2009 RX-8/ 8yr or 100k Warranty extension Press Release and Q&A with Jeremy Barnes
 

Copying this over from the Discussion section thread concerning the new Warrenty extension - https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...54#post2495854

okay so its Wednesday night and i've got the news i promised.

First is Monday Night i got an email from Jeremy Barnes who is the Director, Corporate & Product Communications Mazda North American Operations saying that he was going to be announcing the Warranty extension on Thursday morning but since he saw that the news was out here already he wanted to get the press release to us early.

So attached here is the press release which goes to the media tomorrow morning. It includes the info about 2009 RX-8s arriving at dealers , that they get the 8yr/100k engine warranty and that the extension is retroactive for all RX-8s.

I want to thank Jeremy for sending it to us early. He very much wanted us to hear it from Mazda direct before hearing it in the media. Im sure he will tell you himself but he has read the comments here and sent many of them up the chain. Mazda is very psyched to be able to provide this and put their wallet behind the Rotary and they are very grateful for the appreciation you guys are showing.


You may have just noticed i said Jeremy will say so himself. He'll be posting most likely Friday morning, and will answer as many questions as he has time for and is able to.


So as i said yesterday get your questions and your feedback ready because you'll get the opportunity Friday to basically ask/tell Mazda directly.

I hope it goes with out saying that i wish everyone to be polite with our guest- and remember he wont answer any questions about future product;)

Well I guess I'll be the first to ask a question:

Does the same warranty apply to Canadian RX-8's (8 yr/160,000km) or will there be different coverage for us north of the border?

I just wanted to comment that Mazda has done very well by their customer base to offer this excellent extended warranty, and to make it retroactive.

In contrast to some other automakers who either rightly or wrongly had developed perceptions of having problems with specific models and components, Mazda has shown it is a cut above and really deserves praise.

My better half and I were shopping for cars for her recently, and it now looks as if a new '09 Mazda 6 will be in her near future, while I keep enjoying my 8 for years to come. :naughty:

I Received a mailing two days ago.
 

I got a package from Mazda containing the info regarding the 100 k engine extension and a DVD educating owners about the unique care for the rotary.

^ i got that package in the mail too... but im keeping my extended warranty that i bought for the tranny issues....lol

Hi, Jeremy.

What's the perspective of Mazda's best rotary engineers on some of the hot topics being discussed here by some extremely knowledgeable rotary enthusiasts and rebuilders:

1. Recommendations for heavier oil by very experienced rotary engine rebuilders seeing early bearing wear. Most here assume lighter weight oil recommendation in US is only due to CAFE legislation.

2. Premix to better lubricate the center apex seals. This seems like a wise precaution given the extra two oil 'injectors' on the 2009 RX-8 rotary engine and, again, some of the wear being seen by rebuilders.

3. Sohn adapter and/or use of synthetic oil.

Some here may avoid extra warranty expense to Mazda by taking exceptionally good care of their rotary engines by practices that some dealers would actually claim void or put our warranty coverage at risk.

If some Mazda rotary engineers could discuss these issues with us here that would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

^ +1

Which warranty needs to be active to get the new SSP16(Reflash/engine decarbing) done? ie. bumper-to-bumper?(4/48) Drivetrain? (5/60) Engine? (8/100)

Jeremy's supposed to be posting on Friday morning. I'm guessing it will be in his own thread, perhaps? Anyhow, yours may be the best and most technical questions but if they get answered in any way other than what we know to be legally expedient I'd be shocked. He is a PR man after all (Director of Product, Corporate Communications). We'll see. :)

Paul.

Hello Jeremy.

For many of us who own 04's, it is nearly 4-5 years later now since our cars were introduced. If anything why increase the warranty now in 2008.5? Is it because more or less mazda had its guard up due to the factors with the early 90's 13b rotary and questioned the renesis? Was Mazda questioning the publics view of the rotary engine's reliablity and to boost sales of the current models this action has been taken?

Obviously increasing the warranty for all and not just the newer models shows extreme company awareness of it's current customers, as many of once would indeed feel betrayed if only the 09's or 08's received the extention. But with Oil prices soaring and the Rx8 showing low MPG I believe is it a two sided coin, to show the company's faith it should have put into the engine from the beginning and also increase sales of the current lot.



