Mazda RX8 - What should I know?

[Joeguard1990]

Colonial said:

I can't believe no one has mentioned how ripe these are for an LS engine conversion.

It has been done, there is a guy on the RX8 owner's club forum running a V8 but I believe the total cost was around £17.5K (didn't do it himself though paid a specialist).

[Joeguard1990]

stugolf said:

Well I suggest you check the classifieds on PH

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds?Category=us...

3 of 31 cars have over 70k miles and one of these has a new engine and I suspect the other 2 have as well

The cons far outweigh the pros, if you can pick one up for a grand and when it goes wrong get it scrapped without spending twice the value fixing it, I feel sorry for the people who bought one new for 30k and its worth about 2k now

Must be one of the worst depreciating cars I've ever seen

This makes no sense, because the ones still running on over 70k won't be for sale.. most people put them up for sale when they have an issue and can't afford to fix it, it's one big circle.

[otolith]

Joeguard1990 said:

It has been done, there is a guy on the RX8 owner's club forum running a V8 but I believe the total cost was around £17.5K (didn't do it himself though paid a specialist).

That's mental - 17.5k for a ruined RX-8 when there are loads of great V8 cars that came like that from the factory.

[Joeguard1990]

otolith said:

What he's selling it for, maybe, for what he's spent on it I'd rather have a Monaro. Or a V8 Merc CLK. Or a V8 BMW 6-series.

None of the 3 cars mentioned would handle as well as a V8 in an RX8 chasis, nor would they be quicker in a straight line.

[otolith]

Joeguard1990 said:

None of the 3 cars mentioned would handle as well as a V8 in an RX8 chasis, nor would they be quicker in a straight line.

Not convinced of that, there is nothing particularly special about the RX-8 chassis, it only handles well because it has a very low and central CoG.

[Joeguard1990]

otolith said:

Not convinced of that, there is nothing particularly special about the RX-8 chassis, it only handles well because it has a very low and central CoG.

I was thinking more about the total weight and size of the car.

[otolith]

You can get V8 engines which aren't a huge amount heavier, but they are a lot taller. They won't fit right under the scuttle and behind the front axle like the rotary, in all the pictures I've seen of conversions the V8 is sat over the front wheels.

[Joeguard1990]

otolith said:

That's mental - 17.5k for a ruined RX-8 when there are loads of great V8 cars that came like that from the factory.

True, its E92 M3 territory, but each to their own. If it were me i'd want to keep the handling of the original but gain more power so would do a RX7 engine swap with a 400-500BHP build.

[Fastdruid]

Joeguard1990 said:

otolith said:

That's mental - 17.5k for a ruined RX-8 when there are loads of great V8 cars that came like that from the factory.

True, its E92 M3 territory, but each to their own. If it were me i'd want to keep the handling of the original but gain more power so would do a RX7 engine swap with a 400-500BHP build.

Feck it, lets just go triple rotor.

[TREMAiNE]

Fastdruid said:

Feck it, lets just go triple rotor.

That's the dream right there!

Sold my R3 less than two weeks ago and miss it massively already - the offer was just too good to turn down though.


Currently looking at Caymans/Boxsters to replace it BUT desperately want to spend that money sticking a rotary in my MX-5, couldn't handle that inevitable financial hit though!

[Fastdruid]

TREMAiNE said:

desperately want to spend that money sticking a rotary in my MX-5, couldn't handle that inevitable financial hit though!

It's on the project list for when I win the lottery.

It's meant to almost bolt straight in with not that many mods. Certainly no chassis ones so DVLA is simple....

[stugolf]

lostkiwi said:

6 cars in the classifieds today have over 60k miles. Two have had a rebuilt engine one at around 60k and the other at around 70k.
The highest mileage one has 90k and no mention at all of an engine rebuild.
So your contention that nothing will see them go past 60k miles was clearly nonsense.

