RX-8 Owners In Germany
02-02-2011, 10:30 AM
#377
The car is still running strong right now, and it starts every time, it just needs a while sometimes. Its more annoying than an issue for now. I'm betting that the engine probably won't last too long in this shape though.
I'm kinda hoping to wait until I get back to the states to look for a new engine, hopefully by then I'll have passed for Staff and be getting that nice pay (ha!). Do you have an engine for sale, or do you know where to get one? I've looked around a little bit for rotary shops in Germany, but I haven't found anything.
02-02-2011, 10:50 AM
#378
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^ Buy the PDG Gold, and play that stupid Pirate Game until you pass it all the way through...or until you're blue in the face...whichever comes first! I did it to make TSgt and I made my ex-sis-in-law do it as well and she made SSgt with overkill.
02-02-2011, 12:30 PM
#379
Haha I've heard about the pirate game from a few people! I keep meaning to pick it up, but I'm so busy all the time it just slips my mind. I've been studying the PDG a little bit, probably not as much as I should, but I haven't even looked at my CDC's since I tested out while in Kandahar. I guess its time to hit the books again...
02-04-2011, 04:21 AM
#380
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Sorry I missed this, Mazda Europe does not honor Mazda USA. So no engine replacement. But as long as your car is under 8 years and 100k miles your still good on the warranty. Mazda extended it last year.
If it is having rough starts or will not crank after it has started and you drove it around a bit. It can either be flooded or you need a new starter. I purchased the upgraded starter from MazMart and it works amazing. Cranks every time. But the cold weather has proven to beat the starter here and I did flood it. My fault. It is way to easy to de-flood your car. I had so much fuel sitting in there my car was running for a minute on what was built up and fumes. Drives like a champ now.
What's this pirate game??? Air Force thing? Lol, I need more points to get promoted.
If it is having rough starts or will not crank after it has started and you drove it around a bit. It can either be flooded or you need a new starter. I purchased the upgraded starter from MazMart and it works amazing. Cranks every time. But the cold weather has proven to beat the starter here and I did flood it. My fault. It is way to easy to de-flood your car. I had so much fuel sitting in there my car was running for a minute on what was built up and fumes. Drives like a champ now.
What's this pirate game??? Air Force thing? Lol, I need more points to get promoted.
Does anyone have any experience with getting a new engine under warranty in Germany? I'm pretty sure my compression is low, and I would take it to the dealer but I don't have time with work, and the one time I did go they were jerkfaces and I really don't wanna go back to them haha. Anyway, I PCS in December, and by the time I get the car back in the states (assuming I go) it's going to be close to the warranty running out. Any help would be appreciated, the warm no-starts are really starting to get annoying.
Last edited by ROTORwash; 02-04-2011 at 04:28 AM.
02-05-2011, 04:37 AM
#381
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It sounds ridic, but it actually works! I'll be studying for MSgt starting this summer, so I'll be getting the new PDG, ripping it apart, highlighting the crap out of it, and then buying the PDG gold, playing the pirate game to see how much I absorbed. Maybe I'll actually make one of my ranks first time around!
02-05-2011, 05:40 AM
#382
Hmmmm, thats interesting ROTORwash. All of my problems seem to have started after I flooded my engine last year. Since then I've replaced coils, plugs and wires, and it seemed to help a little bit at first, but now I'm back where I started. I'm going to clean the MAF today, see if that helps a little bit. It is a 2004, so it has the weak starter. I want to change it out, but it feels like its just going to be a waste of money if it is the engine thats dying...
02-05-2011, 08:26 AM
#383
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Hi,
My husband was stationed in Germany, we just left a few months ago.
My Rx8 stopped wanting to start or would take forever to get started. One of the rotors was not getting compression and the other it was really low. I called Mazda USA and they said that because I took the car out of the US my warranty was void until I brought it back. I took it to a German dealership and had them rebuild the engine. Be careful if you go that route, it took them 4 months to give me my car back. Buy your pats from the US, I got mine from Mazdatrix ($1400) the Germans will charge over 2300Euro. Then it was about 2000euro to do the rebuild. I have not had a problem since the rebuild, the dealership did excellent work. The only thing I should have done was change the clutch out (the release bearing is squealing)
My husband was stationed in Germany, we just left a few months ago.
