So I am sure than anyone who is a member of a different forum has seen the same kind of thread. Someone who has no knowledge of rotaries or RX7s asks people for feedback on buying one. Then the OP gets slammed by tons of posts from people who have no idea what they are talking about. Anyways this time I got fed up and tried to talk some sense into people. Just curious if I was on point or not.


"It is always a bad idea to ask the general public their opinion on FDs and rotaries. Most people have zero experience and their opinion is nothing but hearsay. Rotaries have gained a bad reputation out of public ignorance more than anything. Join rx7club.com, it is an excellent website with great members. It is a much more tight knit communtiy without the immaturity that is rampid on nasioc. Also, the 9-12k price range is a bit low in my opinion. Cars or at least FD RX7s are cheaper in Socal than the rest of the country. I will take some time to dispell some myths about rotaries and FD RX7s

1. Rotary engines are not any less reliable than piston engines. The problem is they are less resilient to heat and running lean. You can lean out a piston engine or overheat it and it may survive. If you do either with a rotary, kiss it goodbye. Less reliable they are not, they are just less idiot proof.

2. The reliability issues on the FD stem from the sequential turbo system more than the rotary. The stock sequential system is extremely complicated (30-40 vaccuum hoses) and it also produces alot of heat. This is a major problem for people. The good thing is if you don't want to go single turbo, you can run the turbos parallel and help solve one part of this problem, but still will have the extra heat produced by the twins.

3. Reliability mods need to be silcone vac hoses or delete the rats nest, aluminum radiator, METHANOL, METHANOL, METHANOL, aftermarket AST, FC thermostat and aftermarket downpipe. Maybe $1,000 total and your car will love you for it. People always want to go straight for more power and overlook these basics. That is why their car is broke.

4. You do not need to rebuild a rotary every 50,000 miles. Rotaries don't usually fail because of mileage, it is because of abuse or mistreatment. Also RX7s are high performance cars, no one expects a 400whp STi to be as reliable as a stock WRX right?

Some tips for buying...
1. Get a compression test, it is a common request in the rotary world.
2. Smoke upon start up is normal
3. R1/R2 models are the best, with base models generally being more desired than touring. I personally will never own a touring because I don't like the sun roof.
4. Most desired colors in order Chaste White, Silverstone Metallic, Brilliant Black, Montego blue and Vintage Red are a toss up. Also, Competition Yellow Mica is rare, only 300 made, so they are collectable. That is my best objective opinion.
5. Interior and other updates were made in 94, so 94 and 95 models are more desirable than a 93. Also, 94 and 95 cars are much more rare, especially 95.
6. A five speed swap isn't crazy difficult or expensive, so don't rule out an automatic if you are mehcanically inclined.
7. Buy one with BLACK interior. It looks way better, makes the car worth more money, and is crazy expensive if you ever try to swap from tan to black. Door panels and carpet alone could run you a grand.

Common Problems
- 5th gear syncro grind
-paint fade on roof and side mirrors.
-vaccuum hoses and harness become brittle and break due to the heat
-stock twins fail before high mileage due to heat
-93 interior pieces, the clear coat always peels off
-interior trim pieces break easy and are expensive, passenger handle wil run you $250.
-headlight covers break easy.

They are honestly my favorite cars ever made. I ended up parting mine out to buy my WRX, just because I was tired of DDing an Accord and I didn't even want to consider using my FD for a daily. They are gettin rare too, probably under 5,000 that are street legal with a license plate."


I know I had typos, so grade for content, not spelling

 

I give you a B+

Good job Billy!

2 more weeks of this and you get a gold star!

What is this, a self-esteem contest?

 

Couple of points. I believe you mean to say FC Thermoswitch. I'm not sure a stock RX7 needs its rats nest deleted.... a hose job yes, but deleted?

Methanol is a good idea but a stock RX7 doesn't really need this. I wouldn't consider this a "reliability mod" in the same vein as aluminum radiator or alum AST. You really only need this if you start modifying boost levels and run the risk of detonation. For a stock RX and typical drivers, this is a gross overkill imo. Sure it'll keep carbon deposits down. /shrug

An RX that hasn't been babied and has spent most of its life with stock heating components WILL die. Maybe not at 50k.. but you'd be hard pressed to find owners that have over 80k. Not saying they don't exist.. just saying that that is no the TYPICAL RX experience.


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I give you high marks on the attempt but think it's wasted time. People already have their minds made up about RXs. I think it's best to let them keep the mentality that they're difficult to maintain. It also helps keep the "I want 600hp" crowd to a minimum.

