RE: Shed Of The Week: Mazda RX-8
Discussion
Pixelpeep7r said:
People that are in the market for an RX-8 type car want anything but 'ordinary'
Engine swap is sometimes the cheaper option than rebuilding an existing.
Also, its about the money isn't it - if you pay £1000 for the car and another £2000 on an engine swap you've still only paid out £3000 - for a lovely looking sports coupe that will be super reliable and (depending on the engine you've chosen) properly fun and sleeperish too.
I'm not sure there are many engine swaps in any car that could be done for 2k (by a garage)! Certainly not on an RX8.Engine swap is sometimes the cheaper option than rebuilding an existing.
Also, its about the money isn't it - if you pay £1000 for the car and another £2000 on an engine swap you've still only paid out £3000 - for a lovely looking sports coupe that will be super reliable and (depending on the engine you've chosen) properly fun and sleeperish too.
Everyone I've spoken to who's ever done an engine swap reckons it's cost at least double what they originally thought - even relatively simple ones like putting RB25s into 200SXs tend to go north of 2k. I suppose if you DIY a really cheap engine then you may get away with it, but to get hold of anything that would be worth swapping for (in an RX8) you're looking at considerably more than 2k.
SR20s need considerable subframe mods
1.8ts need a LOT of other work.
LSxs are more expensive than 2k for the block alone
1Js are heavy and the manual boxes are expensive
etc etc
FD3Si said:
Let us not forget though, even a new one never started when they were hot, apparently.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Wonder if he's still in denial?
BFleming said:
A guy at work owns one of these. When hot, he revs it to 4000rpm, then switches the engine off. He reckons that restarting is then pretty straightforward as unburnt two stroke oil is burned off! Seriously though, these things burn oil almost like a two stroke, and are very heavy on petrol. Expect at best low 20's, probably even late teens on short runs (not recommended given hot start issues).
A nicely built car, quirky without being fugly, and not bad to drive. Depending on what you want it for, it might be a good buy. They can be had cheaper though.
Mine used a litre every 2000 miles. That's half the rate my old Civic Type R used it. As to the revving to 4000 before switching off, that's only required if the engine hasn't warmed up fully before you switch off as it clears any unburned fuel and prevents flooding. It's actually in the owner's manual, not that most owners seemed to actually read it! I absolutely loved my two. The later PZ edition was the best choice of them all. Fantastic car. Would happily have another.A nicely built car, quirky without being fugly, and not bad to drive. Depending on what you want it for, it might be a good buy. They can be had cheaper though.
Why am I even reading this? I've just done a sub frame rebuild on my forester, and my brain is whispering to me 'how hard can it be?'
All joking aside, that engine isn't very big is it? whip it out, get it on a bench and strip it down. There must be some fancy tools to take it apart right....right???
All joking aside, that engine isn't very big is it? whip it out, get it on a bench and strip it down. There must be some fancy tools to take it apart right....right???
A much maligned car, yes, but... no smoke without fire?
Expensive to run with well documented problems - just go through the autotrader ads at the cheaper end, they all have the warm start problem. I thought I heard about cold start problems too - short journeys flooding the engine!
That one appears to have a different shade of paint on the doors to the rear 3/4!
They are very cheap though if you can find a good one!
Expensive to run with well documented problems - just go through the autotrader ads at the cheaper end, they all have the warm start problem. I thought I heard about cold start problems too - short journeys flooding the engine!
That one appears to have a different shade of paint on the doors to the rear 3/4!
They are very cheap though if you can find a good one!
FD3Si said:
exceed said:
Jeez, 19mpg.
I get that in my car, and I know which one I'd rather be sitting in...
Presuming you're talking about the car listed in your garage, can you tell me where you could buy one of them for a grand? I get that in my car, and I know which one I'd rather be sitting in...
And besides, I'm picking up a Gransport from a main dealer for £1200 this afternoon.