So 80% of the cars have under 60k miles, at least 2/3 have engine rebuilds, sounds like a very high chance you will get a dud

2 blokes live down my road with them, both smoke blue heavily, 3 mates have had them, all needed rebuilds 2 failed compression, a guy in work bought one and guess what? Needed a rebuild, the ones I know all have FSH and well looked after

I'm yet to meet anyone who's had one any length of time without a serious wallet munching issues

I never said they wouldnt go past 60k in the same way I'm sure a cambelt will last longer that the manufacturer says but makes for an uncomfortable drive

I'd also like a car which I could move on my drive without having to get it fully warm incase it floods and have to red line it on every journey just to make sure it'll keep working

[lostkiwi]

stugolf said:

So 80% of the cars have under 60k miles, at least 2/3 have engine rebuilds, sounds like a very high chance you will get a dud

2 blokes live down my road with them, both smoke blue heavily, 3 mates have had them, all needed rebuilds 2 failed compression, a guy in work bought one and guess what? Needed a rebuild, the ones I know all have FSH and well looked after

I'm yet to meet anyone who's had one any length of time without a serious wallet munching issues

I never said they wouldnt go past 60k in the same way I'm sure a cambelt will last longer that the manufacturer says but makes for an uncomfortable drive

I'd also like a car which I could move on my drive without having to get it fully warm incase it floods and have to red line it on every journey just to make sure it'll keep working

I'll grant you there are a fair few with rebuilt engines. In the main that will be from misuse and not understanding what they need. For example don't use synthetic oils, don't abuse them when cold, redline them when possible, shut them down properly and most importantly don't drove like Miss Daisy.
When properly looked after and driven in a way sympathetic to the engines needs they last very well. Its a part of why rotary engines are popular in aircraft.
As for not wanting to redline on every journey why wouldn't you? Its part of the joy of these engines.

As for your 'mates' with smokey engines thats unlikely to be a rebuild. That sounds more like an issue with the oil injection system.

[TREMAiNE]

stugolf said:

I'm yet to meet anyone who's had one any length of time without a serious wallet munching issues

I had mine for 2 years and for a year of that it was doing weekly track days. Never had a single issue whatsoever and compression was still spot on when I came to sell it.

[Fastdruid]

stugolf said:

I'm yet to meet anyone who's had one any length of time without a serious wallet munching issues

Or is 3 years not enough time.

The only thing that went wrong outside of warranty (we bought it at a year old) was a drop link. Something that can happen to any make.
FWIW the only things to happen in warranty was another drop link and the headlight sensors (for which there was a TSB).

stugolf said:

I never said they wouldnt go past 60k in the same way I'm sure a cambelt will last longer that the manufacturer says but makes for an uncomfortable drive

What?

stugolf said:

I'd also like a car which I could move on my drive without having to get it fully warm incase it floods and have to red line it on every journey just to make sure it'll keep working

1) You've already been told that's not the case.
2) It's not like a wheezy piston engine that feels laboured. Indeed it's all too easy to hit the limiter as there is little (apart from the Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep) that lets you know it's about to happen as the power just builds and builds, it doesn't die off. Besides the whole *point* of the thing is that it revs. Many a time a "being sensible and economical" (as much as you can in an RX-8) drive would end up with a trip to the limiter just because rotary.

Seriously though it's a marmite car. You either love it and get it or you hate it utterly. There doesn't seem to me any middle ground.

[wjb]

Fastdruid said:

Seriously though it's a marmite car. You either love it and get it or you hate it utterly. There doesn't seem to me any middle ground.

I love them, an iconic car for me, been close to buying one on more than a few occasions, I feel like an expert on them without ever driving one

Can't believe I saw a post on here saying they don't look good. Negative comments on engine, speed, reliability etc I expect but looks? Really?

[gamefreaks]

I've had mine for two months now.

To be honest, it's a bit of a disapointment to me.

