Is a Mazda RX8 Worth Building In 2022? 

Rx8 are cars that need a car guy that knows how to take care and enjoy it! And yes! I have one and is still running fine with no major problem.

You just tested this car in a straight line, if you use it in curves and corners for sure you will never want to get out of this car again! Rigid chassis, precise steering, suspension, distributed mass and bottom braking a very pleasant car to drive and high performance.

I had an 09 RX8. I daily drove it, never premixed and never gave any problems. It has actually been the most reliable car I’ve ever owned. Traded it in for a pick up truck and it still hurts because I miss that car. I got 20 mpg but was super fun to drive.

As a RX8 owner myself, what you say there is quite spot on all the way :) Not for everyone for sure, loves to be a difficult car to.. really.. do any work on. But worth it when hearing it (neighbours will likely disagree as they are loud but heeey... 🤣) And beating the shit out of it is also a very good point. As long as you don't overheat it, it will love it ^^

Mine has over 200,000 miles. No rust. Very clean. Second engine

On the track this car stock can beat GTR’s and corvettes. The 50/50 weight aligns the turn angle in-between the drivers ears so it’s so intuitive to drift. When I first got mine I did a 360 spin turning left from a red light and was able to catch it and just keep going, I bet everyone on the road thought I did it on purpose 😅 now I know the car so well I can daily drift it with zero consequence. You have just as much control side ways as you do full traction if you know the car and throttle accordingly. I daily mine but I do not recommend anyone doing that. As a weekend car it’s unmatched for the price. And being apart of the rotary cult is one of the best car groups to be in. I named my Viszla pup Rotor😉 Also this is one of the easiest cars possible to work on, the engine only has 3 moving parts a rebuild can be done in your driveway in one day… so it’s really not scary at all if the engine blows..

If you maintain it properly, you can beat on it relentlessly. I daily and track mine. No problems

My 70 yr old dad is still rocking his original S1 manual with Ohlins coil overs, BHR coils and racing beat exhaust. Just did an engine rebuild with street port and thicker apex seals at 139k miles. He lights up every time he drives it.

Pretty sure these are supposed be redlined on each drive at least once too.

I was looking for my first car back in 2009. My choices were the RX-8, S2000, G35, 350Z. I test drove them all and the RX-8 made me the happiest and had a back seat so I bought it. It was totalled last year when I was rear ended by an old lady. I really miss it.

Love it thanks for giving the Rx8 community some love finally

I've rebuilt mine countless times and I never stopped loving it.

"it can rev up, all the way up there" I didn't even here the 9k beep😅

I very very seriously considered the RX8, as a daily with plans to modifying, a few years ago. I decided against it. The reason being, I felt like the money I would have to spend to keep it running (also with plans for track use) -- it just wasn't going to be worth it. I ended up going with a G37 coupe (still stock), and even with MININAL maintenance, I definitely don't regret my decision. I don't hate the RX8, at the end of the day. It just wasn't meant for me, and that's cool. Plenty of people out there, I'm sure, who adore theirs.

equating rx8's engine life to the halo reach campaign was the most poetic thing i heard since we studied shakespeare in high school

every. single. video. says the exact same things about the Rx8. And while they may be mostly right, you won't know how dope they are until you own one.

At the end of the day, a subaru STI is Still less Reliable than a RX8 ;D

My rx8 with 54k miles has been perfect. No issues at all so far, sadly it was just totaled from a hailstorm.

I don’t think I could ever own one ‘cause it’s just too much work for me, but I’ve been infatuated with the RX-8 since I first saw it. It’s such a gorgeous design, and despite some of the materials I feel even the design of the interior has held up over the years. I don’t think I’ll ever not love this car.

If you take care of it..it will take care of you... Love my 8.. get all kinds of compliments on it..and runs great with over 150 000 on original engine..

