15 Years of Ownership Experience With My Mazda Rx8 

I've had my 2004 pre-order for 19 and half years and still love driving it.

The way you shot this video is great, man. You say you're not a youtuber and I believe you lol but you wouldn't believe how much people these days enjoy this raw, no cuts, no script style of video making. Really enjoyed this and I'm sure this video is gonna pick up exponentially in popularity. Keep the rotary alive!

Glad to see this video, it's such a shame that this car got such a bad reputation through out the years. This video it's a gold mine to new owners and with so much experience on it helps to demystify such a great and misunderstood car.

I don’t have an RX8, but from someone who has been mixing 2-stroke fuel for my whole life… You can’t take any 2-stroke oil dump it into a tank of gasoline and hope it will mix. Ideally you want to mix a batch in a Jerry can by sealing the lid tight and agitating WELL. That allows top ups without messing up the ratio. To mix in tank at a gas station, I’d recommend mixing the total required oil in a 1 gallon Jerry can, mix well, dump in tank, then top up with the correct amount of fuel.

I dont know where to start with my comments to you on your RX8 maintenance, but start here: RX8 Club’s recommended maintenance schedule, more comprehensive and proactive than Mazda’s schedule. 30,000 miles: - Replace Ignition coils - Replace Plug wires - Replace Spark plugs - Clean MAF (mass air flow sensor) - Clean ESS (e-shaft sensor) - Reset ESS profile - Clean power steering connections - Clean battery terminals and clamps - Replace transmission fluid - Replace coolant (Mazda FL-22 is highly recommended) - Replace air filter - Replace brake fluid (fluid in the brake lines AND the clutch line) ~$300 USD in parts if you shop smartly. every 60,000: ...all 30,000, plus... - Clean all chassis electrical grounding points - Replace accessory belts - Clean OMP lines - Replace rear differential fluid - Replace thermostat - Clean / Straighten AC condenser fins - Clean / Straighten oil cooler fins - Inspect catalytic converter - Clean / Inspect intake valving - Consider / inspect all points in 90,000+ as well, many items fail early ~$130 USD in parts if you shop smartly. 90,000: ...all 30,000, plus any 60,000 not yet done, plus... - Replace coolant bottle - Replace radiator hoses - Replace radiator - Replace front O2 sensor - Replace motor mounts - Inspect clutch pedal assembly for flex / weld breaks ~$900 USD in parts if you shop smartly. At 100k, anything original in the cooling system and any original cat are really suspect and failure prone. They represents the biggest threat to your engine. Replace. __________________

Thank you for this video Just bought a 2005 rx-8 myself Very informative and got me feeling more confident with the car

Superb. Well done Amigo. Just my RX8 one month ago and ur video has encouraged me. Thank you.

Been owning an RX8 since I got my licence at 18. Was my daily for 3 years, only issues I got were consumable like clutch, the starter, a battery. It hasn't ran in a year tho cause i broke my right arm last May and couldn't drive it because the shifter was a bit too short since i had a bit of trouble deploying my arm fully. Now that summer is here again i'm gonna flush all fluids, change spark plugs, brakes and pads and i'll finally be able to drive it. I've been missing it horribly.

Great idea for a video. I took delivery of my pre-order car in July of 2003, so 20 years of ownership as of the month I posted this. It's been a great car and very reliable for me, with a lot of great experiences attached to it. Road trips, car events, track days etc. An underappreciated and misunderstood gem of a car.

This video definitely eases some of my concerns about the rx-8s. I have always wanted one as a project but rn don't have the time or money. But when time permits I really really want one. I keep coming back to it as a project idea and I am hoping one day to get one and learn how these rotarys work and enjoy it.

I bought my Rx8 when I was 18 since it’s been really one of my dream to own one ever since I was a kid (influenced by nfs lol). Now I’ve had the Rx8 for 4 yrs and in his second engine lol😂 it’s been a love and hate relationship but I can’t imagine selling my Rx8 anytime soon😂

Don't apologize man. Your perfectly fine. What matters is you had the courage to get in front of the camera and share your experience with us about your RX8 and your ownership. It's valuable information that people like myself are seeking out cause we're either curious or want to own one. Which in my case I do want to own one someday. Cause as meticulous as I am with the maintenance on my Mazda 3 I'm pretty sure I can handle maintenance on one of these to. Cause the only thing that truly makes it different is the fact that it utilizes a Rotery engine as opposed to a regular piston engine. Otherwise everything else around the engine is still stuff that's used on piston engines. It still sorta functions like a piston engine in terms of the combustion process. It just has a different way of going about it but still the same result. But good God I really want one. I love they're unique shape, their unique sound. I have never driven one unfortunately but hopefully in the future I can have the opportunity to drive one and own one.

Great video! I love how you tell us what works for you, without preaching it! I’m an 18-year owner of a 2005 still running great, with just following the maintenance differences for the rotary. Glad that I got to see this and learn from your experiences. Btw, love the Kobe plaque!

