Mazdamaniac COBB?
 

Hey guys, Ive been looking at the COBB for my SI Rx8, and I know there has been some...issues with the upgraded Greddy kits from Mazdamaniac from what i've read, but I was curious as to if anyone has ordered a COBB from his website recently and had any experiences to share.

Other than buying one used his website is the only option to buy one. I don't think anyone has had any issues with buying them from him.

Some of us have mazdaEdit+Tactrix openport 2.0, which is a little cheaper and does the same things (except for the single digital gauge).

I bought mine a number of years ago. was very happy. still love it. highly recommend

If, for some reason I had a different 8, it would be one of my first purchases.

I had no problems buying mine from M about 2 years ago. If I did it again I would just buy a used one from here.

The Cobb AP platform for the RX8 is dead ....

You can't use a Cobb AP on a computer operating system past Windows 8.0 so unless you keep an old computer around specifically for this purpose you'll never be able to communicate with the handheld device to load tuning maps etc

Interesting info ... Cobb will still be around for many years yet though

Cobb
 

Mine, 2 years now no problems.

Cobb discontinued the non FI cars. The 8 was one of them. The key is less the Cobb, and more the tune. You get both if you get a Cobb from MM. He is the only one selling them.

If you can find a tuner, who can tune an 8, there are other tools. Typically, they have to be local though. One of the MM benefits was the "tune over the internet" approach. I do not know if anyone else can do this. I decided I was too old to spend the time I had left learning to tune a car. So I hired someone who knew how.

Also, I do not have a tuner withing hours of my house, so that is not an option. I can say that the car runs great, I have 100,000 miles on the engine, and I can still pass 911's at the track. There is a noticeable different between stock and tuned.

That was then.


In case I didn't explain it fully enough, from now and going forward you will be required to have access to a computer with Windows 8.0 or earlier OS (currently W8.1, W10 to be released soon) in order to communicate with the Cobb AP RX8 device for loading any new/different map than what may already be loaded on it. This means any new Cobb owner making or purchasing pre-made maps or any current owner looking to change maps that are not already loaded on the AP hand-held device.

Other tuners are authorized Cobb dealers and also on this forum; members 'Kane' https://www.rx8club.com/members/kane-71253/ and 'Easy E1' https://www.rx8club.com/members/easy_e1-20712/, offer the service for hire approach. Occasionally myself and 'Brettus' offer the service on a special project basis, but generally not to just anyone.


.

With the software Virtual Machine Im running an older version of Windows inside it, on my Asus laptop with Windows 8.

Its basically like running a computer inside a computer so Im basically running Windows Vista in a Virtual computer on my laptop. I use it to run ATR specifically for the Cobb AP.

I ran it on my MacBook as well, which met an untimely end due to a glass of orange juice. :Drooling_

It doesn't take up much space and I'm sure its free (can't exactly remember). But if anyone is having that issue, not being able to run ATR because they have a later version Windows or they use a Mac look up Virtual Machine.

Its easy to use, and I didn't have to dig up my old PC from the attic to run ATR. :beer05:

Thanks, there are several different work arounds for it. Just making sure anyone coming into using a Cobb now or hasn't updated their own maps in a while understands this limitation.

It is good to know. I wasn't aware of that, but am sure you can always run a virtual desktop to get around it. That just adds one more pita step and makes it more difficult for the masses.

Getting my AP soon, good thing I'm still using Windows Vista. :rollingla

+1 for running a VM...

Have you ever heard of "Run in Compatibility Mode"? You can choose any of the previous windows platforms the program is designed for in order to make it run in future versions of windows.




Going with the MazdaManiac Accessport and calibrations combo is a solid choice. I have no regrets.

That usually doesn't work for me on any machine, IDK why but it is an option if it works.

Have you ever heard of having a clue .... :lol:

How is that even a response to what I said?

Because I tried it on a W8.1 laptop and it won't communicate with the handheld device just like Cobb stated ... just a bit surprised you think something so obvious would be overlooked by everyone including the manufacturer if it was really that simple :dunno:

But it was only intended as a lighthearted joke, not to be mean :)

That said, it has already been tried and tested; that's a negative, Ghostrider :squint:

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-eng...6/#post4649629

The issue is the hand-held device firmware, Cobb is not motivated to update it for W8.1 onward ...



.

Compatibility, I'm not worried about in the least. I only run 8.1 Because i see it so often at work (work for Geeksquad.) But I keep a dual boot partition of Windows 7 on hand just in case. (I also have a pentium one compaq laptop 200mhz with 48 megs of ram for running older games from the 90's Lol but I digress.)

I was moreso curious as to if anyone has bought a cobb from him recently, his website looks like he still sells them, but I don't want to drop the cash just to not get a product, thats what I was worried about.

Tuning wise, i'm not worried, I live <2 hours from Pettit Racing.

Use paypal= get your money back if you dont get your cobb.

I bought one 2 years ago and to what i understand thwy still make them but inly for jeff

Actual Answer to your Question
 

I bought one from him about a month ago. Shipped to my door (in Hawaii, so I expect everything to take awhile) in about two weeks.


Already did our first tuning session, and the second one is this coming week. Very easy to work with, straightforward, no hassles system he has to get tunes updated.


My only problem is that now that he's done an initial tune, one of the datalog runs requires me to run the car at WOT to redline in second and third gear. This is probably easy stateside with tons of road available, but I live on Oahu, and that makes it difficult to find space enough to do that. Other than that, it's been a breeze so far.

Thank you! By the way, Mines a Brilliant Black with the exact same mods yours has, haha, only thing is it's an 06. Any noticeable gains so far with his tunes?

I could not get his tuning. I bought it but it was a complete waste of money. He has like a 2 hour window every week in the evening to work in and that is different then his website says.

He will completely ignore anything outside of that window and not tell you about it. Even if your only out of it by minutes.

Hell, i was okay with him only doing the tuning in that window but i should be able to turn in the file out side of that window then wait until next week for another tune.


Tldr. End result i got one tune from him and thats it because i was busy at work every week. And when i paid for the service, his schedule on his website showed it would not be a problem, but his true schedule was complete crap.

I don't know if I will see any "noticeable" gains even with a tune, but Wednesdays map will be the first one built off a full datalog session, so I believe patience is key. He says on his site that it generally takes up to six tunes to get it perfect.


For me it's worth it because of four particular mods:
1. Odula ram intake, high-flow hose, and resonator delete. This is a rather unique setup, so I wanted a custom tune for it.
2. D585 Coils. There's alot of talk about how these really do need extra care in tuning to take full advantage of their longer recharge between sparks.
3. Sohn adapter. I am pleased to be getting the most oil possible in through those slow-ass oil injectors.
4. Tubular header. They used to throw a secondary air injection code when I started the car up after 8+ hours, but he masked the code for me as soon as I mentioned it.


An additional bonus is that he assured me that exhaust mods won't affect the tune, so I can keep tweaking my exhaust while we are working on getting the tune right.