Hello, new guy here. Anyway, I had a few questions about the 8. My first question is that are the 04 models just bad news? Are they extrememly unreliable even if I do know how to take care of them? Am I better off getting an 05 or 06? If so why? Also, I will be attending college next year, and might not be driving a lot. Is it recomended I shouldnt get this car then? Thank you.

 

your better off getting a 2009 + haha the newer the better. but the 2004-2006 has up to 100k engine warranty coverage for free!!

 

Mazer is right. It's just gonna be a hassle if you get the 04. There are numerous problems with an 04...i'm not gonna say all of them, but the 05 and above is okay. Remember the extended warranty on the engine core.

 

With all the reading I had done, I decided that an 04 wasn't for me. First year of new model generally have more problems than others, especially with the RX-8. Tranny issues, starter, oil, engine... Just a lot of things that got changed in a year that weren't as good as they could be.

With that said, I'm pretty sure there are a lot of perfectly happy 04 owners out there.

 

https://www.rx8club.com/purchasing-financing-insurance-56/year-year-changes-143280/ <--Year by year changes, if your getting an automatic then go 2006+ but I hope your getting a manual.

People have told me the 8yr/100k warranty is for all years of rx8s even s2, but I think its for only up to 2008s. I still have not contacted Mazda t make sure but that's just from what I have read.

 

The 04 will be just as good as the rest with the TSB and flashes done (which applies to most 04 and 05 RX8s already).

 

Exactly. If the owner kept up with everything, most of the issues should have been addressed already. The first few years of my '04 were quite an adventure lol (nothing serious, just lots of little things), but it's been fine since then.

Well OK, the clutch pedal snapping off last year was kinda scary... but besides that!

 

I would go through the posts in my sig. I have an 04, no real issues.

 

The 2010 Warranty Handbook states that the 8/100 warranty is in effect for the core and rotors.

 

Yes, I do plann to get the manuel. But is the 2004 model or anyother model older then 2007 bad to get if I plan on not driving it a lot next year?

 

mines an `06 and its awesome, except for 2 days ago rained real hard then froze over night and I couldn't start my car, next day I thought it was gonna flood but all was good started but sounded brutal..... remember the motors are built by hand so they are all different.

 

Have an 2004 8 since day one. Yes, there are issues, but I did have them replaced under warranty with updated/redesigned parts. Just a thought. Runs like new =)

 

Good to know, I never got any documentation when I bought my rx8 because the previous owner lost it all.

 

So what about my second question?

 

if you can afford it, then buy it... if you are going to school and you feel like it may be tight on your budget... get a bus pass and then when you graduate buy a new car

 

^ Bus pass