RX8 Owners

MikeHiow

MikeHiow

MikeHiow

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Joined
26 Oct 2004
Posts
7,540
Location
Isle of Wight
I've got one for an extended test drive over the weekend, from a friend who is selling, but I have a few queries about the car.

Is the clutch heavy on all of them?

Is the clutch release bearing usually noisy?

This one occasionally idles quite rough, but it usually clears up within a few seconds.

Is the diff normally audible at speed (window open, of course)?

Are the CD players particularly fussy about CDs? Will they play MP3 CDs?
 
Yep, took out a policy, owner suspended his.

I'm not particularly worried about the RX8 going out of production. I certainly wouldn't be put off an RX7 by the fact its no longer made, and RX8s a probably greater in numbers anyway.
 
The other thing I wanted to ask about was missing 3rd gear, its not just me, someone else who has driven the car noticed it - constantly missing 3rd gear when pressing on - I'm sure I could get used to getting it right, but wanted to know whether its a common trait with the RX8?
 
Is the clutch heavy on all of them? Relatively, after driving somthing else it always feels heavy getting back into the RX8

Is the clutch release bearing usually noisy? Yup, common to all of them

This one occasionally idles quite rough, but it usually clears up within a few seconds. Hmm, by rough do you mean feel it through the gearstick or literally the car is juddering? Some vibration through the gearstick is normal

Is the diff normally audible at speed (window open, of course)? Not sure, what sort of noise can you hear? I had a grumbling noise after the 'ring which turned out to be low diff oil, topped up and all OK

Are the CD players particularly fussy about CDs? Will they play MP3 CDs? Not fussy with CDs IME but won't play MP3s

As for missing 3rd, Does it crunch or just seem to hit somthing solid and it won't go in at all?
 
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NightShadow said:
Is the clutch heavy on all of them? Relatively, after driving somthing else it always feels heavy getting back into the RX8

Is the clutch release bearing usually noisy? Yup, common to all of them

This one occasionally idles quite rough, but it usually clears up within a few seconds. Hmm, by rough do you mean feel it through the gearstick or literally the car is juddering? Some vibration through the gearstick is normal

Is the diff normally audible at speed (window open, of course)? Not sure, what sort of noise can you hear? I had a grumbling noise after the 'ring which turned out to be low diff oil, topped up and all OK

Are the CD players particularly fussy about CDs? Will they play MP3 CDs? Not fussy with CDs IME but won't play MP3s
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What he said.
 
The car judders a little with the rough idle, only lasted a few seconds, and has only happened twice today, almost like the revs drop a little too low.

Diff noise like a typical diff noise I guess, slightly whiney, but doesn't sound bad. Slightly reminiscent of straight cut gears.

This CD player took 3 attempts of putting in a burned CD before it would take it. It kept spitting it out with "check CD", guess the laser may just need cleaning. On that note, is there any way of aux input or ipod control?

With missing 3rd, its almost a bit of both? Although the grinding maybe me disengaging the clutch pre-emptively.
 
Hmm, I have crunched the gears a couple of times going from 2nd to 3rd at very high revs after changing to some "race" gearbox oil, switched back to standard stuff and its been fine ever since. As for the "hitting somthing solid" scenario, I used to do this a lot more when I first got the car but hardly ever do now, can only assume it just takes some getting used with where the gears are??

I wouldn't worry about the rough idle unless you can also notice a flat spot during acceleration aswell which would point towards possibly dodgy coil packs/sparks/ignition leads. The whine you mention seems to be pretty normal aswell.
 
Seems like a fairly decent example.

There are a few cracks in the leather (it is 7 years old after all), and the chrome is starting to flake off on the "fins" over the wing vents. On, and some lacquer peel on the chromed rims of the Mazdasport wheels.

I'm going to give is a clean later (Told the owner I would as a thank you, just incase I do not go for his), and see how it comes up.
 
For the MP3 bit - what version of the car is it?

For anything other than the R3 you can use these

Bit fiddly to fit, but can be done without removing the entire unit as they recommend. Drop the glovebox and remove skin from arm through the little hole back there. ;) Has USB and SD slots (apparently you need to name folders a certain way - I dont use them) and has a 3.5mm Aux in.

They also have an ipod version - don't know much about that though.

As for CD's - Yet to have one rejected by the unit. Only advice I can give is the standard burn on good quality cd's and burn slow.


MikeHiow said:
Seems like a fairly decent example.

There are a few cracks in the leather (it is 7 years old after all), and the chrome is starting to flake off on the "fins" over the wing vents. On, and some lacquer peel on the chromed rims of the Mazdasport wheels.

I'm going to give is a clean later (Told the owner I would as a thank you, just incase I do not go for his), and see how it comes up.
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The fins and wheels are normal. You can get stainless replacements for the fins and the crest that solve that problem. The bling wheels are more of a problem. Can't refinish them easily from what I gather and they're not cheap. Shame, as I kinda like them. ;)

Be gentle on the paint, mazda paint is not the thickest in the world.
 
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Flaking/corrosion on the fins and wheels is typical, poor job from Mazda there and I would say it probably affects every one you look at unless thay have been repaired. I will say that it's not completely unheard of for there to be the odd gearbox syncro issue so it would be worth checking out another one to see if you have the same problems and see if it's you or the car!
 
MikeHiow said:
That little MP3 link unit looks exactly like what I would want, thanks!
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They occasionally pop up on the MX-5 and RX-8 owners club boards. Normally around £50-60ish.

There is another method for attaching ipods - but as it's ipod only I ignored it. Involved removing the stereo and attaching a circuit board to the back of it.
 
personally I wouldn't buy one especially a 7 year old one, they are terrible for developing starting problems, and as already mentioned, they use as much oil that sometimes I wonder if they are 2stroke.
 
Gave it a quick clean;

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Whats with the halfords special alloys? Are they really Mazdaspeed? Really don't suit the car IMO.

Other than that, I love RX-8s. They seem to represent great value second hand, but the running costs pretty much make up for that.
 
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