Just wanted to see if I am the only one out there. Inside the door jams by the front fenders is not painted its like a primer color am I the only one out there. I called the dealer and they say its like that. Why would mazda not paint all of the car? Check it out on your car. If so I think thats a bunch of crap.

Thanks Rob

 

Not sure why not. Did you also know the rear wheel wells outside are carpeted? Look at the thread today about trunk rust. One member showed pics of what looks like rust on the inner door panels but it is not.

 

Its kind of hard to tell!! If you open your door and look in between the fender and door you will see it. The dealers says it comes that way I just dont buy it at all. Just trying to find out if everyone else is like that.

 

All Mazda cars are suspossed to be dipped. Same as Ford cars

 

If you are talking about the area at the front of the cab where the front edge of the door covers... well mine is painted. I'm lazy and didn't look at your profile so tell me, what color is your car? Is it like Nordic Green and you have primer grey paint on that section? If so it sounds like a bad job from a body shop that was supposed to fix damage.

 

I went out and looked at mine, but I think I am confused on where to look. Mine looks painted. Can you post a photo tonight?

 

Yes, photo please. I haven't seen any unpainted sheet metal on mine, and I'd notice because I've got the Lightning Yellow.

Help us figure out where to look and we'll learn if your dealer is BS'ing or not.

 

It is painted. It's just not clearcoated, so it isn't shiny like the exterior of the car. Inside the trunk, inside the doors, under the carpets, behind the dash, under the hood (under the padding), will all be the same - painted, but not clearcoated. Mazda isn't alone, all the manufacturers do this - they only clearcoat the outside parts that are supposed to be shiny.

Regards,
Gordon

 

Rob 25

I have a red RX-8. My inner fenders are also not painted. They appear to be a greyish primer. You can see them when you open a door and look inside the fender. I was told this is the way it's supposed to be. I agree it looks kinda cheesy if you ask me.

 

not painted = not good mine are greyish silver- look the same color as the sunlight silver. havent looked close yet.

 

My car is red and the inner fenders are also a grayish color. However its not bare metal and that's good enough for me. Now if it were clear coated and just like the outside then the only purpose would be to give the inner fender a bit more paint protection perhaps but someone said its dipped so its protected enough. You should be ok then

 

I noticed this too. Kinda weird, but I'm sure the metal is well protected.

 

My red is the same. What we are looking at I guess is the primer coat, which IS dipped, whereas the colour coat and top clear coat are sprayed. Penny pinching gone too far...

 

Even when one does a frame off restoration of an old classic one would not paint with clear coat on the inside of fenders. I guess as long as something is on there it should be ok for the RX-8. It would look nice I think if they clear coated the hood inside edges and the trunk lid underneath and around the trunk lid sills. That's seen more than the inside of the front fenders. Many car manufacturers do this however to cut corners and keep cost down. Sometimes during major repairs some shops will actually clear coat these areas to make the job look much better but I have never seen a repair shop clear coat the inside of the fenders. I guess it they did it would look good until dirt is sprayed on it from the roads and then it would be next to impossible to clean the inside of the fenders unless one used a pressure washer and then some could get inside the car.

 

You're absolutely right. All mazda's are dipped then clearcoated so not every part will be shiny. All doors, the trunk,and the hood are on the car then they are clearcoated.

 

First off thanks for every ones response, I will try to post a pic later on today. Its not that its not clear coated just looks like primer you will see when I post a pic. I just think it looks bad thats all IMO. Try to post later.

Thanks Rob


OH by the way it's black so I think it stands out more.

 

I agree with this somewhat. It depends on how good the primer (dipping) is.
You think that they would paint the inside of the fender to match the outside color even if they didn't clear coat or add metallic to it.

 

It looks like mine is red since I have the red RX. Its the same flat red under the hood area and under the trunk lid. As long as its dipped the fender should last a long time and no rust problems should surface. If the primer is different on each side then I would wonder if someone replaced a fender. The primer should be the same color on the right and left front fenders. Its an area I really don't look at unless I am putting polish around the door sides when doing detailing. Most cars have the same issue.

 

Under hood areas, trunk etc are base coated. Neither the metallic layer nor the clear coat has been added in those areas. Primer would be very dull white or light grey. I'm not willing to scratch mine to find out Mazda's primer color.

 

I have a Lightning Yellow 8 and the area in question is a paler yellow same as in the engine bay.

 

It is painted with primer, not color. All types of cars are this way, they paint the fenders on the car. Rust won't be a problem more so than any other type of car.