My Rx8 stopped wanting to start or would take forever to get started. One of the rotors was not getting compression and the other it was really low. I called Mazda USA and they said that because I took the car out of the US my warranty was void until I brought it back. I took it to a German dealership and had them rebuild the engine. Be careful if you go that route, it took them 4 months to give me my car back. Buy your pats from the US, I got mine from Mazdatrix ($1400) the Germans will charge over 2300Euro. Then it was about 2000euro to do the rebuild. I have not had a problem since the rebuild, the dealership did excellent work. The only thing I should have done was change the clutch out (the release bearing is squealing)
02-06-2011, 02:28 AM
#384
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Sorry to change the subject...but when the heck does it start getting nice over here again!? Then we can have a l'il caravan action up to this Ring thing that everyone keeps talking about but I haven't been to yet.
Then we can have a l'il caravan action up to this Ring thing that everyone keeps talking about but I haven't been to yet.
02-06-2011, 02:37 AM
#385
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on graf doesnt get better until march or april, its imp. to buy winter tires if ur driving ur rx8 during winter. i will be installing my new wedssport tc105n for summer
02-06-2011, 02:19 PM
#387
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@The Beast: I had the issue again coming back from deployment. I had Aafes change out the starter. Dumb on my part. Come to find out the I really do not know what starting the placed in there. But I did the same steps, battery, upgraded to BHR ignition.. I tried everything. Talked to Mazmart and told me it was more than likely compression issues or the starter. If your notice a lack of power when driving then it is a compression issue. If it's just not turning over but sounds like it wants to then your having starter issues. Purchase the high-speed starter from Mazmart. Quick shipping and way to easy to install. Raise the car and it is 2 bolts and a electrical connector. Mazda recalled and came up with 3 replacement starters or something like that. And I again highly recommend de-flooding your car. It works. I would recommend getting a hold of some Seafoam and a place where the German's will not flip out when they see how much your cars smoking lol.
@Stuttgart - What have you done to the Rx8 that it needs to be towed now? lol, any news on your GTR. Wish I could join you but I am all to happy to finally PCS back to the States.
@Stuttgart - What have you done to the Rx8 that it needs to be towed now? lol, any news on your GTR. Wish I could join you but I am all to happy to finally PCS back to the States.
02-08-2011, 02:58 AM
#391
@The Beast: I had the issue again coming back from deployment. I had Aafes change out the starter. Dumb on my part. Come to find out the I really do not know what starting the placed in there. But I did the same steps, battery, upgraded to BHR ignition.. I tried everything. Talked to Mazmart and told me it was more than likely compression issues or the starter. If your notice a lack of power when driving then it is a compression issue. If it's just not turning over but sounds like it wants to then your having starter issues. Purchase the high-speed starter from Mazmart. Quick shipping and way to easy to install. Raise the car and it is 2 bolts and a electrical connector. Mazda recalled and came up with 3 replacement starters or something like that. And I again highly recommend de-flooding your car. It works. I would recommend getting a hold of some Seafoam and a place where the German's will not flip out when they see how much your cars smoking lol.
Do you know of any Seafoam substitutes in Germany? I asked the AAFES guys on base and they gave me a blank stare, I guess they've never heard of it. These are the same guys that sold my wife the completely wrong battery for my car while I was deployed too...
Also, I cleaned my MAF yesterday and its a significant improvement, the car starts a bit easier and the slight hesitation is totally gone, it runs much smoother now.
Well, its 43 degrees and clear out today, hopefully the weather will stay like this! I can't wait to get back to the Ring!
02-08-2011, 06:00 AM
#392
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I noticed the same thing as far as no power loss. When it would start, it was a beast (no pun intended). I think you become use to the power range on your car so it does not feel as it did when you first drove it.. you know.
You will have to order Seafoam from the States. Probably cheaper too. I had the same dumb, blank look when I asked the guy at AAFES too. Geez it is odd how similar these stories become. **** DISCLAIMER - DO NOT GO TO AAFES GARAGE FOR ANY TYPE OF SERVICE****
Again, I know I stressed this but buy the upgraded, high-speed starter. It is like $400 dollars but worth every penny. If you have another car try just doing the de-flood method first. That could be the only issue. Just doing this it will smoke pretty bad if you have enough fuel sitting in there. Also I found if I have no choice but to drive it a short distance.. rev your car to about 3-4 grand for 10 seconds, switch the car off and push all the way down on the accelerator. Supposedly it spins out the rest of the fuel sitting.. I start up all the time with no problems doing it. IDK if it really does anything but I've had no problems.
