Even if it's a fender bender with a good engine for $4k?
I'd think it would be harder to find one in the $7k range with good compression that didn't have some cosmetic issues than one that didn't.
I admit I haven't shopped around for one, but I wouldn't rule out any good compression 8 sight unseen.

Right, I understand what you're saying, and I didn't know there were engine rebuild horror stories. There's no reason I need to get rid of my Grand AM immediately once I get a new car just so you know. I can keep my Grand AM around until I know that the RX-8 is gonna be a reliable means of transportation.


Okay, I hear you both, but I think I'll just wait until I've spoken with the guy a little more and seen the car. He does sketch me out a little, so I may be skipping this, but on the off chance it's a diamond in the rough...

Yeah, the 2 month part is worrisome.
That seems unusual to sell a car that quick.

Yeah, that's true. But I have to give him at least the benefit of the doubt. I did try to dump my Grand AM about 3 months in and I remember this guy being really sketched out looking at it but ending up realizing it was just a plain old grand AM not much worse than the rest :P

A couple of other things I thought of;
I assume during your research that you saw bad compression causes engines to take longer to start when they get hot?
If you test drive one before it's tested, be sure it's good and warmed up, shut it off and start it again.
If it takes more than a couple of seconds, it's likely on it's way out.
If you talk to someone on the phone or e-mail, you could ask them if they have hot start issues.
Some owners may not even know about it.
Also about insurance, Idk if all companies classify every car by model, but if they ask you about it, tell them it's a 4 door, 1.3 liter, 2 cylinder.:)

Oh man, I did miss that. I guess I was just relying on the compression test and then I put that out of my mind. Thank you, I'll definitely be giving that a shot on any car I test drive.

I did know about the insurance thing. It seems kinda awesome that you can have such a nice package and be able to tell the insurance it's a 4 door with a 1.3 in it :P


That guy with the $4k '06 never responded again after I asked about a compression test. Might be busy, but the inner skeptic in me wants to say he is avoiding that test haha.


EDIT:
Oh and enjoy the weekend boys :)

Hello Everyone!

A little update. I went to go take a look at an RX-8 yesterday. Specifically this one:
Mazda rx8
After that, all I can say is god damn. RX-8s are awesome.

The car itself had a number of issues.

1. Cracked windshield
2. O2 Sensor needs replaced
3. Hot Start problems

When I talked to the guy, he mentioned the O2 sensor immediately. He also told me he had a replacement windshield that just hasn't been put on yet.

That all seemed reasonable to me. So we hopped in and gave it a whirl. Car drove pretty good. I don't know if the guy knows much about maintaining a rotary engine.
Anyhow, we parked and started to hop out, when I remembered to check the hot start thing. Lo and behold, I could not get it to start hot.

Good thing I did my research because while driving it, all I could think was "I am buying this."

From what I mentioned, is it worth possibly rebuilding or swapping the engine? I did some research and ended up deciding no, but if someone else knows differently, I'd be happy to hear. I do like my options.


But anyhow, yeah, I think I'll just wait and buy a nice solid 05 or 06 for $6000-$8000.

Yeah, hot start problems are a warning sign.
Be patient and wait for one that doesn't need a new engine.

I contacted a dealership who had an automatic '05 RX-8 a few weeks back and asked the guy if he would be okay with a compression test. He said: "No sorry . Too much interest to go through the trouble . Thank you for the interest"
He just reposted his ad on CL today :P Not as much interest as he said apparently. I contacted him again but he has not got back in touch with me. :icon_bs:

I'm gonna be checking out a nice, sparkly, red RX-8 today. It's an automatic too. I'm not super thrilled about the idea of getting an automatic, but in the end, it is what I'm used to and I'm gonna enjoy it either way. So I'm gonna at least give this one a shot. The guy told me on the phone it didn't have any hot start problems, but I'll give that a test today. He won't pull a quick one on me...

Wish me luck :wiggle:

I think you should hold out for a manual.
It's not hard to learn, higher redline, and it's just more fun.
But, if you can get an auto with good compression #s within your budget, good luck!:)

I've been searching around for Auto vs Manual comparisons and basically what I discovered is:

Manual:

• Drive shaft has issues (at least on the 04/05 models)
• 30 HP more than Auto
• Almost 1-1.2s difference in 0-60 time

Automatic:

• Don't have to worry about wearing clutch
• Won't be a problem in downtown traffic start/stopping for 20 minutes
• Easy and familiar to drive

I was looking specifically for difference in reliability and I couldn't find much except for not wearing out the clutch adds a little reliability that the manual doesn't have.

Over all, the manual will be a little learning curve. I've drove a manual probably 5 times. If nothing else, this gives me an opportunity to be able to really drive an RX-8 and feel the 50/50 weight dist. so it's worth taking a look at anyhow.

I'm not familiar with the driveshaft issue.
One other thing, while hot start problems are a warning sign of bad compression, the absense of hot start issues doesn't automatically mean it has good compression.
A strong starter and battery may limit that.
You still need an actual test.

The list of cons for automatic is much longer than you have there. The 4 port autos are notoriously awful.

