Wayne
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Registered: 19th May 04
Location: Haslingden, Lancashire
User status: Offline
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I'll write a short review on the car, i've had mine for a few month now and i'll tell you my thoughts...
I have the rx8 2004 231 model,
Like any car do your research before you buy one or go to look for one, join the mazda rx8 forum there's loads of info on there and has some very usefull information.
Make sure it has been serviced, coil paks and plugs have been changed ( these need to be changed every 30k)
Always keep oil topped up, ive topped mine once since owning it and i've done abit of thrashing around (this car loves high revs) again all this info is on the rx8 forum
Fuel is shit i won't lie, depending how your going to use it i just do town driving, to work and back (5min drive) get away with £25 a week on fuel, thats not using it much at weekend.
Parts are expensive and not cheap.
Drive quality is very nice and smooth, not to harsh and not to spongy, back end is very twitchy in wet weather but like most rear wheel drive cars are. In the dry they handle very very good.
Interior, personally i love but everyone is different, nice comfy seats, heated as well. Electric on the drives side. Enough room in the back for 2 people not like other sports coupes. Bose sound system is ok to.
Like fad said if you get a 2006 onwards the tax is in the top bracket £400 odd pound for 12months.
Here's abit of info from the rx8 forum ive copied as well.
This is a guide for the potential RX-8 buyer which will highlight some of the points that should be of concern when viewing a likely specimen of the marque which is based on my own experience in addition to information that has been collected from the Owners Club since the inception of the RX-8 in the UK in late 2003.
Firstly it cannot be over emphasised that the RX-8 needs to be maintained correctly with particular attention paid to the oil level - this is the heart blood of the engine and if the supply is not correctly monitored and replenished then longevity of the engine may be suspect with the inevitable cost that will occur, a 12 monthly interval of Mazda service history is no guarantee that oil levels have been correctly maintained by the present/previous owner and as the RX-8 is designed to use oil in comparison to a piston engine which is designed not to use oil then you see the need to be vigilant in establishing that the correct levels have been maintained throughout previous ownership before you part with your cash. See Reliability
When viewing a vehicle which is the subject of a Private Sale then a Car Data check should be considered as your first move to establish the identity and past history of the car, it is quite a cheap and easy exercise to carry out, take a note of the VIN (Vehicle Identity Number) which should be visible through the RH corner of the windscreen confirm that this tallies with the V5 registration document and then check for the cars details with your chosen data check company, prices start at a reasonable £3.95 this check is not strictly necessary if buying from a dealer as they should have made the checks that all is in order before offering the car for sale.
Check the cars Insurance record Insurance check - this is handy to know when viewing the car if it is actually insured to be on the road. (NB. the disclaimer)
Check the cars service record, the service interval is 12,500 miles or every 12 months from the date of registration use the record to establish if the car has been serviced by a Mazda (preferred) or independent dealer. (A Mazda dealer service history may be looked at more sympathetically if any future problems arise)
In addition the bodywork inspection should have been carried out and book stamped accordingly, some dealers do this FOC in with the service, some only do it if requested and then make a charge for it.
NB. RX-8`s registered before 1st July 2006 should have the usual service book complete with stamps for each service, after 1st July 2006 Digital Service Records were introduced the service book was dispensed with and service information was retained by Mazda UK but for each service a DSR printout should be given to the owner on completion of a service.
Questions to ask the seller:
1. The Oil type that has been used which should be a 5W-30 and not a full synthetic. (Be aware that the Rotary engine is designed to use oil and Mazda claim a consumption of 0.25 litre per 1000 mile but consumption will vary according to driving style)
2. Has the starter motor been replaced, a modified motor was fitted on early cars which by increasing the engine spin speed improved starting but only if the owner made a complaint if the engine seems to be sluggish when turned over then the battery may also be suspect.
3. Has all recall work been completed which can depending on model year consisting of:
Concern : POSSIBLE CRACKING OF DYNAMIC DAMPER HEAT INSULATOR
Description : The dynamic damper heat insulator, which is installed on the manual transmission, may crack, causing abnormal noise. In the worst case, the insulator may become detached.
Remedial Action : Recall the affected vehicles and replace the insulator with a modified one.
Vehicle Id : JMZSE170000100090 to JMZSE170000101030
Concern : LOSS OF STEERING MAY OCCUR
Description : It is possible that cracks may occur in the ball joint socket of the lower suspension arm. Which under certain severe driving conditions, may cause the ball to separate from the ball joint socket, and a loss of steering may occur.
Remedial Action : Recalled vehicles will be inspected to ascertain if the lower suspension arm fitted is of the affected type. If this is shown to be the case, the part will be changed for a quality assured item.