Before I figured out it was my starter, I sprayed a little starter fluid into the intake and it would start for the most part too lol.
You will have to order Seafoam from the States. Probably cheaper too. I had the same dumb, blank look when I asked the guy at AAFES too. Geez it is odd how similar these stories become. **** DISCLAIMER - DO NOT GO TO AAFES GARAGE FOR ANY TYPE OF SERVICE****
Again, I know I stressed this but buy the upgraded, high-speed starter. It is like $400 dollars but worth every penny. If you have another car try just doing the de-flood method first. That could be the only issue. Just doing this it will smoke pretty bad if you have enough fuel sitting in there. Also I found if I have no choice but to drive it a short distance.. rev your car to about 3-4 grand for 10 seconds, switch the car off and push all the way down on the accelerator. Supposedly it spins out the rest of the fuel sitting.. I start up all the time with no problems doing it. IDK if it really does anything but I've had no problems.
Before I figured out it was my starter, I sprayed a little starter fluid into the intake and it would start for the most part too lol.
This is good news, because I haven't noticed any power loss. Or maybe its just always been low so I can't tell the difference lol.
Do you know of any Seafoam substitutes in Germany? I asked the AAFES guys on base and they gave me a blank stare, I guess they've never heard of it. These are the same guys that sold my wife the completely wrong battery for my car while I was deployed too...
Also, I cleaned my MAF yesterday and its a significant improvement, the car starts a bit easier and the slight hesitation is totally gone, it runs much smoother now.
Well, its 43 degrees and clear out today, hopefully the weather will stay like this! I can't wait to get back to the Ring!
Do you know of any Seafoam substitutes in Germany? I asked the AAFES guys on base and they gave me a blank stare, I guess they've never heard of it. These are the same guys that sold my wife the completely wrong battery for my car while I was deployed too...
Also, I cleaned my MAF yesterday and its a significant improvement, the car starts a bit easier and the slight hesitation is totally gone, it runs much smoother now.
Well, its 43 degrees and clear out today, hopefully the weather will stay like this! I can't wait to get back to the Ring!
02-08-2011, 10:15 AM
#393
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I've never seen seafoam when I've drove down to Ramstein, order it like RW said. Also FWIW seafoam is not a cure all, it has its benefits but it will not just magically vaporize all the carbon and muck under the seals and in the seal springs, so dont be to disappointed if your car doesnt grow wings and fly after using it
and DO find a suitable location like RW said. I've had the local fire dept(not my shop thank god) show up twice in Hawaii and once in Belgium, when using seafoam
Stay away from the AAFES garage, nuff said.
and DO find a suitable location like RW said. I've had the local fire dept(not my shop thank god) show up twice in Hawaii and once in Belgium, when using seafoam
Stay away from the AAFES garage, nuff said.
Last edited by paulmasoner; 02-08-2011 at 10:18 AM.
02-09-2011, 12:42 PM
#394
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If the weather stays nice throughout Feb I'll probably head down to Nurbugring in March. Gonna go to Hockenheimring too, love that place. Haven't been to SPA yet so I'll probably do that before I deploy.
02-09-2011, 12:48 PM
#395
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02-09-2011, 01:01 PM
#397
Check this out for spa: http://www.rotaryheaven.net/showthread.php?977-[Trackday]-SPA-Francorchamps-2011-04-18&p=12618#post12618
In may the weather should be nice enough to track, without fog or high humidity to make the track slippery.
If you want any advice on that track just ask, it's my fave one!
In may the weather should be nice enough to track, without fog or high humidity to make the track slippery.
If you want any advice on that track just ask, it's my fave one!
02-14-2011, 11:13 PM
#398
I would love to go to Hockenheimring, but I think its a little too far from here. I guess I'm stuck with the Nurburgring.
I'm really hoping this winter is over, I can't wait to get back on the track. Its been way too long! This is the third winter I've had here and it was by far the worst for snow and stuff. Hopefully its going to be my last here!
I'm really hoping this winter is over, I can't wait to get back on the track. Its been way too long! This is the third winter I've had here and it was by far the worst for snow and stuff. Hopefully its going to be my last here!
02-17-2011, 02:21 PM
#399
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Nurburgring and Hockenheimring are pretty much the same distance from Ramstein. It's worth the drive to Hockenheimring, although there is a lot of traffic there which is scary for me.