atomicode

This looks like a lot of fun, I only wish it was closer. I probably won't be able to make it this time, but I'd be interested in others later this year.

atomicode

Having a great time with the new 8. Here's what I've done this week.


1. Detailed the engine bay.

More pics in my RX8 album in my profile.

Basically, applied Simple Green liberally throughout the bay (covered alternator, and any exposed electronic wiring with aluminum foil)

Let it sit for about 10 minutes, then lightly hosed down with water.
Then I used a can of compressed CO2 to blast out any water caught in crevices, and wiped down remaining water.

Then applied CD2 Engine detailer spray and followed instructions on the can and finally used a shop cloth to clean any hard to reach areas. Very pleased with the result.

2. Used pipe insulation to wrap the exposed A/C line near the back of the engine bay based upon the "congrats, you got an 8" thread. Other line seems like a bitch to get to without removing a few things first, so will look into doing that another day. A little concerned about the high temps in the engine bay and hot summer weather and what that will do to the insulation - I'll keep an eye on that.

3. Cleaned my MAF sensor. Looked good when I pulled it out so not really sure if I needed to do this. Used CRC MAF Cleaner I bought at Autozone for $8. I wasn't experiencing any idle issues or power loss at higher rpms. Only thing I noticed is ocassionally when the A/C kicks in is a little idle stumble but very slight. I took it out for a test drive once I got the sensor back in and the engine ran beautifully. Guess I'll do this annually as part of normal maintenance.

4. Used a bottle of Techron Concentrate when I filled the tank last week, and have been driving like a maniac all week so I can get a good idea on worst case MPG.
Still waiting for new interior floor matts and grill guards.

Riley Craven

iTrader: (1)

Well if it helps you, the DFW + OK crews take off Friday to drive down together. It really makes the trip go by a lot faster and its pretty awesome to be on the road with 10-15 other 8's at the same time.

atomicode

Just calculated my MPG on my first tank of gas. I'm getting 16.24 MPG in all city aggressive driving (redline daily) - occasional A/C use. First tank was Chevron Premium (@ $4.19/gal) with a bottle of Techron Concentrate added. I was expecting closer to 14-15 so I'm pretty happy. Just filled the tank with 12.25 gallons premium from QT (@ $3.99/gal) and I'll try a much lighter right foot this week.

benben01

iTrader: (1)

Congrats on your new car! I've been lurking around here for a while before picking up my 8 as well. This would be my 4th Mazda (Mazda 3 sedan, Mazdaspeed 3, CX-9). I was looking at gently used Series-II and ended up getting a brand new leftover 2011 R3 for just a couple grand more than a 2010 used one I saw at a BMW stealership. Like yours, mine is velocity red as well

atomicode

Just calculated my mileage for my second tank of gas. This was a mix of city/highway, probably 30/70 and a much less aggressive driving style and the MPG came to roughly 22.5 on QT Premium (93 oct). I filled up with Shell Premium (V-Power 93 oct) and will be doing all city driving this week.

I also added 2 exterior mods:

First, stainless steel chrome strakes from rotaryfx.com. These were on sale for 10% off ($90) so I decided to get them, and I really do like the extra detail it adds to the side vents.


Second, I added black powder coated aluminum grill inserts in the lower and 2 side grills from grilleguy.com. The installation was fairly straightforward except for cutting the 2 lower side grills to fit with the fog lights. I used the suggested poster board to create a template for the left side, then reversed it and cut another template to match for the right side. For the most part it came out pretty good and the rubber trim piece adds a nice finishing touch. Once thing that didn't come with the kit was extra screws to secure the grills. That was a little annoying. So I went to Home Depot and bought a small bag of pan head phillips sheet metal screws (#10 x 5/8") which worked perfectly. I used all 8 in the bag so the grills are nicely secured. The bottom portion of the lower grill is secured with zip ties which I can notice at certain angles but probably most people would never see. Overall all I'm satisfied and impressed how at easy the installation went. Next month - new tires!

atomicode

BTW for anyone still subscribed - I originally bought these custom floor mats (http://www.autoanything.com/floor-mats/75A2570A0A0.aspx) last month. I really like a more durable vinly/rubber-based floor mat versus nylon fabric mats and these mats were a great fit...however the stench was unbearable. Something about the rubber composite gave off the strongest fumes I think I've ever encountered from a mat. I even tried just leaving them outside for over a week to let them go through whatever de-gassing process was needed. Tried cleaning them with several soaps, vinegar, etc - nothing worked. Finally sent them back for a refund minus shipping.

I just happened to call the Mazda dealer (El Dorado in McKinney) to see what Mazda had and bingo - they had custom all-weather synth/rubber/black RX8 logo mats for only $80 and that includes both front and rear mats, so not really much more. The fit perfectly and no smell. Totally satisfied.

I also tried one mod on the floor mats. The front mats have the RX-8 logo in raised letters which is actually very nice, however, being black its a little hard to see, so I took a silver colored permanent marker and carefully colored in the lettering in the logo (kindergarten coloring skills in action!) and let dry. It actually looked really good, but its not permanent enough and didn't fully absorb into the rubber so after a week of getting in and out of the car it has smudged a little. Need to consider another alternative or just see if I can goo-gone it off.

SM0K3YT43B34ST

I just purchased the side vent grilles and the bottom center grill powder coated black from grille guy and installed them. The side vents was a bitch to install.. trimming them to fit the fog lights took a while. Ill put pics of mine up soon.