I have had my 8 for 5 days but I am running into something which I assume is unusal with my 8.

Upon starting it, the last two times I have noticed that there is a smell. It is not a gas or burning smell. My wife actually hit the nail on the head when she said it smells like the chemicals used in a perm.

The smell is usually gone a couple of minutes later.

I did by my car with 2k on it as it was the car the owner of my local dealer was driving so it is not brand new.

Any ideas on this?

Dean

 

When cold, I think the car runs extremely rich with a little more oil until it warms up. I notice the smell as well. It goes away once the car is running for a bit.

My brothers GTI VR6 produced the exact same smell when he chipped it. In his case, the smell didn't go away until he completed intake modifications. The car was running way rich.

 

When I first got my 8, I did experience the same with you. However, the smell disappear a couple days later. Besides, u are right about the smell its like something that mixed by tire and gas.

Wait a couple days and if situation still exists bring it to your dealer.

Good luck

 

Thanks guys! You made me feel better! I wanted to make sure it wasn't something unique to mine.

I saw a thread on ten things you need to know about the RX-8. I vote on that being #11

Dean

 

If the car was brand new, that could be the smell of your new exhaust pipes and mufflers burning off their fresh-from-factory coating (or leftover polishing compounds). Expect the smell to last a thousand miles or so. But since you say the car is not new, the chances of that are less likely but should not be completely ruled out.

And yes, the smell I am referring to is reminiscent of hair salon chemicals.

 

Same thing with my 8 the first week. Its no big deal. It will goaway.

 

Remember my car came with 2k when I got it. However, this only occurs on COLD STARTS.

I have been doing some search on forums and have read about the coils but it doesn't smell like a electrical burning problem. I think it has to with fuel.

My car accelerates well at lower rpms. I had test drove 4 different ones and this one was the fastest by far which why I suspect the owner of the Mazda (and 4 other dealerships in town) was driving the one I bought.

However, the RX-8 doesnt have good acceleration in 1st gear IMO. I assume that is normal.

Dean

 

All I can add is that I would never start my 8 cold in the garage with the garage door closed, not that you should anyway because of CO poisoning. But even with the door open, the stink of high octane running rich is pretty powerful. Doesn't smell like like gas, but a chemical smell (Personally, I wouldn't put it as bad as a woman's hair Perm).