Okay, so I've been kind of paranoid about getting a rx7 and blowing a seal soon after I get one. I won't beat the crap out of it and redline it but like every week or so rev it a little higher to blow out the carbon build ups. Anyways I just don't have enough money to rebuild a whole engine, so what would you people reccomend? Should I just not worry about it? Or should I still worry about this?

Premix year round and if I do drive it in the winter, 10w-30 in the winter for Wisconsin and 20w-50 in the summer.

 

If you buy a good condition one with low mileage and was owned by someone that knows what they are doing then I wouldn't worry. Plus, if you have money to buy an rx7 then money for a rebuild won't be bad, it's just the time.

I've read a couple articles before about what to look for when buying your first rx7, just try googling that and I'm sure you will find plentiful information.

As for reliability, mine is in rough condition and hasn't let me down, besides a rear wheel bearing. Made it home but had to have it towed to a shop that could do the job quickly. They are super, super easy to work on and you could probably fix anything that goes wrong with it within a couple hours as long as it's nothing major.

If you premix and it has the omp, then don't worry at all about redlining it. It's meant to rev high and if you don't then that's when you have problems. I "beat" mine pretty much every time I drive it. Quotations because it's not beating it all unless your banging gears and ripping corners.

Just always pay attention to the temperature, I find myself looking at the gauge every couple minutes. It would be best to install a better, more reliable one too. Bad clutch fans or thermostats could be the end of a good rotary. Speaking from experience here......

Other then the need for more meticulous care and maintenance first gens are great cars and won't let you down as long as you don't let it down.

 

there's really no need for the paranoia. they are reliable cars when cared for. VERY reliable!

that said, they are also old cars. in some cases they are older than their owners, so while the possibility of disaster always looms, it's in your best interest to view it with a little context. if you're not willing to commit to that, then you probably should pass and admire from a distance.

 

Pretty much 2nd that. I've owned a 12A Rotary for 36 years and never had any major problems. Previous generations of the rotary has some reliability issues with the apex seals but Mazda changed the metallurgy with the introduction of the Rx-7 which pretty much solved the previous issues. Most of the problems you read about now are more due to the advanced age of the cars combined with the use and neglict that older, used cars often experience. Subsequent owners inherit all the problems, somtimes improving them, sometimes compounding them.

Rotary powered or piston driven, you can get one thats well cared for and sorted or a hand gernade with the pin about to fall out. You need to be realistic in that you are buying a classic, used sports car and knowledgeable enough to know a good one and whats its worth.

 

You are buying a 30+ year old car. Expect it to need major service on all the wear items and due
diligence on maintenance to make sure its in top shape. Even with all of that, expecting it to be a
daily driver summer and winter is silly. Its going to have issues that need to be addressed due to the
age of the rubber, plastic, wiring etc. Any of these could have a failure that can and will strand you
at some point.

For example, my car which is maintained throuroghly and has had all of this done and more has been
on stands off and on since I got back from DGRR. Several small things occurred over time that the
trip then pushed into failures.

1. Brakes needed to be readjusted and were weak halfway into the trip, not unexpected.
2. Exhaust leak got worse, turns out my RB header burned a hole through the rear pipe, also not unexpected but not anticipated either.
3. My brand new tierod ends and idler armed needed to be greased.
4. My oil cooler mounts finally broke.
5. My RWL tires are down to the wear bars are pretty scary to drive on in the rain. Will need
new tires.
6. My alternator went out and had to source new one (got S4 as a replacment).

If this was my only car, I'd be hosed. Is it reliable, yes it got to DGRR and back with no issues
other than soft brakes even with all of these things breaking or broken. Would I turn around and
drive it without fixing all of this. No, because I know Mr. Murphy will lay it on me if I do.

 

If the car has not been abused and has good compression, you're not going to blow a seal. My car has the original engine at 147k and there are others on here with even higher mileage running great on the original (non rebuilt) engines.

 

I use mine as a daily beater. Changed the oil every other month, oil filter too. Kept the antifreeze topped up too. Like any car, the alternator, fuel pump, battery, battery terminal corrosion, starter, wind shield wiper switch, head light combi switch, rear wheel bearing, brake hydraulics, clutch hydraulics, radiator, distributor, door handles, door locks, fuel cover release solenoid, fan belts, head light fuse link, coolant hoses, radiator, omp , omp tubes, rear hatch hinge, front wheel bearings....needed to be replaced, oiled, lubed, rebuilt, cleaned, adjusted....over 25 years of ownership;

The rotary engine per se is reliable. The OEM engine lasted 244,000 miles. Just watch the antifreeze level, and change the oil.

And if you want something done right, do it yourself! Even something that a dumb *** could do, like change the battery, they f'd it up. And do NOT trust the mazda dealer to give you the right spark plugs. The f-ups!!

 

This is what I'm sayin, so whats next? LOL

 

They are reliable, like everyone mentioned, they are old and will need to be freshend up.
Mine was a daily for 2 years, had 213k miles, original build, unitl i blew the coolant seals in the track. Still drove it for 3 month after that. With that being said, get one, learn it inside out and do it all yourself, dont trust a single person to work on it. The community can help if you need help. Good luck.

 

it may help to define reliability... the 1st gen is a very reliable car, but its a reliable 80's car, so you need to service it a lot more than say a new toyopet. or to put it another way, you need to actually work on the car periodically, unlike a new car that you just trade in when the tire light comes on.

the other nice thing about the 1st gen is that its for the most part, really simple, and parts are easy and cheaper now than they ever have been. the emissions controls are viewed as complex, although it is like a few simple systems piled on top of each other.

 

reliability has so much to do with how things are taken care off. Everyone forgets about stage zero, making sure everything is kept up and working as well as it can be.

 

Mine is an 84.
You need to treat the car as you would in 1984, not in 2015.
Routine maintenance always, but as said before, fix the little things before they become big things.
I drive mine to work and back, take the long ways, whenever the roads are dry and no rain in sight. I know it will get me where I want to go. I'd say its reliable for my needs.

And it hibernates in winter to stay off the salted roads.

 

I've been summer daily-driving mine for 7 years now on a motor that had over 100k when I bought it (original motor was toast). Probably over 110k now. I drive over 30 miles round trip to work and back, including both city and freeway driving. I drive it in all weather except snow (which is why I am starting to see a little rust in the rockers) and stored it outside through at least 5 of those winters.
Mine is lightly, but cheaply modded, the majority of the mods are listed in my signature. I haven't changed much since 2008 except the upgrade to MSD ignition.
Just keep an eye on the temp gauge, keep it well oiled, and premix (well worth it). Beat on it daily! Nothing like a good burnout or light-to-light romp to get the carbon out and put a smile on your face.