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[Spyder]

Hey bigt, I was thinkin of getting an 09-11 Mazda RX8 GT 4D, what are your thoughts/tips on that? (It'd be my first car)

[bigt4203]

Hey bigt, I was thinkin of getting an 09-11 Mazda RX8 GT 4D, what are your thoughts/tips on that? (It'd be my first car)

 

First off, the S2 Mazda's are nice. My friend got one new, I was cheap and got a used S1. There's a forum called http://www.rx8club.com/. If suggest doing some reading and research, any question you have can be answered there.

 

Now, before you buy a RX8, remember that the engine is a rotary engine, not a normal piston engine and requires some special care to prevent damage to the engine.

-First is the engine burns oil as part of its operation, so you'll need to add a quart of oil every 1000 miles. Oil changes are done every 3000 miles, using conventional 5W-20 only, no synthetic. The reason is when synthetic oil is burned, it'll leave a film on the inside of the rotary casing which can impede engine operation. Some people have used synthetic but it is not recommended, Mazda recommends conventional oil only in the manual.

-Second is to never just start then engine cold then immediately turn it off. If you turn the engine on, at a minimum drive it around the block to warm the engine up. If you don't you risk flooding the engine, even though the possibility of it happening is slim since the ECU update back in 05, it can still happen. A flooded engine isn't going to ruin the engine, it's just a pain in the ass to clear and a huge inconvenience.

-Third is the engine warranty, not sure if it applies to the newer models, but I know it does to mine. The warranty is 8 year/100k miles that if the engine fails or fails a compression test (done at the dealer) due to normal operation, Mazda will replace the engine free of charge.

-Forth is the engine redline is 9k rpm, and you'll want to take it to 9k rpm occasionally, because it helps clear the engine out. And don't worry about damaging the engine, the rotary loves being run at high RPM, just don't ride it.

 

A couple of other things you may want to know is the shift point I use is 4k RPM, it's generally considered the economical shift point. But you'll still get crap gas mileage, 22ish on highway, 14ish in city. And it's premium gas only. If you are looking for upgrades, a good one is a short shifter by Axial Flow at http://www.axialflow.com/products.htm. It's great and makes a huge difference. Only took about an hour to do on my own, and most of that was trying to figure out how to get the center console off. As for tires, Dunlop Star Spec ZII are extremely good and very popular in the autocross world. You'll be surprised how well they work in the rain even though they are listed as dry weather tires.

 

As a first car, it's not the best choice but it's not the worst. Space is pretty limited but not as bad as other sport cars since you have rear seats and a decent trunk. The rear seats are actually usable depending on the size of the people in the front. I'm 6'3" and I've had 3 others in my car for a 3 hour trip.

 

If you have any other questions, post them here and I'll try to answer them.

[bigt4203]

I hate driving automatics, there is just no connection to the driving experience. However the Flappy Paddle gear box is something I would drive depending on the quality of it. My M3 had the SMG and it was a dream. The economy cars with flappy paddles usually had shit transmissions but the more expensive sport cars generally have much nicer ones which are good to drive. Just remember that with a more complex transmission means more things that can go wrong and transmissions are expensive to fix. When I wrecked my M3, I was unable to get the SMG into gear and the car had to be towed off the highway.

[Spyder]

Thanks bro! I'm only 5'7 xD

 

EDIT: what would you say is a good price for a 2009-11?

[bigt4203]

Thanks bro! I'm only 5'7 xD

 

EDIT: what would you say is a good price for a 2009-11?

 

Kelly Blue Book is your friend. Also check the RX8 forums for people selling their cars.

[Cromyth]

Nah got to get a Subaru. Seriously, look into a WRX or STI. They're great cars, reliable, fun to drive, easy to modify, and the glorious AWD.

 

 

Mine is a 2005 WRX Sedan (WRB.) Only about 95k miles. Bought it for 9 grand. Worth every penny. One previous owner. Babied the car.

[bigt4203]

Nah got to get a Subaru. Seriously, look into a WRX or STI. They're great cars, reliable, fun to drive, easy to modify, and the glorious AWD.

 

 

Mine is a 2005 WRX Sedan (WRB.) Only about 95k miles. Bought it for 9 grand. Worth every penny. One previous owner. Babied the car.

 

Except WRX insurance is through the roof. Would have cost me more to insure a STi than a M3. They are good cars though.

[Im a Jackass]

Nah got to get a Subaru. Seriously, look into a WRX or STI. They're great cars, reliable, fun to drive, easy to modify, and the glorious AWD.

 

 

Mine is a 2005 WRX Sedan (WRB.) Only about 95k miles. Bought it for 9 grand. Worth every penny. One previous owner. Babied the car.

 

How much is your insurance if you dont mind telling. Interested to see how it compares to my car price wise.

[Cromyth]

How much is your insurance if you dont mind telling. Interested to see how it compares to my car price wise.

 

Well its about 150. But I'm a fairly new driver (Got my license about 2 years ago so its going to be a lot higher), and I'm 19 and this is classed as a sports car. But it really isn't too bad.

 

I know that in a few years I'm going to get a Crosstrek. Those things are nice.

 

Murder it out a little. ukno. But what I'd recommend doing, which is completely up to you is buy a subaru private.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=89

People on this forum really cherish their cars and they are really well maintained. Some of them have nice aftermarket parts in them. You can probably find a nice stage 2 WRX or STI for 8k. Not too bad. Aftermarket decks and sound systems are usually common too.

[themuffinman]

Except WRX insurance is through the roof. Would have cost me more to insure a STi than a M3. They are good cars though.

 

2 year old wrx and i only pay 80 a month(same that i paid for my POS neon). some companies may differ, but to most, 4 doors doesnt equal a sports car.

but i guess that also depends on your driving record. no tickets and no accidents, so that helps my premium a ton.