Any Mazda Execs want to speak up?
07-07-2005, 02:01 PM
#1
this space for rent
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Any Mazda Execs want to speak up?
Debate on independent Internet site prompts Volkswagen of America boss to respond
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102720
I'd love to see a Mazda NA exec drop in.
EDIT: Ok, now its fixed. I cant multi task very well.:o
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102720
I'd love to see a Mazda NA exec drop in.
EDIT: Ok, now its fixed. I cant multi task very well.:o
Last edited by Cam; 07-07-2005 at 04:15 PM.
07-07-2005, 02:13 PM
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Originally Posted by autoweek.com
Debate on independent Internet site prompts Volkswagen of America boss to respond
RALPH KISIEL | Automotive News
Posted Date: 7/7/05
One day last month, Volkswagen of America boss Len Hunt was monitoring a highly charged Internet discussion about why some VW owners are leaving the brand.
As he read the opinions on VWvortex.com, an independent Web site for VW owners and enthusiasts, Hunt was goaded into action.
It's standard procedure to let such things pass if you are a senior executive. But Hunt couldn't help himself.
In a rare move for a high-ranking auto exec, Hunt went public: He posted a comment along with his name and title: "Len Hunt, executive vice president, Volkswagen of America Inc."
Sometimes people who post messages on the site pass themselves off as "Bernd Pischetsrieder" or "Ferdinand Piech," the names of VW Group's current and former CEOs. But Hunt's posting was the real deal.
Spontaneous post
"I just did it; it was totally spontaneous," says the VW brand's top U.S. exec. "I don't want people thinking I'm this faceless corporate suit somewhere."
Now Hunt is regularly posting comments on VWvortex.
Not that he went ballistic. Most of what he has to say is innocuous. For example, here he is what he said about the leaving-the-brand question:
"Thanks, Vortexers, for this subject which I obviously find very important. Our challenge seems to be a combination of quality and exciting vehicles. I can tell you all that we are listening to your views, and I personally take them with me on my many trips to the factory in Wolfsburg. Keep sending the comments; I'm listening."
That's what he might say in a press release. But Hunt says he also sends e-mails to some posters.
General Motors Vice Chairman Robert Lutz writes a Web log on GM's corporate Web site, but Hunt is the first senior auto executive to be spotted in an independent forum.
Among the topics Hunt has addressed online are prospects for more diesel offerings; the possibility of bringing a small car to the United States; and VW's controversial decision not to introduce the Microbus minivan here.
It is no surprise that Hunt and other executives at VWoA's Auburn Hills, Mich., headquarters regularly follow threads in the VWvortex forums. The Web site has more than 200,000 registered users, and more than 500,000 visitors each month.
That's a massive audience that Hunt wants to address personally.
'It's just me'
"I'm not doing this as a strategy or as a way of getting a formal channel of news or information," Hunt says. "It's not that at all. It's just me, Len Hunt, going on there because I'm interested in this."
And he has used the forum to make news.
Hunt, a native of England, recalls the Golf GTI cars he has owned in his homeland. So he quickly joined a VWvortex discussion about whether VW ought to bring a five-door GTI to the United States, in addition to the three-door model.
He broke the news that VW will bring a five-door model to the United States, about a year after the three-door model debuts in February.
RALPH KISIEL | Automotive News
Posted Date: 7/7/05
One day last month, Volkswagen of America boss Len Hunt was monitoring a highly charged Internet discussion about why some VW owners are leaving the brand.
As he read the opinions on VWvortex.com, an independent Web site for VW owners and enthusiasts, Hunt was goaded into action.
It's standard procedure to let such things pass if you are a senior executive. But Hunt couldn't help himself.
In a rare move for a high-ranking auto exec, Hunt went public: He posted a comment along with his name and title: "Len Hunt, executive vice president, Volkswagen of America Inc."
Sometimes people who post messages on the site pass themselves off as "Bernd Pischetsrieder" or "Ferdinand Piech," the names of VW Group's current and former CEOs. But Hunt's posting was the real deal.
Spontaneous post
"I just did it; it was totally spontaneous," says the VW brand's top U.S. exec. "I don't want people thinking I'm this faceless corporate suit somewhere."
Now Hunt is regularly posting comments on VWvortex.
Not that he went ballistic. Most of what he has to say is innocuous. For example, here he is what he said about the leaving-the-brand question:
"Thanks, Vortexers, for this subject which I obviously find very important. Our challenge seems to be a combination of quality and exciting vehicles. I can tell you all that we are listening to your views, and I personally take them with me on my many trips to the factory in Wolfsburg. Keep sending the comments; I'm listening."
That's what he might say in a press release. But Hunt says he also sends e-mails to some posters.
General Motors Vice Chairman Robert Lutz writes a Web log on GM's corporate Web site, but Hunt is the first senior auto executive to be spotted in an independent forum.
Among the topics Hunt has addressed online are prospects for more diesel offerings; the possibility of bringing a small car to the United States; and VW's controversial decision not to introduce the Microbus minivan here.
