RX4+30Years=RX8

Go back and have them replace the starter if they haven't already. Or at least have them check it off the car.

I had nearly the same thing happen to me several years ago except it happened at a drag strip with a big block. It had stalled after backing up from the burnout and I gave it some gas as I was starting it. The gear on the starter locked on the starter shaft. This caused the pressed on gear on the flywheel to slip and then break off.

To answer you questions about the clutch, pressure plate and bearing, they were probably damaged when the gear first spun on the flywheel. Possibly a small piece lodged between the flywheel and pressure plate throwing it off center. In my case even efter it started, as soon as I put it in gear and released the clutch when I got the green light on the tree, the pressure plate was thrown out of alignment by a piece of the gear that made the clutch and pressure plate bind up on the input shaft of the tranny and broke it completely off and stuck it through the bellhousing.

All because the gear on the starter locked up.

8_wannabe

RX4+30Years -- Thanks for the advice. I'm coming up on my 20K check and i will look into this.

For everyone else, I just reread my latest post in this thread where I thought I was getting improved gas mileage. It was all a pipe dream. My mpg soon drifted back to its 16.8 norm where it has rested ever since. I have heard the M reflash improves on this, and I hope to get that at my next checkup; we'll see...

VikingDJ

Man I feel ya on the wife thing. Just the 2 recalls, horrific gas mileage and the weak a/c that can't currently be fixed was enough to get the woman on the I told you so kick. She hasn't been able to say it quite yet, but I know she's waiting. If I suffer any major problems early into this car purchase, I'll gladly smile to here " I TOLD YOU SO" and say she was right all along. Buying this car is definitaly a risk, but one worth taking. I'll be a happy camper if I get get 3-4 years out of mine (about 40-50k miles) without anything but basic maintanence. If it proves durable in the next 3+ years, I'll be trading it in for a new rx8. If not, I'll tell the lady she was right, and find another car.

8_wannabe

Just reread this thread due to another related post that came up. All the aforementioned problems happened at 10K miles, Jan 1 2004. I just got my 20K check on Sept 16, so that's like 1050 miles/month. Not too bad, since I went through the first 10K miles in 5.5 months, or over 1800 miles/month. I think my current trend is more typical; there were some odd reasons I was driving more early on.

Anyway, after these last 10,000 miles no problem with starter, clutch, or anything. Poor car... I'm teaching my 16-yr-old to drive and no, he won't get the '8 but I'd like him to know how to drive stick so he's practicing. A bit rough, but he's catching on. If his grades continue as they are he'll get some beater of his own, not sure stick or auto yet. Had a rough time with his grades last year but we seem to be on an improving trend.

Final comment about wives, etc. To mitigate the "I told you so" factor my wife has no idea about the crappy mileage I get. I just suck it up and don't tell her. Like sh's one to talk... she's driving her Dream Beemer (323i) which I never wanted her to get, damn thing just cracked a cylinder head so we're out big bux. And of course, this is just after the warranty ran out. Gotta give credit to those engineers... they know how to build things to last "just long enough." Bavarian quality is definitely on a downward trend.

JM1FE

Check to see if that head had ever been removed before - some of their engines use 'stretchable' bolts, installed properly with an angle gauge. If someone used a regular torque wrench (or <horrors> a 'click' type torque wrench), or re-used stretchable bolts (they're to be tossed when removed and replaced with new ones), then that's the likely cause of the head cracking. You may have some recourse if it was done improperly by a dealer, but it's unlikely a dealer would have been so grossly stupid with the bolts.

I wouldn't say Bavarian quality is going down... If your service guy has been around a while, just needle him by saying "M46 timing case profile gasket!" For the curious: Google will explain.

(and just to be an annoying nit-picker: beemer=motorcycle, bimmer=car)

TSi RX-8

**** man you might want to delete all those posts about entering your car in that Nopi burnout contest

RX4+30Years=RX8

Hummm. I get too much wheelhop to really do a burnout. It sounds like this may not be the norm. Could there be something amis? Stock Potenza tires.

8_wannabe

haha, very funny. I had to do a search on NOPI just to find out what the heck you were talkin' about. Found some pix of some fine girls in one a dem posts.