Relatively New Driver

[mack437]

I’ve recently fell in love with the RX8, but I’m sitting on the fence on whether to buy one, I’ve learned there’s kinda a stigma around RX8’s but through this forum and various other platforms I’ve learned there’s many benefits too, how are RX8’s as daily drivers? How are they to work on? Is it really as hard as people make out to find one with a well looked after engine? and just how practical are the RX8’s?

[acegeezer]

A load of rubbish is spouted about them, mine 5 years on immaculate .. get a good one and smile all the way.. read this.. app.php/buyers-guide
.. and fill out your profile properly to include your location, we can point you in the right specialist direction, if we know whereabouts you are, and it will then appear in the LHS panel each time you post .. like the rest of us.. good luck

[SeeJay]

Hi Mack, to the forum..

Plenty to learn about these cars,so start reading your way thru' these FAQ's ..Buyer's guide first,obviously,as John advises above,
and please study it before parting with your money

Apart from the first few months of ownership,I haven't run my '8 as a daily driver,although many do.Short,start from cold then switch off trips aren't particularly kind to an '8,not to mention they'll push your fuel bills up,since the '8 runs very rich from cold,and shutting down before being reasonably warmed up not only means you're wasting fuel,but run the risk of flooding - you'll find info on that little enigma in the FAQ's..

Buyer's Guide

Ignition

Oil

Compression

Starting & Switching off

Identifying Genuine Coils

It's also good to become acquainted with a specialist,so take a look at our Map of rotary specialists

Do take a look at members' cars for sale

[mack437]

A load of rubbish is spouted about them, mine 5 years on immaculate .. get a good one and smile all the way.. read this.. app.php/buyers-guide
.. and fill out your profile properly to include your location, we can point you in the right specialist direction, if we know whereabouts you are, and it will then appear in the LHS panel each time you post .. like the rest of us.. good luck

Thanks I’ll start reading the guide now, also updated my location

[Shagrington]

Hi and mack437. As above, do all the reading before you decide. For what it is worth, mine has been my only car and daily driver for the last 12 years (still on the original engine) with mainly urban driving, short trips to the shops and so on (not commuting though) - with the occasional proper drive out and road trip etc of course.

For practicality it isn't a bad car, it has a fair sized boot you can fit plenty into (but the opening is narrow), 4 doors and two back seats that 6 foot tall adults can sit in comfortably (as long as the front seats aren't all the way back). Petrol consumption is bad if that is something you'll need to worry about - say about £60 every 200 miles or so. Once you've spent the money on getting it right (ignition system, tyres etc) the running costs don't have to be high with regular oil changes (the right oil isn't expensive), petrol and premix (if you choose to do that) being the main costs plus a bit of regular maintenance ... mine has cost a small fortune only because I get tempted with shiny things.

[mack437]

Hi and mack437. As above, do all the reading before you decide. For what it is worth, mine has been my only car and daily driver for the last 12 years (still on the original engine) with mainly urban driving, short trips to the shops and so on (not commuting though) - with the occasional proper drive out and road trip etc of course.

For practicality it isn't a bad car, it has a fair sized boot you can fit plenty into (but the opening is narrow), 4 doors and two back seats that 6 foot tall adults can sit in comfortably (as long as the front seats aren't all the way back). Petrol consumption is bad if that is something you'll need to worry about - say about £60 every 200 miles or so. Once you've spent the money on getting it right (ignition system, tyres etc) the running costs don't have to be high with regular oil changes (the right oil isn't expensive), petrol and premix (if you choose to do that) being the main costs plus a bit of regular maintenance ... mine has cost a small fortune only because I get tempted with shiny things.

This is exactly what I wanted to hear if I’m being honest, sounds pretty much exactly how I’d be using it

[Shagrington]

I do go by a round about route to the shops etc to be fair, so my short journeys are at least 2 or 3 miles or more (longer in winter/cold weather so the coolant and oil are up to the full running temperatures by the time I get there ... aftermarket gauges help me to know this, but I'd have a good idea after 12 years anyway).

[GreySilver Beast]

Hi Mack & to the RX-8OC

Please put your Location here in the Profile Section

Please check out the EVENTS SECTION's - Events Team

[New Duke]

Credit to you for asking before buying one mack. I bought an R3 model over 2 years ago to use as a daily driver. Apart from the odd long drive and trackday it's been mainly used for very short daily trips; the school run, to the gym, to the hairdresser etc. Most under 3 miles. The only repairs I've had to do on mine are a result of punishing it on track. Road driving does bother it at all.

