About to graduate from a 3 to an 8. A few questions...
 

I'm looking into trading my 2007 Mazda 3 5 door for an RX-8. I'm looking at a 2004 RX-8 with 30,000 miles on it for $14,500 and I've got a few questions.

1.) Is this a good deal? It looks about right from blue book (maybe a little above, but its from a dealer).

2.) The CarFax shows no major problems, but it has had 3-4 different owners. Should I be worried about how the car was driven during its 7 year, 30,000 mile life so far?

3.) With the car about to come off it's 100,000 mile 8 year engine warranty, should I be concerned with mechanical issues popping up? Would it be worth while to look into a buying some type of non-factory warranty for used cars?

4.) How well are other 2004 8s holding up? Any owners running into problems at this stage?

5.) The car has what look to be new Eagle GT all season tires. How will these perform in the winter (Chicago area)? Should I still think about getting some Blizzaks for winter driving? EDIT: This model has traction and stability control which should help in the winter right?

6.) I've test driven it once and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Any particular things I should definitely look for if I test again? I read up on braking hard to check for any changes in steering, so I'll check that out next time. EDIT: It looks like a compression test is a must before buying. Should I ask for it to be inspected at the nearest Mazda dealer (about 10 miles away) or can a local shop take a look at it?

7.) I read up on a few threads about cyclists who own 8s. Any other good ideas for getting a bike in or on this thing? Any trunk mounted racks that work? Tiny trailer hitch poking out the back? Roof rack? (Roof rack looked good on my 3, not sure about the 8...)

This car looks great, drove well, and is well within my price range. At this point, I just am looking for someone with RX-8 to tell me I'm about to make a huge mistake or to give me the go ahead on this beautiful car. Thanks!

1) its not a bad deal but I would talk them down in price a little bit.
2) A lot of people buy these cars for fun cars only, so they dont rack up the miles.
3) You should learn some basic things just to take care of the car.. The RX8 is High Maitance
4) The 2004 are fine as long as you take care of them.
5) You want winter tires. If you Need some just for the rear of the car, I have a set in Rockford for you for a good deal.

If I go with this RX-8 (or any other for that matter), I may take you up on the tire offer. I'll PM you if I end up pulling the trigger on it.

personally, I would pass.
Look for a newer model (06+), as many of the issues that cursed the earlier models were taken care of (Not all, but many)
The low mileage could be good or bad. I wouldn't risk it, with only a year or so left on the warranty.

Read the stickies in each sub forum. You'll find most of your questions can be answered that way

1.) Is this a good deal? It looks about right from blue book (maybe a little above, but its from a dealer).
KBB is notoriously high in their pricing. Check nadaguides.com for something more reasonable.

2.) The CarFax shows no major problems, but it has had 3-4 different owners. Should I be worried about how the car was driven during its 7 year, 30,000 mile life so far?
Don't know.

3.) With the car about to come off it's 100,000 mile 8 year engine warranty, should I be concerned with mechanical issues popping up? Would it be worth while to look into a buying some type of non-factory warranty for used cars?
Possibly, I don't usually get extended warranties myself.

4.) How well are other 2004 8s holding up? Any owners running into problems at this stage?
A compression test is a good thing to look into for any used car. Also, check in front of the rear wheels for rust issues.

5.) The car has what look to be new Eagle GT all season tires. How will these perform in the winter (Chicago area)? Should I still think about getting some Blizzaks for winter driving? EDIT: This model has traction and stability control which should help in the winter right?
I use all-season tires on my car. Last winter (and this upcomming one) Goodyear Eagle F1 AS tires. No issues. Most of our streets are plowed well in the suburbs and slush is more of a problem than snow.

6.) I've test driven it once and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Any particular things I should definitely look for if I test again? I read up on braking hard to check for any changes in steering, so I'll check that out next time.

7.) I read up on a few threads about cyclists who own 8s. Any other good ideas for getting a bike in or on this thing? Any trunk mounted racks that work? Tiny trailer hitch poking out the back? Roof rack? (Roof rack looked good on my 3, not sure about the 8...)
The trailer hitches that I have heard about, bolt through sheet metal to mount and use wears out the holes. This was from a long time ago, but not a appealing thought.

This car looks great, drove well, and is well within my price range. At this point, I just am looking for someone with RX-8 to tell me I'm about to make a huge mistake or to give me the go ahead on this beautiful car. Thanks!
You should read this thread before making a decision: https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-forum-197/new-potential-owners-start-here-202454/
Good luck with whatever you decide.

Your skipping the Mazda 5 and the Mazda 6 already...damn, your smart...lol

Just let me know.. The tires are mounted on 16 inch wheels so they will only fit on the rear of the RX8.. but I will give you a good deal on them.. Just let me know

You said $14.5K is well within your price range. I'd expect you could find a 2006+ with <<50K miles for something near that.