Likes / Dislikes about the RX-8
03-11-2005, 02:58 PM
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Likes / Dislikes about the RX-8
Hey everyone,
As I introduced myself in the Midwest section, looks like I'll be getting a job at a Mazda dealer south of Colunbus, Ohio.
It's a Ford / Mazda dealer and my whole knowledge base comes form the Honda / Acura world. The Mazdas look 10x sportier than any ford on the lot so I'm hoping that they'll be a strong point for me.
Just thought I'd ask everyone what their likes and dislikes about the RX-8 are.
I havn't gotten the chance to drive one yet but right off hand the first thing I notice are the looks so I'm sure thats a deciding factor for most people.
My only concerns are the gas mileage, they seem kinda low for such a small car. Has it become an issue for anyone? or is it jsut one of those things where the good outweighs the bad.
Looks like it's a fun car drive so I'm looking forward to learning more about them and just maybe expanding your community here a bit.
Thanks everyone!
-- Brian
As I introduced myself in the Midwest section, looks like I'll be getting a job at a Mazda dealer south of Colunbus, Ohio.
It's a Ford / Mazda dealer and my whole knowledge base comes form the Honda / Acura world. The Mazdas look 10x sportier than any ford on the lot so I'm hoping that they'll be a strong point for me.
Just thought I'd ask everyone what their likes and dislikes about the RX-8 are.
I havn't gotten the chance to drive one yet but right off hand the first thing I notice are the looks so I'm sure thats a deciding factor for most people.
My only concerns are the gas mileage, they seem kinda low for such a small car. Has it become an issue for anyone? or is it jsut one of those things where the good outweighs the bad.
Looks like it's a fun car drive so I'm looking forward to learning more about them and just maybe expanding your community here a bit.
Thanks everyone!
-- Brian
03-11-2005, 03:20 PM
#3
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Kicker, Do your homework as this site brings out all the opinons you'll ever need on the car.
My dislikes:
No standard MP3 player but I installed it myself.
Needs a little more in the lower gears.
That's it. I love this car and knew everything I was getting myself into before I got it. The gas mileage can range from 15-19.5 through 50/50 mixed driving which will bother some people, so the EPA's ratings are a little on the high side. Also the 5.9 0-60 can only be made through a 7k+ clutch drop, so I really wouldn't say it's 5.9 material. This car should sell itself after a good winding test drive and has enough power for 95% of driving. However, this car is not for everyone and requires a little more attention than the regular piston cars. Read the manual and this forum and my advice: do not kill the engine cold. Enjoy.
My dislikes:
No standard MP3 player but I installed it myself.
Needs a little more in the lower gears.
That's it. I love this car and knew everything I was getting myself into before I got it. The gas mileage can range from 15-19.5 through 50/50 mixed driving which will bother some people, so the EPA's ratings are a little on the high side. Also the 5.9 0-60 can only be made through a 7k+ clutch drop, so I really wouldn't say it's 5.9 material. This car should sell itself after a good winding test drive and has enough power for 95% of driving. However, this car is not for everyone and requires a little more attention than the regular piston cars. Read the manual and this forum and my advice: do not kill the engine cold. Enjoy.
03-12-2005, 05:01 PM
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Downsides to it, it is a turd down low, it's gas milage does get to me every now and then, spare tire kit takes up too much space in trunk.
Upsides, fun to drive, Attention getter, fun to drive, once in power band pretty damn quick, fun to drive, handling, been described as a "sexy car", and did I mention fun to drive...
to me the upsides out way the down...
Upsides, fun to drive, Attention getter, fun to drive, once in power band pretty damn quick, fun to drive, handling, been described as a "sexy car", and did I mention fun to drive...
to me the upsides out way the down...
03-12-2005, 05:38 PM
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Glad to see a prospective salesperson wanting to do his homework and understand what he is selling. I am sure your excitement will be contageous. This website has tons of data for you to get smart.
BTW, here is an article from Automotive News that I think could also help you be successful:
Movin' the metal
Greg Rietz sold 737 cars last year. Here's how he did it
By Jason Stein
Automotive News / October 04, 2004
Salesman Greg Rietz isn't a sophisticated guy. He refuses to hire an administrative assistant. And he uses a primitive method to track his sales and set annual goals.
