ferrocene

Year: 2004
Make: Mazda
Model: RX-8
Price: $4800
Mileage: 75000
Color: Sunlight Silver
Private or Dealer Listing: Private Listing
Location (US State/Canada/Int): CA

Well, this is my baby. Ugh. This is about as clean as it gets. 74k miles, 4 port, 4-speed Automatic.

My grandfather originally bought it January 1, 2004, I believe, and put 3900 miles on it. He had to sell it in 2005, and I have driven it ever since.

Lived on the California Coast its whole life. Clean title, never smoked in, never tracked, never seen snow or salted roads. Was garaged for the first half of its life, lived outside the second half. Factory paint protection (see pics). Always driven in manual mode, redlined at least once a week, 100% dino oil, Marvel premixed. The VIN is in a bunch of images, you can grab it from there. I haven't looked at the carfax yet, but I'll explain everything I know.

I had the engine compression tested at the dealership at around 58k miles (roughly 15k miles ago?) because of a hard start while hot problem. See pics for the compression numbers and notes from the dealership. After replacing or upgrading the starter, coil packs, wires and battery, it turns out it was the new battery. Yes, the replacement battery was bad, which is why I did everything else. So it's on the 3rd battery, optima yellow top.

I know everything that has ever happened to this car since 2004. Always waited 30 sec or so during higher RPM warmup period before driving. Never redlined while cold. Almost all dings were professionally pulled out, body is straight. See if you can find the one ding...hint, it's on the rear passenger side fender.

It has flooded twice, once by a roommate who moved it out of the driveway while I wasn't home 10 years ago, and once by a body shop moving it out of the bay.

See both of the Imgur albums for everything. I'll stick a few pictures in-line, but I took about 70 pictures today.

https://imgur.com/a/kF84i
https://imgur.com/a/Ro44e

Original extras include:

• Original dealership window sticker! - see picture! $27,025 MSRP back in 2004 for the lazy.
• Manual and quick tips booklet in pouch, dealership fold-out color marketing booklet
• FOUR keys: one new switchblade (cut and programmed), 2 original keys, one grey valet key (still in it's plastic sleeve)
• Over 10 years of dealership records
• Original receipts of almost all mods
• Original dealership delivery receipt
• Original dealership paint protection receipt

Things modified from stock:

Appearance and interior/audio upgrades, front to back:

• Official Mazdaspeed front bumper! It's actually the 2nd Mazdaspeed bumper, it's only 2 years old. Explained why below.
• HID Ballast/bulb upgrade kit. It's finicky, sometimes have to flick it a few times for the left one to turn on. Comes with extra bulbs.
• LED front parking lights, color-temperature matched to the HIDs.
• JDM clear corners. Actually the 2nd pair of clear corners, only a year old.
• I had white LED corner bulbs for awhile, but put the amber ones back for a more stock look.
• RX-8 B-pillar applique.
• I think it's a 25% ceramic tint on the rear and pop-out windows. I have the receipt, lifetime warranty.
• New rear bumper, because of a parking lot bump. Factory replacement part and exhaust shrouds replaced by body shop.
• LED tail lights. The original passenger side light has the dreaded loose seal, which caused trunk lid damage. Explained below.
• Professionally installed Alpine 4.1 amp with custom-made subwoofer enclosure designed to fit in the trunk-well with a JL audio slim 12.5" sub. You get amazing bass as well as storage space! The factory spare-tire replacement kit plastic bit had to be removed for the sub to fit.
• Aluminum triangle accent in the bumper

Mechanical upgrades:

• Wheels: Rays Engineering Gram Lights T57-RC 18x8.5 +33. One has a bit of rash on it, the other 3 are pristine.
• Tires: New 2016 or 2017 (I forget when exactly, 2k miles, maybe?) Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 245/40R18
• Racing Beat Revi air intake with K&N air filter - brand new, 5 months old!
• Racing Beat ignition wires
• Racing Beat front and rear sway bars and end links
• Mazdaspeed shocks and springs. The rear struts were replaced 9 months ago when the passenger side leaked and failed. My driveway is kinda steep, so the front gap looks larger than it is. See flat pics for accurate gap. With the Mazdaspeed bumper, it will scrape on steep driveways! Be careful...
• Racing Beat cat-back exhaust. Wonderful sound...

