garygfx

Unfortunately the link is dead or the server refused to send it. I went to the mazdaUSA site (as per your URL) and registered to get access to the manual but the site threw a server error everytime. I'll try again later tonight. Maybe it knows I'm not yet an owner! Thanks.

The Ace

Dont know if the RX8 is different in that area (couldnt imagine why), but in the RX7s the "Low Oil" warning light was a threshold in the "Low Oil Pressure". If you think about it, there is no way the ECU can tell if the oil is low, but it can tell if the oil pressure is low

So, both gauge and warning light refer to oil pressure......

eccles

I'm sure your intentions are good, but your assumptions are bad.

The warning light is triggered by a sensor in the sump, and indicates low oil level. In fact, some early cars have a problem which causes the light to come on prematurely due to insufficient baffling around the sensor. This has been discussed extensively in other threads.

MikeLMR

yup, even the older RX's had the low level sensor in the sump (and it works .. mine had low oil when I bought it and I nearly jumped out of the seat when it buzzed at me going round a roundabout!)

I don't see the problem really, its different from a piston car but thats all really. I'm sure if we were all buying a petrol powered car for the 1st time we'd be amazed that you have to fill it with petrol every few hundred miles.

Depending on how you drive the oil level may never drop enough to need a top up between oil changes anyway. ( many fairly new piston engine cars use that much oil)

Mike

350 Formula

Prey tell, I had one. It was a 1985 Cougar. I checked the oil when I first purchased the car, but it never seem to go down. It also had a 'low oil' light. This was in addition to a low oil pressure light (and I hate dumb lights). Since I changed the oil every 5,000 miles I stopped checking the oil. The low oil light came on only once in 125,000 miles and it was about 3/4 gts low.

rael

From the posts in the US it seems we will have to fill up the 8 every few hundred miles too, especially if we drove it as a sports car!

rael

Murphy

I see the point Garryfx is making.

I'm sure I read that Mazda are targeting 6000 unit sales per year in the UK for the RX8. That's not the sales figures you would see for a more specialist market like the RX7.

Now while people who frequent forums like this will have absolutely no problem dipping the oil every 2 tankfulls, "Joe Public", with no interest in rotaries, who may well see this as a car they'd like to own but who's sum total of maintenance of any kind, beyond putting water in one end and petrol in the other, is handing his car to the dealer for a service, is going to have problems.

They are just too used to the "drive it and park it" mentality associated with more "mainstream" cars.

And lets face it - by the time the warning lights are coming on you may already have damaged the engine.

I can just see the letters in "What Car" now....

"My 8 week old RX8 ground to a halt at the side of the M6 when the engine seized. The dealership has informed me it's my fault because I didn't check the oil every 2 weeks as per the advice on page 23 of the owners manual. Every 2 weeks!!!. This must be a design flaw. I want my money back, blah, blah, blah..." :D

bugbear

you guys know i'm getting the car and this isnt going to stop me. however i'm interested to hear experienced rotary owners say that rotaries burn oil and of course it's true. this is akin as pointed out to a two stroke bike. now what i dont understand is why there isn't a separate oil reservoir from which the spray can draw. that way (as with a two stroke, or a petrol tank) an accurate measure can be provided to the driver in the cabin at all times.

has anyone thought of this?

silver8

I have about 1,400 miles on my car. I have checked the oil about every two tanks of gas. It is now about half was between the two marks on the stick. I am likely to get an oil change before I would need to top up.

Aside from the rotary burning oil, I also have a recurring oil film in the engine compartment that may explain some of the oil level decrease. When I first mentioned this (and the smell of burning oil) to the dealer, they assured me it was normal for a new car and that it was the result of the protective coating applied to the engine prior to shipment and also to make everything shiny. Likely story...I will have that checked again.

Of note in checking the oil, the dipstick is somewhat buried under several hoses and the engine cover. I know I removed the engine cover to check it in the past, I don't recall if my last check required this or whether I contorted sufficiently to avoid the need.

zoom44

i think Gary Fenton of Stevenage is alarmed because he has probably never checked the fluid levels in any car he has ever driven/owned. therefore he has no understanding of how to read a dipstick but does not want to give away his lack of knowledge so decides to say that it must be a problem with the car, because of course he has no problem.

if he is that scared of doing the checks himself and looking like a fool for not understanding, isn't there petrol stations there that will check it for him at the fillups? or perhaps that valeting service that someone here mentioned awhile ago that can come round to his flat and check the fluids and top them off for him? that way he wouldn't run out of washer fluid either.

Lucozade

Personally I think this is another negative, or come lets not be negative thread about the RX-8. AutoExpress clearly doesn't refer to any other vehicle every needing as much attention, e.g. every other bloody car out there should have the oil check frequently.

