I contacted my local Mazda dealer in the Chicagoland area to try and arrange a deposit deal. The sales manager said his newest information is that they will receive cars in 9 months to one year, he expected Fall 2003 was most realistic. I asked them to contact me in six months, I'll advance some money then. Not willing to tie up $500 for that long....

I hope he has bad information, but he is in the business...

Hope my '95 Prizm can hold out that long...;-)

Regards,

Bolter

 

Fall seems late for a car that's geared towards a summer car

 

in the latest car and driver, it stated that there would be released in may 2003

 

It's ALL speculation until Mazda steps up to the podium and gives us a damn firm date.

They have had plenty of time now, should be able to release a date.. please???!??!??! :D

 

Whether it's May or September of next year... I won't be able to afford one yet. I still have too many toys to buy for my RX-7.

Maybe I'll pick one up a first generation RX-8 when they're trying to clear them off the lot for the second generation RX-8's...

 

I would like to smack mazda if they don't get this car out before summer.

However, I would be more pissed if they released the car but, it wasn't finished testing and comes in with a lot of problems.

 

I think that dealer is in the blind. Mazda is no dummy, they know that the 8 needs to be a success very quickly. Everything thing at this point is still total speculation. The later the 8 is introduced the more Nissan gobbles up.

 

Although... If Mazda waits a little past when the Z is released, then all of the "newness" of that car will wear off, and then the RX8 will have it's own stage.

Mind you, Spring will be enough for the newness of the Z to wear off...

---jps

 

Part of me wouldn't mind it being released until next fall, since I probably will not be ready to buy one until spring of 2004. If I'm not driving one, at least I won't have to see everyone else zoom zooming around in theirs. :D

Another part of me wants them to hurry up and come out now. That way if there are any small problems, as there usually are with first year all new cars, Mazda can have them fixed before mine is made.

9 out of 10 sources seem to be saying production will start in Feb and be available a few months later. I wouldn't get too worked up about what some bonehead dealer said. He's probably underinformed at best or keeping something from you at worst.