Hi,
Im thinking of purchasing my first Rx-8. I live north of Toronto and have read that the '8' cannot get a block heater installed. Is this true? If a block heater cannot be installed will the car start every morning at -30 degrees?

 

there are many canadian rx8 owners.

i think most of store the car in the winter. you realize its too low to go over more than 4-5" of snow, right?

 

hmm... don't know if this help, but don't ppl who live in such cold weather try to run a 70/30 mix so the water doesn't freeze in the block? 70/30 as in coolant(antifreeze)/water.

but a valid point indeed... this car is too low to drive over snow or not practical for use in heavily snowed areas. so most people would stor this car like any other passenger vehicles other than trucks.

 

fabricate your own block heater....

 

As long as your battery is fresh and decent quality, there shouldn't be much problem at starting at -30F. We drive our 05 everyday in Alaskan winter. You are right, there is no frost plug type block heater for rx-8. I heard that there is some magnet-type block heater, but I don't know if it is effective. Ours has radiator hose coolant heater. It does work, but somehow the coolant doesn't seem to circulate well, and this cause funkiness in starting. I'm not sure if I recommend this heater. When there is deep fresh snow, it becomes snow plower (snow accumulates in the scoop in front of radiator), but it's not a big deal.