ok ive almost had enough of this garbage
Racecar - Formula 2000
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,029
Likes: 367
From: Bath, OH
This is my rant, im sick of the factory sequential turbo setup ...
...Either stand behind the car you make or dont make in the first place ...
That my two bits
DISCLAIMER:
Let me know what you think but please dont turn this into a flame war. i own the car because i love the style and the rotary motor, but again IMO the FD is an example of a project being over-engineered nearly to death.
...Either stand behind the car you make or dont make in the first place ...
That my two bits
DISCLAIMER:
Let me know what you think but please dont turn this into a flame war. i own the car because i love the style and the rotary motor, but again IMO the FD is an example of a project being over-engineered nearly to death.
So Mazda is not, IMO, by any means, the worst of the lot in dealer service department dysfunctionality.
Also, as others have said, the FD's 13-year-old complex sequential turbo system was pretty much the state of the art in the late '80's and early '90's. This complex system, and the small # of FD's sold in the US sure didn't help the service situation.
Bottom line: the FD, as we all know, is not for everyone. But, as far as dealers go, I do share your anger and frustration.
Last edited by DaveW; Dec 4, 2007 at 09:03 AM.
I'm sorry... did the engine die under 80k like every other VW 1.8T with a timing belt in front and a timing chain/tensioner in back that likes to loosen and let the pistons slap the valves?
Seriously one of the worst motors ever built.
Seriously one of the worst motors ever built.
Rotary Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,319
Likes: 1
From: BC, Canada
now i agree with everyone that people do not maintain their cars as well as should. in 95% of cases anyway regardless of make. im not complaining about the car because i do love it and i love to work on it but honestly even as a sports car there is maintenence as anyone would think and then there is having to be pretty near to a mechanic just to be able to drive it. im not arguing with anyone and as i said in my post "whether or not its earned its reputation, its got it." or as i put it "a car that has either earned or not gotten a reputation for being notoriously unreliable" mainly its the dealer reputation that im arguing against. the age is a big thing and i understand that especially at 13 years old some things are just going to have to be replaced. hoses, wires etc the list goes on and on. this is normal we can all agree what isnt normal is how the manufacturer does not support through ongoing training of its technicians in its rotary cars.
im not bashing the designers or engineers of this car one bit i just sometimes wish that they would have had more foresight into the future of the car for the future owners.
Ive owned several rx7s before this one and i still love them but its sad when you keep reading on the forums the horror stories associated with dealerships and non-specialized shops. it is the little bast*rd child of the automotive community in that its different. i can understand different but i cant understand for the life of me why mazda doesnt comprehend that the typical consumer regardless of if its a sports car needs something simple if the dealership cant service it. Yes ive rolled my sleeves up several times but ultimately shouldnt service whether your doing the job yourself or not start not with an online community but the manufacturer?
All this said ive owned several sports cars and some nice ones too but when you have an easier time getting a ferrari serviced in a town that doesnt have a ferrari dealership than you do your rx-7 when there is a mazda dealership isnt that a problem? what will the future hold for rx-8 owners? i have no idea but based on the past they better start collecting tools!
And ultimately i guess thats why i personally dont know of many girls that own these cars (please dont warp this to make it sound sexist) but i would recken its the same owners ratio of guys to girls that you would find in a mechanics apprenticeship. i hope that sounds right.
Im sick of dealerships having a bad rap. but they deserve it. they shouldnt afterall they share the same name but this is unfortunate. the scenario that sickens me the most is and what i have the biggest problem with is what happens when you want your car to work and something happens but you dont either have the time to do it yourself, the tools to do it yourself, the knowledge to do it yourself, the space to do it yourself, or a job that requires travel and you can only spend maybe 3 hours every two weeks on it. this is not to say that those are any of my scenarios however what if it were then i have a car that is essentially nothing more than a shiny trophy you cant show off.
how sad that mazda has let things in many cases do just that. i know of far too many stories both on here and personal accounts where the owner just scraps it because any one or more of those above scenarios have applied to them.
Thats all my rant is about above. and i fear i speak for far too many people on the same thing. its good that everyone on here is for the most part pretty mechanically inclined and loves working on their car including me, but why should you have to solely because you the manufacturers service network is clueless or you cant take it somewhere else?
im not bashing the designers or engineers of this car one bit i just sometimes wish that they would have had more foresight into the future of the car for the future owners.
