major rx-8 recall

[equ]

I still think they are cute and sometimes wish I'd gotten one when shopping earlier this year. Then again may be not:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/08/23/mazda-to-recall-nearly-all-rx-8s/

[ff]

OMG, that sounds [potentially] expensive...

[Rob]

Oh my. Have they fixed whatever is causing the problem? Replacing the engine with another one that will do the same thing seems a little silly. Have they addressed the other issues, like flooding and stuff?

[clyde]

There's not much detail in that report. The problems first started appearing primarily on cars in the desert southwest in the summer of 2004 and there were a high number of cars that had engine replacements. The problem largely went away during the following winter only to repeat the following summer, and then slip away again last winter...then resurface again this summer. Rotaries tend to not get along too well with synthetic motor oil, and it appears that has been a contirbuting factor in many cases. Mazda never said not to use sythentics in the Renesis, however. It does appear that they've figured out the problem, though.

Recalls are never good for a manufacturer (unless you're Toyota), but the sad effect of them on the cars they cover is that once the recall is complete, the cars are fine (or should be). But something gets attached to the cars anyway that diminishes their percieved, and thus actual value...even though nothing is wrong with them.

What difference does it really make to the consumer if a car was to have an engine replacement due to a recall? A day or two of driving a loaner car (which all RX-8 owners are given when a car is in for warranty or recall work)? BFD.

My RX-8 is nearly 3 years old with nearly 25,000 miles on it. It's given me a couple problems but the only one that stranded me was a battery that mysteriously died an early death while sitting in front of my house. The only other "major" issue was a blown coil. I've had a bunch of trim issues, and the car will probably spend a couple days at the dealer this fall when I finally take it in (for the first time since Spring 2005) for them. It seems to run stronger than most and I seriously doubt that my car will get a replacement engine due to this recall. But even if it does, so what?

[Rob]

I would consider the value enhanced a bit. Less mileage on the engine - balanced by the fact that most people won't break it in as well as they would if the entire car were new. It does sound expensive for Mazda though.

[equ]

I think Mazda is not being very forthcoming about what exactly the problem is. It seems like there are several issues, flooding, catalyst, oil, heat ...

Perhaps a large percentage got good ones, Clyde. Based on really slow sales and hearsay though, I'm going to venture that a not insignificant portion of them have problems. When I was shopping for one, the salesman in one of the largest nj dealership said 'don't even bother, it's a piece of j***, half the service bay is rx-8's. Get the ms6.'. At the time the ms6 was a hottish car and they had tons of 8 inventory, so I don't think he was profit motivated.

[clyde]

Oh my. Have they fixed whatever is causing the problem? Replacing the engine with another one that will do the same thing seems a little silly. Have they addressed the other issues, like flooding and stuff?
They appear to have figured out what was causing the problem and have addressed it (and there is quite a bit of speculation that they delayed the recall until they knew what it was and developed a fix). Flooding and other starting issues have been mostly a thing of the past for quite some time.

[clyde]

I would consider the value enhanced a bit. Less mileage on the engine - balanced by the fact that most people won't break it in as well as they would if the entire car were new. It does sound expensive for Mazda though.
There really isn't a break in required for the Renesis.

[clyde]

I think Mazda is not being very forthcoming about what exactly the problem is. It seems like there are several issues, flooding, catalyst, oil, heat ...

Perhaps a large percentage got good ones, Clyde. Based on really slow sales and hearsay though, I'm going to venture that a not insignificant portion of them have problems. When I was shopping for one, the salesman in one of the largest nj dealership said 'don't even bother, it's a piece of j***, half the service bay is rx-8's. Get the ms6.'. At the time the ms6 was a hottish car and they had tons of 8 inventory, so I don't think he was profit motivated.
Slow sales...Mazda pushed too much inventory. Even so, in the early days, dealers all had large numbers of them, but those numbers stayed steady and eventually dwindled after the plant fire shut down produciton. Most examples of problematic cars are relatively problem free during the period it matters (first 50k or so). It's just that when problems reach a certain threshold the public considers them junk...even if 90% of them will never experience the problem.

[lemming]

Slow sales...Mazda pushed too much inventory. Even so, in the early days, dealers all had large numbers of them, but those numbers stayed steady and eventually dwindled after the plant fire shut down produciton. Most examples of problematic cars are relatively problem free during the period it matters (first 50k or so). It's just that when problems reach a certain threshold the public considers them junk...even if 90% of them will never experience the problem.

:dunno:

i know how you feel.

i share your sentiments, too.

[equ]

Agreed, it does sound like that they are getting to the bottom of this (which is more than what porsche can say about sleeve problems). I also think it may become (has already become?) a good buy. It's just hard to buy when your salesman is calling it 'crap' :?

I've always liked the rx-8 for its original design and nice handling.

[lupinsea]

I'm not entirely sure what the exact cause it but the root engine problem almost certainly stems from the double wishbone front suspension. :dunno:

[John V]

This is great timing, considering we JUST finished installing the GReddy turbo kit in a friend's RX-8. :ack:

[kenkamm]

Supposedly it is estimated to affect about 1% of RX-8s. Learic and I aren't terribly worried, but the fact that John and I just installed the turbo does increase the worry slightly. The install wasn't the easiest.