Howdy,

First post, but I'v been around for a while... I'v got two questions. First one, we all know the lack of honosty mazda has put us throw with this car. I belive the car could have been alot more delightful if mazda was a little smarter about it. At first, it was unique, great looking: an overall topnotch hot car. Get to my point... I still admire the car, but I'm hating mazda. I was strongly looking forward to buy an RX-8 after christmas.

Has anyone manually added any power to the car, and how much increase could you expect from it with what price range. I'm only asking for an estimate.

Any comments about RX8 in 2005? If it dose come out, because of all this huss about the car, I think mazda would try to save its *** and its reputation by fixing the major issues of the car. Wachya know?

 

Check out canzoomer's section in the vendors forum. He's been doing some fuel remapping to get some better HP numbers. I think he's aiming for a plug-in type box for around the $500 mark. However best to read it for yourself rather than me remember it wrong here and give you bum information.

 

From what I understand, they just dumped the power to adhere to the strict emissions laws in many countries. It's not really Mazda's fault, blame it on the EPA.

 

I've found that explanation lacking from the beginning. USA is huge market for Mazda; how could they not have tested to EPA specs until seemingly arriving at port? Inconceivable. The same applies to Calif. specs - the largest market. I just can't imagine them being surprised at the last moment. There is another piece to this puzzle.

 

I agree, mazda (notice the little m) can't blame it on the epa. The epa rules where there from the start. I think that the renesis engine, although being a small powerful engine, is not very economical and to get it to put out the power you have to also put out poor emmisions. Come on, we aren't just being screwed for horsepower but take a look at the mileage. The engine is not even turbo ready, with a 10:1 compression ratio. It's like mazda didn't even think about tuners. I think there's something fishy with this engine. It's sad to say but we owners will find out in the future whether this is a good engine. Take mazdas rep for honesty, we might be in for some bad news.

 

Yup. Mazda engineers sat down and said "You know, we need to make this car easier to turbo.. so kids can go and do that and blow up their engines and whine to us about warranty work.."

Epa is a much more believeable story than half assed conspiracy theories that disgruntled whiners are coming up with..

 

Ford has purchased 1/3 of Mazda. This is extremely upsetting, since they were going different directions. But yes, 1/3 Mazda belongs to American Ford, but they mostly do the trucking part.

I totally agree that there is something fishy about this car. It's not like Mazda RX8 came out with all its flaws and Mazda had no idea about it. Those million dollar scientists probebly realized that its best to produce it as is, and it might have not been worth fixing it. This is one reason why the price of RX8, compared to its class was suprisingly low. In that case, I think Mazda RX8 2005 will actually be a little more surprisngly advanced then 2004 with many corrected flaws. If not, Mazda's "greatest project" and its unique "advanced engine" would all be unsuccessful. Mazda has most probebly thought of all this. They always claimed that their engine is uniqe and different and its imporvment will be mind blowing, and it seems like it is failing. There has got to be a better RX8 next year.

 

Also... Mazda has already lost some what popularity for those of us, car lovers - who like to have all aspects of the car balanced and not only a good driving expericnce - because of this RX8. It is not worth losing their customer's trust, they have got to be doing something intresting for nextyear.

At least I hope.

 

It's not like this just happened - Ford owned a large chunk of Mazda since the 80s, and got 33.4% in 1996. In Japan, that gives them controlling interest - for all intents and purposes, legal and practical, Ford controls all of Mazda.

Re the last minute tuning changes - the problem wasn't emissions, it was catalytic converter durability. USA requirements are for the original cat to last 120K miles. It takes a while to test that - while the original RX-8 tuning met all emissions tests, it turned out that in durability testing Mazda found that the catalytic converter life would not be long enough on average due to exhaust temperatures that were too high at high rpm and load (a scenario which isn't even a part of emissions testing). They had to richen the mixture to lower exhaust temps at high rpm and high load, which resulted in lower power. With their current catalytic converter, Mazda CAN'T retune the ECU to get that power back.