Ive owned several rx7s before this one and i still love them but its sad when you keep reading on the forums the horror stories associated with dealerships and non-specialized shops. it is the little bast*rd child of the automotive community in that its different. i can understand different but i cant understand for the life of me why mazda doesnt comprehend that the typical consumer regardless of if its a sports car needs something simple if the dealership cant service it. Yes ive rolled my sleeves up several times but ultimately shouldnt service whether your doing the job yourself or not start not with an online community but the manufacturer?
All this said ive owned several sports cars and some nice ones too but when you have an easier time getting a ferrari serviced in a town that doesnt have a ferrari dealership than you do your rx-7 when there is a mazda dealership isnt that a problem? what will the future hold for rx-8 owners? i have no idea but based on the past they better start collecting tools!
And ultimately i guess thats why i personally dont know of many girls that own these cars (please dont warp this to make it sound sexist) but i would recken its the same owners ratio of guys to girls that you would find in a mechanics apprenticeship. i hope that sounds right.
Im sick of dealerships having a bad rap. but they deserve it. they shouldnt afterall they share the same name but this is unfortunate. the scenario that sickens me the most is and what i have the biggest problem with is what happens when you want your car to work and something happens but you dont either have the time to do it yourself, the tools to do it yourself, the knowledge to do it yourself, the space to do it yourself, or a job that requires travel and you can only spend maybe 3 hours every two weeks on it. this is not to say that those are any of my scenarios however what if it were then i have a car that is essentially nothing more than a shiny trophy you cant show off.
how sad that mazda has let things in many cases do just that. i know of far too many stories both on here and personal accounts where the owner just scraps it because any one or more of those above scenarios have applied to them.
Thats all my rant is about above. and i fear i speak for far too many people on the same thing. its good that everyone on here is for the most part pretty mechanically inclined and loves working on their car including me, but why should you have to solely because you the manufacturers service network is clueless or you cant take it somewhere else?
Do you realize how redundant your argument is???
So to sum it all up, all you are saying is that "Mazda has not built a great service network to fix your 15year old car.. blah blah, this must mean that the car are unreliable and that mazda is crap.. blah blah.. yet i still love my rx7... blah blah"
EVERYONE IS AGREEING WITH YOU!!! That is why most ALL of us DO NOT take our cars to the dealer!!!! Through the use of deductive logic we have quickly relized that the best thing to do is to simply just do the work ourselves. Took me 8 seconds to relize this, no need to make this an epic discussion. Screw the dealer and other 'shops'.
Even in your perfect world where dealers would provide awesome service, i would much rather want to do the work myself. What if you want to install aftermarket parts?? Is a dealer going to install a v-mount for you?? Probably not.
Refer to rule #1/#2
=Ben
Racecar - Formula 2000
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,029
Likes: 367
From: Bath, OH
No. Luckily, I visited web sites for the Passat (the PCV problem, ABS crap-out, auto trans slipping, radio problems, front suspension creaking, etc. - most of which I repaired myself with input from web sites) and found out about the timing belt problems, etc. The timing belt was replaced at 80K along with the tensioner, and with use of synthetic oil since new, it lasted until we traded it in this spring with ~130K miles.
Dave
Last edited by DaveW; Dec 4, 2007 at 11:14 AM.
No. Luckily, I visited web sites for the Passat (the PCV problem, ABS crap-out, auto trans slipping, radio problems, front suspension creaking, etc. - most of which I repaired myself with input from web sites) and found out about the timing belt problems, etc. The timing belt was replaced at 80K along with the tensioner, and with use of synthetic oil since new, it lasted until we traded it in this spring with ~130K miles.
