I'm about to buy one (!), a quick question...
 

Hi there folks.

I've just about made a deal for a Winning Blue RX-8 with sport package and navigation. Didn't really want navigation, but that's what it's got, and I think I can get the payments down to where I need them.

The car has 30 miles on it. The dealer told me it hasn't been run hard or used for "many" test drives. I took note of the soot on the exhaust pipes and there's a little there, but not a whole lot like some of the demo RX-8's I've seen.

If there's not much exhaust soot, is that an indication that the car hasn't been run real hard? Or is it just because it's only got 30 miles on it? I really want a car that hasn't been abused.

The dealer is holding the car for me 'til tomorrow. Any opinions on this would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I would never buy a test driven car. You dont know what the last guy did in it.

Was he a first time stick driver that ground the gears really nicely?

Did he run the car to redline?

Did the dealer clean the soot on the exhaust?

If your gonna get a new car .........Get a new car!

Get what you pay for man......... just my 2cp

I really doubt that any significant damage was done, even if a couple of people did redline the car. If you're getting the car you want at the price you want and you need (or want) it soon, I'd say to go for it. A few test drives isn't going to significantly change the reliability or final power of the engine or anything else.

On the other hand, I wouldn't buy that car. I just like knowing that everything that has happened to the car has either happened with me or someone I know at the wheel. I can also usually wait the extra few weeks for *exactly* the car that I want. If I don't want the navigation, I won' t buy a car with the nav system unless it's incredibly discounted - and I mean really discounted. But, I'm super picky and very patient. I'd rather wait a month or two and get the perfect car with 5 miles on it than get the car now with 30 miles and stuff I don't want.

ask them to show you a print out from the ecu. it logs speed and rpm all the time, so you should be able to see from reading it how it has been treated in those 30 miles.

Tailpipe soot/carbon deposits is very normal for a rotary with it's oil injection. 30 miles is really nothing to be concerned about, but you can run the ECU report like Zoom44 said. :)

Thanks, guys. I'll ask them about the ECU report, that's a good idea.

Another thread discussed this. The soot is normal; many of us have this.

Negotiate a discount for buying a demo car. Might not be much, but will make you feel better about about the deal. And the nav system is great; if you bring yourself to use it you'll be glad later you got it.

Good luck!

Question about the ECU printout report - how much data does it store (i.e. how many miles/minutes worth). Just curious.

i don't know man, when i test drove the demo i drove it HARD - i was asked to drive it hard...i redlined it every chance i got, with only 25 miles on it...after that, i know i wouldn't buy a tester, not with people like me test driving it beforehand...but hey, if you get a good price, why not? it'll be under warranty anyways...

Agreed - the demo I drove was driven hard, seriously, by the request of the "Mazda certified" salesperson. The yellow 8 had about 30 miles on it when we started and about 75 when finished. I even encountered how the DSC works in action :-)

That being said, I still doubt much damage was done to the car, if any. Possible, I suppose, and certainly I wouldn't have wanted that car :-), but I doubt everyone drives as hard as some of us here on this board. Could be wrong I suppose. On the other hand, I DO KNOW how rentals are treated and would NEVER buy one!

If I were you I'd wait for the exact car you want. I know it is hard...but it will be worth it. If you don't want Nav then why pay for it?