Great site.. I just picked up a 2004 Grand Sport with 20k miles for my wife. I read over the intro material.. good stuff!

Couple quick questions.

1. The idle seem a little rough and the shifter shakes a bit at idle. Is this normal?

2. What is the best option for iPod integration?

I verified the car does have the MSP16 flash. Anything else I should check right off the bat? Thanks!

 

Shifter shaking is normal, you learn to live with it. How rough is the idle? Just search "rough idle" on these forums and it should give you some idea. Not sure on the ipod, but again a search would give you want you want. These forums have been around for a long time now.

I would replace or at least check the spark plugs. For all you know the 20k miles that car was driven it was babied and not drove properly so the plugs may be pretty dirty right now.

I hope your wife plans on driving the hell out of that car, I had a friend that bought his a wife one and she just liked the looks didn't want to drive it to redline like it needs to be and he ended up replacing the engine a few times. There may have been other issues, I just know she drove it like any other car and kept the rpms as low as she could.

 

Thanks.. she doesn't beat on cars and I doubt she will drive it rough.. she bought it for looks only like most women.

 

Check plugs, clean the mass airflow sensor.

https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-forum-197/congratulations-you-got-8-a-202548/

EDIT: Take it out every weekend and redline it for her if she does not drive it like she ought to. It's good for the car; and fun

 

Me too

 

Check your engine mount if the shifter is shaking left and right more than 5mm.

 

For the rough idle most of the issue comes from the spark plugs, coils or wires being bad....
As for the ipod question I'm srry bro but its not cheap. U have to get a module that'll cost u about $200 or so just to be added to the radio if u wanted to get the module I would say just get an indash instead

 

This is what I have. It works perfectly but I'd rather have an AUX in.
Ipod integration

 

Streetgt that one is probably a little more annoying but it should be much better, ipods wont charge with an aux in will they?

 

No they wont

 

Check your engine mount if the shifter is shaking left and right more than 5mm.

 

Thanks guys... the shake isn't more than 5mm, but I will check the mount anyway. I will also clean the MAF sensor.. I am just clear what "contact cleaner" refers to.

"Simply spray contact cleaner onto the MAF and IAT."

 

^ brake cleaner, electrical cleaner, MAF cleaner(best option but unnecessary). There are countless more...
Although it should be fine, things like brake cleaner might be to strong. I've used brake cleaner before, and no harm was done. But you should probably just try and find electrical cleaner or MAF cleaner.

 

Take it to a dealer and have a compression test done since you just bought the car....i had a rough idel and hard starts when warm. Now im getting a new engine but its covered by warranty.

 

Welcome. Someone already posted the $100 thread in my sig, but let me say it again. It also points to MAF cleaning threads, ground threads, and other useful stuff.

I would expect you will end up needing coils as well, not so much for the miles, but for the age.

Sounds like a great find to get one with that few miles.