SamIAM™
09-11-2003, 04:25 PM
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/picture_library/dir_23/car_portal_pic_11562.jpg?1545
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/picture_library/dir_23/car_portal_pic_11563.jpg?668
Oil's Not Well For Innovative RX-8
ow often do you check your oil? Once a month, or maybe every 2,000 miles? Buy one of the new Mazda RX-8s and you're supposed to look at it every two tanks of petrol! And that was enough to give at least one Auto Express reader doubts about signing on the dotted line.
Gary Fenton, of Stevenage, Herts, was considering swapping his BMW Z3 for the car, but when his dealer mentioned the oil change requirements, it left him unsure. "I was astonished the RX-8 needed that level of maintenance," Gary told us. "It's unheard of in this day and age."
However, a Mazda spokesman defended the car's oil use. He said: "We've never denied the rotary engine uses quite a lot of oil. That's because a mist is sprayed over it to lubricate the tips, and all owners will be advised to check the levels regularly." He added that if the oil level gets too low, a warning light will come on, and if that's ignored the car will go into 'limp home' mode. But he couldn't confirm who would be liable if there was a mechanical problem caused by a driver not regularly checking the oil.
Meanwhile, there's bad news for the RX-8 in America - its power output has been assessed as up to five per cent less than first advertised. The problem stems from last-minute engineering changes to ensure the car met strict US emissions regulations. Mazda has offered to buy back most of the 3,551 that have been sold Stateside.
:bang:
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/picture_library/dir_23/car_portal_pic_11563.jpg?668
Oil's Not Well For Innovative RX-8
ow often do you check your oil? Once a month, or maybe every 2,000 miles? Buy one of the new Mazda RX-8s and you're supposed to look at it every two tanks of petrol! And that was enough to give at least one Auto Express reader doubts about signing on the dotted line.
Gary Fenton, of Stevenage, Herts, was considering swapping his BMW Z3 for the car, but when his dealer mentioned the oil change requirements, it left him unsure. "I was astonished the RX-8 needed that level of maintenance," Gary told us. "It's unheard of in this day and age."
However, a Mazda spokesman defended the car's oil use. He said: "We've never denied the rotary engine uses quite a lot of oil. That's because a mist is sprayed over it to lubricate the tips, and all owners will be advised to check the levels regularly." He added that if the oil level gets too low, a warning light will come on, and if that's ignored the car will go into 'limp home' mode. But he couldn't confirm who would be liable if there was a mechanical problem caused by a driver not regularly checking the oil.
Meanwhile, there's bad news for the RX-8 in America - its power output has been assessed as up to five per cent less than first advertised. The problem stems from last-minute engineering changes to ensure the car met strict US emissions regulations. Mazda has offered to buy back most of the 3,551 that have been sold Stateside.
:bang: