Hello,

I would like to share the way I was treated by Mazda USA. This is not mean to bash them, but instead share my scenario as objectively as I can to see if the community has any ideas on how to move forward.

This started out November the 8th. I emailed Mazda with the following message:

Hello,

I was wondering when my Rotary Engine warranty expires. The engine has been acting up and i'm wondering if im still covered. My VIN# is JM1FE1737401*****

Thanks,
Michal

The response was:

Hello Michal,

Thanks for contacting Mazda North American Operations. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you.

In regard to warranty for the engine in your 2004 Mazda RX-8; you are covered under Special Service Program 77, SSP77, for replacement of the rotary engine core for eight years from the warranty start date of 12/08/2003, or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Again, thank you for contacting Mazda. It has been my pleasure to reply to this matter.

Regards,

**************
Representative, Customer Assistance

So I forgot about the entire situation until the warranty was close to expiration. I know I cut it very close, and this was unwise. I learned from the mistake. I honestly thought it expired the 12th but this was not the case.

I emailed my local dealer on December the 6th asking for an appointment. They told me the only available time was December the 8th at 1:30pm. I told them I could not make that day, but I would drop the car off on the 7th.

I went to the dealership (Capital Mazda of Cary) and when I arrived their night drop box was out of envelopes. I went to find someone and found a dealer on his way out. He grabbed some envelopes and informed to the leave the keys in the envelope in the box. I did just that.

December the 8th I call the dealership to get compression results. She said she could not find my keys; therefore she did not do the test. They made no attempt to contact me prior to me calling. She found the keys and said they would run the test the next day.

About 30 minutes later she calls and told me the warranty expired at midnight on the 7th. I was told to contact Mazda USA, so I did.

I called and they gave me a case number. I was told the dealership would have to do the test at my cost to request warranty coverage. I paid for the test; I was called later that day and was told the engine had failed the compression test. To this day I have not received the test results.

3 days later they call me back and inform me that there is nothing they will do. I explain my situation again and was told that he will forward more information to Mazda and they will get back to me.

I was called 30 minutes later and he told me they will still decline. I ask to talk to a supervisor and was transferred. I explained my case again to the supervisor. She tells me the primary reason for refusal was that I had not produced any maintenance records. I was never asked to do so, so I was a little surprised. She told me to email them to her and she would forward them to the regional manager.

Today (the 15th) I receive an email stating that they are sticking with their decision and this will be the last time they speak with me regarding this matter.

That was it. No explanation, no option to speak to the regional manager who made the call. The car was at the dealer on the 7th, before the warranty expired. I could not have damaged it on the 8th, while the dealer had the car. I informed them of the problem in November. I cannot control when the dealership is open, therefore I do not think they should refuse service.

Thanks for hearing me out, let me know if you have any suggestions.
Michal

 

Is 12/08/2003 your manufacture date or the purchase date? The warranty starts when you bought the car, not when it was made.

 

12/8/03 is the purchase date.

 

When she said to email her your maintenance records, did you?

If you have proof maintenance was done on schedule then if they refuse to talk to you it might be time to bring a lawyer in. Only use that as the very last option though.

 

I did send her the records.

I have been speaking to a lawyer, but want to save that for a last resort. He agrees that I should wait and see what happens.

 

You need to produce some maintenance records (oil changes and such...) for proofs, so that they could approve you for a new engine. Usually, they will asked for those records for proofs. If you want to fight this issue, then talk to a lawyer.

 

I did provide them with 7 pages of maint. records. They still refuse to tell me why they will not honor it. I notified them on the 6th, well before the expiration, but they could not get me an appointment until the 8th. I cannot control when the dealer can give me an appointment.

 

I was hoping "new Monchie" was different than "redundant Monchie". I guess not Back to the ignore list you go

OP, you should have cause for a fight. Although, I will say that you deserve to sweat a little lol

 

I really screwed up on the deadline, however I still think I was under warranty. I think I will have to start trying to find emails/phones for some more executives at Mazda to explain my case. I'll keep you guys updated!

 

Honestly, the maintenance records are really a dealer thing, they don't need them. I talked to a rep at Mazda North America several times, and they said it was a case by case basis, or, in other words, whatever the dealer says. I got approved for a new engine with nothing on the car at all.

 

You got lucky, some are not. Anyway, you were saying that the dealerships are the ones who will decide if they will approved you for a new engine or not? All i know is that the dealerships will send the proper paperworks to the Mazda headquarters for the final approval and they will decide if they will give you a new engine or not. Just curious, that's all.