It's a 192 but the power delivery means it feels like it has less than that. The 5 speed box has too big gap between 2nd and 3rd so you can't keep it in the power band when 'pressing on'. I suspect the 231 is a much better car.

The handling is excellent, but be carefull in the wet. I've had a couple of moments when the back has stepped out on me unexpectedly. It has newish ContiSport5's on it.

Fuel consumption is horrific. 20mpg if your lucky. £500 a year tax on 06 models too!

The rest of the car is pretty average. Interior is ok I suppose.

It's not a bad car but I'm just not really enjoying it much. I can't wait to get my XK8 back on the road.

[stugolf]

stugolf said:

I never said they wouldnt go past 60k in the same way I'm sure a cambelt will last longer that the manufacturer says but makes for an uncomfortable drive

What?

An RX-8 is a ticking time bomb of expense, not so much ticking either with the 18-20mpg and top level tax

stugolf said:

I'd also like a car which I could move on my drive without having to get it fully warm incase it floods and have to red line it on every journey just to make sure it'll keep working

fastdruid said:

1) You've already been told that's not the case.
2) It's not like a wheezy piston engine that feels laboured. Indeed it's all too easy to hit the limiter as there is little (apart from the Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep) that lets you know it's about to happen as the power just builds and builds, it doesn't die off. Besides the whole *point* of the thing is that it revs. Many a time a "being sensible and economical" (as much as you can in an RX-8) drive would end up with a trip to the limiter just because rotary.

Seriously though it's a marmite car. You either love it and get it or you hate it utterly. There doesn't seem to me any middle ground.

1. What? I haven't been "told" anything, you can't just start the thing them switch it off after 30 seconds
2. Wheezy petrol, compared to what? a 231Bhp BMW straight six, or similar Mercedes or something turbo charged? Hardly wheezy and feeling laboured

I also find the performance of the RX-8 quite poor never felt it builds to anything decent unlike a VTEC like an Accord Type R or an Integra but of course there is a good chance every one I have been in or drove isn't running what it should, which is yet another issue

I think your right saying its a marmite car, IMHO I do not see the attraction

[lostkiwi]

stugolf said:

1. What? I haven't been "told" anything, you can't just start the thing them switch it off after 30 seconds
2. Wheezy petrol, compared to what? a 231Bhp BMW straight six, or similar Mercedes or something turbo charged? Hardly wheezy and feeling laboured

I also find the performance of the RX-8 quite poor never felt it builds to anything decent unlike a VTEC like an Accord Type R or an Integra but of course there is a good chance every one I have been in or drove isn't running what it should, which is yet another issue

I think your right saying its a marmite car, IMHO I do not see the attraction

1. Yes you have. The correct shutdown for a short start run (such as moving on the driveway) was mentioned some time ago in the thread. Rev the engine to 4000rpm then turn the key off. Clears the combustion chambers.
2. I'm guessing the reference is to the lack of ability to rev. The rotary will rev and rev and keep revving higher with seemingly no limit. Makes any other engine feel asthmatic and wheezy by comparison. Turbo petrol engines are notorious for their inability to rev (unless they make big sacrifices in low down torque or resort to complicted twin turbo setups.

The performance is 0-60 in 6.5 seconds and standing 1/4 in 14.8. Hardly poor. Its the way the power is delivered that fools an inexperienced driver. Its so linear there is no 'hitting boost', 'getting on cam' or 'hitting the VTEC step' so it feels subjectively slow when its actually anything but.

[Bluehawk]

Oh Dear... After all the reading I have done, I'm more undecided about trying one out than ever before (trying ownership that is)...

I think the only way I'm going to decide if I really like them is to stop sitting behind my keyboard, go out and drive one. THEN decide if I like it enough to "take the risk".

It appears the RX8 is bit of a 50/50 Car when it comes to the opinions out there...

I've found a reasonable 2006 not too far from me, so might see if I can get a test drive tomorrow.