Dave
i've worked for several car manufacturers over the last 2 decades and seen my fair share of good, bad and outright fraudulent technicians in the field.
the #1 reason why dealerships do not have the knowledge or tools to service the FD properly is due to the rarity of the car in the shops. if there was 1million of them on the road and the dealerships were seeing them everyday then they would be more knowledgable in how to service your car, the fact they may see one every other year sais alot about it. just like anything, if you don't work on something regularly you don't know what makes it tick and learning is a long and costly procedure. special tools for dealerships are VERY expensive, hence if they do not pay for themselves eventually then they do NOT get purchased and even if they do they are only required for the period that the cars are covered under the warranty then they eventually wind up getting lost or sold.
this problem does not only apply to Mazda and the rotary engine but to ALL car manufacturers, in the big picture it is as i said, if you don't work on something often enough or at all then you just don't know how to fix it.
the other main point is most of the dealership community has moved to a flat rate pay scale, meaning there is a set book time to repair anything on a car and this time is dictated from a set group of people who do a job a dozen times back to back to back and the time is averaged from the lowest 3. service writers initially give you this quote but if you have a technician who has never touched your model of car before then likely there will be a number of corners cut and the problem not fixed properly or at all.
all of those points made are why i gave up on the dealership industry as i am a perfectionist, i never let a car go without it working properly. however, with the first points in mind you will easily understand it is not easy to make a living when you are forced to do a job properly and take a pay cut while doing it, example being a car i have never touched before coming in needing a complete engine overhaul where the book time pays 20 hours but being my first time tearing one apart it takes 40+ hours to do the job- you can see it's just not worth the headache to make $12/hour to do a job right. this is why there is specialty shops out there, some take advantage of cornering the market where others make a modest living just knowing they are doing a service for others with your frustruation but those shops are few and far between.
get to know your technicians, make sure they know what they are doing and shop around if you can't find one or simply learn yourself or sell the car if the headache takes over the enjoyment.
the #1 reason why dealerships do not have the knowledge or tools to service the FD properly is due to the rarity of the car in the shops. if there was 1million of them on the road and the dealerships were seeing them everyday then they would be more knowledgable in how to service your car, the fact they may see one every other year sais alot about it. just like anything, if you don't work on something regularly you don't know what makes it tick and learning is a long and costly procedure. special tools for dealerships are VERY expensive, hence if they do not pay for themselves eventually then they do NOT get purchased and even if they do they are only required for the period that the cars are covered under the warranty then they eventually wind up getting lost or sold.
this problem does not only apply to Mazda and the rotary engine but to ALL car manufacturers, in the big picture it is as i said, if you don't work on something often enough or at all then you just don't know how to fix it.
the other main point is most of the dealership community has moved to a flat rate pay scale, meaning there is a set book time to repair anything on a car and this time is dictated from a set group of people who do a job a dozen times back to back to back and the time is averaged from the lowest 3. service writers initially give you this quote but if you have a technician who has never touched your model of car before then likely there will be a number of corners cut and the problem not fixed properly or at all.
all of those points made are why i gave up on the dealership industry as i am a perfectionist, i never let a car go without it working properly. however, with the first points in mind you will easily understand it is not easy to make a living when you are forced to do a job properly and take a pay cut while doing it, example being a car i have never touched before coming in needing a complete engine overhaul where the book time pays 20 hours but being my first time tearing one apart it takes 40+ hours to do the job- you can see it's just not worth the headache to make $12/hour to do a job right. this is why there is specialty shops out there, some take advantage of cornering the market where others make a modest living just knowing they are doing a service for others with your frustruation but those shops are few and far between.
get to know your technicians, make sure they know what they are doing and shop around if you can't find one or simply learn yourself or sell the car if the headache takes over the enjoyment.
Drive to Live
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 347
Likes: 0
From: texas
+1 on previous post, the rarity of the car has alot to do with it. when i was researching the FD i learned quite early that taking it to the dealership is a bad move to make.
it left me unsettled for sure, but after lurking on these boards on and off for the past couple years i grew confident again. why? because there is a good online community full of good people who know whats up with this car, if they can do it so can i.
while mazda has had to forsake this beautiful car and leave us on our own we do have at least the fellow rotorheads and this community. that i am surely grateful for cuz otherwise id be in the dark completely.
its shitty on their part, but unfortunately thats how the ball rolled and many of us have had to square this away long ago. its like they say, the FD is not for everyone. such is the nature of this beast.
it left me unsettled for sure, but after lurking on these boards on and off for the past couple years i grew confident again. why? because there is a good online community full of good people who know whats up with this car, if they can do it so can i.
while mazda has had to forsake this beautiful car and leave us on our own we do have at least the fellow rotorheads and this community. that i am surely grateful for cuz otherwise id be in the dark completely.
its shitty on their part, but unfortunately thats how the ball rolled and many of us have had to square this away long ago. its like they say, the FD is not for everyone. such is the nature of this beast.
