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[dylan_rx8]

Hi all, I'm new here and a prospective RX8 buyer. I'm British but Italy-based at the moment, looking to pick up a car in the UK in the next few months and have some fun with it. I've been looking out for R3s and I've been wondering whether it's worth going for an R3 over a 2007/2008 RX8.

[Nickp47]

Hello and welcome!

This question has been asked regularly and unsurprisingly, divides opinion.
My opinion is the R3 is worth the extra money, this is based on the better looks (imo) better interior and the extra few features it has.
There have been a few threads containing people’s opinion, here is one to start you off:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=78115&p=1175432&hil ... 1#p1175432

[kopite72]

As above I too am biased but for me it's a no brainer,R3 all day long.Looks better,drives better,lovely recaro seats aswell as lovely 19" alloys which are very light.It also came with engine upgrades improving reliability although I'd hardly call adding an extra injector an upgrade as such but hey ho

if you can get a good one then go for it

[warpc0il]

Does the age of the car make any significant difference when you import pay taxes on a car on Italy?

Given that you're talking about cars at least 10 years old, there are going to be so many other factors that mean that individual cars could be hugely better or worse than their age alone might suggest.

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[dylan_rx8]

Thank you all for the welcome replies..in terms of looks, it's subjective but I tend to prefer the R3. My coursin had a black 2004 S1 so I'm familiar with it and it felt great both in terms of driving enjoyment and comfort. Having said that, I didn't have an R3 to compare it too. I'd like to go for something which has less years (hopefully less rust too) and miles on the clock. The improvements they made in terms of reliability are very welcome too, of course. In terms of seats, seen them but haven't tried the R3 ones. The interior updates are a little subjective too, though I personally like them with the exception of the cluttered steering wheel. All in all, I'm after a sporty and fun car to replace my 1997 MR2 turbo which I sold to a close friend which is compatible with wife and 2 kids...

[dylan_rx8]

Does the age of the car make any significant difference when you import pay taxes on a car on Italy?

Given that you're talking about cars at least 10 years old, there are going to be so many other factors that mean that individual cars could be hugely better or worse than their age alone might suggest.

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The age of the car isn't an issue unless over 30 years old, just a personal preference to have a fresher car which should prove a little more reliable.

[dylan_rx8]

As above I too am biased but for me it's a no brainer,R3 all day long.Looks better,drives better,lovely recaro seats aswell as lovely 19" alloys which are very light.It also came with engine upgrades improving reliability although I'd hardly call adding an extra injector an upgrade as such but hey ho

if you can get a good one then go for it

I agree with the reliability improvements and the lovely "19s....plus, there are no R3s in Europe unless somebody imports them from the UK, US or Japan, so there's also an element of 'different' and 'not seen before'..

[Shagrington]

Hi and dylan_rx8. I'd say get the best example you can (ie as rust-free as you can find) of either version ... I'd imagine rotary specialists are few and far between in Italy though, so maybe one that is also mechanically healthy etc is as important since bringing it back to the UK to be fixed wouldn't be so simple.
Have you seen the Buyers Guide? viewtopic.php?f=25&t=24047

[GreySilver Beast]

Hi Dylan & to the RX-8OC

<<<<<< Please put your Location in your Profile Box, it will help us to know where you are, if required any help in the future

Please check out the EVENTS SECTION's for anything coming up soon in your area

Events Team

[dylan_rx8]

Hi Dylan & to the RX-8OC

<<<<<< Please put your Location in your Profile Box, it will help us to know where you are, if required any help in the future

Please check out the EVENTS SECTION's for anything coming up soon in your area

Events Team

Thanks, just added the location!

[dylan_rx8]

Hi and dylan_rx8. I'd say get the best example you can (ie as rust-free as you can find) of either version ... I'd imagine rotary specialists are few and far between in Italy though, so maybe one that is also mechanically healthy etc is as important since bringing it back to the UK to be fixed wouldn't be so simple.
Have you seen the Buyers Guide? viewtopic.php?f=25&t=24047

In terms of rotary specialists, I'm right in the south of Italy, my local garage and friends have some experience with RX7s (a friend of mine owns one) and RX8s (my cousins owns that one) so they're familiar with the car, though they won't risk doing any specialist work on the actual engine beyond regular maintenance. Thus, if there are any issues, either I get help in Malta (they have a fairly big JDM market there) or ship my rotors to the UK (hope I never have to though..)

[Ryan Rotary Performance]

Hi dylan,

Just for information we ship engines all around Europe having approximately:

20 in Spain
5-10 In France
3 In the Netherlands
2 In Germany

and about 4 in Italy, so you'd be in good hands if ever you needed support fro mus here in the UK.

[dylan_rx8]

Hi dylan,

Just for information we ship engines all around Europe having approximately:

20 in Spain
5-10 In France
3 In the Netherlands
2 In Germany

and about 4 in Italy, so you'd be in good hands if ever you needed support fro mus here in the UK.

Hi
thank you. I've been keeping an eye on your products and am glad to know that you could offer some support.

[RX8R3Rod]

Hi and welcome.

Like a number of members on here, I’ve had both S1 and R3 RX8’s.

They’re both great cars, and I think Ian raises a great point re the potentially better reliability of the R3 engine, courtesy of the extra injector, etc.

One other thing to perhaps consider is how you like your chassis tuning.

I like mine nice and firm (and I replaced my R3 suspension with an electronically-adjustable Cusco one that’s (on middle) settings even firmer) but even in standard form the R3 suspension, seats and steering is, in my experience, somewhat harder and more direct than the series 1.

