mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Picked up an 04 base model 6 spd RX-8 yesterday. It has 91k miles and runs and drives great. Looking forward to converting the headlights to the oem HID lights from the standard halogen lights. That's the first thing I plan to do. I am going to paint it when the weather warms up a bit. The paint is faded badly but the price was right for the car. The car is filthy from the drive home. It rained the entire way but the car never missed a beat. Wishing it has DSC though, lol Here are a few pics from the journey home:

After I picked the car up my son and I met with some fellow rotary enthusiast friends taht lived near by:





Getting gas for the trip home:



On the road home:



Home safe in my garage:

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Started in with getting the haze off of the headlights.

Before:



After:



Then I decided to wash the car because it was absolutely filthy:









And then back in the garage so I can buff it tonight:

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Welcome, nice ride. You can't convert to the factory Xenons, but I recommend a Murimoto HID kit, just use it with your current headlights. I actually went the opposite way, I ditched the factory Xenons and bought new halogen headlight assemblies and installed a Murimoto kit.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

What prevents the car from being converted using the factory HID parts? Do you recommend a particular place or vendor to get the Murimoto kit HID kit from?

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

The wiring is not there on a Non Xenon equipped car for the different connectors that the factory Xenon headlights require and a non HID equipped car is missing the headlight level sensors on the suspension.

H7: Morimoto Elite HID System - HID Systems from The Retrofit Source Inc

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Good to know, thank you!

iRepSDL

nice car man. looks very similar to my 05 but i just plastidipped

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Seems as though the tail light seals are so worn or compressed that water is leaking in through them and into the trunk. The trunk carpet is wet near the jack box and in the box itself. Got them on order.

I also got the templates for mounting the rear spoiler from my parts guy at Mazda and I ordered a new oem trunk mat. I'll pick all of the parts up tomorrow and post more pics of everything.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Ordered an oem trunk mat and picked it up at the dealer yesterday and installed it:



Today, I installed the rear wing. I got the mounting templates from Mazda and finding the correct mounting location was a snap. I like the way it turned out:









Figured I'd also post some pics of the interior:

Munokis

Looking good!

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Thanks! Trying to get the car exactly where I want it and then I plan on enjoying it for years to come!

I will continue to update this thread with pics of the car as I make progress on the car!

Munokis

I think I am gonna do this too once it warms up here and I am able to spend more time on my 8. I've just recently started to dive into the intricate workings of the RX8, and I am thoroughly intrigued.

gwilliams6

There is an extensive thread on ways to fix those leaking taillights. Lots of differing opinion there. So far a gasket replacement has worked after my passenger side taillight first leaked at 58,000 miles on my 2008.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

I think that replacing the gaskets is the correct fix. I will order a set from Mazda. The set of four runs about $120. Not sure I want to order them until I paint the car though. I just won't drive it in the rain if I can avoid it. The moisture in the tail lights is very annoying though.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Ordered one of these center caps in at the dealer to see if I would like it. I ordered the other three for the RX-8. I think they look great! Hope they look as good on the car!

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

A buddy and I spent hours last night in the garage wet sanding and buffing the RX-8, trying to bring back a nice shine to the paint. I think it came back well and the paint looks beautiful and bright once again! Here are a few pics from last night:

Started by wet sanding:





After the first cut:



Hood finished:



Hood and fender finished:

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Final product of the buffing and wet sanding:













And now its time to clean my garage. Its a mess from all of the work last night.Well worth the efforts put into the car though!

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Nice work. Is the clear coating failing on the roof?

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Yea, the roof, hood, and trunk were all chalky. The clear was the only issue luckily. I kept checking the pads to make sure they weren't burning through the clear and into the paint, turning the pads black. A couple of spots on right side of the roof and the passenger doors couldn't be saved unfortunately. The paint was too far gone.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Our RX-8 friends made the four hour drive up here on Saturday and my wife and I went out with them for the day. We had a lot of fun in the RX-8! Wish I took more pics. I have to say it was nice getting to cruise with another RX-8 and even better with our friends Mike and Wendy! Here are a few from Saturday:

On our way to dinner in my 8:



After dinner we went to a few stores and did some shopping and I took a couple pics of our 8's together:





After hitting a few stores we decided to go out to Applebees for half price appetizers:

yurcivicsux

just use a small amount of clear silicone. (Depending on how far gone they are) mine were fogging and this worked like a charm. also drilled 2 small holes in each at the bottom. as mentioned theres a thread.

yurcivicsux

I forgot how high the stock suspension sits. the car is looking really nice and glad to hear you're enjoying it. when I first got mine it was like a dream come true.

GK1707

iTrader: (10)

Don't drill holes in your tail lights. It just lets more moisture in. I used black RTV on the tail light gaskets and it held up for 3 years. I barely put a thin bead and now 3 years later one side tail light is developing moisture again.

Foam weather stripping tape works too as replacement gaskets, I got a whole roll of it on eBay for like $5 shipped rather than paying $25 for new gaskets. I recently put it on and so far its been holding up.

Jazer

Looks great... maybe it's just how dirty the red car is (lol), but damn, in those pics the paint looks great! Nice work cleaning it up.

Edit: Also, do you have any more pics of the red one? Just curious how that (Evo?) wing looks on the car.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

I believe the wing is an Evo wing. I'll ask Wendy to send me more pics of her car and I'll send you some. Its a really nice car. Its an 04 GT. She's the second owner. I think the car has 174k miles.