Tronics

With all the dealers I've seen with RX-8's still on their lots, it makes me think if the demand for the RX-8 has decreased upon initial release. I for one expected a shortage of RX-8's on the market, but this is not the case. I haven't seen a SINGLE RX-8 on the road, but I see quite a few sitting at the dealership. Since supply exceeds demand could this possibly mean that Mazda or the dealerships would lower the price of the 8?

druck

This really is annoying, over here in the UK will are still waiting for the first production cars to arrive to forfill pre-orders, the latest guess is mid November.

Everyone with pre-orders knew they probably wouldn't be available at the end of July which was first mentioned, but the reason for at least 3 weeks of the additional delay was stated as additional production for the US market.

We are still waiting, and you've got them sitting around, lifes not fair is it.

Cheers
---Dave

klegg

I do not think so yet, but anything is possible.

Go see what they will do, let us now.

Skyline Maniac

Anything is possible eh? Like 20+ on the lot, and a brand new 6MT RX-8 for under $25000, right? I thought you didn't believe that stuff? :D

klegg

From you, I do not. Frankly I do not think this guy is right either.

But he was polite enough in his post, so, i returned this politeness.

You do not get that same treatment, since you are scum.

Any questions?

Tronics

Maybe it's just my area...a 300 mile radius around my town. Most all Mazda dealers seem to have RX-8's on their lot. Whether they are already sold and awating pick up, or yet to be sold I have no idea. BUT, they are still going for MSRP and plus some. My question was to simply ask, whether Mazda would take any actions to make the 8's more appealing, such as loweing MSRP. I doubt they will this year, but possibly for 2005?

Tronics

I thinks it's all a matter of location I suppose. I do hope I am wrong, I for one would like to see the rotary do well, always have been, and always will be a supporter of the rotary.

milo

I've seen one. Titanium Gray, no exterior options. Adult male in the back seat. They said they were getting Ok MPG, but weren't specific.

I've been to 2 of the 3 close dealers (less than 15 miles). One had 7 RX-8's. One had 8. This was 7 and 6 days ago, respectively.

Well, one thing affecting sales is, at least from my latitude north (Louisville, KY), who wants to buy a nice new car in October. Weather only gets worse from here. A lot of people will wait and be looking in the spring.

Has anyone run into a dealer having to put off an order because they have more people wanting orders than slots with Mazda. Most people don't order, even if they are waiting till spring, so that may or may not add something to the picture.

The other thing affecting sales, I bet, is how innovative and unusual of a car it is. Both the positive and the negative can work against a buyer's nerve. No spare. Funny doors. Totally different engine. A HP controversy (blown out of proportion mostly the way I see it). Reports of low MPG that may yet be revealed to be some sort of defect or modification since the testing and reviews were done. And so on.

I, for one, am still feeling a bit hesitant because of the low MPG reports.

milo

OldCodger

Normally I just lurk but I have to agree with Skyline Maniac on this one. But I don't think prices are quite that low.

Local dealer has had one RX8 as a loss leader the last four weekends. For $25,998

1. auto base
2. manual base
3. auto sport
4. auto sport

Don't know if last two were the same car.

This weekend it's $3K off 6MT GT + nav for $30,100
Really wish I could justify the cash for this one.
(Of course does not say what they want for the other 21 RX8s)

I don't think it is just RX8. Sales of everything is down in this area.
If fact same add shows:
Mazda6 (4 cars), P5 (5 cars), and Protege (4 cars) at MSRP - $4.5K and MX5 (3 cars) as MSRP -$6K.

AND for the first time time a second local dealer
(who has been mentioned on this forum for extreme markups)
is advertising one RX8 at $25,999.

Shocka

well the dealer where i got my 8 from said all the 8s they got in are awaiting delivery.

Tronics, well im in NY and sales are gonna goto hell at this moment, since winter is approaching. Time to get purchasing SUVs especially after last year winters i expect to see SUV sales in NY at a all time high

mikeb

its not even 2004 yet, isnt it early to make these assumptions

Skyline Maniac

Publicity issue, power issue and buy back issue aside, I don't think price speaks for demand, we need to see the sales volume for the RX-8. How many RX-8's have been sold so far?

RX8-TX

Dealers will cut down prices for sure. Mazda will not reduce the MSRP, until way into next year (a hunch). But dealers will surely do to stay competitive with each other. Like in all wholesale and sale businesses, things get muddy pretty quick. Its enough to have only ONE dealer selling below MSRP to screw the entire line up for the rest. Which is good for us, consumers. Ahhhh, the beauty of America.

Skyline, ZIP IT.

med_mx6

FWIW, I think overall sales is down. not just for RX8s. I drove by Champion Ford/Mazda in Baytown, Texas yesterday and saw at least 7 RX-8s on the lot. one yellow, two blues, a black, and two reds, one silver...

i didn't have time to stop and ask what was up, but i wouldn't doubt that the truck-loving population in baytown doesn't rank the RX-8 as a desirable car.

as far as publicity... i'm sure i'm not the only one that got that mazda e-mail that says "your special invitation for a test drive is in the mail"... now that pre-orders are "filled" and dealers are finally acccumulating stock, the media blitz may intensify.

