Had not driven the car since Monday afternoon, the windows were tinted in the am (requiring the doors to be open - lights on - and the windows to be moved up and down), I pulled the car further up the driveway and did not let it warm-up. Today tried to to start the car - the battery slowly died and the car flooded (or added to the flooding from the previous move). Tried to jump the battery, but no luck - too far gone, besides they need to address the issue - not me.
Called Mazda Roadside and had the car towed to the dealer - Long Beach Mazda/Pacific Ford. Funny, the woman who answered the phone there immediately said that the car was flooded - had calls like mine before.
The dealer put in a new battery, has driven 30 miles to get me the hotter plugs from another dealer (they are still new and had only two in stock and none of the "local" dealers had any either) and promised that I will have the car this Friday morning.
They are also ordering the oil pan (my car was built in July though I got it in January) and will complete all the recall/TSBs when I bring it back for the 3000 mile service. They did do the air bag though.
I did make an issue about the plugs and battery, but did so in a way that shifted the blame to Mazda and not them. Seriously I live in SoCal and the battery should not have died in three days. The dealer has been very supportive - offered me a loaner for the weekend (am going wine tasting up in Santa Barbara so I want my car) and has gone beyond the expected in getting the car fixed pronto.

 

Dave Clark:

Glad it's working out - the RX-8 is a great car but the sooner Mazda takes charge and control of the flooding situation - the sooner the future of the RX program in the US can be assured.

IMHO every RX-8 should have a re-programmed ECU, a high capacity battery, good and complete operating instructions along with any future changes in Renesis engine done gratis.

Mazda are you listening ???

Zoom Zoom

John

 

Oh - and hotter plugs.

John

 

Hope you get your car back soon. But don't drink and drive.

 

will add that I have 1500 miles on the car with no problems, so this is a first that the car has caused me any headaches.
I suggested to the dealer that they should install the plugs, oil pan, do any TSBs on the cars before they are sold so that the customer does not have to deal with these issues. Now that would be a first.
But I am very pleased with the dealer response. I did have another issue with the car (see: https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...threadid=20705).
Hopefully I get the car tomorrow and can enjoy it on the backroads of the Santa Inez Valley. Drink and drive? Never!!

 

Hotter plugs aren't all they're cracked up to be. My car takes anywhere from 2-5 times longer to start now.

 

Dave, auto or MT?

 

6 speed MT. Love the car. Will watch how I use it in short distances and warm-ups in the future.