Since you apparently don't won't help diagnosing your problem, here's some advice on what normal i would check.
Since you already did a vaccuum job, start there. Go through it all and double check everything. Hoses, check valves, soleniods, etc...
Then check out the coils and spark plug wires for abnormality. My problem was a bad coil.
Or if you don't want to deal with the stock sequential anymore and don't have emissions, contact Saxyman for a simplified setup with better soleniods which relocate them also. Look at my sig. He also can make you some with all the emission soleniods i believe, unless he stopped offering them, so check on that also.
Good luck and just do it. It's not that bad. I know considering i've done it myself.
Since you already did a vaccuum job, start there. Go through it all and double check everything. Hoses, check valves, soleniods, etc...
Then check out the coils and spark plug wires for abnormality. My problem was a bad coil.
Or if you don't want to deal with the stock sequential anymore and don't have emissions, contact Saxyman for a simplified setup with better soleniods which relocate them also. Look at my sig. He also can make you some with all the emission soleniods i believe, unless he stopped offering them, so check on that also.
Good luck and just do it. It's not that bad. I know considering i've done it myself.
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: Saskatoon
ok so yesterday when i started this thread i really overreacted, i apologize to everyone but i was really pissed at mazda because at the moment for this year at least i dont have a job that allows me to spend much time working on my car and i no longer live even within reasonable distance of a shop that would touch it. (about 450 miles is the closest one) i know i really overreacted by even thinking about taking a car in which there is nothing wrong with it and wanting to rip out most of the sequential system just to avoid future diagnosing headaches. so im a little calmer today and my question to everyone is do you think the simplicity of a non-sequential turbo is worth sacrificing the low end benefits of the intact system?
let me again apologize for going off on here but to be told by a dealer sorry we wont even look at your car when the next time i might get to spend a few hours or a weekend on my car is... well i have no idea!
let me again say my car runs ok right now but knowing my situation if something were to go wrong in the future, in your opinion is the simplicity of having a non-sequential worth sacrificing the low-end pull of the sequential set up? Keep in mind i think eventually i will be going single turbo anyways.
No hard feelings.
let me again apologize for going off on here but to be told by a dealer sorry we wont even look at your car when the next time i might get to spend a few hours or a weekend on my car is... well i have no idea!
let me again say my car runs ok right now but knowing my situation if something were to go wrong in the future, in your opinion is the simplicity of having a non-sequential worth sacrificing the low-end pull of the sequential set up? Keep in mind i think eventually i will be going single turbo anyways.
No hard feelings.
Huh?
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 670
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore, Maryland
You know, the only time I ever really cursed Mazda was when I was replacing the fuel filter. I think we can all agree that the placement of this item was a boneheaded move on their part. 
Sometimes I get a little irritated that an item that would normally be easy to fix/replace on my DD, is a nightmare to work with on the FD. Then I realize how amazing the car is, and performance in this price range comes with a number of compromises.
As far as dealer support is concerned, I would agree with your statements if it was still the 90's. Its almost 2008, and some of these cars are getting close to 15 years old. Many of them neglected by their owners. IMO, you can't expect a dealer to be up to speed on technology this old. Especially considering the rarity of the car, and the attrition rate of mechanics.
I've said this before: This car is not for everyone, and I wear that like a badge. We should all be proud of the fact that it takes a certain amount of patience, and knowledge to have a well running example.
Sometimes I get a little irritated that an item that would normally be easy to fix/replace on my DD, is a nightmare to work with on the FD. Then I realize how amazing the car is, and performance in this price range comes with a number of compromises. As far as dealer support is concerned, I would agree with your statements if it was still the 90's. Its almost 2008, and some of these cars are getting close to 15 years old. Many of them neglected by their owners. IMO, you can't expect a dealer to be up to speed on technology this old. Especially considering the rarity of the car, and the attrition rate of mechanics.
