I have been doing a lot of reading out the 3rd gens.
such as this one
http://www.rx7.org/Robinette/buyaused.htm

and it seems like these cars are just ticking bombs.
That article makes them seem really unreliable. And buying a used one will most likely lead to lots of problems.

Im thinking about buying one, but will most likely have to buy one sight unseen. And having so many issues to look out for kind of scares me and is off putting.

I guess im just wondering if they are really that bad? Are the engines that unreliable? (having to replace at 60,000 miles?)

I know most of it comes down to if the car was beat on and abused. But living in Wisconsin, I doubt theres any decent mechanic or even tuner I can take this car to if I need some things looked at.

So what are your guys' thoughts.

 

Hi, welcome to the forum. Right off the bat, obviously with the cars reputation, this question has been asked/addressed many times. Spending a few hours searching this forum will give you all of the information you could ask for. For a quick answer, the cars do require a bit more special attention to detail and maintenance than most, but in the right hands can be quite reliable. I would personally advise against buying one sight unseen, and if you arent comfortable working on them yourself, and dont have a knowledgable rotary mechanic local, it may not be the car for you.

 

I havent searched the forums for peoples opinion, So I supposed I can do that. i was just looking around on google. thanks for the welcoming though!

Just trying to get multiple opinions instead of one site (like the one i linked to). which makes it seem like every car is basically sketchy

For the most part, I can work on them. Aside from engine rebuilding, there really hasnt been anything I havent done. (I've owned other imports, boats, sport bikes, cruisers, muscle cars, etc) So I have a pretty broad knowledge of things and am not too afraid to tackle things.

I dont beat my cars and take good care of them. Its just getting one that isnt going to need a motor in the next few years is what is scary to me.

 

I would NEVER buy a FD sight unseen. Have someone who is knowledgeable with FDs check it out before purchasing one. Other than that, your questions have been asked on a weekly basis, do a quick search or read the FAQ here on the forum.

 

Start with the FAQ at the top of this 3rd gen forum, and go from there :

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/faq-3rd-gen-other-useful-links-68640/

There are a few key parts that were a bit inadequate from the factory, and age and years of use/abuse often leads them to fail. Couple that with modifications that push the car past what the factory ECU could compensate for boost-wise, and this is where most of the horror stories arise from.

 

It's an old rare sports car with an unusual engine that already had some problems from the factory. It sounds like the OP needs to get something like a C5 Corvette which anyone can work on.

Even if you do every reliability mod and do everything right, the interior will still fall apart and you will have a bunch of stupid electrical problems just like almost every other old sports car.

 

Check out a few of howard coleman's threads. Especially the one on reliability. The main killers are neglect(DUH) and heat. I have just gone through mine and after having built countless piston engines I don't think I'll ever look back. After taking the time and money to simplify the engine this Rotary is streamlined and so so so simple!

 

As everyone else said, learn about them as you can. Quality parts, quality maintenance= KICK *** RIDE!

 

This car has a steep learning curve, but it is the definition of unique, and you rarely see them. Here in Charlotte, I don't think I have seen ONE in two years of driving.

If you want a simple stupid sports car, get a C6 vette or a 370 Z and blend in with the masses...

 

ticking time bombs.... only if you decide to go out and buy one and not heed the advice of the people on this forum.

 

these cars suck on the wallet... theyre money hungry black holes . They take alot of care and patience.
Do not get int once unless you are willing to deal with the above.


I really should practice what i preach. lol

 

If you find a good stock one there is probably around $1000 that could be spent on reliability modifications. If you keep it near stock with can be very reliable as long as you take care of it. If you're in a remote country that did not import the RX-7 it is really not a good idea. One that has been improperly modified, poorly maintained and owned by a doofus would certainly be a ticking time bomb. They just don't have the margin for error that some other vehicles do. Stay on top of it and you're fine.