Taped to the back of an old plaque he received from Nissan are records of six years of sales on three strips of adding-machine tape. Each strip charts two years of sales.
"It's effective because I don't misplace it," Rietz says.
"And if I ever have to see how I'm doing, I just turn the award around."
On those tapes are some of the most impressive sales numbers in the 50-year history of Lujack's Northpark Auto Plaza in Davenport, Iowa, a city of about 300,000.
Rietz, 38, is the kind of supersalesman who would be the subject of an organizational self-help book.
Last year he sold 737 new and used vehicles. For the first eight months of this year, he sold 640 vehicles, including 90 in August. That's all retail - no fleet. If he continues his average three-vehicles-a-day pace, he'll sell 800 vehicles this year.
The real secret? Organization and hard work.
"Out of 24 salespeople, the average guy sells about 11 or 12 a month," says Bill Minas, general manager for the Honda division of Lujack's used-car department.
"Greg sells that many in a week. Isn't it just sick?"
Simple system
What separates Rietz is a system he developed five years ago when he was averaging 25 sales annually. It's not complex, but it is disciplined.
Rietz started keeping tabs on his customers by keeping track of things that might matter to them, organizing detailed personal information on individual 3x5 index cards.
For current customers, he sends greeting cards for birthdays, anniversaries and graduations, making sure to send the cards three days in advance so they arrive with other family cards on the right day.
"Because if it arrives one week ahead of time, it just looks too phony," Rietz says.
For potential customers, Rietz keeps track of the date they visited the dealership and when they might be looking to purchase again.
Five years later, Rietz has eight boxes of index cards with 4,000 names.
Some days, he'll send out 35 birthday cards. Other days it might be 50.
Every Christmas he sends out 3,800 cards, which he personally signs. He starts working on them in September. Even the customers who don't buy a car get a Christmas card.
Rietz's philosophy is simple.
"The chances of that buyer going back again to the dealer they did buy from is pretty slim," he says.
"If I stay in touch, I know they'll come back to me."
Faithful follow-up
Minas says it is not an undiscovered formula: Hard work pays off.
"We just keep saying it's his work ethic," Minas says.
"He follows up with people better than anybody."
After 14 years at the dealership, Rietz admits nearly 80 percent of his success is owed to repeat business.
He is constantly in contact with his customers and typically makes hundreds of telephone calls a day.
Over time, customers in his system have kept coming back, then referring friends and then referring more friends.
And Rietz draws from all over, including Peoria, Ill., which is a two-hour drive to the east, and Des Moines, a two-hour drive to the west.
One longtime customer who retired and moved to Colorado comes back every three years when he needs a new car.
"I've made a lot of friends in this business," Rietz says.
Rietz says he's also in an unusual position.
Lujack's sells 15 brands - everything from Hyundai to Chevrolet to Porsche to Kia. About half of his sales come from new vehicles; the other half come from an extensive used-car inventory that typically includes 800 vehicles.
If Rietz thinks he's slipping, he works harder.
Some days he arrives at Lujack's at 4:30 a.m. so he's ready to start selling by 8:30 a.m.
The night before a big sales day, Rietz will work late into the night delivering his trade-in vehicles to the service bay and preparing for his new customers in the morning.
He's always the last to leave.
"He's one of the only ones who has a key to the place," Minas says.
Minas says he can't quantify what Rietz has added to the dealership's bottom line, but he knows it's substantial.
In an effort to improve the bottom line of everyone around Rietz, the dealership makes an effort to introduce new salespeople to him in a training course.
"But in most cases, he just doesn't have the time to spare," Minas says.
"And I guess that is just a great problem to have. Isn't it
Title: Greg Rietz, salesman
Dealership: Lujack's Northpark Auto Plaza, Davenport, Iowa
Rietz's 2003 sales: 737 new and used
Idea: He compiled a 4,000-member index of current and potential buyers and keeps in constant touch with them.
In his words: "I still get a big thrill out of selling a car. If I ever lose that, I might as well get out of the business."
Making the sale
Greg Rietz, a salesman at Lujack's Northpark Auto Plaza in Davenport, Iowa, has a secret to selling 737 vehicles last year: hard work and organization. What's his system?
