Demand down for RX-8?
10-08-2003, 09:08 AM
#77
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I've seen exactly one RX-8 on the road (other than the one I test drove). The day I drove it, Tustin Mazda had 8 or 9 on their lot, all lined up in a row out front. A few days later I drove by and they only had 3 left.
Those are my anecdotal data points.
Those are my anecdotal data points.
10-08-2003, 09:27 AM
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In japan they also have no tarrifs on JAPANESE PRODUCED CARS. Anyone know how much the GOVERNMENT taxes the 8 in tarrifs?
If you noticed, after july production decreased, a sign there were more cars than people were willing and able to purchase. (concidering that the figures skyline showed is correct)
If you noticed, after july production decreased, a sign there were more cars than people were willing and able to purchase. (concidering that the figures skyline showed is correct)
10-08-2003, 10:10 AM
#79
Production in Japan was down in August? I think they have some national week holiday or something in that month.
Read this :
If Australia cant get more than 950 cars its because mazda are selling all they can. They have months of pre-orders in the UK and Europe, which they are only going to start supply from next month (November) - 4 months late , Why? Because demand in Japan and US was higher than expected.
Read this :
RX-8 outsells Monaro
Mazda scores a coupe -- RX-8 outsells Monaro
By Joshua Dowling
The Sun-Herald
Monday September 22 2003
The sports car race was neck and neck between two unlikely rivals last month: the new Holden Monaro and the quirky RX-8.
The Holden Monaro has been overtaken for the first time since it went on sale three years ago. The Mazda RX-8 pipped the Monaro at the post in August after just three months on sale, figures from industry statistician VFACTS show.
Holden sold 240 Monaros last month, but Mazda sold 242 of its RX-8 coupes.
Holden's hero car was also narrowly beaten by one of its own, the Holden Astra convertible, which recorded 241 sales, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries data shows.
The Monaro's August tally is a drop of 12 percent on its monthly average for this year, but the car is still ahead of its yearly sales forecast. Holden expected to sell just 2000 Monaros this year, but has already recorded 2183 sales.
Even though the RX-8 and Monaro are both coupes and similarly priced, they are not classed as competitors by VFACTS. The Monaro is in the sports car category; the RX-8 is considered a prestige car. But the industry tends to ignore this technicality and compares like cars.
The RX-8's narrow lead might not last long. Mazda Australia is limited to 950 cars for the rest of this year.
"We ask Japan for more cars nearly every week but we can't get enough," Alastair Doak of Mazda Australia said.
"The world is supplied by the one factory so we have limited production capacity. If more cars become available, we'll take them."
The worldwide popularity of the Mazda RX-8, best known for its rear-hinged, so-called "suicide" rear doors, has surprised industry observers.
Sales of all new models are strongest in the first few months on sale as dealers register demonstrators and the car makers add the vehicles to their fleet. Pent-up customer demand also ensures strong performances out of the blocks.
This was the case for the Mazda RX-8, for which there were 400 orders before the car went on sale.
Of all the vehicle types, coupes are the most fickle and go in and out of vogue faster than any other type.
This is why Holden made conservative sales predictions. The previous king of coupes, for example, the Toyota Celica, is selling at a fraction of the rate it sold at when it was introduced four years ago. Sales of Honda's Integra, introduced two years ago, also settled after an initial burst of popularity.
The success of the Mazda RX-8 is believed to have prompted other makers to investigate the merits of coupes with rear-hinged rear doors, which enable easier access to the rear seats.
"Even if they don't carry four people in the car all the time, people want to have the flexibility to do so," Doak said.
Drive.com.au
Mazda scores a coupe -- RX-8 outsells Monaro
By Joshua Dowling
The Sun-Herald
Monday September 22 2003
The sports car race was neck and neck between two unlikely rivals last month: the new Holden Monaro and the quirky RX-8.
The Holden Monaro has been overtaken for the first time since it went on sale three years ago. The Mazda RX-8 pipped the Monaro at the post in August after just three months on sale, figures from industry statistician VFACTS show.
