I have to turn my key for a good 4-5 seconds b4 my rx8 starts. What could be the issue?? I probably sound dumb for asking this, but idk, is it the starter?? The car only has 46000 miles

 

what year is your car?
When was the last time your plugs/coils were changed?

 

Its a 2004. Idk when the last time was, I just bought it about 3 weeks ago. I was planning on buying new spark plugs, but idk what kind is the best/most reliable.

 

the 2004/2005 starters were weak. There was a recall, but you don't fall under the requirements.
Check to see which starter you have:
N3H1 = Original (04' & '05 models)
N3H1 A = Upgraded

Also, I'd recommend changing the plugs/ coils, as the stock ones tend to fail around the 25k mile mark. Replace them with OEM plugs/ coils. Search the for sale section, as I'm sure I've seen some recently, or check with the vendors of the forums. They sell for pretty cheap.
I would also recommend going with BHR (blackhaloracing.com) coils/plugs as they will last much, much longer, but they are slightly more expensive

 

Thank you for the help man!!! I'm going to have to check which starter I have, and get back to you. But I did check out those black halo racing spark plugs. They are $80 a piece!!! How do I get to the "for sale" section on here??

 

go to the home page, scroll down to the bottom, click on "rx8 parts for sale/wanted"

Good luck

 

I came across with the same problem five months after I bought mine in June of 2010; it could be as simple as your battery, check that as well.

 

This is very good advice (what I did last month)
I still have crappy starter and I have no problems anymore.
remember to reset your ecu after you do the work.

 

I am pretty sure that it is 80 dollars for all four of the NKG plugs from BHR... It is the coils that are what costs a good bit more. They are well worth the extra money though...

I'm with everyone else on changing the plugs and coils... If you don't wanna spend the extra cash on the BHR ones, Mazmart sells OEM coils... www.mazmart.com

Even if you do have the original starter and that is whats causing it to start slow, it would still be a good idea to change the plugs and coils anyway since you don't know when they were last done.

 

i apologize for resurrecting this thread, but i read somewhere on this forum that using bad starter can cause blocked cat and future engine problems. I just checked what i have and it appears old starter. If i replace it will it fix the hard starting issues?

 

Yep, that looks ancient than old Replace it. There are other causes for an RX-8 to have issues with starting the car. It wouldn't hurt if you upgrade your starter to a newer version, besides, that's gonna cause you more problems later than fix itself. Read this link to help you understand more of this: Starting Issues? START HERE

 

If you have an AT...
http://http://www.ebay.com/itm/04-08...479#vi-content

 

Thanks for help, no matter how much i searched i didn't see that thread. I have m/t and found good deal at AutoZone for $129.99 or i may just buy one off car-part.com

 

Bought a re-manufactured starter at O'Reillys with a limited lifetime warranty. I forgot how much I received in exchange for the core, so ask about it.

 

I ordered one but they got short model, so i decided not to take it