• He keeps personal information about more than 4,000 current and potential customers, including birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. All information is organized in eight boxes containing 3x5 index cards.
• He sends greeting cards to every customer, including 3,800 Christmas cards every year, which he personally signs, labels and mails.
• He checks in regularly with past and potential customers, timing his correspondence around previous buying patterns.
• He covers his own mailing costs.
BTW, here is an article from Automotive News that I think could also help you be successful:
Movin' the metal
Greg Rietz sold 737 cars last year. Here's how he did it
By Jason Stein
Automotive News / October 04, 2004
Salesman Greg Rietz isn't a sophisticated guy. He refuses to hire an administrative assistant. And he uses a primitive method to track his sales and set annual goals.
Taped to the back of an old plaque he received from Nissan are records of six years of sales on three strips of adding-machine tape. Each strip charts two years of sales.
"It's effective because I don't misplace it," Rietz says.
"And if I ever have to see how I'm doing, I just turn the award around."
On those tapes are some of the most impressive sales numbers in the 50-year history of Lujack's Northpark Auto Plaza in Davenport, Iowa, a city of about 300,000.
Rietz, 38, is the kind of supersalesman who would be the subject of an organizational self-help book.
Last year he sold 737 new and used vehicles. For the first eight months of this year, he sold 640 vehicles, including 90 in August. That's all retail - no fleet. If he continues his average three-vehicles-a-day pace, he'll sell 800 vehicles this year.
The real secret? Organization and hard work.
"Out of 24 salespeople, the average guy sells about 11 or 12 a month," says Bill Minas, general manager for the Honda division of Lujack's used-car department.
"Greg sells that many in a week. Isn't it just sick?"
Simple system
What separates Rietz is a system he developed five years ago when he was averaging 25 sales annually. It's not complex, but it is disciplined.
Rietz started keeping tabs on his customers by keeping track of things that might matter to them, organizing detailed personal information on individual 3x5 index cards.
For current customers, he sends greeting cards for birthdays, anniversaries and graduations, making sure to send the cards three days in advance so they arrive with other family cards on the right day.
"Because if it arrives one week ahead of time, it just looks too phony," Rietz says.
For potential customers, Rietz keeps track of the date they visited the dealership and when they might be looking to purchase again.
Five years later, Rietz has eight boxes of index cards with 4,000 names.
Some days, he'll send out 35 birthday cards. Other days it might be 50.
Every Christmas he sends out 3,800 cards, which he personally signs. He starts working on them in September. Even the customers who don't buy a car get a Christmas card.
Rietz's philosophy is simple.
"The chances of that buyer going back again to the dealer they did buy from is pretty slim," he says.
"If I stay in touch, I know they'll come back to me."
Faithful follow-up
Minas says it is not an undiscovered formula: Hard work pays off.
"We just keep saying it's his work ethic," Minas says.
"He follows up with people better than anybody."
After 14 years at the dealership, Rietz admits nearly 80 percent of his success is owed to repeat business.
He is constantly in contact with his customers and typically makes hundreds of telephone calls a day.
Over time, customers in his system have kept coming back, then referring friends and then referring more friends.
And Rietz draws from all over, including Peoria, Ill., which is a two-hour drive to the east, and Des Moines, a two-hour drive to the west.
One longtime customer who retired and moved to Colorado comes back every three years when he needs a new car.
"I've made a lot of friends in this business," Rietz says.
Rietz says he's also in an unusual position.
Lujack's sells 15 brands - everything from Hyundai to Chevrolet to Porsche to Kia. About half of his sales come from new vehicles; the other half come from an extensive used-car inventory that typically includes 800 vehicles.
If Rietz thinks he's slipping, he works harder.
Some days he arrives at Lujack's at 4:30 a.m. so he's ready to start selling by 8:30 a.m.
The night before a big sales day, Rietz will work late into the night delivering his trade-in vehicles to the service bay and preparing for his new customers in the morning.
He's always the last to leave.
"He's one of the only ones who has a key to the place," Minas says.
Minas says he can't quantify what Rietz has added to the dealership's bottom line, but he knows it's substantial.
In an effort to improve the bottom line of everyone around Rietz, the dealership makes an effort to introduce new salespeople to him in a training course.
