Fear Rx-8

Hey everybody-
I was on Fear Factor 3 times this year, and ended up coming in second in the ENTIRE season, but along my way, I won the greatest prize of them all, a Mazda RX-8!!!!!!

I have been watching the board for a long time but was under contract not to talk about the fact that i won it on Fear Factor untill now, so it's nice that I can finally talk about everyting I did on the show. While on set(Feb, 2003), we were looking at one of the $250,000 prototypes that were in the US at that time, but now I finally have my prize!

Went to my local Mazda dealer yesterday (Santa Monica Mazda) and picked up my car. I couldn't be more happy with it. For the price, I don't think there is any car out there that can even come close to the 8 in terms of overall performace, quality, and style.

I had a few questions that I have, maybe someone on the board can help me out with some answers:

1: I have read a lot about the descrepecy with power in the RX-8. Do you tink I'll be able to collect the free services and $500 even though I won the car?

2: The "Break-in" is completely confusing to me. The dealer told me there is NO break-in period for the car in terms of how hard you can drive it (to me that seems like bullshit).

He also said that all new Mazda's come with a type of computer that analizes the way you drive for the first couple of hundred miles and will "tune" the car to your style of driving to optimize performance, gas miliage, etc... After hearing this information, I am unsure of whether I shoudl drive it "hard" so it learns my driving habits, or drive it "conservatively" so I keep under the Rev-restrictions of the "break-in" period.

Up until now I have been keping the car at below 6500PRM's because I know that could be very beneficial to the longevity of the engine.

Any advice wqould be appreaciated!

Todd Staples

tpryor

Hi Todd,

One of the things you will find as you search the board is that there are as many opinions about "proper" break-in of a rotary as there are members. Personally, pick someone you trust and go with their opinion. I went with Mazda Motorsports (the competition arm of Mazda), as I feel they have a pretty good "handle" on the way their motors should be treated.

Basically, it says do 60 miles at 4000 rpm or less, 60 miles at 5000 or less, 60 miles at 6000 or less, 60 miles at 7000 or less, and 60 miles at 8000 or less. Change the oil and your done! 300 miles total and it's taken care of.

I am a little more paranoid than that, so I did each of them for 100 miles (500 miles total), changed the oil, and have been slowly progressing ever since, and the motor is loosening up nicely (currently at 1400 miles).

The computer question is true, but it's not "new". My 99 10th Anniversary Miata had such a computer. All it does is continually map the timing and other parameters to the last 200 miles of driving. The Miata went to autocrosses all the time, so when I had the battery disconnected for service, or my wife drove for a while, the car had to "relearn" my habits. You could feel the difference, but it adjusts constantly, so it won't adjust to your conservative "break-in" style and stay there forever.

I have NO idea about the free service. I would assume you were eligible, but I would call Mazda Customer Assistance at 1-800-222-5500 and check with them. Lots of people have had good response from them (although I am not one of them).

AND, if I remember my shows correctly, were you not the guy who had wrecked his car just before the show and the RX-8 was the replacement? If so, what have you been driving this whole time?

willsdsm

you do need to break it in. the computer is not new most newer cars are like that all you need to do is wait till you have the car broken in and then unhook the battery for a few min. to reset the computer to have it relearn

BOOSTD 7

I agree with that. Not so much in specifics, but in theory ... which is that a NEW rotary doesn't need much if any of a break-in. Just take it easy for the first tank of gas or two and you'll be fine. Remanufactured engines are a different story though, they need more like a 1500 mile break-in period. But even if you get all over it with 0 miles, you're not going to hurt anything. The only point of a break-in is to let all the metals mate up better and build compression. You won't hurt anything by not breaking it in, you just won't make as much power until it is broken in.

As far as how you drive it, it's a rotary! Drive that bitch like you stole it! That beeper that goes off at 9500 rpm, that's your shift indicator ... you don't shift until you hear that, ever!

ChrisW

Maybe I am misunderstanding you here, but are you saying that it won't give you the full power unless you have been driving it hard for a couple of hundred miles?

This seems like a really useless "feature" to me. But if it's true couldn't it explain the differences in the performance and fuel economy that people have been reporting? And maybe even explain some of the dyno figures?

tpryor

Let me try a little different approach to the explanation.

