What is the Reliability of the 3rd gen rx7?
Apprentice Guru
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Cloud Nine and Peak of God
Very poor, this is why their importation was stopped. They were too complex, very few mechanics could understand them, and in the end Mazda was loosing money getting them repaired under warranty.
506 RWHP 12A..
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 485
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From: Norway
Now now, lets not get into another 1.st gen are better than 3.rd gen argument! (Though they are 
) The fact is, all rotarys are reliable, as long as they are well maintained and looked after. Some are more complex than others, but generally the best engines are made pre 86! The reason beeing 1mm more. (You guys know what i mean!)
) The fact is, all rotarys are reliable, as long as they are well maintained and looked after. Some are more complex than others, but generally the best engines are made pre 86! The reason beeing 1mm more. (You guys know what i mean!)
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Get an aluminum radiator, aluminum ast, Evans npg+ and a downpipe. Never boost more than stock or race it and change the oil, oil fiter, air filter, gas filter and spark plugs often. Replace all vaccum hoses when they get brittle and send the injectors for professional cleanup. Always use 93 octane or higher, have proper warm up and cool down periods, and don't wreck it...
Do all this and it may last you 150k miles
Do all this and it may last you 150k miles
Constant threat
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,968
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From: near Wichita, Kansas
One COULD say they are VERY reliable, if you consider that they are a highly-strung, highly stressed, and make a helluva lot of power per cubic inch.
Compared to say a Jaguar, or a Lotus, or perhaps a Ferrari or even a Porsche, the 'cost-per-mile' may actually be lower. One of the problems is that owners of those cars are used to shelling out $5k for a spark plug change/tune up, or $500 alternators that last only a year or two, etc. For the most part, the rest of us are NOT used to that, and even more we are used to putting 250,000 miles on the old Corolla and never spending a dime....lol!
Look, I got over 90K miles on mine and the only reason it broke was due to my own fault, making mods and not taking everything into account. It seems to me that there are a lot of FDs that made it to 90,000 or even over 100,000 miles without any real problems.
THAT is indeed reliable, considering the overall circumstances.
Compared to say a Jaguar, or a Lotus, or perhaps a Ferrari or even a Porsche, the 'cost-per-mile' may actually be lower. One of the problems is that owners of those cars are used to shelling out $5k for a spark plug change/tune up, or $500 alternators that last only a year or two, etc. For the most part, the rest of us are NOT used to that, and even more we are used to putting 250,000 miles on the old Corolla and never spending a dime....lol!
Look, I got over 90K miles on mine and the only reason it broke was due to my own fault, making mods and not taking everything into account. It seems to me that there are a lot of FDs that made it to 90,000 or even over 100,000 miles without any real problems.
THAT is indeed reliable, considering the overall circumstances.
Lives on the Forum
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 14,716
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From: San Lorenzo, California
Yep, 1st gen motors can last a long time, but you have...
*100 hp/100 ft-lbs
*suspension borrowed from a family car -- mac struts and live axle (well designed watts linkage though)
*poor brakes
*manual choke (hehe)
Let's be honest, the FD makes more than double the torque and 2.5 times the hp. The FD has great brakes (for street use) and a true race-car suspension. The FD was meant to take on the exotics at a lower price, not mean to be a budget sports car.
Don't get me wrong, I loved my 79 GS and still miss it, but the FD is a completely different animal and is in a different class of cars all together. Bajaman made some excellent points. I mean how many miles do Ferraris typically rack up before an engine rebuild? 60k maybe? I don't see Ferraris suffering daily ridicule like the rotary (turbo) does...
*100 hp/100 ft-lbs
*suspension borrowed from a family car -- mac struts and live axle (well designed watts linkage though)
*poor brakes
*manual choke (hehe)
Let's be honest, the FD makes more than double the torque and 2.5 times the hp. The FD has great brakes (for street use) and a true race-car suspension. The FD was meant to take on the exotics at a lower price, not mean to be a budget sports car.
Don't get me wrong, I loved my 79 GS and still miss it, but the FD is a completely different animal and is in a different class of cars all together. Bajaman made some excellent points. I mean how many miles do Ferraris typically rack up before an engine rebuild? 60k maybe? I don't see Ferraris suffering daily ridicule like the rotary (turbo) does...
Drunken Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 184
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From: Wisconsin
Originally Posted by rynberg
I mean how many miles do Ferraris typically rack up before an engine rebuild? 60k maybe? I don't see Ferraris suffering daily ridicule like the rotary (turbo) does...
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 349
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From: Perth, Australia
I like how this thread sat right below this other thread:
What did I do this time? Damn Thing Won't Start
What did I do this time? Damn Thing Won't Start
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