"But in most cases, he just doesn't have the time to spare," Minas says.
"And I guess that is just a great problem to have. Isn't it
Title: Greg Rietz, salesman
Dealership: Lujack's Northpark Auto Plaza, Davenport, Iowa
Rietz's 2003 sales: 737 new and used
Idea: He compiled a 4,000-member index of current and potential buyers and keeps in constant touch with them.
In his words: "I still get a big thrill out of selling a car. If I ever lose that, I might as well get out of the business."
Making the sale
Greg Rietz, a salesman at Lujack's Northpark Auto Plaza in Davenport, Iowa, has a secret to selling 737 vehicles last year: hard work and organization. What's his system?
• He keeps personal information about more than 4,000 current and potential customers, including birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. All information is organized in eight boxes containing 3x5 index cards.
• He sends greeting cards to every customer, including 3,800 Christmas cards every year, which he personally signs, labels and mails.
• He checks in regularly with past and potential customers, timing his correspondence around previous buying patterns.
• He covers his own mailing costs.
03-12-2005, 06:59 PM
#7
Registered User
Likes - styling, handling, power, the rotary sound - ohhh that whisp is so nice 
the interior is top notch compared to Z's, G35's and other vehicles in its class (and even in higher classes), FUN TO DRIVE!!! I wish I didnt lease, becuase I am soooo over my limit of miles! oh well :D thats how fun it is to drive :p
Dislikes - I DIDNT GET THE NAV!!!!
the interior is top notch compared to Z's, G35's and other vehicles in its class (and even in higher classes), FUN TO DRIVE!!! I wish I didnt lease, becuase I am soooo over my limit of miles! oh well :D thats how fun it is to drive :p Dislikes - I DIDNT GET THE NAV!!!!
03-12-2005, 07:49 PM
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03-13-2005, 10:35 AM
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likes= styling, interior, ingenuity with the 4 seats! stiff suspension makes u feel everything hard on the road (which is fine in some locations). 6spds have good power output for stock
dislikes=i got shafted on my lease so the car was gone at the end of 1 year, the automatics suck- weak tranny (no turbos) and low HP output; trunk isnt as big (but its alright, dont need a big trunk all the time).
dislikes=i got shafted on my lease so the car was gone at the end of 1 year, the automatics suck- weak tranny (no turbos) and low HP output; trunk isnt as big (but its alright, dont need a big trunk all the time).
03-13-2005, 12:00 PM
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(+) The way it handles off the showroom floor, the styling, rotary sound.
(-) The gas mileage, the back seats don't fold down to create a larger trunk space.
(-) The gas mileage, the back seats don't fold down to create a larger trunk space.
03-13-2005, 12:34 PM
#14
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I can't complain about the car's mechanical issues anymore because I've learned to live with them.
However the crappy Bose "premium" sound system continues to frustrate me!
However the crappy Bose "premium" sound system continues to frustrate me!
03-13-2005, 01:28 PM
#15
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IMHO ...
Positive:
- styling
- handling
- braking
- interior room
- trunk room
- engine smoothness
- shifting
Negative:
- low torque
- gas mileage
- potential of flooding
- no spare (or no trunk room)
- not full leater seats (leather trimmed)
- resale value
Positive:
- styling
- handling
- braking
- interior room
- trunk room
- engine smoothness
- shifting
Negative:
- low torque
- gas mileage
- potential of flooding
- no spare (or no trunk room)
- not full leater seats (leather trimmed)
- resale value
03-13-2005, 01:30 PM
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oh dont forget to add another semi-negative:
all the procedures u must follow when u turn the car on!
-let it warm up forever in the mornings
-the fact u cant turn it on and turn it off just to move it 2 feet
-new ecu flashes on a regular basis (alot like changing underwear alot)
i know its a rotary thing but those are little things that could drive a customer away from a performance machine. i personally dont care for any of it but im sure someone out there does.
all the procedures u must follow when u turn the car on!
-let it warm up forever in the mornings
-the fact u cant turn it on and turn it off just to move it 2 feet
-new ecu flashes on a regular basis (alot like changing underwear alot)
i know its a rotary thing but those are little things that could drive a customer away from a performance machine. i personally dont care for any of it but im sure someone out there does.
