the only used ones I find around here in northern CA are 2004 and I don't want one of those.

I did drive a Velocity Red R3 the other day and it was a hoot!

Of course I could barely fit in the damn highly bolstered seats but they wouldn't be so bad if I got one of the other models.

The thing is, do I buy an '09 or an older one? These are cars that need special care and I am not so sure I would trust a used one.

Any definite reasons to choose one or the other?

is the 8 yr 100K mile warranty also on the '09's?


Anyone here have an '09? What do you think?

Thanks

 

imho it kinda depends on what you can afford. if you can afford car payments or plunking down cash and you'd keep it for a while, i'd say get the r3. otherwise, shop around for a used one 'cuz 8's don't hold their values well, meaning you'd loose money quickly if you get a new one and also that you can get super deals on used ones. for me, i'd probably never buy a new car unless there're insane tax breaks (ie for clean diesels, but NOT hybrids) or if i'm old and need to blow mony

i do think the r3 is a special enough car. it'll be pretty rare and a cult favorite version of a cult favorite

 

If you can get a 06+ get used. With the rx8's lower mileage is VERY important. As it isn't uncommon to have to get an engine replaced. And you don't want your warranies to go out.

 

The advantage of buying an '09 is that you'll get some nice improvements, like the third oil injector. The R3 package is also nice, but used Shinkas and 40th AE cars are similar.

However, rotary cars depreciate fast. That is bad for buying new, and it's a very good reason to buy used. You can get an '05-'08 with low miles for as little as half the cost of a new one.

 

I would love to find an used '08 that was 1/2 the price of a new one!!


Amazing how many '04's are on the market place.. Very very hard to find a used '06-'08

The third injector is nice... the interior is also nicer.. The new fonts on the instruments?? eh... looks like a toyota Corrolla

Mazda said it improved the comfort on the new '09 seats but they look the same to me except for the fabric choice they made which IMHO looks much nicer and not as cheap as the original fabric..

I wonder if they are coming out with a 2010 model

 

I bet you '10 will be exactly the same as the '09 save for color changes.

 

Nothing bettter than that new car smell...

 

id say get a used 06+ coz it would be alot cheaper but if you can fork out the cash oh well go for the new one. styling wise i always liked the older ones better for some reason

 

Except the smell of cash :D

 

'04s are now five years old. Leases are over, payments are done, the 4 year warranty is over. I think a lot of people change cars at that point - they don't like being without a warranty or a payment.

'06 onward have some real improvements in little things that seemed to be aggravating in the earlier years. They have the bigger starter, the sun visors do not break, overfilling the oil does not soak the air filter, etc. Some of that might seem piddly, but IMHO matters for general satisfaction.

Didn't they also sell a lot more '04s than any other year?

Ken

 

I just got a new 09'! I went through the same question/answer of which way to go.
I shopped for an R3 and decided to go with a GT. For the extra cash I could add Koni shocks, front swaybar, Hawk brake pads, and a few other goodies for the same cash. The R3 does have 19" rims and different seats but they removed some of the daily driver goodies.

I would rather spend the money, get the warranty, and feel comfortable driving down the road than to save a few bucks and get someone else's problem child.

Good luck on your purchase which ever way you go!

 

19" tires are also expensive...

 

If you can afford new, definitely new.
I regret not buying a new RX-8, because all I do is second guessing how the car was treated by the previous owner.
And that doesn't apply just to buying at a dealership.
You can never trust anyone nowadays, people will say anything for an extra buck.

 

Well, when I said "as little as" I wasn't talking about the '08s :P

 

Yeah i agre the smell of cash is great! haha!

 

If you really want new, if you can wait a bit why not wait for the '10s to come out? At that point I imagine that the dealerships will be dying to get '09s off the lot, they are not selling well and you'll probably be able to get a good deal.

Keep looking though. I originally was going to go for an R3, but when I found an '07 with 4,700 miles for more than ten grand less than new I couldn't pass it up, especially since I hate the looks of the '09s.

 

I got an '04 so far so good

 

i got an 04 and i've been good. theres nothing wrong with used as long as its had all the recalls and tsbs done and been maintianed pretty well..however the r3 is badass!

 

I love my 09 especially now that I painted the awful chrome strips under the foglights.

 

some ppl don't understand the word SEARCH I know that

 

When we did your springs, the previous owner did not put all of the bolts back onto the rear shocks... It means that he had springs/coilovers on before he sold the car and he was a lazy person who didn't care as to the safety of the new owner (you).

 

thats very true. anyone know the size of that bolt. perhaps i should get a new one to put in.

hmmm, i wonder if the previous owner was an 8 member. anyone trade in a 04 VR during the fall of 2008? hahah

 

 

I like where this thread is going.

 

Okay, seriously people- STFU if you don't like his posts, and don't post in the threads.