Dr. Sebastian Clarke
Member
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2007
- Messages
- 76
- Car(s)
- Volkswagen Golf TDi
So I'm gonna be buying a new car in the next 2 months and an RX-8 is one of the cars I'm considering getting. I came into this thread hoping to see advice on how to spot engine problems with the 8s, and the intricacies of replacing it...
Instead I get my months fill of "lulz" :lol:.
1) Don't buy an '04, and especially not an '04 Automatic. Those things have failure rates of up to 25%. If you insist, buy one with less than 60K on the clock, as Mazda extended the powertrain warranty until then.
2) Make sure all the ECU updates are done, keep twisting the dealer's arm or punching him in the face until they actually do it. The ECU update makes the oil injection pump more liberal with lubrication, which helps reliability.
3) About lubrication - use a quality 5W-30 mineral oil, preferably Castrol. Change the oil religiously, and check it every time you fill the tank. It is meant to consume oil as part of operation. If you're going to be thrashing it, add a little non-synthetic 2-stroke oil to the fuel for good luck.
4) Redline that motherfucker, every single day. Find an onramp somewhere, or an empty deserted street, and open it up. Running the engine at high speeds will help prevent carbon buildup. Carbon buildup will cause the seals to bind, and you to buy a new engine (overnight from Japan).
5) If you start the car, you've committed yourself to keeping it started until the engine is warm. If you shut it off cold, there's a good chance it will flood, which is a huge pain in the ass to deal with on a dark, cold, windy, rainy night.