I've said this before: This car is not for everyone, and I wear that like a badge. We should all be proud of the fact that it takes a certain amount of patience, and knowledge to have a well running example.
even with the twins in non sequential they pull quite hard in the low RPMs and there is no transition where the boost can spike or you feel the car pull harder after a certain point(when both turbos kick on). there is a number of people in the same boat who had constant issues with the twins and just converted them to non sequential and haven't been all too disappointed, so yes it is a possible alley if you ever run into a brick wall with the sequentials.
The FD is a pain in the *** to do just about anything. Is it worth it?? I still have mine
Racecar - Formula 2000
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,029
Likes: 367
From: Bath, OH
I agree 100%. That is certainly one of the reasons I enjoy owning my FD so much. It sets us apart from everyone owning plug & play, cookie-cutter cars.
OP needs to pick up a factory manual and get his **** together- it really isn't that hard to work on these cars.
the only exclusive notion to owning this car is that those with well running examples have 1. a lot of money 2. are really lucky and 3. want it bad enough to learn how to rock it.
the only exclusive notion to owning this car is that those with well running examples have 1. a lot of money 2. are really lucky and 3. want it bad enough to learn how to rock it.
Racecar - Formula 2000
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,029
Likes: 367
From: Bath, OH
OP needs to pick up a factory manual and get his **** together- it really isn't that hard to work on these cars.
the only exclusive notion to owning this car is that those with well running examples have 1. a lot of money 2. are really lucky and 3. want it bad enough to learn how to rock it.
the only exclusive notion to owning this car is that those with well running examples have 1. a lot of money 2. are really lucky and 3. want it bad enough to learn how to rock it.
The problems, though, are:
1. Having the knowledge/confidence before you start so that you don't screw up
2. Having enough time to do it properly
3. Having a place to do it where you can leave the car sit if you don't get done
4. Balancing the cost of having it done against the time lost working on something more profitable...
5. Having a second car to drive if you don't finish/find add'l things that need to be bought/fixed
So, it is always a personal decision whether to work on a car yourself, or have someone else do it. However, as said many times before, can you find someone you can trust to work on it? That is the biggest problem with having someone else work on your FD.
Dave
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: Saskatoon
OP needs to pick up a factory manual and get his **** together- it really isn't that hard to work on these cars.
the only exclusive notion to owning this car is that those with well running examples have 1. a lot of money 2. are really lucky and 3. want it bad enough to learn how to rock it.
the only exclusive notion to owning this car is that those with well running examples have 1. a lot of money 2. are really lucky and 3. want it bad enough to learn how to rock it.
having money is great and all but unless everyone like yourself has easy access to a knowledgeable shop its pretty much useless. im not amazed by your attitude, but to have this car and still be in school your either selling drugs (which some of your threads suggest you may) or your a spoiled rich kid. get off your high horse and stop thinking that people ought to be able to do everything they want whenever they want to. its just not realistic.
Last edited by cp1; Dec 5, 2007 at 12:57 PM.
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
From: vancouver canada
are we talking about highschool or university ??
.. because i know that whenever i want to procrastinate on writing a paper, doing reading, or studying for an exam i can just run away (it beats doing something more productive like the school work, or cleaning the house.. lol) ... going to school 2 days a week helps too
...... history schedules kick ***, all the science kids have atleast 3 days of classes if they do 4classes 3x a week... i do 2 clases 2x a week!
... and yeah i agree with you and the dealer support..... ive got an old volvo for a dd (86) and if there is something i cant do on it theres never any problem with going to a dealer and getting it fixed.... mind you its incredibly simple to work on..... but the notion that ive got support if i mess up is always nice to have
.. because i know that whenever i want to procrastinate on writing a paper, doing reading, or studying for an exam i can just run away (it beats doing something more productive like the school work, or cleaning the house.. lol) ... going to school 2 days a week helps too
...... history schedules kick ***, all the science kids have atleast 3 days of classes if they do 4classes 3x a week... i do 2 clases 2x a week! ... and yeah i agree with you and the dealer support..... ive got an old volvo for a dd (86) and if there is something i cant do on it theres never any problem with going to a dealer and getting it fixed.... mind you its incredibly simple to work on..... but the notion that ive got support if i mess up is always nice to have
Huh?