Holden sold 240 Monaros last month, but Mazda sold 242 of its RX-8 coupes.
Holden's hero car was also narrowly beaten by one of its own, the Holden Astra convertible, which recorded 241 sales, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries data shows.
The Monaro's August tally is a drop of 12 percent on its monthly average for this year, but the car is still ahead of its yearly sales forecast. Holden expected to sell just 2000 Monaros this year, but has already recorded 2183 sales.
Even though the RX-8 and Monaro are both coupes and similarly priced, they are not classed as competitors by VFACTS. The Monaro is in the sports car category; the RX-8 is considered a prestige car. But the industry tends to ignore this technicality and compares like cars.
The RX-8's narrow lead might not last long. Mazda Australia is limited to 950 cars for the rest of this year.
"We ask Japan for more cars nearly every week but we can't get enough," Alastair Doak of Mazda Australia said.
"The world is supplied by the one factory so we have limited production capacity. If more cars become available, we'll take them."
The worldwide popularity of the Mazda RX-8, best known for its rear-hinged, so-called "suicide" rear doors, has surprised industry observers.
Sales of all new models are strongest in the first few months on sale as dealers register demonstrators and the car makers add the vehicles to their fleet. Pent-up customer demand also ensures strong performances out of the blocks.
This was the case for the Mazda RX-8, for which there were 400 orders before the car went on sale.
Of all the vehicle types, coupes are the most fickle and go in and out of vogue faster than any other type.
This is why Holden made conservative sales predictions. The previous king of coupes, for example, the Toyota Celica, is selling at a fraction of the rate it sold at when it was introduced four years ago. Sales of Honda's Integra, introduced two years ago, also settled after an initial burst of popularity.
The success of the Mazda RX-8 is believed to have prompted other makers to investigate the merits of coupes with rear-hinged rear doors, which enable easier access to the rear seats.
"Even if they don't carry four people in the car all the time, people want to have the flexibility to do so," Doak said.
Drive.com.au
10-08-2003, 12:30 PM
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Originally posted by RobDickinson
"The world is supplied by the one factory so we have limited production capacity."
"The world is supplied by the one factory so we have limited production capacity."
10-08-2003, 01:31 PM
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I think the biggest issue with this car that might prevent it from reaching the projected sales figures long term is the fuel economy. If it's as erratic as it is now with some people getting decent numbers but with a lot of people reporting rather terrible numbers then the word will get out eventually and Joe Public will stay away from a car that returns 15mpg and choose something else. Only die hard rotary enthusiasts and some car enthusiasts will put up with those numbers.. Heck I like the design and performance of this car but the fuel economy has me thinking of getting something else. Especially since I know I will be revving this puppy up as it should be , which by all accounts should return rather low fuel economy. 
, which by all accounts should return rather low fuel economy.
10-08-2003, 02:30 PM
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I agree the MPH is on the low side, and that is the worst thing about the car. I have about 2,000 miles, andI have finally hit 18 mpg my last two fills. That is still lower then the magic 20 mpg number in most peoples minds.
On the bright side, It is the cars only weakness.
On the bright side, It is the cars only weakness.
10-08-2003, 02:35 PM
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[i] Klegg, I don't know about WRX or Evo sales, but the G35 sales I know. PM me if you really want to know. [/B]
Or was that IKE and 350zj....I can not keep track...
I did give my word to the mod.....
Last edited by klegg; 10-08-2003 at 05:00 PM.
10-08-2003, 05:37 PM
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Originally posted by klegg
I agree the MPH is on the low side, and that is the worst thing about the car. I have about 2,000 miles, andI have finally hit 18 mpg my last two fills. That is still lower then the magic 20 mpg number in most peoples minds.
On the bright side, It is the cars only weakness.
I agree the MPH is on the low side, and that is the worst thing about the car. I have about 2,000 miles, andI have finally hit 18 mpg my last two fills. That is still lower then the magic 20 mpg number in most peoples minds.
On the bright side, It is the cars only weakness.
i would disagree with the "ONLY" weakness being the MPG ( ordid you mean MPH ?)
the 8 is not a powerhouse like the WRX sti or 350Z...