Series 1 RX-8s (the one in the video) do need a lot more care than series 2. They also have a worse diff so the torque feels even more anemic. I just bought a 2011 GT with less than 40k miles for $7500. The only mods I'm looking at are cooling and paint correction. The mixed 17mpg is abysmal especially with the car requiring premium and premix. That said, it's so much fun to drive around. Revving out to 9k for clearing carbon isn't hard to do once per trip and it's fun. Just don't drive it very short distances or it can flood.

Just traded my SG forester xt for a 2006 RX8 and let me tell you the RX8 is awesome great handling platform setting it up for back roads and auto cross. Keeping it n/a and simple

Rx8 owner here! This about the engine guys? Like i have 160k on mine and compression is still great and i have no problems what so ever. Yes it is more fragile to idiots who can't drive but I have only premixed, rewed it high frequently, and pump it up to 4k rpm before i turn it off to prevent flooding! No more is needed. It's not high maintenance, it is regularly maintenance that is key! (You see what I did there? I have to represent! ) Great review guys! And to the people that is thinking to buy an rx8? Do it! Let yourself decide if it's great or not, instead to listen blindly to people that don't own and rotary as a daily tell you that it sucks! 😅

PLEASE, have gels rebuild the engine on camera whenever it goes

Hi Edgar! What the name of that background music 0:45 ?

That Halo Reach analogy is probably the best I’ve ever heard and I completely understand it lol

Every video make rotaries sound like they're some mystical thing that needs constant life support. All they need is some upgrades, after that is just oil changes and premix. Fuel consumption is bad, you're right about that one 😅

I love this car, my brother used to own a rx8. He took really good care of it and lasted. First car I learned how to drive manual on it hahaha

My 2004 8 made it to 150k before I sold it. Never had a problem with it. Gave it an absolute hell.

It is not for everyone, and that would be one more reason for me to have it, as a car guy (Japanese car lover) who was raised up In a car shop, it is a must have car. It is sooo fun to drive, you can enjoy in it in every was, in sound, in comfort stability... It is not the fastest but it pulls nice for fun which is enough for me as I don't race on straight line and those stuff... Just wonderfully car

I bought an '05 Shinka RX-8 in 2006. Still have it. It requires some special care, but nothing that extreme. Put 103k miles on the OEM engine and I am now getting ready to do a rebuild. The car is a blast to drive.

Gotta love how much the car community hates rotaries for no reason even though they have a lot of advantages over piston engines lol

Finally the rx8 Is getting some respect!

I a Fd, which is super reliable and my brother owns a rx8. Great car and there are definelty tricks to making the engine last longer. My brothers only lasted 80k, but then again he often showed up at my house with low oil levels and did properly maintain it.

Say what you will Alex, we have 11 minutes and 32 seconds of footage as proof you smiled behind the wheel the entire time. And that's all that matters. All about the smiles per gallon.

I think the RX8 is a beautiful car and being a owner off the first lions kit rx8 in the uk I love it, I've had mine for 12 years and the body has given up before the engine so over covid reshelled mine with some new mods. but in a nut shell they are great cars to drive.

Test drove a manual Rx8 when they first came out. Intoxicating car to drive. As good as a healthy Renesis feels to drive, I wouldn't live with one. I think the chassis is perfect tho. Buy one with a bum engine & do a turbo K swap, IMO.

This is the Car of the Century in it's original state. I've got two, and the one that is Japanese original is perfect. The handling is super, but you can destroy it easily by lowering it and other stupid arrangement. Streetporting inlet and exhaustport is a good way to get it in a better performance. Don't ruin the car by changing the setup off wheels, suspensions and other thing's if you don't know what you aiming for. The Mazda engineer's had it all covered. The manouverability is extremely good. But it is lacking a turbo...

I’ll say this, stay away from any series 1. Those are all the “affordable “ ones everyone keeps running into. They have issues. If you want a reliable daily rx8, it’s series 2 or nothing. I’ve had mine for 4yrs now. Daily driven. Bought it with 52k km’s and presently has 98k km’s. Absolutely great vehicle! Super smooth and unique. 👍🏻

Please update the website to display a larger image of the cars? The current picture is too small, making it difficult to see the wheel setup clearly

The first car I drove was an Rx8. It made me fall in love with Mazda so I bought a 2022 Mazda3. I want to collect a car from all the other Japanese brands for my kids but I will ALWAYS have more of a love for Mazda than anything else. I still want an rx8 and a mazda6 wagon

Love my 05, definitely a love/hate relationship though. I'm going full restoration on mine. Yes it's a lot of money so far over the years but the fun I have is worth it to me

Simple answer from an rx8 owner,No its Not worth it.