Put this one to bed, forget about it, they are a55holes and I will not be buying anymore of their magazines.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE stop all the god damn moaning, for those of us who have got our cars I'm sure we are all enjoying them. For those awaiting arrival I'm sure most of us can't wait - even though we have heard/read so much **** on this site.

Back to the basics everyone, let's start praising this fantastic car for once.

E.G. I think it looks great, what a great design, what lovely colour choices, etc,etc.

Right, lets get our own back, The Editor of Autoexpress is available on this email address, drop him a line about the article, lets stir up some crap!

editor@autoexpress.co.uk

Why not report back on this thread if you get a reply.
You see my point

Lucozade

[COLOR=red]
Dear Mr Johns,

I write to you concerning the article compiled in this weeks Autoexpress concerning the RX-8, "Oil's not well for the innovative RX-8".

In this article your reporter appears to be trying to tell us that it's a totally new concept to be checking your cars engine oil levels and that Mazda recommend a check every two fill ups. He makes it sound terrible to have to do this.

Can you kindly recommend your employee looks up this site:

http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/avoid_breakdown.html

In which he will find that this is actually a recommendation for all cars and not just for the "innovative RX-8". I am very disappointed by this type of journalism and it is very clear from this report that the writer is not in touch with realities of modern engines.

I would respectfully request that you print an apology in your next edition especially to those whom are waiting patiently for delivery of this fantastic new car. A car that seem to get nothing but praise from every other UK magazine apart from yours.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Kind regards,

(name supplied)
Member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists

Titanium Grey

Well done Lucozade.

I doubt you will get a reply but let's wait and see.

mr_digital_uk

OK - your average car driver checks the oil maybe once in a blue moon ... half way between services if we're lucky.

Given that, they will find the RX-8 hard to live with.

Me ... I had been feeding my Mazda Xedos the really expensive 0w40 type oils and ended up having to check every two weeks (at least). Then I realised I'd been using the wrong oil; moved to 10w40+ and hardly ever have to check it.

So: Get the oil right and life will be easier, but bear in mind that this is a sports car!!!

mr_digital_uk

Another thought:

Why are journalists at Autoexpress so anti the RX-8 compared to the rest of the industry? .....

I'll say no more !?!?!?!?!

Lucozade

ok more moaning, do something about it then.

Send an email to the editor, come on guys moan at someone else for a change, its not difficult. No offence intended but come on lets get a grip on this.

The email address as before is:

editor@autoexpress.co.uk

And his name is David Johns.

Get typing!

We are a big community of car buyers lets tell them so!

MarkW

Mr D,

I posted the same earlier, but then I realised it is AutoExpress (who have given excellent reviews of the RX-8) and not Autocar (who dont like the RX-8) who have written this article.

Nevertheless, I am minded to email the editor with my comments regardless of what anyone else does.

Now, back to the football, lets hope England do a bit better in the second half than the first!

mr_digital_uk

Ouch ... sorry got my magazines mixed up ....

Given that, I guess it's even-handed journalism ....

Still ... sports cars need a bit more care than your average Vauxhall Vectra

AnilS

MarkW well said. I've just logged on and was about to sat what you already have. As posted earlier Autocar will damn the car next week. Autoexpress and Evo like the 8.

AnilS.

crabacle

Seems to me that more and more Mazda have f**ked up - another nail in the RX8 coffin

MVCalypso

Just a point of contrast - another of my cars needs essentially no attention to oil checks. Besides the 8, I also own a BMW 328, which I have had it for just shy of 4 years. When I first got it I purchased a qt of the BMW synthetic oil - put it in the trunk. I've always had a spare quart in all my cars - just in case - my Dad taught me to do this when I first started driving (more years ago than I care to admit).

To date the seal on that quart of oil is unbroken. I started out checking the oil in the BMW regularly, after 4 years I have to force myself to check it - as it has never been low on oil. There is about 35K on the car; all it has ever had is the scheduled service. It simply has never burned a drop between Oil changes.

I suspect my BMW experience is closer to what Joe average consumer expects than what the rotary requires. Different cars, different expectations.

AnilS

MV, the same applies to my Ford Focus, no usage but checked mainly prior to long trips. However, the BMW M5 in our family has to be checked at least every 2 weeks, and normally requires a small top up. BMW include a litre of oil, gloves and funnel in a pack, velcroed to the boot carpet. Its apparent that the M5, by the very nature of its V8, like to be kept lubed.


Regards, AnilS.

Lucozade

REGARDING the above two posts.

What the hell are you telling us for ?

Tell the Editor, this thread is a boring as old dishwater now, get moaning to the Editor.

Kind regards and bored stiff of this forum,

Lucozade.

Dear Moderator, can we please have this thread closed.

jimbobjoe

I agree that we're not getting so many bangs-per-buck at the moment in the european forum, but I'm going to cut this one a little more slack.

If I deleted every thread that wandered off track a little it would be very, very quiet in here. But I am watching.......

MarkW

Errr, Why do you say that?