Can RX8s get any cheaper?
Nickp - 12/11/16 at 08:27 AM
Off to pick this up today as a temporary fun / track car (Blyton next Friday 
)
This is the 231bhp 6spd '04 model (cheaper tax, 'only' £650!!). 70k miles with full Mazda service history (11 stamps in book) and
apparently starts cold and hot first time every time, so engine seems good.
I just fail to see how decent ones can get any cheaper as this one's sub £1k. Similar performance wise to the Z4 I recently sold but for a
fraction of the cost. I suppose if it were to get damaged it'd make a good donor too 
I've a bit of history with the rotary engine as I competed under the title of 'Team Total Wankel' in the PPC £999 challenge nearly
10yrs ago in a RX7 TurboII. Great car (14.0 1/4 mile @105mph) but rotten as a pear!! 
Slimy38 - 12/11/16 at 09:12 AM
You'll be glad to know it's not £650 tax, it's only £295! I think you looked at the first year tax rate. Then the 06 onwards cars are
£515.
Lovely car though, I would be tempted but I could never afford the fuel bill for the miles I do. And fuel economy isn't normally a buying
criteria for me!
Nickp - 12/11/16 at 09:28 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
You'll be glad to know it's not £650 tax, it's only £295! I think you looked at the first year tax rate. Then the 06 onwards cars are
£515.
Ah cool, just knew the change over was March '06 
It won't be doing many miles but imagine it'll be thirsty on track!! Bought some top quality synthetic 2 stroke to pre mix with the fuel for
on track.
[Edited on 12/11/16 by Nickp]
CosKev3 - 12/11/16 at 10:41 AM
Will prob use as much oil as petrol on track!
Nickp - 12/11/16 at 11:07 AM
quote:
Originally posted by CosKev3
Will prob use as much oil as petrol on track!
Got that covered, bought 20litres from Euro Car Parts
sdh2903 - 12/11/16 at 11:50 AM
Must be fairly unique in the car world in that they are used as a donor for the body rather than running gear!
Was at an auction a while ago and 3 went through. Not one made it above 500 quid.
CosKev3 - 12/11/16 at 01:46 PM
Gearboxes out of them are meant to be a good future investment 
Nickp - 12/11/16 at 02:36 PM
quote:
Originally posted by CosKev3
Gearboxes out of them are meant to be a good future investment
And this one's got £300 worth of short shift kit on it
Nickp - 12/11/16 at 02:39 PM
quote:
Originally posted by sdh2903
Must be fairly unique in the car world in that they are used as a donor for the body rather than running gear!
Was at an auction a while ago and 3 went through. Not one made it above 500 quid.
Definitely not a car to buy at auction, unless you just want a body donor of course
Quite fancy a 1UZ-FE V8 in it, with a bit more guts
nick205 - 12/11/16 at 05:05 PM
For that money you can't go too far wrong really. If it does a few track days and dies you've not lost much.
A work colleague had the lower power one a few years back and personally I found it somewhat lacking. Not slow, just didn't have any surge to
it, but then I've been used to grunty turbo diesels with surge.
[Edited on 12/11/16 by nick205]
bi22le - 12/11/16 at 05:35 PM
A guy that I work with has an RX8 and does track days in it. He has never had issues with it and it has 100k on the clock.
Apparently people just dont service them properly. Keep the oil fresh and it should be good. I think he also adds addative to the fuel.
coyoteboy - 13/11/16 at 01:16 PM
No I've known a couple of meticulous owners had to do full rebuilds. And then one a second rebuild. Lovely idea, still not executed properly.
coyoteboy - 13/11/16 at 01:16 PM
Ugh this forum software is so clunky, double post.
[Edited on 13/11/16 by coyoteboy]
Nickp - 13/11/16 at 01:51 PM
quote:
Originally posted by bi22le
A guy that I work with has an RX8 and does track days in it. He has never had issues with it and it has 100k on the clock.
Apparently people just dont service them properly. Keep the oil fresh and it should be good. I think he also adds addative to the fuel.
This one's got full service history but I'll be putting fresh oil in before Friday. I've read about putting some pre-mix in the fuel,
especially for trackdays, so bought some top quality synthetic 2 stroke pre-mix for it (£15 a litre!! )
marco - 13/11/16 at 05:40 PM
Quite fancy a 1UZ-FE V8 in it, with a bit more guts
I have one of those spare in my garage, could be tempted to part with it
johnH20 - 13/11/16 at 07:22 PM
Been looking at these. I have a Mazda 2.5 KLDE V6 in my garage looking for a home although it might be a project too far. Originally planned a V6 MX5
but an RX8 conversion is appealing as perhaps more 'stealth'. In reality if someone made me a bid I might surrender the KL.
Nickp - 13/11/16 at 08:28 PM
quote:
Originally posted by marco
Quite fancy a 1UZ-FE V8 in it, with a bit more guts
I have one of those spare in my garage, could be tempted to part with it
Car came with its engine light on and tbh was slow as shit. I've now read and cleared the codes, putting out the light, and it's actually
quite fun now and not too slow. Might consider a V8 should it go bang, or stop going bang
Nickp - 13/11/16 at 08:33 PM
quote:
Originally posted by johnH20
Been looking at these. I have a Mazda 2.5 KLDE V6 in my garage looking for a home although it might be a project too far. Originally planned a V6 MX5
but an RX8 conversion is appealing as perhaps more 'stealth'. In reality if someone made me a bid I might surrender the KL.
Might make for a decent car but a bit of downgrade in the engine department IMHO. Got to be a V8 or a turbo to test its capable chassis I reckon
