I am a College kid who is paying for my tuition. I have a 02 Mazda Protege right now and wanted something I can tinker with and mod and have fun with. I found the RX8 on Auto-trader and from Doug Demuro's recent video on it. It seems to be a fun quirky car with some maintaining required. The engine problems concern me but I have read that the series 2 has a much more reliable engine than the S1. I have some gear heads as friends that know cars and I am also willing to learn how to fix things like the engine and maintain it. Should I get one or should I pass?

 

No.

Finish college and get a steady source of income first. This isn't a car to run on a shoestring budget.

There isn't enough data to say whether the S2 is more reliable than the S1 and there probably won't ever be.

If you want a fun/playful/tinker car, get a Miata.

 

Storm,

Personally, i would suggest you wait until you are out of college to buy something like an RX8.

You can go through the threads linked in my Signature, they will help give you a bit more understanding.

Rotaries are a different beast from normal cars. Once you catch the bug, it may be difficult to get rid of, beware. This car can be expensive if you decide to MOD or if you buy a lemon.

Do your research and make sure if you decide to buy an 8, you get a ROTARY SPECIFIC compression test prior to purchase.

That is my 2 cents.

Travis

 

Most cars when the engine has an issue it's possible to fix it without removing the engine. If something goes wrong with this engine there is no easy fix. Also, the design of the rotary make it far less reliable than other engines. That being said, they are really well built cars and if you can get one with a good engine it isnt too hard to maintain, it's just different.

For your situation I wouldn't recommend it. This car should be owned by people who have the money to handle the terrible fuel economy, frequent oil changes and expensive replacement parts. You haven't lived until you spent $120 for a set of 4 spark plugs lol.

 

14years of ownership tells me that the rx8 is a reliable car in general. The suspension, electronic, body etc. are japanese solid. It's no worse than any other well built Japanese sports cars. But you buy the RX for it's unique rotary engine. Many folks are seduced by it's low used price barrier... Which are mostly abused specimens. And that's where the trouble starts. The rotary engine is an exotic piece of engineering. It requires knowledgeable care and feeding.
Due to the low volume parts are higher than usual, but it's not too bad if you have wrenched German cars. I would even go as far to say it's actually quite easy to work on.
That said I would not recommend the rx8 or any rx-cars to young college students because of the attentive demands these cars require. For now just drive a regular piston car so that you can get to school and activities.

 

college kids and RX8s go together like homeless people and bridge underpasses

 

I mean, even if the car runs well and everything, the gas mileage and premium fuel price can be a burden. That's not to mention the extra maintenance it needs if you want it to be reliable.

I agree with NAP that, if you don't need the rear seats, get a Miata. Good on fuel, easier to work on, and requires less maintenance in general.

 

the insurance burden too