I STILL do not have my car back! It's been over three weeks since I was rear-ended, and they haven't even started working on my car because they STILL cannot find a replacement stock wheel!

I've gotten two stories from Mazda - one person said the wheel is discontinued, the other said it wasn't. The body shop will only deal with the local Mazda dealer parts person. She is also under the impression that the wheel has been discontinued. She's "waiting on a return call" from Mazda corporate who are supposedly trying to find a stock wheel somewhere, but aren't in any apparent hurry. Meanwhile, I don't have my car I just bought in August and only got to drive for 3 months before some idiot ran into me.

How long do they expect me to wait? At some point, don't they just need to get me four new wheels and be done with it?

If any of you have had similar experiences, what do I need to do to get this process moving? Calling and bugging them every day is not doing the trick. Can they just continue to look for a wheel that they think has been discontinued for months on end?

I've got a Borla exhaust, B-pillar trim, rotary accents, and rotor vavle stem caps waiting to be put on the car. They're sitting here right now, taunting me. :p

All I can say is that I'm sorry for you. I hope that they solve this soon for you, and I can't believe that they can't get you a wheel. I feel for you and I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. It's hard to believe they can't find a tire for you. I remember my car was in the shop for 4months... it was horrible.

This is a long-shot, but I think in CA the Lemon Law has two provisions for forcing them to take back a car. One is, if you return the car for repairs like 3 times for the same defect. The second is, you only return it once but it takes "too long." I forget how long "too long" is, but it's defined in the law. the defect has to be something that makes the car undrivable. One would think not having the right wheel would fall under that category.

Check around and see if VA has a similar lemon law, and just do it. don't discuss or threaten the dealership about it; just do it. Then, when the paperwork is in then let them know the buyback is imminent. If anything spurs them on, it would be that.

So what are they making you drive in the meantime? It better be free!

Why would wheels - or lack thereof - be a reason for not STARTING the WORK?!? It's sitting there in the same condition as when the wrecker dropped it off - because they can't find new WHEELS?!?

---->>>MNAO<<<---

I don't believe the lemon law is applicable when the repairs consist of fixing an accident.

It all depends if u had the Polished Aluminum Wheels then yes it would take long time to find them b/c mazda stopped selling that accessory due to vendor problems... if there the regular Aluminum wheels then they should be available... i got into an accident 2 weeks ago and my left driverside rim got scratched up and i was able to get ahold of one within a day

Thanks everyone. It's just crazy that a wheel is causing this much of a problem.

Geez, meeh, 4 months! That's insane! Was that an RX-8 or another car they kept that long?

8_wannabe, I don't think Lemon Law applies here, but there may be some law out there to protect consumers in a situation where a part becomes unavailable. I'll have to check on that. The other person's insurance company is paying for a rental car, a Mitsubishi Galant. They said I could have the car until the work was done - doubt they thought it would take so long based on the damage, though.

cptmorgan, I just have regular stock silver-painted wheels. They can't find one anywhere. Or maybe they're not trying too hard. I HAVE spoken to MNAO twice, and they're the ones giving me two different stories on the "discontinuation" of the wheels. In fact, MNAO told me the polished wheels are replacing the silver-painted wheels. Then the next person I talked to there told me just the opposite.

Mind if I ask where you found a new wheel?

I don't know why they can't at least start painting the bumper while they wait for the wheel. The shop did say they want to re-check the suspension after they get the new wheel on the car to make sure everything is ok, but I can't imagine that would affect the cosmetic work on the bumper.

You shouldn't have to wait 3 weeks to get your car fixed that's ridiculous!
I've gotten parts from Trussville Mazda at a cheaper price than other dealers and Brian Philpot there really knows his 8's.
You might want to contact him to see what he can do.
parts@Trussvillemazda.com or 1-800-240-2121

Good luck !

Definitely try to go through another dealer. I made an inquiry just a week ago at my dealer (in Cali.) and they were able to order the stock wheels within a few days. It is what they consider a "specialty" items so dealers don't usually carry them. However, they are available.

That is BS. I live in Nashville, TN, I was swiped down the wheel and quarter panel, I have a thread somewhere, (looked to the right in horror) or something like that, took two weeks, got the wheel 1st and waited a week more for the bumper cover. Thankfully I have my car back now, but I'm heading down to Mazda because the next day I took it in for my 1st oil change and they overfilled the oil in my 8.

Great. So it sounds like my local Mazda dealer is the most incompetent on earth. :o

Originally posted by loco4rx8
Great. So it sounds like my local Mazda dealer is the most incompetent on earth. :o

No...the Mazda Dealer over here forgot to put some lady's oil drain plug back in her Miata some couple of years ago...

They had to pay for a new engine, and I believe the tranny to go with it...

BTW the lemon law about repairing the same thing 3 times is federal. although i have not read it recently enough to be able to tell you about any specific period of time allocated therein.

Originally posted by -=Zeqs=-
No...the Mazda Dealer over here forgot to put some lady's oil drain plug back in her Miata some couple of years ago...

They had to pay for a new engine, and I believe the tranny to go with it...

OK, they win, but my guys are battling it out for second place. ;)

Originally posted by Astor
I'm heading down to Mazda because the next day I took it in for my 1st oil change and they overfilled the oil in my 8.

Astor, how do you know they overfilled it? Are there any symptoms, or you just checked the dipstick. And what are the dangers of overfilled oil sump?

When my RX-3 was overfilled years ago, they explained to me that a rotary is different, that overfilling isn't a problem. Could have been just a line, though.