It is no surprise that Hunt and other executives at VWoA's Auburn Hills, Mich., headquarters regularly follow threads in the VWvortex forums. The Web site has more than 200,000 registered users, and more than 500,000 visitors each month.
That's a massive audience that Hunt wants to address personally.
'It's just me'
"I'm not doing this as a strategy or as a way of getting a formal channel of news or information," Hunt says. "It's not that at all. It's just me, Len Hunt, going on there because I'm interested in this."
And he has used the forum to make news.
Hunt, a native of England, recalls the Golf GTI cars he has owned in his homeland. So he quickly joined a VWvortex discussion about whether VW ought to bring a five-door GTI to the United States, in addition to the three-door model.
He broke the news that VW will bring a five-door model to the United States, about a year after the three-door model debuts in February.
07-07-2005, 02:17 PM
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Wake up, peeps, y'all 'sposed to be hardend intelligent savvy web "geeks" here..hee-hee!!
Cam simply did the common error of link insertion and there is an extraneous http://.
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102720
Cheers!
Cam simply did the common error of link insertion and there is an extraneous http://.
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102720
Cheers!
07-07-2005, 02:21 PM
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It's well known they use the site covertly for many things, would be nice to actually hear from them too ... since they're already online. I don't get the whole secrecy in the automotive industry. Nobody else is doing rotaries, so what's to lose by talking openly about the car?
07-07-2005, 02:21 PM
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funny thing is, i noticed that, and took off the extra "http://" and tried it that way...only to receive an apache server error. lol. but it doesn't matter. the links are there, and the article is there.
07-07-2005, 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by NMShinka
Wake up, peeps, y'all 'sposed to be hardend intelligent savvy web "geeks" here..hee-hee!!
Cam simply did the common error of link insertion and there is an extraneous http://.
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102720
Cheers!
Cam simply did the common error of link insertion and there is an extraneous http://.
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102720
Cheers!
07-07-2005, 02:36 PM
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I am the God of Hellfire!
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Originally Posted by Glyphon
funny thing is, i noticed that, and took off the extra "http://" and tried it that way...only to receive an apache server error. lol. but it doesn't matter. the links are there, and the article is there.
07-07-2005, 02:36 PM
#11
RX8 and a Truk....
Originally Posted by BOOSTD 7
It's well known they use the site covertly for many things
dmp wonders how something could be well known AND Covert.
It's very easy to claim "Mazda Execs are secretly viewing/reading this forum" - I hope it's the case, however. It would be nice if they could pressure the Engineers to release the 247hp ECU Flash.
:D
07-07-2005, 02:47 PM
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Originally Posted by dmp
dmp wonders how something could be well known AND Covert.
It's very easy to claim "Mazda Execs are secretly viewing/reading this forum" - I hope it's the case, however. It would be nice if they could pressure the Engineers to release the 247hp ECU Flash.
:D
It's very easy to claim "Mazda Execs are secretly viewing/reading this forum" - I hope it's the case, however. It would be nice if they could pressure the Engineers to release the 247hp ECU Flash.
:D
07-07-2005, 02:48 PM
#13
RX8 and a Truk....
Originally Posted by Glyphon
admins and mods can see things us meer mortals can not
IP Addresses...fine. Email Addresses, fine. Still no proof mazda gives two rats' ***** about what goes on in this, or any OTHER mazda forum.
07-07-2005, 02:56 PM
#14
Administrator
well when people started teeling otehr people on here how to wipe out their Nav so they could get the new firmware Mazda let it be known within a couple days of the start of the thread that they knew what was goign on and were going to stop covering it under warranty.
when there were alot of people bitchign that dealers were refusing to upgrade people to M flash even tho the TSB said to do everyone Mazda changed it MSP04 so there was less ambiguity about it being mandatory for them to do it.
they do watch and read and respond. sometimes jsut not the way you would like. ask abbid about his tranny
when there were alot of people bitchign that dealers were refusing to upgrade people to M flash even tho the TSB said to do everyone Mazda changed it MSP04 so there was less ambiguity about it being mandatory for them to do it.
they do watch and read and respond. sometimes jsut not the way you would like. ask abbid about his tranny
07-07-2005, 03:00 PM
#15
2010 Prius - Miss the 8
Perhaps they are lurking about on other forums? I'm pretty sure this isn't the only RX8 forum out there in US... just perhaps the more popular one. Maybe they post elsewhere...
Or..
They don't really care to say anything to us.
Or..
They don't really care to say anything to us.
07-07-2005, 03:05 PM
#16
Administrator
oh they watch most forums dealing with mazdas the protoge forums and MPV forum and Mazda6tech etc. they have 7 or 9 people whos job it is to watch the forums and see whats being talked about etc. No posting tho as its against company policy
07-07-2005, 03:17 PM
#17
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If you don't doubt that they read, and even value, the content of these Forums, just go to one of the newer "Revolution" dealerships. The fancy ones with all the computers and what-not. Their computers have an interface on the side with various links, some of which are to Mazda's website, MazdaSpeed, your Dealer's Website, but they also include links to a wide variety of various Forums. And this is a progam designed by Mazda for use in their own dealerships for the salesmen and customers to use.
