I'm hearing a lot of negative feedback regarding upgrading the stock unit. I'm thinking of opting to get the Bose unit but I don't want to get the entire package [particularly the moonroof] that comes with it.

Does anyone know if the Bose stereo is available as a stand-alone option?

 

What pisses me off to no end is not the bose system- but the fact that Mazda chose not to add a $2 dollar chip (if its even that much) so the stock CD player (or even the 6 disc changer could play MP3's. Even the for focus and the new cheap toyota scions (at $13,000) have the mp3 decoder chip in the CD player. I have seen $40 cd walkman clones that play mp3, so you know that added curcuit must have cost 50 cents)

If a $13,000 car can afford to throw the chip in- a $30,000 one should- And If they really want my money for an optional MP3 player- at least make it 6 disk- there are units like that on the market- I am writing a nasty email to Mazda saying thier choice in that matter stinks, and it leaves me with a bad feeling towards them- even though I do love the car.

I am getting the Mp3 player installed- but like I said I feel like it's a scam- pulling out the stock CD player (which is identical to the one I am putting in except for 1 tiny chip - or even possibly the same chip, just an added decoding circuit. I'd feel alot better if I got the added fucntionality of 6 disks for my $300 plus install.

 

Just to throw in my two cents, I looked long and hard at that stupid round CD player before taking the plunge and getting the car. It definitely made me think twice before buying the RX-8. It was a BIG turnoff, and I hate Bose. In the end, it doesn't sound bad, but sounds very average, and I do like the controls on the steering wheel. Now that I can't even hook up an mp3 player because they are too stupid to put aux inputs on the back of the unit - that just makes me mad enough to break things.

I love my car, but it has been a royal pain in the butt to own. When it skidded in the snow, it took the worthless dealership 6 WEEKS to realign it. 6 WEEKS. I want to hook up my mp3 player, and that requires a hundreds of dollars of work and a new dash. And then some human excrement clips my parked car and drives off without a leaving a note last Friday.

I drove my second-hand Civic for 5 years and it never needed more than regular maintenance. I've had my RX-8 for a few months and it has been a real headache to own. Everyone thinks it looks great the car, and it's fun to drive, but I doubt I'll ever again buy such a desireable car. It's heartache.

Here's hoping my luck improves, and I can stop worrying and start enjoying more.

Waxy Fresh

 

waxy,

try the mp3->fm tuners. For around 20-30 dollars you can get decent sound out of it(mp3) to a preset (have 3 to 4 of em) - fm station. Not the 100% best solution, but not that bad.