Discussion
What is the actual lowdown on these. Rock bottom price's because they all have issues or people are scared of potential issues? Does an entire engine rebuild solve the problem? As I have had experience with a car that needed a rebuilt engine and friends who have all rebuilt tvr's it kind of becomes just one of those things you have to do.
Granted the value of TVR's etc rising or holding means a rebuild is a smaller percentage of the cars value against a £1500 rx8 that may cost more to put right. However once put right there are no issues but your car is still probably worth £1500. Rebuild cost linked here
http://www.rotaryrevs.com/content/services/engine-...
To me this makes for a perfect track car or long term cheap to buy, fast, great handling, practical daily/track car that's only issue is poor fuel consumption
With so many boring mundane diesels and petrols out there in slightly differing body styles (im talking to you vw) it seems a shame that such a unique combination will never see the light again.
Put it this way. For sale 7-9 year old car.
40-70k miles
190-230bhp
rwd
revs to what 8000?
lightweight
4 seats
unique doors/styling
a usable boot
looks and sounds great
£4000-£6000
A pistonheaders dream.
source of prices http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds?Category=us...
Granted the value of TVR's etc rising or holding means a rebuild is a smaller percentage of the cars value against a £1500 rx8 that may cost more to put right. However once put right there are no issues but your car is still probably worth £1500. Rebuild cost linked here
http://www.rotaryrevs.com/content/services/engine-...
To me this makes for a perfect track car or long term cheap to buy, fast, great handling, practical daily/track car that's only issue is poor fuel consumption
With so many boring mundane diesels and petrols out there in slightly differing body styles (im talking to you vw) it seems a shame that such a unique combination will never see the light again.
Put it this way. For sale 7-9 year old car.
40-70k miles
190-230bhp
rwd
revs to what 8000?
lightweight
4 seats
unique doors/styling
a usable boot
looks and sounds great
£4000-£6000
A pistonheaders dream.
source of prices http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds?Category=us...
I bought one in feb as a track toy
Fast is relative but its not slow, and not as gutlessly lacking torque as many reviews suggest
handles beautifully and its almost a shame not to keep it as a road car
fixes for the engine issues are available
only think it disappointed me on was coming up the hill out of Eau Rouge at Spa which needed more oomph
Fast is relative but its not slow, and not as gutlessly lacking torque as many reviews suggest
handles beautifully and its almost a shame not to keep it as a road car
fixes for the engine issues are available
only think it disappointed me on was coming up the hill out of Eau Rouge at Spa which needed more oomph
I'd love one. I sourced one for a friend who then bought it and it was in great condition.
Interior is fantastic and the drive is really very good.
They do have their issues though.
Hot starting was a bit of a nightmare. The fuel consumption is pretty shocking for normal driving, slightly offset by not being 'that' bad when pressing on.
A lot of people moan about the oil consumption which isn't all that bad but can be offset by not having a cambelt to replace.
If the general fuel consumption was high 20s-low 30s I'd have one in a heartbeat.
Interior is fantastic and the drive is really very good.
They do have their issues though.
Hot starting was a bit of a nightmare. The fuel consumption is pretty shocking for normal driving, slightly offset by not being 'that' bad when pressing on.
A lot of people moan about the oil consumption which isn't all that bad but can be offset by not having a cambelt to replace.
If the general fuel consumption was high 20s-low 30s I'd have one in a heartbeat.
I bought one in March. Paid £3k from a dealer for a 55plate with 60k on it. I love it so far. Absolutely love the handling, feels so precise and light on it's feet. It replaced a Legacy GTB so a very different car, the Legacy was all about straight line speed and torque, but the RX8 is all about the handling and corners. It's not slow by a long shot, but you have to rev it get the best out of it. I bought one that had a compression test, which gave me some reassurance, and I've spent a bit on it since I got it (tyres and ignition parts mostly) but I think it's worth it.
Pros
Proper 4 seater - Can fit the kids in the back
Interesting engine that revs to 9k
Looks good (subjective I know)
Great brakes
Handling
Is different to most other cars - I want something I find interesting.
