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Waz's Mazda RX8 231


Waz
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I should've started this when I brought her home (28/04/13), but like many things, I only thought of this now. I never did the MX-5 that she replaces which has already flown the drive to it's new owner after a super-quick 3 day advert to sale over the BH w/e.

 

Things about the Rex;

 

  • It was rebuilt by Hayward Rotary, who are well regarded as far as I can tell. They warranty for 30months/30k miles now - this one has about a month left on the 2year 24k mile warranty given at that time.
  • Totally standard, which I prefer to be the first abuser of any cars I get, and I prefer mods to be tasteful and preferably reversible
  • It's the high-power 231PS model which is something like 228bhp I think
  • 6 speed 'box
  • redlines at 10krpm and beeps at you at 9.5 to warn you
  • apparently it should use oil at .25L per 1000 miles, but I haven't got real experience of this yet.
  • It definitely does do 18mpg 
  • it's the weirdest / nicest engine in a car I've ever driven

 

Jobs I have already done;

  • both front stabiliser bar drop-links, because one was missing in action so I did both as new.
  • rotated tyres to drag out the inevitable because the rears were 2.5/3mm and fronts more like 5 - now vice versa
  • Cleaned it and polymer sealed it, and worried about the early signs of tinworm in the normal places

Jobs yet to do;

  • Drive it in anger
  • Brake with real fear for my life (hopefully not)
  • find the limit of traction in most conditions - responsibly of course

which you could say to ^^ that this is learning to know an respect the car.

 

Having fun for sure.

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Nice motor mate...I had to laugh at the 'it definitely does do 18 mpg'!! :lol:

 

The "Jobs yet to do" :lol: ........ As said you picked up is really nice bargain there, why doesn't this ever happen to me :(

 

You're looking for the wrong car, get an RX8 then! ;)

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first abuser - lol! Like how you disguised your plate as well. Genius.

 

Nice car mate  - i like the RX8's, they've got great handling just like the previous models, and the rotary's power band is unique. From what i read you really need to wring its neck to get the full potential out of them is that right ?

 

are you going to drive it and then see if you want to change anything on it? I can recommend bedford autodrome as a great introduction to the track and to stretch the cars legs a bit ;)

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I find it quite interesting that you've run out of speed limit before it redlines in 2nd gear....

 

but it doesn't need wringing out to get a good run out of it. It's very civilised from 3k to 6krpm, and very lively from there to the beep. Coming from the Mx-5, it seems a little too weak at tickover to pull away, but everything after that is smoother and more power.

 

I've already modified it - I fitted LED sidelights at the front, because the std ones were orange compared to the HID xenon Headlamps. but weirdly, the Main-beam is halogen, they look orange too - will have to find a style of bulb that fixes that....

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  • 5 months later...

Set of tyres acquired, Toyo T1S, in the original fitment 225/45-18. Some in the owners club insist on some fruity combinations like 235/40 or 235/45 which both whack out the speedo, can't see the need myself as the car is very well balanced and I'm sure that like the mx-5, the car's zero scrub radius and set-up would be harmed by frigging about with this sort of thing.

 

Took a trip to halfords as well and used "my" trade card that was in the owners manual. Made having to buy an oil filter and oil slightly less painful. That's a job for the weekend...

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  • 3 months later...

I haven't been on very much recently, and I never answered Tony's question!

 

The old tyres were evenly worn on all corners - I even was able to rotate them, front for back, before finally submerging the 3mm to 1.6mm window to the point that with the autumn/winter weather getting going, I bought those Toyos. Middles were a little worn and I run them with 1-2lbs lower than spec until they were finished.

no evidence of inner or outer edge wear preference.

 

Did an oil change last month, which was an easy job - the filter is high up on the back of the engine and the sump-pan is very flat with angular corners. only 3.5L in the engine incl. filter.

 

Next I will have to do that 'fast-road' geo I promised myself nearly a year ago...

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  • 4 months later...

