Mazda RX8 Maintenance

quick video explaining how to care for the RX8

[@PoeticallyIlliterate]

i really wish i watched this video before i ruined my engine. everything you said in this simple video could have saved me 5,000 this month. my engine died due to overflooding that had to wait to be fixed causing the car to sit causing the 5w30 oil i used to bubble and ruin everything. stupid, stupid, stupid. thank you. People listen to this man; he knows what he's talking about.

[@AnchormanMazdaXBL]

Thanks for making this video. Recently purchased an RX8 myself so I've been looking for tips where-ever I could.

[@chandlershrode]

the owners manual as well as my local Mazda tech said me there was no need to warm it up but you do need to rev it up to 5000+ for a few seconds (anywhere from 2 to 10 depending on how long you've run it) before shutting it off. I was also told to only use premium gas. If I've got the wrong info let me know. And I'm glad somebody finally talked about the awesome handling. It won't win any dragraces but it'll take on all comers on a winding road. Great car, Great video.

[@KillaRock404]

I was planing on buying an RX-8 before this video but Im definitly going to refrence it every now and then. Thanks bro

[@MazdaUSA]

Hey, Thanks for breaking this down for people. Good work.

[@randoff32]

I've not had but ONE flooding issue and I've had my RX8 since Sep '03. I start and drive my car like every 4 days. Basically it's my weekend car. I have been satisfied with the rX8!!

[@831NicaKoOL]

thanks for all your comments bro... I had enough about the rx8, great car, but I was feeling unsecured about the car specially cuz I didn't get an extended warranty on it!... tonight I got me a civic Si... & trade it in the rx8!

[@spoilerking187]

Just sold mine a few months ago, so glad to see it go. Bought a 2009 325i and beats the hell out of the RX8

[@brentd86]

@marek0086 the rotary actually injects oil into the combustion chamber to use as lubrication, this oil is burnt there (pretty much like a 2 cycle engine), when synthetic oil burns it leaves behind a light film and over time this film builds up gunking up the engine so the engine will have to be torn apart and cleaned out sooner than most rx'8's.

[@brentd86]

pcm reflashes have greatly improved many of these issues if you were to get into a 2004 model that has never been taken to a dealer for a reflash and act normally it would happen as described. the coldstart quickstop is not impossible the rotary injects something like 20 times the amount of fuel into the combustion chamber on a cold start as a conventional piston engine, reflashes help this but if you were to do it maybe 5 or 6 times in a row watch your car flood.

[@brentd86]

Don't worry about the idle down as long as the engine has been reflashed you shouldn't need to do that anymore. I'm proud to say it was 4 degrees F this morning with wind chills of like -12 and the car turned over a little slow but still started and ran fine once warmed up.

[@LynxSavage]

On the starting it daily thing... the BHR Ignition upgrade kit fixes that AND the flooding issue. It's spark is wicked powerful and will burn everything in the chambers. The coil packs are from a GMC Yukon and I have yet to have an issue at 103k miles.

[@brentd86]

also if its a warmer day when I am airing up the tires ill put them up to like 32 psi so when the temperature drops hopefully they don't loose enough to trigger it, it's just tough to keep those low profile tires running consistant air pressure when the temperature continually warms up and cools down.

[@ESquaredSolutions]

Guys and gals this car, in my opinion of course, is amazing I really like the sound of the motor because it sounds like a turbine instead of a regular motor. This guy was talking about alot of the common problems or questions people have about it. I don't think this motor really ever reached it's potential but if do work on it you can get it there.

[@brentd86]

@shle896 I'm assuming you meant to say you have an automatic transmission with the option to drive it manually with paddle shifters (standard and manual transmissions are the same thing where you depress a clutch pedal and go through the gears with a stick shift). If so no it is not going to hurt the engine to drive it in manual mode with the paddle shifters so keep on having fun with it.

[@brentd86]

@renesisrx8 I think they can do that in europe because over there the car runs as it was designed to, they had to tweak it to make it pass emissions standards here in the states and honestly I believe that is where a lot of our engine problems come from.

[@brentd86]

@360mmspider Mazda has fixed most of the problems with the older ones through recalls as well. Luckily I have never had a problem with mine. I do suggest that you add oil before that light comes on though...you don't want to run an engine until the idiot light comes on at that point your way too low, check your dipstick and you'll see when you need to add. I add oil every 300 miles.

