Lee Reynolds

Whats the deal with these cars. It is only recently I noticed how cheap these are! They seem a lot of car for the money! Are they cheap cos they break or what?

I didn't know the value until the guy where my store is put one of his up for sale and I couldnt believe the price!

Stu_K

Steer clear, thirsty, use oil at a stupid rate and the engines dont last.

Cheap for a reason I'm afraid.

paul str

Had one for 6 months, great second car just heavy on fuel and road tax

Lee Reynolds

I mean look at this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazda-rx8-...item4ac9cdb66d

£2500!! Thats throw away money! What else can you get that looks good, is quick etc for that money!

Quite surprised tbh!

mjonathan24

iTrader: (1)

The fuel cost is too much for the actual performance. The parts are VERY expensive (engine parts) and nobody but mazda and a select few specialists will work on them.

STAFFY OWNER

Expensive to run and judging by the ones around here they are usually driven by cocks.

Oranoco

Didn't Martin Hadland get one for his Mrs and start transplanting Audi engine and running gear into it.

Cossie Sean

great cars when converted to non rotary motors

can be had very very cheap if you look in the right places etc

Iain Mac

Guy at work just paid £200 for one and plans to transplant a normal engine into it.

Lee Reynolds

Not thinking about getting one, I was just surprised at the cost and thought they must be laden with problems!

What engines are folk sticking in them?

danneth

Me dad had one for a while, MPG never seems to change flat out or plodding about, used abit of oil but nothing drastic and had to go back in for the flooding issue apart from that was a great car, awesome chassis on them

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Shit engines.

Turbo Al

iTrader: (1)

i just put an engine in one at work. what a cock of a job. i was the same lee, these are cheap, ill buy one and fit an engine and have one, not anymore! your about £500 for plugs, leads and coils at a motor factor. thats no right

Lee Reynolds

£500????

xr2wishy

iTrader: (2)

bargain, i'd be chucking a 1.8t vag engine straight in, swap out rods and fit a bigger blower, good machines to get power out of.

Rax

iTrader: (1)

Martin Hadland did a build thread on here.I dont know the ends results,I will look it up in a minute.As for the rx8 I do like the cars,the trim spec is good and looks etc bt as said oil consumption lack of servicing kills the engine off.Old rx7 was no different.A family friend got an rx8 when first released and I liked it.

Just looked on the build thread and Martin has put no updates fr 12mnth so no idea if its finished yet,but yes it was 20v vag motor

T.E.D. Jordan

I bought mine with a miss-fire and did 50k on it in 3 years. awesome chassis and car when they're working right, 0-60 in around 6.5 seconds on the 230hp model. Never did fix the low revs mis-fire but eventually it died on the standard engine at 99k. I spent maybe £100 a year extra on oil and lived on the limiter with it. Expected it to shit its self earlier as I never cared too much about it.

With a different engine they'd be an even better car, but I would miss the sound-track. Maybe a Honda engine to keep it compact and revable? Honda bottem ends on the 2ltrs are good for forced induction so upgrades ontop of a standard engine would make it amazing.

I think they use a Toyota/S2000 gearbox also? Although that might just be the steering column can't remember...!

Jordan

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

They use more oil than cossies.

ben_frst

20vt is far from a easy conversion and not cost effective martins is cool but its not gonna be a diy kit i would think a impreza engine would be a good conversion

Lee Reynolds

What other problems do they have? Using oil keeps getting mentioned but to me that is nothing of a problem and would not bother me in the slightest! Surely its just a case of everytime you fill up with fuel, dip the oil?

SBT83

Engines flood, cases of not starting even when not flooded. Some owners were experiencing problems from new under 1k miles. It really is a case of steer clear. The engines really aren't one of mazdas masterpiece. As said it you have the money throw a different engine in.

Lee Reynolds

Shame isnt it as they look the bollocks IMO

T.E.D. Jordan

Reason for flooding was lack of informed buyers though - you can treat them exactly like you would a normal car, apart from don't turn them off cold or at least run them for a couple of minutes after start-up even if you're just shifting them off the drive.

Oil use is actually comparable to some new normal engines - typically Honda's. They don't 'drink' oil, but they do require some to be burnt during the combustion process. I used to check mine after every second fill-up. and top-up say, 100ml each time? Hardly bank breaking, but a extra thing to concern yourself with at least.

I'd genuinely have another RX8 with a different engine in an instant, but I did love the engine in mine.

Jordan

SBT83

I quite like my celica engine 2zz-ge. I would drop these in the rx8 and have a completely reliable bullet proof motor.