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 670
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore, Maryland
just judging from the threads youve started in the past turning a wrench hasnt been one of your favorite activities either. i wish i was still in school and had all the freedom that having a real career with real responsibility just doesnt allow for. socal is wonderful for its many rotary experts so if you dont have the time to fix your car congrats, no biggie, just have it towed to a reputable shop nearby. and wait for your phone to ring to say its all done. as a former apprentice mechanic i dont need another punk thats still in school telling me how to use a service manual or to pick up a ratchet. i suggest you love the car while your young because when you get a real life theres far more important things going on that dont allow you to escape to the garage for two weeks to rebuild a motor yourself.
having money is great and all but unless everyone like yourself has easy access to a knowledgeable shop its pretty much useless. im not amazed by your attitude, but to have this car and still be in school your either selling drugs (which some of your threads suggest you may) or your a spoiled rich kid. get off your high horse and stop thinking that people ought to be able to do everything they want whenever they want to. its just not realistic.
having money is great and all but unless everyone like yourself has easy access to a knowledgeable shop its pretty much useless. im not amazed by your attitude, but to have this car and still be in school your either selling drugs (which some of your threads suggest you may) or your a spoiled rich kid. get off your high horse and stop thinking that people ought to be able to do everything they want whenever they want to. its just not realistic.
I'd be willing to bet that most of us are in a very similar situation as you. I'm married (no kids), but I have a long commute (2+ hrs each way), and a long day of bullshit office politics to deal with, not to mention the fact that being a homeowner adds a great deal to my work load. I also manage my wife's wedding floral business, which lately has taken up a lot of my time. This isn't even mentioning the fact that somewhere along the lines, my wife needs some attention too. I certainly don't have a lot of time to devote to my FD (or any of my other projects for that matter), and I have to admit that I feel a bit guilty about that at times. In fact, I pulled my engine 2 weeks ago, and its still not on the engine stand.
I love the car though, and working on it is like therapy for me. I like the fact that it is challenging to work on, and I take pride in being able to do it myself. Even though it may take me 2 months to finish the R&R, when I am done it will have been worth all of the effort.
The bottom line? I say stick with it dude, and don't let the FD kick you in the ***!! Tell that bitch who's boss!!
Recovering Miataholic
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,559
Likes: 50
From: Fountain Valley, CA
... what i have the biggest problem with is what happens when you want your car to work and something happens but you dont either have the time to do it yourself, the tools to do it yourself, the knowledge to do it yourself, the space to do it yourself, or a job that requires travel and you can only spend maybe 3 hours every two weeks on it.
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: Saskatoon
Totally agree with you guys 100% and its nice to know that this whole forum isnt just 17year old kids with too much time and money wondering what they want to do with their life. its refreshing to hear from you guys.
just judging from the threads youve started in the past turning a wrench hasnt been one of your favorite activities either. i wish i was still in school and had all the freedom that having a real career with real responsibility just doesnt allow for. socal is wonderful for its many rotary experts so if you dont have the time to fix your car congrats, no biggie, just have it towed to a reputable shop nearby. and wait for your phone to ring to say its all done. as a former apprentice mechanic i dont need another punk thats still in school telling me how to use a service manual or to pick up a ratchet. i suggest you love the car while your young because when you get a real life theres far more important things going on that dont allow you to escape to the garage for two weeks to rebuild a motor yourself.
having money is great and all but unless everyone like yourself has easy access to a knowledgeable shop its pretty much useless. im not amazed by your attitude, but to have this car and still be in school your either selling drugs (which some of your threads suggest you may) or your a spoiled rich kid. get off your high horse and stop thinking that people ought to be able to do everything they want whenever they want to. its just not realistic.
having money is great and all but unless everyone like yourself has easy access to a knowledgeable shop its pretty much useless. im not amazed by your attitude, but to have this car and still be in school your either selling drugs (which some of your threads suggest you may) or your a spoiled rich kid. get off your high horse and stop thinking that people ought to be able to do everything they want whenever they want to. its just not realistic.
haha for all the screaming and pouting you do initially in this thread, i'm flattered you took the time to hone in on anything you can complain about me.
reasons i decided to comment on this thread were that you were 1. complaining about how people "unknowningly" picked up a project car. i always knew what this car was, knew what a big project it was.
