Advice on 2 simple questions please
 

Hi Guys, I'm not an RX-8 owner at the moment but hoping to be in the near future. I just have a couple of questions if anyone could he me out it would be appreciated.

1) Im looking at an 04' and an 05', i've heard to stay away from first year models but is the 04' really that different from an 05' as far as problems goes ? please be brutally honest.

2) What is the average cost of maintenance in a year on an older 8 like this?

I appreciate your advice

The 05 could be better...the 04's has less oil injection until Mazda figured it out..and caused a few more engine problems

The RX-8 isn't a cheap car to operate.....if you are on a tight budget you may want to think about a cheaper car to run...like a Honda...

Maintenance costs will depend on how many miles you drive each year.

• Oil change: ~$20 (DIY) per change done every ~3,000 miles
• Oil added: ~$5 per quart every ~3,000 miles (between oil changes)
• Differential fluid change: ~$25 (DIY) per change done every ~15,000 miles
• Transmission fluid change: ~$25 (DIY) per change done every ~15,000 miles
• Spark plug change: ~$80 (DIY) per change done every ~30,000 miles
• Coil change: ~$150 (DIY) per change done every ~30,000 miles (many people, however, have gotten upwards of 100,000 miles on their coils)
• Engine air filter change: ~$20 (DIY) per change done every ~30,000 miles
• Cabin air filter change: ~$25 (DIY) per change done every ~30,000 miles
• Brake pads: ~$50 (DIY) per change done every ~50,000 miles

These are just a few of the things you'll need to keep in mind. Prices are, of course, approximate and generally refer to OEM parts bought at places other than the dealership.....

It's honestly not that much more than any other car. Adding the extra oil, of course, will cost more and the spark plugs cost more than those on most other vehicles. But that's really it (aside from fuel, which will be more expensive because of the lower mpg). The main thing is you have to pay close attention to the oil level. You absolutely must check it regularly (every other fill up) and I always carry an extra quart in my trunk (I put it in a plastic bin in case the bottle leaks).

Thank you very much colnago1331.
Very helpful