Mazda RX-8 reliability

[ganseg]

Thanks for posting up! I am new to RX-8s, but I have been following your site for a few years. Very cool!!

Consumer Reports survey from this spring is out and there are a lot of black circles for the '04 and '05 RX-8. I'm hoping your results are right 'cause my 2004 has to last for me.

Any opinion on using premix or anything else that will help our cars?

Thanks again! Take care.

 

[Old Rotor]

Thanks for posting up! I am new to RX-8s, but I have been following your site for a few years. Very cool!!

Consumer Reports survey from this spring is out and there are a lot of black circles for the '04 and '05 RX-8. I'm hoping your results are right 'cause my 2004 has to last for me.

Any opinion on using premix or anything else that will help our cars?

Thanks again! Take care.

I premix and recommend it. I also recommend a heavier oil if you live in a warm environment.

 

[ganseg]

Thanks, i will def be running heavier oil this summer. Just confused what to run this winter in MN. I have 5W30 in it now, but I read that with conventional oil, it is based on the lower number. That is, this conventional oil is made from base stock of 5% viscosity. Scary, but my car sits out all day at work and needs to start and be lubricated - on the other hand, that is not much protection to prevent wear at high rpm or load. Maybe next year i will switch to a separate source of oil for in the combtusion chamber.

 

[Ben Vo]

I have a 2004 RX8 with 67K miles. Runs great but have a couple issues. The biggest one I have is the battery drains really fast. I am not sure why it does that...Obviously, it sounds like a light still remains on of some sort to consume the battery like that but I have checked and can't seem to find anything like that. Already replaced the battery and the new one drains completely as well. If I let it sit there for more than two days, the battery is dead. Any ideas?

The second problem I have is one of my tail lights has condensation. Not sure if the dealer would replace that or not...out of warranty now.

And last but not least, my clutch was not engageing right. I would press down and there would be a "break point" where once you hit it, the clutch would go straight to the floor and not return back up. This was an easy fix. I dont know the term but there is a bolt behind the clutch that gives you the ability to adjust the "free play" on the clutch movement. This bolt had come loose and all it took was for me to adjust it.

 

[P5w3kids]

The condensation issue is very common. People have told me that there is a cheap DIY fix. Search RX-8 forums for the details.

Mazda's not going about picking up the cost of repairs out of warranty, so not many people get the tail lights replaced after the warranty ends. This gets reflected in our results, since we measure repairs, not problems. You'll see the scores improve as the cars get out of warranty.

We continue to need more cars for all model years.

Not yet signed up? Details here:

Car reliability research

 

[P5w3kids]

We have updated results for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through December 31, 2009. In terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2005: 41, improved to better than average now that out of warranty (owners probably are just living with condensation in tail lights)

2004: 72, about average

A big thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in May and August. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

Mazda RX-8 reliability comparisons

 

[P5w3kids]

We have updated results for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through March 31, 2010. In terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2005: 61, improved to average now that out of warranty (owners probably are just living with condensation in tail lights), small sample size

2004: 63, also about average

A big thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in August and November. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

Mazda RX-8 reliability comparisons

 

[mazdaspeedp]

there is another recall on the rx8 i think 2006? the shift linkage also coils, engine floods because your supposed to rev the engine before shutting it off to clear out excess fuel build up ,sun visor recall , condensation in tail lights both sides also a recall on the mazdaspeed cold air intake kit setting off engine lights

 

[P5w3kids]

They've recalled the sun visors? I know they break easily, wasn't aware they'd decided to proactively address this. Good to hear if accurate.

 

[P5w3kids]

Updated stats next week. More participants remain needed to fully include all model years.

Help get your year fully included:

Car reliability research

 

[P5w3kids]

We have updated results for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through June 30, 2010. Other sources of car reliability information won't cover the more recent months until the summer or even fall of next year.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 82

2005: 57

2004: 63

All are about average. The 2006 could be higher because the samle size for it is very small, or because these cars are still under warranty. Owners of older cars are more likely to live with problems.

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in November and February. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

Mazda RX-8 reliability comparisons

 

[RenesisKing]

Whats so hard about drilling a couple holes in the bottom of your tail lights??? Other than things I can't get to on the car such as a recent Evap code, I don't take to the dealership unless I have to put in Mazdaspeed parts into the car or unless its in dire straits which isn't very often. I have 94K on mine and runs like a champ. I change my oil every 3K and get some of the reccomended checks done at the dealer if I can't do them. I love it.

 

[P5w3kids]

I think this is very much the out-of-warranty solution.

 

[Mazdaspeedgirl]

I LOL'ed at the thread title

In my bio info you can find a link to why I ditched my 2004 RX-8. I have high hopes for the 2010...

 

[P5w3kids]

We have updated results for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through September 30, 2010. Other sources of car reliability information won't cover the months since April until the summer or even fall of next year.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 100, about average

2005: 70, about average

2004: 57, better than average

The reported repair frequency for the 2006 might be higher because the sample size for it is very small, or because these cars are still under warranty. Owners of older cars are more likely to live with problems.

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in February and May. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

[P5w3kids]

We have updated results for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through December 31, 2010. Other sources of car reliability information won't cover the months since April until the summer or even fall of this year.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 82, about average, very small sample size

2005: 83, about average

2004: 55, better than average

It's not clear why the repair frequency is lower for the 2004. One possibility: the common problems have already been fixed. Another: people are letting more things slide with the older cars.

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in May and August. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

[P5w3kids]

We have updated results for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through March 31, 2011.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 70, very small sample size

2005: 64

2004: 73

All are about average.

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in August and November. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

[P5w3kids]

We have updated results for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through June 30, 2011.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 46, better than average, small sample size

2005: 84, about average

2004: 62, better than average

We'll have further updates in November and February. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

[P5w3kids]

We have updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 (on our redesigned site) to include owner experiences through September 30, 2011.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2006: 93, about average, small sample size

2005: 71, about average

2004: 75, better than average

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in February and May. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons

 

[P5w3kids]

We have updated our reliability stats for the RX-8 to include owner experiences through September 30, 2012.


Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:


2006: 40, better than average, very small sample size


2005: 71, about average, small sample size


2004: 89, worse average on stricter revised scale, small sample size




We'll have further updates in February and May. We'd love to provide more precise stats and cover more model years--unfortunately more members have been selling these than buying them, so our sample sizes are currently going in the wrong direction.


To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:


Mazda RX-8 reliability ratings and comparisons