Last Friday it only cost me £150 to get it off them
Oh come on, its scrap. nice shiny scrap with a leather interior, but its still scrap, it will start from cold, then wont start when hot, wel thats cock all use as a car, at lease last weeks SOTW would start when warm (well, I assume it would) for the return part of a journey, to get it to work it needs an expensive engine rebuild, so its a grand, plus 2 to 3 grand to get it rebuilt, and what if it still gives trouble ?
Everyone talks about Dropping an xyz engine in there, like its changing some brake pads, it isnt, its a massive unertaking even for someone who is a fabricator, welder, master mechanic, auto electrician etc etc with a fully fitted workshop, even then it will cost a fair amount.
We cant bear seeing a fairly decent looking, interesting car go to the scrap man when there is still life in the rest of it but the engine is key, we need to face it, basically these are getting older, most of the punters run a mile, they arent really worth being repaired in most cases.
Poor shed, SOTW need to provide something that is viable daily transport for a grand, at least for a time until it breask but this is already broken, it is just buying someone elses headache.
I have known two people with these and they have both had nightmares with them.
Everyone talks about Dropping an xyz engine in there, like its changing some brake pads, it isnt, its a massive unertaking even for someone who is a fabricator, welder, master mechanic, auto electrician etc etc with a fully fitted workshop, even then it will cost a fair amount.
We cant bear seeing a fairly decent looking, interesting car go to the scrap man when there is still life in the rest of it but the engine is key, we need to face it, basically these are getting older, most of the punters run a mile, they arent really worth being repaired in most cases.
Poor shed, SOTW need to provide something that is viable daily transport for a grand, at least for a time until it breask but this is already broken, it is just buying someone elses headache.
I have known two people with these and they have both had nightmares with them.
Will these engines eventually fail?
£1k for a car like this to run in and out of work sounds like a great plan.
Cold start in the morning, cold start at lunchtime if I happen to go out, cold start in the evening when I go home.
Maybe shouldn't have bought a Jeep to run in and out of work with logic like that!!
£1k for a car like this to run in and out of work sounds like a great plan.
Cold start in the morning, cold start at lunchtime if I happen to go out, cold start in the evening when I go home.
Maybe shouldn't have bought a Jeep to run in and out of work with logic like that!!
Pixelpeep7r said:
from what i can see here keeping the cars balance would be key, so 4 pot would be the answer? 1.6 turbo from the cross VXR?
This is the size it;
It's mounted very low and partly tucked up under the scuttle - a straight four is quite a bit taller, so would likely need to be further forward.
(engine in a Locost)
(engine in RX-8)
Any excuse to show my R3 off!
Love it to bits. When you get over the poor paper comparison of BHP to MPG, you realise that it is well and truly worth it!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Love it to bits. When you get over the poor paper comparison of BHP to MPG, you realise that it is well and truly worth it!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
otolith said:
Pixelpeep7r said:
from what i can see here keeping the cars balance would be key, so 4 pot would be the answer? 1.6 turbo from the cross VXR?
This is the size it;It's mounted very low and partly tucked up under the scuttle - a straight four is quite a bit taller, so would likely need to be further forward.
(engine in a Locost)
(engine in RX-8)
Such a shame. the RX-8 Doesn't deserve to be on the scrap heap just because of a weak engine.
I have just sold my 2004 Rx8, The only reason I bought the car was due to it being owned by a family friend who I knew looked after it the way a rotary needs. Has be said "The best car ive owned"
Yes it drained my wallet for fuel and the oil was actually not as bad as I was expecting.
Its refreshing to see the comments on this fourum are well educated and not the usual s***t you get when people presume the Rx8 is a terrible car when hey have no knowledge about it and in most cases haven't even been in one.
Yes it drained my wallet for fuel and the oil was actually not as bad as I was expecting.
Its refreshing to see the comments on this fourum are well educated and not the usual s***t you get when people presume the Rx8 is a terrible car when hey have no knowledge about it and in most cases haven't even been in one.
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