Help! I've bought a car en eBay, getting a bit worried after HPI check

ab1385

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Hi all,

I'm hoping you can help me with some advice. I may be worrying about nothing but I'd appreciate some input.

I've just 'won' and eBay auction on a 2007 Mazda RX8. 62K miles.

My concern is that I've only just done the HPI check after winning the auction, yes, silly I know. I'm now concerned that there are 6 owners since the car was bought, and the current owner has only owned it for around 4 months. It's described as excellent condition and no driving, hot or cold starting issues and no other problems.

I'm aware of longevity issues with RX8s, and will look after it well, and probably get a thorough aftermarket warranty.

If there's a known problem, is there any way of recompense if this was not stated in the auction?

I've not paid anything yet, but I know eBay auctions are technically binding contracts. Nothing in the auction, to my knowledge, is misleading.

Any thoughts?

FWIW, the eBay auction is here, and I've attached the HPI check.

Mazda RX 8 Special Edition KURO 2007 Bronze Black T&T 62k Near Immaculate | eBay
 

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Number of owners wouldn't bother me. These cars are cheap now for a reason and a lot of people buy them then realise the road tax is near £500 for the year and you'll be lucky to see 20mpg if that when used around town and give it some and that'll reduce to the teens.
 
Thanks, that's reassuring. I'm aware of that, we've had one before ourselves and only sold it when we were living somewhere we did a lot of miles. Doing around 6k miles per year won't be that expensive, certainly when you take the whole ownership into context of other cars with similar performance. I know you can fit a baby in too.

Is it worth an AA independent check?
 
Looks alright to me mate, aside from the obvious issues with mechanical issues, did you see it before you bid?
 
It's a bit of a scummy thing to do, really, but you could just not pay.
You will be given a 'strike' as a non-payer, three strikes and you're booted off ebay.
The seller will be refunded his fees.
I'm not encouraging this behaviour, merely pointing out it can be done.
 
my 9 year old civic had 5 owners before me (the last one for a few months before he chopped it in for an M3) and it has been the best car i have ever owned. had it 3 and a half years now.
 
Thanks.

Planning on independent inspection tomorrow, if OK will proceed to buy. Seems OK to me.

Seller had a legitimate reason for sale anyway.
 
It's a bit of a scummy thing to do, really, but you could just not pay.
You will be given a 'strike' as a non-payer, three strikes and you're booted off ebay.
The seller will be refunded his fees.
I'm not encouraging this behaviour, merely pointing out it can be done.

Thing is with that is that if the item is not as described then the buyer is well within his rights to cancel, that ad clearly states that there are no mechanical issues, if there are contract void. Easy.
 
Yeah, I saw that. The negative feedback was as the item was described as 4 previous sellers, on HPI check there were 6. That's what the previous buyer said without inspecting the car - and I have spoken to the guy and it seems a genuine mistake.

I think as long as the independent inspection is OK before we buy, and we externally warranty it, then we're fairly safe.

At the end of the day, I guess for us, it's a bit of a risk, but the car at auction went for £2350 when similar items on a classified price on Autotrader are asking £4000 from dealers. That's why it's cheaper - there's inevitably some risk - but I think I'm happy as long as we've done everything we can to mitigate that risk.

We'll end up spending around £3500 in total, but then it will have a years tax, new front tyres, and independent inspection and a 3 year extensive warranty. Once we've brought the service history up to date I guess we'll be in about £4000, but it's all incremental risk so we're not spending £4000 in one go, and we get a full 3 year warranty and a year's tax thrown in to that as well.
 
I thought when people sold a car on ebay it wasn't actually binding, like a normal auction.
It isn't really binding anyway, if you get cold feet pull out.
 
That's a seriously good price for a car of that type and age . Personally I would not waist any cash on a inspection and the seller may not allow it after you have bought it .

Just get in it and enjoy it !
 
RX8s are cheap for a reason....

Make sure it's had a compression test, 60k is decent millage on a rotary and could be needing a engine rebuild soon.

I know some people who own than and love them, but I also know lots of people who buy them than want to get rid with in a few months due to running costs/mechanical issues...

I wouldn't touch one, not unless it's for under £2k, at least that way you can budget in the inevitable engine rebuild!!
 
I can only echo what gangzoom has said. Try a hot start test, even better is a hot compression test by a rotary specialist. Check the coils. Also if it's had a new starter motor and coils these can be used to try to hide low compression and hot starting issues. Very much a buyer beware car.
 
There was a point where I wanted a RX8 until a guy at work bought one

It had a water leak, he took it to a garage he'd used for years, the guy lifted the bonnet, took a look, dropped it and said, no idea, I'm not even getting involved with that.

In the end it went to Mazda and cost a fortune to fix, he sold it as soon as he got it back

As for the 3 year warranty, the small print will get them out of a major failure

The engines blown, ok engines are covered, we'll inspect it, right, it seems the engine failed because an oil seal blew, oil seals aren't covered

Those policies are written by experts in not paying out.

They did a RX7 on wheeler dealers last week, ED did a compression test with a tool made for the job, I'd want it testing before handing my money over
 
A pal of mine spent most of monthly fun allowance on oil for his RX-8, but it was a hoot when he left the big Germans and exotics standing at the lights . As you now know it has 6 owners which you could have discovered from his recent negative feedback......suck it and see, if you are happy with it have fun!
 
Some people keep their cars for a while. My father's last car was owned by him for over ten years.
Other people, and I work with some, simply get bored quickly. They buy a car on a whim, try it for even a few weeks, then flog it and buy something else.
Putting a few of this type of car owner into an RX8's history doesn't really affect it's value or reliability necessarily.
 
In the end I backed out. I had an independent inspector look at it who found enough small things wrong that we could mutually agree it wasn't sold as advertised.

Interestingly he couldn't find the service book -which I definitely wouldn't buy without anyway.

Having looked around I'm now certain that I wouldn't buy without a compression test regardless of service history - the service history just doesn't cover the correct oil usage and topping up and the engines are very susceptible to failure if not looked after.

I think I'll ask on the RX8 owners club about warranties and if anyone has successfully had an engine rebuild under an aftermarket warranty.
 
There's a reason they're so cheap, it's the mystery chocolate engine

You did right, it'll be a money pit
 

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