Originally posted by loco4rx8
I don't know why they can't at least start painting the bumper while they wait for the wheel. The shop did say they want to re-check the suspension after they get the new wheel on the car to make sure everything is ok, but I can't imagine that would affect the cosmetic work on the bumper. This is what I'm talkin' 'bout. You don't need a wheel to fix the car, just to wave bye bye. And, I thought frame alignment was done by checking the "alignment points", of which your wheels are not. Even if they're 'talkin right, they could borrow wheels. I think they're talking out of their anal orifice. What is their problem?!?

Loco, I am so sorry about all this- I can't even imagine the state I'd be in if it was me. Hope this mess gets worked out soon.

Thanks Elara.

Racer, I'm going to ask them that very question when I call them for an update Monday. Their reputation is the "best body shop in town" so I hope they know what they're talking about. Maybe they are busy and just don't want to start on the car until they can finish it. I'm more upset with the Mazda dealer who can't find a wheel that others seem to find quite easily.

I'm thinking I might ask them to put my winter tires on while they have the car. I think it's the least they can do since it's hard to tell what the weather's going to be like when they finally do finish.

Yes, I would definitely borrow a wheel off a showroom RX-8 if need be. If not polished then a whole set of silver wheels. Even with a donut spare you can start repairing a rear end. Call Mazda Customer RElations at 800-555-2200 and let them know.

My RX8 was in the body shop 9 1/2 weeks waiting for an oil cooler. Just received it back yesterday, Saturday. I drove it for 11 weeks and then had to wait 9 1/2 weeks to get it back. My Borla was just sitting waiting for its return also. I put it on as soon as I got home. Now waiting for the paint to cure 90 days so I can put on the clear bra that has also just been sitting here. Mazda was emailed several times and helped as much as they could. Sorry for your loss, I know what you are going through. One part and the whole process stops.

Hey my dealership scratched my wheel when they removed it to patch a hole supposedly. They called me at the end of the day to say "we painted your wheel because our tech scratched it on the wheel machine" needless to say i was pissed and when i picked it up at the dealership they had painted the wheel dirt into the paint! I told them I was not satisfied and they reluctantly ordered a new wheel for me. 2 weeks later they called me to make an appointment to put the new wheel on. When I arrived the service manager said that actually the wheel had not yet arrived so they took a wheel from a vehicle on their lot. This could be something you could pressure your dealership to do. I had no problem with this because the wheel was perfect. Good luck.

Yeah, that's what I been thinking; have 'em pull a wheel off a car in inventory. They gotta have a bunch on the lot.

Ouch, brownchiro. I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't complain too loudly yet. 9 weeks! I'm glad you got your car back ... finally.

Thanks everyone for the well wishes and suggestions! I can't wait to call them tomorrow.

I just got my car back from the body shop after 4 weeks. An 18-wheeler rubbed up against me on the freeway, and the lug nuts on his front wheel did a Ben Hur number on the entire left side of my car. The aluminum doors just peeled back like a sardine can!

The shop had to get all of the parts directly from Mazda (presumably from the factory in Japan) because there were no parts available locally. This included my rear left wheel which they had no problem replacing. I don't think your dealership is trying hard enough to get the parts!

Also, just a heads up on the 4 wheel alignment. They also did this on my car. (The reasoning behind it is that bacause you had wheel damage, the suspension might be out of whack). Anyway, when the body shop went to Mazda for the alignment specs for the RX-8, they were told they did not have them yet! The shop had to measure the alignment on the right side of the car and duplicate it on the left. The did offer for me to check back with them in a few months to see if Mazda had a published spec, in which case they would redo the alignment for free. Be prepared for this development if you ever get your wheel!

Damn, plasmar. Two questions: How does an 18-wheeler rub up against you on the freeway? And second, how did you do that and not get killed? That musta been frightening.

So how's the car now? Did they do a good job rebuilding it?

Originally posted by 8_wannabe
Yeah, that's what I been thinking; have 'em pull a wheel off a car in inventory. They gotta have a bunch on the lot. Thats what mine did for me.

Thanks for the alignment tip, plasmar. Sorry you had that happen to your car.

I called the dealer yesterday and gave them the correct part number, per Brian at Trussville Mazda. They were supposed to order the wheel yesterday and have it overnighted and let me know today when they get it. The parts person didn't seem too delighted to have to have a customer give her the correct part number.

Lori,

Glad to hear that you have a found a new wheel and with a little luck you will be back in your RX-8 soon. :)

Originally posted by 8_wannabe
Damn, plasmar. Two questions: How does an 18-wheeler rub up against you on the freeway? And second, how did you do that and not get killed? That musta been frightening.

So how's the car now? Did they do a good job rebuilding it?

Basically he changed lanes right into me while we were cruising along at about 65MPH. We were locked together for a few seconds. I wasn't scared at the time, simply because I was so focused on keeping the car moving in a straight line so as not to spin out and fly underneath his trailer.

I just got the car back yesterday. They had to replace every panel on the left side as well as one wheel and tire. The paint job and gaps look perfect! So far, the only issue is that the TPMS is giving me an error light. The body shop put the old monitor into the new wheel, but I think it might be damaged. They have ordered me a new one.

Also, I'm hearing some wind noise from the driver's side door, but I'm not sure if it's normal or because the door is not aligned properly. I don't remember how much wind noise there was before the accident. Does anyone else have some wind noise from the front edge of the driver's side window at freeway speeds?

the wind noise is probably from the mirror. check by rolling down the window at speed and trying to "redirect" the airflow around it. If the noise changes well then you know. I used to hear it all the time with my miata and thats what it was.

no, there's no wind noise like that on the '8. You may have to take the shop mechanic on the freeway to let him hear it.

I thought so about the wind noise. However, it's been really windy the last few days. I can also hear wind noise coming from the passenger side, so I haven't been able to conclude that something is wrong. I'm going to give it a while before I take it back in.