2004 Mazda RX8 1.3L Petrol · W11 SHD

The vehicle presents as fundamentally sound but with a notable lapse in basic upkeep at its most recent MOT. The September 2025 test at 62,016 miles passed, yet the tester flagged severely deteriorated anti-roll bar ball joint dust covers on both axles and an inoperative rear registration plate lamp. These are minor, low-cost items, but their presence after a long run of clean tests suggests the last owner allowed basic maintenance to slip. The trend is therefore stable to slightly worsening, not from mechanical neglect but from cosmetic and protective component oversight. The mileage pattern tells a clear story of very light use. The car covered just 1,126 miles between May 2018 and December 2021, then added only 152 miles before the failed December 2021 headlamp test on the same day. A further 916 miles accumulated between that retest and October 2023. The final jump from 61,100 miles in October 2023 to 62,016 miles in September 2025 is just 916 miles over nearly two years. This is exceptionally low annual use at roughly 2,819 miles per year over its twenty-two-year life. Such low mileage reduces wear on consumables and drivetrain components but raises the question of long periods standing, which can cause seized brakes, perished rubber bushes, and fuel system issues in a rotary engine. A buyer should focus their in-person inspection on the front and rear suspension bushes, ball joints, and anti-roll bar links, given the degraded dust covers flagged in 2025. Examine the underside for surface corrosion on subframes and sills, as low-mileage cars that sit for long periods can develop corrosion despite minimal road use. Check the condition and date stamps of all four tyres, as aged rubber with good tread depth is a common finding on rarely driven vehicles. The rotary engine demands particular attention: listen for cold-start roughness, check for coolant consumption, and verify the spark plug service history, as these are critical to rotary longevity and are not directly tested under MOT. The rear lamp circuit fault is trivial but worth confirming as a simple bulb or wiring issue rather than a deeper electrical fault. Overall, the record indicates a mechanically unburdened car that has simply lacked minor cosmetic and protective maintenance recently. A thorough inspection of rubber components and rotary-specific systems will confirm whether this low-mileage example has been genuinely cherished or merely neglected.