blue freeze

I am one of the people included in the latest recall, and have yet to get the work done. I'm just curious as to how my fellow Winnipeg drivers were treated by our 2 dealerships. Did anyone get a loaner car (CX7 ???) or is it always an offer of a "shuttle" ride?

Chrissss

I'm taking mine into Gerry Gordon's on Monday for the recall. I asked about a loaner but all I got was the shuttle offer, too.

Betcha I don't get a gas fill, either. They're pretty good with doing the carwash, though.

Chris...

blue freeze

Thanks. That sounds like the usual treatment I get at Destination. I was hoping the grass was greener on that side of the road...

bean438

My car goes into Gerry Gordon Mazda Monday morning as well.
A rental car was offered, and when pressed for a CX7 I was told they didn't have any. However the sales manager drives one and something could be worked out if I gave them some notice.

It was also suggested that I do not fill up my tank prior to the service.

I am hopping it will be just a flash, but I drive the only automatic in Canada (lol), and I have buzzard's luck too.

blue freeze

Called Destination -- it looks like I may get a CX7 loaner when I take the car in . I am getting more than the recall done though, also getting the winters on, and the winter service/ oil change done. Yes, I know I should do it myself, but it's too cold out and I am lazy.

Anyways, will let everyone know if this turns out!

Chrissss

Well I had my recall done this morning. No problems...got the new flash and plugs. They washed the car (of course it's raining so it stayed clean for ...mmm...1 minute...) and they filled the tank. I hope they used good gas :D

One item that surprised me was that my clock and radio pre-sets were still programmed. I figured that would be lost during a flash. Hmmm...

I don't detect any apparent change to the way the car drives, but then I seem to remember reading in another thread the the short & long term fuel trims don't get reset. I would do a reset myself but the car will go into winter hibernation pretty soon so why bother.

BlueFreeze and Bean438, are you guys members of Manitoba Mazda Club? We hopefully have a meet coming next weekend if the weather holds. Check out the clubs website:

http://www.manitobamazdaclub.com

Maybe I won't be the only 8 to show up anymore? :D If you show for a meet I'm the old guy with some grey hair (ick!)

Chris...

blue freeze

Driving a CX7 loaner car is a dangerous thing. The other half's Tribute may be ending up a trade! I don't get my car back until tomorrow, so I am still not certain exactly what all will be done.

Chris - no, I am not a member of the Manitoba Mazda Club. My job usually keeps me pretty tied down on the weekends, but things have improved lately. It would be good to get together sometime with my fellow 8 drivers, but next weekend is not possible (out of town).

DreamCameTrue

Hey all (First Post)

Winnipegger here...Just bought a 2004 8 GT from Crown Nissan in the Waverly mall. Absolutely love it. I've been drooling over these things since their unveiling and just had to wait long enough for it to come into my price range. :D

Up to 3 years ago I had a 2000 Mazda Miata Special Edition, sold it to move to Japan, and ever since I've been back I've been driving cookie-cutter cars so it's so nice to drive something so rewarding again.

I've been reading a few threads on here re: frothy oil (a "quirk" I've noticed my car has, glad it's nothing too serious) and this ECU flash recall... my car had the re-flash done right before I bought it, what's it all about?

Anyway, I don't belong to the Manitoba Mazda Club (although I used to Autocross the Miata a bit with the MSCC), but it'd be great to hook up with some other Rex owners, so if you don't mind keep this thread updated. Thanks!

Ty

blue freeze

Well, got the 8 back, cleaned inside & out, new plugs and updated flash, no catalytic converter or engine replacement. Overall, very happy with the way Destination Mazda treated me.


Ty - Welcome to the family of "8".

As I see it, the flash thing boils down to this: the car was designed for the Japanese market, which has different emissions standards than us. When it was brought over to North America, Mazda had to adjust the ECU so as to meet our standards, and this effected our horsepower and driving characteristics. Ever since, they have been working on new "flashes" to get our cars closer to the original.

Are you going to be driving your 8 all winter?

DreamCameTrue

Yeah, that's the plan, although I have kept my winter beater since selling the Miata and have considered putting it on the road if this winter turns out to be pretty deep and cold (another winter like last's would probably be survivable). I haven't started the "winter" Corsica for over a year, but I think with a little TLC I could get'er going again....that's a last resort type of scenario in my mind though...

