so I walk into a dealer in Northern VA before thanksgiving. I take an 8 for a test drive...loved it...and I get the 'we'll do anything to make you a deal today' treatment.

I sold cars..I know the tricks..I wasn't intereted at that time. I'm still researching. I did ask the right questions to get taken to the back lot and count their inventory...16 RX8's on the lot!!!

I also asked about Mazdaspeed parts, especially since they had an MS Protoge sitting in the showroom. The sales guy proceeds to get another sales guy involved and they produce an official "DEALER" brochure of Mazdaspeed products. Looks like it came from SEMA. Very slick, shows some Aftermarket trends and stuff. I decide that is I'm going to buy an RX8, it HAS to have the MS body kit and suspension (for looks and warranty reasons).

Anyway, I was able to take it home. I told them..."if you can get me these parts when I purchase the car, install them with warranty, this will make me buy one".

So I wait for pricing. and wait for pricing. In the meantime i get calls back regarding BIG SALES on 8's in stock etc etc.

The sales guy calls me back and says he got pricing from a website (oh boy) on the MS parts. I was like "I could have done that". i call him back today to get a 'contact name' form his parts dept. The sales guy totally sidesteps all my questions about the DEALER BUYING the parts from Mazdaspeed et cetc.

Literally calls me back 5 minutes later saying "so I talked to the parts guy, he said you shoudn't use that website I told you about, and that you shouldn't buy your own parts and have us install them, because we won't warranty them unless you buy them from us".

at this point I'm laughing to myself and cannot believe the sales guy just told me what I have been telling HIM for 2 weeks. So I explain AGAIN, that all Iwant is pricing FROM THE DEALER on installed MS parts, so I can roll them into the cost of a lease etc.

Now he needs to 'call me back' again.

How freakin hard is it for a dealership that had the brochure for MS parts to get prices and such? Man...this is why I hate buying a car and why I used to hate myself for working at a dealership.

Anyone know of a dealer in NoVA that KNOWS about Mazdaspeed parts?

thanks!

MazdaSpeed is a separate company to Mazda. So does Mugen to Honda. Does it make sense about warranty now?

MazdaSpeed and Mazda does not work together and they don't give a shit then. Yes they can install it for you sure - with a cost too!

You can only do it in Japan apparently.... damn Japanese should have done things equally across the globe but yet... it is nice for them to release the RX8 from Japan to Australia 4 months (not 2 years) after the Japan launch :)

Actually, in the U.S.A Mazdaspeed brochure (which you can find images of on this forum) it specifically says that MAZDASPEED parts (for the street, not the ones for the track) will have a factory warranty. Why would they have a Mazdaspeed Protege on the showroom floor and a MazdaSpeed Miata (in the works) and not sell them with factory warranties?

Every heard of Comptech? If not, Check them out, they do Honda and Acura performance and for the USA they are the company to use for "FROM DEALERSHIP" performance with Warranties and they ARE GOOD. Comptech builds race engines for the IRL and I believe they did for CART as well. Remember, not all race teams actuallY BUILD their own engines.

I don't care if I have to spend a little extra to purchase these parts from the dealer, I can roll them into monthly payments, plus I have the security of knowing it has a WARRANTY. I've dealth with aftermarket parts on my cars and dealer BS for the past 5 years, I'm sick of it now. That is whay companies like Comptech, AMG, and MazdaSpeed are interesting to me.

anyway, it just pisses me off that dealerships know jack and sh*t.

thanks for letting me rant:
Ciccone

Didn't read all the replies, but the dealers are clueless on MS for the RX8 mostly because it isn't available as an option at this time.

Maybe next year..

The dealer is always clueless...the Mazda speed parts a coming..period...When they do they will come with factory warrenty and the dealer will install them at a cost.. But the dealer won't know when they will get them untill a truck pulls up. All the dealers will have aftermarket parts in 04 and 05...Nismo at Nissan..STI at Subaru..TRD at Toyota and Mazda Speed at Mazda. It will all come in due time..

I cant wait
my dealer is tustin and they gave me the same ms brochure
and said dont hold your breathe it will be awhile

There's just too much money to be made in the aftermarket business for these car companies to overlook. Even Dodge is getting into it, with lots of mopar upgrades for the srt-4 that available from the dealer.

Dealerships have to be "mazdaspeed" dealers to install and warranty parts. If you look at your brochure you will see the color code system that refers to this. Perhaps this dealer is not a liscensed mazdaspeed dealer. Ask them specifically. If so, they CAN order ms parts now. Or so my dealership told me. However its true that they do all come shipped directly from Japan. They are not stocked items.

thanks for info guys. Yeah I assumed I would have to wait for while, but I wasn't planning on purchasing until spring 04 anyway. Maybe what I will do is try and contact Mazda to get authorized dealer locations.

later
Ciccone