Sick of going to the dealer
 

Is anyone else getting sick and tired of going to the dealer twice a month? I think it's bucking fullshit. Fix the goddamn car already, none of this half ass "L", "M", "N" upgrade bullshit. It's like microsoft, how they half ass everything at first just to meet a deadline and release a shitty product. Then the customer sits there and downloads all their fcking patches, and by the time you get the shit working right, there's a newer, better version out. I'll gladly give the 500 back, and the free scheduled maintenance, just get my shit working right. No more CELs, no more shitty gas mileage, just give me my 250 hp so I can quit going in there and wasting my time, cus I'll end up going back the following month for the "N" upgrade flash. Just my 2 cents.

I'm sorry you are frustrated, but you are suffering from early-adopter's remorse. Its a new engine in a first year car. You get to enjoy the cool factor earlier than most people do, but you also get the bugs.

Wow
 

I have been contemplating buying this car in the next couple months or so but from all the posts I've been reading it sounds like a real pain-in-the-ass kind of car with all sorts of problems that need to be worked out.

At first I was concered about the constant oil checking problem and now this.

I guess I'm kind leaning towards the bmw 330xi now. It's a shame too because this car has everything I am looking for, but I just dont have the time right now to constantly worry about the reliability of my car.

DON'T be scared away. I can't think of a single major purchase I have made that I didn't at one point find something wrong with. Nothing in this world is perfect. Some handle imperfections better than others. I for one am extremely anal about everything, I've gone back and forth about small annoyances on the vehicle. But in the end I know I made the right decision. The car is quirky, yes, but that just adds to the experience.

Re: Sick of going to the dealer
 

Speaking of which...Windows NT reached service pack level 6-a I believe. And Microsoft still has a MAJOR control over software development in the industry. Makes me wonder....

Well, unfortunately this is what you have to put up with all brand new car models from all car manufacturer. Every single thing about this car is brand new so be glad that Mazda are actually retrofitting the models that are already on the road with their latest fixes. If you go on other Car forums, you will see exactly the same thing and for some of other guys, the company never bother to retrofix their previous models, as some of the owners put it, the problem simply disappears on the next year model.

I think a lot of the owners are having buyer remorse because they are simply not aware of the price of jumping in and getting the very first batch. There's always a Cost and a Benefit to all things, yes, you will have to take the car in more often and your recall done but you also get to drive around in a Car which nobody else has and turn heads everywhere you go. So basically the choice is yours.

Hey Groundid,

Don't think we are all having problems, those few that do, scream the loudest. I have had mine in 2x. 1st time for the oil pan replacement, which was timed so I got a free oil change. The 2nd was yesterday for the dampener & airbag fix.

The problem with these types of groups is that sometimes too much information is bad and we start to imagine that we may have these problems ourselves, I know I am guilty of being overly worried too occasionally.

As for Lightemup and his 250 hp, it does sound like he had the option of the buy back but choose to keep it. So complaining about the missing Hp is a mute point.

And the constant new improved flashes, isn't that what we want? They are listening and trying to improve the product which is good for all of us. Being the first on the block does come with a small price but it is worth every nickel when you hit 9000RPM :)

What's the big deal? Mine has been in to the dealer twice, and has had all the recalls and other such taken care of in those two visits. AND both of the visits coincided with normal oil changes, so it was going in for a service anyway.

If you're taking your car in twice a month then you're fretting too much about ECU changes and all that. Just take it in when it's scheduled for a service and get whatever done at that time. There's really no need to bust a gut trying to get the latest ECU flash or whatever.

Basically I think you're over reacting. Anything can be a pain in the ass if you try hard enough.

Mine's only been in 3 times- once for 5k service, once for 10k and recalls, and then yesterday for an hour for the stay damper, which they broke. It's certainly been in less than any other vehicle I've owned or driven. And not everyone needs the reflashes, do they? I haven't needed any of them, or had any done, that I know of.

I love posts like these from people who buy products the first year they're released. If you want to be the first on the block with the new toy then expect bugs...At least Mazda's working them out!

Have fun everyone! :D

-Eric

Re: Wow
 

I came out of a 330i and the RX8 is a blast to drive in comparison. Thi sisn't taking anything away from the Bimmer since I am a major BMW fanantic but I just love this RX8. Keep in mind the Bimmer has it's little problems as well.


My RX8 has been great and has no problems at all. I did get a recall notice about the airbag but I will take car of that at my first oil change which probably won't be for a few months.

Get the RX8, it is a VERY solid car.

Hey I LIKE the ideas of getting new flashes regularly. This evolutionary rotary engine is a one-off in the entire world --- THANK YOU MAZDA!!! My dealer is a joy to visit, they are helpful and want to please (yes!).

I've never had a car company care enough to be so proactive in making my purchase better and better as my ownership continues. I look forward to the revisions, and previous updates and most noteably now the "L" update has certainly made the 8 a better car than what I originally liked enough to purchase.

No more bouncy idle at startup.
Smoother response
Improved driveability

Kudo to Mazda engineers and their pursuit of rotary perfection!! :) :)

LightEmUp, if unconventional isn't your thing ... then go out and get yourself an Accord, you'll be waaaay happier in that world. :(

I've only had mine in for the Airbag recall and a rattle in my door. Other than that I haven't had a single problem.

