j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

you are assuming 2 things:
1. that mazda usa knew how to train the techs on the fd in 92-93-94-95.
2. that mazda usa owns all of the dealerships. all the dealers are franchises, like a mcdonalds.
also some dealers only sold 1 or 2 fd's, you cant ask them to be an expert on something they had never seen

mike

t-rex7

Your an ***.
It's not that Americans aren't intelligent enough, rather they lacked the training. They were expected to take on something new and unfamiliar with little education concerning what they were about to work on.
It's also unfair to put all the blame on the mechanics without even mentioning the owners.

hapa

j9fd3s- first: Mazda USA did know how to train the techs, thats why we have a few dealerships with excellent rotary mechanics. Sunnyvale Mazda in northern California has Ivan, and he's an FD genius. There were also many techs that were rotary nuts to begin with that knew how to service FC's and FB's. Most of these techs left their dealerships and started their own rotary specialty shops. Dave at KD rotary was trained by Mazda as well (is it a coincidence these people are certified Mazda Master Mechanics?). Mazda USA was and IS very capable of training.

second: I know that the dealerships are franchises, but it's part of their contracts that they have x amount of factory trained techs at their dealerships. You don't see certain Mcdonalds that don't sell fries because their people don't know how to cook them do you? It's Mazda's responsibility to train their people, and that's the bottom line. If you let someone use your name you are responsible for their actions as well. Maybe some dealership techs, have never seen an FD before. It's their responsibility to their clients that they cannot perform any work on the car that they have not been trained on. They then should be responsible enough to arrange for a certified FD mechanic to work on the car. Not all dealerships do bodywork, have you noticed some outsource this to competent body shops? Why should the same not be done with dealerships that can't handle FD repairs?

third: I'm not even going to comment on your "americans" line.

eric

ech

I heard that Mazda did replace the rats nest in later years, after the RX-7 was discontinued in the states. Replaced the hoses with a solid block or something like that.

DRAG0NEER

when I first got the car, everything was stock including the precat. After a hard drive I would pop the hood and feel the heat rushing out towards my face. Two weeks later I got a downpipe and now I can only feel the heat when I put my hand close to the manifold.

get a downpipe.

Swamp RX-7

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manatecu

iTrader: (6)

The viper can only be worked on by qualified dealerships/mechanics. I think Mazda should follow. If you are going to sell it you need to know how to work on it.

Chris

johnchabin

iTrader: (2)

I remember when I first got my FD, there weren't that many web sites yet. But there was the Lemon Site, now at

http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/l...faq.htm#FAQfix

Even then (more than five years ago), this guys advice on increasing reliability was to get a downpipe. (See the section, "Is there anything one can do to increase the reliability of a 3rd gen RX-7?")

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

ivan didn't get his fd knowledge thru factory training, hes the only mechanic i know who can put every nut and bolt back in its original hole. he got his fd training by fixing all of the cars that the other dealers could not. ask him, he will tell you that.

my point about the americans line is that why does it take ivan to fix a car properly? how come when you add a turbo, the mechanics can't find a popped off vacuum line?

mike

frank69m

Yes, it is imporper modding, but what about other issues. Mine is completly stock and only 37K miles on it, and I have the brushings issues like most everyone else....yes, only 37K and I only drove in 2.5K last year and it has never been to the track,nor do I race or abuse it....

Also, perhaps there aren't any trained technitians cause they only made like 14,000 of these vehicles in 3 years. God, they sell like 14,000 Honda accords in a month...there is no demand.

Flybye

I'm curious. Just exactly how ARE the Mazda rotary mechanics in Japan, or are they as bad as the ones here?

Also, I'm really curious to know when did they discontinue the rats nest..

RX7 RAGE

iTrader: (22)

They discontinued the rats nest in '96 I believe.

Swamp RX-7

So are the '96 and up RX-7s non-sequential?

$150FC

They are sequential, but there's a different method, without all the hoses and bullshit.

Also, I think the 300ZX will be remembered most, because it was a Z-Car, and Z-Cars sold like hotcakes back in the day. Poor Man's Porsche, after all.

(It's also kinda neat to me that another japanese fastcar competition is brewing: 350Z vs RX-8. Toyota? Mitsubishi? You guys listening?)

Mr. Stock

This is nothing that hasn't been said before. Although I partly agree with this, another part of the problem with servicing the FD is the fact that the damn sequential system is so complicated. I am not sure an average mechanic has the capacity to understand it even if trained.

Ed

trigeek37

I'm going to chime in late, but I agree with you.
I find it pathetic that noone at the local Mazda dealership (one that is know for it's involvement in motorsports) knows a damn thing about the fd (and I assume the 1 & 2nd gens also). It is frustrating to depend on 3rd parties to gain insite into your Mazda.

I love my fd - wouldn't trade it for any other car (well maybe a 360 or Vanquish, but... who wouldn't)
I love the way it looks, drives, and turns heads. What I don't like is that my local Dealership (where I bought the car) is absolutely clueless... It would be nice if they had someone at least sorta informed about the car... would remove lots of anxiety on my part.

my 2 cents.

JM1FD

iTrader: (1)

My feeling is that it all boils down to time and money. The techs don't have the time to sit down, learn the system, and diagnose it properly, if they had more exposure to these cars, things would be different. Then we have the consideration that the dealership can bill major $$ for replacing the turbos....

jpandes

I've had my FD for six years now...I just wish I discovered this Forum many years ago! For the first four years I dealt with the inept service departments at the Mazda dealers.

Anyway, I just wanted to add that I was blown away when I saw an FD in the Perterson(sp?) Automobile Museum in Los Angeles. It was the first exhibit you saw when you walked in... No too shabby.

twinturborx7pete

iTrader: (3)

Ok well here is my take in this all.

For the 3 japanese super cars, there will be a following by the lovers of each... Each car will be remembered. Z lovers will remember the Z, supra owners will remember the supra, and Rotary lovers will remember the RX-7.

Who is to say the RX7 won't come back to the states? There is no doubt in my mind that if the RX-8 sells well, mazda will step up to the plate again.

Currently i'm rebuilding my engine and i don't really see at ALL whats hard about it? It seems intimidating on paper, but once you open it up and pull it apart its really really quite simple. I've done everything with basic hand tools so far and i've needed nothing special to work on the car. This is my 2nd rotary, i owned an FC turbo before my 3rdgen. Its sooo simple, people just need friends with people with rotaries that are experienced. Help is a great step in learning. I've taken apart piston engines before and i'm DAMN glad that i own a rotary... its a pain in the *** to rebuild a piston engine.

Rotary owners are usually very helpful and nice to one another and it should be. We all love the same thing. Not one rotary car is more special than the next, each rotary powered car from mazda is part of a history and it should all be embraced.

Mazda made some flaws when developing the FD to keep costs down to keep it in competition with the Supra, 300ZX, 3000GT, and Corvette. Its an awesome car capable of so much. Just the average owner of the car leaves so much matenience and work to another person. If you own a sports car, learn to fix it, it saves you so much money and anyone can learn to turn a wrench. All it takes is patience and some tools and a little help from a friend. It gives me the greatest joy to say, "i fixed that" "i installed that" or "i rebuilt that engine".

The car really isn't for everyone, those without money, like myself learned to work on their own cars early and those with the money have down time in the shop shelling out dollars.

Mazda rotary techs are far and between, but if you own a modded FD why would you bring it to the dealership? IMO everyone should do the turbo simplification and rid themselves of the rat's nest. Its nothing but check valves and solenoids for emissions. Just search and learn everyone... the car is awesome, love it every minute you have it.. i know i do.. its always been a dream of mine to own one.