Reliability wise it's not close, and I can't even begin to explain driveability differences...

Hold out for manual. I can't emphasize enough.

You've listened to us this far, don't shoot yourself in the foot

Yep, I planned on getting a test whether or not it started fine. The hot start issues is just a cheap way of ruling out the car.

Haha, okay, okay. I won't get an auto. I thought it was worth taking a look at though, at the very least.

I found a manual '05 that was purchased after service bulletins were performed and is owned by a guy who follows RX8Club and readily answers my questions regarding things like hot start and recalls and such (The last guy tried to make me think the car was perfect despite the obvious evidence indicating otherwise.) So I'm excited to go take a look at this one. It's a pretty nice looking black too, which is appealing to me.

We'll see what happens I guess.

As many have said, definitely go for the manual if you can handle one, or learn to. Many sports cars today have automatics that, arguably, are as good - if not ostensibly better - than their manual counterpart. But the RX-8 is NOT one of them. The manual is much preferred for many reasons.

I can definitely learn to and it actually appeals to me to learn. I guess the biggest problem is I want to be able to test drive the car myself before I buy it. I don't wanna hop in someone else's car and be like "Hey! Only drive a manual a few times so wish me luck! Vroom Vroom!"
It's not quite the same feeling when the owner who is used to all the potential quirks and such is driving.

After consideration though, if I go with an RX-8, I'll definitely get the manual.

I looked into 350zs too, but I guess the only real benefit I see with a z is that I'll be able to do well in drag races. I don't drag race really and the RX-8 sounds like more fun, plus a few thousand extra bucks in my pocket.

Back seats come in handy also.

I forgot to mention this as well. Probably my biggest reason for not getting a z in place of an RX-8 actually.

Just be sure you have rotary-specific compression numbers before buying any RX8

Better late than never.

Yeah, I understand this. I mentioned a few times that I intended to do so.


I've found a few older sources that say if you get an RX-8 from '05 that was one of the later ones and had all the service bulletins serviced on it that it's actually pretty well off. Is this the case still? The one I'm looking at has 100k miles. The guy seems to know a fair amount about RX-8 maintenance. He said he did all the tests before he bought it himself. He is just a big guy and finds it a pretty uncomfortable ride as his reason for selling.

A lot of people say the S2s are much better than S1s.
I have a '04, 3 yrs, almost 30k miles now (47k total).
I love it still. There are quite a few '04s still, probably more sold that year than any other, but I don't know for sure.
I think if you've read the new owner stickies about thinking about buying an 8, everything you want to know is there.
I personally think that each 8 is an individual case, and that, besides compression #s, thorough maintenance by knowledgeable owners is the most important factor.
Ignorance is NOT bliss is the case of our 8s.
I think you're ahead of the curve as for as most prospective owners go.
You know more already than I did 3 yrs ago.
Just keep reading and learning.
A 6 speed with good compression #s trumps all, I wouldn't rule out any model year with a good engine and a reasonable maintenance history.

Wow, well, that's pretty good news, though this car does have 50k more miles than yours. It's a 6 speed and I'll definitely get the compression test before buying. I guess I'll just give it a whirl tomorrow and see what happens :)

Oh and thanks. I hope the research pays off when I get an RX-8.

Skl3r, here are maintenance items to be aware of for any RX8 with 100k miles.

RX8 Club’s recommended maintenance schedule, more comprehensive and proactive than Mazda’s schedule.
30,000 miles:
- Replace Ignition coils
- Replace Plug wires
- Replace Spark plugs
- Clean MAF (mass air flow sensor)
- Clean ESS (e-shaft sensor)
- Reset ESS profile
- Clean power steering connections
- Clean battery terminals and clamps
- Replace transmission fluid
- Replace coolant (Mazda FL-22 is highly recommended)
- Replace air filter
- Replace brake fluid (fluid in the brake lines AND the clutch line)
~$300 USD in parts if you shop smartly.


every 60,000:
...all 30,000, plus...
- Clean all chassis electrical grounding points
- Replace accessory belts
- Clean OMP lines
- Replace rear differential fluid
- Replace thermostat
- Clean / Straighten AC condenser fins
- Clean / Straighten oil cooler fins
- Inspect catalytic converter
- Clean / Inspect intake valving
- Consider / inspect all points in 90,000+ as well, many items fail early
~$130 USD in parts if you shop smartly.

90,000:
...all 30,000, plus any 60,000 not yet done, plus...
- Replace coolant bottle
- Replace radiator hoses
- Replace radiator
- Replace front O2 sensor
- Replace motor mounts
- Inspect clutch pedal assembly for flex / weld breaks
~$900 USD in parts if you shop smartly.
At 100k, anything original in the cooling system is really suspect and failure prone. It represents the biggest threat to your engine.
__________________

Listen, when I bought my very first car, I wanted a stick and had never driven one before. My dad had to drive it home for me, and I spent the next day and a half learning how to drive a stick on our hilly driveway (with the car at the bottom, of course). That was 45 years ago, and that day and a half was the only time I couldn't drive my car.

Just get a buddy to test drive it for you, if that makes you more comfortable. You absolutely won't regret getting a stick!