Cons
Fuel Economy
Risk of engine going bang (though you can get a rebuild for 2k)
Pros
Proper 4 seater - Can fit the kids in the back
Interesting engine that revs to 9k
Looks good (subjective I know)
Great brakes
Handling
Is different to most other cars - I want something I find interesting.
Cons
Fuel Economy
Risk of engine going bang (though you can get a rebuild for 2k)
I think there are some issues with hot-starting (coils?) and there's the usual issue with apex seals, although I think modern materials mean they last longer. The engine is reasonably simple so rebuilds dont have to be as complicated as a usual piston engine.
Use good fuels (they drink a lot), and I think choice of oil is important...i recall reading somewhere that fully synthetic is not nessecarily the best choice, but dont take my word for it, ask the opie oil man
Use good fuels (they drink a lot), and I think choice of oil is important...i recall reading somewhere that fully synthetic is not nessecarily the best choice, but dont take my word for it, ask the opie oil man
couple more points, as it really depends on what you are comparing it with
redline is closer to 9500
mpg at real world use (mostly spent enthusiastically) has proved no worse than my 997 T4S, so its not something I worry about. I can get 250 per tank and they are both 60 litre tanks
911 is faster, fun factor isn't much to choose
mpg isn't as bad as people make out, but the argument becomes more relevant if you consider you would rather have a v8 than a 2.6 rotary
horses for courses
what sold me on it because they are so cheap, is as a track toy if I bin it, I won't be crying
redline is closer to 9500
mpg at real world use (mostly spent enthusiastically) has proved no worse than my 997 T4S, so its not something I worry about. I can get 250 per tank and they are both 60 litre tanks
911 is faster, fun factor isn't much to choose
mpg isn't as bad as people make out, but the argument becomes more relevant if you consider you would rather have a v8 than a 2.6 rotary
horses for courses
what sold me on it because they are so cheap, is as a track toy if I bin it, I won't be crying
Own one.
As people have said, fuel consumption is bad if you drive them properly (around 13 mpg)
And yes the engine will go bang which is why they are cheap, they only last roughly 60k but as you have already said there are loads of companies that can do a full rebuild with a warranty for no more than 2K.
Only thing I can fault is for is lack of power, especially torque.
It's 50/50 weight distribution, LSD as standard and handles beautifully!
Get the 231 version it revs to 9500 RPM
As people have said, fuel consumption is bad if you drive them properly (around 13 mpg)
And yes the engine will go bang which is why they are cheap, they only last roughly 60k but as you have already said there are loads of companies that can do a full rebuild with a warranty for no more than 2K.
Only thing I can fault is for is lack of power, especially torque.
It's 50/50 weight distribution, LSD as standard and handles beautifully!
Get the 231 version it revs to 9500 RPM
silent k said:
I bought one in March. Paid £3k from a dealer for a 55plate with 60k on it. I love it so far. Absolutely love the handling, feels so precise and light on it's feet. It replaced a Legacy GTB so a very different car, the Legacy was all about straight line speed and torque, but the RX8 is all about the handling and corners. It's not slow by a long shot, but you have to rev it get the best out of it. I bought one that had a compression test, which gave me some reassurance, and I've spent a bit on it since I got it (tyres and ignition parts mostly) but I think it's worth it.
Pros
Proper 4 seater - Can fit the kids in the back
Interesting engine that revs to 9k
Looks good (subjective I know)
Great brakes
Handling
Is different to most other cars - I want something I find interesting.
Cons
Fuel Economy
Risk of engine going bang (though you can get a rebuild for 2k)
thanks for that just what i was looking for. There are too many appearing on this site imo that look for mpg FIRST as a criteria. Usually a what car thread goes like this Pros
Proper 4 seater - Can fit the kids in the back
Interesting engine that revs to 9k
Looks good (subjective I know)
Great brakes
Handling
Is different to most other cars - I want something I find interesting.
