brianhckim

Hi,

I'm thinking of getting a 2004 RX-8 with 103,758 miles as my first car. And it is most likely that i will purchase this car. But before i make my decision clear, i need to know.

So first. Next year, i'll be a college student who will be attending Santa Monica College. So i'll be driving back and forth to goto this school b/c i'll be living with my parents, no dorming. This school is around 30 miles away from my house. I heard traffic can be pretty heavy. So in essence, this car will be my daily car for this personal use so i want to know if it's good for this kind of use.

Second, I want to know more about this car in general. I'm also not educated about cars in general as well. So i wish to get more knowledge on how i can take care of this car. Only thing i know is you have to get an oil change every 3000 miles and also that this car has a rotary engine. Which i heard it's possible to "flood"? So can you guys fill me in on how much this car can reach. Is it reliable? How can i take care of it? I really like this car, i want to take care of it even though it might not be a good idea.

Thank you!

alexanderr101

iTrader: (2)

https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...t-here-202454/

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

+1^
Stop & go traffic for 30 miles is not good for an RX8, leads to carbon buildup. Especially if you live in a warmer climate.
Also overheating can kill a rotary engine quickly.
Be aware they get in the neighborhood of 16-20 mpg & Premium gas is required.
I would usually never discourage anyone from buying an 8, but they are high maintenance and may not be the best choice for you given it's your 1st car & the conditions you cited.
If you do still want to buy it, be sure to get a rotary specific compression test.
No test, no deal.
Good luck!

brianhckim

Then how do you treat this car with the right way that won't cause anything like the carbon build up, etc. like the way this car wants you to treat.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

To answer this question, you sohuld read the thread that alexanderr linked:


I wrote it for new owners, or potential owners, that have all sorts of basic questions that get asked all the time. There is even a table of contents that lets you skip as much important information as you wish to jump right to the answer you are looking for!

drivererror

As a new owner myself I can say that this thread helped me understand A LOT about the RX8 and all of it's uniqueness. Start there and then if you have any questions learn how to search. There probably isn't a question you have that hasn't been asked and answered; you just gotta know how to find it, which can be hard to do sometimes.


I am a student as well. I am sure that the traffic that I face on the regular driving in and out of downtown Indianapolis is not near as bad as what you will face but my suggestion would be this: If you really want the car save yourself the fuel milage and carbon build up by beating traffic in the morning and staying on campus long enough to let it clear in the evening. You'll be a better student that way too.

kevinande

I agree that the 8 is probably a poor choice given the driving conditions that it will see on a daily basis. Unless you have a nice saving fund for maintenance and repairs, I would find something else until you get out of school. My only other suggestion is read the stickies and all the links in RIWWP's signature. If through all that you decide to get it, then at least you know what your getting yourself into. Whatever you do, do not buy this car without a compression test. I don't want to see you post how you just bought the car and now it needs an new engine.

Xeridae

I would say that if you have never driven a FR (front mounted engine rear wheel drive) vehicle before with this much horse power then make sure the 8 you want to buy has DSC (dynamic stability control) or you will probably wreck the car. You'll know if it does because it will have a button that looks like this just below and to the left of the steering wheel. Think of DSC like training wheels. You can turn it off once you're more comfortable driving the car.

NotAPreppie

First car?
Don't know much about cars?
College student?
The car in question is a 2004 with >100k miles?

Dude, don't. This car will break you, financially and emotionally.

IHaytYoo

103k Miles??? Dude that's a lot for a rotary. You might want to get a compression check before buying it, or better yet, move on to another one. Saving you from heartbreak

And if the car has all the most recent PCM flashes, it'll be less likely to flood. But it's still good practice to follow the start up/shut down procedures in the link alexdar posted

RichieR

+1. I completely agree. I am a (piston motor) mechanic and signed up for this forum today because I just bought my RX8 and pick it up tomorrow. This is my 20th vehicle and Im still a little intimidated by a rotary. I wouldnt do it if I were you, especially if this is going to be your daily driver. If you dont know much about cars or RWD, then find a good mechanic who KNOWS wankel engines (not gonna be cheap) otherwise youll end up having a bad experience. Maybe get a Toyota/Scion or Honda, those cars can be had fairly cheap and require much less maintenance, can last 200k+ miles and dont need a new engine or a rebuild at 100k. FWD cars are a lot easier to drive as your first car. Also consider your insurance and premium fuel costs. Good luck