Just got my RX8 VELOCITY RED, R/B, 6 disc, GT. Fabulous! To quote Emerson Fittipaldi "the balance is fantastc". An annoyng rattle developed and thank the LORD it turned out to be my sunglasses in the overhead console. Has anyone noticed how the adonized coating on the dipstick is slightly flaking. I hope this crap is caught in the filter before getting to the apex seals. Additionally, the stick is very hard to read, the same color as new oil. Any safe dye to use or just wait until a few more miles blackens the oil a bit?

I used my little Dremel grinder to give one side of the stick a 'brushed look', it really highlights the oil level nicely....
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doc

I agree that the dipstick's hard to read. I thought about scoring/etching some diagonal lines on mine so the oil level would be more visible. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks, excellent suggestion re: the dremel. I'll hop to it when I get back from vacation along with my Zaino!

I think the dipstick is hard to read too!

With all of the technology in the world today, you'd think that sombody would come up with a dipstick that is easy to read. Seems like I always have to dip, read, wipe, dip, and read again just to be sure that I was seeing it right the first time.

Seems like they should have some white ceramic coating or something on the bottom so it was easy to see.

What is that little slanted piece at the bottom of the dipstick for anyway?

Yes, what is that angled tip for anyway, to quote bill Clinton 'it depends on what the meaning of word is is". My 1980 Citroen CX had an electronic dipstick with two wires that plugged into the top and a plastic tip to read the level. There was an OIL LEVEL GUAGE ON THE DASH!! and everytime you started the car it checked the level while the glow plugs were warming up! We can put a man on the moon but I can't even read a dipstick in 2004. We haven't even talked about the awful location of the stick. I knew all this before I purchased so I,m not bellyaching just pontificating. Love the car!!!. Loved my Alfa164 but 50/50 RWD, no torque steer, and perfect electric steering are beyond description. Not to mention all the other attributes of the RX8



Velocity red, 6spd, GT Red/black,6disc. Fender strakes when Mazda sends my $500 debit card. Go to rotarynews.com