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Mazda admits power deficiency!

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Old 08-26-2003, 11:04 AM
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Everyone here has waited a LONG time with there pre-orders for this car. Who gives a **** about 8 lost hp. $500 and the service costs are more then enough to cover this problem. I still am very dispointed in mazda for there re-occuring mistakes. Wake up Mazda. With hte money I save for service and gas. I'll add more then 8 hp
WAKE UP EVERYONE.

It is NOT 8hp. It's 25+hp. Some mild tweaking can get you your 8hp. It will take big mods to get your 25+hp. I would be very happy with $500/Maint. for 238hp. If my car is 217hp [there abouts] I want a few thousand dollars to cover significant mods to the car.

I waited as long as everyone, took delivery 7/17. Purchased the car SIGHT UN-SEEN!! Talk about loyal. Now they cheated once and are trying to cheat again with this stupid 9hp/$500 deal. ******** AT MAZDA. Truth please. The enitre truth.
Old 08-26-2003, 11:07 AM
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So, what happens if someone DOES NOT take the $500 and free service offer and sue Mazda for for selling a 226 HP car by saying its 247 HP, thats a 21 HP deficiency ????
That's what I will do if I don't get answers soon.
Old 08-26-2003, 01:37 PM
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Originally posted by Hercules
What was stated in the letter though, was 4% discrepency. So if that increases more then I expect another letter in the mail or a fix for some problems.
Herc,
Did you already receive "the" letter? Anyone else here get one already? If it has been posted I apologize for not being able to keep up with all the posts.
Old 08-26-2003, 01:44 PM
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Originally posted by TJRX8

Herc,
Did you already receive "the" letter? Anyone else here get one already? If it has been posted I apologize for not being able to keep up with all the posts.
Here you go:

http://www.rx8forum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9549
Old 08-26-2003, 01:51 PM
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Guys, this is getting dull...

The car is what it is, it's a shame that you were mislead but Europe gets the lower powered car too, and we were expecting it (Now you still get a more powerful version)... it's a great car, and I'm sure this bickering isn't going to help the chances of us having a new RX7... so make up your mind... take the offer or sell the car back, stop worrying about it... and enjoy your car.
Old 08-26-2003, 01:51 PM
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Everyone, remember there are two issues. While they are related they are NOT tied together. Both issues need to be discussed and dealt with independently.


1. Missing HP Issue:

If the engine was truly 238 crank-HP it would match the S2000 pretty close on the dyno. Comparative dyno results put the car in the 210-220 HP range. I agree that, as a group, we should not let Mazda off the hook on this discrepancy. There needs to be a verifiable explanation.

On this issue I feel that regardless of buybacks and other offers, we deserve the truth, even if it is not what we want to hear. It may turn out that either the engine ia only 210 HP or that there really is a 25% drive-train-loss vs a 17% dtl on Nissans, Hondas, and Porches. Regardless, someone (at Mazda) needs to be straight with us.


2. Buyback/$500+maint/ripoff Issue:

This is the "Are you happy with the car?" issue. For Horsepower-centric people we know you are not happy, however, you need to decide if you can live with the bogus HP number(s). We may get that changed but it won't be easy and it won't be soon.

For performance-centric people, the issue is whether the car accelerate, handles and stops as originally advertised, regardless of HP.

On this issue, unlike the HP issue, I still see no hard evidence that the car is not accelerating, stopping and handling as Mazda and the car mags said it would. For me, driving the car matches what I thought was promised and I am thrilled to take the freebies. However, others may decide differently.
Old 08-26-2003, 06:22 PM
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quote from Thor:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actually that looks about right to me as well. On our dyno the 350Z made 205 whp, the S2000 made 179 Whp and the RX-8 made 156 whp.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Originally posted by 1stRX8


My RX-8 dyno'd an avg. of 180whp. Seems pretty close to the S2000 to me.
If the 238HP RX-8 dyno'd at 180 & the 240HP S2000 dyno'd at 179, then it's pretty close to me also. But from the looks of it, the RX-8 has a lower % loss. What are some of the other dyno readings for the S2000? Is that S2000's dyno of 179 average or too low? I've seen readings of the RX-8 dyno'd as high as 187, 4% greater than the 180.

