RX-8 SE inspection checklist

Look for: The Renesis deliberately injects engine oil into the combustion chambers to lubricate the rotor seals, so it genuinely consumes oil between services. Owners who don't check and top up the oil starve the seals and dramatically shorten engine life - the single biggest cause of premature failure.

Look for: The Renesis's apex seals wear and the rotor faces lose compression, giving hard hot-starting, rough idle, sluggish acceleration and eventual no-start. Many engines need a rebuild between 100,000 and 150,000km; a poorly maintained one can fail well earlier.

Look for: Shutting the engine down before it reaches operating temperature dumps unburnt fuel into the chambers and floods it, leaving the car hard or impossible to restart and hammering the starter. A classic, well-documented RX-8 trait.

Look for: The Renesis runs hot and is sensitive to cooling health. Tired radiators, hoses and thermostats raise the risk of overheating, which accelerates seal and housing wear.

Look for: High-revving use wears the clutch and dual-mass flywheel on manual cars; the older 4-speed auto can also feel tired with age.

Look for: Rotaries are hard on ignition. Tired coils, plugs and leads cause misfires, poor starting, lost power and - if left - extra fuel burning out the catalytic converter.

Look for: Early Series I cars used an underspecified starter that struggles, especially when warm or after a flood; a 2006-era recall/upgrade addressed it but many cars still wear the original.

Look for: Misfires from worn ignition components, or oil/fuel passing through, overheat and clog the cat, causing power loss and limp performance - and a clogged cat can feed back heat into the engine.