Good day RX8 owners/lovers,

Let me start by introducing myself, my name is Ricardo, 22, from The Netherlands. I've been having my drivers license for around 4 years now, and am going to buy my first own car soon. Perhaps an RX8...

RX8's are relatively cheap in my country (2nd hand), and I kind of wonder why. I know it's not the most practical car in the world, nor is it the cheapest to drive. But the price is all the way down to the cheaper VW Golf cars from about the same year. There is even a good number of cars with new engines, having about 20-30k KM on the engine but 130k on the rest of the car.

So yes, it doesn't have the best mileage and it uses some more oil, but other than that it should be a decent car. Is that enough for most people to make it uninteresting? It's still a pretty damn good car if I should believe most reviews and of course when I read these forums (yes I've red a lot, including the new owners sticky). I'm willing to tender and love my car and give it the treatment it wants.

I wonder though, what if the previous owner did not gave it so much love. What if the previous owner been a downright bitch for the car, what are the chances it has big expensive engine issues. My question for you, what to look out for when buying a second hand 2004 RX8 with a 2006 engine and cat? I'm no mechanic and maybe I will soon become one having this as my car. Also how easy is it to get hold of car parts in Europe.

I really fell in love with this car, I love sports-car like automobiles. I'm also very fond of the Nissan 350Z, but it's too expensive for my budget (twice the costs of a RX8 and because of it's huge weight also more expensive in road taxes). Maybe this love for these cars is because it were my favorite cars in my youth (was real fond of tuned cars).

Everything you guys can advice, tell me or want to add, please feel free! Thanks

 

You've already shown your FAIL
Go away

 

And what fail might that be?

 

I will try and bit more helpful and less douche.
However ... it will only go as far as this thread.

They are cheap everywhere not just in the Netherlands.
Why because?
Of all the things you would have found in this thread if you had have searched.
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=potential


Really?
None of us knew this, thanks for enlightening us.
Try this
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=potential

What the f* are you say'n?
You've really read this
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=potential
I doubt it.
Or you wouldn't be posting this thread.
Maybe you should read this first
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=potential

OMG its a car dude!

Really again?
You've done soooooo much reading
Ummm you .... agggh
Did you see this thread?
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=potential

Or maybe this one ... try reading the first 8 posts

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=potential

LOL than so is the RX8 ... sorry ummm read this
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=potential
than read this one
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=potential
followed by this
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=potential
and some of this
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=potential

Oh but you've read all that right?
BULL

What????????


My advice ... don't get an RX8
Don't post any more threads.
Leave now
Yes this is me being helpful and less douche ... I could have done way worse.

And why did not post this in the Regional forum? I probably would have never seen/bothered/looked/read this there

 

Three steps to happiness:

First, read the links that WCS was kind enough to provide.

Second, find a good mechanic, and when you find an RX-8 (or any used car) that you like have it looked over. Expect to pay for the checkup.

Third, you're planning on buying a used sports car. Nothing wrong with that...just don't set the same expectations you would have if you were buying a new practical car.

Good luck on your quest. Come back and tell us about it when you get one.

Ken

 

That is actually a really useful link WCS! Thanks for that :-)

By the way, who said you were a douche before? I just asked why I failed. Now I know

I will take my uncle with me, he's a mechanic at an insurance company. That's the best I can do I think. Will also do a compression test at a Mazda dealer.

 

You're a great sport, I may have to reconsider my first opinion.

You might just make it around here.

LOL I said I was a douche!
I'm also an *** too

 

Although you might be a douche, I find it highly hard to believe you are one. What douche would manage to get 2700+ post without being banned.

Probably just frustrated with having just another noob kid out here, can't blame you. I was little hasty with posting this stuff.

Thought that, despite the
"Why are we so hard / harsh on newbies?"
warning stuff couldn't be that bad. :-P Guess I found out the hard way heh

 

I'm chuckling a bit, but you do seem to have a deeper grasp of people's motivations, regardless of how it comes across.


I like that

 

See? I just joined and I'm already contributing to the forums.

I made one person cry and another one laugh all at the same time. Will this nominate me for the biggest dipshit award? :-D

 

I like you.

 

Welcome aboard
Buy an 8 and post pics or it never happened

 

Hey landgenoot ik ben ook een nederlander.

Will continue in English. The 8 is a great car BUT it's a bigger commitment than most cars due to the rotary. When you buy a Honda or a Toyota you know the engine will run long after the body is rusted away. With a rotary it's not the case. Some people (including myself knock on wood) will never have problems while others have them non stop. As a first car I wouldn't recommend this, neither as a young person most likely on a tight budget. But if you buy one, buy an 06 or up, with less than 160k km on it.

Veel geluk en koop met je hoofd, niet je hart

 

What he said ^ Koop liever eentje van 06 naar boven. Vermijd de 2004 modellen als de pest. XD

 

Ok that seems clear, 2006 and up. But what is wrong with 2004 RX8's with brand new 2006 engines with cats though? The other parts are also faulty?

 

Nothing, really. The biggest problem with '04s was blown engines from not very clear reasons, but which has been addressed by updated ECU programming. A new engine would take care of that.

A few minor issues were fixed by '06. Sun visors were improved (although one did break on my '06), they came with a rock guard over the AC condensor, washer fluid reservoir was translucent rather than black. Maybe some other small trim problems. But after 8 years any minor items either never surfaced or have been taken care of.

Ken

 

They aren't really "2006" engines. Any replaced engine is a re-manufactured engine, which means used parts were used to rebuild the engine. The quality control of the reman facility was really terrible originally, and has improved to "questionable" over the years. It's not unheard of for an engine to arrive at a dealer for a replacement and found to be already dead, or fail within ~10k-20k miles.

Your particular issue with that is that any replaced engine you are likely to see int he Netherlands was probably not even a reman. It could be a quality rebuild job, but who knows? I don't expect there were many people that were willing to pay for the shipping of an engine from the US (where the reman facility is) over having a rebuild completed in Europe or a better quality rebuild from the US.

Bottom line is that it's going to be more imperative for you than most to get a compression check, and the more you can learn about the engine's history, the better.


But yes, if that is fine, there only things left with 2004s are the quirky bits. Tail lights, visors, starter, etc...

 

Yah...its better with pictures, because i hate reading just stories to tell. lol

 

Ricardo, How much would the road tax be for the an 04 RX8?
How much would the tax for the 06 RX8 cost per year?

 

Doesn't make any difference in road tax. They are both the same weight so there is no reason for not buying an 06 RX8, they are just a tat more expensive. That's all..

 

Good luck man, you're a good sport. Hope you find an 8.

 

After many waiting (and even more time saving my moneyzz), I think I've found my winning chance.

(Had a 2006 version with 56k kilometer in sight, but seller was hard too reach and seemed shady. A no go for me)

2005, HP version. New starter, new spark plugs, new battery, 2 sets of rims and tires (summer and winter) and 70k kilometer on it. Not to forget is the new ECU software on there, according to the seller 2012. He has prove for all this.

While waiting all this time I had the chance to make a 4 page long checklist of things I'm going to check before buying. So far the seller seems like a real lover for his car too, so I'm hoping to find a good maintained RX8.

Keeping you posted if interested.

 

Sounds good.
Nothing wrong with earlier model year cars if properly taken care of

 

 

Thats the one, scary when you post pictures before I do :-P

Wish me luck!