Water pump, thermostat and $800 price quote
 

So I brought in my rx8 to a shop because it was having trouble starting. They said it had to do with a flooding issue, but also the water pump was leaking, thermostat is staying open too long and the clutch needs to be replaced. So without telling everyone my life story, I'm a college student that just bought 4 new tires, and payed $800 for the repair bill. They said for the thermostat and water pump its $400 for parts and $400 for labor(approx.). And I need to get a new clutch. I've decided I'm going to do the water pump myself, but what do I buy? Everyone says mazmart, but its expensive, and I don't need anything crazy, I really just use the car to commute. A local shop has a knock off brand for $100 for the thermostat and water pump combo. Is it reliable? And what about clutch? Should I just bite the bullet and hand it over to the shop and say, put in a mazda clutch?

if you don't want to spend the money on the Mazmart pump, that's alright but don't get some cheap / generic replacement.

www.onlinemazdaparts.com usually has some of THE best prices on OEM items and they use USPS to ship so you save money there as well.

get an OEM water pump and the T-stat as well.

Your best is to buy a Mazda Thermostat, and some Store brand Reman Water pump and do the work yourself.

Cuz sometimes Stance(whatever its called) or some other brand thermostat does not work correctly, the pin location is wrong and the thermostat is always stuck 1/2 open.

but even buying "Mazda" OE stat does not guarantee its right, there were cases in RX7 that you get OE stat from Mazda, its actually a Stance thermostat in Mazda's box. Does it work? hell no. and end up buying one off Napa's brand and everything works. but so far nobody heard of that problem (yet) for the rx-8.

it will cost less than 70 bux assume you have all the hand tools and knowledge to do it. (price includes water pump) Some places give you lifetime warranty on water pumps (yep)

As for clutch, you need more tools and more time and more space and more skills. Not sure if you want to do that yourself. Most people wouldn't.