Can't resist sharing this experience.

Picked up my car yesterday evening after the following work had been done:

1. Heat issue recall.

2. Starter motor, plugs & battery upgrade.

3. Stainless Hymee catback installed.

As instructed, car was left locked up outside the dealership (there is never gonna be a day that I get there to pick it up before they leave ). First grin was seeing the shiny fat new tips out the back. Second grin was noticing what a good job they did cleaning it up. Had even blacked the tyres for me.

Climbed in and turned the key. Holy crap - instant ignition. No more starter motor labouring away. Was like a damn jet kicking over.

Decided then and there that a drive to Palmy and back was a MUST.

Just cruising up Pittwater Road didn't really notice the Hymee at first. However, once it was warm gave it a couple of prods in second and the grin turned into a face-splitting demonic chuckle. After that I couldn't get enough of it and scared the crap out of some young dudes in a SSS Pulsar with some tin can hanging out the back. :p

Then, things got better.

Anyone who has driven to Palmy much will know that it is a great road wasted on too many people. You almost never get the bends to yourself (there's about 4 really good sets of them) and often crawl around them behind some bus or over-superannuated retiree who's determined not to wear out his Lexus.

Well, for once, it happened. God was driving an RX8 last night. Just before the road went to one lane at Newport a gap opened up, yours truly slid in front of the other traffic and with a hoot opened her up and went for it (knowing that it would be over all too soon - probably around the first bend).

However, the purple patch just got bigger! Every time I saw a car up ahead it magically turned off into some side street. Fair dinkum, it was THE best urban driving I've ever done. I'm sure I made a few Palmy pensioners choke on their bedtime cocoa if the sound from the driver's seat was anything to go by. I was so engrossed, I didn't even know I had looped around onto the beach front until I heard the waves and realised I'd driven all the way into the car park at the south end of the beach.

Promptly turned around and went straight back and near enough had the same clear run. One sphincter puckering moment when I happened on a bus lurching out from the curb on the other side of a 35km (posted ) corner but I had just enough time to sneak by.

Without doubt, the best way to get to know your new catback. :D :D :D

Those who keep telling themselves that the minimal power gain isn't worth it either haven't driven one (just hearing it stationary is not enough) or are mean on themselves. :p

 

Revolver,

Nice post :D

Cheers,
Hymee.

 

Must be all that good Karma you put out yesterday returning back to you!

 

One word.... SWEET! These opportunities are rare... and I'm glad you took it.

 

BTW, For those interested, Brookvale Mazda did the install.

This was their first Hymee so they took their time and seem to have done a nice job. SM told me they spent 3.5 hours on it and charged me for 2 ($180). A bit steep going by Hymee's estimates but I guess there's a cost in being the guinea pig.

I've told the SM that if he can get his labour time down to 1-1.5 hrs there may be some work in it for him. Those who have ordered one and find Brookie convenient should give him a ring (ask for Cameron) and see what he'll do for you. He's rotary sympathetic (having a turbo motor built himself) and a nice guy to deal with.

Any suggestions as to what I should do with the OEM exhaust (medically possible one's please! ). Reckon it's worth hanging onto? Worth flogging to a wrecker?? Yes, I have no idea. :o :o :o

 

 

ROFLMAO :D :D :D

That's gold. Particularly like the way it sets off the plaster on the celing joins.

Okay, assuming I don't share 'Mez's, ahem, individual taste in light fittings, any other suggestions?

 

HAHAHHA! Nice pic gomez.

180 sounds way too steep. But it beats dents in your stock midpipe!

Might wanna retain and leave it with its next owner if he's rather happier having OEM on it.

 

Yeah, I probably could have gone somewhere else and got it done for less but at least I have a relationship with these people, which makes it easier to get any remedial work done.

As to keeping it with a view to resale, has anyone ever struck a purchaser who wanted the OEM exhaust?? And I don't mean some tin can hanging out the back of some clapped out cheapie?

 

/me looks at revolver's way.....

bloody show off....... :p
i think im the ONLY one here with the stocky exhaust still......

 

Oh mate, how can you put up with a car that looks and drives so stock?? :p :D :D

 

:D
trust me..... it doesnt drive stock....
guess im over those loud exhaust noises......
have had "sports" exhaust for my last 3 "sports" cars.... and im kinda got over it
i love how quiet the 8 is atm :D
i can always get a drive in a hymee'ed or a HKS'ed 8 if i think my life is too boring :D

 

Exactly!