Kev

Sitting on the other side of the Pacific, this winter thing is amusing. Do people in the US stop buying normal cars and start buying trucks because of snow and bad weather? Why would anyone in a location with weather so bad that an RX8 wasn't a viable year round car even buy one in summer?

Anyway, demand in Oz exceeds supply. No buy backs and no mislead buyers,. Oh and good RX8s and good weather to drive them in.

RX8-TX

Someone posted a link to Mazda's reported sales. If that doesn't satisfy you, contact MNAO and find out for us, will you?

Thanks!

OldCodger

RX8 September sales were 2,105 according to Mazda North American Operations with year to date total of 5,656.

MX5 sold 845 and 8,816 for same periods, but of course the YTD is for 9 months instead of 10 weeks.

Last year's numbers for the MX5 were 1,263 and 12,661.

Either Miata sales are down 30% or Mazda sports cars sales are up 14% versus last year.

Anyone know where numbers for the whole industry are?

I just spent 4 hours shopping for a new car and did not have much company at the different dealers. AS I stated earlier one Mazda dealer was advertising $4.5K off the Mazda6 and another Mazda dealer had no customers and stickers adding $2K "adjusted market value" to his Mazda6s. Acura dealer seemed to be the same situation. Other dealers were willing to talk.

New Yorker

It's not "so bad". NYC and Long Island winters (as well as nearby New Jersey and Connecticut) are relatively moderate due to our proximity to the Atlantic. We usually have 4 1/2 months of cold weather with many days where the streets are fairly dry. Typically we get only two, maybe three "major snowfalls"; sometimes we barely get one. The streets are often clear in a few days.

littlenemo

i've seen quite a few rx8's in the area here, however on the road not as many. i think it's just the probability of seeing a car parked vs on the road.

maybe like 10 total, different cars, all color ranges., except the green, i have yet to see that in person.

i know because i'm getting my rx8 from open road, that they have like 15+ cars on the lot, and i heard of around 20+ over on route 22 at crystal mazda (i believe thats the name)

i asked the salesman how many have rolled off the lot thusfar, i believe he said in the 60s (open road, edison)

i honestly hope the rx8 sales pick up, make a good showing, and the rotary makes the comeback we want.

-b

claude4

I stopped by a dealer in Long Island, NY (Not the one I have an 8 on order with) and they offered to let me test drive an 8 (Had 12 on the lot).

When I asked the guy about MSRP, he emmidiately said that was the case during pre=order but now he would worl with me for 1K below MSRP.

Mine is on order with another dealer at MSRP and as I have the free maint offer, I am sticking with where mine is on order for now.

Claude H.

Skyline Maniac

http://www.quirkcars.com/specials/imports/mazda.pdf

Here is a printed ad in NE region. 128 Mazda is also offering RX-8 below $25k. For those of you who havn't picked up the car yet, you can try to negotiate a better deal with this ad. Good luck.

BillK

FWIW, here in CO, there are dealers with RX-8s on the lot but they all seem to fit into one or both categories:

1) GT models
2) Dealer is asking MSRP+

For example, one local dealer wants MSRP + $5K (and advertise they have "8 left!"), and another has a "low, no haggle price" of MSRP + $3K.

Finally the one dealer that sells at MSRP has two GTs configured almost identically. Want Touring, Sport or base? There's going to be a 12 week wait...

ciccone376

I have seen 2 in my area (northern VA). Yet at two dealers I have seen a total of about 10-12 sitting on the lot. (8 at one dealer).

The dealer with 8 of them wouldn't let me test drive one though. He said I had to sign a piece of paper saying I would pay MSRP for the car.

What a crock.

TomsterRX8

No way Mazda lowers MSRP even with the literally dozens sitting on the dealership lots here in the Austin area. What you WILL see if sales do not pick up soon is the dealerships advertising prices below MSRP and if that still does not do the trick then the manufacturer will begin to offer rebates on top of the lower dealership prices.

Usually it takes a couple of months for there to be enough critical mass of a particular car to start seeing them regularly on the roads. The G35 and 350Z took several weeks before they became somewhat common place on the streets. That has still not happened here for the RX8 though. I've seen 3 in a town with about 1 million people in the greater area. This car is simply not selling well. I think the fact that its not quite a true sports car and not quite a true 4-door is really working against it. My hope was that the Accord buyers of the world would switch over but there seems to be no evidence of this.

Skyline Maniac

Well, you guys don't have to put up with BS from local dealerships. If local dealerships still have retarded add-ons or market-adjustment values, ditch them in a hurry. You can buy from another state or more distant dealership and have the car shipped to you. For example, buy from the NE area with $2400+ off, pay $700 shipping to your door step- You are still saving 1700+ off MSRP. That's the reason why I encourage everyone to post good deals around the country regardless of the area. Shipping isn't that expensive and paperwork can be done through the mail.

I think the RX-8 attracts mostly ex-Miata or NA RX-7 owners at this point. Accord owners are much more likely to buy a new Accord or Acura than RX-8. (handling is not a high priority for Accord owners)