MarkW

OK..as per Oilman's suggestion in the "Delivery info from Mazda" post, here is a new thread where those of us that have pre-ordered can build a list of questions we would like Mazda UK to answer.

Here's some off the top of my head for starters:

1. Confirmation as to which colours/trim levels will be in the first batch of cars to the UK.

2. Confirmation as to when the remaining colours/trims will be available?

3. How many cars are coming to the UK in 2003, and how many in the first batch?

4. Will those of us that have pre-ordered and placed £1000 at a dealer receive priority over web orders once the site is up?

5. When will the final UK specification be available, and when are we likely to see brochures etc.

6. When will accessories and prices be announced?

7. When will we receive news of the planned 'events' program that has been mentioned for pre-order customers?

8. Will we ever receive any email updates from registering on the web site?

9. Will we receive any details of progress over the next 6 months as to when our car is being built etc?

10. Will we be able to see real colour sample before we make decisions on colour?

Comment - If Mazda UK kept their dealers better informed then we would all be better informed.

Feel free to add/amend as you see fit....

rael

Looks good to me.

Also;

1) What else will be offered as part of the buying package (ie AA/ RAC membership, tickets to RX8 women race, cleaning pack etc) I am aware of a special rotary watch which we will get.

2) Letters of purchase confirmation (some sort of order number as in the states).

To be honest cannot think of too much to add.

rael.

oilman

Thanks and well done Mark!

You seemed to have covered off my questions very well although I supposed we would all have the sameish.

I would give it a week and we'll compile something.

I have one more at present.

1) Where do they intend to put the front number plate so as not to spoil the looks and restrict airflow?


Cheers
Oilman

ps: I'm sure Morgan will have loads of questions

oilman

Sorry, thought of a few more!

1) What will Warranty period be?

2) What will service periods and costs be?

3) Will Mazda have their own insurance scheme for RX8 owners?

Cheers
OILMAN

RobWilliams

Oilman, did you see this picture ?



That looks like a number plate plinth on the front and I don't really see anywhere else they can put it that will not obscure something important or touch the ground over speed bumps.

Cheers

Rob

MarkW

I agree with Rob, several pics have shown that is where the plate will be. Its a shame we cant do without front plates like our US friends.

Damn, every time I see the black I love it....I must keep telling myself that it wont look like that when its dirty after 5 minutes!

oilman

Yes Thanks Rob, have it on my PC and used in my thread Decisions, Decisions.

Can't say I like the position but where else can it be put?

I like black but have a black JEEP Grand Cherokee and it's dirty 5 minutes after washing! So I'm not going to go there.

Cheers
OILMAN

zoom44

actually it's a state by state thing here. in my home state of pennsylvania there is no front plate. but here in oregon, where i reside now, front plates are mandatory. many other states require them also. i think mazda has done something with the palcement of the radiator to minimize the effect of front plates.i remember seeing some pics in the boowana quest forum of from rotarynews.com showing the radiator being slightly below that opening at place at an angle. it still doesn't help with the appearance issue. i'm thinking of breaking one of the hangers and just putting the plate on the dash in case i'm stopped for it :D

morganrogers

Waddaya mean "I', sure Morgan will have loads of questions ?"

errr. Ok , you probably have a point...
I will have a think. Thought the provisional list was pretty good though.

One comment I would make is to sort out the order info from the car trivia. At the moment what I really want is communication from them concerning dates and order process (priorities etc) and what the next stage will be.

I think the questions about the other stuff (insurance , trim etc) are of secondary importance in the context we are currently in.
I mean they are important , all of us want the car in the ideal spec for us but to be honest if the car only does 24mpg instead of 25 or if they are not offering insurance deals is it really going to change our minds ? We have put £1000 down on a car we have not even seen for real let alone test driven - I think that makes us pretty keen

So - I will think on the questions but really I just want confirmation and a 'roadmap' of expected dates (date of confirmation , date of trim spec , ETA etc etc...)

M.

morganrogers

I could put my questions one by one in the hope of achieving 'Senior' status.....

oilman

CHEAT !!

OILMAN

MarkW

Good point morgan.

I just listed everything I wanted to know in no particular order.

We should decide on the important questions we need answers to, and have a secondary list of cosmetic questions which would be nice to know.

Mark - I am now a 'member'

oilman

Hey listen guys, let's not act like the U.N!

I vote we aim for the moon and see what comes back.

Of course we could always send 1 email and all sign it? Ideas please and we'll agree on course of action.

Cheers
Oilman

Titanium Grey

I agree.

I think Mazda UK probaly know by now what's happening. But one thing is for sure my dealer doesn't.

It sounds like they are allocating cars to dealers already how can the do this without first checking the numbers of pre-orders at each dealer.

As to the number plate, renember on some of the classic cars, they used to have silver or white characters on a black plate, are those now illegal?

JSC

Hi all, just found this board and it's good to see all the enthusiasm for the car so far in advance. I don't have one on order cos to be honest even the low-power model is a bit of a stretch at the moment, but I'll hopefully be there by Christmas.
Anyway, there's loads of questions that need answered by Mazda about the RX-8. I've indirectly obtained the contact phone no and e-mail for the Mazda UK PR Manager. In the interests of responsibility I obviously won't post the details here but if there's about 5 or so UK-centric questions you all feel need answered please let me know and I'll certainly pass them on. At the very worst I won't get an answer from him I suppose

tinck

Good morning all

Armed with all the information, I've sourced from you guys ands my existing knowledge of my Mazda dealer, (I got a new MX 5 two years ago) I paid him a visit yesterday. I've got a pretty good relationship with him so think I've got everything he knows.

