The Viking

Maybe this is old news to you guys but I mentioned at my last service that I had had a couple of "difficult" starts during cold weather (the engine has never flooded and it has always started within around 3 seconds). The Service Manager offered to upgrade the starter motor, plugs and battery with no further questions asked and I have to say this makes a massive difference. Starting is now instantaneous. If you haven't already done this I would highly recommended getting it done.

Paul

Gr8M8

yeah I've got to say that I've had the same on occasion (mine is only 6 months old) - might try it out on the next service - thks for the tip!

labrat

There probably is some merit in putting your problem in writing when you go for your service. At my dealer, they had to send away for the parts and I had to go back the week after - probably they had to get the approval of the warranty manager. I had a flooding problem, and had to call Mazda Assist.

I agree - it makes an enormous difference. The new starter motor really spins!

Revolver

Are people of the view that this upgrade is available to all RX8 owners on demand?

If not, who is entitled to it (e.g. model year, build run, etc)?

My car has started okay so far but sometimes it sounds like it's struggling and I note the posts where people have said their battery has failed within a year or so of use.

I guess my question is, can I demand this upgrade next service or do I need to demonstrate need?

timbo

I think you need to read what they said...sounds like you've identified enough need

Revolver

My bad - I'll try to clarify:

Is this at the discretion of the individual service manager or is it something you can demand and get whether you can demonstrate need or not?? If it is the latter, is that just for a limited run or does it apply to everybody?? Is it, in fact, a de facto recall??

The Viking

I don't know. As I said I only mentioned the starting issue when I took the car in for a routine service and was offered this without the need to ask for it. The fact that they had all the necessary parts to do it on the same day makes me think that this a routine thing and that you may only have to ask for it or mention a need.

timbo

Well, from all I've read, it seems that if you just mention 'problems starting' to almost any service manager, they seem to offer this.

But I won't tempt fate, 'cos no doubt your SM could be a real bastard!

Lock & Load

I HAVE OFTEN MENTIONED THIS TO MY SERVICE MANAGER HE DOESNT WANT TO HERE OF IT

He said that they have to go through certain procedures before they can warrant issuing the new starter etc .BS

Surely Mazda has identified a weakness with the original starter motor , battery and plugs causing the flooding problem so in my mind they should change these parts on all the earlier cars .

If i ever get another new rotary i will certainly be choosing my service dealer manager a lot more carefully

Too many dealers are happy to make $ 7000.00 profit on the sale of a new car for literally order taking but give very little in return in the way of service .


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michael

Gomez

Sounds like there might be a note on your file, Michael........

Lock & Load

Its ok i have sent 3 RX8 BUYERS TO OTHER DEALERS 2 HAVE PURCHASED ALREADY :D

I am going to purchase the starter motor battery +the interlock starter swicth that they wont entertain getting for me and are giving me the run around with then after the recall i am going to tell them were to go .

The head mechanic there is great but the service manager is a real smart assed ***** who thinks he knows all and refuses to listen to anyone .


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michael

timbo

I just can't understand why you're having problems; mine is a peach...mostly...I just have to quietly and tactfully educate him

Lock & Load

When i first bought my car i was Mazdas best salesperson , spending time with potential buyers showing them my car and educating them to its virtues , but know my standard answer to them is that unless you decide to become a rotary enthusiast this car may not be for them .

I try and direct them to the club and let them decide for themselves as to wether this car suits them .

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michael

Lock & Load

The battery is of a greater capacity quicker cranking and the starter motor is far better so yes they are a upgrade on the old :D and yes it was a stupid question :D .

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michael

Lock & Load

Because the beancounters , realised that they had to make greater profits consequently they gave us cheap batteries , starters , no second oil coolers etc etc

For a car that took years to come to market they , i believe released it to early whitout proper testing tuning for the different markets , and halve the problems we have including recalls are due to this .

Cheaper parts multyplied by thousands of units = huge savings for Mazda , but i believe long term its going to come back and bite them .

They released the 4 speed Automatic knowing damm well that the car was a dog , they did not want to even let wheels test it , but wheels magazine insisted on testing both the manual and the Automatic .

Every one acknowledged that the wrong Automatic was used , they are finally releasing a new 6 speed Automatic that should have been released initially

Too me Mazda has lost a lot of its credibility on various issues with the buyers and long term they will pay the price .

With all the various problems with the rotary together with fuel prices the rotary engine i believe may not have a brilliant future .

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michael

sco

Djikstra's law applies... testing only ever proves the existence of problems never the absence. It is impossible to test every scenario. Thus, when unanticipated things occur problems appear.

I think Mazda has done a good job of addressing most issues that have appeared. I get on well with my service manager and I think that goes a long way to easing resolution of issues when they occur.

Lock & Load

Testing for flooding one would think would have been one of the simplest test yet even this was not done PROPERLY BECAUSE IT DOES FLOOD EASILY WHICH is definetely unacceptable .

Surely reversing , switching off an engine and re-starting it when its cold is not a complicated test , and as we know the car does flood .

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michael

Revolver

thanks for the feedback. I'll ask my SM about it next service.

sco

Initially an assumption was made by Mazda that drivers would/could heed the warning about not switching the engine off while cold. Thus they would have tested around that assumption. Mazda learnt that this wasn't acceptable because owners wouldn't or couldn't avoid switching off cold and as a result they have decided to upgrade the starter package.

Some cars also seem more difficult to flood than others. I know of a forum member who has deliberately tried to flood his car and failed.

Lock & Load

Mazda did not design or intend on selling the RX8 only to rotary enthusiasts that were aware of past flooding of rotaries and procedures to be taking to avoid flooding , but decided to sell this car to the mums and dads out there most of them not even being aware of the rotaries characteristics .

For you to suggest that they did not assume that people would cold start and flood it is wrong heck forum members who i assume are far more knowledgable about there cars than the average smuck are flooding them .

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michael

timbo

On a clear night, you can hear the whine from here

Revolver

Although I'm not a Mazda hater, I think Lock makes a fair point.

Mazda is in fairyland if it really thought that only rotary enthusiasts would buy this car. Indeed, far from being marketed as a specialised sports car, it is touted as a good compromise between having to carry more than one person (and the odd blonde) and the peformance and handling of an out and out 2 seat stringback glove special. In short, Mazda has encouraged the public to believe that this is a non-intimidating 'entry-level' performance car that is easy to live with.

Further, the demands of modern life are such that babying a car to avoid flooding is simply not in the minds of the average joe blow buying a car. The public has become used to reliable cars that start first time and by and large do not require special treatment.

So really they should have tested the car along the lines of what the average urban user would do (i.e. some short trips and movements of the car for washing, etc that put strain on a cold motor).