Baphi

Patrick, Eric, all recent BENELUX owners,

Well still not decided yet ! the L/KM ...

It's 2004 and I still want something NEW & refreshing !!
Except for the S2000 (not really new any more but I still love it) and the RX-8 (192CV / REVO) ...

I think, I have looked to much at the MPG stats from the US :O
and looking at an XLS sheet with the really bad numbers ... doesn't make my day !!!

Any new L/KM stats from you guys ?!

Do you think that it would be possible to held MAZDA (Belgium / NL) responsible,
if the L/KM that is published in their documentation is not what we get ?

Urban 15.1 L/KM
ROAD 8.3 L/KM
MIXT 10.6 L/KM

What I am looking at for the daily use:
- weekdays to work 5x 7x2 km = 70 Km + other week travel
- weekend if I am not using the motorbike :-) get out in the country for long drives ...
if drive like the motorbike, I am looking at > 500 KM per day !
- looking at long weekends in France & Germany ...

Seems that US & Canadians could have their cars bought back ... if this was the case ?
Well I am NOT looking forward to this kind of action.

I have the feeling, after reading most of the forum, that earlier RX-8 cars had really bad problem with the L/KM and the latest delivery seems to be better ...
But this is only a feeling ... my running cost aren't ... and the pay check is not going to improve much !
I don't think that MAZDA can provide us with a better comsumption later this year.

I could be satisfy with an average of 13L at 1.030 EURO/L for an 13.000 KM/year,
but if any of these parameters changes ... I will seriously question my choice !

Help & cheer me up !

Regards,

BAPHI


PS: gonna to look at a second hand S2000 this week, well this is not the new year start I was hoping for...

Patrick

Sorry Baphi,

The RX8 needs indeed a lot of fuel. I have it now for 3 weeks and just did city-riding. I am not a easy driver, I did already test the car in the higher revs 6K-6.5K. I need 15 L/100 KM.
You can get this down to 13 if you pass to the higher gear at 4K-4.5K. I also think that minor changes to the ECU (steering software of the car) can reduce the consumption, but I must admit that I'm not at all technician on that point. So there we will need the help of our dealer.

Sorry that I can't tell you that you can go with 11 to 13 L. At the other hand, perhaps I push my car a bit to high so ...

regards
Patrick

Eric

Hi Baphi,

The RX 8 is a sportscar, so a somewhat higher fuel consumption is normal of course.
I have made 1300 km now. First tank I did 11 L / 100 km. Second time it was even a little bit better. The third time we pushed the car more to the limit, to enjoy it, and that gave us 14,2 L / 100 km.
I guess it will allways be between 15 - 11 L / 100 km.
Given your rides per day, the car will consume more than average.
Short trips allways cost more fuel.
From of the first of January a liter unleaded costs 1,165 per liter in Holland. (I was dreaming about a VW Lupo 3 liter diesel)
A ride in our 8 to Patrick and back will cost us now 72,00 euro.
In the Lupo it will be 14,00 euro's, but without all the fun ........
We wish you a lot of succes in taking a dicision for yourself.

Kind regards,

Eric

Baphi

Patrick, Eric,

Thanks for the quick and clear answers ...
I just want to be sure what I am getting into and have a view for the coming years !!

I still have the Yamaha for the fun ... well a new Lupo Diesel + a new motorbike ... Naaaaa !
I like the motorbike in a clear dry not windy day ... great for sight seeing and forget about all the little bad things.

I didn't make a tour of all of the belgian dealers yet ... but in the five I already went to just one offered me a good deal.

It seem that 2 dealers that I didn't yet visit are planning an open RX-8 day next Friday-Saturday 9-10/01/2004 !

I better decide soon or the Brussel motor show and the publicity it is getting in belgium will make it soon unavailable for a long time !

Unleaded 1.165 in NL ... could the RX-8 run on milk ?

Well I need to release a little bit of stress ... tomorrow at work !

Are you using 95 or 98 unleaded ?

Baphi

Eric

According to Jeremy Clarkson from BBC Top Gear it is running on dubble cream. But I think I will not add that to my tank.

You know, when we are all suffering the same problem about the consumption, we should think of it as "gedeelde smart is halve smart", so we could join and feel the same.
I only use unleaded 95. The 98 is even more expensive over here. Holland is the only country in Europe that has indexed his fule taxes. We are a poor country and our gouvernment is rather narrow minded. They doubled the radarcars to follow speeders, there will be more highways with trajectcontroles, so we'd better leave the car in the garage. Big brother is watching us more and more. We feel like running to Canada or so.

Hope to meet you some time in your 8, together with Patrick and perhaps some other consumers. All the best and good luck again with your decision.

Keep in touch ....

Eric

RenesisMsa

Hi All,

Happy new year to all.

Good idea for a Benelux club !