10-08-2003, 11:04 PM
#85
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A lot of RX-8s on the dealer lot here in Richmond, VA. The only one I have seen on the street was a dealer car. The $2,500 ADP sticker has disappeared and a number of the cars on the lot are low-dollar ($25,000-$28,000) configurations.
Doesn't look good right now.
The car has kick-butt looks. I have not met a person yet who has not complemented me on the "beautiful car". The handling and smoothness is awesome, but you don't know that until you test drive. Unfortunately sports car purists (present company excepted) won't go near anything with a back seat and HP freaks are (understandably) underwhelmed by a 238HP 3000lb car.
Hell, in today's USA Today Acura was advertising a 4-door sedan with a 270HP engine that does 0-to-60 in 6.0 sec and Audi was pushing the new 250HP TT. Too many cars today have big HP numbers and low 0-to-60 times and still have half-decent mpg numbers. True, both cars advertised are uglier than sin, but over time I have test driven many ugly sports cars (like the original MR2) that seemed a lot less ugly after the test drive.
If Mazda wants to sell a car based on performance it needs to have OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE to offset the initial turn-offs (weight, rear seat, low mpg, etc). That is unless their goal is for the RX-8 simply to be a "cult" car (like the Miata, RX-7, Z-car, Z3/4, etc) that carves out a substantial niche but never takes over the sports car market.
Doesn't look good right now.
The car has kick-butt looks. I have not met a person yet who has not complemented me on the "beautiful car". The handling and smoothness is awesome, but you don't know that until you test drive. Unfortunately sports car purists (present company excepted) won't go near anything with a back seat and HP freaks are (understandably) underwhelmed by a 238HP 3000lb car.
Hell, in today's USA Today Acura was advertising a 4-door sedan with a 270HP engine that does 0-to-60 in 6.0 sec and Audi was pushing the new 250HP TT. Too many cars today have big HP numbers and low 0-to-60 times and still have half-decent mpg numbers. True, both cars advertised are uglier than sin, but over time I have test driven many ugly sports cars (like the original MR2) that seemed a lot less ugly after the test drive.
If Mazda wants to sell a car based on performance it needs to have OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE to offset the initial turn-offs (weight, rear seat, low mpg, etc). That is unless their goal is for the RX-8 simply to be a "cult" car (like the Miata, RX-7, Z-car, Z3/4, etc) that carves out a substantial niche but never takes over the sports car market.
10-09-2003, 10:14 AM
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Originally posted by jimbo_gixxer
i would disagree with the "ONLY" weakness being the MPG ( ordid you mean MPH ?)
the 8 is not a powerhouse like the WRX sti or 350Z...
i would disagree with the "ONLY" weakness being the MPG ( ordid you mean MPH ?)
the 8 is not a powerhouse like the WRX sti or 350Z...
Z is faster, but again, I hate the interior, and no back seats, which I need.
But, I do agree 250 hp would have been a better selling point.
10-09-2003, 10:53 AM
#87
Personal preference, but I hate the 350z looks, very underdesigned, overblown buble shape. Luckily if I was in the market for a 2 seater sportscar, I have a lot of different makes to choose from, most of them under half the wight of the 350z too
10-09-2003, 08:08 PM
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Originally posted by msrecant
A lot of RX-8s on the dealer lot here in Richmond, VA. The only one I have seen on the street was a dealer car. The $2,500 ADP sticker has disappeared and a number of the cars on the lot are low-dollar ($25,000-$28,000) configurations.
A lot of RX-8s on the dealer lot here in Richmond, VA. The only one I have seen on the street was a dealer car. The $2,500 ADP sticker has disappeared and a number of the cars on the lot are low-dollar ($25,000-$28,000) configurations.
