Please Help: Buying an '06 with 70k miles from a distance...
 

Hi all,

I'm considering purchasing an '06 model with 70k miles for ~11k. I'm very much a car noob, so I've spent a considerable amount of time reading on these forums the past few days the issues with the 8, and reading experiences online.

I had lemonsquad.com evaluate the car since I'm in cali and the car is in NC (carfax and autocheck both show high rating, no problems). They gave me the following report, and I share this with you because after reading the issues on here, of what may or may not be normal, I'm at a loss of what to think and need an experienced hand to walk me through how I should think through this problem, and also ballpark costs (worst case) for problems this car may have.

Appreciate whatever help I can get, so here goes, and forgive me if this is long - here are the problems the evaluator (ASE Certified Mechanic, I realize that doesn't necessarily mean anything, but at least it's a better educated opinion than mine for sure :)) found, and all items that checked out fine, I've omitted:

Summary
TO ME THE CAR STARTED SLOW AS IN FIRING RIGHT UP. IT SPUN FINE, BUT HESITATED TO START, MAKING ME WONDER IF THE APEX SEAL MAY BE WORN SOME FROM LACK OF SERVICE OR OVERHEAT.

THE ENGINE DID NOT SMOKE, BUT WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS OF TODAY, THEY DON'T ALWAYS SMOKE. THE SLOW CRANK COULD ALSO BE FROM POSSIBLE FUEL ISSUES AND THAT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THE SALESMAN SAID TO WAIT A FEW SECONDS BEFORE STARTING.

ALL IN ALL THE CAR DOES RUN AND DRIVE WELL. VERY MINOR COSMETIC ISSUES. IF THE OIL SAMPLE COMES BACK CLEAN I WOULD SAY THE PURCHASER MIGHT BE LOOKING AT A POSSIBLE FUEL PUMP IN THE FUTURE OR EVEN AN INJECTION CLEANING.

THE CAR DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN ABUSED IN ANY WAY AND WOULD STILL MAKE A GREAT CAR WITH A LITTLE WORK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ISSUES AND THE ABS AND SRS CODES WILL NEED MORE DIAGNOSIS.

Issues in Detail


Seats
REAR SEAT AND CENTER REAR CONSOLE LOOKED AS IF SOMETHING HAD BEEN SCUFFED ACROSS IT OR SAT ON IT WHEN RIDING.

Scratches
CAR HAD MINOR SCRATCHES ON LEFT FRONT BUMPER COVER AND A FEW ON BOTH SIDES OF TRUNK LID. I RAN PAINT METER OVER ENTIRE CAR AND PAINT APPEARED ORIGINAL AND IN GOOD CONDITION.

Emissions System
HAD ENGINE CODES. SEE OBD2 LINE.

Engine Starting
CAR SEEMED A BIT HESITANT TO START INITIALLY. WHEN I ARRIVED THE SALESMAN TOLD ME THAT ROTARY ENGINES HAD TO HAVE THE KEY TURNED ON AND LET IT SIT A FEW SECONDS AND THEN START IT UP.

I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THAT AND EVEN GOOGLED IT TO SEE AND NOTHING WAS FOUND. I HAVE HAD 2 RX7'S AND AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THEM.

OBD2 System CEL (1996 or Newer)
HAD SEVERAL CODES IN IT:

1. B2290 VOICE MODULE COMM ERROR - AIR BAG. B1342 GEM MODULE DEFECTIVE - AIR BAG.
2. C2778 LATERAL ACCELEROMETER AND YAW RATE SENSOR SUPPLY VOLTAGE. OUT OF RANGE---- ABS.
3. U0100 POSSIBLE LACK OF COMM TO TCM.
4. U0155 COMM ERROR TO INSTRUMENT CLUSTER.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. SELLER HAD STATED THE BATTERY HAD GONE DEAD AND THEY JUST REPLACED IT BUT IN THAT CASE THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANY CODES SINCE WITH REMOVING BATTERY YOU CLEAR EVERYTHING.

There's better cars out there with less question marks against what's going on with them.

What's special about this car that makes you want it more than others closer to you?

BC.

Sounds like it needs a new engine, I'd look else where.

You should only wait a few seconds to start up if you want to make sure all the lights on the dash light up, it's not required.

Pricing, year, miles, and the look of the car - it looks great :)

- S

Buying a car without seeing it is a bad idea. When buying a rotary getting a compression test done is needed, and since you cannot go out there and verify it gets done properly they could just lie about the numbers.

Sure you could get the car for 11k at what seems like a good deal to you, but when you have to install a new engine for $4000 its suddenly not a very good deal. That is not even taking into account all those CELs it has, that is an unknown amount of $$$.

You need to look less at the miles and more at how it was treated in those miles. I know at a dealer there really is no way of speaking with the previous owner, which sucks. Buying privately you could at least question the owner and see if they are competent and understand how to care for the car.

Yeah, I did get a look at the carfax and autocheck reports, both were strong, but that really doesn't say much about daily upkeep.

I'm gonna skip on buying this car, mods if you want, you can close this thread, that's fine with me.

- S

Find another rx8 for sure. There are plenty out there and cheaper too, good luck.

If you're in cali there's a couple good looking ones in the for sale section of this website.

cali: https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8s-sale-wanted-43/2007-mazda-rx-8-a-232085/
oregon: https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8s-sale-wanted-43/2006-mazda-rx8-rare-phantom-blue-230286/

theres also a cali auto in there if thats what you want.

Both cars have one major flaw, or really, I have one major flaw - I don't drive manual :(

- S