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So, I’ve been wanting to get a 2004 Mazda RX-8 (automatic) and this one seems to be very cheap.
the guy is asking $1300 which I can probably get down to the 1000 mark after I take it to a mechanic.
the car looks great and the interior is pretty much in mint condition. But the motor seems to be in need of a rebuilt.
the car still runs and drives good. The only knows issue at this point is that it will not start when the motor is warm so I have to wait for it to cool down. And it does seem to idle roughly a little bit when set still and turned on. The car has 76.000 miles on it.
So I wanted to know what are y’all’s opinion on this. Would it be worth getting it even though I might need to rebuild the engine. If I can get the car for less than 1000 bucks?
THANKS!
What a looker! That car is in great shape. It's not unheard of for the seals to go at 76k, but it does seem like pretty low miles to have an engine poop out on this model. I would go for it, but definitely under the assumption the motor needs to be rebuilt, or acquire a good motor to replace the current one.
The car starting and running at all speaks to the condition of the motor in some ways, it's not seized, which means many of the components in the engine may still be good. This can be good news for a rebuild, or asset recovery (the motor in the car is worth more for scrap if it rotates). But overall condition is impossible to determine without removing the engine and disassembling.
It depends if you want to fix the engine or not. I'll tell you this though, it looks immaculate! Definitely a good candidate for a new engine. Some RX8s are in such bad shape they aren't worth fixing. This one definitely is. Looking at $4000 if you DIY to replace that engine with a reman unit. Car should be worth $7,000 once engine is in assuming everything else (brakes, tires, steering ect.) Are all in good working order.
It depends if you want to fix the engine or not. I'll tell you this though, it looks immaculate! Definitely a good candidate for a new engine. Some RX8s are in such bad shape they aren't worth fixing. This one definitely is. Looking at $4000 if you DIY to replace that engine with a reman unit. Car should be worth $7,000 once engine is in assuming everything else (brakes, tires, steering ect.) Are all in good working order.
Everything looked favourable until I saw the PRND... The demand on these early autos will be very low, so the price won't be good.
OP, I have grown past the stage where I am going to judge you not driving a manual, but I would still recommend thinking this one through. The early auto models are less powerful(192 BHP versus 232 BHP on the 6MT), has lower redline(7500 RPM versus 9000 RPM on the 6MT) and the remans can actually cost more from what's been posted here. IMO RX-8 without a manual is not a complete experience but that's just my opinion. If you need some advice on how to drive a stick, we are all willing to give you tips.
The manual is preferable for enthusiasts like us, but most people will probably want it in an automatic for daily driving. I dont think it hurts the value as much as you would think. Auto is attractive in 2020 because driving stick seems to be a lost, forgotten art.
The manual is preferable for enthusiasts like us, but most people will probably want it in an automatic for daily driving. I dont think it hurts the value as much as you would think. Auto is attractive in 2020 because driving stick seems to be a lost, forgotten art.
Automatic family cars would be more attractive than manual ones, but for a lot of sports cars, it's the opposite, especially the ones where manual is the more advantageous choice performance-wise. Just look up how much a used AT FR-S/BRZ goes versus a MT one in the same condition. I have a buddy who had a limited budget and the only FR-S he can afford is an auto. He ended up getting a Civic Si(which is MT only).
And an RX-8(and any rotary car, really) is a commitment IMO. If you are not an enthusiast, it's not the car for you.
Last edited by UnknownJinX; 03-12-2020 at 10:49 AM.
03-11-2020, 10:02 PM