If you always drove 20 miles to work, and that consisted of 5 miles local roads, and 15 miles of highway "cruising", there would be no point in the car dialing in a lot of timing advance (for example). It would cause the car to use too much fuel for the conditions (the Miata was very sensetive to timing, that's why this example).

But, if you drove on local roads (twisties) a LOT, and drove to have fun, the car would keep the timing settings to best provide you with the power you needed for that style of driving.

I would still prefer to have the ability to control these parameters myself, but it makes sense from a manufacturer standpoint, as they can have a car that "adjusts" to each style of driver, instead of one setting that would not "fit" anyone.

And, on the fuel mileage issue, all of the people who are calculating their mileage on an ongoing basis - with actual numbers tracked over time - all seem to be getting equivalent mileage results. Mine is averaging 17 mpg (over 1400 miles), filling up at the same pump every time, calculating miles with the trip meter, and filling the tank to the filler neck every time. I drive "normally" most of the time, which I define as shifts at 5000 or so, only heavy throttle when "needed", and full throttle to 9000 rpm three or four times a tank (usually accelerating into traffic). A/C goes off for those.

Mileage does seem to be getting (slightly) better as it loosens up. It was low 16's just a couple of tanks ago.

Gord96BRG

Hey Todd, congrats on finally getting the car! I don't have any advice to offer, just wanted to say Hi again - I talked to you at Concourso Italiano in Monterey, where I had the Titanium Gray RX-8 at the Miata corral.

Regards,
Gordon

Kuf

Congrats on the car! Your wait must have been agonizing. We were all envious when you won (I thought you got it right away!)

brothervoodoo

Finally got your ride Todd. Good for your.

BTW, I purchased a set of Todd's bulbs at www.stealthauto.com. Check my sig for picutres of the stealth bulbs installed with my clear sidemarkers.

Zaphod

I always wondered why someone would humiliate themselves on national TV. I guess winning an 8 is as good a reason as any. :p

If there is a "break-in" period, why does the manual say there is not? All it says is that until you reach 600 miles you shouldn't race the engine and that you shouldn't run it at a constant speed for an extended period of time.

Download the manual at mazdausa.com.

8_wannabe

So what did you have to eat or lay in to get the car?

RX-8 2004

How about some pictures of your car??

tpryor

I just thought if I had to trust a marketing person or a race technician, I would go with the race technician. Also, I couldn't define what "race the engine" and "extended period of time" actually meant in the real world, I didn't have the manual yet when I spoke to the Mazda Motorsports technicians (April or May), and I figured it would be better to error on the side of caution.

Zaphod

On the contrary, I think the manual takes a conservative stance on most issues. Look at how it tells you to shift. Yeah, right. :D I don't blame you for being cautious, though.

BTW, racing the engine in my book means sitting their in neutral and gunning it.

Lensman

Well this thread is a revelation: I had no clue about the driving style parameter recording system. Nice prize: well done!

vudoodoodoo

Breaking it in is still a debatable subject. I personally wouldn't bother with the whole process. I'd just drive it like I stole it.

Congrats on the prize. Have fun.

Zaphod

Here it is straight from the manual:

No special break-in is necessary, but a few precautions in the first 1,000 km (600 miles) may add to the performance, economy, and life of your Mazda.
* Don't race the engine.
* Don't maintain one constant speed for long.
* Don't drive constantly at full-throttle or high engine rpm (over 7,000 rpm) for extended periods of time.
* Avoid unnecessary hard stops.
* Avoid full-throttle starts.

Granted, there is some ambiguity there, but common sense should prevail.

Alvidrez

I don't know if it's Todd's or one of the other RX-8 winner's from Fear Factor, but one of the winners is selling a red RX-8 on ebay motors. It's up to $25,000 (reserve not met) with 3 days left for bidding.

BlueOakleyz

so how do those nasty/weird lookin spiders taste?
what color did you pick?

when did your show air cuz i am watching the conclusion of the las vegas thing on monday so maybe its a rerun

RodsterinFL

YEAH Tell us about the SPIDERS!!!!

renotse

Here is the link to a "Fear Factor" RX8 up for auction on ebay. I wonder why it's being sold?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2435845793

mikeb

like most things
probably wants cash