Love it man. I'm getting an r3 forsure. My dream car since I was 17 has been the rx8. I'm 32 now. Saving up for a year so I have 12k to be able to get the basic necessities needed as soon as I get it. Can't fucking wait.

Mine has 248,000 miles, 3 rebuilds, 1 motor replaced, 1 transmission replaced. My gpa was original owner, im 2nd owner. I love the car, i will never willingly give it up. Youd have to offer me a ridiculous amount of money and i would just buy a newer rx8 lol...i love it

Thank you for for being so HUMBLE and HONEST, and for shining some LIGHT on all of the DARKNESS that many stupid ignorant people have been casting on this extremely underrated sportscar! 💡💡

Fantastic video! I appreciate the honesty and it's good to have a long time review of the Rx8.

I feel heard ;) 14 years with a 2008 40th anniversary, driven summers and winters up North in Montréal, Canada, and have the same feeling about the car. And this after having leased a 2005 model prior to that. No pre-mix, only used non-synthetic oil, and drive it as it should be driven at every chance I get. Only worry is rust as I neglected it in the later years, but it started faintly in the rear wheel wells after 12 years. Otherwise, this has been my most reliable car (but DO read the manual and stick to the maintenance calendar!). I much enjoyed your video.

Thank you . A very informative video into our much maligned RX8 .

Thanks for sharing. I completely agree they truly are a great car. I have a 06 with 75k. And I have done many things to mine to make it as bulletproof as possible engine wise. I did the sohn adapter and have run 2 cycle oil from a separate tank since around 15k miles. I have run synthetic from the sohn adapter setup. Still runs strong. No issues. I also have the revi intake. Love it. I have used mostly purple in its life but also have run Castrol edge also. Been a fantastic car. Not my first rotary though. I had a 1gen rx7 first so I had experience with rotaries already. Love to talk about rotaries so any questions. I would be happy to chat. I have been thinking of doing this same kind of video for mine also. You have inspired me. Thanks

this needs heaps more views man damn

This car is awesome. Most of people speak bad about this car they never had one. 👍

My issue is the consumption..... In US you have very cheap gasoline. In Europe is 2€per liter 😢😢 I prefer a type r 2.0

You car may still run, but with your lack of proper regular maintenance over 15 years, I am certain your engine has loss some compression. You should do a proper rotary-engine specific compression test. The results might surprise you. You should have joined the RX8Club way back when you first got the car to know how to keep it in the best shape. And they have been also Takata airbag recalls. Some parts of the series one fuel pump system were replaced under recall as well as a fuel tank issue, but the fuel pump.was NOT replaced under recall. Any Mazda dealer can plug in your vin number and tell you what recalls still need to be done for your car. BUT you should NOT still be running with a Series One Fuel pump. They are way under-engineered and will fall under high loads, heavy use , and high heat and can leave you stranded on the side of the road. You should swap in a RX8 Series TWO fuel pump, a very different design, different manufacturer, and much better for street and track use. Pre-mix does work and helps keep you engine and its seals healthy. In my post below with the proper RX8 maintenance schedule you will note that at 100K miles, ANYTHING still original in your entire cooling system or an original cat are the worst risk to your engine, and need to be replaced pronto. Good that you put in the Koyo-Rad radiator. As far as CAI, only the AEM/Mazdaspeed CAI and Racing Beat CAI are worth anything. All others will actually rob you of HP. The BHR coils are lifetime and will add performance . Even a used BHR coil set are better than new OEM coils. Good you had the clutch pedal replaced. If you still have the original 2004/2005 starter , you need to upgrade that with newer ones, more teeth and more power to start even a flooded engine. . The 2004/2005 starters were the weakest made. FYI, i have owned seven rotary Mazdas since 1973; one RX3; two RX4; all three generations of RX7 (one of my RX7 was race modified by Racing-Beat). .And I have my 2008 40th Anniversary Edition RX8 , bought new in 2008. I have easily way over a million rotary miles on street and track. On my RX8, I have done cooling upgrades including a lower temp thermostat, lower temp fan control, lower temp oil cooler thermostats, a Koyo-Rad radiator with Racing Beat hoses, starter upgrade, water pump upgrade, clutch pedal upgrade, Mazdaspeed CAI, BHR ignition coils and wires upgrade, performance cat and mid-pipe upgrade, new engine (under Mazda warranty, along with new clutch at the same time), Series Two fuel pump upgrade, and ALL the recommended regular maintenance. In my turbo Race RX7 with performance apex seals and running at 10,000RPM we used Amsoil Full Synthetic Oil due to the boost conditions and high rpms. But in my street rotaries I use only non-synthetic oil. In cold climates 5W-20, in warm climates and higher heat performance driving I use 5W-30 for better engine protection. Mazda only had that 5W-20 recommendation because they achieved a bit better fuel mileage for their EPA mileage ratings with 5W-20 oil, but it really isn't enough protection if you drive your car hard. Synthetics have a higher heat threshold, so they DO NOT burn up in your engine as well as non-synthetics. Just a fact. Cheers

Thanks for the video :)

the thing with asking a race driver which oil he uses is they care about performance instead of reliability. its knows racing teams use thinner oils to minimize power losses but that's the only reason they do it.

