Got it, Sweet, thanks Charlie

 

First post now updated with Feb. sales...

 

GM sales are down 53%
Chrysler is down 44%
Ford is down 48%
Even Toyota is down 40%.

So even at 40% less sales, RX-8 is still doing way better than average in this market.

Overall, Mazda is one of the most successful auto companies at the moment, with sales down 30%. So I don't think there's any reason to be worried about the 16X-based cars not coming out; Mazda is still doing relatively well. The next RX cars will come out just as the economic recovery is in full swing, and they've most likely already invested so much in R&D already that it no longer makes sense to cancel the project at this point, unless they were facing GM-like bankruptcy, which is far from the case. Sure, there will be some pain in the short term, but I think the long-term outlook for Mazda and the rotary is pretty good.

 

And if you put into perspective the amount of cars Toyota or Nissan sells volume wise, the hurt is much harder on them than to tiny Mazda. But I digress.

 

Yeah, I think you're going to see a model year gap like we've seen with the MX-5 and the previous rotary vehicles. Which is fine. The RX-8 is a great car, but it's time for a change.

 

By 2013 the rotary may just be powering an armature wire to create electricity.

Umm... when are people going to figure out electric cars cause more pollution in the dump and power plant?

Go natural gas!

 

Did a quick check around the world at who is selling the New RX-8.

In Europe it appears only the UK are selling the R3 Only.
Germany, Russia, Netherlands, Belgium, France and Thailand Don't.

South Africa no longer imports any RX-8's (Still has some old stocks, according to RX-8 owner there).

Australia, US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand, do sell the new 8.

 

Sport cars aren't in this year (or last). The economy has everyone a little scared. We just purchased a Mazda 3 two days ago. The MX5 was in the running but cost and practicality won out. The 3 is a cool little car for the money.

 

Mazda is dedicated to the rotary, they've always lost money on it but its the icon of Mazda and they will never get rid of it,,,

 

Slightly OFF Topic, sorry, but rotary related...

Just came back from a VERY Interesting Morning with my 8...

Had a call from my dealer asking if I could bring my car in immediately for some testing and evaluation by a Factory (Mazda Japan) Technician on flying visits to 3 states, he said sorry for the short notice, but I said HELL YES...

Got there within the Hour...

Anyway, there were a few Series I RX-8's and two customers Series II's including mine and the dealers R3 Demo.

The Mazda Tech who spoke extremely good english said hello, (I was the only owner present and allowed to look on), he plugged his computer note book into my OBD II Port, did checking of vehicle details and then uploaded all the Engine Data,etc.

He then asked (sorry cant remember his real name, he said call me Ted!) if he could take my car for a drive, I said hell yes and even went along!!

Off we go down the main road at a fast rate , through all the gears, lots of braking, cornering, full throttle stuff.
Ted said my transmission was the best he had driven!, I volunteered that I changed my Drive train oils at around 3000 KM, he asked what type's of oil and I told him Redline...OH Lead-Line, ... YES REdline...OHH....VERY SMOOTH HE SAID!..

Your engine is Very powerful and fast, I said yes I am very fussy and careful and run the engine in and ALWAYS Warm it up when cold.
I told him off the record that I also Pre-Mix, Plee Mix he said with a confused look on his face, I went into more detail, he then understood, I asked is it a good Idea, he said Any Good lubrication is a benefit to the RENESIS....LENiSES!!..

Got back, he them plugged my car back in for more readings/uploads.

I asked if he had done any adjustments, he said NO just data collection to take back to Hiroshima.
I was then asked if I would be happy to have my car looked at in the future for data collection and if I did not have any objections, I said more than happy to oblige.

I was REALLY CHUFFED that he thought my car was one of the best he has seen and cared for, he agreed that running in any new car is good.

Had the opportunity to talk about the 16X in private, he said that development was continuing very well.
I asked when would be likely to see it come out into production, he said Mazda has many surprises for the future but much will depend on the World Economy and if Sales improve.

I said a new RX-7 or RX-8/9, he just smiled, you like rotaries too...
I said they have a huge following in Australia and the US, he said OH, yes we know.?

I did not push the issue anymore, I get the impression the Rotary is certainly not dead, but much depends on the Auto Industry Future.

That is all, sorry I cant tell you more, Ted was in a hurry but I was really happy to hear about my car from an expert....BOY can he drive rotaries, I guess he was about 50 or so and been with Mazda for ALL of his working life..