[@brentd86]

@weidoha basically do what is mentioned in this video, its not a bad idea to add a small container of 2 cycle oil mix to the gas tank every once in a while and from time to time open it up in first or second gear (i mean take it right to redline for a second then let it drop) you will not blow your engine as long as you don't hold it there for long and the high rpm help burn carbon out of the engine and keep it running better.

[@brentd86]

@jtripp06 This is the maintenance for an 04-08 model, and if you watch the video none of this is difficult to do. This video is not meant to scare people off it is simply to make them aware of what they need to do if they have the 04-08 model. My car is currently at the dealer getting the engine replaced under warranty and with 61k miles on it they said those running synthetic have been replacing their engines at around 35 to 40 thousand miles around here.

[@brentd86]

@xXlightstarXx My rx-8 is an 04, true there were a lot of recalls but those recalls fixed what they were supposed to. I haven't had any mechanical problems with mine yet and I have almost 60 thousand miles on it. If it is a hot summer day I will start to drive as soon as the temperature gauge starts to move and just keep the rpm under 4k until it is fully warmed up, during the winter and cold weather I let it fully warm up before I move at all.

[@831NicaKoOL]

couple of questions for you: Is there any specific BRAND of NON-SYNTHETIC oil you use? what's the best in your opinion? is there any specific type of battery the car should used? what kind of battery would you recommend me to buy?/ brand. I also keep up checking my tire pressure, but sometimes tire pressure light goes on, mostly when I drive on curvy roads regardless of the speed ( could be 30 or 70mph & the light would still come on) do you ever get that? how do you handle it?

[@831NicaKoOL]

thanks for the instructional video man, YOU ROCK!!!!!!!! keep posting about the rx8!! THANKS A LOT.

[@tdyduch13]

nice i like to see when people actually know something about the rx8... i also own one... and do basically all the things you mentioned... i dont remember if you mentioned redlining it often but that is also a must... cuz of the carbon buildup...also i have found that for the summer 10w 30 non synthetic is better and ever since then ( last year ) i have been using it without any problems and i drive this car alot... i got it may 2008 and have never had any problems with it...

[@isays]

@davinpenh the BHR coils are certianly a good upgrade (i just installed em myself a few months back). It adds a bit of power and makes the timing more reliable, especially at high RPM. It won't stop the car from flooding, though, neither will the new starter and recalls. but flooding really is easy to avoid. it only takes a couple minutes for your car to be warm enough to shut down. go to RX8 club and read the first page of the "New and potential owners start here" thread. very helpful.

[@brentd86]

supposedly the 09 automatic has 212, but for most people out there who are buying used ones they are gonna get one between an 04 and 08 and those automatics only have like 197 hp to the crank versus the 238 manual transmission, of course these numbers vary slightly from car to car thats why the cobb access port tuning unlocks some hidden potential in some of the cars its installed on and not really so much on others

[@831NicaKoOL]

the weather here in the 831 CA. is now like 40 F in the morning, so at 40F it takes the car like 8 to 10 min to warm up properly, then I drive to work like 10 min. & now I heard of another 5 min of idling time before shut it off... krazyyy!!

[@tdyduch13]

when i got it it had 13k miles on it . and was owned by a 44 year old and he took really good care of it... now it has almost 40k ... its my daily driver and never once has there been a problem... its the really little things that make the difference whether your rx8 will last or not.. but its not that uncommon to see rotary engines with over 100k and still running great

[@varzues]

I've had an rx8 for years, bought it new in 04 and it's still the car I drive to work daily and I wouldn't even think about getting rid of it. It's just as reliable as can be expected for a 9 year old car. Sure the consumable parts cycle a little faster meaning an anual tuneup vs a 3yr tune up.... a whopping 300-500 a year. Gas mileage is bad, but not anywhere close to as bad as 12 or 13 in most cases. Mine has never been worse than 15. Mine usually stays around 17MPG.

[@brentd86]

@mccelicagt01 those mods won't make it less drivable at all, honestly aside from sound from the exhaust you probably won't notice any difference in how the car drives after the first mods. The only thing that might change how the car runs slightly is programming from the cobb access port which will actually make it run healthier

[@831NicaKoOL]

Wow 4 F degrees, thats nuts & still the car was able to work! .... thanks for your comments man, you've been very helpful to me!! My mechanic also told me to burn the shit outta the car once in while, meaning that I have to get on the freeway and run it, He said " dont be afraid of hitting 120 mph with this car" but you know too many cops out there, so I have to be careful! anyway, thanks a lot brother of a different mother lol j/k. i'll post some more quest. for you later!

