About 2nd gen 7
 

I have been reading about RX7 for a week.......become a rotary wannabe.....I was a vtec guy b4 but I sold my car as I left the country for a while.....anyway....hoping to buy a RX7 now becuz the engine is so hot ..... looking for a TII or even a GXL would be fine for me but it must be 89-91 .....

I am not posting a car req here....all I want to ask is ....... I have read a lot article here and people always have problem in 7 about this and that.....flooding....smoking .....engine need rebuild .... leaking ......more and more stories......It just sounds like 7 is a tough car to maintain.....it seems always have problem and sit in the garage for nursing......I am not a machanic here..... I just worry i could not fix the car well when it has whatever illness...all the people here sounds like they do spend a lot of time on their 7.....is 7 a car for those who is good at trouble shooting ? Plz tell me if 7 is a good daily ride or no ? I am not looking for a ride that I have to mess around for 6 days and finally I can show off for 1-2 hours on Sunday night.....honestly, I have been driving my 92 civic for 3 years and it never gave me a shit....hope all of you guys can lead me a way from this....thanks.

I own an '89 GXL, and the only "problems" I've had after a year and a half of owning it is the alternator and alternator belt. As long as you change the oil regularly, make sure the apex seals are getting the lube they need, and let it warm up before beating it, it should last. The NA's are pretty resilient.
BTW: the engine was rebuilt before I got it, so there's about 30,000 on it. The chassis has 130,000.

RX-7s are great daily drivers. Remember that alot of people use the forum to ask questions about problems they have, there are alot more 7's thats don't have any problems. but regular maitenence is a MUST with the rotary. Oil, oil and oil, that is the most important thing to pay attantion to. always remember to change you're oil regularly. with some maitenence your 7 will last a long and happy time. my rotary rocket has 262000 on the clock and is running great.

Do you agree most of the problems are on 13B turbo 7 ?

I would just say, from my impressions, that the '89-'91 13B N/A is probably the most reliable rotary that Mazda ever built. You start getting into problems with the turbo charged models, coupled with poor maintainence. You have to remember that the rotary engine has a few areas that need more attention that traditional piston engines; such as being vulnerable to overheating and low/dirty oil. But if you stay away from the turbos and keep a close eye on the oil and coolant levels, it should be a good car. Buying one that has been properly maintained by a knowledgable rotary enthusiast is also a must.

I have a 1990 Turbo and currently it's my daily-driver. I've driven it daily since June and it's been reliable and trustworthy as hell. If I were to drive to California tomorrow I would change the oil and drive off...that's how well it runs right now. I owned an 88 GXL (non-turbo) RX-7 for 2.5 years and it required the work that any car with 100K on it needs (clutch, shocks, exhaust, etc.) Besides a flooding glitch that is incredibly easy to avoid, these cars are almost bulletproof.

Get one checked out by an independent mechanic or rotary shop...it shouldn't cost much.