S2000's main track performance advantage - less weight.

Last edited by RX-8 Zoomster; 08-26-2003 at 06:27 PM.
Old 08-26-2003, 06:36 PM
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Zoomster, you're comparing on different dynos.

On the dyno where the S2000 put out 180, the RX-8 put out something in the 150's. On a Dynojet, where the S2000 puts out around 200 whp, the RX-8 is putting out 175-180 whp. On my Dynapack, the RX-8 is putting out 189 whp vs. 212 whp for the S2000.

Pretty consistent deficit of more than 20 whp on multiple dynos on cars with very similar drivetrains (past the engine of course). In fact, the S2000 differential is rumored to be the same as Mazda uses (same supplier, size, etc.).

SC
Old 08-26-2003, 06:58 PM
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Thats correct. The Mazda RX-8 made 156 whp on our dyno, and the S2000 made 179 whp. A 23 whp difference on this particular dyno.

Thor.
Old 08-26-2003, 08:03 PM
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Why do some folks here insist on not comparing the 8 to the Z? Afterall, Mazda uses the Z and the infiniti as comparison in their literature so why shouldn't we?
Old 08-26-2003, 08:27 PM
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Originally posted by TurboSE
Why do some folks here insist on not comparing the 8 to the Z? Afterall, Mazda uses the Z and the infiniti as comparison in their literature so why shouldn't we?
I don't understand this either. Especially since in the other thread about 'Sports car or sports sedan', most of the people are saying that it is definetly a sports car.

Last edited by nk_Rx8; 08-26-2003 at 08:29 PM.
Old 08-26-2003, 09:02 PM
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Originally posted by TurboSE
Why do some folks here insist on not comparing the 8 to the Z? Afterall, Mazda uses the Z and the infiniti as comparison in their literature so why shouldn't we?
Speaking for myself, there is no problem with anyone comparing the RX-8 to the 350z in any fashion.

However, on the dyno issue, the goal is to extrapolate RX-8 crank-horsepower from dyno results which report wheel-horsepower. The S2000 engine is a better comparison for this purpose than the Z due to similarities in torque level, claimed crank-HP and power-vs-rpm curve with the RENESIS engine.
Old 08-26-2003, 09:22 PM
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Originally posted by ChurchAutoTest
Zoomster, you're comparing on different dynos.

On the dyno where the S2000 put out 180, the RX-8 put out something in the 150's. On a Dynojet, where the S2000 puts out around 200 whp, the RX-8 is putting out 175-180 whp. On my Dynapack, the RX-8 is putting out 189 whp vs. 212 whp for the S2000.

Pretty consistent deficit of more than 20 whp on multiple dynos on cars with very similar drivetrains (past the engine of course). In fact, the S2000 differential is rumored to be the same as Mazda uses (same supplier, size, etc.).

SC
ChurchAutoTest and Thor,

My bad!
Old 08-27-2003, 02:28 AM
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Originally posted by Maximus
So, what happens if someone DOES NOT take the $500 and free service offer and sue Mazda for for selling a 226 HP car by saying its 247 HP, thats a 21 HP deficiency ????
I would think most courts and juries would look askew at you given that they sent you a letter admitting to 238 HP and offered you a full refund, which you refused.

Most courts have historically recognized a company's good faith attempts to resolve a dispute with a customer, and you can't get more "good faith" than a full refund...
Old 08-27-2003, 09:41 AM
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Most courts have historically recognized a company's good faith attempts to resolve a dispute with a customer, and you can't get more "good faith" than a full refund...
Unfortunately, I belive this is true. If I had all the time and money in the world, I still don't think I could muster a solid legal position against Mazda. I still think they are overstating the HP by putting it at 238, however no one has confirmed that there is'nt a mileage switch or some other factor - including traction/yaw control, ABS, and other computer controlled functions that would inherently freak-out on a wheel dyno.