Other extras:

Most are just the original parts which were garaged when upgrading:

• Original USA-spec amber corner lamps.
• Original Air box with K&N air filter.
• Metra double-DIN dash. No kit, just the faceplate.

Problems / things to fix/replace, etc.

• When the passenger taillight seal failed and turned in to a fish bowl, the evaporating water rusted out one of the deck lid spoiler screws. I asked a body shop about repairing it, but they said it would be cheaper to just buy a new rear trunk lid, since they don't know how far the rust spread.
• The Mazdaspeed bumper is missing the middle mesh grille. I may replace it if I can find a quality black diamond mesh material
• The left and right A/C control buttons (front and rear vent controls) are cracked/split.
• The coolant thermostat is broken, so the red dash light turns on. I've read that it is hard to replace, so I haven't bothered. I have a bluetooth OBD2, it's not overheating according to my app. Just a stuck sensor.
• Brake pads haven't been checked in a long time. I'm 90% sure the pads need to be replaced. The brake fluid is the only fluid that's never been replaced in the car. Everything else has, including trans and diff fluids.
• The passenger-side door handle plastic is starting to peel.
• A few scratches on the glovebox, and a few on the rear seat center console trim.
• The hood has a few paint bubbles / rock chip damage.
• I have FOUR open recalls as of this writing. I have an appointment with the dealership for all 4, so they should all be resolved soon-ish. They are: 2 airbags, gas tank, and lower control arm.
  
  EDIT: 2 recalls are now done, two left and scheduled soon-ish.

Things that are missing/still searching my garage for:

• The dead pedal. I'm extremely tall, so I removed it to get more leg room. It's somewhere in my garage...
• The spare tire kit with jack. Removed to fit the custom subwoofer box. I don't think I kept it.
• The original 16" wheels were sold a few years ago.
• The original front bumper is gone.

Accidents:

1. Truck with trailer hitch backed into me in parking lot. Replaced first Mazdaspeed bumper with 2nd one. Insurance covered it.
2. I backed into my wife's car in our driveway...embarrassing. Received new taillight and rear bumper.
3. A woman drifted out of her lane last year and swiped me at about 35mph. Had body damage right at the driver's side aero side skirt. Slight damage to rear driver's side door and rear wheel got rash on it. Everything was repaired by USAA-approved body shop, can't tell anything happened. Looks perfect.

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

ill buy the ms bumper off you but sorry man theres no way you will get 8k for the car. just being real

ferrocene

Yeah, probably. After 12 years, I'm in no hurry. Will just drop the price slowly until it does.

ferrocene

price drop

yosso

Bump for a nicely presented and well maintained RX-8

hiyabusared

The car still for sale?

ferrocene

Yes, still for sale. I'm down the road a few miles from Laguna Seca.

In fact, the next Monterey Cars and Coffee is held there in two weeks, so I'm going to take it with a For Sale sign. If no takers by then, it's going up on cragslist. My wife knows I'm dragging my feet...

Also, the stupid dealership hasn't called me back about the recalls. I really want those done before the sale. I'll have to remember to bug them tomorrow morning.

nero10578

Is this somehow still for sale?

ferrocene

Yeah, still for sale. I'm dropping the price $200. I'm still dragging my feet on this...

I got two of the air bag recalls done. I'm scheduled with the dealership for the remaining 2 in a few weeks.

I need to do a SMOG check since the registration is up, so I'll schedule that in the next week or so. I need to find the CARB certificate for the Racing Beat air intake, in case they ask for it.

I recently replaced the battery since it was dying from low usage, and I recently replaced the spark plugs as well. Mileage is up to 75k, I'm driving it twice a week to keep the battery charged up and fluids circulating. Got an oil change at the dealership while it was in for the recalls.

Venem

sweet rx8- looks just like mine

benjet38

Is this somehow still for sale?