Still one month to go before to receive my 8.
In my deal with the vendor, we agreed that he would offer me a set of accessories for free. We still have no decided on which.
Do you have any recommendations ?
I was thinking at the Aluminium finitions for around the exhausts, the lateral aluminium finition also and the rotary front aluminium.

I will have to discuss with the dealer on this next week-end.

Rgds
RenesisMsa

Eric

Hi RenesisMSA,

Happy new year to you also,

I don't know for what amount you can choose your options, but you could take the exhaust finishers (they get dirty very quick and don't show that well on every colour). I took them too, and they look oke.
The strikes (lateral) are a great option, I am still waiting for them to arrive at my dealer. The aluminium finishers for the rotary symbol on the front as for the foglight at the back of the car would be great. It is something I am waiting for also.
Options seem to take some time to arrive in Holland.

Good luck in deciding what you are going to order.

Regards,

Eric

RenesisMsa

Eric,

As we (dealer and me) didn't agree so far on a amount, based on your comments, I will try to get in order:
- The front and back finisher for the rotary symbol
- the lateral strikes
- the exhaust finishers

I hope to get them all, let's see.
It is difficult to have good conditions on such car, due to its image of exclusivity.

A question for you, does the motor warm quickly ?
As I am going to work in Brussels, I take the train each day, so I need only the car to drive 8 km per day during the week. I am a little bit affraid that the motor will not be warm before I get to my destination.

Rgds
RenesisMSA

Eric

RenesisMSA,

I think 8 km per day will be not enough to get the best out of your engine. That is, when you are carefull with your engine.
I take my wife to her work, 10 km. After that, I have to drive another 10 km to my work. Those 10 km I can really push it, for it has warmed up. I don't let my car iddle in the morning. I start and drive. You could let it iddle for a couple of minutes before driving, that would be best for that short trip I guess.

I will move later this year and my wife can go to her work by bike. For me it will be still about 11 km. I will buy myself a moped for during the week. For the weekends I can really enjoy my 8 and worry not to much about fuel consumption.

I certainly hope you will decide to buy an 8. It would be great for us to spin around in the weekend with all the Benelux members.

Good luck again !!!

Eric

RenesisMsa

Eric,

Maybe I was not clear, but I already ordered a 8.
Velocity Red, black\red interior, 231 HP. It arrives end of January. But I still have to agree with the dealer on the accessories. He promissed me some but we didn't put it on paper clearly which one as we didn't know them when I ordered the car.

Rgds
RenesisMSA

Patrick

Hi all of you,

Happy to see so much life on this part of the forum.

Patrick

Eric

RenesisMSA,

I am sorry to have misunderstood you.
I think you can push your dealer a little in getting your accesseries. Getting the strakes, the front and back rotary symbol and the exhaust finishers may cost him not so much.

When you will get your 8, we could join, togerther with Patrick, for our second lowland meeting.
You all could come to Zoeterwoude and we can go to the beach wich is only 10 km from here.

Have a nice evening.

Eric

Baphi

Benelux is alive ! Good !

It seems that Belgian like their 8 in the 231CV shapes ?!

Benelux guys seems to do 7 - 11 KM to work or to the train ??!!
Nice ... but not really good for any cars (except for the Lupo Diesel !) or motorbike ...
Good, I wouldn't be the only one doing 7 km to work if I got for the 8 !

I may request a Mazda bicycle as the free accessorie gift to go to work ?
I could do with a lot more exercices !

The 5 dealer I checked offered me between 1.5% (BAD !) to 7% discount... for a 192CV / REVO.

I would also go for the :
- The front and back finisher for the rotary symbol
- the lateral strikes
- parking sensors (hidden ?)
- Floor Mats

Baphi

Hilbert

hallo allemaal

nog een gelukkig 2004.

ik heb mijn 8 vrijdag afgehaald en ben er erg blij mee.

groet Hilbert

Hilbert

Baphi

The front and back finisher for the rotary symbol

In Nederland kan je alleen de front krijgen als het goed is komt het volgende week bij de daeler binnen .

grt Hilbert

Eric

That's wright Hilbert.
Do you know if the rotary symbol for the back foglight will come after that, or is it something that never will arrive. If so, I am going to order it in the States.

What's your car, a HP, Upgrade ?? Colour ???

And do you still have your MX ??


Eric

RenesisMsa

Hi Eric,

Yes, a little trip to Holland can be very funny.

I got a phone call yesterday evening to the dealer, and we finally agreed on the following accessories:
- floor mats (black and red)
- lateral strikes
- Front rotary
- exhaust finisher.

I am very happy to get them all for free, a little bit normal as the discount was bad. So finally the deal is OK.

Around 3 weeks to have it. It is will be hard to wait as the first time I saw the RX-8 in live was in Paris in Octobre 2002 (Mondial de l'auto), and since then I am expecting to have it.

Are you happy of the GPS, is working good and easy to use ?