How have you gotten on with the hot start issues these are reported to have? I really like the RX8 and it would tick a lot of the boxes for me as a next car potentially (apart from the MPG! But that can be counteracted by letting the missus use it for work most of the time - small mileage)

 

I guess if its been rebuilt any of the niggly RX8 issues would have been sorted then?

 

How many litres does it take to fill the tank and whats the rough mileage per tank you see?

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How have you gotten on with the hot start issues these are reported to have? I really like the RX8 and it would tick a lot of the boxes for me as a next car potentially (apart from the MPG! But that can be counteracted by letting the missus use it for work most of the time - small mileage)

 

I guess if its been rebuilt any of the niggly RX8 issues would have been sorted then?

 

How many litres does it take to fill the tank and whats the rough mileage per tank you see?

Have you asked her, she might not want to drive an RX8! :lol:

 

TBH if you're moaning about 30mpg on the MX5 I can't see you keeping one for long ;)

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  • 1 year later...

 

How have you gotten on with the hot start issues these are reported to have? I really like the RX8 and it would tick a lot of the boxes for me as a next car potentially (apart from the MPG! But that can be counteracted by letting the missus use it for work most of the time - small mileage)

 

I guess if its been rebuilt any of the niggly RX8 issues would have been sorted then?

 

How many litres does it take to fill the tank and whats the rough mileage per tank you see?

Have you asked her, she might not want to drive an RX8! :lol:

 

TBH if you're moaning about 30mpg on the MX5 I can't see you keeping one for long ;)

 

 

 

I haven't been around for a while and lots has been done.

 

I had some hot-start issues that scared the hell out of me, bearing in mind the warranty on the rebuild has run out and I still have not done 20k miles since that was done, I refuse to believe that it really is worn out on the engine seals, so I have been religiously changing the oil at 3k miles, spark plugs annually (at £100 a set) and have fitted a new set of coils of the original type, and then club group buy on an upgrade coil pack came up, so I went for a set of those to really poke it in the spark.

 

This is good, but occasionally I would stop off at some shops, get back to the car "warm" and then we started a little game of teasing on shall I shan't I start. It goes like this; spin freely with no hint. Damn. Spin with a cough and a hint, but no avail. Damn & blast. spin cough rough idle, run. Relief, but worried.

 

Then it seems that the 2003 - 2005 (mk1's) had the crappiest starter motor (too slow)

2006 -2009 Mk2's had a faster motor and the Mk3's had a stupid quick motor. 

Pattern part makers had copied the Mk3 motor and I have fitted one of these, which is a night and day difference. It still sounds like the engine's spinning too easy at hot-start (compression too light?), but it starts every time, so I'm happy.

 

The Owners Club pundits are split between; you'll only flog a dead donkey with a faster motor. And; if mazda fitted a faster one as OEM on the later cars, it must be a proper solution.

The theory is, that a slow starter floods the engine, the fuel washes the oil off the seals, and the seals are worn out faster. Conversely, start fast, keep the oil flowing (it's a metering pump supply direct to the seals and it's designed to keep them lubed, not compete with fuel wash without combustion.)

 

In other news, the MPG is routinely at 15 to work! (10 miles trip) and 22 if I run down my local motorway to visit family.

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Also;

 

It's a 60L tank and I'll routinely fill up on the warning light and get 50L at a time and end up refilling every 150 to 160miles...

 

Oil is not bad, I think it does take the 1/4L per 1000m that is supposedly designed for, I might do 3000m a year, change the oil and have only used 1/2 a 5L can of oil between changes. so that's 1.5 x 5L oil per year at that mileage.

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That must be an annoying problem but it sounds like you're on top of it. That mpg is bad, I hate the fact the Accord only does 20mpg around town but doing under 5k mikes a year takes the sting out.

 

What's more important though is that you're still enjoying the car?

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The 50:50 weight distribution and planted handling is very enjoyable driving. I would guess that if I could buy almost anything with high performance, like a V8 or FI, I would not be doing 15mpg by a long shot. I used to shake my head at old jags doing 12mpg, but I guess doing 3k miles a year makes it seem less of an issue.

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