 

you tell em! only thing i got is that some of the tips for buying seem more opinion based than fact. Other than that, i like it!

 

Nasioc is a tough crowd. I think there are over 70,000 registered members. My old roomate is a moderator there. He knows my FD inside and out.

 

Not a self esteem contest at all. But anyone who has owned a rotary knows how much misinformation there is out there. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't spreading any myself. I knew the gurus on here would find my flaws, that way I can edited them. So can I have my gold star now? Please?

I was just saying that if you go non sequential, the vac hose job isn't as necessary, Also, yes I meant FC thermoswitch. Thanks for the input, that is exactly what I wanted. Now I can go back and edit my post.

I love my Subaru, but enjoy this community so much more. Nasioc isn't all bad, I couldn't of did an STi swap on my bugeye without it. I swear Imprezas became the new Civic, and I mean that as a very bad thing. What is your roomates screen name out of curiousity?

 

I always hated NASIOC with a passion, even when I had my WRX. 98% percent of people on there are internet experts who know nothing about their own cars, much less an RX-7. Ask them about their glass 5-speeds, and why you shouldn't run any lower of an offset than stock.

 

That is one of my pet peeves too. My brothers car has 165k and no tranny problems at all. My car made just over 300whp and I had no problem with the 5 speeds. They are far from being glass. But when people do 5k clutch drops, what do they expect? That and the 6mt transmission for the STi is a piece of engineering brilliance, so it does make the 5 speed look weak.

 

In the years that I owned an AWD 1G talon putting out just shy of 300awhp I did literally 100s of 5000-7000rpm clutch drops and didnt break anything drivetrain related. Most of those were on R-comps both solo2 and dragstrip, and street tires for rallycross. I would say that one should be able to expect that a few 5000rpm clutch drops wont hurt the car. Im not trying to dog on subaru here but I never saw many subaru guys launch like I did at the events...

 

There is just way to much idiocy in that thread
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...ghlight=rotary

 

The OP pm'd me and thanked me for posting factual information. That made it worth while I guess. That and it was an opportune time for me to be able to post how much of a better forum RX7CLUB is.

I owned 4 AWD dsm's before I was blessed with my Subaru. They broke every time I looked at them wrong. No tranny problems though, that is true. I was actually in the market for an EVO when I bought my Suby. It was just one of those deals that was way too good to pass up.

 

Wow......Just about sums up the average Scooby driver in the UK

 

looks good Craig.

 

Wow,

one fellow actually disregards all of your facts and attacks your phonetical skills. people with that type of logic need to run over their mother and crash and burn afterwards.

Cheers for the defense. I am the only one with a rotary in my tight group of car enthusiast friends and they all respect the FD. rawr.

 

you should ask them how reliable are suby's with 500+ whp.. lol

two of my good friends have subarus and they are scared to pass 22psi.. with built engines.

they are nothing but grocery getter with awd for non skilled drivers.

 

no offense bewtew.. but statement like this has arrogance written all over it..

 

ya i know.. i didnt want to come off that way but i just cant stand subaru owners. every one that i know who owns a subaru is a cocky arrogant ***** and think their car is the best awd car ever made.

 

understood bew.. but shootin from the hip and generalizing will aleniate those who do not fit that category..
it certainly places you under the same level as those you mock with that statement.. just my two cents..

 

this is true for guys who only own STI's generally people who own them and something else are humble, for example im looking at a 05 STI now and im not going to mod it and be a ****. i want something that i can drive everyday and still have fun in so exhaust is about the only thing that i would do to mine, being that it has a factory boost gauge and KandN intake.

 

goodluck with that.. thats what was said about my daily speed6...

 

you're right. lol i just can't stand them..

it's hard not to mod turbo cars.. good luck just like amp said.


my buddy just blew up his mazdaspeed 3.. he had exhaust, intake and a two step( i dunno why) it was cold out and he went to the track and i guess the car overboosted and a rod went trough his block

 

i know this thats why i have the FD to mod, the STI is for a car i want to be quick and has a nice note that i can actually drive at night and not be so worried where i park it. My FD never sees night time driving due to it being loud and my neighbors bitching.

 

hahaha i know what you mean.. i feel like my entire neighborhood hates me

 

well at least your neighbors dont pile snow in front of your mailbox so the mail man cant get there, or pile all there snow from their side of the sidewalk in front of your driveway i hate my neighbors hints why im running just a down pipe for winter warm ups

 

I hear quite often about how bad rotaries are. I have owned 8 Rx7's over 12 years. I could honestly care less what others say about rotaries.

I don't know why people love knitting, country music, or NASCAR. But I will not patronize them for liking it. Live and let live man......