I DD my FD been 2 years now since i picked up this one

keep it mildly stock and do reliability mods in the FAQ sticky, you're FD will stay as happy as you are

 

agreed

 

Me to i DD my car 20 miles a day.. It will last as long as you take care of it. You just need to start with a really good rebuild not a reman.

 

Thanks Matt. "Reman"?

 

Reman motor from mazda. I don't like them i think they are crap. Some maybe most are hard to get a lot of miles out of.

goodluck
matt

 

Basically it all comes down to how much you love the car. The car doesnt break down because "Its an RX7" the car breaks down because its old. I drive mine daily too and after spending a LOT of money initially after I bought the car to get it in good condition to be driving everyday, now it runs very well.

Make sure the engine is in good condition. The engines are NOT made of paper, they can handle abuse thats what theyre made for, but they are sensitive when things go wrong, just put the right fuel and treat the car right, and make sure you have a good enine to start with.

My car has a rebuilt engine with about 30k miles on it, but I did some research on why the old engine blew up so soon. Well in the paperwork I found that the first owner who was a woman ( im not even gonna go there lol) brought the car into the shop complaining that the "Add Coolant" light is on, and engine runs rough. Turns out it had a coolant leak, and the car overheated and she drove to the dealer while the car was overheating. Plus, the fans were "locked up" makes sense right?

 

i am very surprised everyone didnt just come out and say SEARCH!...maybe there just tired of typing it?

 

^^ So am I actually... its been covered a million times! But i've been DD mine for about 1 year and a half... but only does about 10miles per day if that!

Dennis,

 

i've daily driven my FD since i got it. i've had it for about 1.5 years and i haven't had any problems.

the maintenance is the key.

 

I wouldn't hesitate dd it, but it doesn't really work for me. After 2 or more days of constant driving it to work - I start to get headaches from noise.

Now I'm researching quiter exhaust system and will be insulating hatch area (I already did doors)

Little bit harder to get in and out compare to my 540. No point in driving in rain since it brakes traction so easy when boost comes in.

For nice dry days - it's blast to drive.

 

I daily drive mine, well for 6 months then I put it away for winter. Damn how many threads about this topic has there been in the last month?

 

this thread is more encouraging than any other thread regarding DD FD.

the earlier threads were a nightmare altogether.

 

My personal opinion (and I've read and thought about it a lot) is that if you want to daily drive it, there is nothing wrong with that. You'll pay a lot for gas, you'll have to deal with being in a little car among massive vehicles driven by stupid people, very poor platform for winter driving, and maintenance costs will be high on a per-mile basis. But some people have short drives, no winter weather, and little heavy traffic.

I think where I get reluctant is the 'only driver' vs. 'daily driver' issue. If you have a problem with the FD it's very unlikely that you or your mechanic will solve it within a day or two. Parts availability and complexity make this what it is. If you have backup transportation, then daily driving the FD works just fine because you can park it when something arises. If it's your only car and you need it to get around, you could be put in a much more difficult position. It may never happen, but it's a risk.

I personally dont' DD my car. I have 25mi commute and IMHO it's way too expensive to drive 50mi/day and too wasteful. I don't expect to see FDs available forever and I'd like to keep mine for a much longer time than a daily driver would survive. My daily driver is much less exciting but cheaper and durable, and safer for the traffic and weather conditions we sometime see here in PA. I'm much less stressed emotionally and financially knowing I have options.

Dave

 

^^ well said

although i DD my FD, I'm constantly driving in fear... watching out for jackasses that might total my car from all directions..

i'm definitly getting another car when i can afford it and have space to store my FD

 

45k miles in 4 years, still running strong

 

850 is a gas guzzler though... i'd think it'll use a lot more gas than the FD

 

if you daily drive it, you better have nerves of steel and a AAA membership

 

i wouldnt DD it, mostly b/c of what was said up at the top, jerks running into, not paying attention.. b/c if u get hit, its gone dude, coke can gone bad.. and the parts are very expensy, if i was you, i'd just get a little $1200 civic to cruise around long distances, and ride ur *Future* FD short distances.. thats what i do, i take mine out maybe like.. once every 2 months.. other than that, mine just sits in my driveway looking pretty and getting dressed up all the time w/ goodies and replacements to keep it like new, but w/e u decide to do, good luck on the buy, FD's are fun.

 

I have daily drove mine for the last 4 years with the exception of some bad winter days and whatnot here around chicago. The car can do it if it is maintained and properly driven/taken care of...that means not RACING it everyday

 

Your FD must be in real sad condition if you actually believe that.

Like I said I've owned mine for 9 years and I have never been afraid to drive it anywhere.

 

Did you miss all your statistics classes in school? There may have been a discussion of the term 'outlier' in there somewhere.

There are people that can smoke three packs of cigarettes per day and live into their 90s. I don't think l'd use those people to conclude that smoking is safe, however.

 

Very good points. The FD would be my 4th car with in a house with 3 drivers. I live in the Pacific Northwest where I'm not bothered by heat or snow, just by lots of rain. Most of my driving is low-traffic, short drives. Actually, it is the short drive that I'm the most concerned about. Once a week I have a 60 mile no-traffic round trip commute.

I would never use an FD as an only car for a number of reasons, but the feedback has been very helpful. I'll find out in a couple days if I'm going to own one or not.