Mazda RX-8: what should I look out for?

Hi John,

Put simply, the RX-8 is usually costly to run and requires a lot of maintenance. Make sure you go into it knowing what to look out for and what it will cost you. In general, you'll want to ensure that the previous owner stuck rigidly to the servicing intervals and regularly topped up the oil. Stay away from cars that have no service history.

It's worth having a mechanic do a compression test of the engine too to check it and ask them to look at how old the spark plugs and leads are, as these are costly to replace.

Other than that, the suspension components are prone to wear, so watch out for slack responses and body control while cornering, which may indicate that it needs new dampers and anti-roll bar bushes.

Best to pay for a full mechanical inspection from an expert in this case.

Hope that helps