All you 2005 owners that have pre-Aug 04 build dates take heart. While your radio head unit did not come SAT equipped, you may still get it free.

At first the dealer was unwilling to swap head units without me paying ($1500) for the new head unit and a new face plate ($1100). . Kinda high for a pre-option that should have been installed from the factory.

I argued that my 05 was advertised on the dealer lot as "SIRIUS ready" when it really wasn't. I shouldnt have to pay for the head unit or face place PLUS the radio & antenna install ($500).

The service mgr. tried hard to get MAZDA to swap the unit under warranty, but MNAO would not budge. They suggested I call MNAO directly and work that angle.

Well after many weeks of the service mgr. trying to get the radio for me I made ONE phone call to Cali. I told the service rep I really loved my 8 (the truth) but was really diasappointed that MAZDA would not step up and swap my head units. He was a great customer rep who said he had an affinity for 8 owners and would help me. I was a bit skeptical. At first he said he would send me a $100 gift certificate. Big deal I said, not enough to satisfy me. I really want the SAT radio I said.

After some more whining (I cannot describe it any other way) from me he started to break down. He asked me a few questions about my dealer. "Did I take my car there for all work?", "Am I going to take my car there for all future work?" Yes and yes, I replied. He said he would send me a gift certificate for the head unit, $1500. I said what about the face plate? He said he would work with the service dept and I would not have to pay for it. All I would have to pay for is the normal option price had I purchased it from the sales dept.

Well it sounded to good to be true but.... Last friday I took it in, the service dept did all the work and it only cost me the normal $515.:D

Sorry for the long post but it really paid off. Mazda and my local dealer really bent over backwards to make me happy which kinda renews my faith in both of them.

 

Let me give u some good advise about factory Sirius units...They stink for the following reason....1st they are way over priced. 2nd the sound quality is no better then cheaper direct connects and 3rd they only supply you with one line of info. I just traded in an M3 for my 8 and last year I bought the factory Sirius unit for 400 bucks...I had a connection. BMW wanted 600 plus install. Recently I had bought the Xact plug and play for my company car and tested it against the sound quality of the factory unit. You know, after not being able to tell the dif. in sound and my friends not being able to tell the dif. I wondered why I had spent the 400 bucks when my little forty nine dollar pnp sound just as good. So now I just bought the audiovox starbase from circuit city. I am going to buy the P.I.E. adaptor and get a direct connect by plugging it into my Bose cd port in the back of the unit. I will have a nice clean system with a three line display which means that while at a traffic light or when I am stuck in traffic I can monitor what is being played on three channels at once. when not in use I can slide the remote under my seat. So before you waste your money think about the options. I am **** about having my car look clean and I am **** about my sound quality or the best I can get with the Bose unit. But when this thing is hooked up next week, It would have only cost me about 160 bucks.... I had the fifty buck rebate on the starbase unit. On top of this I will have song seek which allows me to be notified when my favorite songs are being played on any Sirius channel

 

^^^ to each his own. Thanks for the reply

 

I bought a 2005 in May with a July 2004 build date. The dealer installed my Sirius Satellite when I purchased the car and didn't charge me for the new head unit. Your dealer was trying to rip you off. All you should be required to pay is $399 for the cost/labor of the Sirius install.

 

My service mgr is not like that. There may have been new orders pass down to dealers from Mazda that they wont honor the head unit swap as a warranty "repair". In any case, Im glad it worked out as it did.

As far as the install cost for the option, they do vary by dealership. Seems like 500 is the going local rate.

 

I agree about the display. I have the stock unit and it only shows half a line of display at a time. It is all available but you have to push buttons.

On the other hand. I don't have some aftermarket gizmo hanging around that really doesn't fit and I can now use the steering wheel controls to change modes (AM, FM, Sat) and channels which you can't do with an aftermarket add on unit.

I had two different add ons in my last car, the first one broke after a year so I can appreciate the difference. Also, the stock factory unit is now covered by the 48 month / 50,000 mile warranty which an add on unit would not have.

There are tradeoffs in each case but I doubt that the sound quality of a universal add on could be better than a factory unit.

In response to another post - I also paid $500 for the parts and installation when I bought the car.

 

I have a 2004 RX-8 that did not come from the factory with the SAT button. I had my car retrofitted. It cost me (in total) close to $1400. I called up Mazda and literally begged them to help me out. I got a big, fat empathic NO and they basically just hung up on me. It is nice to know that Mazda just decided on a whim who they will and will not help out. Very disappointing to read threads like this....