07-07-2005, 05:31 PM
#18
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Originally Posted by dmp
IP Addresses...fine. Email Addresses, fine. Still no proof mazda gives two rats' ***** about what goes on in this, or any OTHER mazda forum.
07-07-2005, 09:24 PM
#19
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I am one of those people that really want to talk to them...not to complain though...I want to personally thank them for reintroducing a rotary powered sports car to USA, and to encourage them to keep on doing it.
07-07-2005, 10:06 PM
#20
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With a lot of the atitudes displayed here daily one does not have to really wonder why they wouldn't post here even if it wasn't as stated above "against company policy." All a person has to do is make a typo or fail to use the search feature correctly and they get flamed endlessly. Imagine if they actually popped in and said hey I'm MNA CEO Jackety Schmackety...would take 2 minutes to fill their PM box and the flood gates of pissing and moaning about inaccurate Hp, lack of torque, service manager is an idiot, etc the list would be endless.
Don't get me wrong, I would love to talk to someone and let them know my likes and dislikes and get a direct response, but I do not ever see that happening on a forum where so many members are just waiting to flame the next person that fails to search for a topic rather than heaven forbid not wanting to page through mountains of rude comments and conjecture from people that took more time to harrass them rather than just answering a simple stupid question.
So basically what I'm getting at is don't hold your breath waiting for them to post.
Don't get me wrong, I would love to talk to someone and let them know my likes and dislikes and get a direct response, but I do not ever see that happening on a forum where so many members are just waiting to flame the next person that fails to search for a topic rather than heaven forbid not wanting to page through mountains of rude comments and conjecture from people that took more time to harrass them rather than just answering a simple stupid question.
So basically what I'm getting at is don't hold your breath waiting for them to post.
07-08-2005, 08:05 AM
#23
Supposedly some service departments use the forums to snag the TSB/MRI data, because the mazda mazda online tech site usually gets bogged during the day. (http://www.mazdatechinfo.com)
So not only do you have teams of mazda personal checking the forums to look for issues, prevent dealer and owner scams...but you've got tech's on the sites as well.
Thus why its quite dangerous to go off on how you just installed a 150 shot of nos in your car, take a video of it going down the strip, then complain that the engine blew up, then try to scam your dealership into getting a warranty repair caused by your own ignorance.
You've seen it happen on many forums before (just hit up the vw or nasoic guys), and it happens here too. I know I've seen more then one member post about how a particular dealership handed them multiple pages of their posts on a forum when they went in for service....
Mazda is watching and reading, so be forewarned.
So not only do you have teams of mazda personal checking the forums to look for issues, prevent dealer and owner scams...but you've got tech's on the sites as well.
Thus why its quite dangerous to go off on how you just installed a 150 shot of nos in your car, take a video of it going down the strip, then complain that the engine blew up, then try to scam your dealership into getting a warranty repair caused by your own ignorance.
You've seen it happen on many forums before (just hit up the vw or nasoic guys), and it happens here too. I know I've seen more then one member post about how a particular dealership handed them multiple pages of their posts on a forum when they went in for service....
Mazda is watching and reading, so be forewarned.
07-08-2005, 10:46 AM
#24
Glitchy Rotary Madness
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Originally Posted by crossbow
Mazda is watching and reading, so be forewarned.
If they have trouble sorting wheat from chaff here, then I'll say my sore point:
Mazda, your service departments, in general, need a lot of work. That is what I am most unhappy with. The Service Managers I've had the misfortune of dealing with (all but two, and now those two moved on to other things) knew very little about the cars they are caring for. So little as to be dangerous.
While this may not be apparent to Joe Sixpack, it is very apparent to your more educated customers. Some of your customers, mazda, know more about your cars than your Service Managers tend to do. What's wrong with that picture?
It strikes fear in me when I have to take a rotary car in for heavy service.. or just an oil change. The ignorance I see in your service depts. is truly frightening.
My current dealer was good -- till the 2 guys who knew cars left. I just off-handedly mentioned pcm firmware to the new service manager, and all I got back was deer-in-headlights look. "The what? The who? The.. flash? What is flash?" That's the crap we have to put up with.
There's your reading material for the day. Enjoy.
07-08-2005, 10:52 AM
#25
The just be forewarned comment is not to post about how your trying to rip off a particular dealer or what not.
Aka "my throttle got stuck and thats why I drove into a house" type thing. Or "I always baby this car and never drive it hard" after you post videos of how you were slamming gears at the dragstrip.
Generally though, I think mazda's use of the forums is to better educate themselves over whats going on. I've seen tech's make note of types of problems on certain forums thats seem to be continually cropping up. They do use the data. They just won't post to help cause its against company policy...which IMO should be changed.
Aka "my throttle got stuck and thats why I drove into a house" type thing. Or "I always baby this car and never drive it hard" after you post videos of how you were slamming gears at the dragstrip.
Generally though, I think mazda's use of the forums is to better educate themselves over whats going on. I've seen tech's make note of types of problems on certain forums thats seem to be continually cropping up. They do use the data. They just won't post to help cause its against company policy...which IMO should be changed.