Starting this month we have a new question to measure, as objectively as possible, the severity of a problem. Many people have been asking for reliability stats that weight problems by how severe they are, and once we have enough responses with the revised survey we'll start providing this.

Also this month: updated reliability stats.

As always, the more owners participate, the better the information we can provide to everyone.

Car reliability research

 

We have updated results for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through September 30, 2010. Other sources of car reliability information won't cover the months since April until the summer or even fall of next year.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 100, about average

2005: 70, about average

2004: 57, better than average

The reported repair frequency for the 2006 might be higher because the sample size for it is very small, or because these cars are still under warranty. Owners of older cars are more likely to live with problems.

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in February and May. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

We have updated results for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through December 31, 2010. Other sources of car reliability information won't cover the months since last April until the summer or even fall of this year.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 82, about average, very small sample size

2005: 83, about average

2004: 55, better than average

It's not clear why the repair frequency is lower for the 2004. One possibility: the common problems have already been fixed. Another: people are letting more things slide with the older cars.

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in May and August. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

We have updated reliability stats for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through March 31, 2011.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 70, very small sample size

2005: 64

2004: 73

All are about average.

We'll have further updates in August and November. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

We have updated our car reliability stats for the Mazda RX-8 to include owner experiences through June 30, 2011.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 46, better than average, small sample size

2005: 84, about average

2004: 62, better than average

We'll have further updates in November and February. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

We have updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 (on our redesigned site) to include owner experiences through December 31, 2011.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 83, about average, very small sample size

2005: 82, about average, small sample size

2004: 87, about average

Very similar from year to year this time around.

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in May and August. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

We have updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through September 30, 2012.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 40, better than average, very small sample size

2005: 71, about average, small sample size

2004: 89, worse average on stricter revised scale, small sample size

We'll have further updates in February and May. We'd love to provide more precise stats and cover more model years--a matter of getting more owners involved.

For the details, and to sign up to help:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

We have updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through December 31, 2012.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 44, low, very small sample size

2005: 76, moderate, small sample size

2004: 105, high, small sample size

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates later this month and in August. We'd love to provide more precise stats and cover more model years--unfortunately more members have been selling these than buying them, so our sample sizes have been going in the wrong direction.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

We've updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through March 31, 2013.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:
2006 RX-8: 22, low, very small sample size
2005 RX-8: 68, moderate, very small sample size
2004 RX-8: 96, high, small sample size

We'll have further updates in August and in November. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

Updated stats later this month.

I'd love to provide more precise stats and cover all model years--just a matter of getting more people involved.

TrueDelta | Enrollment

 

We've updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through June 30, 2013.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006 RX-8: 34, low, very small sample size
2005 RX-8: 101, high, very small sample size
2004 RX-8: 87, moderate, small sample size

We'll have further updates later this month and in February.

To view competitors' scores and descriptions of reported repairs, and to sign up to help:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

We've updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through September 30, 2013.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006 RX-8: 23, low, very small sample size
2005 RX-8: 90, moderate, very small sample size
2004 RX-8: 79, moderate, small sample size

We'll have further updates later this month and in May. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

Just added my car plus the repairs I had done.

 

We've updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through December 31, 2013.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006 RX-8: 24, low, very small sample size
2005 RX-8: 43, low, very small sample size
2004 RX-8: 64, moderate, small sample size

We'll have further updates in May and in August. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be.

To see the repairs behind these stats, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

Our reliability stats for the RX-8 now include owner experiences through March 31, 2014, making them nearly a year ahead of other sources.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006 RX-8: 40, low, very small sample size
2005 RX-8: 61, low, very small sample size
2004 RX-8: 69, low, small sample size

Thank you, once again, everyone who has been helping. Next update in August.

For a deeper dive, including the stats for other cars and repair descriptions, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

In personal news, I'll finally have an RX-8 (a 2006 Shinka) if and when I can get to the DC area.

 

Picking up my 2006 today. Feels a little rough around the edges, so I see a little work in the car's future.

I'd like to be able to keep providing good information on these cars. For this we will need more participants.

To help, if you're not already:

Join TrueDelta

 

I am on there and have added a few inputs.

 

Thanks!

We've updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through June 30, 2014 (making them about 14 months ahead of some others).

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006 RX-8: 13, low, very small sample size
2005 RX-8: 59, low, very small sample size
2004 RX-8: 76, moderate, small sample size

Next updates in November and in February. We badly need more responses for these cars if we're to continue to cover them.

For repair descriptions, the stats of other cars, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

Mine Rx8, 73K, naught used two years ago, have replaced plugs, coils wires once, battery. No problems. Fuel range is normal. Stay close on maintenance and run 87oct.

 

Even knowing what I know, I've been too chicken to run 87 octane unless I know my driving will be all highway.

 

Do not run 87 octane if you want that engine to really last. You risk detonation etc. with that low an octane. The Renesis engine is designed to run best at 91 octane or higher. Don't begin to believe you know better than the Mazda engineers what is a safe octane fuel to use for proper performance and longevity. (RX owner for 41 years)

 

We've updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through September 30, 2014.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006 RX-8: 11, low, very small sample size
2005 RX-8: 71, moderate, very small sample size
2004 RX-8: 73, moderate, small sample size

Additional participants would be very helpful, as more members have been buying than selling these lately. I'm doing my part--have a 2006 Shinka.

To view the repairs behind these numbers, check the stats for other cars, and sign up to help improve this information (next update in February):

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

We've updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through the end of 2014.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006 RX-8: 32, low, very small sample size
2005 RX-8: 94, moderate, very small sample size
2004 RX-8: 69, low, small sample size

We'll have further updates in May and in August. As before, we very much need more participants to provide reasonably precise stats for these cars.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

I'll be removing my 2006 Shinka from hibernation in a couple weeks. It'll have been parked for six months (with fuel stabilizer, battery out of the car and hooked to a maintainer). First time I've done this. Will it start?