Hey guys!

A chance to introduce yourself...
Mazzarx8
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Hey guys!

Post by Mazzarx8 »

I’m looking into buying my first rx8 AND this will also be my first rotary!
I have done my research and I’m a more than capable self taught mechanic, so I’m not put off by any potential issues that may come from possibly the worst financial mistake of my life 🤣
I’m in for the long term! I want to buy a reasonable example and keep it!
The plan is to firstly upgrade all the problem parts, cooling, ignition ect and get it up to a “reliable” standard, as well as get her looking pretty!
So, I’ve been looking for a while, there’s a few about, one is very local to me, it’s a pro drive edition (I’m assuming rarer) it’s got 60k miles but a claimed rebuild around 3k ago by a company called APEX ROTARY...
Anyone have any details about these guys? Found one post on forums saying avoid them, but does anyone else have any experience with them?
I’m very tempted to go and have a look at least, like I say I’m in for the long term and I’m guessing a pro drive edition would become even more of a desirable spec in the long term...
I know there is not a massive difference, just a spoiler, the suspension ect but still it’s different!
So again I say hello and im looking forward to my rotary journey 👍
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by 350matt »

Welcome

and yes a PZ is great version as their suspension is arguably one of the best fitted to an '8'
Apex rotary do not have the best name and don't think they are still trading
they used to offer very cheap rebuilds where not all the parts that should have been changed , were changed......

it all depends on what amount the car is up for and what the rust situation is like really though

have a search on here for more detail but in a nutshell check the state of the rear arches, if they have rotted through then the rust will be all into the backs of the sills and onwards

if the car is cheap enough and in otherwise good condition I'd plan to rebuild it or have it rebuilt ( about 2.5K for a decent job by someone else and its at least £1100 in parts if you tackle it yourself) then you'll have a solid car with a solid engine
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by Cscameron »

Merry Christmas and welcome :lol:

Just thought I would jump in with a bit of Apex advice :evil:

My Rex had a rebuild about 17k miles ago by Apex (previous owner). Every MOT since I’ve had an advisory for an oil leak - not major so not a problem. I did the same as you and looked into them (after buying the car). Made a a little paranoid but maybe I got a good one 🤞

Roll on Japfest earlier this year

Got chatting to a nice chap who’d heard I had an Apex rebuild. Turns out he worked for them until about 3 months before they went bust. The reason he left was because of the way they work. Nothing was tested, seals were reused and workmanship was awful. He didn’t want to be associated with them anymore so left. Advice he gave me was if the rebuild gets to 5k it’s one of his, but chances are it’s not as he wasn’t there for long.

I’ve spent most of my Rex ownership super paranoid that my engines gonna go. I’ve had 2 compression tests and have really good numbers (actually increased after 6 months) and there is nothing pointing towards an engine failure, but chatting to the ex Apex chap has made me more para than I was before.

So I’ve done the sensible thing and bought a second engine that will be being rebuilt by RRP so I can start enjoying and trusting my car 😂

In a nutshell you have a 90% chance that engine will go bang, and fairly soon. I would definitely get a compression test done and check MOT history but to be honest if you don’t want to have to rebuild soon I would avoid it, just for peace of mind
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by PaulAV »

Rotary engines rarely go bang as it were, they do suffer lower compression, this can happen evenly over time or can happen quickly and unevenly(usually due to a broken/stuck seal, but there are 3 different types of seal that create you compression and different seals cause different symptoms) if you can get a compression test and the figures are even and 6 or above then you should have a good few years in the engine, with the proviso that as bearing doesn't fail, ideally dropping the oil will show if there is a bearing issue.
These days rust sends more cars to be parted out than engine failure which is as reversal of the situation 5-10 years ago, that being said repair/replacement panels are available (think there is an eBay listing for both sills and rear quarter panel repair sections for around £300) so if you can find the right person rust repairs can be considerably cheaper than a bad engine, the benefits being panel repair on the rx8 is no different to any other car, where as engine repair is more specialised.
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by Delanor »

A little advice on Rotary engines - Rotary Reliability - the facts!

*
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Hey guys!

Post by GreySilver Beast »

Hi & :welcome: to the RX-8OC :thumleft:

<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Please post your location here :thumleft:

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

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Mazzarx8
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by Mazzarx8 »

350matt wrote:
Sat Dec 25, 2021 9:49 am
Welcome

and yes a PZ is great version as their suspension is arguably one of the best fitted to an '8'
Apex rotary do not have the best name and don't think they are still trading
they used to offer very cheap rebuilds where not all the parts that should have been changed , were changed......

it all depends on what amount the car is up for and what the rust situation is like really though

have a search on here for more detail but in a nutshell check the state of the rear arches, if they have rotted through then the rust will be all into the backs of the sills and onwards

if the car is cheap enough and in otherwise good condition I'd plan to rebuild it or have it rebuilt ( about 2.5K for a decent job by someone else and its at least £1100 in parts if you tackle it yourself) then you'll have a solid car with a solid engine
Thanks for your reply 👍
it’s up for just under 4K...
I’m aware rust is an issue which is steering me towards a series 2 R3 tbh as I’m guessing these will be better examples now, although I prefer the series 1 look and I’ve read in terms of modification/tuning (which I will eventually succumb to lol)
They are the better choice.. in honesty, suspension doesn’t mean all that much as I can upgrade that anyway... is the chassis touched at all on the pz? Doesn’t look like I will go for this one unless it’s really something special and worth sinking the money into!
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by Mazzarx8 »