(i mean no offense to the preceeding, I myself own 2 mazdas and immediate family has 4 mazdas as well, we are loyal :) )

Is there any chance of an integrated Navigation system upgrade (hardware or software) to allow us to use more advanced features, and/or new maps? The current map set is very old (claims to be 2005, and is even older then that.)

Otherwise, I love my RX-8. :)

A somewhat related question. Is there any chance that Mazda will open up some of their technical information (CAN, hardware specs) for the Navigation system so that a third party could build a replacement system? [I can dream...]

I'm so pleased by this and other actions taken by Mazda North American Operations recently. Their new tech center / engine reman plant is another example of what seems to be a real effort to move forward and improve customer retention.

Did I mention that this is the first time I'm really proud to be a Mazda fan in my adult life? :lol:

Paul.

In the news:

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/05/m...to-100k-miles/

http://www.leftlanenews.com/mazda-to...8-engines.html

I second this question. Does this also apply to Canadian RX-8s? If so when will we receive such letters and DVD.
I just told my wife about this and she, never really quite taken to the idea of the rx-8 has now softened her heart. She no longer asks me to trade it in for a family car anymore. :lol2:

Jeremy,

I am a long time rotary owner (owned 3 rx-7's in my lifetime) and am excited to be purchasing my first rx8 this year with the 2009 model refresh.

I am almost 100% sold on getting the new R3, but after reviewing your website, I was troubled at the fact that the in dash navigation will not be offered as an option on the R3. Is there anyway this might be changed? Or can it be installed at the dealer level?

I'd like to second or third (I can't keep track) these very nagging, core questions that 8 owners have sought definitive answers to, Jeremy.

Thanks.

I woud love to have these questions answered by a true expert.

Just wanted to thank Mazda for the warranty extension. It solidifies my faith in Mazda. I currently own 3 rotary powered cars, and hope Mazda will allow me to continue this addiction for many more decades with new exciting rotary products.

I too would be very interested in hearing answers to the oil and premix questions from a Mazda engineer (aka non legal like answers).

Thank you again.

Jeremy,

I just wanted to say Thank You for everything you've done for the rotary community, for the passion you've always shown, and for continuing to lead the way.

Jedi54

I would just like to give a big advance thanks to Jeremy and a big PLUS ONE to issues #1 through 3 that RotoRocket brought up

to hell with all this engine warranty stuff.... give us a factory turbo mazdaspeed RX-8 now!

One question.

Is there more rotary after rx8 09 series.

that's all i need.... if so i am gonna pass on the GTR lol... it's gota be light and a driver car.

also, can't they make a high mpg rotary car utilizing sequential rotary?

PS: Mazda should really cover if anything, all future factory reflash for the car. the dealer ship i service at claim that it is not "covered". if it is what should have been sold to the end user as the car, shoudn't it count as we already bought it? maybe like a mini MSP16 with just the reflash.

Hello Jeremy,

With almost 120,000 miles on my 04 I guess you can say I like my RX-8. While extending the warranty on certain parts will help a lot I feel there is another issue that would help more. Fix the poor service many of us receive from your dealerships. I have written more than once to Mazda USA about my experiences and rarely do I even receive the courtesy of a form letter acknowledging my concerns.

For many owners your 8/100K extension is like getting a free dinner coupon at a restaurant with bad service. Service writers should expect that most RX-8 owners know more about the car than they do. When they don’t know an answer to a question say so, but try and find the right answer. Fix the car right the first time; treat the customer like they are your boss because if more stop buying Mazda’s you will not have one.

On side note why do we still have to buy cars and have them service by dealerships anyway. Dealing with salespersons stink, service writers that jump from dealership to dealership with littler product knowledge and desire to help customers. Why can’t I walk into the ‘Mazda Depot’ and deal with people on salary from Mazda and are accountable to Mazda. It’s 2008 bring the car buying experience out of the 1950’s

EXPO FOR PRESIDENT!

Very good points. Well stated. I look forward to a response from Jeremy. Maybe they need to revise the relationship of the Maufacturer to the dealerships.

Paul.

+1. Maybe something along the lines of "an approved Rotary Specialist", sponsored or recognized by Mazda NA that would have the authority to diagnose problems site unseen and influence service decisions that would take place at your local dealership.

