Right now I own a Mazda6 s. I actaully love the car but its automatic and Im ready to drive manual again and bring some fun back to my driving. I want to stay in the mazda family and I love the Rx8. If you could look at the link and tell me if you see any red flags. First of the 2004 ive read is known not to be reliable because it was the first year for the rx8 also this car only has the 34000 miles on which seems really low for a 2004 and ive read about 2004 engine recalls so if you could look at and tell me what you think about it and if its a good deal I would appreciate it very much.

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...&&aff=national

 

It looks like a okay deal, provided engine compression checks out and it is mechanically sound.

 

How do I check that though im scared im gonna go there and everything will seem fine then i get the car and it breaks down.

 

The exterior looks to be clean, save for the stupid chrome vents and door handles. Has a nice lip and side skirts on it already. However, you can tell the driver's side taillight has the infamous "condensation mod." Although this is not a hard fix you may be able to haggle the price down a bit because of it. The windshield decal is useless too, so that should come off. It does already have clear corners though so that's a plus.

The interior looks like it has some major wear, although you can't expect much better from a 2004. It has some aftermarket head unit, which is good/bad depending upon personal taste.

Car prices vary widely depending on location, so that could be a fair price since it has such low mileage. Make sure to verify that the carfax is clean (look at it in person), test drive it, and definitely get a compression check done. If everything checks out, then you're probably good to go.

I bought my 2004 RX-8 about two months ago. It is the 6-speed m/t, sport package, 33K on the odometer when I got it, immaculate condition (absolutely no scratches on the exterior and the interior looked like it just got off of the assembly line). I paid $12.9K.

Keep us updated.

 

Take the car to a shop (or better yet Mazda dealership) that has a ROTARY SPECIFIC compression tester. As long as they have the equipment then any competent mechanic should be able to perform the test. Most people pay $100-$150 to have this done but it is well worth the cost.

 

ok thank you I also hate the chrome handles as well and the decal. Do you think it would be expensive to change the handles to red?

 

It depends. The previous owner may have completely changed the handle, painted the handle, or more likely just put a chrome sticker over it (such as the ones that go over the gas tank lid). If it's the sticker then should just peel off nicely assuming it leaves the paint intact. Either way I'd try and haggle the price down on it or pay the sticker price and ask the dealership to remove the decal, chrome exterior parts, etc.

Also, make sure the '8 has had the necessary recalls such as the MSP-16 flash. You can call Mazda and give them the vehicles VIN number to see what all has been done to it.

Just make sure you know what you're getting into when buying an '8. You can't care for it like you did your 6. It's not that properly maintaining the RX-8 is hard, it just requires a different knowledge and understanding.

 

Well, it is an almost 8 y/o car. So you cannot expect everything will be perfect.

Having said that, do what others said above and get a compression test done by a Mazda dealer.

While there, ask them to verify if all flash updates have been done to the car - and to also provide you with a Carfax history report. Also inquire about other important updates such as clutch pedal and starter. The car is over 30K miles, so you need to think about ignition system upgrades.

Finally, keep in mind that your car probably has less than a year left out of the extended engine core warranty.

The car does look good in the pics, and the price is border-line ok considering the miles. Some forum members have said the wouldn't pay more than $9K for a 2004. However, low miles on a rotary engine does not necessarily mean good things - especially if the previous owner drove it like a grandma.

I found my car through cars.com as well.

 

This is the car I really want. I just got out of college and im looking for a full time job if I can get one in the next couple weeks and this is still available Im getting it. WOW it is so beautiful.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...#ht_500wt_1182

 

That's a Grand Touring.

Personally, I dig those two-tone color interiors.

 

Wouldn't get any 2004 at this point of time, simply cuz' the motor warranty expires next year.

 

Beat me to it. I was going to mention the engine warranty running out in 2012 and some this year.