Pre buy question

[BrisRX8]

Hi there,

I am re-entering there world of RX8 ownership having loved every minute of ownership a few years ago before by beloved 192's cooling system blew up. I have been looking at a 2004 231 with very low mileage. The current owner sent me the following message after I enquired about an additional gauge on the dash "I use it for oil temps and it also works as an obd scanner. My RX8 has the normal engine light for lean o2 sensor on it, it just needs mapping out but the scanner can clear it."

I love the RX8 but I cannot claim to be an expert can anyone decipher what this bloke is saying and advise whether I should be giving this car a wide berth?

Many thanks in advance.

[GreySilver Beast]

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[Pippypip]

Hi there,

I am re-entering there world of RX8 ownership having loved every minute of ownership a few years ago before by beloved 192's cooling system blew up. I have been looking at a 2004 231 with very low mileage. The current owner sent me the following message after I enquired about an additional gauge on the dash "I use it for oil temps and it also works as an obd scanner. My RX8 has the normal engine light for lean o2 sensor on it, it just needs mapping out but the scanner can clear it."

I love the RX8 but I cannot claim to be an expert can anyone decipher what this bloke is saying and advise whether I should be giving this car a wide berth?

Many thanks in advance.

I’m assuming that he means that the car has a decat and that’s why the o2 sensors would be causing an engine light. I would make sure to ask him if that’s the case though as that’s what happened when I purchased mine.

[casey]

[bigpete8]

And if it is decatted you will struggle to get it through an MOT without one

[BrisRX8]

Thanks for those responses. I hadn't even considered a potential de-cat. Owner said he was going to make it a show car but got fed up of it during lockdown. From what I can see it has had MazdaSpeed induction kit with K&N filter, new alloys, racing steering wheel and an Android audio system put on it. It looks amazingly clean and the mileage is very low. Heart says yes, head is starting to say no.

[Pippypip]

Thanks for those responses. I hadn't even considered a potential de-cat. Owner said he was going to make it a show car but got fed up of it during lockdown. From what I can see it has had MazdaSpeed induction kit with K&N filter, new alloys, racing steering wheel and an Android audio system put on it. It looks amazingly clean and the mileage is very low. Heart says yes, head is starting to say no.

I can basically guarantee you that with those sorts of mods it will have a decat fitted.

If you are set on it you could always get either a 200cel cat for £170odd or a cheapo euro parts one for mot time

[Scartlead]

If the mods are tasteful, next to no rust on the chassis and the engine is good, then your head should say yes too probably

[Scartlead]

What's the mileage btw?

[GraemeC]

And if it is decatted you will struggle to get it through an MOT without one

Struggle to get through an MOT? Surely your mean not a chance in hell of getting through an MOT decatted

[GraemeC]

And if it is decatted you will struggle to get it through an MOT without one

Struggle to get through an MOT? Surely your mean not a chance in hell of getting through an MOT decatted

[HarSc]

And if it is decatted you will struggle to get it through an MOT without one

Struggle to get through an MOT? Surely your mean not a chance in hell of getting through an MOT decatted

Tomato tomaaahto it likes the dinosaur juice too much

[350matt]

if the price is right and the car is otherwise clean there's nothing wrong with tasteful mods
however the others are correct in saying to confirm if its been decatted or not

[bigpete8]

And if it is decatted you will struggle to get it through an MOT without one

Struggle to get through an MOT? Surely your mean not a chance in hell of getting through an MOT decatted

Well it has been known for the tester to insert his probe into the wrong hole....

[warpc0il]

Removal of the drivers airbag is only permitted on cars that have been "substantially modified" for motorsport.

That doesn't include cars just dressed for posing at shows, so that could also be an MOT fail - if the tester is up-to-date on the regs.

Sent from my SM-G800F using Tapatalk

[HarSc]

What counts as "substantially modified"? Or does that depend on what side of the bed the tester woke up on? I get what they mean though, just amusing to think

[warpc0il]

If It's got a racing seat and harness, then you can justify that a drivers airbag is not required.

[HarSc]

Makes sense. Anything that would prevent your face meeting the steering wheel. Pretty reasonable actually half just imagined some tester being picky and choosey because you didn't have enough stickers or aero mods on the car

[350matt]

thing is about airbags is the timing of when your face hits the bag is pretty crucial as the bag heats up to the extent it can scald if you hit it later than usual so if you're outside of the 5th to 95th percentile of the population then you'll either hit the bag too early if small or too late if too heavy

hit it too early and it won't have inflated in time
hit it too late and its will have started to deflate and will be hot....

so at 6'3 I'm comfortably outside the 95th so if my belt was to stretch sufficiently so that I hit the wheel with my face it wouldn't have much effect at slowing me down but it would burn me

thats not to mention about the possible hearing damage that can occur when an airbag goes off.....

needless to say I'm not a fan these devices as they were mainly instigated for the Americans whom refuse to wear a belt....
tighten your seat belt and use a CG lock and you should hopefully never get close to the wretched thing

[SmuttyHutty]

Screenshot 2021-03-03 at 20.11.47.png

[HarSc]

Pain to the faaaaaaaaaaace.gif

[warpc0il]

Replace all airbags with a 6" spike and everyone would drive more carefully

[SmuttyHutty]

Screenshot 2021-03-03 at 20.50.47.png

[BrisRX8]

You guys were right. It had been de-catted but owner has changed it back. As for the airbag I am leaving that to him. It sounds like he has a" very friendly" MOT Tester to me. If he can get through the MOT and and it feels good on the road I will probably take it. Hard to say no to an RX8. You know something is going to go wrong eventually it is just a question of when.

[Broron]

Replace all airbags with a 6" spike and everyone would drive more carefully

92Hole5.jpg