Thank you man for the vid. Im new to the rx8 platform. I have an 04 6 speed ( 6 port) it has 143k but a new motor was swapped at 120k. I’m learning as much as possible.

More RX8 Info: Engine Power Loss • chokes as revs increase o O2 sensor failure (too rich) o MAF failure o MAF disconnected o e-shaft sensor fouled o accessory belt fraying • high end power loss (hard fuel cut) o Rev limit reached • high end power loss (jerky and stumbling) o Ignition failure o fuel pressure loss o e-shaft sensor fouled • high end power loss (smooth) o Catalytic converter clog o air filter clog • low end power loss (smooth) o Engine compression loss • low end power loss (stumbles) o Ignition failure o front O2 sensor failure • revs slowly but smoothly o O2 sensor failure (too lean) o catalytic converter clog o air filter clog • sudden power drop at a specific rpm o Intake valving actuation problem • trouble getting to redline o Ignition failure o front O2 sensor failure o catalytic converter clog o air filter clog o e-shaft sensor fouled o fuel pressure loss o MAF failure

Had my 05 since 2005 only owner

I've always been back and forth on synthetics. I don't see why you wouldn't be able to run them especially since its used in normal engines that also burn oil as well (of course way less). I honestly might just switch as well since it's becoming harder and harder to find conventional in the right oil weights (I use 10w-40 because it gets to 110f here in the summer and need the extra viscosity for really high temps.) Very glad someone made a video like this. Appreciate you sharing your experience.

Hey mate and thanks for the video. As far as the CAI power loss in low revs, the car should be tuned after installing the CAI to adjust the mixtures accordingly but also to lower the temp the fans are starting to work, increase the oil flow for the OMP and also, raise your idle to 1000 rpms again for better lubrication when idling. Also, since you use it to track you should replace the OEM brake lines with steel ones. Major improvement. Also another great mod, you should install since you use it for track, install SOHN adapter to use proper 2T oil for the OMP (together with Premix of course) and then use fully synthetic oil for the engine.

I’m glad it helped. If you have any questions just post them and I will do my best to answer them. If enough people are interested I will keep making them.

Back of coils going white means they were on their way out. You changed them on time. They need to be monitored.

When i pre mix my daily 8 i always put in the 2T oil in 1st then put in the fuel you want. that way the oil is getting mixed the second the fuel comes in and washes/mixing all that 2T dipping down the filler neck.

now this is real video !

In retrospect I think my decision not to take a salesman's suggestion to buy an RX-8 in 2006 and buy a Honda instead was one of the best car buying decisions I ever made. I still daily drive the Honda but I bet I would've ditched the RX-8 years ago.

Any sort of bullet points on issues and learning experiences? Pros and cons?

Its gonna be so hard to convince my parents to get one once i sell my current car

I currently have a FC RX-7, but recently have been contemplating selling it and getting a RX8 R3. It’s basically a FC, but better in every way.😭

i had a 2007 in 2016 and i drove it about 3200 miles before the motor blew, it had 105k miles when i bought it

These cars had air bag recalls mazda sent out notices to original owners so guys that bought them second hand check your vin# with dealership to make sure they where replaced

I will say thank you sir for this video I have a obs Chevy and I offered it to someone that has a add up for trade his rx8 for a truck, he’s interested, I’m interested but then I tell my buddy’s and there all like noooo don’t do it, that car sucks, da da da .. so I was really on the fence ..honestly I still am just cause the engine is so different and seems like I have to tip toe around everything on it .. I love the fact that it’s RWD and 6 speed manny iv been missing it since I purchased the truck but that dam dorito scares me man .. 🤷‍♂️

So you’ve had the rx8 around to decades and never had issued with the rotary?

I just called my mazda dealership and they told me that my rx-8 is available for a "Fuel Tank Leak" recall.... I suspect the reason mine suddenly stopped working is because of a faulty fuel pump. If I understood you correctly, the recall replaces your fuel pump?

I think it is a very misunderstood car from this video. It's obvious that it can be more reliable than any piston engine with the proper care. I think the problem came up because it was the first mass market RX sports car. Really they should always have been aimed at the supercar market.

did you UNDERCOAT the under body?.......being a dd through ice and snow??

can i use 5w-20 fully synthetic?

My Rx8 is sick all the time 😩

Shoot, i might buy one soon, but sadly it have to be Auto. Unless i find one in good shape but in manual.

72 miles a day is crazy

"never didnt start between 16000km and 16000km" lmaoo

Is there a tl:dr sheesh

To anyone considering buying this car or any rotary engine car: DONT!