[@brentd86]

@moeghs ask what kind of oil is in it, check its idle if its a little rough its ok because it can just be a small exhaust leak or something causing a loss of backpressure but if it is really rough and knocking watch the engine, if it has a high amount of miles on it like over 80k id also ask if the engine has ever been replaced.

[@brentd86]

Any brand will really do I use valvoline in mine thats just the brand my father always used in his vehicles so it's the familiar brand I stick with lol, I heard to help with the flooding issue they put in a stronger battery I would think that any brand name battery that is the right size to fit in there will do, the more cold cranking amps the better. I've found that my tire light comes on when when the temperature suddenly drops really cold, since winter set in ive added air like every month.

[@ventureelect]

I am very curious, If you take care of this car . how many miles could you get out of the motor. great video by the way.

[@JUSTINxHaZe]

just got my 8 should have searched for this video before i bought it. i love it though so thanks for the tips man.

[@brentd86]

@2strokedetroit I love it during the summer but I goes nowhere in the snow, might be solvable with better tires and some weight in the trunk but there are like 4 or 5 around here that I see quite often and none of them can manage in the snow either.

[@MASTER_MiNi]

I am getting one too (I am 16 and getting one when I'm 17) and I was told and recommended that one should look for an 07+ rx8, because of the problems that MAY come with an 04-05...sometimes 06. But really, it depends on the previous owner and if the car had all its recalls issued. Good Luck, man

[@brentd86]

Ya I have heard of adding the 2 stroke oil as well...forgot to mention that but it's a good point. What do you mean by 2009 RX-9? do you mean the 09 RX-8's?

[@PraizGFX]

great review man im actually gonna be buying a used one and im glad i found this video man its gonna help alot

[@rotaryseven85]

all this goes for any rotary, i have a 1985 rx7 gsl-se. learned the hard way, i flooded it super bad off a cold start and not letting it warm up. now it surges and runs poorly. there is a trick to shut it off cold to where it wont flood ever. been doing it since and never flooded again. not sure if it would do the same for rx8. anyways im also going to be buying an 04. first thing im gonna look for is a rough idle. that be the first sign of previous quick stops. and also if they used synthetic.

[@brentd86]

@supryespace na at rx8 meets everyone said they burn about what I do, if you are burning less I would be sure to put in a small container of 2 cycle oil in the gas from time to time to help lubricate it.

[@831NicaKoOL]

thanks for the answer bro. here another one: is it true that people should let the car idle for 3 to 5 minutes before turning off the engine? if so, whats the point behind that??

[@LynxSavage]

Well the thing is the power is there, just not where you expect it. The car wants to be driven VERY hard. The engine has high revs for a reason. So if you drive it like a car with the a lower red line you won't get what you expect. The car shows off around 7k rpm. I love this car and with the mods I put in on an NA engine is pretty nice. I am not going to beat American Muscle in a straight line, thankfully the world is curved. Hard to beat when corners are involved.

[@mauristrike]

Good info, listen to this guy. I can't wait to own my rx8 this weekend. Do your homework before you own this endangered species.

[@brentd86]

@royalxchaos9 flooding essentially means you get too much gasoline in the engine for it to start, its "flooded" with gasoline.

[@brentd86]

this is true for newer Mazda's however if you buy an older one used you may need to get one as I did since mine was a 5 year 50,000 mile warranty that expired 2 months after I bought the car again its just somethin you have to ask the dealer when buying your vehicle.

[@Paco_Burrito_Suave]

Very useful info --thanks! What's your opinion on forced induction for the Renesis-- pros, cons; would you go turbo, supercharger or neither? Are these "tweaks" you mentioned the reason why the Renesis isn't the tuners paradise the RX7 engines were? Oh, yeah if you drive your RX8 to Panther Rock in Anderson County and see something eery let me know.

[@brentd86]

idk about rx7's it is a rotary as well so basic maintenance should be the same I assume but I would check with some other owners in forums. Yes this engine loves higher rpm runs, i redline mine once a day without any fear of hurting the engine and know that there are programmers available that actually push the rev limiter higher as there is some unused power in the top end.

[@brentd86]

@DAXimuss by widely im assuming you mean world wide, I can't speak for other countries just the U.S.A. and I do know our version did get tweaked to pass our emissions standards. its not too bad as long as you take into account that you will most likely get your engine replaced under warranty before 100,000 miles, you'll be without your car for a week or two but otherwise you get a new one for free.

