Cooper S Vs RX8...?

One of the things that put me off an RX8 was the engine flooding issue, caused from not letting the engine warm up before turning it off.
 
I've had mine flood once.

Started the engine, phone rang so I turned it off right away. Flooded :(

Gutted, had to call the RAC out. Flooding is my one real bug bear with the RX8 but it's easy to avoid - it's just I didn't avoid it as the phone rang so I wasnt thinking!
 
I would reccommend you take out the Mazda European Assistance (breakdown cover), its only £10 if your car is over 3 years old (ask at your local dealership) and the Mazda Technicians they send out have much more knowledge of how to deflood the rotaries without damaging anything.
 
The probLEM with RX8s and oil is around the fact that the engines burn oil and hence they need an oil which burns cleanly.

PAO based oils dont, instead they burn dirty causing rotor deposits, this causes performance issues and potential engine wear as the rotor housings are not luricated correctly (due to a build up of deposit)
 
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Simon said:
The probably with RX8s and oil is around the fact that the engines burn oil and hence they need an oil which burns cleanly.

PAO based oils dont, instead they burn dirty causing rotor deposits, this causes performance issues and potential engine wear as the rotor housings are not luricated correctly (due to a build up of deposit)
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Is there anyway to see if you have a mistreated RX8 or a well looked after one when at the dealership?
 
Simon said:
The probably with RX8s and oil is around the fact that the engines burn oil and hence they need an oil which burns cleanly.

PAO based oils dont, instead they burn dirty causing rotor deposits, this causes performance issues and potential engine wear as the rotor housings are not luricated correctly (due to a build up of deposit)
Click to expand...

Interesting! They are known to need a good thrashing fairly regulary to get rid of any carbon build up etc, a beep a day is one thing I have heard. As for in the wet, they are pretty good, the factory RE040 tyres are pretty good all round or the RE050s are even better. Having a 50/50 weigh distribution means they are fairly progessive with any oversteer you might get but for the most part you will have to provoke them to go sideways.

As for telling a mistreated RX8, thats a hard one really. I would say that, due to their oil consumption they have a constant flow of relatively clean oil but I'm not sure of the consequences of running them low on oil and flooding a lot. One thing I will say is make sure you buy one and get it serviced from a proper Mazda dealer not one of those joint Ford/Mazda dealers as it's good to know that the people working there know their way around a rotary engine should it need any diagnostic work doing etc.
 
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I'm annoying myself now, I really want one, loved everything about it (Aside from the obvious!) but keep trying to talk myself out of it! hehe

Been offered £4270 on the Civic by the Local mazda dealer who have these in:

http://users.autoexposure.co.uk/sea...&MaxMileage=Any&Colour=Any&Fuel=Any&Trans=Any

Seena few on Auto Trader, including what looks pretty nice:

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...cleYearOfManufacture=2006&vehicleRegLetter=06

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...vehicleYearOfManufacture=&vehicleRegLetter=05

Really do seem to be credit crunch-tastic!
 
Those prices aren't looking all that hot, Tim. Take the second to bottom - 05, 231, 41k, 11 grand. Mine is an 05, 231, 28k and I got it down from 9.5k to 8.5k. The only thing mine doesn't have which that one does is the leather interior. This was from Carcraft.

It'd be good to get some Mazda cover though, just make sure you knock plenty off those prices, whichever one you pick.
 
Yep, i know they aren't looking too hot, the Auto Trader are the "hotter" prices, for some reason I also felt like posting the stock list from the Mazda Dealer i visited yesterday :)

Going to look at a Red 231 tomorrow, really not sure on red, but seeing it in person will be a good mind maker-upper, will be nice to try a 231, and am going straight after the Cooper-S test :)
 
Hmm, so going to check another out tomorrow, and i'm unsure, seen a nice 04 for 6.5k w/ about 38,000 miles on it (231hp) and an '06 (231) w/ 11k on it for about 6.9k, obviously, for 2 years difference and 27k miles, £500 is worth it, the thing i'm thining is an '06 will obviously more than likely fall into the £400/year tax bracket, which is going to be a pain, but if i had it say, 3 years, the £600 extra on tax could be a lot less than repairs/maintinence on an 04 w/ 38k...

Your thoughts folks? :)
 
TimBrad said:
Hmm, so going to check another out tomorrow, and i'm unsure, seen a nice 04 for 6.5k w/ about 38,000 miles on it (231hp) and an '06 (231) w/ 11k on it for about 6.9k, obviously, for 2 years difference and 27k miles, £500 is worth it, the thing i'm thining is an '06 will obviously more than likely fall into the £400/year tax bracket, which is going to be a pain, but if i had it say, 3 years, the £600 extra on tax could be a lot less than repairs/maintinence on an 04 w/ 38k...

Your thoughts folks? :)
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So how did the 231 compare to the lower bhp rx8 and the Mini mate? :)
 
Not sure yet :D RX8 has been pushed back to tomorrow due to our arsey builders getting in the way with thier sodding van and making getting a car out of the drive a hassle :( And had to cancel the mini drive today due to pretty much the same reason!

Might pop down to available car tomorrow for a buzz in the Mini again, drove one there a few months ago and enjoyed it, but right now the idea of a Mini is screaming "Too small" at me! Seem to have fallen victim of an RX8 style of charm! :D
 
Yee me too mate...I dont know what it is about it, but somethign just keeps drawing my to the RX8. I know it has a lack or torque and everything else economical about it isnt great but I dunno...I just really like it!
 
I dunno, I know a lot of people here will disagree, but it had enough torque for me, maybe not much between 3k-4k, but it hardly felt gutless, just everything about it seems to work and suit me, and working 10 miles form home term time, (38 weeks a year) it shouldn't be TOO harsh on the pockets...I hope! :D
 
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