Advice needed on a used purchase
 

I found a 2007 RX-8 with 40k miles and am very tempted to buy.

However, when I turned on the ignition, the battery appeared to die (however the lights stayed on). The owner claimed it was due to having been garaged all winter.

It doesn't appear that the spark plugs, coils, or anything else has ever been replaced on the car. If the battery is bad, is this covered by warranty? If so, why wouldn't the owner have had it fixed?

Is it common for the RX-8 to fail to start after sitting a winter?

Any help greatly appreciated.

try jumping it.
Maybe it flooded and he doesnt realize lol >.>
Btw how much is he asking?

I thought that it might have flooded, especially when I discovered the owner was unaware that you're supposed to hold the engine @ 5k for a few seconds before you turn it off. I thought this was only an issue with 04' to 05' models though.

If the battery died, shouldn't the headlights have powered off too? I wonder if the spark plugs need to be changed. I hear they should be changed every 30k miles, which means this car is 10k overdue.

Thanks for the reply, more input welcome!

EDIT: BTW they're asking $15,5

the lights will still work, it just doesnt have enough juice to turn the starter.

it's 3k for 10 seconds on a cold engine, although after the starter upgrade it isnt as important as it used to be.

the plugs depend, you could go 50k if you need to. at 80-100 bucks aq set plus labor, it aint cheap to everyone.

Great, thanks.

The owners had no idea about revving the engine before turning it off. I hope this is the case.

I hear the plugs can be done yourself. Is it possible Mazda can inspect them and determine whether or not they even need to be replaced?

unless you know your dealership, i wouldnt trust them to tell me if the need changing. they will tell you yes, just to get the cash.

you can do the plugs yourself, i'd also recommend changing out the wires with them.
coils are another thing you will want to keep an eye on sometime before 100k. once they go, you start losing performance and can affect your cat.

The plugs are easy to change. I bought new plugs for $20 each at a local NAPA store and did it myself in under 30 minutes. Find the DIY and do it. Be sure to take of the driver's side wheel when you do - it will make things a million times easier.

15.5 is a little much. talk him down theirs definetly room for improvement in the price. and you will need to spend a little more on the plugs and wires.

That's true, I need to take into account the following things that will need to be replaced soon:

- Brakes
- Spark plugs
- Coils
- Battery (possibly)

It's also clear that the owner doesn't know as much about the car as they should and I wouldn't be surprised if the owner hasn't been checking the oil for consumption like they should. I say this because when I asked how often she redlined it, she said she never really takes it above 6k which I can believe. She was also unaware of the engine rev before turn the off procedure...

What do you think a better price would be? $14k? I guess a lot of it depends on how much will need to be replaced/repaired. Sounds like there could be $1k or more in repairs/replacements right off the bat. Keep in mind though this is a GT model, so it is worth a little more.

I should also mention the car has been in a minor accident before and the airbags WERE deployed. However, the owner claims to have all service records about the minor accident.

id shoot her 12k to start. does it have the nav and appearance package w/spoiler?

that accident was a little more than minor if the airbags were deployed, is it even a clean title??

mt or at?

regardelss id still shoot for 12. look on here at what you can get for 14 in the FS

Neither.

Well I ran a carfax on it and everything looked fine.

MT

Thank you very much for your input. $15,5 is kinda stretching myself thin and the thought of getting it for 12k would be excellent. I don't know if they'll be willing though because they still owe around $14k on it.

The most I'm probably going to buy it for is $13,5. If you're estimations are accurate, I'll be able to find a better deal.

15.5 not too bad for a 07 with 40K. Not going to get it for 12 unless the seller is desperate. Try 14 and settle for 14.5 as long as car checks out. I just got 06 20K for 14, but it looked like it came off the showroom floor. Listed 14.5 Tried 13.5 settled 14. So far so good on mine. Deals are out there sadly. That means the 8 is loosing value quickly these days. Those 9K discounts Mazda was giving on 09's hasn't helped the used pricing out much either. Mine sold over 30K new in 06 according to the previous owner. That was right before the economy hit the skids.

I was thinking the same numbers cbrf1wr. Was going to try 14 & hope to get 14.5.

It doesn't matter anymore though because I can't get a loan (even with a cosigner). I don't know if Credit Unions are more strict than banks, so I might try another lender. I'm afraid I'll have the same bad luck.

What's most aggravating is that the monthly payment is more than affordable. Now I'm probably going to end up locking myself into a 2 year lease Mazda6 with a higher payment than the RX-8 would have been. Dammit. >:/