[@brentd86]

the recalls are normal any older 8 has been through them they help it run better, if the engine has been replaced then thats also a good thing as there are less miles on this one. 8500 sounds like it is probably right around the list price for a private owner selling it. check kelly blue book

[@brentd86]

@anphelps27 very true, you don't have to take it up to redline every gear shift but i tend to do it quite often...you won't hurt this engine even if you ride your rev limiter which kicks in at 9500 rpm. This engine is capable of running up to 14,000 rpm.

[@Sillontiss]

On the subject of letting the car sit for a few days i let mine sit for 2-3 days but no longer than that. I have a S2 2010 RX8 I have never flooded it. Never rev the engine before shutting it off (this does nothing but inject more fuel) Always let it fully warm up before shutting it off. Push in the clutch at idle and then shut it off even in neutral. Hope this helps.

[@Knerk1977]

Got the very best warranty I could get back in Oct. 2003. 100k or 7 years which ever 1st. Best thing I ever did. Engine went out at 99,480 miles of hard driving. Warranty was out in one week. Mazda honored the warranty an put in a new engine for 100$. I love my car, love Mazda, when/if my 8 dies I will be buying another Mazda, full warranty.

[@brentd86]

i cant remember exactly but the most expensive would be having the engine reconditioned after the carbon builds up to an excessive amount, i believe its around either 1800 or 2800 to have it done like I said I can't remember which

[@brentd86]

@7031527 yes stalling it right after a cold start can flood it, if you think you may stall it just let it warm up fully after you start it before you start driving, then if you stall it no big deal (as long as you don't stall it like 4 or 5 times in a row lol) I have never had my 04 flood on me yet.

[@aaronpeach]

I was previously running synthetic oil in my RX8. So with this new knowledge of the built up film I'm definitely going to stop that. I understand that film has been build up, but will that film and carbon build up eventually go away after concurrent regular 5W-20 oil changes?

[@brentd86]

@alonsomilon1 here is the basic maintenance cost aside from changing the fluids like you would on any other car, you will go through about 3 quarts of oil between changes all together that is less than 10 bucks, you will have to change your spark plugs and coils every 25-35 thousand miles the coils are about 160 and plugs are like 80 bucks, you can do this job yourself. The engine will have to be replaced somewhere between 60 thousand miles and 100 thousand miles 3 grand if there is no warranty

[@brentd86]

@gaivoron if your going for the 3 for a sportscar id recomend the mazdaspeed03, having a turbocharged 4 you'll have a snappy little car that is easier to maintain than the rx8, for me personally I hate little hatchbacks like that I just can't stand the way they look and for some reason the rotary drew me in once I drove it. I have no regrets about buying my car what so ever.

[@renesisrx8]

@brentd86 Yeah you are right, Mazda did issue the recall where they increased the oil pressure of the engine and that has made engine failures a rare occurrence. I think using a heavier oil and synthetic might be a good idea. Mazda didn't say not to, they said that they don't know enough about the effect of synthetic oil and therefore they can't recommend it.

[@brentd86]

it used to be that you were supposed to let the car idle down for a couple min I think this was to help burn off excess feul my mazda techs told me due to pcm reflashes that it was no longer necessary and to just rev the engine to 3k rpm and turn off the key. On your drives just make sure the car fully warms up and every once in a while wind it out in between gears tack up the rpm to like 8k to help keep the engine from building carbon up in it and I think you will be ok.

[@831NicaKoOL]

It's me again, thanks for your answers on my previous questions. here's what I heard & wanna ask you about it: Is it true that people have to let the car idle for 3 to 5 min. before turning off the engine? if so, whats the point behind it?? I dont get it! most of my driving time is going to work mon-fri, but I only drive like 6 miles back & forth + some extra miles when running errands around town, sometimes I don't even get on the freeway, I was told that could affect the engine, is it true?

[@brentd86]

a recall is on a specific faulty part so if there happens to be a recall for a part on your car yes a mazda garage will perform the fix for free but recalls tend to be rare.

[@brentd86]

Yes they have uped the engine warranty to 8 years there was actually a guy below in the comments who corrected me and I found the press release from Mazda however I believe this is simply if the Engine builds up carbon or looses compression and has to be reconditioned or replaced not for flooding. Also if you happen to need a new engine under this I would take it to a certified Mazda dealer as there is no way Mazda will refute their work.

