I found this this morning there is an article at Forbs that has the Mazda RX-2 as one of the worst cars in North Amarica Post WWII.

Here is the link

Worst Cars

 

Hey, at least they didn't put the 7 one their. And the Rx-2 is probably a decent car with a newer engine, sure looks cool. People just don't understand rotaries.
Ray

 

My Dad might beg to differ. He loved his 1972 RX-2. Now ask him about his 74 Oldmobile and you'll get an ear full.

 

There were a few '70s era GMs on that list

 

**** Forbes with a rusty eccentric shaft for even mentioning a Mazda in the same article as a Yugo.

 

~T.J.

 

Well RX-2's did have problems with premature engine failure but I don't think that alone qualifies them for 'Worst Car' status. What about the VW Microbus? That thing used the drivers legs as the first line of defence in an accident!

 

The carbon apex seals almost spelled doom for Mazda when they routinely went out at about 30k miles. The redesign of 1974 solved that problem and others, but the damage was already done with respect to people's perception of rotary engines.

Hey, Hugh Hefner had an RX2, that's gotta say something...

 

"There's a good reason that rotary engines never really caught on. Rotaries--which run in circles, unlike pistons, which run up and down--are like diesels; they had major problems early in life, creating a buying populace that to this date does not fully trust them. Mazda's RX-2, one of the first rotary-engine cars, had problems with catching on fire. It also raised the classic problems of rotary engines: bad fuel economy and emissions. Rotary seals would wear out early in an RX-2's life, leaking fuel and emissions along the way. " direct quote from their site.

creating a buying populace that to this date does not fully trust them?

I think this whole site trusts their rotarys.

I hate people who complain about things they dont understand

Every good idea has things go wrong in the beginning

 

Yeah, what about the RX-8? People seem to be trusting those now dont they?

~T.J.

 

"There were a few '70s era GMs on that list!"

Anthrax is right, there were A LOT of GMs (and even more FORDS!) on that list.

And how many of these so called Worst Cars would sell today for as much as that RX-2 on ebay the other day, didn't it go for something like $15,000, without a running motor?? I, personally, would love to have an RX-2.

The American consumer doesn't understand much, and they especially don't understand rotaries. The RX-2 was a new technology which revealed some problems that were fixed. The lineage went on to produce the highly successful (and classic? I'd say so) RX-7 and continues with the RX-8 and beyond.

My compliments to the RX-2, if it's good enough for Hugh Hefner, it's good enough for me.

And, as another rather eloquant rotor head recently commented:

"**** Forbes with a rusty eccentric shaft"

Ray

 

Just as a side note, my Dad's 72 RX-2 lastest for 110,000 miles. It's death was caused by my sister who never checked the oil.

 

yet another reason why forbes.com sucks.

 

**** Forbes with a rusty eccentric shaft - with the front counterweight installed!!!

 

Forbes can kiss my asphalt. Maybe I should get a Pacer and stick an RX-2 engine it it?

 

**** FORBES with the pacer.

 

i dont like Fiero's that much

 

Hey look on the bright side, it only had 95 votes, the smallest number of any of them! Those 95 people who voted probably have no idea what made it special. Who cares what some stupid website thinks.

 

Good call. I didn't think of that. The votes, that is.

 

I have loved each of my Rx2s, and
each has been through an engine rebuild.

 

http://forums.prospero.com/n/mb/view...vote=0&msg=164

I must of been a "filler" for the list...just to give people more choices to vote for.

Now if we could find the one dude who put it on the list.... oh man, we'd just kick his ***. I mean a full RCBD (RX-7 Club Beat Down)