 

they are like high maintenance girl but definitely a head turner

 

The sketchiness of these cars stems primarily from the cooling system, vacuum lines, and complicated turbo systems.

At this point in the car's life cycle I wouldn't recommend any first time buyer pick one up as a daily driver. Better to drive it on the weekends and get any issues rectified over time and get on top of the learning curve before driving it often.

 

Get a FSM and do your research on modifications. My FD runs like a champ and takes a beating like any honda out there. I've never owned a rotary before and I haven't had any problems other than spending a **** ton a money on it and having to listen to my fiance bitch about it. I bought mine bone stock and had Banzai-Racing do my rebuild for a great deal. My brother does all my mechanical work since I suck at it. I've done all the research and that combined with his mechanical abilities has lead to a fun strong car. I'm doing the bushings and suspension myself which has been pretty cool. Bottom line is these cars are just fine and if you do things blindly it will bite you in the *** but that is the case with any car you modify. All you have to do is know what you are doing and why before hand. My brother even does my tuning and this is the first car he has tuned. My buddy who owns the local shop who's dyno we use helps as well but he has never dealt with a rotary either.

 

you are correct in that the FD does require special attention and understanding. since the car is around 17 years of age all of the work has been done and the product of the process is all here on this forum.

if you wish to keep your FD close to stock the cost and complexity of the required mods is modest but does need to be done.

since the FD is turbo'd it is easy to crank up the boost, either w the factory setup or aftermarket and it is at this point the cost and complexity rises. (surprise surprise)...

again, all the blood sweat and capital has been expended and all you have to do is look for the answers here. do not expect to get them all in 15 minutes.

at levels up to 500-600 rwhp the FD can be a daily driver and quite reliable.

it is also really easy to blow it up at 300 hp...

you have to do it all correctly and if you do very few cars will reward you as the FD,

it is especially super on the street and on road courses... (think Road America)

i live in Wisconsin and we are really really lucky to have Beyond Redline in Green Bay. i have worked w Luke Stubbs the resident genius/proprietor with my FD since 04.

here are a couple of threads for you:

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/making-case-rotary-powered-fd-fix-806104/

https://www.rx7club.com/suspension-wheels-tires-brakes-20/howard-colemans-fd-chassis-setup-723617/

feel free to call me w any questions...

good luck,

howard

 

These cars can be dead on reliable. The guy behind the wheel is the determining factor. If you buy an fd, expect to do $2-3k worth of work to get it in top shape(assuming the car is in pretty good shape to start). Once the correct mods have been added they can be great DD cars. I will be doing a write up about this in the following 3-4 weeks. I bought a fd I will be daily driving and will do a write up with my suggestions on the best way to build a nice and reliable fd.

 

I wouldn't buy one sight unseen either. You are welcome to post up the location and see if there is a local shop that can do a pre purchase inspection.

 

Just to reiterate:

These cars are 18 years old now, and there are some real roaches out there, some with shiny exteriors that hide the problems underneath. You've really got to know what you're buying, and be prepared to sort it out a bit and keep your eyes/ears open the first little while you drive it.

That would be the same with virtually any 18 year old turbocharged supercar... but a bit more so with this one, given it's issues, and the fact that the ownership base is largely young and under-funded.

I wouldn't plan to daily-drive it, but you could if you understand the limitations. Don't expect to make the car an 10 second 600 hp drag car or all-out track beast in that case, and plan to keep after the maintenance.

Good luck!

 

This is a bit off topic but I think the 370 Z looks pregnant. One thing I've always liked about the FD is it looks like a car on a diet

Too many fat chicks and fat cars in this country...

 

The 370z is a step in the right direction but it still has a long way to go.