I am waiting patiently for aftermarket ECU, intake, cat-backs, etc and the RX-8 will probably deliver 276hp like we saw in the 1st iteration of the RENESIS in the RX-01 concept car a few years ago.
Old 08-27-2003, 09:53 AM
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Originally posted by 1stRX8
I am waiting patiently for aftermarket ECU, intake, cat-backs, etc and the RX-8 will probably deliver 276hp like we saw in the 1st iteration of the RENESIS in the RX-01 concept car a few years ago.
The RX-01 was rated at 220hp, the one that had the 276hp was the RX-EVOLV. Maybe we ended up with the RX-01's enigine after all :p
Old 08-27-2003, 10:05 AM
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Originally posted by neit_jnf


The RX-01 was rated at 220hp, the one that had the 276hp was the RX-EVOLV. Maybe we ended up with the RX-01's enigine after all :p
ROFL!:D :D :D
Old 08-27-2003, 10:58 AM
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Originally posted by BlueAdept
Guys, this is getting dull...

The car is what it is, it's a shame that you were mislead but Europe gets the lower powered car too, and we were expecting it (Now you still get a more powerful version)... it's a great car, and I'm sure this bickering isn't going to help the chances of us having a new RX7... so make up your mind... take the offer or sell the car back, stop worrying about it... and enjoy your car.
Nobody is forcing you to read this topic.
If you find it "dull" then don't read it.

But please quit trying to convince us that Mazda is "OK" with this approach.
Old 08-27-2003, 11:13 AM
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Originally posted by canzoomer


Nobody is forcing you to read this topic.
If you find it "dull" then don't read it.

But please quit trying to convince us that Mazda is "OK" with this approach.
Indeed I am not trying to convince anyone about anything... however if you believe that the new figures are accurate, then you really don't have anything to discuss (other than the possability that this was deliberate).

If you think that Mazda are still not quite telling the truth... then I'd sure like to know, so we probably want some more Dyno results......

Either way, I have no opinion regarding the ethics of Mazda themselves... indeed, how much of this is Mazda US's issue... as opposed to the people who actually developed the car?
Old 08-27-2003, 02:07 PM
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Mazda Says RX-8 Horsepower Overstated

Cross posting from the "Media Reaction to the HP Reduction Story..." thread:

Here's an interesting article on the HP reduction issue. The first to state a reason for the reduction.

"The spokesman says the difference comes from actual horsepower figures derived after emissions certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The original horsepower figures, he says, were estimates developed prior to the actual EPA certification process."
Old 08-27-2003, 02:10 PM
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well that blows, how can they print that 247hp to start with when it's not even certified by the EPA to begin with!!?!?!?
Old 08-27-2003, 11:51 PM
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Re: Mazda Says RX-8 Horsepower Overstated

247 is an awfully specific-sounding "estimate."

jds

Originally posted by rex
Cross posting from the "Media Reaction to the HP Reduction Story..." thread:

Here's an interesting article on the HP reduction issue. The first to state a reason for the reduction.

"The spokesman says the difference comes from actual horsepower figures derived after emissions certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The original horsepower figures, he says, were estimates developed prior to the actual EPA certification process."
Old 08-28-2003, 01:03 AM
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Perhaps the estimate was the 250ps ,or DIN HP, figure (a nice multiple of 10) converted to 247 SAE HP...
Old 08-28-2003, 02:04 AM
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Originally posted by msrecant

For performance-centric people, the issue is whether the car accelerate, handles and stops as originally advertised, regardless of HP.

On this issue, unlike the HP issue, I still see no hard evidence that the car is not accelerating, stopping and handling as Mazda and the car mags said it would. For me, driving the car matches what I thought was promised and I am thrilled to take the freebies. However, others may decide differently.
On this issue there is sadly no hard evidence I am aware of that it either does or does not perform as the car mags said it would.

Since I use these reviews, as well as the simple HP and Torque numbers to help purchase, it makes it impossible to make an informed decision.

As a Canadian buyer, I also get 25% less money and 25% less extended service than americans. This makes it very clear that we are not getting a fair deal to keep the car Iassuming that the US deal is excacly fair). I do have the choice to return the car, which would be unfortunate.
Old 08-28-2003, 02:19 AM
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jeezus when will this whining ever stop...


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