2. you picked this car up for the "style and the rotary engine". you know, with most decently prudent buyers, there's somewhat of a notion of caution when "rotary engine" comes to mind. for you to bitch and moan about what we all do is fine.
to reiterate what we already know about unrelaibility and how mazda dropped the ball because you picked up a wrench and realized it was a bitch you didn't want to deal with- i don't consider acceptable.
i hate to judge your character, but you come off extremely defensive.
you should have known about all of the hours necessary to maintain this car, and no one needs to hear your "harsh reality of a working man" spiel. i've met with many working men that own rx-7s over time and they never copped out on the car, or complained about how difficult it is maintaining both. i learned that they do it because they WANT to. not because it was some unfortunate life circumstance.
again, you bit off more than you could chew with this car, but projection to the car company that created this car over a decade ago isn't really a sound argument, now is it?
you really should pick yourself a factory manual. try going non-sequential. i'm just giving you legitimate advice that should have struck you as common sense- rotary shops are rare, and that's why most people utilize the forum.
and as a final comment to the theme of your lack of preparation/determination, i paid for my car with my own money, and spent two years shopping just to choose the right one. i don't deal drugs, i've got too much going for me. so get off your sad horse, pick up that wrench, remember that neither mazda nor I are the culprit of your problems
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 347
Likes: 1
From: Morristown, NJ
When you turn you FD on, Does it return the favor??
The FD is not alone in lack of dealer knowledge/competence. My wife and I owned a '99 Passat 1.8Turbo (pretty much the base model!), and the lack of knowledge/competence at the dealer service department was ridiculous. For instance, it took them over 2.5 years (mostly under warrantee) to fix multiple oil leaks caused by a malfunctioning PCV system, EVEN THOUGH I TOLD THEM IN WRITING THAT THE PCV SYSTEM WAS THE PROBLEM when we first took it in. And this was not their only screwup! I could rant for pages on their lack of knowledge, lack of competence, and lack of honesty.
So Mazda is not, IMO, by any means, the worst of the lot in dealer service department dysfunctionality.
Also, as others have said, the FD's 13-year-old complex sequential turbo system was pretty much the state of the art in the late '80's and early '90's. This complex system, and the small # of FD's sold in the US sure didn't help the service situation.
Bottom line: the FD, as we all know, is not for everyone. But, as far as dealers go, I do share your anger and frustration.
So Mazda is not, IMO, by any means, the worst of the lot in dealer service department dysfunctionality.
Also, as others have said, the FD's 13-year-old complex sequential turbo system was pretty much the state of the art in the late '80's and early '90's. This complex system, and the small # of FD's sold in the US sure didn't help the service situation.
Bottom line: the FD, as we all know, is not for everyone. But, as far as dealers go, I do share your anger and frustration.
I use to own a Big Block 1966 427/425Hp Corvette Coupe. On the first day I blew the motor, which turned out to be a replacement anyway and, replace the engine with an L-88 GM replacement engine... That car was a monster and 1/2. But the point is..... that L-88 and MY 1993 R-1 FD share one thing in common....
When I turn the car on, Man, does it return the favor !!!!
Huh?
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 670
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore, Maryland
Ya know.... when you consider the small number of 3rd Gen FDs sold in United States.... I find it amazing that such a small "Sales-FootPrint" could ultimately result in such an enormous impact and impression on the general public.
I use to own a Big Block 1966 427/425Hp Corvette Coupe. On the first day I blew the motor, which turned out to be a replacement anyway and, replace the engine with an L-88 GM replacement engine... That car was a monster and 1/2. But the point is..... that L-88 and MY 1993 R-1 FD share one thing in common....
When I turn the car on, Man, does it return the favor !!!!
I use to own a Big Block 1966 427/425Hp Corvette Coupe. On the first day I blew the motor, which turned out to be a replacement anyway and, replace the engine with an L-88 GM replacement engine... That car was a monster and 1/2. But the point is..... that L-88 and MY 1993 R-1 FD share one thing in common....
When I turn the car on, Man, does it return the favor !!!!
QFT!!!!!