Huge Mistake or Most Epically Good Epic Impulse Buy Ever?
 

So, first off, hello. My name is Arek and I'm brand new to this forum.

Now, at the risk of sounding spoiled, my dad just bought me a car. Haha. That was awkward, but now it's out of the way. Basically, I was going to student loan my way through college and pay off a car. I got some decent scholarships at some of the best schools in Virginia, and was planning to settle in to college life and buy a car a few months in after books and such are all paid for and I'm sure my job is stable after I transfer. My father, however, was concerned for my future, since I was going to rack up a huge debit over 4 or 5 years of college. So he told me to stay at home and commute to my local college (VCU, which is like fourth in Va, so only one below my dream in-state school; GMU) and to entice me to, he said he would buy the car and help me as needed.

It was a good deal and I come out with a car and about a >20K less debit on student loans.

Sorry for the read. We went car shopping and after checking out quite a few GTIs, a Crossfire and a MS3 (dream car), we found a 2009 RX8 with 12k miles for $21,000 with all fees and everything. I Kelly Blue Booked it at $27k, so it seemed like a good deal. So now I'm curious, was it a good deal? I believe it is a base Sport and it, sadly, has the 6spd auto instead of a manual, but it's plenty fast and I can pick my nose, as my mom puts it bluntly, while driving. Haha. The car has a small scratch on the rear bumper near the exhaust, but it doesn't bother me.

The car is red with a rear wing. Otherwise, it's a basic Sport.

And don't worry. I'm fine driving it, as I'm coming from a '91 Pontiac Trans-Am GTA. That baby has no ABS or TCS and it has all of 210hp and like 230lb-ft. Bought that with all me own money and I gave it to my dad now. It's the least I could do and he's always wanted a T/A. The RX8 is amazing comparable in power and fuel economy (:P), though much newer and with ABS!

Anyway, sorry for the read. Thanks to anyone who survived it to respond and I'm hoping to find a nice home here at RX8 Club.

-Cheers, Arek

just keep up with the maintenance that the owners manual tells you about and youll be fine.

you arent planning on modding it are you?

09 should be pretty problem free.
as long as you like it, I dont see why this would be a mistake.

I might get a cold air intake and cat-back, but that would be it engine wise. One to help the engine breathe and the other to exemplify the rotary's amazing sound.

I might do some stylistic mods to personalize it, but again nothing major. The biggest thing would be new springs and shocks or a coilover swap to improve handling and give it a stance. But I never ended up doing this with my T/A, so it's doubtful and far in the future.

Want to take it to track days but I'm afraid of breaking it or it breaking. Haha.

Speaking of manual, will Mazda give me a new one, cause the Hyundai dealership that I got it from couldn't find it?

So far I love it. Thought I do also love that blue R3 you got jasonrxeight.

The RX8's auto uses a torque converter right? It isn't anything like an Evo MR's is it? Or do the little up/down paddle/buttons have something to them?

you can download it online

its a hydraulic automatic so it uses torque converter. RX8's do have buttons on the steering wheel and +/- on the shifter.

from my manual

I have to find that download then. It would be quite useful.

I knew the +/- worked, but I was curious to know if they had any system that sidestepped the torque converter or acted any differently than simply giving the driver a job the computer is normally tasked with. Nevertheless, at least it will hold gear. Mildly annoying that it'll downshift on its own.

Back to one of my original questions though, is $21,000 a good price for the car? I know the Series I's go for like 15-18 or less sometimes.

sounds like a decent price. $20k would be perfect. I paid $23k for mine that had 5k miles.

Why not just buy the ms3 if ur getting an auto? It's not an expensive car, just dish out a little more.

there is a 08 ms3 at mini of baltimore county for only 16,900 since you are only in VA its only like an 1 1/2 drive away

He already bought the 8....


OP, the price is reasonable, you didn't get shafted. And being a 2009, you should be fine with reliability. Nothing to worry about.

You can download a manual from mazdausa.com.

Virginia Tech boy...there ARE no other schools. If you would have said UVA, a ban would be needed.

Good call getting an '09. You probably had no idea at the time, but the '09 was a redesign (series II car) that pretty much has all the issues worked out from what we've seen. The biggest thing is that the oiling system is redesigned to improve a problem which caused engine failures on earlier models.

I've consciously devoted half my time, resources and brain to car knowledge, so I know a lot about most everything out there. Not to be cocky. So while I am no RX8 expert, I know all about the year-to-year changes, including the S2 update to mimic the Furai concept. And I'm decently familiar with Wankel engines and the RENESIS mill in the 8, having been an avid Mazda fan since the RX7.

So ya. As long as I wasn't swindled (love that word), all is well. Thanks guys!

yea you seem fine with your purchase, and deff +1 on the 09 model. track days should be fine. i have a 04 with never ending problems.. but i still drive it to hell and have tracked it once plan on doing it again soon. the cars were ment to be driven hard so i dont see how a track day could be tooo bad for it =)
congrats on your purchase

Not so sure about that part... It takes most of it's styling cues from a ton of previous concepts and is much closer looking to some of those cars than the furai. Not much seems to come from the furai in my opinion.

I know the original design came from the Nagare concept, but the RX8 came out back in 2004, when Mazda's entire line-up looked different. With the Mazda3, Mazda6 and Mazda2 following the Furai concept closely, Mazda updated the RX8's appearance to make it flow with the line-up. It's not as terribly evident as with the other models, but the gills and smile are there, as well as the new wheel design.

I could be wrong though.

William & Mary and you would have taken my car back probably. Haha.

I got into Tech's Engineering, but I just don't care to be in Blacksburg.

the new big smiley face does look very similar to furai.:yelrotflm

At least it's not MS3 bad.

Though I secretly love that car, even the new one.

When I bought my 2009 in january I paid a little less than 19k with all fess, but it had 21k or 22k miles instead of your 12k. So your price seems fair enough.

don't buy it, you get ding doors and etc very easy, and the worst thing is you can't ding ppl door, cause it is so soft you bend the edge of the door.

What are you talking about? Don't buy an eight? Are the older ones harder to ding?

Did you get a Sport or a GT or what?