Miss my RX8 more than any other car I have sold. Defiantly quirky and need extra attention.

I dont know about building an Rx8 but it sure sounds like a real treat for anyone willing to put up with it.

I'm currently rebuilding my greddy turbo rx8 and in the Chicago area, In my opinion with that turbo is how the car should have come from the factory

My first car ever was a rx8. I loved it. Modded and Tuned it. Drove it 150k miles. Still miss this car. It taught me how to be a responsible car owner pretty quickly. And no, it’s not that fast, but name another car you can rip around a sweeper at 8k rpm in…

I am an RX-8 Owner that proudly has 82.000 miles and my engine has a 110 psi compresssion tested or 7,5 bar, the in between of 25k to 75k is not really that the point, the point is how do you mantain well the car and rev it to the sky every time you use it

I love the RX8 shape. I think it is a cool ride. BUT, personally, if I had the money; I would slap an LS under the hood, and daily that car.

Good review Alex but this particular one is a bit cheesy hah. Anyway, would like to see a review with Edgar next. Thanks

Why nobody like wings/spoilers on cars? To me it completes the look of the car with some stability benefits. Idk. Too each your own.

Got 110k on my motor with 9.7 9.5 and 9.8 compression on the front rotor and similar numbers on the rear rotor 🤘🤘🤘

Im about to buy one soon so this video was definitely helpfull, as always!

Love my 2009 Series 2 GT RX-8 with 77k miles, i wanna keep it dead stock i love the white paint and black leather interior, uncracked dash too 😏

Can you do can you do something about the infiniti q50 or 60?

At 4:55 he got hooked 😂

Yes, they are worth building in 2023, there is so much knowledge and support from rotary community that some make and sell mods that help solve renesis problems. Definitely worth it because driving the rx8 is like driving a unicorn and people love seeing it.

6:00 lmao I was plaing halo reach when that line was droped lmao

I miss mine…. I sold it for 2k… misfiring at 5-6krmp. Body was mint. The heart was failing. 🥺

Yall now make this video when I bought a rx8 in 2022 already

"why are we driving this?" Best way to start a video!😂

I had one when i was 19, sold it because it was unaffordable for a young guy. Now im 30 , have another, and love it. Why ? Because budget allows me to. I have my house and daily driver and all the other stuff that comes with doing ok with life. This is a car for wealthy people disguised as an affordable sports car.

Looks good but the Renesis engine doesn’t sound very healthy or strong in this one maybe low compression

the engine/trans get stupid hot so make sure your cooling system is working and get a OBD app/plugin to watch engine temps. I wish the rear seats folded down..

i got mine for $2.2k back in october. Its a completely stock 05 rx8, the engine was rebuilt 5k miles before i got it. Only reason i got it so cheap is cuz the person was in debt and needed cash asap. I still have it but havent done any modifications yet!

Rx8 are drivers cars much like the MX5 it's not quick, but if you drive it hard it rewards you. It's engine (renesis) is a crap design, the (REW) is far superior for arguably reliability and tuning, the reason the Rx8 is NA is due the the (renesis) design.

Where You buy this bodykit.?

My 12a is a little bit more forgiving as far as mistakes go but nonetheless i love my 9k redline

I would get one to make a drift missile build with a K swap because they are so cheap.

There is nothing anyone can say, but nothing compares to the sound of a rotary cruising on the fwy or up a mountain.

