Lookieme

Did I sell anyone here their RX-8?

I used to work at Rich Mazda. I'm Sein in case you don't remember.

Kewl

Not sure if this is good or bad. Saw one of my first RX-8's around town this morning (Sunday). A silver one with spoiler. Actually he/she saw me first and honked the horn. I wasn't able to see them soon enough to reply. Actually it would have been rude of me to do so. I was parked at the Frontier Mart in Corrales. The people sitting on the bench out front would not have taken kindly to my use of the (RX-8 loud) horn.

Now is seeing them bad because there are so few RX-8's in ABQ?... ...we need more people out there buying the own share of the fun. Or is it bad because we don't drive them that much....local drivers can be a scare...wait I'm one of the local drivers..... It must, therefore, be good because we are finally getting out about town - Spring must be one the way. Who ever you were....HELLO!

We really do need to get together sometime soon....before the trip to CO in June.

Bigcat44

Greetings to all NM owners!
Sorry I have been out of town/contact for a little while with work (usaf) but I am back (until 11 June) so yes we should get together sometime on a weekend and get some good pics before the full blown CO meet. Let me post some of my experiences with Rich Mazda as of late. Right now my car is there being worked on (recalls) and they have actually impressed me for the first time since I bought my car. Let me give you a run down of my experience with them. A few months ago I ran over a nail and had to replace a tire so I took it to them being they had the tire in stock and gave me a reasonable deal on it. Apparently the mech went a little hard prying the tire off the wheel and scoured the rim very bad. I did not notice this until I returned from my work trip and when I brought it in for the recall I showed them the damage. The service mngr was quick to say that they don't change tires there and they send them out. To his amazement I watched them replace the tire outside of the workbay!! So to make a short story long they called me today to say they replaced the rim!! WOW Mazda actually did something for someone? I am amazed by this because I have thought since day one that certain service advisors at Rich Mazda just plain suck. Thiks is reviving their credibility.

ozbot87

Another NMican here. went to University Mazda yesterday and talked to "Sal". Promised the guy I'd come back if I decide to buy the 8. Any experiences with University Mazda in ABQ?

RonD-NM

Ozbot87,

I recommend that you go to Rich Mazda. They have treated me pretty good and fixed any problems without much of a hassle. It seems that Rich Mazda has a better relationship with Mazda then University Mazda. I worked with both of them and only Rich was able to deliver. If you want, PM me with your number and I can give you some more information. And if you buy make sure they reflash to the latest ECU Code for better gas milage and performance.
-Ron

Kewl

Anyone from New Mexico, besides myself, planning on making the trip to Colorado in June for the RX-8 meet?

Omicron

Well, last I heard, Bigcat44 and RonD-NM wwer both planning on coming...

Barry Abel

Hi. Just got mine last week. Have owned lots of sports cars - grew up with them. I belonged to Pacific Sports Car Club out of Southern California as a kid. Have owned a "stage five" sprite, a Lotus Elan, a miata, the third gen. RX7, etc. Gave up sports cars when I moved to the East Mountains but the withdrawls finally took their toll and when I test drove the new 8 I was done for!

Would love to get together with some other owners, do something together, talk about maximizing the 8. IMO it's quite simply the perfection of the concept in an affordable price range - nothing near the range even comes close for me.

Where is everyone in NM who owns 8s?

Thanks!

Omicron

Hi Barry, and Welcome!!! :D

You're right about the car, it is really something!

Sure hope you can make the pilgrimidge up to CO this June 5th-6th for the meet... if you want to get "member" access to our club website and get on the event mailing list, drop us a PM or email with your name, phone number, email, and color of your '8 and we'll get ya signed up. Site address and email are in my sig block:D

Barry Abel

I'm in the East Mountain area, just East of Albuquerque. New lightning yellow 8. Love to get together with others from this area. And I'm seriously thinking of making the June 5-6 meet in the Denver area. Long drive but heck that's half the fun! Anyone else thinking of going up?

Omicron

Got your PM Barry... as soon as I can get you added to the rolls, you're in! :D

As for who's coming to the meet from NM, I believe it's Kewl, Bigcat44 and RonD-NM so far, plus you, of course. :D

Barry Abel

Only thing is - I'm planning on going and want all the information but we raise alpacas and we have a cria (baby) due about then. We expect and hope it will come a few days before but if it hasn't, I may not be able to make it at the last minute. They're expensive critters and the mother to be is a maiden - first cria - and a nervous type, so that could rain on my parade here. A different question, do you know of any spa in the area that won't absolutely bankrupt me so my wife can come up with me if things are okay here on our place? She could do the spa days and we could catch up with one another evenings or something like that. She's up for the ride, fully supportive, but her interests lie in other areas.... Thanks!

