Before I got into my accident, I had the car for over a year. I bought the car used from a cheap charity auto dealership. This car was the best on the lot. It sounded good, it looked good, the paint was in decent condition.
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Introduction
Reviewed: 2005 Mazda RX-8
4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD2005 Mazda RX-8 Love Letter
Despite was people say, the 2005 Mazda RX-8 can be a really reliable car, if you know how to take care of it. Luckily, I did. I knew all the quirks and downsides of the car. The worst thing you have got to worry about with this car is losing compression. Good thing I know how to keep a Wankel Rotary Engine from losing compression. The only problems I had with the car are as follows: flooded engine (somebody else was driving the car at the time), bad spark plugs, bad ignition coils, bad wires and front wheel cowlings were loose (the owner before me must have run over something because all plastic parts under the car were tied to the car with zip ties).
Do not get me wrong, the RX-8 gets horrific gas mileage, but that was because I used thicker oil (the car had over 134,000 miles). With the thicker oil, I was getting a little over 10 MPG. However, that is a lot better than getting a little over 9 MPG with a bad ignition system and regular 5W-20 conventional oil. If you have the money to pay for gasoline and do not drive long distances, this car might just be all right for you.
The interior of the car is made of quality materials. When I say quality, I mean materials that will last a long time (except for the steering wheel). Even after 134,000 miles, the RX-8 still felt really solid. The car still handled like a dream, but there was a lot of body roll. That is because the shocks needed to be replaced (normal maintenance).
The car was extremely practical. Four seats, four doors, vast amount of trunk space, comfortable, was easy grocery shopping. It was a great daily driver that never failed to disappoint me. It always remained fun.
Overall this is a car that will not disappoint. With this car, you get the whole package: reliability, practicality, and sportiness. The four doors and four seats are definitely an added bonus. A con is that the car gets horrific gas mileage. But, hey, you get a higher rev limit and a higher power to displacement ratio.
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