Thanks. I know it's a long shot maybe, but let's give 'em an opportunity to take some of the enthusiasts and bright lights here seriously and respectfully. I'm sure some people at Mazda are very aware of the importance of our loyal following. Heck, I'm still maintaining and driving a '93 Miata! Maybe even a PR guy can realize that such a loyal following is based on something other than legal expediency.

+1 expo, i can tell they are trying to help, but when i tell them the 1st time i bring it in it's fuel pump, and they don't look into that until the 3rd time i bring it in it's just annoying.

Sigh… if only some of the "extremely knowledgeable rotary enthusiasts and rebuilders" here had helped designed the Renesis in the first place. (Me? I keep telling the Mets how to solve their hitting problems, but for some strange reason, they never listen. And I am an extremely knowledgeable baseball enthusiast.)

All the "extremely knowledgeable rotary enthusiasts and rebuilders" here have known about the lubrication problems for a LONNNG time.. hence the premix and the heavier oil and the synthetic.

Mazda is apparently catching on now because that is what all the PCM updates are all about.. increased OMP output. Unfortunately these newer PCM updates are too late for some of the older cars and that is why you see many more 04 engine failures then the rest.

~

I would like to thank Mazda for putting their wallet behind the wankel and shooting down all the people that believe the rotary engine won't exist for much longer. You wouldn't build a brand new rotary re-manufacturing plant if you weren't going to be using it a few years from now!

And thank you Jeremy for coming to personally share your words with us. :)

I hope Mazda Australia takes this on board and do the right thing as well.

paul,

i shot cocktail out of my nose.. are you mrs jeremy???? ;)

beers :beer:

as to my big ? i think zoom will cover that.. as i pm him before i found this thread.

but other questions are needed.. with a new fuel pump (replaced in dec it is the 5th version) should i have fuel issues at a hpde? with 3/4 tank?

more than one of us have had the issue.. btw. only in left hand turns..

got a few others, but love the car!!!!

beers :beer:

+1 swoope, +1, and no it can't be caused by premix since i've done in low concentration for only a month.

One more vote
 

One more vote supporting Jeremy's list of questions.

We all have the same goal, we want to take the best care of our cars possible, if Mazda has tips that happen to contradict the user's manual that have grown from experience, or that require a little more maintenance that isn't a bad thing if it can help us maintain our cars and help enjoy a long, fun lifespan with the vehicle.

I love my RX-8, I love it's idiosyncracies and I like spending time with it, it has made me appreciate cars more. Thanks for creating a wonderful car and for supporting the community and customer base that has bought them!

I also want to thank Mazda and Mr. Barnes for supporting us and the RX-8. My has 84K miles and makes me smile every time I drive. No engine problems, a few minor warranty issues (tail light moisture, would not shift into 6th) all fixed. I have to say that the extended warranty eases my mind but I tend to buy my vehicles with the intention of driving them for 10+ years as evidenced by my wife's 96 Miata.

I have to echo Expo's issue regarding Dealer service, I have also had poor experience and have often felt that I knew more about my car than the service writers. I have used three different dealerships for service trying to find a shop that gives me confidence that they listen to my concern and can diagnose properly. I think that a fair amount of the maintenance "problems" with the 8 is due to poor knowledge of the rotary in the service shop. Example, when my 8 would not go into 6th gear, the service writer on the phone told me that they could have me in for service in three weeks....to which I responded that I purchased a 6-speed and did not intend to wait three weeks driving a 5-speed.

My thanks go to Jeremy for planning on spending some time handling our questions. I'm pleased with the warranty extension for the engine and appreciate Mazda standing behind the Renesis.

My +1 to Robrecth's questions, and also to snipersgo's Q about all flashes behind covered regardless of mileage. The constant ECU reprogramming demonstrates Mazda's dedication to continued research into the care & longevity of the Renesis. It is my opinion that Mazda should offer these updates to all owners in order to keep their 8s running with the best programming available.


My first question is similar to one others mentioned: What can be done to improve dealership care when it comes to the RX-8 (or any Mazda) in the future? It certainly seems like it is a 'hit or miss' type game where some dealerships are great and some are terrible, and this is the "face of Mazda" as seen by most owners. I understand some problems can arise w/aftermarket parts, but for those of us that have NOT modified the powertrain at all this can be very frustrating.