Also note, cosworth have started producing performance parts and a complete engine setup for this platform

wattie

sr20 engine would be a good swap for one of these

Nath

I personally think there a lovely looking car. I bought an 08 plate, 231 a couple of years ago for a bargain price. There a bit odd to drive when you first get into them but nothing you can't get used to. Lovely interiors (mine was red/black with illuminated gear knob) and lay out, handle well and I love the rear door opening.




Just a shame they stuck an awful engine in it. If they wanted to revolution the car industry then they should of put something like a 1litre engine that can do 150mph+, 0-60 in 4s along with 50mpg. Not the wallet hovering rotary crap that was in it which even the dealers use to run and hide away from or try the lock the gates when one came in a recovery truck.

I was following the post where Martin was putting another engine in one. Great idea although I've no idea how he got on?

m4tt274

iTrader: (2)

The engine is fantastic, people just dont get them i think is the main issue.

If you thrash them cold they HATE it and wear out.
They burn oil by design, but if they are running correctly, it should be at about a litre per 1000 miles, which is the rate i change the oil in my cars anyway.

Never owned one, but its annoying when other people who havent judge them.

Its the same engine as an RX7 and the older rotaries right back. NO other engine can take a thrashing as well, mazda actually advised once warm they were redlined every journey. They are so smooth you cant tell the engine is running with ear plugs in, even at upwards of 5000rpm and they make all their torque at the top of the rev range.

Find a poorly maintained dog thats been thrashed cold and you will regret it, but if your willing to put up with the high fuel costs, find a good one thats been warmed up properly and ran on the correct octane fuel i dont doubt if its anything like the RX7, it will be totally unlike any other car on the road, and simply fantastic!

Martin-Hadland

iTrader: (2)

They require more than just a few minutes from cold to be safe though don't they?? One of our RX8s has a sticker saying not to turn off until the temp gauge reads normal! It's not just oil consumption people should be scared of,I'd be more worried that without notice the bearing can fail causing the engine to destroy itself (I have 2 like this). I can't hide the fact that I hate the original engine with a passion so I'm biased

For the people asking about my 20v car, well it's still not finished as I have a lot on but all the hard work is done I just simply need to bolt it back together.

SBT83

Martin can I ask why you went for the 20v? Obviously it's a decent engine but were there others that you considered?

T.E.D. Jordan

Is that known bearing failure not down to poor running though i.e. crap oil/not enough oil/ thrashing from cold etc? If not, fair enough that's awful - but its not unique to that engine design. Plenty of engines in the past have had similar problems.

They really don't 'just grenade' like a lot of people think, that's proper tosh, but they also aren't as good an all-rounder as a normal engine. They're a fad in my opinion but when they're right its honestly such a fun thing to drive, very very different to a normal engines characteristics.

I still think I might buy one in the near future to fit a Honda engine. Was it the availability or knowledge you have on the 1.8t that drew you to it? Or both?

Really keen to see more of your thread - any progress?

Jordan

Martin-Hadland

iTrader: (2)

They do 'just grenade'!! I have an absolutely mint and pretty well as new 04 plate with full main dealer service with 52k miles, that one did exactly that! I'm not complaining though, one his way to work one Wednesday his car went from being a £3.5k car (he actually paid 6k 2 yrs before)to £500 in seconds

Reason I opted for the VAG 20v turbo is both your reasons but with one extra reason, pretty well every 4 pot engine I measured was too long and would require the bulky electric steering rack to be moved or replaced, the VAG 20v is very short and the crank pulley clears the rack a treat. The front of the engine is in line with the centre of the strut tops so the balance shouldn't be too bad.

Lee Reynolds

I notice most people seem to be talking about these shitting themselves etc when thrashed
If looked after then surely if I bought one for the missus it would be fine?! Was not even looking at one, but the awesome looks and cheap as chips price make them tempting!

SBT83

The engines eat themselves regardless of how they are treat. It's just a waiting game

Lee Reynolds

Sounds quite exciting

Nick 172 Sport

does dosent it lol worse than a subaru then for shitting engines

paul str

My car is a 04 plate 231 horse power, full service history and cost £1500 compared to the cost of having a new wiring harness on my cossie it's a a bargain

Lee Reynolds

Disposable at that!

Nick 172 Sport

ha ha small world i live in heywood

Daviet

There is a nice one up here with a 1jz engine.Think he said he wouldn't build another though so i am sure it was a ball ache.Not sure how they got round steering rack or if they even had to? Will try have a nosey the next time i see it.

Daviet

Also was it not recommended to rebuild the engines or replace rotary tips at least every 40k?
Might be worth buying one and giving it a rebuild before it brakes?
Can you not get a turbo timer to work so they only switch off once they rise to temp as opposed to dropping in temp lol