[@Paulyblues]

When adding oil, do you add it into the same place where the dipstick is at, or in the other reservoir that is closer? It's hard enough to reach the dipstick, let alone put oil in that little spot. You'd think they would make it more accessible.

[@brentd86]

ya some people are lucky there was a woman who joined rx8 club and had 150,000 miles on hers at the time of joining without knowing anything about the car. She did no maintenance whatsoever not even adding oil between changes. of course I don't recommend anyone try this with their vehicle but its pretty cool when it happens.

[@anphelps27]

Keep it oiled, start it everyday, let it warm up before you drive it or shut off, and this guy didnt mention that you are supposed to drive this car like you stole it. Dont be afraid to rev this car to 8 9 grand from gear to gear. You wont hurt it as long as it is warmed up. Cool vid. Many probs w the rx8 is from lack of maint and ignorance of the tlc that a rotary requires. :) DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT!

[@lgliam]

I's fine as long as you look after it, the people that say bad things about it, are people that don't look after it properly. Yes it takes more effort to keep it going, but I like that.

[@brentd86]

If I don't sound overly excited about the car in the vid it's because i filmed this pretty late at night while at work and was tired and to be honest I don't really like being in front of the camera...but people were asking me to do it. My advice is test drive the car and id bet that you fall in love with how it drives...everyone does.

[@831NicaKoOL]

do you think is it bad for the car if I don't drive it much? most of my driving time is going to work which equals 6 miles going back & forth + some extra miles running errands/daily activities around town etc. proof of that is that I now have for 6 months & only put like 4000 miles on it!

[@brentd86]

no worries but the funny noise when releasing the clutch is common on them ya the water in the rear lights some people have issues with it and it is deffinately a high maintenance car not for everyone, anyway enjoy your SI man and drive safe

[@Solitarypilot]

I deploy TAD for 3 weeks at a time, and I come back and it starts fine. I do have problems with wear and tear on the hoses. I drive safe and at most 5 miles over the speed limit.

[@brentd86]

@Ajzakcina remember it only takes about 1/2 teaspoon of gasoline to start your average piston engine.

[@brentd86]

best place for information on the car is to go to the rx8club website and ask in the appropriate forum, if no one can give you an answer there I guess you will have to take it in to a garage.

[@joshtard1111]

Its is a very good and reliable car as long as you take care of it! Yes It has small problems just like any car. People who want to buy this car should know that it is a car you must take care of. You need to understand the rotary engine and how it works.

[@brentd86]

@SBlax my manual for a 2004 says you can but it won't run as well, personally I would just put premium in it, sure it costs more but it will run better

[@brentd86]

ya mine started doing it as soon as I had my oil changed I guess its normal. Sometimes I have to dip it in and wipe it a few times before I can read my level as well.

[@Ajzakcina]

@brentd86 Is it hard-expensive to maintance? Because i seen this rx8 with 80.000 miles , and i have enough money for it.... I really like it .... Thanks for answering bro

[@gavinknechtel]

I'm 15 and looking to buy my first car when I turn 16. I am looking at a 2004 Mazda rx8 and I do consider myself a car person so I enjoy the uniqueness of the rx8 and the rotary, I don't care about fuel economy, but I wanted to know if its a good first car or not

[@brentd86]

I believe the reconditioning for this engine is like 1800 here in the united states, the great majority of rx8 owners understand not to put synthetic in it there are only a few rebels who insist on it. I recommend you take it for a drive, if it is running smooth then the engine is most likely in good shape.

[@DzignrGrl]

The earlier RX-8 cars with the 4-speed transmission had 197 hp. I have a 2007 model, and it's equipped with a 6-speed auto transmission with 212 hp. I haven't learned to drive with a stick, so that's what I got. At least it has 6 speeds.

[@ferrarienzo599]

Great video bit 1 ques will mazda rx8 have these problems in a couple of years

[@davinpenh]

@isays oh wow and u did it by urself? lol how much does it cost for the bhr coils thingy? and what model dou think it good for? what is yoours model do u have righ tnow? thanks alot guy for ur helpful

[@brentd86]

My RX8 just hit the 5 year mark last month and it only had a 5 year 50,000 mile warranty on it Mazda may have upped their warranty's now but this does not affect pre-existing warrantys I got the letter from them and everything saying it was expiring...The only warranty I have on mine now is the extended one I purchased with the car so if people are buying 04's or 05's in the future they will need an extended warranty.

