About time I started a thread on my RX-8.

So after having been to the Essex RX8OC meet prior to buying mine, and spending ages researching everything and many failed attempts at viewing cars, I thought I was getting good at reading the correct adverts and asking all the right questions. After a few months, I decided that if I was going to get one, I was going to try and get a good condition Evolve.
An ebay add caught my eye, it was registered 20 days before the tax band change, looked good initially and a phone call to the seller had vaguely the right answers - he'd owned RX-8's before, ex ford mechanic, just changed the tyres and brake pads and new battery, but no compression test. For some reason I agreed to buy it

Here's the photos from the advert.

RX-8 ebay_advert by Chris Reeves, on Flickr
So a sunny July (2015) morning I roped my Dad into driving me to Wales to collect the car - after which I was off to a friends birthday party in Stamford before I returned home - so this Rex better be what I thought it was

First impressions, well it looks ok, but I spotted that the tyres were autogrips...apart from one, which was a bald maxis. I could see bits of overspray on the indicator light and under the arch liner. The wheel arches were also just starting to rust (although I was told over the phone no rust). The test drive revealed that the engine felt good - so that was my main headache mostly alleviated. Anyway, we did the documents, and I took the key, and then the seller couldn't find the second key and spent a while looking for it - so I was left with just one key - great! Next stop straight to fill up the near empty tank, which is where I find out the supermarket fuel has been used

Here I am driving it for the first time.

First proper drive by Chris Reeves, on Flickr
In fairness it didn't miss a beat and I beeped it a fair few times. I also averaged 23mpg on that trip - so that looked promising in terms of the engine behaving. However, over the trip to Stamford (where obviously a few friends at the party all looked over and pointed out all the things I'd spotted earlier!), and then the next day driving back home I discovered the following things.
-The aircon didn't bl00dy work, and it was the hottest day of the year.

-That welsh flag on the windscreen was hiding a stonechip.
-That bald tyre in the wet was scary and I shouldn't have driven away

-The diff was making noises on tight turns.
to be continued....