Cons
Fuel Economy
Risk of engine going bang (though you can get a rebuild for 2k)
"looking for a car that is reliable costs little to run does 40mpg is practical for the wife kids cheap to service and then fun to drive.
Yet if you took mpg out of the equation and considered using the extra funds you saved buying a cheaper r8x the mpg of 20-30 wouldn't matter. It seems that psycological hit at the pumps hurts more than a one off upfront extra cost.
For all of the reasons above, but especially because of it being different I bought the PZ version from new on a late 56 plate.
Despite all the bashing I've read on here, mine is now on 150k and still feeling fresh and strong. I've been sure to undertake some preventative maintenance along the way with regular new coil packs, hotter plugs and new leads but apart from that very little has gone wrong.
Yes, its quirks do mean you need to lift the bonnet to check and top the oil up more regularly than most, but you get a feel for this and it's not such a hassle and certainly not as high a usage as some might lead you to believe.
It's great fun to drive and use you will find yourself using ALL the rev range to make progress before it 'beeps' at you at around 9k to encourage you to change up (you can also turn this 'beep' off should you wish)
When freshly washed and polished I still find myself looking out the window to admire it, even after all these years...
I believe it's a lot of car for the money and when the time comes for something else I know I'll be desperately trying to convince myself to hang on to it as a plaything as the driving experience is so much fun.
Overall, I've loved the ownership and long may it continue...
Despite all the bashing I've read on here, mine is now on 150k and still feeling fresh and strong. I've been sure to undertake some preventative maintenance along the way with regular new coil packs, hotter plugs and new leads but apart from that very little has gone wrong.
Yes, its quirks do mean you need to lift the bonnet to check and top the oil up more regularly than most, but you get a feel for this and it's not such a hassle and certainly not as high a usage as some might lead you to believe.
It's great fun to drive and use you will find yourself using ALL the rev range to make progress before it 'beeps' at you at around 9k to encourage you to change up (you can also turn this 'beep' off should you wish)
When freshly washed and polished I still find myself looking out the window to admire it, even after all these years...
I believe it's a lot of car for the money and when the time comes for something else I know I'll be desperately trying to convince myself to hang on to it as a plaything as the driving experience is so much fun.
Overall, I've loved the ownership and long may it continue...
Indeed it is although there are cars that do a job as well as the Rx8 for less money with less drawbacks.
I opted for an E36 328i Sport instead of an Rx8.
It does much of the same.
They are both rwd, LSD, 200ish Bhp.
The RX8 probably handles slightly better, the engine revs higher, has a nicer interior and is newer.
The BMW is far more reliable (mine is coming up to 160k miles), far more fuel efficient, arguably faster and was cheaper.
Fuel consumption isn't the whole picture but for chilling on the motorway I prefer getting 36-42MPG compared to 25 like for like doing the same speed.
When hammering the BMW through 3000 miles in Europe and 2000 miles around Scotland it averaged 29mpg.
The RX8 would have struggled to hit 20mpg keeping up at the same speed. That's nearly £500 difference in fuel in the space of a 3 week road trip at current prices.
I opted for an E36 328i Sport instead of an Rx8.
It does much of the same.
They are both rwd, LSD, 200ish Bhp.
The RX8 probably handles slightly better, the engine revs higher, has a nicer interior and is newer.
The BMW is far more reliable (mine is coming up to 160k miles), far more fuel efficient, arguably faster and was cheaper.
Fuel consumption isn't the whole picture but for chilling on the motorway I prefer getting 36-42MPG compared to 25 like for like doing the same speed.
When hammering the BMW through 3000 miles in Europe and 2000 miles around Scotland it averaged 29mpg.
The RX8 would have struggled to hit 20mpg keeping up at the same speed. That's nearly £500 difference in fuel in the space of a 3 week road trip at current prices.
