Ultra-Low Mileage Used RX8(SII) - Good or bad idea?
 

My fiance has been so impressed with the 2009 R3 I picked up 2 months ago that she is starting to think about getting an RX8 to replace her Lexus when the lease expires in a few months.

There is a 2011 R3 that has caught my eye primarily because it has less than 2000 miles on it. However, I'm not sure if its a good idea to buy an RX8 that clearly hasn't been driven very much in the last 2 years, and has just sat on 3 different dealers' lots (which would normally raise red flags, but given the sales numbers for RX8's in the US in 2011 was tiny, I can easily see how one would get passed from dealer to dealer without getting sold). I assume that it has been driven short distances without a proper warm up before being shut off more than a few times, so spark plugs would likely need to be replaced relatively soon.

Any advice as to things that could potentially go wrong on these cars when they have lived such a sedentary life without the proper storage steps being taken?

The S2 is pretty robust ... as you know with your 09, you can't beat on it when it is cold ... the car wont let you. Also, the S2 doesn't flood like the early 04-05 RX8's did ... i have turned it on, backed out, shut off, numerous times in my ownership with no ill effects.

The only thing I would say to do is get a compression test. Now sure, with 2000 miles you could say "why" but it will benefit you in the long run to get a nice baseline test on a used pickup should anything go awry. The dealer should be more than happy to oblige.

As always, if picking up used, fresh oil change is a must, fresh spark plugs, and make sure the air filter is nice and clean.

it will be fine. after all it still has warranty. the most problem you will see apart from previous owner's wear and tear is the catalytic converter failing from either short trips or idling to warm up the car but its covered so you are good.

now here is the most important question.....


.... what color is it :D

I'd put new spark plugs in if you do get it. It's probably been started and idled a lot.

Buy it. I love the SII's and especially the R3. Bought my son an 09 R3 and I'd jump on that low mileage R3 as another toy for myself if I had the chance!

Oh and why not check the plugs. Don't replace if you don't need, they're expensive.

Great idea. Buy it. You can probably steal it. What would be better, a 2011 with 30k miles???

Never have I seen such low-mileage paranoia in my life than on this forum. Just amazes me...

^ ... one of the first threads I have seen where the user is "paranoid" about an 8 with such low mileage ...

Here's a recent one:

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discuss...ge-rx8-243579/

The topic pops up regularly, either as a thread topic or contained within an off-topic thread.

moreso responsibility and research vs paranoia ...

a 2004 with 15k miles is more suspect than an 09 with 15k miles just from the assumption that the car may have spent a lot of time sitting, rusting, collecting dirt, critters, ... etc etc.

2011 R3's only came in Red in the US market.

BC.