Capitol didn't have ANY but a Velocity red belonging to one of the sales managers' wives (or something like that, I forget what the internet manager told me) that they were still displaying and a few in the back on the lot until about three weeks ago, then they put all those out in front- there were three NGs, now there are none, and 1 blue that had yesterday grown to three. The colors of the cars keeps changing, leading me to believe that they're either selling them, or hiding them in the back. As they don't have all that much room in the back, I'm hoping they're selling. They also didn't have any dealer mark-up, if you went and asked for MSRP or lower.
I wonder if you're the red everyone keeps seeing? My husband's seen it twice, and one of his coworkers has seen it a couple times too. I've seen, besides mine, a silver, three reds (one on a test drive) and another NG, all in the West End.
10-09-2003, 11:32 PM
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Originally posted by Elara
They also didn't have any dealer mark-up, if you went and asked for MSRP or lower.
They also didn't have any dealer mark-up, if you went and asked for MSRP or lower.
10-09-2003, 11:33 PM
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Originally posted by Quick_lude
I think the biggest issue with this car that might prevent it from reaching the projected sales figures long term is the fuel economy. If it's as erratic as it is now with some people getting decent numbers but with a lot of people reporting rather terrible numbers then the word will get out eventually and Joe Public will stay away from a car that returns 15mpg and choose something else. Only die hard rotary enthusiasts and some car enthusiasts will put up with those numbers.. Heck I like the design and performance of this car but the fuel economy has me thinking of getting something else. Especially since I know I will be revving this puppy up as it should be , which by all accounts should return rather low fuel economy.
I think the biggest issue with this car that might prevent it from reaching the projected sales figures long term is the fuel economy. If it's as erratic as it is now with some people getting decent numbers but with a lot of people reporting rather terrible numbers then the word will get out eventually and Joe Public will stay away from a car that returns 15mpg and choose something else. Only die hard rotary enthusiasts and some car enthusiasts will put up with those numbers.. Heck I like the design and performance of this car but the fuel economy has me thinking of getting something else. Especially since I know I will be revving this puppy up as it should be
, which by all accounts should return rather low fuel economy.
I really don't know what the average Joe would say to that. On this board, you have a high percentage of enthusiasts, so most of them would be willing to overlook this. For this to break into the mainstream, I imagine that this would definitely be something an average person would ding the car on.
Who knows.
10-10-2003, 07:25 AM
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Originally posted by Yhippa
Do you know if they're selling for less than MSRP at Capitol? I drive by that dealership almost daily and see about 9 sitting out on the front lot.
Do you know if they're selling for less than MSRP at Capitol? I drive by that dealership almost daily and see about 9 sitting out on the front lot.
I have no idea, since I haven't talked to anyone there since I bought the car 2 months ago. Couldn't hurt to ask, though. They were willing to deal a bunch on a Mazdaspeed Protege in the spring when I came in to discuss my 8, and showed interest in one of those.
Did you notice that they were there all of a sudden too? I drive by it everyday as well, and until three weeks ago, there were maybe 3 of them on the lot at a time.
10-10-2003, 11:12 AM
#94
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This is an awesome car, but dealing with that kind of gas mileage is ridiculous.
Well before taking ownership of my RX-8, I did a cost analysis based upon fuel useage. The parameter I used, based upon my driving habits were 20,000 miles / year average.
At the time, my ride averaged 26 mpg using regular ($1.50/gal) fuel. I planned on the RX-8 to average 20 mpg using premium ($1.70/gal) fuel.
Current (at that time) ride - 769 gallons x $ 1.50 = $ 1,154/yr
RX-8 - 1,000 gallons x $ 1.70 = $ 1,700/yr ($ 546 more/yr)
So, to drive the RX-8, it would cost me < $46 per month more.
My RX-8 has averaged between 21-22 mpg, so I am doing somewhat better than what I had planned.
But the icing on the cake was how much cheaper it was to insure the RX-8 compared to other Sports Cars that are similar in cost. I suggest if you are considering a purchase of any new vehicle, you need to look at the entire cost of ownership.
Oh, by the way, that $46 bucks a month extra the RX-8 was going to cost me, that is just one less time I go out to eat every month. Plus, the fun factor I get when I'm behind the wheel, revving to 9K, or pulling g's around a corner, and looking good while I am doing it, are worth every bit of that 46 bucks.
