what up? i live in spokane wa. and i got my 04 rx8 about a month ago. and i noticed a funny smell coming from the vents while i was stopped with the heater on. but i dont know if its anything bad cause i think my wifes civic had the same smell. its was kinda of a rubbery type smell. if anyone knows anything about this let me know. . . thanks

Probably just le essence du rotatoire.

Seriously, in my experience rotary-engined cars seem to have a unique odor. May have something to do with the combustion of the oil-gas mixture. But, you should check under the hood for leaks and under the car for a plastic bag fried to the exhaust system. The latter seems to be a fairly common cause of bad odors in this car for some reason.

im like 99% sure that its not leak. but the whole bad thing never crossed my mind ill put it on the lift tomorrow and check it out. thanks.

Did you buy it new (no flames, I know of one brand new 2004 still for sale on a lot today in MD) or used? The new-car smell isn't really rubbery, that's not it, right?

I had to transport my summer tires in my `8's cabin and the interior smelled faintly of tires for a while after that.

One other thought - my front airbags deployed when I hit a deer in mid-Nov. The airbag propellant smelled really acrid and pungent - it's an evil smell that makes you think of bad things burning. The dealer scrubbed out and shampood the interior as part of the repairs, but every once in a while I think I get a whiff of the airbag propellant. Possibly residue, possibly my imagination. I'd hate to think you bought a used RX-8 which had been in an airbag deploying accident and didn't know it.

Hopefully it's just a stupid plastic grocery bag stuck under the car on something that gets hot.

I have had a strange smell as well. I have 800 miles on my 8, it started with it going to Ziebart for treatment, then after I drive it, I smell something when it I get out. I can't place the smell, maybe an oil burning smell, but something....unique. Glad to see im not crazy.

Did they spray any of that gunk under the car? If so, they probably sprayed some on an exhaust component and the gunk emits some smelly molecules when it gets hot.

Does it smell like gear oil? Mine kind of does. I have 582 miles.

All RX-8's have an oily type smell for the first few tankfuls. The smell is most apparent when you are stopped and the car is up to temperature.

The smell is Cosmolene, a corrosion inhibitor that Mazda coat the exhaust system with. The smell will be gone in no time.... :)

So if the coat is on the exhaust system... the smell should be gone if we put an aftermarket right? I have just over 1000 miles on my car with RB exhaust for the past 600 and I still have a smell. Can't pinpoint what kinda smell it is though.

could it be the clutch; maybe you need to get used to driving it.....well hopefully being in WA you dont have a cold mouse that climbed in to get out of the cold.

So if the coat is on the exhaust system... the smell should be gone if we put an aftermarket right?

No.

If you replaced the exhaust system from exhaust ports to muffler tips, then yes..... :)