I called in to my Mazda dealer this afternoon to finalise the paperwork and hassle them again for any new information. Amazingly enough they actually gave me a printout of the shipping details of my car. I'll reproduce the detail below with my interpretation in brackets of what I think some of the abreviations mean :

Stock No: 6849249
Chassis No : JM0-FE1031-00100306
Model : RX8A6C4L (Hi-Power, 6MT)
Colour : Velocity Red
Trim : FF4 (This must represent red & black leather)
Order Type : Firm
Dlr order date : 25 Mar 2003 (Dealer placed order on Japan)
Mazda Status : Vinass (VIN has been assigned)
Production month : May 2003 (Interesting considering the 8 week delay)
Dealer status : Granted
Last date for change : 21 Jun 2003
Est prod date : 30 Jun 2003 (started building it yesterday)
Ship name : Golden Fan
ETD : 8 Jul 2003 (Estimated Time of Departure)
State : NSW
Port : Syd (Confirms the NSW cars are coming directly to Sydney)

There are also entries for Actual Time of Departure (ATD), Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) and Actual Time of Arrival (ATA) which are obviously left blank at the moment. I will contact my dealer again on the 9th to find out of the ship left Japan on time and if they have an ETA.

I also tried to find a web site for tracking ship movements. The best I could find was Sydney Ports but they only show arrivals and departures for the current day or 1 day ahead.
Sydney Ports - Ship Movements (http://www.sydneyports.com.au/MarineOperations/movements.asp)

P.D.U

Thanks mate for the information regarding your vehicle. My dealer has no idea about any of this information and when I spoke recently only had the (I assume default) ETD of 01 July. You are now responsible for yet another 'polite' call to my ever useful dealer (or maybe a visit in person on the weekend).

On the plus side fantastic to hear some firm dates for OZ, I ordered back in Mar as well so I am hoping that your good news is also mine!

Keep that info flowing!

simondebbie,

The guys at the dealership didn't know whether, even if my car clears customs in Sydney in July, if Mazda HQ will delay releasing them until the official launch on August 1st. If that's the case, then the first RX-8 I'll get to drive will be at Eastern Creek race track on the 28th.

I ordered in mid-January but it seems from the info I received today that the rep didn't place the order on Japan until March. Maybe that was the first opportunity to do so ?

I think at this stage the dealers will only have production and shiping info for the cars that are in the first shipment to Australia.

P.D.U

according to my dealer I'm supposed to be in the first shipment to Aust......that was when I was paying them deposit though so you never know. The delay in your dealer placing order just concerns me more of course!

I think it is around 3 weeks on the water? So I'm thinking close to 1 August anyway give or take.

Next Friday is my test drive on the track! sorry......... :)

As I mentioned I suspect that March was the earliest opportunity that the Aussie dealerships had to place their pre-orders on Japan. If that was indeed the case then it's perfectly reasonable to assume that your car will be on the first shipment. But the only way to be sure is for your dealer to check their ordering systems and pull off a report like mine.

My dealer reckons it's only 10 days on the ship, but it's entirely dependant on the weather at sea isn't it. If there's a storm, they could go through it with minimal delay, or they may have to go around it resulting in a much longer delay. This is precisely why I tried to find a website for tracking ship movements at sea.

No doubt you'll have a great time at the Melbourne drive day. Can you take a digi-camera and post some cool pics for us ?

P.D.U

Will do mate, looking forward to seeing one of these things somewhere other than a revolving turntable at a motor show.

10 days, that certainly does sound more promising. In other areas in the Forum I've noticed that the guys in the US are getting pissed re cars having arrived but being held up for national launch (same concern that you have).
Hopefully this won't be the case here.

Pics coming up, have child due 14 july though so you never know the little bugger may come early and ruin my drive day....though I guess I should keep some perspective here!

Cheers

;)

simondebbie, which dealer did you get your RX-8 from? Unfortunately I won't be going to the Victorian drive day as I am working. My wife will be going instead.

We're also expecting a new baby soon. Looks like I'll definitely be putting a baby seat in the back of the RX-8.

Donald

Our dealer is the one on Springvale road, Mulgrave.

There will be two baby seats in our 8! Figure I better leave it at that, thank god there are only two seats in the back of the vehicle!

i got mine from Essendon Mazda.

our second car is a two door vw beetle. i presently have a 99 MX-5. It was fortunate that the RX-8 has four doors.

Donald