10-10-2003, 03:33 PM
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Thanks for the comments mikeb, and let's sweeten how good of a deal the RX-8 really is.
My previous calculations were based upon using 91 or better octane for the RX-8. Since the owner's manual states that 87 octance is allowed --
1,000 gallons x $1.50/gal = $1,500, which is now only $ 346 more per year, or < $ 29 per month, based upon 20 mpg average.
And because I am averaging ~ 21.5 mpg instead of the 20 mpg I used for my comparison:
20,000 mi/yr * 21.5 = 930 gallons/yr
930 gallons x $1.50/gal = $1,395, which is now only $ 241 ($ 20/mo) more per year than my previous vehicle.
Anyone that is considering a G35 or 350Z or S2000 will be paying close to, if not more than $20/mo difference in insurance.
My previous calculations were based upon using 91 or better octane for the RX-8. Since the owner's manual states that 87 octance is allowed --
1,000 gallons x $1.50/gal = $1,500, which is now only $ 346 more per year, or < $ 29 per month, based upon 20 mpg average.
And because I am averaging ~ 21.5 mpg instead of the 20 mpg I used for my comparison:
20,000 mi/yr * 21.5 = 930 gallons/yr
930 gallons x $1.50/gal = $1,395, which is now only $ 241 ($ 20/mo) more per year than my previous vehicle.
Anyone that is considering a G35 or 350Z or S2000 will be paying close to, if not more than $20/mo difference in insurance.
10-10-2003, 03:40 PM
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You know, about the insurance thing..
We all know that there are many factors which go into a insurance rating....age, gender, driving history, HP of car, cliams per car, ect.
Now, I have seen a number of 350zs, and most seem to be owned by younger men (20-27).
Now, when I was that age, I did not have that kind of disposable income, but that is another matter.....
My point is, younger males seem to have a much higher accident rate then older men and all age groups of women (aat least that is what the insurance co say)
If that is the case, might we see the 350z insurance rate go Threw the roof?
Just a thought...
We all know that there are many factors which go into a insurance rating....age, gender, driving history, HP of car, cliams per car, ect.
Now, I have seen a number of 350zs, and most seem to be owned by younger men (20-27).
Now, when I was that age, I did not have that kind of disposable income, but that is another matter.....
My point is, younger males seem to have a much higher accident rate then older men and all age groups of women (aat least that is what the insurance co say)
If that is the case, might we see the 350z insurance rate go Threw the roof?
Just a thought...
10-10-2003, 06:43 PM
#98
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about the mileage
Well, I'm at 2K+ miles now. One 250 mile road trip when the car had less than 600 miles returned 20.1 mpg. Since then, the low has been 16.3 and the usual now is 17.4 mpg. And I'm not driving like "granny" except to skip shift to 4th or 5th after I've wound out 1st and 2nd around town. Whenever I've been on a highway around here (2 lanes, no passing, 55mph limit) recently, I'll go to 6th at 65mph and leave it there. I suppose if you drive around in 3rd gear (which is not at all uncomfortable) at 5-6K rpm, you will get 12-13 mpg. But that's choice YOU make and the car can't be held responsible. The EPA numbers are for comparison purposes and don't necessarily mean you will experience that mileage, but I'd be a little surprised if I don't get 22-24mpg cruising on the interstate, in 6th at 75-80mph. I know, I know, it's so hard to do when revving the car up to 7-8K in 4th is so much fun, but again that's a decision we make, not EPA.
10-12-2003, 11:08 AM
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Originally posted by mikeb
rxeightr
good points
good summary
nice calculations
rxeightr
good points
good summary
nice calculations
10-12-2003, 11:26 AM
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Missing RX-8s
I have not seen one 8 on the street yet either (I live in Long Island, New York where there are at least 3 Mazda dealers nearby) - I would have expected to see at least a few by now.
But I do see them moving off the lot at a local dealer. I wish I had one!
But I do see them moving off the lot at a local dealer. I wish I had one!