Could you please discuss what you recommend as the best course of action an owner can take if they feel a dealership is putting up a fight over an issue that should be covered under warranty?

My second question: There appears to be a growing number of owners experiencing transmission problems, with some getting tranny replacements before hitting 40k miles. A few members here have reported dealerships that deny warranty work on the transmission regardless of mileage! This question is tied to the first somewhat, but here goes:

Has Mazda's official position changed regarding the warranty status pertaining to transmission problems? Specifically, should all transmission problems be covered under the 5/60 powertrain warranty - synchros and all? Also, was there any consideration of extending the full powertrain warranty to 100k, rather than just the 'short block', and why wasn't this done?


Thanks again!

dmc27

^^^ +1 does anyone have an idea when this(Q&A) is going to happen, I realize being on the east coast there will be a delay. I would love to sit in on this but I cant afford to sit here all day, if anyone has any time frame that would be great.

guys Please understand that when Jeremy does sign on- still probably this morning but that could change- there will be limits on what he can answer . Many of the technical questions will probably not be covered.

When time allows him Rotr8. Its his idea and his time afterall. He's kind of a busy guy- He'll be posting from work too;)

Hey thats an idea-posting on this forum as part of a job. actually getting paid to do it. Hey Jeremy my position at the Sharper Image is ending soon- Any openings at Mazda that involve getting paid to post on forums? :)

i second you getting paid for this.. a dollar a post, it would be nice to see you post more good stuff. :)

thx!

beers :beer:

Is Jeremy going to post in this thread or some other thread?

thanks, I'll stay tuned....

Understood. Actually, that's why I was hoping that some of the more technical questions could eventualy be addressed by some of Mazda's best rotary engineers, both for our sake as well as for the benefit of the technical aftermarket domain ... and ultimately for even for Mazda's benefit. Thanks again for hosting this and thanks to Jeremy and to Mazda for participating.

I think my question might not be in the right place, but I am going to ask it regardless since I feel this issue is very important.

As an IT worker, Technology issues are very near and dear to me. Why is it that Mazda car always seem to be behind in regards to the tech options they offer on their cars? The tech craze isnt exactly new and frankily the tech options are very disappointing. I have seen cars built in 2000 (jeeps mind you) that had digital radios that would display the radio station title and song name and that feature has yet to be offered on any mazda I have seen. (Granted a small one) This example just illustrates my point. Is there no way Mazda can partner with Ford (since you are partly owned be ford) to get some of the new and exciting tech on Mazdas such as The Sync????? Why hasnt been Mazda developing more tech options for all the cars in a range instead of just the luxury packages? Its not as if this tech is expensive. The Sync was deconstructed and it costs 40$ ! and yet ford sells it for 400! Surely offering options like this would be profitable for Mazda!

Jeremy:

The only issues I see:

1. oil distribution
2. oil viscosity
3. oil filtering
4. oil pumping

I understand all of these issues have been addressed in the new engine which means Mazda understands there is a serious issue which has not been admitted but warranties extended to 8y/100k. In a sense, I guess that is an admission.

My questions are:
1. Why did Mazda not offer a recall?
2. Why couldn't Mazda offer a buyback plan where they give owners that want to trade in their existing RX-8 on a new 09 model a REALLY good deal?

Thanks, for taking a little time to listen to our questions and statements.
Don

i asked him to post in here.

Yikes! Admission, hmmm, recall?:banghead: They've really gone beyond what we should ask for making this thing retroactive. I guess you can't please everyone.

Seal.

One question( well 3 actually) sent to me in private message-

Does the timing of this announcement have anything to do with the opening of the new re-manufacturing site in Virginia?

Is it that having this re-manufacturing operation under Mazda's control give Mazda more confidence in the product than the previous "out-sourced" situation?

And is that the same as saying Mazda has some concerns for the reliability of the previously re-built motors?

^^ Agreed.

Jeremy

1 - can answer definitively, yes or no, will use of synthetic oil void the RX-8 warranty?

2 - What, if anything, is Mazda doing to improve the quality of customer service provided by dealership service departments, particularly as regards RX-8?

3 - Owners sometime seem to get stuck in between their local dealership's service department and Mazda corporate regarding warranty service. The dealer claims corporate won't cover, corporate claims the decision is up to the dealer. Customer then has nobody to help them. What would you recommend for a customer who gets stuck here?