03-13-2005, 02:15 PM
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likes: this forum is a huge added benefit to owning the car. it should come as required procedure when deliviering the car.
sound of the engine, smooth spooling up to 9k
interior is way cool
really different and beautiful to look at.
handling
different than any car which makes it feel like an old jag or ferrarri but without the problems
(weird subjective comment i know...)
i have had 26 cars and this one is my favorite of all
dislikes:
gas
tourque...although with upgrades ($) its much better and feels great
i know its probably not sop at a dealership, but telling the enthusiasts who dont mind spending the money about this forum and available upgrades can really be a selling point imo. some people really like having a cool car that they make thier own,,,(better faster stronger, steve austin!) this is not a car to sell to some drive and ignore kind of person, but to someone who loves to own and drive and nurture their baby.
if you have interested parties, steer them to the forum. if they will like the car, this forum will help them know it before they buy.
ps. my salesperson doesnt know or care about cars...only sales. it would be great to share the car experience with someone who also loves cars. it will help your sales of this car. good luck and have fun!
sound of the engine, smooth spooling up to 9k
interior is way cool
really different and beautiful to look at.
handling
different than any car which makes it feel like an old jag or ferrarri but without the problems
(weird subjective comment i know...)
i have had 26 cars and this one is my favorite of all
dislikes:
gas
tourque...although with upgrades ($) its much better and feels great
i know its probably not sop at a dealership, but telling the enthusiasts who dont mind spending the money about this forum and available upgrades can really be a selling point imo. some people really like having a cool car that they make thier own,,,(better faster stronger, steve austin!) this is not a car to sell to some drive and ignore kind of person, but to someone who loves to own and drive and nurture their baby.
if you have interested parties, steer them to the forum. if they will like the car, this forum will help them know it before they buy.
ps. my salesperson doesnt know or care about cars...only sales. it would be great to share the car experience with someone who also loves cars. it will help your sales of this car. good luck and have fun!
Last edited by rudy8; 03-13-2005 at 02:20 PM.
03-13-2005, 02:17 PM
#18
Love:
Handling
Styling
Smooth, high revving engine
comfort
Did I mention handling :D
Dislike:
Low torque (I can get used to this)
Poor mileage (I can live with it)
No easy aux in for head unit (should have aux in and MP3 CD standard)
warmup annoyances
a 30k car that deliberately uses oil should have an oil level indicator
Handling
Styling
Smooth, high revving engine
comfort
Did I mention handling :D
Dislike:
Low torque (I can get used to this)
Poor mileage (I can live with it)
No easy aux in for head unit (should have aux in and MP3 CD standard)
warmup annoyances
a 30k car that deliberately uses oil should have an oil level indicator
03-14-2005, 01:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Arby
Watch a few of the videos on this member's site:
http://www.maclean.tv/RX-8.htm
http://www.maclean.tv/RX-8.htm
Then I watch the Top Gear vid (Big fan) and it's just making me more antsy.
I'll definity have to show that vid to anyone remotely interested in looking at an RX-8. I'll be selling them like hotcakes assuming the people wathcing are warm-blooded.
I'll definitly refer them to the site here as well. Certainly a wealth of knowledge and experience here.
Look forward to talking to everyone here and I'm sure meeting 1 or 2 here in the Cbus area.
Thanks!
03-14-2005, 06:52 PM
#22
WWFSMD?
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03-15-2005, 02:28 PM
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Fun factor plus
This car cathes more glances, then hienz has pickels, it's a blast to drive- on the negative--it's a magnet to traffic cops everywhere, because of the fun to drive factor- it's not a good car to lease--milage will kill you- you just seem to drive this car alot.
03-15-2005, 07:53 PM
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me
already seems low. as mainstream as they tried to make this car compared to the last rx7, it still seems like a car on the outside. good for us owners, but i think too many people will see it as a car that doesnt fit in thier lives. gas mileage is a factor especially with gas $ so high.
already seems low. as mainstream as they tried to make this car compared to the last rx7, it still seems like a car on the outside. good for us owners, but i think too many people will see it as a car that doesnt fit in thier lives. gas mileage is a factor especially with gas $ so high.