You will need to crawl under the car and look for a transmission ID tag as their site lists kits for Mazda but the listings are by trans. number.

http://www.transgo.com/products.php?...8&parent_id=38
Hope this helps.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

7k for an 04' auto? You got ripped. And there is no shift kit for auto RX-8's.

OnebaddRx8

You may think I go ripped and that's your opinion but I have $6800 in receipts for the engine rebuild and all the other new parts installed in the last 2 months.

Kinda funny the loan value at the bank was $7800 for an rx8 with only 64K.

If anyone lost their *** it was the people that sold it not me.
So you go buy one for$4-5k with a 100k ready to blow and let me know how that works ya!

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Legot

iTrader: (1)

RX8s have no value, that's why you lost quite abit on your deal, not to mention that 04 ATs are the lowest of the low. The 4AT on the series 1 weren't great on engine life, and the 4 port engines were essentially so useless that Mazda stopped installing them by MY 2006 if I recall correctly, and 04s had more issues than 05s et al. I think several of us here bought them with about 100k for ~$5k going strong, so watch it, lol.

Use the suggestion box called paddle shifters, the market is too small and there's to much communication between the AT and the PCM for anyone to have developed something that works. I suppose you could design a kit that uses OBD data and the suggestion box in tandem to do what you're trying to do (100% possible and not horribly difficult btw) but it would require more research than you're probably willing to do.

OnebaddRx8

Thanks for the help, I will use as is. I probably paid to much for my vert and 3rd gen rx7's also ha ha! Just because you people don't like the 04 auto I really don't care. I looked at 04-09's and many of them were not near as nice or had a ton of miles as the one I bought and no service history. I know the one I bought has been gone through front to back. If I really want to go fast my 3rd gen has well over 340 hp and a 5 speed.

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OnebaddRx8

Also I sold my first gen 7 that I didn't really drive anymore and paid for over half of it so the $100 payment is worth it to me I poss away that much money a month so I might as well have something to show for it. I'm not worried about the resale value I'm not getting rid of it for a long time. Would I of liked a 6 port manual yes. But at the same time the wife said it had to be some thing she could drive. The 3rd gen is to much power for her and she's not very friendly on a clutch disc. I hate shifting sometimes also and this gets better mpg than both my 7's. I'm sorry you people don't approve again I don't care. Lol

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RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Onebadd, they aren't bashing you for overpaying, just trying to level set your expectations. The 4-port auto is the numerically the lowest powered worst performing RX-8 variant, with the lowest reliability and the highest repair costs. It's a perfectly suboptimal set of attributes. Basically, for the money, people tend to value the one that is more reliable, more powerful, and cheaper to maintain, so the 4-port AT ends up being valued far less every time.

A perfect condition 4-port auto is historically only worth around $4.5-5k. "So you go buy one for$4-5k with a 100k ready to blow" isn't what would happen, since we would also tell people that they overpaid if they did that. A 4-port AT with a blown engine is worth literally nothing, since a basic remanufacturered engine from Mazda is $4,500, plus shipping, labor, and core. Parting it out would net more money than selling it.

We don't particularly care either as long as you are happy with what you have, but you DID overpay

OnebaddRx8

Maybe I did but I am happy, no more driving the Honda when the wife and kid want to go somewhere.
With the rebuilt engine, new exhaust and rims and tires, tint, and cat you would be close to or over $7k if you bought a junk one.

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ken-x8

Did he really overpay? Or is it more like the guy he bought it from - who invested in the rebuild and goodies - didn't take as big a loss as might be expected? There are members here who have put lots into mods that make them happy, with no expectation of the economics working out.

Sounds nice, One. Just remember to drive the 7 every now and then. And park them net to each other so they can share their experiences.

Ken

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

If it's worth to him what he spent, then subjectively, he didn't. But yeah, he could have gotten similar quality for far less, or better quality for the same, which is pretty much the definition of overpaying.

OnebaddRx8

Please show me 2004 with 64k in great condition for $5k I sure haven't seen one.....and I've been looking for an 8 for a while.
If that's the case show me and my friend said he's got the cash right now.

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Legot

iTrader: (1)

Ok everybody hold up! It doesn't matter how much you paid because no-one truly cares, everyone just wants you to understand that the Rx8 is a cursed car that no-one should own.

Unfortunately you're an owner now, and therefore one of us. The shift points can't be changed, everyone carry on with your lives now. You'll love the car, welcome.