I was just enjoying the irony that a bloke with a bright orange car with 20 inch blings and all manner of other gadgets is calling ME a show off. ROFL. :D :D :D

 

hey...... i dont go and tell ppl that all the time/everyday :D :p
im shy.......
hahahaaaa.......

 

Perhaps you should rename Ezzy Jr.

What about 'Stealth'?? :D :D

 

hahahaaaaa....... :D
no thanks :p

i think we should get back on topic....

so..... yes... i bet you are exteremely happy with the result....
let me know if you want to get the CAI done for the nats
and lets keep that as a secret :p
oops......

 

Hey Revolver watch your driving in my back yard mate! :D

Personally I never waste time trying to let off steam on Pittwater Road. It's just too frustrating. The ants pants driving road around us is the road from Church Point to Mona Vale Road via McCarr's Creek, with a little deviation to Cottage point if you're inclined. The RX-8 absolutely aces this road, which is seriously tight and full of mid corner bumps, crests and dips that leave most cars flailing. If you choose your time of day it's more or less deserted too. The only downside is that it is used by more and more bike riders of the pedalled variety, so caution is required on the many blind corners.

 

Would have been less effort to buy one than to paint your car rollem down the aisle jaffa orange to distract the eye away from those tiny stock tips and that awful vacuum cleaner on steriods sound.

 

Wish I could find a run like that! I live for the day that I can drive through the christmas hill with no one in front :-(

As for cost!!!! Ouch, from memory, 1hr install for me at a cost of 75$.

Andrew

 

Hey REVOLVER, if you want a good loooong drive with lotsa fun try the Old Pacific Highway Kariong to Berowra as a daily drive to and from work - for those who remember the cruize from Waitara to Terrigal with 16 8s a few weeks back. No buses or seniors there, but ya gotta watch out fo rthe Wallabys (OUCH that hurt!) and Lyre Birds and Wombats, doesn't get boring ... never, ever! :D EVERY ... DAY .... !! :D :D

Hey whats with the starter motor upgrade? Just faster/better starts? The original seems to work OK, I do understand that it does seem to labour a bit especially on cold starts in Winter, but otherwise ... And you say it requires a higher spec battery right, which makes sense, so that got to cost a few bucks, emmachizit? Is it a standard part or a special through Brooky Mazda?

I bought my first 8 through BM and was pretty happy with them, and Cameron was good, but it is a bit out of my way living in Gosford but working in North Sydney. So I now get my replacement 8 done at Central Coast Mazda, with the help of DAZ-13B with the parts - right Daz! And they did my second Hymee Exhaust in one hour for $60 - and that was their first of many nearly a year ago.

Cheers,
Tony.

 

nah..... its like...
1st 30mins = wooo... ahhh.... what do we do? what do we do?
2nd 30mins = umm..... finding out how many mechs required to carry out this job
3rd 30mins = looking for the key, so the appretience can move the car onto the hoist
4th 30mins = print out the workshop manual on "how to remove the factory exhaust"
5th 30mins = lunch break
6th 30mins = finally got the factory thingo out, and fitting the new one
7th 30mins = head mech looks at appretience and junior appretience's work, and move the car back to the waiting bay :D

 

Time is money for Revolver too... his car was already in for the recall so it was convenient to get it done. If they damaged anything else on the car during the install, then there's no finger pointing when it comes to warranty later and in the end he was confident the job would be done right. Sometimes knowing that is worth extra money because you don't want the hassle if things go wrong, especially if you're working long hours or can't get away from work easily.

I used to work in a job where I had to bill by the minute... and time you don't bill because of distractions during the day is extra time you work to make up for it. At times I paid a premium for some things just because I didn't want the hassle and I wanted to be confident of the people doing the work or I didn't have the time to shop around.

 

It seems the mechanics charges are inconsistant across different dealers.

I got a quote from my dealer to install front and rear sway bars and they quoted me $44 each which sounds reasonable. If I did it myself it would take ages and my time is a lot more valuable.

skc

 

hehe, still thinking about that.

Might have to have a drive and a listen of yours before I decide whether or not to do it.

Also interested to check out Wildcard's version at the Nats so I'll probably leave it until afterwards.