juanton600

So I'm new to this and to rotary. Been spending lots of time researching rotary info. Have a few questions for everyone who owns an Rx-7. What I've found is that the Rx-7 can be a reliable car if taken care of (i believe this with any car) and since it is a high performance car its important to monitor the car in order for reliability. I've read so far that you can see 200K miles on the rotary engines. What i wanna know is out of the people who do own them how reliable have they been? Can you count on them to be a daily driver? Has any one seen a daily driver with high mileage? With any car the higher the mileage the more likely there is to be problems. I know if i buy one ill end up putting time work and money into it but thats OK I'm a car enthusiast. I'm not certain of the model I'm gonna buy but i wanted some insider info and things to consider that people have experienced that they wish some one would have told them. Any and all info will be appreciated.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

There is a difference between the FC and FD though. From the factory, the FC was very reliable. From the factory, the FD however, was not. While the work required on the FC falls more in line with just replacing stuff becuase the car is old, the FD requires some reworking of the cooling and turbo system.

So you are kind of in a similar situation with both vehicles. The FD costs more to purchase.

89fc3sgtu

iTrader: (3)

i daily drive my fc and have for more than year

canonize-ryda

as said since i got my fc ive replaced the brake master, clutch master, clutch, pulsation damper. thats about it for stock replaced parts. other than that in 3 years its been nice and ive never once regreted it

FD3SPT

I'm not an expert but I believe the biggest problem related to the FD's engines, is the rotor extremeties, getting in desuse over time, letting the fluids pass to the next chambers because the isolation is wasted.

Bad english but I hope someone explains better.

EDIT:

APEX Seal parts..

juanton600

That info was greatly appreciated.

Cordt

aaroncake said it best. the FCs are old and usually need a lot of stuff replaced (bushings, brakes, bearings, CV axles, U-joints, exhaust systems, you name it.)
i bought mine for 700 bucks and have put over 3,000 into minor repairs like that. however it has 260,000KM on it and is still running strong. the engine is the only thing i have never had a problem with in both my FB and my FC, its all the other old parts failing that cost all the money and cause headaches :P

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

FDs are a bit of a handful. They are complicated cars made with many lightweight parts. A lot of parts that last the life of the car on other cars will wear out in an FD in just a few years. So maintenance is a lot higher. Mazda's scheduled maintenance for the FD is arguably insufficient. Parts new or used are much harder to find and more costly. The engine typically lasts less than 100k. You will not find FD parts in a junkyard. And that's not counting the issues and costs of modifying and customizing the car. So in short this is the reputation of the FD for being unreliable and expensive.

FDs are not very practical as daily drivers. They don't fit large individuals (>200lb, >6 ft tall) well, they drink gas, they don't do winter well, insurance is brutal, they don't hold hardly any cargo, and the interiors aren't terribly durable. The FD is a fun car. Great for autocross, track days, weekend driving, etc.

Especially now that most have some mileage and years taking a toll, the key to an FD is to buy the best car you can afford and leave money to make it better. If the previous owner was conscientious, you'll be able to do a little maintenance and go with it. Most FDs for sale were not kept up with the latest maintenance practices, so in many cases there will be work to do right away to make the car reliable. Project cars are one thing, but project FDs are another. Even if you have an entire machine shop and body shop at your disposal, then buying a cheap FD and "restoring" it to become a nice street car will be a financial mess. It's been tried many times and the end result either costs much more than buying a good car up front or the project fails.

With the right budget and expectations, you can have a reliable and higher performance FD. But it needs to be done right. The rewards are worth it.

canonize-ryda

well said, ive only had one rx7 and when i think about a it the rx7 is like three totally different cars. ive always wanted a fd but figured many years of learning about them and finding out where i stand on the decision would be the best way. no matter if i could i would buy a FD. ive personally never seen a real TII or FD in my life only 4 total na just like mine. but i am getting smarter so when a FD presents itself i will be ready. id get a fc and work up to a fd in other words.

juanton600

See this id the info i was looking for thanks again its really helping out alot!! I may opt to go with the fc to have fun and learn about the rotor and its style and class. Any one have any info regarding the Rx-8 in terms of reliability or a daily driver i may opt for this route too but would like info like what was provided above.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

The RX-8 is bigger and more expensive than an FC but easier to maintain than an FD.

Do take care, I don't think the RX-8 motor is considered to be as bulletproof as the 1st and 2nd gen RX-7 motors.

David

Digi7ech

iTrader: (1)

I highly recommend an NA FC as a first rotary car.

They aren't too temperamental like the FD or turbo FC motor.

Once you know the quirks you can do a TII swap or buy a TII car.

The original NA motors only last 100-150k usually.
My 88 SE went on to 155k.
My 88 GTU blew up at 100k.
Both coolant seal failures which will be the biggest issue for you here in AZ.

My first rebuilt TII motor lasted about 75k.
My current rebuilt TII motor took 2 years of daily driving and now is a dedicated track car and has a year and a half of that under it's belt. I'm guessing it has about 80k on it.

In the end though. I recommend buying a 240sx or something else as a daily and making the FC a fun weekend/track car. I was constantly working on the FC and even had back up parts with me in case I broke. A huge headache and I waste all the fun mileage the engine had on lame daily driving.

MIChiefGCB

I have a 95 that I just recently had rebuilt along with a few mods (FMIC, ported, BNR turbos, FC Commander,etc.) and now I need to have it tuned. Thje engine currently has just a little over 800 miles on it. I live in Western Kentucky in a small town (Paducah) so there aren't any rotary-smart tuners around close. Anyone know where I might be able to take my car to get it properly tuned? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Gregg