Oh by the way, I see like 4 or 5 8s in my parking lot at work. Any you guys work at the Ford Credit building in Dearborn?

 

I've worked at various buildings within the R&E Center in Dearborn. There are A LOT of RX-8s around the area. If I had to guess, I'd say Dearborn has the highest concentration of RX-8s in the country, especially now that it's available in the management lease program (4 options for mid-life crises: Mustang, Miata, RX-8, Jag XK).

 

Mazda is sending out a mailing/invitation to attend Rotary Revolution 2005 to 4000 new RX8 owners in the midwest.

When you MI owners receive it will you let me know so I get an idea how long it is taking to reach mailboxes? The letter is supposed to go out from their midwest region office in Chicago.

Thanks!

 

New RX-8 owner here. Just picked up one of the last fully loaded 2004's(velocity red) left in the Detroit area. Added fender strakes and rotary center caps. Can't wait till spring!

 

Welcome to the V Red club here in Detroit MI, where abouts are you?

 

Thanks for the welcome. Living in Macomb north of Detroit.
Wow, tons of information about our RX-8's on this website!

 

MI - Where in MAcomb? I know MI Family guy is out there as are my parents (25 & Van Dyke).

 

Yeah, that's cool. I've seen a few other Reds out there lately.

With the warmer weather I finally managed to get out of my driveway to loosen things back up a little. Man, it's amazing how much I miss driving this car! Welcome MI RX-8, and see you on road sometime...

 

We almost all have red 8's, lol

 

I'll break the "red" trend... I have a black GT 6 speed. I know that's a little masochistic for the lousy weather we have. Impossible to keep clean, but I'm a sucker for a shiny black car. If you roll your windows down in Orion Township (North Oakland County), you'll hear my nonstop streaming obscenities lamenting the Siberia-like weather here . This forum, & the knowledge that there are fellow Michiganders counting down the days 'til spring keeps me going!

 

Sure does Charles... thanks! I too drive mine unless excessive snow is flying... just can't resist. I've only been stuck in my driveway or in front of my house. I once left the stuck car in front of my house & took my fwd to work. Someone asked if I was worried about leaving it on the street. I said "if a thief can move it in the snow, he can have it!". Needless to say, the car was there upon my return. Happy motoring!

 

Here's a great story for you RX-8 owners in Michigan (and elsewhere). The Rotary Revolution was listed in Autoweek magazine in their calendar and of course they printed my cell # (ouch). Actually this is only a mild ouch since I haven't been getting 2 am phone calls from drunken V8 owners yelling "Rotaries Suck" and hanging up.

One call I did receive was from a gentleman in Clarkston, MI who had recently bought an RX-8, doesn’t have internet access and wanted to know more about this event. So I mailed him an early version of our part of the letter Mazda is sending out this week personally inviting new RX-8 owners to the event along with the tentative schedule and mail-in registration form.

Two days later he calls me back and is extremely excited about both his new RX-8 and attending the event. His 77th birthday is Monday April 25th (the day after the event) and he let’s me know he is telling his wife, kids, and grandkids that they have to move his birthday party up to take "the best car I’ve ever owned" down to the Rotary Revolution.

I tell him to keep my cell number on hand, and when he mails in his registration to call me so I can make sure he gets in touch with the MI club president so he can follow the caravan of rotary vehicles down to Indianapolis. His response to me, "Well, this car gets up and really moves; I hope they can keep up with me."

Every time I tell this story it makes me grin from ear-to-ear.

Feel free to download our part of the letter Mazda is sending out here. (Even though we are told you will receive the entire letter in your mailbox early next week.)

 

Looks like there are a lot of us.. I have driven the 8 on the stocks all winter regardless on amount of snow (I have a very short drive to work!).

 

Well I live off the same street fairlane grounds is on so thats usually not too bad, the only bad road is usually Hubbard and I'm only on that for about a mile.

 

You've been driving stocks all winter?! I don't if I should be impressed or call you crazy...

I've found the couple of times I've run over snow/ice that the Potenzas were ok in the light snow if you kept your momentum going, but on ice, or smooth snow they are hopeless.

I think here in the Detroit area we are able to get our cars on the road pretty often, assuming you can get out of your sub.

 

Why the hell does Ford have management leases on Mustangs? They're selling the best...that's messed up.

Damn Ford, flooding the market with nice cars driven by middle-aged men in mid-life crises...(sorry if that pertains to you :P)

All the RX-8s in Dearborn...gotta do something to make yours stand out ;-)

 

Only the V6's are currently available for delivery on a managment lease. From what I heard the GT's can be obtained on a management lease but they will not be delivered until summer (expected time when original retail orders will be completed).

I am getting more pissed about the 8 on management lease tho.. 99% of people I see driving them around WHQ are either older women or late middle-age men who dont appreciate the car.

 

Oh yeah for real! I feel jipped...I mean, the last thing I want is for them to turn this into the next Miata! Ford's ruining the image of the RX-8...pretty soon it'll be the old man's mid-life crisis car along with the Miata. Why don't they do more management leases on the Five Hundred or the Freestyle? lol (I'm sure they are but come on now)

 

Okay, calm down man :o. It's only in the heart of Dearborn that there is an abundance of 8s. Go 5 miles outside of Dearborn and it's still pretty rare to see an '8--at least that's my experience living in the Westland/Canton area. It's a pretty strong statement to say that Ford is ruining the image of the 8!

 

True dat, Buckeye... true dat...

 

Blue 8 in Pinconning

 

Yea so when I go down Michigan ave hopeing to see one of you guys...It never happens. I'm going to have to spend the whole day out the and go 8 hunting.

 

Anyone interested in Waterford Hills on June 6th? A guy from work is trying to get me to go, and I am unsure at the moment. Maybe a couple more 8's might sway me...

 

Hey Charles, sorry I haven't responded yet. If you can believe it, I haven't been on the site for a while. Sounds like you have a lot of experience tracking your 8.

I for one, would be very interested in seeing you and your car out at Waterford Hills on June 6th. Let me look up the link to the club and their website where you can sign up. I'm sure you will be in a different class as me, but I would love to watch you around the track, and see your setup.

So where exactly do you show these GTOs and Mustangs what's up???

 

Charles, the website is: www.saac-mcr.com/tracks/

The event is being held by the Shelby American Automobile Club, Motor City Region.

I haven't officially signed up yet, but the guy from work has and as long as I get my "final" approval, I would very much like to plan on it. Let me know what you end up deciding...