Stage 1 Shipping at Last!
#1
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Stage 1 Shipping at Last!
We are pleased to announce that we are starting shipping on Friday, December 19th.
We thank you for your patience!
We apologize for the delay, but we took extra time to make some improvements that we feel will be beneficial to everyone:
1) New smaller form factor. We redesigned the case of our unit to make it smaller.
2) Easier installation.
We redesigned it to fit inside the ECU enclosure box.
There are now NO external wires or components.
All work is now performed inside the plastic ECU enclosure, and all connections are on the wiring harness.
3) Easier upgradability
We will be offering a kit in late January which will allow users to upgrade the ROM in our units themselves with a PC running Windows or Linux operating systems.
This will work much like upgrading the BIOS on a PC.
4) Easier transition to Stage 2 kit.
When we release our Stage2 kit in late January we will not require you to change the controller. All functionality will be included in the hardware for the Stage2 fuel/air AND ignition tuning. All that will be needed to upgrade to Stage2 is the ROM code and a small additional cable.
We thank you for your patience!
We apologize for the delay, but we took extra time to make some improvements that we feel will be beneficial to everyone:
1) New smaller form factor. We redesigned the case of our unit to make it smaller.
2) Easier installation.
We redesigned it to fit inside the ECU enclosure box.
There are now NO external wires or components.
All work is now performed inside the plastic ECU enclosure, and all connections are on the wiring harness.
3) Easier upgradability
We will be offering a kit in late January which will allow users to upgrade the ROM in our units themselves with a PC running Windows or Linux operating systems.
This will work much like upgrading the BIOS on a PC.
4) Easier transition to Stage 2 kit.
When we release our Stage2 kit in late January we will not require you to change the controller. All functionality will be included in the hardware for the Stage2 fuel/air AND ignition tuning. All that will be needed to upgrade to Stage2 is the ROM code and a small additional cable.
Last edited by canzoomer; 01-27-2004 at 02:22 AM.
#4
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Carzoomer,
Although I grew up in Toronto, I now live in Cleveland. I am pleased to see another Canadian leading the way with improvements on an already great car. Please send me a note with the cost of your unit and it's effect on warranties. I opted for the debit card and "free" maintenance and don't want to lose those advantages, but I am interested in optimizing the RX-8 experience.
Thanks, oldguy
Although I grew up in Toronto, I now live in Cleveland. I am pleased to see another Canadian leading the way with improvements on an already great car. Please send me a note with the cost of your unit and it's effect on warranties. I opted for the debit card and "free" maintenance and don't want to lose those advantages, but I am interested in optimizing the RX-8 experience.
Thanks, oldguy
#6
Originally posted by Gyro
For those of us that are not on the old waiting list.
If we order one now..........What is the time frame from when the new orders will be shipped?
For those of us that are not on the old waiting list.
If we order one now..........What is the time frame from when the new orders will be shipped?
branas@comcast.net
#9
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Thread Starter
Originally posted by Gyro
For those of us that are not on the old waiting list.
If we order one now..........What is the time frame from when the new orders will be shipped?
For those of us that are not on the old waiting list.
If we order one now..........What is the time frame from when the new orders will be shipped?
Main limiting factor is cash.
To build a hundred units costs about $44,000
So we are doing a batch of a hundred, order more parts, buld another batch, etc.
About a week to 10 days per batch.
After we ship our first couple of batches we will have more cash to work with, so it will accelerate.
Some of the parts we already have in much larger quantities, like connectors, and so on that have to be ordered in thousand lots.
#10
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Thread Starter
Originally posted by oldguy
Carzoomer,
Although I grew up in Toronto, I now live in Cleveland. I am pleased to see another Canadian leading the way with improvements on an already great car. Please send me a note with the cost of your unit and it's effect on warranties. I opted for the debit card and "free" maintenance and don't want to lose those advantages, but I am interested in optimizing the RX-8 experience.
Thanks, oldguy
Carzoomer,
Although I grew up in Toronto, I now live in Cleveland. I am pleased to see another Canadian leading the way with improvements on an already great car. Please send me a note with the cost of your unit and it's effect on warranties. I opted for the debit card and "free" maintenance and don't want to lose those advantages, but I am interested in optimizing the RX-8 experience.
Thanks, oldguy
maurice@harddata.com
Thanks!
#11
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Thread Starter
Originally posted by vix8
Excellent! I assume you meant Friday, December 19th though...
Excellent! I assume you meant Friday, December 19th though...
Thanks for pointing that out.
Typing with one finger in a bandage is awful.
YES! The 19th.
I will go fix that right away.
#13
I like cheese!
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Little Rock, AR (was vegas)
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I did email you through the board.... I would think that logged track data with the mod would be golden ![Wink](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/wink.gif)
Either way, check your email! I'll still pay full retail and give YOU the results to post after the track days next month![Wink](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/wink.gif)
Just let me know!
![Wink](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/wink.gif)
Either way, check your email! I'll still pay full retail and give YOU the results to post after the track days next month
![Wink](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/wink.gif)
Just let me know!
#15
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Is the kit still $500 U.S.? It would be awesome if you could offer it for 500 including shipping so we could use our Mazda rewards cards. Maybe as a Christmas special? Also, when do you think you'll have the site up with dynos, etc? Do we just send you an email to order? Thanks...
#16
zoomer,are you going to post the results from your testing from either dyno or g-tech and with or without a catback?i hope you take no offense and i know you have worked really really hard on this but i would love to see the results before i buy your product.again please take no offense,just like to see the results.
