Discussion
I am under orders to sell my Alfa Romeo Spider and get a sensible four or five door car. 
So naturally I've been looking at Mazda RX8's.
I have owned two 12A RX7's, two N/A 13B RX7's and a 13B RX7 turbo convertible as well as a 13B powered Se7en replica so I know a few tricks and well aware of the foibles.
I tested a few RX8's when they were new and have liked them but never had an excuse or the budget to get one.
Now I have an excuse, but a limited budget.
I have ruled out 231's because for my budget they are either thrashed, crashed or sat in a back yard with rusty brakes (and heck knows what else).
192's tend to be better looked after and I have found a nice blue, completely original, few owner, full service history, 80,000 mile example; reasonably local to me. I'll be off to have a look Thursday.
Any ideas what else to look for and other critique and input welcome.
So naturally I've been looking at Mazda RX8's.
I have owned two 12A RX7's, two N/A 13B RX7's and a 13B RX7 turbo convertible as well as a 13B powered Se7en replica so I know a few tricks and well aware of the foibles.
I tested a few RX8's when they were new and have liked them but never had an excuse or the budget to get one.
Now I have an excuse, but a limited budget.
I have ruled out 231's because for my budget they are either thrashed, crashed or sat in a back yard with rusty brakes (and heck knows what else).
192's tend to be better looked after and I have found a nice blue, completely original, few owner, full service history, 80,000 mile example; reasonably local to me. I'll be off to have a look Thursday.
Any ideas what else to look for and other critique and input welcome.
Edited by Liquid Knight on Wednesday 25th January 16:39
I have my Fiat Bravo for daily duties.
The HLX instead of the HGT. As I prefer cloth seats that your bum doesn't slide across when you take a meaningful corner or two.
That's another reason I was looking for 192 (can't change the title? I was probably thinking of my old Merc' at the time. Meh) the 231 does have a few upgrades that I liked but also a few I'm not so keen on. On paper the 231 is marginally quicker but in the real world of potholes and traffic jams I prefer the lazier five speed box as the ratios are more "mechanically sympathetic" and the 192 had softer suspension if I recall; another real world advantage. I did like the 231 headlights but that's a breakers yard upgrade and there are plenty to choose from.
The tyre pressures were all over the place and I got home on ten liters of petrol Saturday night.
Today I finally got to go over the old girl with a wet sponge.
At the risk of sounding like an old fart I remember when eighteen inch wheels were magazine cover fodder and tyres were silly money. Now they're the norm and I can get a spare set of wheels with tyres for the price of one of the fifteen inch tyres on my Bravo.
Progress eh?
Today I finally got to go over the old girl with a wet sponge.
At the risk of sounding like an old fart I remember when eighteen inch wheels were magazine cover fodder and tyres were silly money. Now they're the norm and I can get a spare set of wheels with tyres for the price of one of the fifteen inch tyres on my Bravo.
Progress eh?
Had a poorly informed conversation about my RX8 last night with a GTR fanboy and it reminded me of this...
...and Mark Twain...
"Never argue with a idiot they will drag you down to their level and win by default".
...I had to ask.
"Do you own or have you ever driven a Nissan GTR?"
"No, but..."
"My I have driven the original when it first came out and both track pack versions as well as several R34, R33 and R32 Skylines. My RX8 is parked outside; where's your GTR?"
"Well I haven't got one".
"Come back and try to win this argument when you do".
twunt!
...and Mark Twain...
"Never argue with a idiot they will drag you down to their level and win by default".
...I had to ask.
"Do you own or have you ever driven a Nissan GTR?"
"No, but..."
"My I have driven the original when it first came out and both track pack versions as well as several R34, R33 and R32 Skylines. My RX8 is parked outside; where's your GTR?"
"Well I haven't got one".
"Come back and try to win this argument when you do".
twunt! MOT prep' the RX8 involved washing the car and polishing the headlights.
Most of the time I was sat in the car thinking this is the wrong tool for the job, sat in traffic, swerving to avoid pot holes o stuck behind a lower speed limited truck/tractor/bus/etc but for those moments I could let loose and give the car a half a dozen thousand rpm it came alive.
