2004 Mazda RX8 from North America

Summary:

This car is beautiful, but not very reliable

Faults:

The first thing happened after two weeks of purchase. Apparently you can't turn the car off if the engine temperature is on cold, it floods the engine or something like that. I was told that you have to let it warm up first, usually this takes about 4-5 minutes. This was covered under warranty the first time.

Secondly, I have low profile tires and can only get 20,000 miles of wear before having to purchase new tires. These tires are about $300 each, so they are not cheap.

I had to replace the A/C condenser due to a rock punching a hole in it. This was going to cost about $700, but it was covered under insurance.

Gas mileage is not good at all.

Trunk space is way too small.

General Comments:

This car is a beautiful car, it turns a lot of heads.

I have had too many problems with it. I am a person that don't have a lot of time to deal with having my car in the shop all the time. I am about to trade it in for a more reliable vehicle.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 1st September, 2005

2nd Oct 2005, 01:42

Just brought my RX8 in for four (4) recalls... not very confidence inspiring.

Additionally:

Driver's seat it badly worn after less than 2 yrs.

Weather stripping is very worn on driver's side.

Plastic trim came loose from the front passenger seat.

Mileage MUCH worse than advertised.

Rear doors very hard to use in tight parking spots.

Steering is numb (though quite accurate).

These problems are unfortunate, as they detract from an otherwise good car. I'll likely sell mine soon.

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2004 Mazda RX8 GT 1.8 Liter Rotory from North America

Summary:

A stellar performer, marred by poor quality

Faults:

The following problems surfaced on my RX-8:

- Heavy oil consumption

- Poor gas mileage

- Premature wear of interior: Within 3 months the driver's seat leather was heavily worn. The dealer replaced the seat cover under warranty, but the replacement began to wear within weeks. Interior plastics not wearing well.

General Comments:

Good Stuff:

Performance easily matches (or exceeds) my previous car (2000 Porsche Boxster), and the utility of 2 rear seats is greatly appreciated. The navigation system is extremely useful (if a bit difficult to learn at first).

Bad Stuff:

The rear mini doors are difficult to use in tight parking spots. Also, as mentioned above, the quality of interior materials is completely unacceptable – especially for a car that costs over $30k. While I can live with poor gas mileage, and having to carry a quart of oil in the trunk, having to stare at a worn interior every day is an insult – I hate to think what it will look like a year from now.

While a stellar performer, I can't recommend this car. Mazda should have spent a bit more money on interior materials, and more thoroughly thought out the mini doors.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 5th July, 2005

6th Jul 2005, 16:15

I have had my RX-8 for 18 months and 24,000 miles. The seat covers and rest of the interior look nearly new. I have seen the interiors of perhaps a dozen or so RX-8s of varying ages, I don't remember ever seeing any with interiors that looked worn.

7th Jul 2005, 14:54

Check the driver's seat for excessive wear. When I brought mine in to have the seat covers replaced, the service manager told me that this was a known issue. Later, a factory representative denied this.

I've heard varying stories concerning the interior wear. A major car magazine recently wrote that the interior wore well, but looked as if it was made of cheap materials.

If I had to do it again, I probably would pass on the leather option, as the cloth might wear better. (BTW: Replacement leather seat covers cost $1000 per seat!)

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