Authentic Mazdaspeed SideSkirts installed incorrectly?
 

A few days ago, I had my MazdaSpeed Skirts I purchased from Montgomery Mazda (onlinemazdaparts) painted at my local dealership and installed by a retired Mazda tech who worked at the same dealership...



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Looks pretty good from a distance right?
But up close, it looks as if the skirt isn't high enough... I brought the car back to the tech who installed them and he says that's how they all look? :dunno:

Any opinions would be great. Again, this is an Authentic Mazdaspeed part.
Came with all instructions, hardware, invoice, and Mazdaspeed box all purchased from a dealership.

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If by "not high enough" you mean not covering the bottom of the door sill, then Id say that looks normal.

After looking at other mazdaspeed 8s fitment looks about the same. As for the little gap... maybe a little 3m tape to hold it tighter?

Well,
There were 3m tape on the inner part of the skirts, but if you look at the gap, it doesn't reach the car.

It's hard to tell in the pictures, but if you look up close, I figured it should be a bit more flush to the car you know?

EDIT:

I've also noticed, the original AERO flares are perfectly flush with the side of the car and if you look, there's still the dirt stain of where the original piece used to reach.

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Believe it or not, just because it's authentic does not mean it's perfect. I have seen quite a few authentic Mazdaspeed kitted RX-8's and all of them had some fitment issues. Typically the fitment issues with that kit is on the sides though more than the front or rear though. You just don't hear about it a lot because people don't like admitting to it after spending all that cash :lol:

I have also seen other reputable authentic kits that are also not perfect. But it's better to have a authentic kit that fits 90% perfect than it is to have a knock off that fits 50%.

Yeah, I figured it would have been perfect. :cussing:

So the only real way to have perfect fitment is to have a bodyshop install them rather than a dealership? :(

Even then there is no guarantee. On my buddies RX-8 they were just a bit too long and left a gap at the end. There is no real way to fix that. But his kit still looks badass on his 8, but if you are being picky you will notice it. You should just take it to a REPUTABLE bodyshop and see what they say, they can probably get them tight against the body but there is no guarantee they will stay that way after you hit them on something.

It also looks like your rocker panels might be bent a little in one spot. Or maybe it's just the pics :dunno:

Maybe I'm being a little too picky, but for the price you expect it to be a lot better, especially it being a Mazda part. I don't see how fitment could get much worse than this as it's just a long piece going across the car.

Didn't even notice it, you may be right... It does look like there's a bit of a ding there, maybe I'll have that looked at as well.

i'd take it to a body shop and find out if they can get it to fit how you want it to fit. that's the beauty of modding our cars... you can get whatever look you want.


if it was mine, i'd want it higher.

Looks fine from here, but if you feel like its not good enough for you, then have them correct it.

Looks good to me. Wish I had those myself. If you're not happy with them, I'll take them off your hands. :)

Nah, you wouldn't buy those, they are authentic and expensive. What you want to go with your "cheaper is better which is why I cut my springs" theme is the replica versions they sell on Ebay.

:rofl:

Life, I think that does look like normal positioning to me. I don't have the sides, but I've noticed already that 2 authentic bumpers didn't line up 100%, and my spoiler is... off a wee bit (using oem appearance package spoiler holes, and they don't line up with the MS mounting holes :dunno: ).
You're just noticing the gap, as well as the "dirt line" and being picky about it lol. It's bothersome, but not NOT normal :)

Funny 9krpmrx8!

Actually, I feel bad for lifeafterrx8 because I'm sure he spent several hundred dollars and isn't happy with the product when he could have purchased the VIS skirts for $200 and gotten possibly the same fitment issues. Like I said....just because something costs more doesn't make it better.

Plus...I fully accept my ricer and cheap tags I've been given. There are many on this website. I appreciate much more when I do the work on my car (good or bad) vs paying someone else. LONG LIVE RICERS! except for those really big spoilers!

All the skirts sit a bit different. Given time they will separate from the car even further. The MS skirt does not come up as high as the factory appearance package either. My advise, clean your car :lol:

Okay ricer. I'm glad you accept your title.

springs are so damn cheap to begin with. I just cannot understand why someone would need to cut springs.

I have an appointment scheduled for tomorrow for them to look at it and see if there's anything they can do regarding fitment.

I think if it separate even further, they won't be attached to the car. :lol:
I know the installer used the template to drill the holes but my concern is he made the holes too big or didn't tape down the template when drilling and the holes should be higher up a bit in order to compensate for the gap. The gap itself is pretty even throughout the side of the car...

I've also noticed after driving, sometimes the plugs seem as if they're falling out of hole and if you look inwards of the gap, you can see them sticking out a bit, as if the holes were too big. I push it back in and it's fine so I'm not sure... :dunno:

Any chance you can take a picture of how yours fit? :p:

I wonder why other people would do these kind of stuffs... :suspect:

Monchie...they told me that I was another you. Are u a ricer as well? Admit it!

his avatar, title, and sig scream rice ... do you have to ask?