I picked up a rare Lightning Yellow 2004 (only made for one year) RX-8 back in November last year for a little over £1,500 with an engine that was probably still good enough for another 10k-15k miles if I had not rebuilt it. However, my intention when buying the RX-8 all along was to purchase one in good condition for cheap money and rebuild it the way I wanted it. So, 2 weeks after buying the car I took it to Hayward Rotary in Newbury, another reputable rotary outfit like Rotary Revs, and had the car rebuilt with a bridge port and simultaneously had a new clutch and lightened flywheel installed, a full header back exhaust system, new slotted brake rotors with EBC YellowStuff pads, and new Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres put on the car. Hayward Rotary provides a 2.5 year or 30k miles warranty (whichever comes first) that covers normal driving, track days, drag racing, autocross, etc. so long as you follow his servicing instructions, which means doing oil changes with 10W-40 mineral or semi-synthetic every 6k miles, spark plug changes every 12k miles, replace ignition coils every 20k-30k miles, and using only Shell V-Power Nitro+.
To be honest, the car is much better than I thought it would be. The engine is fantastically smooth, makes good power to it's 9,500 RPM redline (yes, another 50 bhp would be nice but it's still pretty quick), has more torque than people give it credit for (hint, in normal driving you should shift between 4k-6k RPMs, so it's not like your typical petrol or diesel!), and I manage about 23 mpg with mixed city and highway driving (100% City = 17-18 mpg, 100% highway = 25-28 mpg). The steering is direct, the driving position is good with nice pedal placement, the gearbox shifts are quick and precise, the suspension is very well damped for UK roads, the car holds like glue and allows me to take turns at speeds that I'm not really comfortable with outside of a track environment, and the DSC is totally non-intrusive and lets you be a little tail happy before saving you. In addition to the driving characteristics, the interior is very nice for a 10 year old car (although the plastics are a bit on the hard side like most Japanese cars of its time), can actually fit people in the back (albeit snugly), it's quiet, the BOSE audio system is really good, and the boot is actually useful for nearly all types of luggage (who would have thought!).
For me, the RX-8 has turned out to be a hell of a bargain for the amount of smiles it gives me from driving it. Because I have a pre-March 2006 model the tax is only £285 and insurance on these things is miles lower than a comparable car like an S2000 or even a slower MX-5. I also have no worries about any engine problems and taking care of the car does not require any extra special maintenance. In addition to following the service schedule that I have outlined above, make sure the car warms up fully before you shut it off again (i.e. don't just move the car 20 feet from your driveway to the street and turn the car off, it will flood) and check the oil level every other time you fill up with petrol because it is designed to consume some (mine consumes about 400ml every 1,000 miles).
If you take your time to find one that has been looked after and spend the £2,500 required for a warranted rebuild, you can have a hell of a car for as little as £4,000. I think that is very good value for money and because these cars have already depreciated to their maximum level, you won't be losing thousands in depreciation when you sell it down the line.
To be honest, the car is much better than I thought it would be. The engine is fantastically smooth, makes good power to it's 9,500 RPM redline (yes, another 50 bhp would be nice but it's still pretty quick), has more torque than people give it credit for (hint, in normal driving you should shift between 4k-6k RPMs, so it's not like your typical petrol or diesel!), and I manage about 23 mpg with mixed city and highway driving (100% City = 17-18 mpg, 100% highway = 25-28 mpg). The steering is direct, the driving position is good with nice pedal placement, the gearbox shifts are quick and precise, the suspension is very well damped for UK roads, the car holds like glue and allows me to take turns at speeds that I'm not really comfortable with outside of a track environment, and the DSC is totally non-intrusive and lets you be a little tail happy before saving you. In addition to the driving characteristics, the interior is very nice for a 10 year old car (although the plastics are a bit on the hard side like most Japanese cars of its time), can actually fit people in the back (albeit snugly), it's quiet, the BOSE audio system is really good, and the boot is actually useful for nearly all types of luggage (who would have thought!).
