Hello Scotty, hope you are fine ! After a lot of thinking, I decided to look for a Mazda RX-8 as a fun secondary car that won't break the bank (hopefully). The car I am most interested in is a high-spec 2006 model year, manual (6 speed) Cosmo with almost 94000 miles on the clock, one previous owner. Also, the exterior is in rough shape, but acceptable and the compression is measured around 6.2 bar. Given the fact that this particular car is currently the cheapest listed for sale that I can find (only interested in 231 hp models, and yes in my country used cars are unfortunately rather expensive), does it make sense financially to buy it and fix the possible problems assosiated with a high milage wankel car as opposed to a more expensive, but lower milage example, in better shape (with less options fitted). Lastly, it is worth noting that I am willing to work myself on the car (is engine removal and rebuild DIY possible ; ), and future performance modifications are most likely to be made 🙂 . Thanks !
I had a friend who had a 2004 Mazda RX-8 and finally got rid of it around 124,000 miles due to becoming a money pit, but was his daily driver. If you are going to get it, be sure you are really into it (the vehicle and the rotary engine) in terms of knowledge of how they work and how to fix (even if you don’t fix issues yourself). It’s truly a labor of love, and not for the faint of heart. Issues will arise and you will need to know how to address them; be sure also to find someone honest and competent who knows how to work on rotary engines and understands their nuisances and quirks - very important! Also, set aside several thousand in repairs (including for the engine) if you intend to keep it for a while. If your mind and energy is not into the vehicle, don’t get it. They are fun to drive but definitely have their issues!
Also see below: my friend was on his second engine at the time (and he had meticulously taken care of it as the original owner, Mazda had to pay for the second engine):
https://www.cashcarsbuyer.com/mazda-rx8-engine-problems/
Given that you want it strictly as a toy go ahead. Those can be really fun toys.
You do realize that the Wankel engine is notoriously unreliable and almost nobody knows how to work on them/repair them correctly, right?
That's why you can get those cars so cheap. Rotary engines break down a lot and repairs are super costly and difficult. If you are ok shelling out the money and can find a mechanic in your area who knows how to work on them, it can be a fun car. But I would not advise purchasing it myself.
As a toy it can.be okay. They require alot of upkeep.
They can be fun weekend toys, just find someone who really specializes in JDM cars to fix it when it does break down.
Guys thanks for your advice, I really appreciate it ! I have a mechanic in my city who specializes in Mazda Wankel engines, so if something goes wrong, he will probably take care of it. Because I have another, fuel efficient car for daily, I was looking for something like a fast quirky toy for the weekends, with a low displacement engine for tax reasons (for example, a Honda S2000 has a road tax of $850, compared to $160 for the RX-8), but my main concern is the price I have to pay for "restoring" (and modifying it) in the long run. Aside from the engine, what other expensive repairs may be needed on a ~95k car, from your experience and/or knowledge ? Also for the engine, will it probably need a new one, or can I "bring back the lost ponies" with just a rebuild ? Thank you.