3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002) 1993-2002 Discussion including performance modifications and Technical Support Sections.
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Old Nov 30, 2003 | 11:17 PM
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wRxTaCy's Avatar
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reliable?

Sup

I could have an rx-7 2morrow but before i waste 20 grand i wanted to know if these cars are really as unreliable as some people say they are. I hear about a few things the rx-7 are prone to but i wanna know if its because people do dumb **** with em or they modd em the wrong way or what. I just dont wnna end up replacing stuff every 3 months.

Thnx
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Old Nov 30, 2003 | 11:52 PM
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Just like any other car, keep on top of the maintanence, check the fluids often (I check mine when I get gas), and be smart about your mods.
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Old Nov 30, 2003 | 11:54 PM
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What all people do to these cars, and how they drive them makes a big difference. The rotary engine in general is pretty finiky. You really have to treat them right. Slap 2 turbos on there and you have even more of a responsibility. If you consider that the FD is a ~10 year old supersports car, it's decently reliable. You will have problems though. As the old phrase goes " If you don't have exstensive automotive mechanical knowledge before you bought an FD, you will within a year of owning it." In my opinion, any problems you'll have, regardless, it's totally worth it...
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Old Nov 30, 2003 | 11:54 PM
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It would be wise not to have one as your daily driver. Just have to maintain it well. All fluids and vitals must be watched and maintained carefully. If you get it, do some reliability mods like the AST, ziptieing the hoses, and cooling etc
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Old Dec 1, 2003 | 12:11 AM
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If I were you, I would spend a good 10-20 hours learning/reading about the car you're about to spend $20,000 on. It's the least you could do.

You might totally change your mind about the car.

Also, I'm not sure how much you know about buying an rx-7, but you might discover something that would end up costing you a fortune in the not to distant future.

Your call though bud... Maintenance really shouldn't be an issue if you know your car and treat it well. Yeah, you will have problems... but every car over 10 years old has problems.
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Old Dec 1, 2003 | 12:11 AM
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What all people do to these cars, and how they drive them makes a big difference. The rotary engine in general is pretty finiky. You really have to treat them right. Slap 2 turbos on there and you have even more of a responsibility. If you consider that the FD is a ~10 year old supersports car, it's decently reliable. You will have problems though. As the old phrase goes " If you don't have exstensive automotive mechanical knowledge before you bought an FD, you will within a year of owning it." In my opinion, any problems you'll have, regardless, it's totally worth it...
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Old Dec 1, 2003 | 12:48 AM
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oh and whats this i hear about the apex seals getting messed up? how can this be prevented? how much will it cost to be replaced?
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Old Dec 1, 2003 | 12:55 AM
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Originally posted by wRxTaCy
oh and whats this i hear about the apex seals getting messed up? how can this be prevented? how much will it cost to be replaced?
The cost of an engine rebuild. You really should not buy this car. There are alot of hidden costs, and hidden problems which cannot be seen until you have done alot of research, and not just an hour or a day. You will very likely be spending alot of time fixing problems.
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Old Dec 1, 2003 | 01:10 AM
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Replacing the apex seals necessitates rebuilding the engine! This can be prevented by modding the car properly to avoid detonation.

Do yourself a BIG favor and check out this site before buying any RX-7:

http://www.rx7turboturbo.com/robrobinette/buyaused.htm

If you're really stuck on the car and want one, buy a clean, well-cared for, low mileage example (or one with a new engine). Have a compression done to gauge the engine's health, and if it checks out and you buy it, do the "reliability mods", keep the car relatively stock, be on top of maintenance, and you should have a timelessly beautiful car with excellent handling that will serve you well.

P.S. '94 and '95 cars are generally known to have less issues as opposed to the '93 models which had a number of recalls and your typical "first year model" problems. They will be harder to find and expect to pay a little bit more.

Last edited by SpeedKing; Dec 1, 2003 at 01:13 AM.
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Old Dec 1, 2003 | 12:11 PM
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i read these forums for 2 years in silence before i bought mine... and i got an amazing one with a new motor!

my requirements when i was looking were either low miles and stock or new engine and reliably modified...
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Old Dec 1, 2003 | 12:23 PM
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5288 threads came up when I did a SEARCH for RELIABLE!

Woo hoo for making this one 5289.



start here...

https://www.rx7club.com/search.php?s...der=descending
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