Nocturn

I'm not the one buying the car, my mom is looking to get rid of her loathed PT cruiser for an RX8, she loves the car but doesn't really know anything about cars, this is the first she has picked out by herself and really likes it. So I am just wondering what she should look out for and be aware of before she gets in over her head. I read the the milliage could be better, but I imagine alot of that is due to its broad RPM range and your apparant lead foot I know how it is. But what is this engine flooding I'm hearing about, I'm going to assume its not the same as when you flood a carberauted car (owns a 79 Trans am thats carbed FYI). How has the initial quality been and what has been a disapointment? Were set to go test drive one sometime in the next week or so, so any information would help. Oh and what financing rates have you guys been able to get on them.

I tried to expain rotary engines to her...but I stopped at it doesn't have cylinders.

Thanks in advance.

Frankenguy

All of your questions have been answered in detail on this forum. Try the search function and be prepared to do a lot of reading.

Nocturn

Well I read through all 24 pages of the satisfaction poll and am just trying to get an idea of how many cars are actually having issues, from that read it sounded as if many are having flooding issues, but that contrast the poll results.

mysql101

From what I hear, flooding is a past issue since the M flash. But I'm not going to try to try to verify that for you

Nocturn

Do the newer models have the hotter plugs/different ECU done by the dealers or do they only do that when they get a problem?

livitup

Only when they have a problem.

I'd insist on getting the latest flash done as a condition of sale. Make sure that you get a "WE OWE" form from your sales guy for it. There's actually a TSB out that says that every RX-8 that comes in for any service (even a regularly scheduled oil change) should have the 'M' flash, so the service department shouldn't have any trouble billing it back to Mazda.

The plugs you can angle to get them to do before you buy, or just wait and see if you actually flood it. I've got the new plugs in mine, after I complained of "hard starting" not "flooding" but I don't notice any difference. Chances are that if you are going to flood it you'll do it within the warantee period. Mazda is covering de-flooding under warantee, so with the road side assistance and free loaners, and everything it's not that big of a deal.

---A

Nocturn

True but still reliability issues is still an annoyance, I was planning on getting the dealer to do the latest flash and plugs with the sale but I don't know if I can then negotiate them down lower with her trade in and what not.

G8rboy

Flooding instances have almost always been caused by someone starting the car when cold, moving it a few feet, and shutting it down cold (like when washing your car). Rotaries should be allowed to warm up before shutting them down for several reasons, but the slight potential for them to flood is one of them. Otherwise excess fuel that is injected on start up doesn't have a chance to burn off, and can potentially cause a loss of compression by washing down the oil film layer in a worst case scenario. There is an emergency start procedure that will probably start up a flooded rotary most of the time (by shutting off fuel at startup).

However, the latest ECU calibration ('M') addresses this and I haven't read of a single instance of it for a while (even with the previous 'L' flash) .

You don't need to worry about the hotter temp plugs as long as the car is driven like it was meant to, i.e. let the engine warm up to full temp and wind the motor out every once in a while to burn off any carbon build up.

I couldn't be happier with mine- most of the small annoyances have been worked out already- the kind of thing you expect when you by a first year model car. There's nothing like winding up that smooth rotary to 9k rpm while hugging a corner like a slot car.

titaniumgrey

the rx-8 is nice , just don't get the automatic, no offense but if you can't drive manual just get the RSX base model with automatic transmission. It feels alot better than the RX-8 auto.

greene76

Yeah, I think most people that think about an automatic do not realize how smooth and easy the 6spd is. I absolutely love my 8. There is plenty of room, and plenty of smiles when hittin 9k in the pins, love it!!!!!

Doctorr

Mr. Nocturn,
Good move just leaving the explanation of the rotary at "it doesn't have cylinders".

You definitely don't want to go into the whole 'Felix had a vision...' stuff!

Good enough to just establish the exclusivity of it, and move on!

Hope you get an '8, (and unlike some, I would rather have an auto '8 than any RS Acura.)
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doc

Nocturn

I would have searched had I been able to find answeres to my questions, but since I was asking a bunch of questions to a general audiance I figured I would post a thread about it, I said before I read through all 24 pages of the quality poll, you don't need to be an *** about it.

Anyways, She is going to be getting a standard so that shouldn't be an issue, whats the warm up temperature that it needs to reach before allowing it to shut down? And it seems the hotter plugs could be done without for now, but what about the M flash, is that something worth bargining for with the sale of the car, or should I not worry about it untill we got general maintencance done on it. Also has anyone run into any problems that hasn't been covered under the warranty?

Fraws

I also will be a proud owner of a new RX-8 within 3 weeks if all goes to plan. I have some info I would like to share in respect to your question:

This is the same question I asked my local dealer via email here is his answer.

Internet Sales
Modern Mazda
Thomaston, CT

Thanks for getting back to me. As the largest volume dealer in Ct., we have seen a ton of these RX-8's go out of here. Not one has come back with the flooding problem. I haven't heard of this yet. As for the delay, there is a 2 second delay from when you put the key in the ignition to when you could start the car. That is so the engine could squirt a tiny bit of oil onto the rotor so it does not start on a dry rotor. There is no such thing as a 2 minute shift delay.

* I hope this helps *

----My future Ride---

VIN: JM1FE17N940126530
NORDIC GREEN MC / BLACK LEATHER
GRAND TOURING PKG A/T
APPEARANCE PACKAGE REAR WING SPOILER
RX-8 Sport Automatic
4-Spd Auto
197-hp 1.3L Rotary Engine

beachdog

nocturn, first, glad to see that she would get the 6 spd. When peoplel ask for my recommendation I always tell them 6 spd yes, auto no.

M flash is not a negotiation point. Talking to multiple dealers and walking out to the next one is a negotiation point.

You can test for yourself if the car is flashed yourself. Search on "20 pump" test. It takes exactly 8 seconds to know if the car is up to date. When you are ready to pick up the car, in braod daylight BTW, just include the test before you sign the acceptance. If the car doesn't meet your approval for whatever reason, chips, scratches, fails pump test, jsut don't sign for it.

It's all very simple but most people are in such a frenzy to drive off in their new car they are squandering the best opportunity that they have to get things perfect. The dealer will do whatever it takes to make you happy BEFORE you sign for the car.

TODreamer

lol

Seinfeld had the Soup ****.........Well, the RX8club has Pidge...the Search ****! :P lol

Razpewton

Nocturn,

I have had any problems with mine as of yet. No flooding..no smoking...a/c cycling...no problems at all. Definitely recommend a manual transmission as they are more sporty and produce greater horsepower.

Keep checking the oil, as the nature of the engine does promote it's consumption. And as you porbably already know, the MPG sucks.

Other than that, the car is a definite pleasure to drive.