For me, the RX-8 has turned out to be a hell of a bargain for the amount of smiles it gives me from driving it. Because I have a pre-March 2006 model the tax is only £285 and insurance on these things is miles lower than a comparable car like an S2000 or even a slower MX-5. I also have no worries about any engine problems and taking care of the car does not require any extra special maintenance. In addition to following the service schedule that I have outlined above, make sure the car warms up fully before you shut it off again (i.e. don't just move the car 20 feet from your driveway to the street and turn the car off, it will flood) and check the oil level every other time you fill up with petrol because it is designed to consume some (mine consumes about 400ml every 1,000 miles).
If you take your time to find one that has been looked after and spend the £2,500 required for a warranted rebuild, you can have a hell of a car for as little as £4,000. I think that is very good value for money and because these cars have already depreciated to their maximum level, you won't be losing thousands in depreciation when you sell it down the line.
adie b said:
For all of the reasons above, but especially because of it being different I bought the PZ version from new on a late 56 plate.
Despite all the bashing I've read on here, mine is now on 150k and still feeling fresh and strong. I've been sure to undertake some preventative maintenance along the way with regular new coil packs, hotter plugs and new leads but apart from that very little has gone wrong.
Yes, its quirks do mean you need to lift the bonnet to check and top the oil up more regularly than most, but you get a feel for this and it's not such a hassle and certainly not as high a usage as some might lead you to believe.
It's great fun to drive and use you will find yourself using ALL the rev range to make progress before it 'beeps' at you at around 9k to encourage you to change up (you can also turn this 'beep' off should you wish)
When freshly washed and polished I still find myself looking out the window to admire it, even after all these years...
I believe it's a lot of car for the money and when the time comes for something else I know I'll be desperately trying to convince myself to hang on to it as a plaything as the driving experience is so much fun.
Overall, I've loved the ownership and long may it continue...
150k is pretty good going! Can't be many RX8s with a higher mileage. Is that without a rebuild?Despite all the bashing I've read on here, mine is now on 150k and still feeling fresh and strong. I've been sure to undertake some preventative maintenance along the way with regular new coil packs, hotter plugs and new leads but apart from that very little has gone wrong.
Yes, its quirks do mean you need to lift the bonnet to check and top the oil up more regularly than most, but you get a feel for this and it's not such a hassle and certainly not as high a usage as some might lead you to believe.
It's great fun to drive and use you will find yourself using ALL the rev range to make progress before it 'beeps' at you at around 9k to encourage you to change up (you can also turn this 'beep' off should you wish)
When freshly washed and polished I still find myself looking out the window to admire it, even after all these years...
I believe it's a lot of car for the money and when the time comes for something else I know I'll be desperately trying to convince myself to hang on to it as a plaything as the driving experience is so much fun.
Overall, I've loved the ownership and long may it continue...
Yes, 150k trouble free miles without any engine work what so ever. I'm always careful with the oil levels and as mentioned regularly changed the coils, plugs etc.
I'm tempted to take it to somewhere like Haywards for a check-up just for an opinion. Anyone else contemplated or done this, just for piece of mind and curiosity.
Most of my miles done through a 100+mile daily commute as a mixture of quiet, fun b-roads and dull M-way. Always got about 300 miles per 50 litre fill.
Just one other thing to look out for, check for the lower oil cooler hoses connectors corroding, they're rather exposed and prone to corrosion especially if used in all uk type weathers over time. I've had mine replaced without too much hassle but the parts were expensive. Whilst I believe it wasn't a recall they were an item to be checked and possibly replaced under warranty (if still relevant)during a service.
I'm tempted to take it to somewhere like Haywards for a check-up just for an opinion. Anyone else contemplated or done this, just for piece of mind and curiosity.
Most of my miles done through a 100+mile daily commute as a mixture of quiet, fun b-roads and dull M-way. Always got about 300 miles per 50 litre fill.
Just one other thing to look out for, check for the lower oil cooler hoses connectors corroding, they're rather exposed and prone to corrosion especially if used in all uk type weathers over time. I've had mine replaced without too much hassle but the parts were expensive. Whilst I believe it wasn't a recall they were an item to be checked and possibly replaced under warranty (if still relevant)during a service.
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