Had "fun" with a Mustang GT on the A605
I guess the RX8 is like a cat. Most of the time you wonder what's the point but then it starts chasing a laser pen and it all makes sense.
The MOT didn't happen because the tester's wife is unwell and they forgot to cancel. So I had just as much fun driving home.
Most of the time I was sat in the car thinking this is the wrong tool for the job, sat in traffic, swerving to avoid pot holes o stuck behind a lower speed limited truck/tractor/bus/etc but for those moments I could let loose and give the car a half a dozen thousand rpm it came alive.
Had "fun" with a Mustang GT on the A605
I guess the RX8 is like a cat. Most of the time you wonder what's the point but then it starts chasing a laser pen and it all makes sense.
The MOT didn't happen because the tester's wife is unwell and they forgot to cancel. So I had just as much fun driving home.
I thought I would have a go at giving up swearing for Lent.
Then I went to a Mazda dealership for a quote to get a spare key made.
£222.18 +VAT for the key and £85 to have it coded to the immobiliser.
Hmmmmm... I think I'll get one for a tenner next time I go past the cobblers and spend £30 on an after market alarm.
Then I went to a Mazda dealership for a quote to get a spare key made.
£222.18 +VAT for the key and £85 to have it coded to the immobiliser.
Hmmmmm... I think I'll get one for a tenner next time I go past the cobblers and spend £30 on an after market alarm.
Four hundred miles in the LS400 today half as a passenger towing my Punto on a trailer and the other half driving home solo.
The exhaust has a leak near the passenger side flexipipe and it has the worst sounding windscreen wipers in the Universe! Seriously it's worse than a primary school string quartet. Imagine five people dragging nails across a chalkboard.
Anyway I was at a set of traffic lights in Grantham and a line of people were waiting to cross. The wipers wiped, they all cringed in unison, one pointed and started to laugh so I tapped the throttle. Got double thumbs up from three of them.
Can't wait to make a proper exhaust for it. Wooooo-ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!
Okay it took a while for me to "let go" but after a few very comfortable motorway miles with the cruise control set at the speed limit. All I had to was turn the wheel a bit and indicate as I overtook slower traffic. The first hundred miles or so flew by. Once I was off the motorway and on the A roads the car was rubbish again until I found it's groove. Drive it like an 80's Range Rover and you're pretty much there.
I think I'll make a few "enhancements" to the car. Try to find some way of reducing the body roll and make it sound more like a V8 should on purpose.
With the blown exhaust it sounds a little like a Northstar.
The exhaust has a leak near the passenger side flexipipe and it has the worst sounding windscreen wipers in the Universe! Seriously it's worse than a primary school string quartet. Imagine five people dragging nails across a chalkboard.
Anyway I was at a set of traffic lights in Grantham and a line of people were waiting to cross. The wipers wiped, they all cringed in unison, one pointed and started to laugh so I tapped the throttle. Got double thumbs up from three of them.
Can't wait to make a proper exhaust for it. Wooooo-ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!
Okay it took a while for me to "let go" but after a few very comfortable motorway miles with the cruise control set at the speed limit. All I had to was turn the wheel a bit and indicate as I overtook slower traffic. The first hundred miles or so flew by. Once I was off the motorway and on the A roads the car was rubbish again until I found it's groove. Drive it like an 80's Range Rover and you're pretty much there.
I think I'll make a few "enhancements" to the car. Try to find some way of reducing the body roll and make it sound more like a V8 should on purpose.
With the blown exhaust it sounds a little like a Northstar.
I had to take the locking wheel nuts off by force as the key was broken by whoever fitted the tyres.
Simple enough task when you know how.
Ready for Judgement Day...
Pass.
I thought I would do a spot of photoshopping and like the look of this House of Kolor-esque violet.
I have a few upgrades in mind before I think about getting my spray guns out of retirement.
Also after a Renesis six pot engine to perform exploratory surgery on so I can see how much I can open the ports and polish the chambers.
Simple enough task when you know how.
Ready for Judgement Day...
Pass.
I thought I would do a spot of photoshopping and like the look of this House of Kolor-esque violet.
I have a few upgrades in mind before I think about getting my spray guns out of retirement.
Also after a Renesis six pot engine to perform exploratory surgery on so I can see how much I can open the ports and polish the chambers.
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