 

I just saw this at the Trussville site. It was in the RX-8 section but the verbage doesn't mention RX-8. They might be worth a call.


Upgrade to Sirius Radio. Check this first before ordering. Turn the radio on, and turn the volume to zero (0). While pressing and holding the 'Audio Cont' ****, press the #1 preset button for more than two (2) seconds. The radio head software version will be displayed. The correct software version is 1.62 for MPV, Miata and Tribute. Anything less than 1.62 requires the radio head to be exchanged at United Radio for a unit with the updated software. (Free exchange at your local Mazda dealer) The correct software version for the Mazda3 is 9.75.39

 

This was not a "whim" decision. The SAT was not an option for 04's

 

"Upgrade to Sirius Radio" = Add Sirius to a radio that has a "SAT" button.

You will NOT get a free upgrade to Sirius ready HU. The early production 05' Miata and Tribute have software (1.61) not as stable/compatible with add on Mazda Sirius unit. The radio already has a SAT button and designed to operate Sirius, even the lower software version will operate the Sirius unit.

 

Read this: start at the bottom..

Dear David,

Any customer with a 2005 RX-8 that was built before that date would not
be able to get Sirius Satellite radio installed. Unfortunately, there
is nothing further our office can assist with as this option is not
available for your vehicle.

I have documented all correspondence for corporate record. Any further
correspondence regarding this matter will be for documentation purposes
only.

Regards,

Daniel M.
Specialist, Customer Assistance E-Business


Original Message Follows:------------------------

The fix would be to upgrade the radio to the proper model that includes the SAT button. I am sure I could spend thousands to have a dealer replace the radio. I can not be the only customer that has had this issue. What has been done with all of the other 2005's with the 2004 radio?

My 2005 has a 2004 radio in it. Its just not right. Please forward my complaint to the next level of managment.

Thank you for you help,


From: Mazdaowners <mazdaowners@mazdausa.com>
Reply-To: Mazdaown ers <mazdaowners@mazdausa.com>
Subject: Re: Re: Thanks for contacting Mazda
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 10:24:10 -0800
>Dear David,
>
>I understand your frustration in this matter, but, unfortunately, your
>vehicle falls before this date and Mazda does not have any measures to
>upgrade the radio in those specific vehicles.
>
>Please also keep in mind that the vehicle brochure does state that
>product changes and options availability are subject to change.
>
>I have documented your comments and dissatisfaction for corporate
>record. These records are continuously being reviewed by our Product
>Planning Department in an effort to provide only the highest quality
>products to our customers.
>
>Regards,
>
>Daniel M.
>Specialist, Customer Assistance E-Business
>
I have a 2005 year rx-8 don't you think Mazda should do the right thing and upgrade the radio to match the advertizing and brochure for 2005. You can't tell me I am just unlucky to get a car that was built 11 days before it should have been to have the correct radio with the SAT

From: Mazdaowners <mazdaowners@mazdausa.com>
Reply-To: Mazdaown ers <mazdaowners@mazdausa.com>

Subject: Re: Thanks for contacting Mazda

Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 09:44:06 -0800
>Dear David,
>
>Thanks for contacting Mazda.
>
>Early production model 2005 RX-8's did not come with Sirius Satellite
>radio. 2005 RX-8's built before 8/1/2005 do NOT have the compatibility
>for Sirius Satellite radio. I checked our database and the vehicle you
>purchased was built on 07/19/2004. Unfortunately, your vehicle is not
>compatible with Sirius Satellite and Mazda does not have a kit to
>convert your stereo. At this point if you wanted to get satellite
>radio installed then you would need to look into something aftermarket.
>
>Again, thank you for contacting Mazda.
>
>Please take a moment to give us your opinion about our e-mail service.
>Click or paste the link below to complete a brief, online survey.
>
>http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB2248YQB3 9SC
>
>Regards,
>
>Daniel M.
>Specialist, Customer Assistance E-Business
>
>

>Message Body: I just bought a 2005 RX-8 and I asked the dealer about
>adding Siris to the car. They are not sure why I do not have a SAT
>button on my radio. The Vin for the car is and the
>dealer is in Lakeland, FL. Please help, one of the reasons I bought the
>car is so I could have a dealer installed Siris radio. Thank you for
>your help.

 

I bought one of the IPOD interfaces from RPM for my 2004 and the Sirius Starmate replay for $50 (a great unit btw) total cost $170 and it sounds great.