Hi, I’m 15 and just got into working on cars, and i was thinking about buying a cheap RX-8 and maybe fixing it up. I’m wondering how hard it is to work on a rotary from a beginner standpoint. Should i start with an engine with cylinders and then move onto a rotary? Or is it not that difficult? Also, are there special tool that i would need?

 

Welcome to the forum and kudos for asking a good question.
While there’s nothing particularly unique aft of the firewall, in you’re case I would recommend a car with a more traditional engine. Resource material, used and new parts, and others with experience that can help you along your learning curve will be more readily available.

 

Thank you so much!

 

I came from Honda civics to this community. I'd definitely would be discouraged with the pricing to fix things compared to my civic at your age. The best thing I can recommend is read, read, read and then read some more. If you think you got what it takes, either money or time/skill. I say go for either. RX8's aren't as popular so you can find things cheaper, however remember it is a rotary and handles things just a little bit differently. N/A engines will keep you from making MOST expensive mistakes. Boost is where things get interesting.

This is a great forum to look up all sorts of information on rotaries though. I made my decision to make the dive into the spinny Doritos by reading everything I could possibly face here and the new member FAQ. Granted I drive an RX7 however....

I am looking into a RX8 for a wild N.A. rotary build as a daily. 15k and a few weekends ought to do it.