If you like that sort of thing, you may well prefer the R3. If you don’t, the S1 may be more your bag?

I have driven an S1 from the UK to Austria, and the R3 from the UK to and around Spa and then to holiday around Germany. On those really long runs - particularly the Autobahn - the S1 was a lot more comfortable, if a bit less rewarding to drive (given my preferences).

[dylan_rx8]

Hi and welcome.

Like a number of members on here, I’ve had both S1 and R3 RX8’s.

They’re both great cars, and I think Ian raises a great point re the potentially better reliability of the R3 engine, courtesy of the extra injector, etc.

One other thing to perhaps consider is how you like your chassis tuning.

I like mine nice and firm (and I replaced my R3 suspension with an electronically-adjustable Cusco one that’s (on middle) settings even firmer) but even in standard form the R3 suspension, seats and steering is, in my experience, somewhat harder and more direct than the series 1.

If you like that sort of thing, you may well prefer the R3. If you don’t, the S1 may be more your bag?

I have driven an S1 from the UK to Austria, and the R3 from the UK to and around Spa and then to holiday around Germany. On those really long runs - particularly the Autobahn - the S1 was a lot more comfortable, if a bit less rewarding to drive (given my preferences).

Thanks for this info, it's great to have some insight from fist-hand experience. I have a family car and a car for school runs, so I'm looking for something that caters for 4 people and provides fun. I probably won't be travelling that far with it, might venture a few track days though. Roads here in Sicily are far from smooth (like B roads in the UK, just all of them are like that here...).
In terms of driving experience, I've lived with a track-focused MR2 turbo for over 14 years, so I'm sure most things are relatively supple in stock form in comparison. Having said that, I also have great memories of taking an S1 RX8 on track and really enjoying the long travel of the suspension (though a bit soft for track) which never upset it, irrespective of bumps, curbs, etc. That was a very different story compared to my MR2, which was stiffer and with much less travel, so it felt more on the edge for more of the time and less confidence-inspiring if not outright scary..
The intended use of the RX8 is 95% road use, day trips and the like with kids, wife and bags. Would love a couple of track days a year (5%) use...

[Honkytonk]

The Prodrive suspension setup is supple enough for comfortable road use, but is also tiptop for track according to many on here, if you didn't want to go all adjustable coilevers etc, and may rectify some of the issues you had with the OEM S1 suspension when you originally drove it.

Not that you need it by sounds of it, the 8 in whatever guise is very confidence building. I had never owned a rear wheel drive car before getting it (driven them regularly, but living with and driving on occasion are a gulf of difference), and was terrified of doing something stupid with it. Other than the odd moment where the DSC has gone 'Okay, you've had quite enough now' and taken the danger away, I have never felt 'on the edge' with the 8, and it has built my confidence up hugely. Unlike a lot of traction control setups which will kick in and violently disrupt your groove, the 8's is more of a disapproving tut from your grandmother, and is predictable and non-disruptive to your driving.

[dylan_rx8]

The Prodrive suspension setup is supple enough for comfortable road use, but is also tiptop for track according to many on here, if you didn't want to go all adjustable coilevers etc, and may rectify some of the issues you had with the OEM S1 suspension when you originally drove it.

Not that you need it by sounds of it, the 8 in whatever guise is very confidence building. I had never owned a rear wheel drive car before getting it (driven them regularly, but living with and driving on occasion are a gulf of difference), and was terrified of doing something stupid with it. Other than the odd moment where the DSC has gone 'Okay, you've had quite enough now' and taken the danger away, I have never felt 'on the edge' with the 8, and it has built my confidence up hugely. Unlike a lot of traction control setups which will kick in and violently disrupt your groove, the 8's is more of a disapproving tut from your grandmother, and is predictable and non-disruptive to your driving.

That's good to know too, I've considered the PZ a number of times but I'm intrigued by the updated look of the car too, as well as the seats of the R3 which look great and seem very supportive too.

[bigpete8]

If you are considering PZ then another member is currently selling one....
viewtopic.php?f=145&t=80566#p1232767

[dylan_rx8]

Hi dylan,

Just for information we ship engines all around Europe having approximately:

20 in Spain
5-10 In France
3 In the Netherlands
2 In Germany

and about 4 in Italy, so you'd be in good hands if ever you needed support fro mus here in the UK.

Are there any particular issues I should be aware of when looking for an R3 or any limitations when considering an R3 over an S1 RX8 (I know parts cost more as they're less common)?

[warpc0il]

The early R3s had a problem with the gearbox synchromesh. This was fixed on the later cars (from JMZSE****** 300922 April 21, 2009) and should have been rectified under warranty, if the symptoms appeared on an affected car. However, there are bound to be some low-mileage examples around, now out-of-warranty that haven't been fixed. This would be an all-day job for a dealer, plus parts.

This shouldn't be confused with "3rd to 4th gear popping out, or difficult to engage" which can be cured with a quick external adjustment to the gearbox - again unique to the R3.

[kopite72]

Dave how exactly do you make this adjustment and where exactly do you make it from.

Mine pops out of gear every so often avd if I thought a simple adjustment might fix it then I'm all in

[SeeJay]

how exactly do you make this adjustment and where exactly do you make it from.

Here you go,Ian

https://www.rx8club.com/series-ii-techn ... on-246642/

[dylan_rx8]

Thanks guys, very helpful.

[warpc0il]

It's also in our own Tech FAQ section. ..

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[dylan_rx8]

Hdy, over the weekend there was an ad for a very nice R3, blue and low mileage...wasn't quick enough to go for it...