My garage · arriving 2026
Your 2008 Mazda RX-8 Rotary 40th Anniversary
Incoming — free from a friend. Compression test before the title swaps.
Current power
—
baseline dyno pending
Invested in parts
$0
bone stock
Value estimate
$9,000–$16,000
acquired for $0
Years of history
0
3 logged events
Build DNA
inferred from parts, stance & era cues · betaThis car reads as 100% OEM+ — for now. The bar moves when the build log does.
- OEM+ 100%
Dyno
No sheet yet — the log opens with a baseline pull. Until then the only honest number is the factory claim, and the factory was optimistic.
Build log
- 2026·1Offered the car for free — a running Rotary 40th Anniversary in Metropolitan Gray. Yes, really.
- 2026·2Pre-purchase ritual scheduled: warm compression test, both rotors, all faces, numbers written down.
- 2026·3Day-one plan drafted: ignition refresh, cooling system, oiling decision, then a baseline dyno to open the log properly.
The plan
Nothing installed yet — it’s stock. That’s the point. First moves, in order:
- Warm compression test, all six faces — 6.9+ bar is healthy, under ~6.5 across faces is rebuild territory (~$4k, the community's 'rotary tuition')
- Ignition refresh: coils, plugs, leads — the RENESIS eats coils and hides it as lost compression
- Cooling while in there: expansion tank, hoses, thermostat
- Oiling strategy: community consensus is premix (or SOHN adapter) over trusting the sump-fed OMP alone
- Baseline dyno pull to open the build log with a number
Chassis lore
Mazda RX-8 (SE3P) →
40th Anniversary cars trade above standard SE3Ps; free is the best option package of all.
Compatible parts
13B-MSP platform →
Only parts that fit a SE3P appear. No guessing.
Ask the mechanic
“What do I check first?” →
It already knows the chassis, engine, and what’s installed.