What he knows is pretty sketchy but here goes

Each dealer has already been allocated a number of cars for 2003. He's got 20. He cannot pre order more cars than this. The 20 cars are all for 2003. i.e. Some will come in the first batch others later in the year. ( he actually showed me the details from Mazda on this)

He states the ordering procedure is this. Prior to production, Mazda Japan, asks Mazda UK what they want, trim level, colour etc, and these will be a production run for the UK. Mazda UK may ask for press cars and some demos, but my dealer expects the first total batch number to be reached pretty soon due to the demand.

Therefore colour requirement spec level etc would be essential prior to Mazda UK ordering the cars from Japan. Those guys not chosen a colour speak to your dealer pretty soon.

Mazda Japan will probably ask UK around mid March.


Warranties will be standard Mazda as my MX. This is
3 years or 60 K
Mazda Eurpoean Assistance (I've never needed it but RAC I think)
Car logging on Mazda National Computer for security (standard these days)
6 years paint etc.

For all you guys worrying about relibility don't. My MX is still mint after 3 years, no problems at all, the mechanics of these cars are pretty bullet proof, and I would certainly expect the RX to be the same

In terms of a Le Mans trip, the dealer knows nothing of this, but at the least we'll probably get some flowers for the missus!!!

morganrogers

OK - we have a perfect contact now , thanks to JSC.
And we seem to have current info courtesy of Tinck.

SO - lets go for 5ish pertinent first batch questions. I really feel sending a massive list will be ignored - our best hope is to ask some key questions that may bring forward more information.
I am more than happy to be outvoted though and aim for the moon.
Damn we are a democratic forum !

So - I would like to know
1) Allocation procedure (i.e. £1000 now guaranteed first car)
2) All trim combos available in first batch ?
3) Confirmation procedure (i.e. when will we get some)
4) ETA

5) About a million other questions !

So - lets agree on some action and take up JSC on [his/her] kind offer !

Titanium Grey

As almost all of us on this forum have put down 1000 pounds of our money on information provided by Mazda, between us we must represent a fair proportion of the RX-8 buyers in the UK.

I therefore suggest that we ask if Mazda UK can include this list or one of our senior members in all correspondence that is sent to dealers of a non confidential nature, or the press.

They have a large chunk of their future prosperity tied up with us, so perhaps we could expect a little special treatment.

(Other dealers seem to be getting new info, why doesn't mine. It's not that he's not interested is it. )

What do you think, will they go for it?

Titanium Grey

Another thought!

Tell Mazda Uk about this site and see if they would like to pass the information on to their dealers to give to RX-8 order holders and new customers.

As long as they remind them it is an unofficial source of infomation.

That's enough for tonight, I think I'll go and have a lie down in a darkened room now!

morganrogers

The same thought occured about my dealer....
Others seem to have information that he does not.

Do others care more ? Will others gazump me as a result of my dealer not being pro-active enough...

worry,worry,worry....

Still - hopefully soon enough we will be arguing about th signigicance of the ordr number Mazda give us (mine is before yours etc etc)

rael

This all good info but I am not sure we have reached a conclusion. Are we all writing to our respective dealers or will someone representing this European (UK) fortum push forward a letter to Mazda UK.

I think Mazda's would listen to us considrig our combined order book and deposits. Even if they cannot be forthcoming with accruate information we should be recognised now and make our intentions known for possible later attack. Also, they might offer us some discounts or freebies for putting our faith with them.

rael

MarkW

I think there is little point in writing to our dealers as they only know as much (and often less) than we do.

I think we all need to contact Mazda directly, either with one countersigned email, or a number of individual ones stating we are part of an ever growing internet group.

If JSC is kind enough to place a few key questions to his contact, I agree with Morgan's questions and I would also add:

Will there be any cars in the UK available for viewing in the next few months?, and,

Can they give us an approximate timetable of events taking us up to the UK launch, for example:

March - orders confirmed with Mazda japan,
April - Brochures etc available, accessories announced
- events for pre-order customers
June - Cars built
July - first deliveries (how many etc)

This would at least give us some rough dates to look forward too.

Mark

oilman

Sorry, been offline for a day or two.

I would suggest an email from all of us may carry more weight, stating that we have all placed £1000 and our faith with them.

If we get a favourable reply then hit them with a second salvo of questions.

We may be pre-empting the web launch on 28/10 but, for my
part I WANT TO KNOW MORE!!

Cheers
OILMAN

Titanium Grey

I agree, we should draft our list of questions and introductory letter, someone then can PM all concerned for names, addresses and dealer names.

Then post up the finished article for final suggestions before sending it of, or for JSC to send via his contact.

morganrogers

So -

Oilmans suggestion sounds great to me.
First mail explaining situation.
Follow up mail containing a summary of the points made by myself and MarkW (particularly like the timetable one , that would be good to know).

Could this Limbo be coming to an end ?

M.