Barry Abel

Would also love to get a chance to get together with Kewl, Bigcat44, and RonD-NM down here before we go up. Any of you want to meet somewhere one of these days? Maybe someplace for breakfast on a weekend? I don't know the places well in Corrales - what about the old Corrales Inn that Johnny Tapia was supposed to be taking over? Or there's the Owl Cafe not far from Rich Mazda - Eubank I think just north of I-40 - nice parking lot and decent breakfasts. Great breakfasts at the Cedar Point Grill on 14 (Turquoise Trail) just a few miles north of I-40 - great pancakes and really good omelets.... What do you think?

Kewl

Barry, I have always wanted to try one of the restaurants in your area and what a great reason to do so now. I'd like to get together before the June meet; I have yet to meet any of the other RX8 owners. I've had mine since Sept so I don't have any good excuse.

The first weekend I can get there would be Sunday May 16th. Or tomorrow, but I don't think such short notice is fair to everyone. I'll keep an eye on this topic and see if anyone else can make it.

Fred

Barry Abel

Fred, either way is fine with me! My home number is 286-3703. If you want to come up this way tomorrow, just give me a call. If I'm not in, leave a message. Cedar Point Grill is easy to find - I-40 to exit 175 (Tijeras) - take the left ramp onto 14 north (Cedar Crest) - up about two and a half or three miles on your right. Either Sunday works fine for me - or both of them LOL. If anyone else wants to make it, GREAT! Where did you get your 8? Got mine at Rich. If you want, after breakfast you can drop by and meet the alpacas....

Kewl

Barry,

I think even for me tomorrow would be too short a notice. Travel for work coming up first plart of next week, so need to get ready for that. The 16th is still the best day for me. We'll talk on that some between now and then. Maybe we can get some of the other NM 8 owners to join us.

Fred

Barry Abel

Sounds great! I'll write it down.

RonD-NM

I am good for the 16th. Just PM me on the place.

Thanks,

Ron

tyrchon

Hello all, just like to add that I live in Albuquerque, near Cottonwood, and am driving the Black 8. I have only seen red ones around so have not ran into many of you that live around here. PM me if you guys do a meet, oh, and I will be in Denver this weekend, not sure about the June meet, but we will see.
One more thing, I don’t like being a hater, but I want to share that I would never buy a car from University, I did not enjoy the experience there and ended up going all the way to Wichita Falls Texas to get my car rather than buying from there.

Barry Abel

Hi, tyrchon! Couple things - first, several of us (Kewl, RonD and I so far) are meeting for breakfast on Sunday the 16th at a nice little breakfast place on 14 (Turquoise Trail) called the Cedar Point Grill. It's about three miles or so north of I-40 on the right or east side of the road. We're shooting for ten am and would love to have you join us! Second, I went through the internet tracking prices, went in to Rich Mazda on Lomas just east of Wyoming, laid out what the car cost them, as equipped, and said I just wanted to talk about what a fair profit would be for them ... and a reasonable price for me. The sales manager listened, brought out the invoice, and negotiated in terms of his profit with none of that $875 dollar extra dealer profit on top of the MSRP, not to mention the $540 or so the dealer gets back from the manufacturer ased on number of cars sold in a year, etc. It was a fair and decent deal - no hassles. I was shocked - and just bought the car there. Interesting how that can work. More subject for conversation on the 16th if you can join us!

tyrchon

Nice, glad that Rich treated you well, another reason I went out of state was because I wanted my car the way I wanted it, and I wanted it now!!! lol, and after University, well, that just made me decied to do all the work (and travel) myself rather than deal with a 3rd party.
As for the 16th, that sounds good, I work nights, but i'm sure I can pull something off.

Barry Abel

I was going to suggest this - we meet at the restaurant at 10 am on the 16th and have breakfast, get acquainted, share stories and such. Then, if anyone has a bit of extra time, why not climb the summit road up to Sandia Peak? Climb is about 3,500 feet in 14 miles, a lovely drive with nice turns and cutbacks - not fast but should be great fun in the 8s! Quick lookaround at the top and then down and away. Sounds like a great morning to me!

tyrchon

Sounds good to, me, i'm sending you a pm with some info.

tyrchon

Hey, well I tried to send you a pm, but my IP was messing up, so I think you got 3 copys, lol, sorry abou that.

Barry Abel

About Sunday - anyone joining us at Cedar Point Grill (3 miles N of I-40 on the East side of Hwy 14) my cell phone number is 505.286.3703. I plan to be there at 10 and hope we can drive on up to Sandia Crest after breakfast.