As for the CR being too high to turbo - sorry, I wouldn't want to give up HP normally aspirated just so some tuners can bolt on go-fast parts. Let them (the tuners) swap rotors to lower the CR, and leave us with a more powerful and more responsive NA engine as delivered.

Regards,
Gordon

 

exactly Gord. It seems like the same people are complaining or the people are complaining in every thread. I traded in an extremely tuned and fast honda, and well this car is a million times funner to drive. I am sorry some of you got the few bad ones and ruined your experience. I wish you were experiencing what I am.

 

I think that with the budget that Mazda put out for this product, and the time they were willing to develope, they had a target horsepower that they wanted to achieve. They thought they had it. They were wrong. Don't forget though, there were also many other aspects that were prioritized over just the horsepower. There was body design, suspension design, and even interior design. You can't just do one without taking another area into account either. For instance, you can't make suicide doors without planning how to style the subframe for the most rigid design possible. 2005 they might have a slightly better 8 out, but chances are, it'll just be the 8 we wanted the 2004 to be, one with less bugs in it. It's too expensive to completely revamp a setup year after year.

Another reason why there are so many whiners...this car is like Star Wars Episode one...the expectation was WAY too high for it before it was even released. Think of the Gas Milage being Jar Jar Binks.

 

Well, fine point maybe, but... they DID have the target horsepower. What they didn't have was the cat converter durability (ie 120K miles) that the US requires. Not emissions directly - the pollutant levels were well within limits, but the cat durability is part of the emissions systems requirements.

Be aware that Canzoomer's fuel controller mod will improve power and mileage, but will decrease cat converter life. It might only last 80K miles instead of over 120K. I'd be happy with that tradeoff!

Regards,
Gordon

 

Just wondering something......The ford mach 1 is it 2004....and is it only for one year....

 

Ok, about all this trust issue stuff- why isn't anyone bitching about Nissan? How about that recall they just had? Wasn't that lying to consumers since they sold defective products? Affected a heck of a lot more people than Mazda did. Or how about Mercedes and their reliability problems? Or the BMW 7 series and their awful computer system? You really trust any of THOSE companies any more? The only people this thing affected were THOSE OF US who bought or ordered the car before August 24. After that, it's a non-issue. They're within their +/- 5% rights, and if you don't want to car, don't buy it. Just quit with the "I don't trust Mazda" complaints, because they aren't justified.

Do you REALLLY think the company set out just to screw people over?

 

you go girl!!

 

Don't forget that the initial prototype had est hp @ 280. I still believe that this car/engine is capable of doing all of that and then some. However, the durabilty of the CAT will not allow it to do so. I fully expect Mazda to revamp the CAT to make it stronger, durable and resist the extreme levels of heat that the Renesis produces. I still would buy on '04 RX-8. I am waiting on a qoute from a dealership as I am typing this post. My only concern is that the '04 buyers will not be Grandfathered in when the improved CAT is placed in the car for model year '05. Mazda would/could make their customer satisfaction index rating go through the roof if they were to suck it up, absord the cost and do so.

 

That is one of the reasons I plan on getting mine in 2005!



... Yeah I was hoping that the RX-8 was going to be a true fastback and a hatchback!

:D

sadly, too true.

 

1 thing for sure, I have had my car for 2 weeks...there is not a person that hasn't gone nuts over it. No one has seen this car and its been sooooo much fun!

 

Actually Gordon, it's CanZoomer's stage 2 (ignition controller) mod that runs too hot for the catalytic converter. His stage 1 mod (fuel controller) will NOT shorten the life of the cat.

 

People ARE bitching plenty about Nissan, and Infiniti, and Mercedes, and BMW...etc... just check out THEIR message boards and you'll see.

 

Does anyone have a link to CanZoomers products. I tried a search and nothing came up. Maybe I am doing something wrong.

Thanks
- Drew

 

He has his own forum!!
Couldn't be easier to find than that!!

Here:

Canzoomer's Forum

 

It's more fun for everyone to bash on the RX-8 because it's not a piston engine, it's pretty much the newest model out, it's not made for straightline dragging, and it just looks soo damn sweet that their girlfriends can't help but stare at a car other than theirs :p