Tethlah

So I found this 2005 RX-8 and am checking it out this week: cars.com listing

Just a run down, according to the VIN check it's a Shinka Edition, which I honestly don't care about. Seems though that it might have some minor performance boosts though, which will be nice. I don't really care about the name or whatever Shinka owners claim about that trim, I'm just interested in the car. They are currently putting a new motor in it this week, the prior motor made it to 83,182 miles. So I know I need to find more information about the new motor to make sure it's actually a new motor, and coming from Mazda. It's been owned by 4 people, the first did a voluntary recall that had something to do with emissions.

Now the thing I'm worried about, according to carfax, it was in an accident in 2010. It says that it was a front impact (the guy rear-ended someone), minor right and front damage, and that the airbags did not deploy as a result. Looking at the car, I can't find any trace of the accident. It also looks like about 4k miles ago it had a full engine/powertrain computer/module check done on it. Since it was in an accident I checked and it's still it's original colour of white.

So after spending about 4-5 hours on here, I'm in information overload. I think I have a good grasp on what to look for and what will be needed to keep this machine in the condition it deserves. Based on what I read here, here is what I'm emailing the dealer tomorrow to ask about:

Where was the engine replaced from (was is Mazda)?
Mileage on the new engine, or is it brand new?
Engine Compression on the new engine?
Catalytic converter ever replaced? When/Miles when Replaced?
Tail lights replaced, if not were the seals replaced on the tail lights?
MSP13 upgrade performed by Mazda? If so, when/miles?
Has the starter been replaced to the upgraded version? When/Miles?
Temp Control ever replaced? When/Miles?
Clutch pedal assembly ever replaced, re-welded, re-inforced? When/Miles?

Seem like I have everything covered? Any ideas of anything I should look for considering the information we have on the rear-ending at one point? Thanks for any help, I'm stoked to get this car, I'm just trying to not allow myself to get so stoked that I buy it just because I want it, and that I get something of quality that I will enjoy.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

accident on record don't mean ****, I had 3 accident record on mine but NONE of which were minor, all 1 front, the guy in front BACK INTO MY CAR, broken bumper, 1 rear, the idiot rear ended me during TRAFFIC, again just a bumper, the other one was this guy on bike RAN INTO MY CAR when my gf open the door. chip some paint, geico paid him like 180 bux for doctors, and that's it.

- u can call Mazda directly with VIN number to ask them if the engine has ever been replaced when and where.
- Just because it's a Reman doesn't mean it's bad, Just because it's Brand new doesn't mean it's good. it ALL DEPENDS on the builder.
- You have to ask the dealer to do it, but I'm not sure if I can trust them, they want to sell the car, all they need to do to get higher compression is do the test when the engine is cold.
- u can ask dealer or ask MNAO
- same as above
- same
- even if it has been replaced, by now it's probably on it's last leg, I had my 2005 replaced the starter under warranty when it had like 8K miles I think? the Newer starter died (random dead spot) around 1-2 K miles ago @ 63K miles. So prepare to get a new one, not that much, a quality reman cost 200 ish bucks. takes 1/2 hr to replace myself.
- I never had issue with mine, well even if it breaks it's easy to fix, a small cheap solder will do.
- it's up to 100K miles, I made that warranty happen. they replaced mine once. u can always ask if it has been replaced. even if they never did it's easy to buy a new one and do it urself when u need it.


when u get the car, drain all the fluid on the car and use new, gearbox oil use MT-90, rear diff any good quality Synthetic LSD oil like Mobil1 75w90 will do, drain coolant including engine block (see DIY) get new engine drain gasket before u do it, and oh please do NOT use 5w20 for engine oil unless u want to have ugly bearing which effects the whole balance of the engine.

04Green

iTrader: (1)

pretty car, I got mine from a jeep dealer as well.

NY had all good data.

There are two threads in my signature, on is for new owners, one is more focused on the older cars and little things to do. The whole list is under $100.

Welcome to the family.

BTW, I think I might add some of the NY items to the $100 list. Fluids is a good idea.

JamesD31

Good car, I have seen cheaper (I paid a bit cheaper for just 10k more miles on that here in IL, and now that I have been on this forum and went through all the **** I did, I felt "ripped off" at the price).

Keep that in mind. Quality of the car is nice, some curbed rims but not too much, inside looks neatly kept.

