i just checked the consumer report shows rx-8 reliability went up due to quality got better, it's rated as recommended cars.

 

any link?

 

it's true, the just released consumer report issue (go to your local magazine stand) has the RX-8 as a 'recommended' car now

amazing what 1 year of working out the kinks can get you

 

The bad rating was due to the poor flash from the factory, which was immediately repaired.

they never should have considered it in the first place as a reliabilty issue.

 

Our cars still rattle like a **** though.

 

rattle what rattle?

 

Both doors rattle rattle rattle! Its driving me crazy! BWAHAHHAHHAHAHHA. Sometimes when they are rattling I feel like crashing my car into a wall just to make it stop.

 

I thought it was because they finally had enough data to support the reliabilty rating. There were never that many kinks, in spite of all the complainers. If I remember correctly, for the longest time there was an addendum to the RX-8 review on CR that basically said there was not enough data to predict the car's reliability yet, so it automatically got a low rating.

 

FYI it was only the 05 models that got the 'recommended' ratings, 04s are still (unfairly) listed as subpar reliability

 

It's very rare for a car on Consumer Reports to move up in reliability from a poor ranking to a recommend! Usually its the opposite.

 

Elara is correct. They will not initially recommend a new model, unless it is heavily based on a previous design. Ours was not. However, after enough data is accumulated (generally after a year or so) they will examine it in more detail.

It is true also that the 2006 buyer's guide did not recommend the '04...

 

I don't know what this rattle complaint is, I have no rattling.

 

If you have rattles in the doors you (or the dealer) need to pull off the door panels and properly affix the electrical cables. They are usually what rattles. Also look for popped out plastic fasteners. Once all the fasteners are properly affixed the doors shouldn't rattle.

When installing "puddle lights" I found several fasteners loose.

 

Hey RX-8 friend - by puddle lights do you mean the lights that Australian cars have under the rear view mirrors? If so, what was involved? I'm interested in cost and difficulty.

 

I feel the same way, but for me it's the Homelink mirror.

 

yes, the Honelink mirror pissed me off, it rattles all the time. I got a 350Z now, with the Homelink mirror also, still rattles like RX-8. I hate that.

 

I have the Homelink mirror, but no rattles, perhaps I am lucky.

Where does Consumer Reports get their data from? I would assume owners of the cars listed. Has anyone on this board supplied information to Consumer Reports?

 

Yep, around March or April. no problems with my '04 but only 12K miles.