#17
Forum Vendor
Thread Starter
Actually, we are basically sold out for all we can make until January 15th.
As of that date it looks like we will be raising the price.
We were a bit optimistic about our costs when we set the price.
We will still honour the price on orders placed until December 31st, and confirmed with payment before Jan. 15th.
The site should be up on Friday.
As of that date it looks like we will be raising the price.
We were a bit optimistic about our costs when we set the price.
We will still honour the price on orders placed until December 31st, and confirmed with payment before Jan. 15th.
The site should be up on Friday.
#18
Forum Vendor
Thread Starter
Originally posted by akrx8
zoomer,are you going to post the results from your testing from either dyno or g-tech and with or without a catback?i hope you take no offense and i know you have worked really really hard on this but i would love to see the results before i buy your product.again please take no offense,just like to see the results.
zoomer,are you going to post the results from your testing from either dyno or g-tech and with or without a catback?i hope you take no offense and i know you have worked really really hard on this but i would love to see the results before i buy your product.again please take no offense,just like to see the results.
As that is the dyno that the majority of people are familar with, and as it is what was used by virtually every person who posted previously, it seemed like the best way to do it.
I tried to do some GTech Pro runs on Sunday.
Reason I say"tried" is that it is just too slippery on the roads here now.
If I held full throttle in 1st or 2nd all I could do is spin the tires. And risk spinning out. Even in 4th it set off the DSC light if I left the DSC turned on.
Todays high temperature in Edmonton:
-5 C (24F)
Tonights low:
-10C (14F)
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/wea...s/CAAB0103.htm
#19
RainMan is Back
Join Date: May 2003
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Originally posted by mp5
It would be awesome if you could offer it for 500 including shipping so we could use our Mazda rewards cards.
It would be awesome if you could offer it for 500 including shipping so we could use our Mazda rewards cards.
#20
I'm Kind of a Big Deal
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BrotherVoodoo - Please be wrong - I never leave home without it! In fact its the only card I use. Maybe I could just send 5 crisp Ben Franklins via the Postal Service. They would make it there right?
![Wink](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/wink.gif)
#21
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Originally posted by success07
BrotherVoodoo - Please be wrong - I never leave home without it! In fact its the only card I use. Maybe I could just send 5 crisp Ben Franklins via the Postal Service. They would make it there right?
BrotherVoodoo - Please be wrong - I never leave home without it! In fact its the only card I use. Maybe I could just send 5 crisp Ben Franklins via the Postal Service. They would make it there right?
![Wink](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/wink.gif)
#22
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Thread Starter
Originally posted by brothervoodoo
If I remember correctly CZ will not be accepting American Express. CZ please correct me if I'm wrong.
If I remember correctly CZ will not be accepting American Express. CZ please correct me if I'm wrong.
Here are some reasons why:
All credit card companies charge the business a "merchant discount"
This is a fancy way of saying a Service Charge.
Typically on VISA it is around 2%, and on Mastercard 2.5%
Amex charges 5%. That is why they have those deals where you can get an AMEX card that pays you back a 1% dividend on your purchases.
Nothing is free. On the "dividend" you are paying for it.
Remember when you see the AMEX sticker it means that all prices there are inflated 5% to cover this.
They also make vendors sign a contract, called a "merchant agreement".
In the fine print it explicitly says that you may not charge a service charge for this. You can charge EVERYBODY the extra, but can not charge it just on sales paid by that card.
Personally I can live with the 2 to 2.5%, but I find 5% too much to swallow.
It is worse in Canada than the USA. You will see some gas stations in some U.S. States that advertise a "cash price".
That is because in the US it is relatively easy to file a class action suit. Many merchants did, and they overturned the credit cards companies agreement forcing merchants to agree to the rule about charging extra for credit card purchases to cover their costs.
In the gas station and grocery business the dealer margins are exceedingly small. The argument they made in court is that the service charges the credit companies were taking exceeded their normal gross profit on sales!
In Canada we effectively do not have class action lawsuits, due to the different legal system we have here.
That is a negative for our system. Consumers have very littel recourse to protect their interests. That is why we do not have "lemon laws" and the RX-8 buybacks are being sold by dealers as "demos". In the USA this is illegal.
On the other hand we do not have the right to file suit and collect ridiculous settlements for things. Like the lady who sued MacDonalds for millions and won? Won't happen here.
Lastly, I personally object to Mazda doing the refund this way.
If it is a refund, it is your money. I do not like them limiting the ways you can spend it. Notice that all Mazda dealerships in the USA take AMEX?
That is because Mazda set up some of it's financing in the USA with AMEX. Basically they are trying to corner you into spending that money with Mazda dealers, because few other aftermarket companies take AMEX due to the reasons I just described.
If you want to use that money for buying our parts, take the card and buy groceries with it, then take the money you would have paid and spend it to buy parts.
Some banks allow you to deposit the balance of the card into your bank account.
There, that is MY rant for the day!
#23
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Thread Starter
Originally posted by success07
BrotherVoodoo - Please be wrong - I never leave home without it! In fact its the only card I use. Maybe I could just send 5 crisp Ben Franklins via the Postal Service. They would make it there right?
BrotherVoodoo - Please be wrong - I never leave home without it! In fact its the only card I use. Maybe I could just send 5 crisp Ben Franklins via the Postal Service. They would make it there right?
![Wink](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/wink.gif)
Or deposit it into the bank and buy a cashiers cheque, or go to the post office and buy money orders... No wait, the post office does not take AMEX, do they?