Rgds
RenesisMSA

Patrick

Congrats, Hilbert,

I hope you will have as much pleasure driving as I have now for almost 1 month.. I had al kinds of weather so ... I know the car now under different conditions and it never let me alone. Good concept, except for the rear lenses who sometimes become condensed. My dealer told me that there is at this moment no solution for this problem; so mounting new ones is not an option. Let's wait and see.

regards
Patrick

Baphi, my RX8 is a 192 HP / REVO

Eric

Hi RenesisMSA (I cannot imagine that this your real name ....)

Great your dealer is offering you all those extra's for free.
The two things I got were a full tank and luxury license plates.
We also got a very good deal on our MX5.

The GPS is great when you really don't know the way. If you try it on places you know to come, it sometimes does verry odd things.
When I am coming home the GPS tells me about a roundabout which has never been there and still not is there.
But otherwise I wouldn' like to miss it !!!

I really hope your trip to Holland will be made. I am looking forward to that.

Good luck with waiting for a short while.

All the best,

Eric

Hilbert

Eric/Patrick

Ik heb mijn auto nu 5 dagen.
en heb nog maar weinig kunnen rijden ( klein Griepje gehad)
Ik weet een ding al wel dat je je rechter voet goed in bedwang moet houden, ik heb een een vijftal jaar in een mx-5 gereden
alleen in het afgelopen jaar in een mazda tribute dus dat is wel weer even wennen. vooral het directe stuurgedrag.
Ik heb zelf de rotari embleem besteld ik hoop die volgende week te krijgen, die voor de achterkant is niet leverbaar en denk dat deze ook niet komt.
En Erick je kan hem in de states bestellen maar ik denk dat het niet zal passen vanwege het mist achterlicht.
Als je het aan durf kan je hem mischien pasend maken.
Het is van aluminium dus nogal gemakelijk te bewerken.

groeten Hilbert

Patrick

Hilbert,

Dat heel directe sturen was ook voor mij een aanpassing hoor. Als ik dit vergelijk met het toch al direct sturen van m'n MGF dan is het sturen van de RX8 nog heel wat naukeuriger. Maar het went heel snel; het geeft het gevoel dat je je wagen volledig beheerst en dat is heel leuk. Niet de auto rijdt met je, maar jij rijdt met de auto.

Ik hoop dat we binnenkort een importeur vinden van Mazdaspeed-onderdelen op het vasteland. Frankrijk, Duitsland, Nederland, ... het maakt niet uit want dan zullen de verzendkosten redelijk blijven.

Ik denk dat je heus niet bang moet zijn om zelf ook wat dingen te doen, zo heb ik een luik gemaakt voor de kofferruimte (ik heb nu een vlakke vloer met berging onder het luik), en ik laat inox binnendrempels maken door iemand uit de buurt.

Groetjes,

Patrick.

Eric

Hilbert,

In het begin dacht ik dat mijn auto naar links, danwel naar rechts trok. Alsof hij niet goed uitgelijnd is.
Maar dat heeft te maken met de dikke banden en de directe sturing zegt de dealer.
Mijn rechtervoet wordt steeds zwaarder en het is een enorme lol het uiterste uit de auto te trekken. Het benzineverbruik valt dan wat tegen natuurlijk.
Hoe bevalt de kleur zwart. Het is een unikleur, dus geen blanke lak erover dacht ik. Heb je een waxoll behandeling laten toepassen?? Ju kunt dit nog doen en het geeft een langdurige bescherming tegen redelijke kosten. ( +/- 175 euro)
Als ik de 8 met mijn MX5 of alle Mazda's daarvoor, vergelijk, is er geen gelijkenis, behalve dan dat er 4 wielen onder zitten.
Voor de rest is het een bijzondere ervaring, telkens weer wanneer ik de auto start en er mee rijd.
Veel geluk met je auto en we zien elkaar vast wel eens op een BeNeLux meeting.

Eric

RenesisMsa

Hi Eric,

Totally right, this is just to keep privacy at work.

Do you have any idea why in Belgium (maybe the same in Netherlands) the Moonroof is not available ?

And why there is no board computer on the RX-8 ?

Rgds
RenesisMSA

Eric

RenesisMSA,

I have know idea why Europe doesn't get the sunroof. I guess, in a few months, options will be available which were untill now not listed. The RX 8 will than probaly get a special name, like most of the special versions get.
I called Mazda several month's ago about the cruise control. Mazda told me it would not be an option for Europe.
The lipspoiler on the boot is standard in Europe. It is not in the States. We, therfore, cannot mount a larger spoiler (which I dislike BTW)

By the way, Mazda Holland is speaking of a 240 BHP version when they advertise the HP. I think you'd better not make this kind of mistake in the States.

Regards,

Eric

RenesisMsa

Hi All,

I have just found on a UK web site, the following issues reported, do you have them too ?

- Running water on the inside of the windows (not misting-but dripping & running water!)
- Sooty (dripping black!) exhausts
- White foamy deposits on the dipstick - suggesting a water leak into the sump

Rgds