Again, do everything NY said for you to do and you should then be able to determine what is right.

j9fd3s

i ran the vin number thru the Mazda computer.

no idea on the new engine, if its a Mazda reman, its a re manufactured unit, it gets all new seals and gaskets, but everything else is based on condition, although it seems most get new rotor housings.

the only warranty work done on the car is the 3305G recall. they did an oil change at the same time, and that is the ONLY work done on the car at a dealership.

so the cat is original, taillights too, MSP13 has NOT been done. nor has the 4206F recall....

Mazda didn't replace the starter, or the temp control.

the recall is still open for the clutch pedal

oh and its not a shinka, its actually a Grand Touring.

maniakrx8

I got my 04' w/71k miles for $9,900. It's a GT 6Speed, differences I see, I have the factory lip kit but no spoiler. I have cloth seats, that has leather. I don't have a sunroof. That interior is cleaner than mine, the body looks to be about the same but can't really tell everything from the pictures.

Just to give you an idea as to what I got for a 1,000 less just over a month ago. I'm sure that one is probably worth more than mine. The thing that made mine worth the money was the dealer replaced the entire EPS System, new rack, control module etc and even showed me the paper work.

Tethlah

This is actually kind of funny, I live in Cool Springs, just south of Brentwood (TN), so I called the local Mazda Dealership my sister got her Mazda 3 from, when I gave the guy the VIN to look up everything he told me he actually had the car in the shop right now from the dealer I'm buying it from. So this shop I randomly called is actually dropping the new engine in it right now. Here's what he gave me:

Where was the engine replaced from (was is Mazda)? Yes
Mileage on the new engine, or is it brand new? Brand New, No miles
Engine Compression on the new engine? Don't know, he said since it was new they were not doing anything past what the factory already did.
Catalytic converter ever replaced? When/Miles when Replaced? He didn't know/didn't have any info saying it had
Tail lights replaced, if not were the seals replaced on the tail lights? Didn't know, but I'm not worried about it, easy fix
MSP13 upgrade performed by Mazda? If so, when/miles? No, but he said if they didn't do it after the engine replacement to bring it in after I bought the car and it would cost 100 bucks
Has the starter been replaced to the upgraded version? When/Miles? Yes, in 2012
Temp Control ever replaced? When/Miles? Didn't know
Clutch pedal assembly ever replaced, re-welded, re-inforced? When/Miles? Didn't know

Now for the Cat, I live in Williamson County (TN) which is the richest damn county in the state (18th in the country) which has RIDICULOUS emissions tests. I want to just pull that cat off and toss on a BHR Resonator, but I'm worried that I'll fail the emissions tests. So I'm not sure what I'll do, other than to put flanges on each side of it and install the resonator that way, then when emissions time runs around swap it out (unless they look at the damn thing and ask why there are connections forward and aft of it).

Anyway, brand new from the factory motor, 100 bucks for the MSP16 upgrade if they don't already do it, new starter, and 150 bucks for the resonator to replace the cat after emissions testing (or whatever I can figure out to do about that).

thomthoms3

iTrader: (1)

I actually live in Williamson County too. I got my RX-8 in May and got an emissions test two weeks after purchase. My catalytic converter is about 9.5 years old and passed the emissions test (I took it to the testing center in Cool Springs). You WILL fail the emissions with a catless mid pipe, so for me at least, since I do not have the equipment to swap out midpipes every year, I am just keeping the stock cat on until it FINALLY goes bad. Let me know what you end up deciding on.

Edit: Also I should add that they never looked beneath the car, all they did was do the OBD2 test and read the CEL codes to see if there was a cat failure.

Tethlah

In Cool Springs huh? I actually live on Moores, right on the northern edge of Cool Springs, (The Landings), technically I'm in Brentwood, but I'm within Franklin city limits, go figure?

So I'm working up the payment stuff right now, I'm hoping that they get done with the car soon so I can check it out in person.

Tethlah

BTW, what did you pay in taxes, this is my first car in TN.

j9fd3s

so they are going to charge you to do a recall? it actually shouldn't leave their shop without it.. i would go to a different dealership.

if the start was changed it wasn't under warranty, its not on the list.

again the recall is still open, so if it was broken it got repaired by a 3rd party. since the recall is still open, you can bring it in,and they will check it, and replace as needed, for free, as its a warranty extension

they did the warranty claim for the engine yesterday, so now its had two warranty repairs...

Tethlah

They did do all recalls on the car, the reason they did the engine replacement was because of out of spec compression readings. so the only thing we dont know is if the clutch was ever replaced, which I'm not really all that worried about because I can do that for 150 bucks.

Here's the big question though, is the car worth 11.2k? I'm trying to get tax title and license all in for 11.5k or under but they don't seem to be jiving with that idea.