Hey guys....I'm entertaining prospects for my maxima replacement aiming around the end of next summer, and right now the 8 may be on the top of the list...

Reliability and comfort level in a car/company is important to me, and I wanted to try to ask some questions in that area. I know it's difficult to talk about the renesis' reliability, but how about the other components? Transmission, suspension, etc. I'm assuming a fairly high level of reliability with cars like the protege, the 6, and the mx-5 in mind, but any comments?

What about warranty work & general service @ Mazda dealerships? I know to some level, this varies according to the dealership, but car companies also do have a general reputation (ie, I rarely hear people speak ill of service @ Honda dealerships, and I hear quite a bit more negative chatter than positive about Nissan dealerships...).

I guess I have a little bit of an advantage over some since I'll be able to watch the Renesis for a year or so before seriously entertaining purchasing. But I'm a fun-to-drive, handling-bias performance driver, and the 8 really sounds more fun than anything else for my sub-$30k budget...so if I can get as comfortable with the idea of owning an 8 as say, I would a TSX, I think it'd be hard to not get one.

A Mazda dealer will not service you in the way an Acura one will in the foreseeable future. So if you have that level of expectation... forget it :)

However, to your other Qs... tranny, brakes etc... I think will hold up well. The tranny in the Miata and RX-8 are made by the same company and it's one of the best in the market.

Anyhoo.... I think the RX-8 will be as reliable as Japanese autos are in general, so if you're happy with that, then it should suit you. When you need to visit the dealer... make sure you've chosen the right one beforehand... you just need to talk to them and find out.

I know the dealer I chose is bad but I don't have many options because there isn't a Mazda dealer that closeby so I was limited in my decisions.

Thanks for the reply - I know it's kind of a crappy generalish thread, but 'tis the lounge, and I figured I'd try to give you guys something to talk about until you get your 8s :)

Yeah, it can be hard evaluating dealerships. I know of one to stay away from here, and another that's received praise from a couple friends, but I could be moving next summer as well. Does anyone somewhat-respectable do reviews of nationwide (US) dealership service that I could check out?


However, to your other Qs... tranny, brakes etc... I think will hold up well. The tranny in the Miata and RX-8 are made by the same company and it's one of the best in the market.


One thing I've been thinking about here is how the lack of torque may ease drivetrain component wear in general. I don't know how real of a concern that is, but it's a tad comforting. I read the tranny was close cousins with the Miata as you stated. Do miata's have synchro issues at all with the short throws? Do they have lockout mechanisms at all to prevent missing gears? I ask after seeing pics and hearing stories of RSX-S owners shredding their trannies on missed downshifts. I'm pretty confident with my driving abilities, but...


I think the RX-8 will be as reliable as Japanese autos are in general, so if you're happy with that, then it should suit you.


That's what I'm shooting for. Give me a reliable 50/50 rwd with a nimble engine in a shell under 3000 lbs, and I think my face wouldn't be wide enough to hold my grin.