Cscameron wrote:
Sat Dec 25, 2021 9:58 am
Merry Christmas and welcome :lol:

Just thought I would jump in with a bit of Apex advice :evil:

My Rex had a rebuild about 17k miles ago by Apex (previous owner). Every MOT since I’ve had an advisory for an oil leak - not major so not a problem. I did the same as you and looked into them (after buying the car). Made a a little paranoid but maybe I got a good one 🤞

Roll on Japfest earlier this year

Got chatting to a nice chap who’d heard I had an Apex rebuild. Turns out he worked for them until about 3 months before they went bust. The reason he left was because of the way they work. Nothing was tested, seals were reused and workmanship was awful. He didn’t want to be associated with them anymore so left. Advice he gave me was if the rebuild gets to 5k it’s one of his, but chances are it’s not as he wasn’t there for long.

I’ve spent most of my Rex ownership super paranoid that my engines gonna go. I’ve had 2 compression tests and have really good numbers (actually increased after 6 months) and there is nothing pointing towards an engine failure, but chatting to the ex Apex chap has made me more para than I was before.

So I’ve done the sensible thing and bought a second engine that will be being rebuilt by RRP so I can start enjoying and trusting my car 😂

In a nutshell you have a 90% chance that engine will go bang, and fairly soon. I would definitely get a compression test done and check MOT history but to be honest if you don’t want to have to rebuild soon I would avoid it, just for peace of mind
Merry Xmas to you to buddy! Hope you had a great day!
Thanks for your reply, although not what I wanted to hear 🙈🤣
But was kind of expecting 😔
It’s up for just under 4K, well in my budget but with 2.5 k for a rebuild and the price of paranoia I’m probably going to avoid!
I’d do it myself but I’d be planing for next year maybe before I want to be in that situation!
Although this will not be my daily driver and I’m deffinitly going to be getting some sort of roadside recovery policy it’s not how I want to start my journey lol
I’m in no rush to buy, not for a couple of months so I will keep looking! There is a nice 40th anniversary up for 6k, might go and have a look at that instead! Bit more out the budget but if it’s a good one it may be worth the extra!
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by Mazzarx8 »

Delanor wrote:
Sat Dec 25, 2021 1:19 pm
A little advice on Rotary engines - Rotary Reliability - the facts!

*
*
Del.
Hi buddy!
Thanks, I have actually read this already 👍
Great write up and has actually made me more confident in buying a rotary!
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by Mazzarx8 »

GreySilver Beast wrote:
Sat Dec 25, 2021 3:38 pm
Hi & :welcome: to the RX-8OC :thumleft:

<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Please post your location here :thumleft:

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

Events Team
Hey buddy! I’m from birmingham 👍 will be sure to check out events and hopefully attending some next year 😃
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by PaulAV »

Just down the road from our monthly meet at the Appleby Inn, we have several rx8s meet there if you want to come along and have a nosey around. Although the pz and 40th are a little rarer the premium they demand is only around £1-1.5k extra, a decent pz is around the £3-3.5k and the 40th maybe around £4k from what I have seen, a half decent R3 can be had for £6k so unless totally pristine and super low mileage that 40th is slightly over priced.
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by Markl17 »

The main difference between a normal Rx8 and a Pz is the suspension and exhaust,they are probably 16 years old by now and replacement are very hard to find,there was a group buy I bit ago but I do not think there will be another one,as has been said rust is the killer and not just on the bit you can see,some cars look great then you put them on a lift and they look like they have lived at the bottom of the sea.find a good one .r3 are not with out rust issues.
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by MARKTHOMASBRAND »

Mazzarx8 wrote:
Sat Dec 25, 2021 6:28 am
So, I’ve been looking for a while, there’s a few about, one is very local to me, it’s a pro drive edition (I’m assuming rarer) it’s got 60k miles but a claimed rebuild around 3k ago by a company called APEX ROTARY


Image
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by 350matt »

have you seen this car?

viewtopic.php?f=145&t=84732&start=25

needs a rebuild but it does drive and in otherwise good condition
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by Mazzarx8 »

350matt wrote:
Sun Dec 26, 2021 10:04 am
have you seen this car?

viewtopic.php?f=145&t=84732&start=25

needs a rebuild but it does drive and in otherwise good condition
Thanks buddy but I want something I can run for a year or so before I have to do a rebuild tbh, I know it’s inevitable but I’m just not set up for it nor have the time as yet.
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by Shagrington »

Hi and :welcome: Mazzarx8 and happy hunting, good luck :thumleft:
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Re: Hey guys!

Post by rickya »

I saw the PZ up for sale in Birmingham but gave it a miss for the same reason. The white 40th Anniversary one in Hertfordshire looks good. There is also a lovely grey 40th Anniversary edition on sale with Enjoyable cars for approx £3.75k that has better compression numbers than the white one in Herts.
https://www.enjoyablecars.net/cars- ... versary