OnebaddRx8

I've had several 7's I thought were cursed also and I would say the rx8 is not a car for the average consumer by no means.
The members on here gave me a lot of insight to know what to look for and what I was getting myself into buying an 04'.
So thank you now if can fight the keys away from the wife.

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9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Onebaddrx8, my buddy buys blown rx8's, fixes them, and resells them. He just sold a mint 04' GT 6MT with NAV and a fresh rebuild in it for under 7k. He just bought a Galaxy Grey 2008 Auto (6port/6speed Auto) with 72k on it that I found for him at a shop for $2500.00. The shop said the engine was blown and so the customer sold it to us for cheap because he was just done with it. We were not worried because we knew it was under warranty still (8 years or 100k, sucks for them) and the shop had done all the regular maintenance for the past few years and had just installed new bilstiens, etc. on for the owner so we had all the records.

We took it straight to the dealer since it was under warranty and all they did was reflash it and it runs like new. Somehow the shop had done something to the ECU that would not allow the car to start. This car is for sale for 9k as is. Oh and that is the most he has paid for an RX-8 to date, he has done 4 or 5 already and has spent less than $2500.00 on each one, including the latest which is a 06' Shinka 6MT. As RIWWP, a 04' auto is worth nothing with a blown engine in it and over $6000.00 for a 4 port auto rebuilt engine and extras is just silly.

But if you are happy with it, cool.

OnebaddRx8

Then it baffles me why the blue book and the loan value is still well over 7 for an 04' with 60k. I looked for a cheap one but by the time I rebuilt the engine and the bought extras I would of still been over 7. The $7k included my state sales tax so I'm good with it. I looked on here and found nothing cheap in great shape close to where I live.

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9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

I guess it depends where you live but that still seems nuts to me based on what I have seen all over the country. Hell you can get a low mileage 09' RX-8 R3 in the 14k range now. I have over 20k in my Rx-8 easy in terms of mods and it is in excellent condition and I would be lucky to get 12k for it if I were to sell it. It is even more depressing for those of us that had sticker prices north of 30k when new

Mysterion

I suppose there are a lot of us that are "nuts", then. Not everyone has a friend in the restoration business to use as a guideline and, as a result, I guess we all overpay to some degree or other. The main point in this case is that OnebaddRx8 feels he got a reasonable deal and seems happy with his purchase and that is as it should be. This is a car we are talking about, not a house or other potentially lifetime purchase. In his case, the choice he made satisfied him and his wife and, for that reason, should be looked on as a good buy no matter what others think of the choice or price paid. After all, he shouldn't have to please anyone else or defend his choice to anyone but himself and his wife.

OnebaddRx8

It is nuts some of the prices people still want for series 1 8's around where I live cheapest @ 6k and beat to he'll all the way to 10k with no leather or nav.
I have over 20k in my 3rd gen 7 and know I will never get close to that out of it so I keep it and enjoy messing with punk kids that wanna pull up beside me and rev their engine.
People who don't or never had a rotary powered car just don't understand what they are missing.[img][/img]

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OnebaddRx8

Another reason I bought this rx8 was when I took my vert to Banzai to have the engine rebuilt in May this 8 was setting there getting the same. So both engines were done at the same time. These 2 became friends and were brought back to life before I ever found it for sale onky 3 miles from my house kinda weird. When me and my friend dropped off my vert I seen this 8 and told him that's what I really want, and then found it for sale. Chris at Banzai replaced everything that need be at time of rebuild so it helped with my piece of mind when buying it being an 04'.
And yes they were happy to see each other again.Lol

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OnebaddRx8

how bad do these cars suck in snow with good snow tires?

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RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

With good snow tires, they are better than SUVs with all seasons in the snow. I daily drove mine through 4 new england winters with snows on, with a place of employement on top of a steep hill. I was the only one in the office over those 4 years to never have to call off from being stuck or unable to make it in, as long as the office was still open.

Low torque at low RPM = good
50/50 weight balance means more rear weight than most sports cars = good
50/50 weight balance means no snap oversteer or plowing understeer = good

ground clearance is the only draw back, as there is a point that the snow is too deep for you to drive in, which is shallower snow than most cars.

The RX-8 was hands down the best winter car i've ever had. I'd have to go to a 4WD rally car like a WRX to be better.

Khurram

^^++1 good snow tires is the key and you'll be good. I've been through 2 Canadian winters already alot of snow and 8 was jus awesome and fun to drive.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Is snow that white stuff that comes from the sky in the north country?

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Ys, though sometimes it is also available at the corner shop with blue and pink food coloring and some sprinkles on top.