thered1996

Today I sold my '8. It's been one of the best cars I've ever owned. A superb driver's car all around. Maybe someday I'll own another.

A couple closing observations:

- It may be difficult to sell these (or any) cars for the next year or two. If you need to sell, don't expect a seller's market.

- While selling is bad, be prepared to be raped if you trade.

- Learn how to change your own oil. It's not hard and you'll likely prevent damage to all the stuff surrounding the oil filter by heavy-handed 'techs'.

- Drive your '8 hard. They seem to like it.

- Stick with the stock tire size if you want the tires to last. Wider sizes seem to wear out faster. (But they have the benefit of protecting the wheels from minor curb scuffs.)

- Clean the vegetation out from around the trunk strut mounts regularly. If you don't, it becomes a nightmare later on.

- The clutch seems to be very durable. As do the electric power steering and the carbon fiber driveshaft.

- The coil packs and plugs do not seem to be as durable. If they go and you experience misfiring, you'll likely fry your catalytic converter. Don't put off fixing the symptoms of misfiring!

- Love your '8 and it will love you.

'bye

- Eric

wassup_nuthin

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

peace dude, remember, there are a lot of ex 8 owners that are still members. You can still be a part of the forum. Good luck with your next vehicle, let us know what you go with and post some pics

rglbegl

So is there another car now?
Or was it a full car corral and the 8 had to go?

thered1996

There's a 1976 Alfa Romeo Spider (with 97,000 orig miles) in the garage which is mid-way through a carb conversion. It's been mid-way for a year...I need to finish it.

Next to it is a 1998 Corvette (with 156,000 miles!) which is what I'll be driving for a while. It's my wife's car but she's out of town for a couple months looking after her mother in Florida. It needs some work, too. The headlight actuators need rebuilding and the HVAC has issues.

My next car will likely be a low-mileage 90's Mercedes or BMW. Most likely an E430 or 540i. But anything could catch my eye. It's nice to have time to shop.

And even better when I can pick up on those private-seller, one-owner beauties which don't ever show up on car lots. You know the drill: someone goes to trade in their 'baby' and no-one will give them what they think it's worth. So they sell it themselves.

delhi

OK, i'll bite. what do you mean?
btw, that alfa is awesome!

Conundrum

iTrader: (1)

Can you explain the vegetation on the trunk strut? How to tell if you have misfire?

It is not a seller's market because as gas price goes up people will take a closer look at MPG and fuel grade, this is same for all other cars. Also many dealer still has brand new RX-8 with discounts, so used RX-8 are not selling as well, so you can't win on this.

I have to agree on the last part.

thered1996

I realize I wasn't so clear about this, failing to get it into the correct words. Also, this may not be a problem elsewhere.

Here in Georgia, our trees seem to drop all manner of small bits: blooms, blossoms, leaves, seeds. This stuff seems to like to slipstream straight over the car and into the gap around the trunk lid.

When I was cleaning up the car, I was really amazed at the amount of junk which managed to accumulate around and under the brackets to the sides of the trunk outside of the seal.

Since this stuff retains moisture, I realized that over the long term this could eventually cause rust and it might be something to keep an eye on.

Probably an unfounded concern as these cars aren't the rust-prone Alfa's from my past. Modern coatings are much better. If they do wind up rusting, it will probably be long after the cars have been permanently retired.

climacus

Slow to rev, down on power, lots of vibration coming through the shifter, etc. You will know when the coilpack dies.

alz0rz

iTrader: (41)

blinking CEL at high rpm's is another sign of misfires.

Silver_Surfer

Everybody has to go at somepoint...... Good Luck! You did it with class.

Learjet_Pilot

I lived in GA for 10 months. You're right, I had pine needles in every crack, gutter, and doorway of my Hyund. Good luck on your next purchase.