Vehicle Id : JMZSE17**00100090 to JMZSE17**00113819JMZSE17**40100089 to JMZSE17**40113821
3. The following item is not subject to a recall but may be an issue:
Rust spots can appear on one or both sills in the area where the back door meets the front door at the closure point, the problem was due to the design of the back door seal which was modified in 2006, Mazda would deal with the problem by removing the rust and repainting the area and fitting a protective film – but only if the owner had raised a complaint about the problem.
4. Special Service Campaign.
This was not a recall as such but Mazda endeavoured to contact owners with a view to replacing badly corroded pipes as fitted to the engine oil coolers which are situated in the LH/RH front bumper openings, if sufficiently corroded the pipes could fracture and spill the contents of the engine oil supply.
At the same time modified front plastic wheel arch liners were fitted to counteract the possibility of salty water spraying on to the oil cooler pipes, in addition rear wheel arches were inspected for the presence of any corrosion and dealt with accordingly the rear arches should have sealer applied to further protect the area.
Vehicle inspection:
From cold the engine should readily fire up without struggling the battery may be suspect if not, at idle the engine tends to be a bit lumpy but should be super smooth and free revving at higher throttle openings with no rattles, any sign of a rattle from the exhaust may indicate a failed catalytic converter element. (aftermarket cat` circa £300) a slight backfiring or popping noise from the exhaust is usual and perfectly normal, it should be noted that it is important that the RX-8 engine should be checked for easy starting when the engine is @ normal temperature as an engine that struggles to start once warm may be a sign that there is a major problem so further investigation may be necessary to ensure that the engine is fault free this usually entails a compression check by a Mazda dealer.
Over time it has become evident that failure of the coil packs although not immediately noticeable by loss of engine performance this failure can result in damage to the Rotary oil seals hence a loss of compression which in turn causes hot starting problems so on vehicles with a mileage in excess of 30K miles it may be prudent to enquire with the seller if the coil packs have been changed if not consider replacing them as a precautionary measure.
The gearbox at idle can sound slightly noisy but should quieten down when the clutch pedal is depressed if noise increases this may be a sign that the clutch thrust bearing needs replacing.
A test drive should be smooth and fairly quiet on a stock exhaust with the engine pulling cleanly to maximum revs, a rev limit warning indicator in the form of a BEEP! will sound to let you know the engine is reaching that point, the brakes should be progressive and powerful with no sign of judder under braking, the RX-8 is not commonly known for rattles but the odd car may have a few with the steering wheel and vacant passenger seat being known causes - the drivers seat can develop a creak but all of these are easily dealt with.
Check the oil level – in low temperatures the dip stick may be covered with a gooey mayonnaise type substance this is perfectly normal (it is basically emulsified oil) but it may take a couple of goes to get a true reading - get in the habit of checking the oil level when the engine is nice and hot as the build up of mayo` will be less.
Check the sump for corrosion as it is known weak point.
Check headlight levelling sensors are functioning correctly on the 230 BHP model as these are expensive to replace, the 190 BHP car has a manually adjusted system.
Check brake discs for corrosion a more caring owner will have painted them.
Check the alloy wheels around the hub centre bore for corrosion the wheels should be replaced if the car is under warranty.
Check tyres for wear and ideally they should be the same brand on all wheels the standard fitment on early cars is 225/45R18 Bridgestone REO40 and with the introduction of the RX-8 R3 225/40R19 Bridgestone REO50 were fitted - having odd tyres front to back (definitely not on the same axle) does not suit the excellent road handling that the RX-8 displays especially if some of the cheap tyres available have been fitted, tyres vary in price from £50 - £200 available in 3 categories: 1. Cheap and nasty (Generally known as Ditchfinders) 2. Budget 3. Premium - the RX-8 is a finely balanced sports coupe remember that when considering tyres.
Check for possible rust (not very common) in the area of the boot lid brake light aperture.
Check the rear lights for internal misting of the lenses again this should be dealt with by the warranty but new seals will be needed if not.
Check if fitted the optional Mazda Strakes (on front wheel arch grills) and front crest (V on front bumper) for corrosion these items were plated Aluminium and as such were susceptible to corrosion, replacement polished stainless steel items are now available.
Check the condition of the oil cooler heat exchangers (radiators) and Air Condition heat exchanger in the front bumper for damage as they can get well bashed by road debris, if protective grills have been fitted by a caring owner more the better.
Check the front suspension anti roll bar drop links as they may be broken it will not be immediately noticeable on a test drive so check – it is not dangerous and they are not expensive to replace but be aware they can break, with the engine running the electric power steering should be light to turn from lock to lock with no hard to turn points.
Check the handbrake rubber gaitor as a section of the moulded gaitor that fills the handbrake aperture when the handbrake is in the on position can break off and leave a hole under the handbrake, a new modified handbrake should have been fitted under warranty but only if the owner at the time raised a complaint.
Check for wear on the drivers leather seat side bolster stitched seam and the plastic front seat backs as they can be damaged by the seat belts.
