I'm thinking of buying a Mazda RX-8; what do you think?

I'm thinking of buying a 2004 Mazda RX-8; what do you think?

Anthony Mullally (Waterford)

May 2014 Filed under: choosing used car

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Expert answer

Hi Anthony,

Oh heck yes! The RX-8 has always been one of our favourite cars and it mixes high-revving rotary rear-drive fun with almost-practical four-seat space. There are actually very few, indeed hardly any, reported mechanical issues, and that's in spite of the poor reputation that rotary engines have in that regard. It will burn through a lot of oil though - they genuinely all do that, sir - so keep an eye on the dipstick and don't skimp on the good quality lubricants. There were also a few recalls, for leaking fuel pipes, cracked steering joints and cracked damper heat covers. Avoid anything that's been tweaked, tuned or messed around with and watch the handling in the wet - they can be staggeringly tail-happy.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe