i got my first ticket a few weeks ago for the plate. i was downtown which im not too familar with, so had circled the block about four times to find the right entrance to the parking garage and finally on the last go round the cop who had watched me do this pulled me over. $81 was kinda expensive, but no points on the license so its not a huge deal.

i have a v1 but only use it for longer trips. be smart and look as far ahead as you can, plus watch for others brake lights and youll get out of more tickets then you will with the detector. they give a false sense of security. i actually got out of one yesterday headed home. i was on 270 about to get off on sawmill going around 85 when i noticed the cop. he saw me and pulled out, but i got over into the exit lane and he couldnt pull me over before i got off and he coudnt get over :)

im gonna have to do one of these autox events soon, unfortunately i had to work yesterday.

Knock on wood, no problems with no plate yet, but I get a look from every cop I pass. Hard to blend in though when you're riding around in a bright red sports car!

Oh well, I guess I'll survive with it on for now. I used to have a laser/radar detector but stopped using it in my last vehicle. The noise from the false positives annoyed me way to much to keep it in all the time. I'd probably use it on long trips but I haven't gone more than 2 hours out of Columbus in my car.

I wish Cleveland was as active as you guys. In any case, I've been wanting to take route 555 for some time now. I heard a nasty rumor that they put gravel down on it. Anyone know if that is true or not?

Sorry for the double-post but I have a X50 Passport 8500 by Escort and it is dead-on accurate on the highways and open streets. If it goes off, I had better slow down. I don't think there is any Radar/Laser Detector that works 100% of the time in the City. There's just too much stray RF flying around. I don't speed in cities anyhow, just on open roads with few driveways, or highways. So I wouldn't give up on radar detectors just yet, I love mine!

Also what's nice about the X50 is that it has a muting circuit that automatically shuts the noise off when it's been on for a second or two so it's not annoying at all. It also automatically switches between highway and city and cancels out alot of false alarms.

Well just got my new brake rotors install and the squealing has stopped. Mazda direct service mgr told me that the left rotor was glazed(ra-eight, remember those lines with the rust on my rotor, that you pointed out last week?) The service mgr said it was due to heavy braking, but i had to disagree with him. I only have 3,000 miles and if one brake rotor goes bad, the other should also, not just the left side. And for the fact, i dont brake hard, just normal driving. He said after looking at the brake rotor it looked like ive been driving over 50,000 miles. I think what happen was when i took my car in 2 weeks ago they gave me new brake pads and they must have put the left pad incorrectly which caused it to glazed. I noticed that day after i got my car back, the squealing was even worst! Which is why i got new brake rotors..

Anyway the service mgr said he would replace it as a courtesy, but not in the future. I think he knew they made a mistake from installing the brake pads, b/c all 3 brake rotors were perfectly fine. And if it's my fault from braking hard, the right brake rotor should also had gone bad. Any updates on other 8s that have squealing when breaking?

Which dealership did you take it to?

Yea I'd be curious to see how well people are serviced here at Bob Boyd compared to Ricart and the other Mazda dealers in the area.

I talked to an 8 owner a few days ago (Flooding issue looked like) said Ricart replaced the clutch and a number of other thigns and he was still having problems so he decided to take it here to Bob Boyd. Dunno how he turned out, looks like he got back on the road as I don't see his 8 here anymore.

Guess I have to throw a strike against Mazda Direct. I called to make an appointment for an oil change and the "milky dipstick" problem. We talked about the TSB and I told them it would need a new dipstick & sleeve.

You guessed it - got there and after waiting for an hour, they tell me they don't have the parts! Good job guys - right on the ball you are.

On the upside, I had it almost stall after making my appointment. When I arrived wetalked about that and they flashed me up to N. So far, so good.

Guess it's back to Ricart, but that's a hella haul.

Huhwha, have you had service done at Ricart before? Any gripes/praises/opinions on them?
I'd invite you to come down to Bob Boyd see how they do for you.

After your service I'd mroe more than happy to join you on a little cruise through the backroads south of Lancaster. I'm sure that would make it worth your while.

Kicker,

As far as gripes, Ricart should have flashed it to M before delivery in October. They fixed it, but it cost me another trip down there.

We should set up a meet at your joint and take a trip through the hills.

Mazda Direct

HungHorse-
I'm glad you got it taken care of. I like how they're making it look like they're doing you a favor :rolleyes:. I haven't heard of any honorable service dealers around here. Hopefully you got rid of the squeal for good. I need to take mine in for the squeal also. I haven't noticed it too bad lately. I've been braking late and hard (an advise from another member), and it seems to work. Of course with all this rain and snow :confused:, I haven't had the windows down to really listen.

On another note, I installed my stealth bulbs I got from autolumination.com on all four corners, and it looks really good. Thanks to Success for the advise. Cheap and quick shipment.

Before and after of the fronts:

ive gottena few bulbs from them with mixed results. i like the bulbs and prices, but ive had two 194 lcds go out on me in under a year, and i ordered led rear blinkers (i have the stealth, but they can be weak) but theres not enough resistance and he wouldnt take them back or do anything. claimed there was a warning on the website, but the warning is actually for different size bulbs

are these http://autolumination.com/images/auto_bulbs/194a_sv.jpg
stealth amber 194's comprable to stealth bulbs sold for 30 bucks?

yes they are. i have them on mine and theyve been fine, but as i said they are dim (especially in sunlight) due to the chroming

It's fricken georgous outside right now. Too windy to stand outside but awsome driving weather. Too bad rest of the week looks like rain.

Best days for me are Tusday, Thursdays, or Saturdays since I only work till 5.
Though I could be persuaded to drive on anytime on a Friday since it's my day off.

Hello to every 8 owner in the central ohio area,,, hey RA-Eight i think im the Blue 8 from Grove City area,,, i saw a Ti Gray with out a front plate in my neighborhood a few times and on frank rd a few times,,,, if the blue one had no front plate either that was me,, i just brought it up from florida about a month ago while on spring break,,, i also waved back at a ti gray on hardy parkway which i think is the same one from frank and the neighborhood

Sweet! Welcome to the board! :) I think there's only one other TiGray, with a sunroof deflector in Grove City and that one is always parked at Krogers on Stringtown. I'm guessing he/she's a pharmacist or one very lucky rich cartboy. ;)

Hmm another doctor/nurse/pharmacist with an RX-8
I'll have to make an appointment with my doctor sometime soon, see if I can sell him one.
.. oh wait ... I don't have any health insurance yet.

Maybe I shoudl buy some ad space in the American medical journal magazine (That can't be the right name for what I'm thinking but you get the gist)

Kicker,

I'll be down & out for about 10 days after surgery on May 12th. After that, I'm good to go for a drive! Hopefully by then the weather improves!

Actually I was just going to mention a drive today it looks great out, though a bit windy.
The dealership is having a "weekend blowout" so we're open today (Sunday) untill 4:30.
Come "test drive" an RX-8 :)

hey Ra-Eight i have seen you deffintly then and before while i was slowly bumping a midnight blue protege 5 until i got my 8,,and thanks for the welcome,,,i also have seen the ti at the krogers parking lot before and thought it was yours,,i guess i stand corrected on the count of 8's in GC

Am I the only one who is nervous everytime I start my car? I get some hard starts sometimes and Byers told me that they will need the car overnight to test it.

I heard the dealers are beginning to replace starters and batteries with a new type/kind if you are having issues with hard starts and flooding. Has anyone here done this? If so, what dealer?

Ra

HEy ra- Do you have the newest n flash? Ive heard that with the new flash, it helps from preventing cold starts. Do you ever rev your engine to 3500 for 5 seconds before shutting it off? I do it everytime and i havnt had any problems yet.

ive never flooded it, but do have hard starts often. im pretty sure its just a weak battery