Is the Mazda RX8 that bad?
- Thread starter Buchanan0204
- Start date
Question:
Let's say there's one on the market that is 2k and has just had its engine replaced, normal service history throughout its life, looks ok in the flesh... Is this a worthy purchase?
I might be heading back to the UK to do 6 months of work so wouldn't mind one as a bit of fun as well as to get me around.. then i'd either sell it for peanuts or give it to my brother.
Let's say there's one on the market that is 2k and has just had its engine replaced, normal service history throughout its life, looks ok in the flesh... Is this a worthy purchase?
I might be heading back to the UK to do 6 months of work so wouldn't mind one as a bit of fun as well as to get me around.. then i'd either sell it for peanuts or give it to my brother.
I missed your reply, sorry.
If I was trying to prove anything about laptimes, the figures on that site only make the rx8 look worse than anyone thought
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=23352609&postcount=120
You should definitely take off the blinkers they're not doing you any favours
2-3k from what I've seen, unless you've done the work yourself.
Soldato
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How to wreck the low engine and nigh on perfect 50/50 weight distribution lol... turn your car into a muscle car, something for dimwitted yanks and SantaPod freaks only I think lol.
The best thing for a RX8 is a super charger or Turbo. either one will give big power (turbos more obviously if you wanna chuck mega bucks at it)... however I'll be going super charger later this year... it's just too tempting... this car with 300bhp is where it should've been originally.
It would be all DIY. My brother has been eyeing up RX7 and 8s, ive see how stupidly complex the systems are under the bonnet of the 7 but 8s are so cheap it could be worth getting one with the view to rebuilding it
What performance upgrades can be done when its in bits too?
When they are rebuilt, are bearings needed or is it just the seals?
It will do nothing of the sort.
RX8 Renesis engine mass = 127kg
Chevrolet LS1 engine mass = 172kg
We're not talking old cast iron block stuff with the LS1 mounting kits. Personally, I'd go down the LS1 conversion route rather than SC or turbo. The Renesis is an utterly charmless engine anyway so might as well take it out and swap it with something much better.
Caporegime
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Hardly, so what if it's a little more weight up front, i'd rather that than put up with the cars huge shortfall, the engine.
Indeed.
45kg added and it'll sit higher up than the rotary, so yeah it will spoil the handling and it also, more importantly won't be an RX8 anymore, if you want a truck engine, buy a truck.
Caporegime
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Nah, I'd rather take that engine in a better car.
He's never going to listen to sense on the rx8, not even from people like me who've owned them long term.
The RX8 is a fundamentally flawed car. It always was and it always will be. The engine, while a technological marvel is utterly soulless and performs poorly for the amount of fuel it drinks.
Yes, the RX8 handles beautifully, but then so do many other cars that don't have the flaws that the RX8 does.
And I'd hardly refer to the LS1 as a truck engine. The later versions are all alloy and are well regarded as being one of the best V8s ever made.
The RX8 is a fundamentally flawed car. It always was and it always will be. The engine, while a technological marvel is utterly soulless and performs poorly for the amount of fuel it drinks.
Yes, the RX8 handles beautifully, but then so do many other cars that don't have the flaws that the RX8 does.
And I'd hardly refer to the LS1 as a truck engine. The later versions are all alloy and are well regarded as being one of the best V8s ever made.
It's got nothing to do with listening to you, I have a different opinion than you. If you don't like the RX8 don't have one. If you don't like the engine, tough, that's what it is. If you want to change the car into something it isn't go for it... if you wanna change the engine for more power... be my guest. I don't give a crap, all I'm saying is, you switch the engine, you make changes to the bulk head, differing angles of the engine etc etc therefore compromising safety, it'll add weight, it'll sit higher and the handling won't be as good FACT without then altering all the other components. chuck money into ANY car.... and you can make it quicker. The car was designed to be weighted as is, not have some muppet with too much money putting a V8 in it lol. But hey, it'll go quicker in a straight line and sound and be a V8. Changing engines is all well and good, believe me I've done it when I switched my 405 MI16 engine into my 205 because it was cheaper to get more power... simple. However this was nigh on a like for like apart from the angle of the engine... and thus had a minimal impact if any on the handling... especially as I ran uprated spax suspension anyway. I could've put a V6 in out the 406, but ruled that out for exactly the same reason I'm ruling a V8 in an RX8 out.
I know the engines flawed, I don't need "people who've owned them long term" to tell me that, but to say it's not soulless when it's actually one of the great engines for being different and therefore has soul and sounds like NO OTHER ENGINE is quite frankly a silly thing to say. In your opinion maybe, but fans of the rotary would beg to differ.
The Type R engine in my Civic, doesn't give me any more thrills than the RX8, sounds different and drives differently... it'll last longer I know that but to me just variations on a theme. Similar power, similar performance two different sounding engines and one is poor on fuel. Yiippeee. The fact is my car cost £,3300 fully loaded and is running sweetly... and if it needs a rebuild, so be it... I'll pay for that as the car was peanuts anyway.
I know the engines flawed, I don't need "people who've owned them long term" to tell me that, but to say it's not soulless when it's actually one of the great engines for being different and therefore has soul and sounds like NO OTHER ENGINE is quite frankly a silly thing to say. In your opinion maybe, but fans of the rotary would beg to differ.
The Type R engine in my Civic, doesn't give me any more thrills than the RX8, sounds different and drives differently... it'll last longer I know that but to me just variations on a theme. Similar power, similar performance two different sounding engines and one is poor on fuel. Yiippeee. The fact is my car cost £,3300 fully loaded and is running sweetly... and if it needs a rebuild, so be it... I'll pay for that as the car was peanuts anyway.
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Soldato
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Mine is still running lovely after all the warnings from the scare mongers here. No problems with cold or warm starts and It's no where near as bad on oil as others make out. What is the killer is the amount of fuel it consumes. It's frightening. I guess it's not so bad now as I have adjusted myself to filling it up with around £80 a month for local journeys, we are talking about 15 miles per week. 
I can probably see myself selling it sometime this year purely due to the running costs. It will be a shame as I know for a fact I'll never be able to get this much car for my money again. It's a stunning car and the noise that comes from it still cracks a smile.
I can probably see myself selling it sometime this year purely due to the running costs. It will be a shame as I know for a fact I'll never be able to get this much car for my money again. It's a stunning car and the noise that comes from it still cracks a smile.