Ash

 

Forgot to add,
I also wrote down for Ted the two Redline oils I use MT90 and 75W90, told him it was from the USA and my pre-mix oil was Two-Stroke made by Amsoil-Saber Professional and the ratio's I used in the Fuel about 2.5 Millilitres to one Litre of gas, or around 5 Ounces to the tank full of gas.

 

They could have sold one more in Feb. but dealers around here actually thought I'd be willing to pay near sticker for an r3.

 

Great story, Ashley! Do you think he meant sales of the RX-8 specifically improving or just general sales improving? I don't see the former happening.

 

i think he was talking about "generic" world automotive market condition (sales, money to spend in car worldwide, oil prices)

My 2 cents ...... for mazda there is an accurate evaluation of market condition because that is in development a relative expensive car (for the brand i mean).

they cant go wrong with a POSSIBLE (not sure) rx-9. (sub 40k?)

 

There goes your warranty.
Atleast this is almost the case when you reveal how you maintain a car that is not via dealership.
I wonder if Mazda puts this much attention to other Mazda models like the RX-8.

 

I went to my stealership yesterday for an oil change and found the only RX-8s on the lot was a 2008 40th anniversary edition and a red 2009 that I took pictures of last summer as it was the first 2009 they got

 

Yeah, reds are not selling here either my dealerships still has the original 09, it just does not look right in RED.

 

I think it is his opinion (remembering he has seen many colleagues lose their jobs at Mazda) and talking about All car sales.

BTW, found out later, he was later doing Compression Tests on the S1 there also, these had complete engine changes a year or so ago.

I don't want to Overstate this but I think his "research and data collection" will have a lot to do with the Future of the Rotary...just thinking more why would they send a senior rotary guy to do this?

 

Of course they do, they just had a team out here putting Power Steering pumps in Brand new Production Cars that were not installed some 350.

WHY you asked, there has been a supply shortage of Mazda 3 Power Steering pumps. Our hot summer has just seen failures out in the field with this HUGE owner back up of 300 cars OFF the Road here, Mazda Could not supply the quantity so they were left off our new cars at production.

Dealers are Raging with loaning out cars.....only one choice, very rare though.

And remember we are just about to launch the NEW 3, been brought forward 2 months as we have run out of stock of old 3 much earlier than predicted.
It was Australia No1 selling car for January.

 

ash - your story made me raugh ...

 

Got some more news, had a phone conversation with my dealer mate.
He had been talking to the MA Techs about the Engine/Compression failures.

Most of them have been due to the non lubrication in the middle of the Apex Seals, over time the seal prematurely wears a concave configuration into the Apex Seal face allowing Compression and Ignition blow-back adding more heat to the spark plug area which results in the cracking of the threads we have seen.
Of course you then get blow back in all the cycles including Exhaust.

Therefore a higher than normal Carbon/Soot build up together with sticking of apex seal springs...= bad compressions.

He agrees that Pre-mixing is a must as even the replacement (S1) engines may in time have the same wear issues.

It was also noted that many owners are not doing enough High RPM driving, not Blowing the muck out, this came from their World Wide PCM data information collected from owners in the US, Japan, Europe and Oz..
They also suspect owners are using a low level octane gas.

Many were also ignoring Low Level Oil Warnings, the reason for the increase in sump capacity for Series II.

So the moral goes pre-mix your S1 (and S2 to be safe) RX-8 and Redline at least once a day only when the engine is Hot.

He is going to find out for me how the EMOP cycles on and off on the 2009 ~ RX-8's, I asked if is is just RPM/Load related and or at preset time intervals controlled by the PCM.

Ash

 

What's the concern with 'low level octane gas"--do they suspect detonation???

My understanding (forget where I read this) is that the Series I OMP changes the amount of oil injected based on rpm, engine coolant temp, and the amount of intake air. It would be very interesting to hear how the new electronic OMP works.

 

Welp, it's official. When I hit 15k miles *~500* I'm premixing!

 

Hey! Just because you're jealous doesn't mean you need to be a hater
I guess this means I'll not only have a rare car but also a rare color.

 

Hold on bud, it's not "Officially Official" and will never be when you think about it.

Mazda don't want it out there that there is another "weird" regime you have to do with a rotary....not another "oil" check/ad thing.

It does not matter how much or how many flashes you have unfortunately, enough oil just won't reach the middle of the Apex Seal in the S1.