So the other day my rx8 (that i purchased 4 days before) blew up on me. I had it towed to the mechanic and the diagnostics are that the engine essentially screwed and needs to be either replaced or rebuilt. A rebuild will cost around $8000, while a second hand donor engine will be about $6000.

My question is which one do i go for? I would like a rebuild because a second hand engine to me seems a bit dodgy. Does anyone know about donor engines? How many km's they would usually have on them? Whether they are better or worse than a rebuild? How long will they last?

Thanks for your input

 

That sucks. Hope you got a good deal on the car, and that the rest is in great condition.

Buying a used engine is like buying a used car, except you don't get to test drive it. You'd need to learn as much of the history of the donor car as you can.

I have an aversion to buying used cars, so if the engine in my 8 blew and I wanted to replace it - and it made economic sense - I'd go for a rebuilt. I'd also do some research into engine rebuilders. But I've never been in your shoes. Hopefully some of the members here with actual experience can give you some useful info.

Ken

 

Sounds like you should look into your states Lemon Laws.

If not I sent you a PM about a engine rebuild...

 

whoa, wait a minute. you live in the states right ?

a Rebuild cost 8K ? a "Donor engine with unknown reliability" cost "ONLY" 6 k?

dude, 8K is enough to buy you a Brand new engine spec by experts.

a Reman Engine from Mazda cost around 2-3K.

 

nar i live in australia. therefore everything is shitloads more expensive. to put it in perspective a new rx8 would cost around 60k over here, and i think they are around 40 in the states but i could be wrong. the labour rates over here are through the roof. when i took the car to mazda the other day they wanted $140 an hour for labour. I promptly got the car out of there and to a decent rotary mechanic and thats what the rates have come from.

The donor engine will be 3-4k apparently, and he thinks it will cost about 2k to fit it. Rebuild will cost more and take more time. (about a month before i get the car back). It should all be covered by warranty but would just like to know which would be better for the car. Will a rebuild make it like new?

 

A new 8 in the US is about $30k. I see that Australian dollars and US dollars are about the same, so you guys really are getting taken. I assume it's taxes, rather than shipping cost.

A good rebuilt would bring it a lot closer to new than a used engine. If it's really rebuilt (as opposed to overhauled, which I think is what the Mazda USA so-called rebuilts are) then it would be as good as new. Since someone else is paying, seems like it's just a trade between the better engine and how long you'll be without wheels.

I just remembered that I once actually was in your shoes, a long time ago and on a smaller scale. In 1969 or 69 I paid $100 for a 1953 Chevy that turned out to have a blown engine. I rebuilt it myself, at a cost of about $200 in parts and machining, after turning down a local mechanic who would have put in an engine from a '60 Chevy for about the same price. Spent about a month of spare time at it, and had something else to drive in the meantime. In retrospect the smarter move for me at that time would have been to junk the Chevy and chalk the $100 up to experience.

Ken

 

30k? thats crazy if you guys had left hand drive it would be way cheaper to import one. Yer tariffs on foreign cars over here are just so high, all so they can sell fords and holdens for more money. i will check to see if it is a full rebuild or overhaul.

I have been considering cutting my losses and taking it back to the dealer. I will get about 90% of my money back, minus what i have already spent on towing and diagnostics. But i am hesitant because it really is an immaculate car on the outside, and i know it would be great car when it does run. Being 19 years old as well, it is a pretty cool car to own in comparison to the cars other people in my age group drive. haha.

I have a second car i can drive at the moment so that should be fine, I guess i just have to decide what to do over the weekend.

 

and by left hand drive i meant right hand drive. haha

 

8K to rebuild?? ****, I gave mine away when I did my 20B swap. I should have kept it.

 

yeah. not too cheap hey. haha

 

oh you're in Australia ? I can see why a rebuild would cost 8 K then, a RX-8 cost 60K over there ...

Everything cost double in Australia ... u might wanna pm ASH8 he should be able to point u to the right direction ...

 

Contact Extreme Rotarys or Danny at auto plus they can both hook you up in Aussi and focus on everything Rotary. Danny has done some Really nice work in the past and Extreme rotarys is well known around the world.