[@brentd86]

@nabatron21 many things have been resolved for the most part like the flooding issue mine is an 04 but has all the pcm reflashes so i would have to do like 4 or 5 cold start and stops in a row to flood it. Otherwise just the normal stuff that goes on them, the engine will still build carbon, the clutch pedal has some weak welds and breaks on some people around 60 thousand miles (mine hasn't) and you have to replace coils, plugs, and wires every 25-30 thousand miles. really no different.

[@sanjeewadesilva975]

thank's bro, think this is a very honest opinion about the mazda rx-8.

[@831NicaKoOL]

that's exactly what happened to me... I moved it on cold from the street to my garage because I was gonna wash it, then turned it off inmediately... dorkkk... you know the rest, 'flooded'... 300 bucks on new spark plugs + labor ( most expensive fuckin spark plugs set I've ever bought in my life by the way). now it's back on running like a champ.

[@msport224]

apparently the 2005 rx8 and newer had major computer tweaks so alot of these issues have been improved or resolved. they are still possible but the chances of things happening are alot slimmer

[@platinums99]

I agree, which is a shame, yet still a lot of people have bought and enjoyed this car. YOu could say Not enough though as it has been discontinued and not remodeled to fix the problems. I am interested to know if you did find a similar car for under 10k?

[@brentd86]

ill have to look into this I would have expected to recieve a letter from Mazda informing me of this, however the dealership with the Mazda techs I take my car to who told me mine was about to expire is not the same dealership I bought the car from and they know this that's why I assumed they were giving me unbiased information, o well at least my extended warranty covers everything except cosmetic damage so my electronics and other stuff is still covered.

[@brentd86]

the pettit supercharger isn't going to give you the gains that a turbo will on the car but I believe it is the safest forced induction kit available for the car.

[@brentd86]

you no longer have to let the car idle down before you shut it off thanks to pcm reflashes. This does NOT happen to all or even most of the RX8's, yes it does happen to some and that is why Mazda now has a standard 8 year powertrain warranty as stated above, 100,000 km is 62,137.12 miles for those who wanted to know. Some go early some don't yes you will hear this happens to people but then those who have good engines dont post about them on the internet.

[@robs104]

yeah, the 2 engine I had to replace in my then new '04 auto were a pain. one was under warranty but the other was out of warranty. mazda finally ended up paying for the second new engine.

[@brentd86]

@its0a0me its your car you can do whatever you like with it but you'll find out when you have to have your engine reconditioned sooner than most.

[@brentd86]

@ferrarienzo599 most of these problems have been pretty much resolved unfortunately 2011 is believed to be the last year of production for the rx8

[@brentd86]

@SBlax not really just check the mileage ask him what has been done to it while he's had it, check to see what kind of oil is being run in it and see how it runs, hopefully smooth.

[@repmiaheat33]

I've been looking at the rx8 for a while now. Ive always been a huge fan of the rotary and was wondering if you would recommend this car to people who are looking to buy it. do you really think its worth the trouble? and have you done anything to your rx8?

[@AndrewKidd14145]

Just check oil, spark plugs, change to performance spark plug wires and get msd box and ignition along with coils, modified oil pump regulator and rebuild every 40-60 k and you'll have a perfect car

[@isays]

@chantheman141 revving a rotary without any load on the engine isn't great for the apex seals. maybe its not a problem on the renesis, but I usually avoid it. metal deforms when its under load, and when they calculate the tolerances between the seals and the housing, they assume that it will be under load. as long as your temp gauge isn't resting on cold, you should be fine to shut it off. I've heard revving helps with flooding, but in my experience it made no diff.

[@brentd86]

@TheJoshmiller either buy a racing midpipe specifically designed for the rx-8 or buy a cat lol. Mine shakes a little when it idles but to tell you the truth I think I have an exhaust leak loosing back pressure so it makes sense.

[@TheYrrahb]

I love the rx8 and I'm thinking about getting a used 2007 with only 10k miles on it for 18 grand. It's a stick and i,ve driven it and it seems to be in perfect condition. what are your thoughts on this? Good or bad idea?

[@brentd86]

@horneybitchwants also for the record the euro spec rx-8 doesn't have the extensive tweaks to pass american emissions standards that caused many problems with our rx-8's over here, these tweaks lead to the necessity of 5w20 over here. Now if you don't want to take my word for it go to rx8club and check on there where there is a wealth of knowledge from people who's understanding of the rotary engine goes far beyond anything you or I will ever reach owning this car.