 

having seen a couple "bought unseen" cars, i'd never do it again. what the seller considers small, and what the buyer considers small is not the same....

these cars get a bad rap for reliability, mostly due to poor mechanic skill. yes there are a lot of vacuum lines, and they do actually need to go to the right places. etc etc

the rotary engine is different than a piston too, basically if there is a problem you replace/rebuild the whole engine vs rebuilding the head or something. its actually kind of better, as you can check everything on top of the motor, and start fresh.

the engines are more durable than say an STI motor too, and if its a weekend toy, even 60,000miles is like a decade of driving.

a stock FD with all the updated stock parts, is totally reliable and pretty trouble free actually.

my FD, i bought in 99 @74k miles, and its got over 100k on it now and its never needed anything except normal maintenance, so its got the factory intake gasket, and vacuum lines, etc etc

we did do the rear suspension pillow *****, and i did put a bigger radiator and a downpipe in it, but that's it

 

Id say the reason for its partially undeserved reputation of "unreliable", comes from several factors.

1. Mazda rotaries, in nion-turbo versions are widely known for its awesome highperformance reliability in racing. Add a huge lump of restrictive cast iron with two fans on the side, cranking up the heat to rediculous numbers, and add a way of cooling the exhaust gas temps. Mazda used... gasoline, with a crappy cooling ability and mainly created carbonised housings, apexes and rotors, leading to compressionfall or worse.

2. Rotary knowledge. Very few had experience with rotary engines back then, it was an exotic piece of engineering. People took their piston know-how, and started tuning the engine like a piston engine, with all the bad results that followed....

3. Maintanance and and engine usage. Pisspoor maintanance and the "omgzzz, 9000RPM y00000" on a cold engine has taken its toll too...


Basically, its like having a really expencive high maintanance lady by your side. Its the biggest love/hate relationship you will ever encounter. She will demand your attention, money, devotion, passion. You will have to caress her, listen to her, love her. In return, she will give you a total package of unrivalled thrill, passion, emotions and joys.

Do a searchup on the forums. The turbo rotary can be next to bulletproof, as long as you keep it top shape, have the right mods, drive it correctly and maintain it! Generally like any other high performance, small clearences supersportscar...
Just the fact that you can hammer 6-7-800hp out of a 1,3 litre... shows that the tolerances are small, the red line is thin... But, its doable

Every RX7 owner has their small things of passion, the tiniest of routines they tend to do when the rotary gives em pleassure.
Mine... is the following:
I park the car, rev it to 4000 rpm and turn off with gaspedal to the floor... I get out, lock the car...walk for about 20 yards.... turn my head, and just look at the beauty of the RX7...and smile.. Before i keep walking...!
RX7 = passion!

 

You can always put a V8 in one of these. I know a lot of people that have put a V8 in an SA22C, FC, & FD3S RX-7 they are extremely reliable. There are kits specifically made for a V8 engine in an FD. Some are even using it as a daily driver after the conversion.

Give a Look See to this Video. It's a Corvette engine in this 93 RX-7.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC65T5guDrc

Myself personally, I would never ever buy a car without getting a feel for it. Especially, a car like the RX-7.

Here is my suggestion and keep in mind it's my opinion only.

I'd buy a roller and do a clean install of either a Rotary or a V8.

Why? Because, say you do buy this car without even doing a test drive.

Following your purchase, who knows what problems you may encounter and to fix these you'll definately have to financially be ready to fix these problems.

Why not do it right by building one from scratch.

And, I know what you have written about where you're located. Finding a professional reliable shop is the KEY with these cars.

I hope I was able to help you with your inquiry.

Nadeem
P.S. The Video was awesome, was'nt it?

 

Taking it a bit far.....but yes, this summarizes the FD quite nicely. I think they can be quite reliable, but there will always be something with the car to work on....or something that fails, expectedly or unexpectedly. You'll curse, wonder why you put up with this ****....but then you put up with the **** and keep looking at it and driving it. Weird effing ****. It makes no sense.

So.....did you end up getting one yet rtpassini? If so, welcome to the club of irrational FD enthusiasts. If not, you'll probably be happier in the long run....at least your sanity and wallet would be.