aaronu

What's a good price for a 2004 RX-8 that needs a motor?

Mine popped. I could fix it, or I could sell it. A few bucks in my pocket would be good right now.

If I try to sell it, what's it worth?

FYI it's a 2004 Nordic Green 6-spd with 108,000 miles. It doesn't have navigation. Paint & body has a few small dings and scratches, overall the car looks good and everything except the engine is in good shape.

Advice would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Aaron

mushkid

iTrader: (6)

4k??

jasonrxeight

depends on how much is it. getting a new engine and replacing it gonna cost at least $3000

mushkid

iTrader: (6)

yea but with the condition the op is describing, plus the miles that's what i would offer. if he tried to sell it locally i would see offers no more than $4k. i have seen 06+ shells in better condition with lower miles go for $7-8k

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (3)

I'd say 5k or so. Yeah, you can get running/driving 04's for 7500+ if you look hard enough, but those are usually pretty shitty, higher mileage (125+), and torn to **** inside and body wise. If it's a clean no-issue car that ONLY needs an engine, it would be an easy fix.

aaronu

Thanks y'all.

It's pretty clean inside, the outside has a small fender scrape and maybe two small dings. So not perfect -- also it's cloth interior, no nav, etc. I'd love to be able to get $4000 out of it but I think even that's optimistic.

A car like mine (if running) would sell for $8500 to $11000 based on what's available locally. I checked with a shop and they wanted $5000+ to fix it with a good quality rebuilt engine. I could slap a salvage motor in for $2500 but I'm worried that I'd be back where I started. And I don't have $2500 to spend on a car right now. :-(

So I guess it goes up for sale. It sure was a fun car to drive. When it ran, it ran really well.

Cheers,

Aaron

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (3)

So try to fix it yourself. At this point you've got nothing to lose, the engine is already "bad" and the car is not drivable. What's to keep you from taking it apart and experimenting? IT's not really going to affect the value one way or another, at least not by more than a few hundred bucks.

You could potentially do a *budget* rebuild for under a grand, if you have tools and work area to fool with it yourself.

scuba steve

It'll be around $5000 to fix or I could look for something more efficient. Did you ever get any response to this post? What did you end up doing?

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

My buddy just picked up a very clean 04' GT with 80k for $1800.00. If you pay much more than that you are running the risk of not making any money on it if you plan to sell. If you can manage installing an engine yourself then you may be able to go as high as $3,000.00 since you can get a Mazda reman for $2,000.00-$2,500.00. But spending more is not really worth it since you can get a clean running (some times with a low mileage reman already in it) for around $7,000.00.

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (3)

You don't read well, do you?

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (3)

I just paid 2500 for an 04 AT needing a motor and a front bumper/hood. I figure a couple of grand in repairs and I can sell it for 5500-6000.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Yeah, that's sound about right. The kicker for you will be parts, body work/paint costs unless you know how to do that too. But if you find painted parts in decent condition you will be golden.

monchie

I won't buy it. You will have less crowd selling this with the motor not running or dead. Anyway, you may have a chance on selling it to a mechanic who knows rotary engine rebuild...good luck!

j9fd3s

high blue book for a running 04 base is like $7200ish

so if you figure a Mazda reman is $2000, plus the $350 clutch, and lets say $500 for other nonsense, like spark plugs and coils and filters and oils and things. you're gonna be in the engine replacement for about $3k... if you do your own labor!

$7200-$3000 = $4200

you have to decide what your profit wants to be, and adjust accordingly.

now if you wanna buy a car, and have fun putting an engine in it and then enjoy it for the summer, you're in great shape

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Post deleted due to language. Feel free to respond in a more civil manner.

Karack

i generally wouldn't pay more than about $3500 for a non running '04 unless it was fully loaded.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Scuba, I don't think you are getting the message. Perhaps one of the admins can give you something more effective to think about.

Post deleted again.

3 Day Ban for Ignoring Club Rules and the orders of a Moderator. alnielsen

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (3)

Well, I can obviously do my own mechanical work, and if need be I can do basic paint and body (although not to show quality), so the main thing for me is getting ahold of the parts. Every "part out" thread I check is not actually a part out, but a 'selling a catback and air freshener off my car that I've returned to stock" thread so finding body parts seems to be difficult. Maybe I'll just resell it with the body damage and let the buyer worry about it.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

What color parts are you looking for?

ASH8

scuba steve, On my watch list also.

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (3)

It's an 04 silver, probably the most common rx8 out there.

hellsfire

iTrader: (1)

Most common to get hit! The curse of the silver is just all too true...
All the accidents that I've been in have never been my fault!
It's like driving around with a "please hit me sign."

I personally see more Red RX-8's on the street, but I guess that depends on location and luck too haha.

And dang resale on these cars suck so much...
Guess I'll be keeping mine till the day I die.

Ricocase

What are these going for these days? I have an 05 rx8 AT... Compression issues are acomming.

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (3)

auto with a bad motor, 500-1000. manual with a bad motor, 750-1200. Those values are assuming average condition and mileage. If it is exceptionally clean or lower mileage maybe add a few hundred bucks.

I recently had trouble selling running/driving manual rx8s with fresh rebuilds that I did for $4000-6000. Dont even THINK about trying to flip an auto for anything more than a couple grand.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Yep, my buddy has been stuck with a clean 2006 GG Shinka with a fresh rebuild in it for a while now and he was asking 6k and has had no serious buyers. Although he is not really trying hard to be honest.

The last one I found that he bought was from a mechanic I know who runs a shop. They told the old guy he needed a new engine after he spent $1500.00 replacing a bunch of parts with them. The old guy was fed up and sold us the car for $1800.00. It was a 2008 auto under factory warranty so my buddy just dropped it off at the dealer and they repaired it (bad tcm module). And the 2008 he still has as well, and it's a clean car, new Bilstein HD's and he threw some 09+ 18" wheels on it.

He probably won't lose money on it but no one really wants an auto even though it is the 6 port 6 speed auto. His wife has been using it as a daily for now. He has flipped a few and paid no more than $2,000.00 for one with a blown engine, not even the Shinka. A 4 port Auto with a bad engine is worth more in parts than it is in running condition.