These cars get a bad rap because most people don’t understand that you need to treat your rotary differently than your normal piston engine. Mine just rolled over the 100k marker and is still running strong 💪. If you do your due-diligence with your premixing, sohm adapter, and letting it warm up before you drive it, it’ll give you no issues. It sounds worse than it is too I promise. 😂

IMO, RX-8s are underrated. But they are special needs for sure. Definitely take some hardcore devotion to own one. And deep pockets for fuel. Lol

I bought one recently from my coworker. My first car was an rx7 and I’m well aware of the quirks. I should mention I am an automotive technician, but these cars are a really fun purchase. That being said I knew going into it I plan to eventually LS swap it 😆

The outro music tho I need that

I remember this girl in my unit had one and she drove ur like a maniac everywhere. Because of her I like it

Loved my 8.... 6 ENGINES later and 2 uprated starter MOTORS... still love the 8.. but besides that, I berid mine..

Holy crap I’ve seen that exact rx8 on the raod

Now gels need to find someone to do a “flash tune” since they actually run “lean” from factory.

Mine is currently getting a turbo installed, I can't wait to hit the track.

I mean. it's about as cheap to buy an rx8 as it is to get just an engine. so if you want to build a hybrid 13b maybe it's worth it.

On my 2nd 8, I love it!

found an abandoned Mazda RX8 2.6L on base, and by god, She's in bad way, and all I wanna do is restore it, Cant wait.

Didn't hear any beep to shift at redline

The Doug demuro spoof at the end 😂

Confuses me every time I see a review complaining that the performance isn't great. What are you comparing this car to? Bearing in mind, in the UK, I can pick one up for around £1,200, I don't think there is anything that matches it or gets any where close for that sort of money!

To be fair, this build ruined everything the Rx8 is about. Handling. The agility of the chassis is almost next to none. The motors are quirky but are perfectly fine if you do your due diligence. My motor just went out at 160k kms. Being the third owner I know for sure if I had a fresh motor I can hit way past 200k kms like some of my friends have done. Rx8s were built to obliterate corners and be fun, sort of like a Miata...just a more gas hungry and faster Miata. Rx8s are a true driving experience (if you dont slam the shit out of it) Also side note, this guys motor is about to die, can tell it has pretty low compression from the acceleration. Anyways, rotary isnt for everyone but it is one of the best experiences a driver can have.

just joined the rx8 community and im loving it already if anyone wants to shoot me some more tips pls lmk

I want another RX-8 only because it was the car my father bought me for graduating highschool, so its got nostalgia and sentimental value. But damn do i remember the gas costs and maintenance >

I am still so confused. Alex isn't part of F.I anymore right? So I assume these are videos shot before he left and agreed to still have them out even though he isn't there anymore? Or....?

Where can you get the price on the wheels? I freaking love the look of them. I didn’t see it on fitment website.

Oh he called me a masochist ❤️

You half to love the car and yeah half to fix it often but awesome car budget fun car

Yeah it’s obviously not fast on them huge American highways but take it down some small, tight back roads and it will feel quick. It’s not a highway car fella

AYO Alex is back!!

Finding an 18 yr old car with only 50,000 miles is very rare. If the guy takes special care of the car could last a good while. These cars are normally sold with higher miles & a engine with compression issues already present. Plain and simple... buy the car knowing the engine will fail totally. If you can't get past that... best stay away from the rx8. I owned three rx8s. The engine is very weak and the air conditioning system is very poor. I remember days of trying to back into my garage. The standard 1 inch concrete step from my driveway to my garage made it nearly impossible. Again these cars are very weak. The ac being on will take you down to 75 hp...lol. stay away. To the guys trapped in la la land. I just described a healthy 6 spd. I was able to race and compare my car to a friend's rx8 with very low miles in basically perfect condition. Very fun car to do figure eights in. Probably wouldn't beat the cheapest car made in a straight line though.

I plan on kswapping an RX8 in the future. All problems solved. 👍

My buddy has a 04 rx8 with the stock renisis and it’s pushing 131k miles

Ecstas are pretty good to be fair...

Buy an RX8.....if you like just looking at it while it's broke down in your driveway.

Mine had 100,000 in it and was still running when I flipped it all I did was premix seafoam once every 2 months and drove it like I stole it