Notices
RX-8 Discussion General discussion about the RX-8 that doesn't fit in one of the specialty forums.

What's that "extra" little body panel near the rear wheel-well?

Old 03-06-2005, 12:23 PM
  #1  
Registered
Thread Starter
 
utente's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What's that "extra" little body panel near the rear wheel-well?

We picked up our black '04 from the dealer on Friday and took it for a drive. Parked it in the garage and walked around to see how great it looked. Then-- my wife found a deep scratch on the right side, just in front of the rear wheel-well near the rocker panel. There's no way that it could have happended while we had the car, so it must have been there when we bought it. Looking closer, it seemed more like a crack in the panel than just a scratch. Of course we were sick. Managed to sleep anway.

Yesterday we took it for a nice long drive on the highway and on some curvy roads out in the country. Stopped the car, and my wife looked at the scratch. Turned out not to be a scratch or a crack. It's a tiny little panel (on the left side also) that had some white wax where it joined the rest of the car. Whew! It's ok. But, it seems to serve no purpose. It appears to be a superfluous little panel on top of the rear quarter panel.

Now, no car company would go to the expense of adding an unnecessary panel. Does anybody else have any idea what this is?
Old 03-06-2005, 12:35 PM
  #2  
"RX-8 my stress reliever"
 
MELRX8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Keizer, Oregon
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rock guard, protects the paint! It's actually clear plastic.

Last edited by MELRX8; 03-06-2005 at 12:39 PM.
Old 03-06-2005, 12:36 PM
  #3  
May Cause Anal Leakage
 
tiggerlee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Orlando & Chicago
Posts: 3,191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Not a panel. It's a chip guard thingy!( best way I could describe it.) It's actually like a thin film that it put on the car to help prevent that area from getting chipped from rocks on the road and other debris. All 8's have them.
Old 03-06-2005, 12:38 PM
  #4  
Get in ma belly!!
 
irish8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 955
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Normal. Don't remove it. Also, congrats and welcome to the club!!

- Irish
Old 03-06-2005, 12:45 PM
  #5  
Registered
Thread Starter
 
utente's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks, guys. It did seem like a thin plastic thing over the regular sheet metal. Really scared us, though, when my wife saw it. Didn't think that I could go back to the dealer and say that they'd sold me a damaged car. Would have looked pretty stupid when they saw what I was worried about.

BTW-- it's great! Took it up to Marin County (north of San Francisco) and had some great backroads. My wife drove the curves faster than I did. And now I'm teaching her about matching engine speed on downshifts-- and about not going into 2nd when she thinks that it's 4th.
Old 03-06-2005, 12:53 PM
  #6  
Registered
 
Go48's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Fayetteville, PA
Posts: 2,598
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Thats what it is alright. Also, take a look at the bottom-rear of the rear door opening and you will find more of the stuff. There, I answering your second question before you asked it.
Old 03-06-2005, 12:54 PM
  #7  
"RX-8 my stress reliever"
 
MELRX8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Keizer, Oregon
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Glad we could help! Enjoy your 8, it's a great ride!
Old 03-06-2005, 02:24 PM
  #8  
The Eyes Have It
 
Grabitquick's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by utente
Took it up to Marin County (north of San Francisco) and had some great backroads.
Did the same thing over Thanksgiving when I visited my mother and sister in Marin. The 8 is the perfect car for twisting along those NorCal rural and semi-rural roads. Just watch out for the cows.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Carbon8
RX-8's For Sale/Wanted
42
02-27-2020 08:39 AM
Brooklynite
NE For Sale/Wanted
4
11-10-2015 06:42 PM
nowakm99
Series II Technical and Trouble shooting
1
10-09-2015 07:10 AM
Tsurugi
New Member Forum
5
10-04-2015 02:33 PM
Paul_Y
New Member Forum
21
09-21-2015 02:23 PM


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:
You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.

Quick Reply: What's that "extra" little body panel near the rear wheel-well?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:11 AM.