I do feel kinda bad about driving the 8 all winter though as it's obvious that the previous owner never let this thing out in the rain, by the looks of it. Ah well.

How bout you guys? Anyone try to drive their 8 through our wonderful winters?

Ty

BTW Thanks for the info on the reflash....I'm glad it's due to emissions issues and not "crappy Mazda programming".

Chrissss

My winter car is my old '90 Eagle Talon Tsi

AWD is a great thing in the winter. Add to that some Yoko winter tires and I'm set.

A lot of the new flash was about oil and fuel injection. They decreased initial fuel at start up to decrease the chance of flooding the engine. They also increased the oil injection at low, steady throttle settings. People driving a lot at low RPM's weren't getting enough lubrication.

Chris...

bean438

Picked up the car from Gordon's. All washed, fuel topped up, and nothing more than new plugs, and a flash.

I will become a member of the Mazda Manitoba club. Thanks for the link.

DreamCameTrue

Yeah, I meant to ask about that....

Anyone with the new flash, have you noticed your 8 having a pretty hard start? Mine feels like it's almost not getting ENOUGH fuel and has to turn over more times than I'm used to before it fires up.... almost like it's struggling to start. Is this a normal rotary trait, an effect of the new flash, or am I potentially driving a lemon?

Ty

Chrissss

I've noticed that mine takes an extra crank or two to start, but I wouldn't call it a "hard start"

If you are having hard start problems talk to GG about it. There was a TSB in the States (and probably applies in Canada, too) about hard starts. They install a new battery and a starter that cranks much faster than the stock one.

Chris...

bean438

No "hard starts" here with the new flash.
My 8 is parked in the winter, but the 1st winter it went out when things were frozen and dry.
The car sat for 4-6 weeks in a garage, and flooded when starting.
I attributed this to battery drain, decreased cca's of a cold battery, and the supposed need of more juice to crank a rotary engine.

I bought myself a "smart" charger for the winter, and for longer summer periods of parking.
No trouble or hesitation since.

Plus it gave me a reason to go out and by a charger. One can never have too much man stuff in our garages.

blue freeze

This will be my third winter.

One of the reasons I love this car is that "I can" drive it safely all winter (winter tires, different style of driving, that 50/50 weight distribution and traction control), "I can" put the little guy in the back seat, and - this was the best - "I can" load up a few 2x4's (through the pass through - watch all the truck guys at Home Depot stop smirking and pick their chins off the ground when they see them fit) if I want or need to. Not that I should, but "I can". How many sports cars can boast that?

My car would be parked outside at work 8, sometimes 10 hour days in the worst weather and it would still start and drive faithfully ( with a really stiff clutch many times though). Hoping with the new flash it still will.

The best part of the winter driving is - having fun with the rear wheel drive when I want to. After approx. a dozen years of front wheel drive, I really appreciate that. There's nothing like turning a corner just by giving the car some gas and a slight nudge in the right direction! (I know, grow up, right?)

bean438

I would never have guessed 2x4's would fit. How many is a few?
I can't even fit 2x4's inside my xterra.

DreamCameTrue

Thanks for the Hard Start replies.

I'm taking the car back to Crown Nissan tomorrow (who may or may not take it to Destination Mazda) for a few little things - no driving lamps or high beams, I'm assuming it's the DRL module; and the brakes are squeaking - so I'm going to inquire about the hard start issue and mention the recall.

2x4's eh....I'm assuming those are 8' studs? Very bold to even try!

blue freeze

Actually, I got 3 in, although they were only about <>6' long, we were working on a divider (lie by omission?). You really can't have anything in the trunk or the passenger seat and you will want an old blanket to protect your car from scratches. If you open up the pass through, have your passenger seat reclined, and angle the item from the left -through the pass through and into the right - towards the passenger footwell (so you can still shift) you would be amazed what can fit in the car. Like I said, make sure you lay down an old blanket or you'll scratch up your console or the sides of the seats.

p.s. watch the speakers in the top of the trunk, I nearly caught one!

rx204

hello anyone here?