Just remember, people normally only post when they have a problem. You don't get to many "I drove my car to work today and like every other day I didn't have any problems".

I've got 8,000+ miles on my car (since Dec. 13th) and I haven't had a single problem other than a rattle in my door and the dealer fixed the rattle.

Think about how many "problems" you read about then compare that to the number of RX-8's on the road. Now compare that to any other car. Do you really think the RX-8 has more problems than any other car on the road?

Just my $.02

Stop your bellyachen. Thesethings are minor and can accure with any new car purchase. Schedule yourapoitments with your oil changes. These things do not have to be done right away. The car runs fine until then. I have always had to take my new cars in for little things here and there. I'm just glad they are covered under warranty. Mazda lives up to it's motto to please the customer.

I am not to worried about things, I have had my car in there a few times this most recent one kinda put me on edge though. I paid all this money for this car and right before I am about to go on leave the car takes a crap, all the lights come on and it dies. Then I get the reflash new oil and hotter plugs, and I have to put a 1000 miles on the car in a week and half. I have had the car for over 6 months and have less than 5k on it. So putting miles on it isn't easy. Now after all this I am worried about reliablity. I shouldn't have to be worried with a BRAND NEW car. what is worse I was told they are not 100% sure what the deal was with my car. So I am abou to take this long road trip and I am scared that car won't make it now. There that is my rant on the issue. I love the car and won't trade it for anyhting.

That makes sense to me, and your compalning is justified. My situation with dealer has now turned into 2 visits, because the dumbasses broke the stay damper on glovebox during airbag recall. Safe to say I am searching for a new dealership, but this far I have avoided mechanical problems. If I were in your shoes I would be weery about reliability as well. It is sad to pay all this money, and have to worry about so many things, but this is what you get when you buy an rx8. This probably explains why there are still so many sitting at dealers, and prices are dropping below invoice. Good luck!!

I've been to the dealer twice. Once for 5K service, ocne for 10K service and during those they took care of any recall work or re-flashes.

And whats this 250HP? If ya got cash and service that means that you already accepted that the car doesnt make that.

Why are you going in twice a month?

And you think you have problems. My last car was a 2002 VW Passat W8. A $40,000.00 friggin Yugo! In the 13 months I had the pleasure of ownership it was in the shop on 14 seperate occasions. Had 30 individual job orders and was out of service 60 days. Filed two arbitration complaints with the BBB and finally had VW repurchase the damn thing. This is by far the most relaible car I have owned in the past 8 years!.

Check out these threads chronicling the crap I had to put up with.

Re: Passat Buyback

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=725295

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=916694

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=907714

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=869873

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=942240

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=839434

Wahhh! In the last 3-4 months this car
was in the shop EVERY WEEK! This is the reason I will not take my car to Casey Imports in Newport News, VA!
__________________

Not to mention this site represents a small fraction of RX-8 owners- you're not going to hear from the thousands and thousands of happy owners that don't frequent this forum 'cuz they're too busy enjoying their cars.

I agree the few bugs are a small price to pay for the amount of engineering that went into the RX8 for a first year car on a new platform and motor. I was an early adopter of a 1995 Sunfire GT with the Olds Quad 4 motor- a great little powerplant, but I had no end of problems with the ECU, several failed injectors, fuel pump, coolant leaks, etc. Oddly enough that first year for the Sunfire was also the last year for the Quad4- I'm sure I wasn't alone.

Nearly 10 years later look at how much more complex and sophisticated the RX-8 is - I couldn't be happier with mine (one visit to the dealer for the recall and ECU flash).

Re: Sick of going to the dealer
 

yes! I too am tired of going to the dealer. it seems like Im there everyday. I go there sit behind a desk for 8 hours almost everyday. just because they pay me. So yes I am sick and tired of going to the dealer. :D

Yeah, but it was a GM econo-product.

-Eric

Amen brother.

I love every mile I put on mine.

This car continues to put a smile on my face.

Buy an Audi
 

You want pain in the ass? ...go buy an Audi.
I just came off of a manufacturer buyback and this was no first year car. CEL, failed ABS, ghosts in the radio, broken suspension...yadda, yadda, yadda.

Granted I only drove the first RX8 (silver) for about 150 miles, but I never encountered any issues with driveability, rattles, etc. Seems like a solid car to me. I am getting another one ASAP.

There may be some early bugs, but I am not aware of any that have left a person stranded (less the unaware driver who floods his/her car).

6mm I feel your pain bro.

The car that I "got rid of" to get the W8 was a 2001 Audi A4 1.8t Quattro, It was also a POS. It was in the shop no less than SEVEN times because of no interior lights. Which by the way was never fixed! I got rid of it under the Buyers assistance program because I was in the process of hiring a lawyer! It was also in the shop about 12 times during the 12 months that I owned it! Then I got ther W8! Should have seen the writing on the wall! Never again.

RNut-

Yup. I am never buying a VW/Audi product again.
2 out of 3 ended up in a buyback. They are that bad.

Too bad, because they really do have some interesting products and designs.