The car's been juuuuuust fine on long periods of short journeys. No drama, no engine death. Yeah it runs rich when cold but that fuel mode only lasts a couple of mins. Town driving is mainly a gas guzzler in an RX8 because the rotary engine is less efficient when revs are all over the place and TBH, I think most people drive around in a lower gear than they should. The RX8 prefers to sit above 3K RPM... what other cars do you know that love that?! So don't worry about short journeys, just take it for a fun drive once a fortnight to stretch it's legs.

To give numbers my average urban tank (64 litres) lasts 250 miles. And my motorway range (if I ever manage to drive that far) is about 350 miles.

These cars are easy to work on if you don't mind learning. Waaaay easier than than the other two piston cars in our family. That's partly because of the design. Even jacking it up is easier than jacking up my friends Astra or my XF... because of dedicated axel jacking points. Little stuff like that counts and saves your sills and time. And for the hard jobs you can always drive to a specialist... who are cheaper than you might expect.

There are lots of good cars to be found out there. But I would suggest that budget is the deciding factor on how stressful or carefree your ownership would be. Look in the classifieds on this forum for quality cars sold by specialists and enthusiasts. Spend more and get a decent or later model if you can. Look online and you'll find a lot of owners who unfortunately saw a sports car for a grand and thought it a bargain, only to learn the hard way that there's a reason that car was so cheap.

It's the fixed costs that you can't avoid that sting. Road tax (unless you buy an early model) and fuel. For me in every other way it's been a cheap car to run and maintain. The insurance is even cheaper than on our other family cars

[New Duke]

Town driving is mainly a gas guzzler in an RX8 because the rotary engine is less efficient when revs are all over the place and TBH, I think most people drive around in a lower gear than they should. The RX8 prefers to sit above 3K RPM... what other cars do you know that love that?!

I suspect you mean "most people drive around in a higher gear than they should"
The higher the gear, e.g. 4th rather than 3rd, the lower the engine revs for the same road speed.

[New Duke]

Town driving is mainly a gas guzzler in an RX8 because the rotary engine is less efficient when revs are all over the place and TBH, I think most people drive around in a lower gear than they should. The RX8 prefers to sit above 3K RPM... what other cars do you know that love that?!

I suspect you mean "most people drive around in a higher gear than they should"
The higher the gear, e.g. 4th rather than 3rd, the lower the engine revs for the same road speed.

Thanks Dave. Yeah I phrase that wrong EVERY time!

I overheated my engine revving it on my driveway today (fault finding I was) and then it wouldn't start. So I take back some of the praise I spewed out for it this morning.

[northerner69]

Hi Mack. There's a possibility that I might put my RX up for sale in a couple of months. It's mot is due around March time so the plan was to get that sorted 1st. Also from 31st March I'll have a better idea of how my financial situation will be going forward into next year. I love the car, but if I can make what I want off it I'll let her go, if not I'm happy to keep hold and carry on with the improvements, I'm intending. You can pm me (if you're allowed to as a guest) if you are interested and I can supply more details, etc.

[thejaydogg]

how are RX8’s as daily drivers?

Absolutely fine (apart from the woeful MPG). I daily mine 20 miles a day and get just under 20mpg.

How are they to work on?

Haven't worked on mine, but from what I gather if you're planning on mods then parts for the S1 are much easier to acquire than parts for the R3.

Is it really as hard as people make out to find one with a well looked after engine?

Depends on your budget. Expect to pay around £2,000 for a good example S1, with R3s running over £5,000. Compression test is a must unless you're willing to buy a car with a good, rust free shell and then get the engine rebuilt for peace of mind.

and just how practical are the RX8’s?

I took two friends to Creamfields along with a beer trolley, clothing and all their camping equipment with room to spare. The rear seats aren't as cramped as you'd imagine (unless you're unfortunate enough to be sat behind a driver with long legs )

[kopite72]

The fuel costs can be horrific,my daily work commute is a round trip of 25 miles and I don't work every day so its fine but anything more than that and you'll start to feel it in the pocket.

I remember my car was out of action for a few weeks some time ago and the money I saved on juice was a real eye opener

Just a bit of advice,don't skimp on maintenance on these cars.Regular oil changes are a must aswell as regular spark plug changes.I change the oil every 5000 miles or so and the plugs every 8000 miles and if you haven't already done it get a set of D585 coils on her or Ryan Rotary Performance coils.

I cant stress it enough but the car needs an ignition system that's in tip top condition

My bad I just read your OP and realise you don't have one yet but if/when you do the above still applies...

[mi60o0]

Why plug change every 8k ?
I do the oil changes 3k plus depend on the mood I do my Mazda 6 every 5 to 6 k

[kopite72]

You don't HAVE to do them every 8K miles it's just what I do to keep everything in perfect working order,preventative maintenance and all that...

[Ainmhidh]

I believe the recommendation is 25-30k on the plugs, but many of the enthusiasts in the club tend to err on the cautious side for the sake of a few extra quid.