Check for full function of the excellent BOSE Radio/CD player as it forms an integral part of the fascia and as such is expensive to replace although an aftermarket kit is now available to enable the fitment of a standard DIN radio/CD player as a cheaper or preferred option.
Hope this info is usefull.
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Fad
Member
Registered: 1st Feb 01
Location: Dartford Kent Drives: 330cd
User status: Offline
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Excellent info these are real performance bargains IMO
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CORSA NUT
Member
Registered: 3rd Aug 01
Location: Wirral
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FFS Wayne 
All you've proved there is that there shit 
Okay they handle okay and have a nice interior but so have lots and lots of other cars.
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Pop
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Registered: 8th May 03
Location: Reading
User status: Offline
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I preferred the 5 speed box in the 198 over the 231. The 231 is better though with xenons as standard and it revs higher.
If anyone goes for one I'd recommend getting the leather.
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Wayne
Member
Registered: 19th May 04
Location: Haslingden, Lancashire
User status: Offline
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Lol corsa nut! There just things to look out for! It's pot luck if you get a good one or not! Hopefully i've been lucky.
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CORSA NUT
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Registered: 3rd Aug 01
Location: Wirral
User status: Offline
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I glad you seen the funny side of that Wayne as it was a but of a joke mate.
I'm just around them in work so I know just how bad they can be.Also the oil pipe recall is a huge problem.
I suppose IF you get one that's been looked after and you don't mind the maintenance and you don't mind the shit MPG or the excessive oil consumption or the bad depreciation or the high tax then the inevitable rebuild then there okay cars
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corsa120
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Registered: 4th May 02
Location: Northamptonshire
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how has it proved there shit?????? if u took adivice about a astra gsi you would never buy one as people claim turbo's blow like there going out of fashion and im on the standard at nearly 70k so........................................................................ and still going strong.............. its the same with every car people only talk about their faults not the good pints.
whats the problem with them using oil, its not like it has a oil leak it needs this to lubricate the engine in the same way a moped uses 2 stroke oil to lubricate the engine...... personally i dont see the problem
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Rob B
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Registered: 8th Jan 04
Location: Area Motorsport Drives: Race EP3
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I havent read any posts, but my mate had a CTR, went and got a 05 plate with 23k, stalled at some lights wouldnt start, when it did theEML light was on and it sounded really rough. cost the garage nearly 1.8k to fix.
Theres a reason you can buy an RX8 for 4-5k on a 05 plate and a 05 S2k for 10k, most similar car to it.
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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Fair point Rob, but S2000s also started off more expensive, and weren't offered with interest free finance either which hasn't helped the resale value of the RX8s.
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Nismo
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Registered: 12th Sep 02
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If i could afford the running costs again id chop my S2 back in for my RX7 without a doubt! 
but i know where not talking about 7's here
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CORSA NUT
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Registered: 3rd Aug 01
Location: Wirral
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by corsa120
how has it proved there shit?????? if u took adivice about a astra gsi you would never buy one as people claim turbo's blow like there going out of fashion and im on the standard at nearly 70k so........................................................................ and still going strong.............. its the same with every car people only talk about their faults not the good pints.
whats the problem with them using oil, its not like it has a oil leak it needs this to lubricate the engine in the same way a moped uses 2 stroke oil to lubricate the engine...... personally i dont see the problem
There just shit okay...end of
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alan-g-w
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Registered: 9th Nov 07
Location: Glasgow
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Imprezas are shit
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CORSA NUT
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Registered: 3rd Aug 01
Location: Wirral
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Don't be silly Alan....if it wasn't for dickheads tuning them wrong and not looking after them they wouldn't have hardly any bad problems!
Plus for £1500 I can buy one right now that would tear an RX8 to shreds...and not use shit loads of oil 
I'm also guessing most people haven't driven/owned either very much...in fact most people on here seem to have opinions based on fuck all other than Internet heresy.Pissing me off now TBH
[Edited on 22-12-2010 by CORSA NUT]
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BarnshaW
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Registered: 25th Oct 06
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how have subarus even been brought into this, they are in a different league to an RX8
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CORSA NUT
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Registered: 3rd Aug 01
Location: Wirral
User status: Offline
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I think Alan's just yankin my crank
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corsa120
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Registered: 4th May 02
Location: Northamptonshire
User status: Offline
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but i work with a guy who owns one that works 6 feet from me everyday and i would no what he thinks for real when people work in that close proximaty who are both well into their cars lol so its not just internet heresay is it...
when i drove a impreza for the first time i wondered what all the fuss was about, never impressed me at all not saying it was rubbish i have been a life long fan of impreza's but still never lived upto what i expected, model i drove was sti 270bhp version, rx8 ive driven which is my mates is 55 plate 231bhp model so i do know and have driven both although not owned 
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