RX7's are they that bad?

Considering a few cars as my next car. So far considering

Supra (aero TT)

S4

P1

Old style mini Cooper

And the RX7, but are they that bad? with breakdowns and things going wrong etc etc.

I have been told that the engine requires a rebuild ( I knew this already) but been told it requires it every 2 years regardless of the miles you cover. I will be doing a max of 2000 miles a year and my understanding that it required a rebuild every 40-70k miles.

Anyone shed any light on this? I aint worried on the MPG and it will only be a weekend car.

That's my other dream car the Rx7 but i've heard to many bad things about them. The running cost is supposed to be scandalous.

The engine needs rebuilding when it needs rebuilding, the components don't turn into pumpkins at 24 months

The rebuild thing is a PITA but a lot of uprated stuff is available now I believe and many have had rebuilds, consider it part of the package, put a bit away each month and if the inevitable happens during your ownership get it built with better bits.

I don't think they are anything to panic about, just do your research, get a compression test to see if it has a broken apex seal or a blown side seal and if it's above 100psi without too much variation between the rotors / chambers you should be OK. I think some come out lower on one side if they have had a partial rebuild, someone who knows more might be able to confirm if this is a terrible thing or not.

I'd really like one myself, lovely cars but you'll have the same worries from potential buyers when you eventually come to shift it so might struggle to sell when the time comes.

JFDI, enjoy the experience.

I dont really have any particularly useful input but I will always remember a thread I read on an RX-7 owners board. The supra one was stuff like "you know you're a supra owner when, a girl asks you if you are single and you pop your bonnet". Anyway the rx-7 one, baring in mind this was the owners speaking, was "you know you're an rx-7 owner when you go to the meet and everybody there has turned up in the daily drivers as their rex isn't running."

Considering a few cars as my next car. So far considering

 

Supra (aero TT)

S4

P1

Old style mini Cooper

 

And the RX7, but are they that bad? with breakdowns and things going wrong etc etc.

 

I have been told that the engine requires a rebuild ( I knew this already) but been told it requires it every 2 years regardless of the miles you cover. I will be doing a max of 2000 miles a year and my understanding that it required a rebuild every 40-70k miles.

 

Anyone shed any light on this? I aint worried on the MPG and it will only be a weekend car.

With the milage you're going to be doing i'd say go for it Mark.

yup they need an oil change every 2000 miles too. i was very temted by one of these, but the supra looks and sounds so much better. in regards to mpg...a guy at work had one at like 330bhp and he wasnt seeing double figures

Integra Type R

Lol, who ever told you the 2 year thing is a joke! to date the RX7 is the best car I've ever driven and I've driven pretty much every jap performance car! as well as some other nice performance cars

Buy one with a fresh rebuild or a few k on it that has been built buy a reputable tuner and you should be fine, and if funds allow it I'd really recommened buying one with a single conversion as this does add to reliability as the sequential system really is a maze and can be unreliable

btw I blew mine up in 10 mins, hth

I have owned 6 RX7's, done it all, rebuilt engines myself, tuned and modified.

Where do you want me to start?

Mind you where ever I start it will always end with 'never again!'

Id love one and they seem very well priced at the moment.

I guess its just pot luck if you get one that will last for another 20k miles before a rebuild

I think you should budget for a rebuild when buying a rex..

Cheers for the replies guys, and the points to look for Michael.

Mind you where ever I start it will always end with 'never again!'

If I go for an RX7 I will be trying probably the impossible finding a stock one with low mileage or just had a rebuild done.

My budget I would say covers a rebuilt car (I think)

ask jugen.....and I would gladly give both my bollox for his rex!

They are very nice looking cars:d Sorry thats all I can add:)

Just make sure you buy one thats either had a rebuild (and they can prove it) or genuine low mileage and you'll be laughing. RX7's are great cars, handle well, look the business and go like stink. Being lighter than the Supra they dont need as much power to get them going so, 500bhp in an Rex feels like 700bhp in a Supra! On our Time Attack RX7, we ran 1.8 bar and no failures, ran like a dream all year and that car takes PLENTY of abuse. Go for it I would, wait for the right car and buy it.

I dont really have any particularly useful input but I will always remember a thread I read on an RX-7 owners board. The supra one was stuff like "you know you're a supra owner when, a girl asks you if you are single and you pop your bonnet". Anyway the rx-7 one, baring in mind this was the owners speaking, was "you know you're an rx-7 owner when you go to the meet and everybody there has turned up in the daily drivers as their rex isn't running."

My Brother has one and it needs an oil change every 3000, red lined every time you move it 2 inches, so no shuffling round the car park/garage. He bought one that had just had a rebuild there are a good number of examples who've just had it done and definatley recommend this. His is relativley un molested cosmetically with just a set of alloys and lowered. Doesn't feel as fast as the Supra due to the power delivery, feels more like a lawn mower Stock v Stock pretty much even until upwards of 69. Having said that they look great (probably better than a supe in stock form ) and the handling is superb. Thirst is a problem, but look on mazdarotary club for examples

Just make sure you buy one thats either had a rebuild (and they can prove it) or genuine low mileage and you'll be laughing. RX7's are great cars, handle well, look the business and go like stink. Being lighter than the Supra they dont need as much power to get them going so, 500bhp in an Rex feels like 700bhp in a Supra! On our Time Attack RX7, we ran 1.8 bar and no failures, ran like a dream all year and that car takes PLENTY of abuse. Go for it I would, wait for the right car and buy it.

Cheers Paul

What is good mileage for RX7's? been looking at cars between 20k-30k miles, also rebuilds now that I know the 2 year thing is a load of bull.

50k is when you want to start to worry, 60-70 and it will need one pretty dam soon!

Cheers Paul. I am in the right area then. At least with the budget I have in mind I will be able to get a good one. Unless I go down the supra route again, however been put off after my last supra.

Rubbish with the mileage of RX7's needing a rebuild!

There is no hard and fast mileage estimate of Rotary life. Not even a compression test can prove squat!

A Rotary engine can last 100 miles or can last 100000 miles...

It can be rebuilt by the best builder in the world and last 100 miles and throw a tip. Not that I have heard this, I have seen it happen many many times.

A rotary engine rebuild can cost from £400 to £2500 if you do it yourself(very easy).

The cost depends on the extent of the internal damage. If an Apex seal was the problem(most common), it depends on how bad it let go and what else it took out with it which factors the cost.

You could also strip and put the engine back together in one day!

The problem is the Rotary engine is sooo fragile that the slightest hiccup from the map, or a slight dip in fuel feed, or high water temps, oil temps, slight oil starvation, fuel temps, basically anything can trigger a det or abnormal condition and it can be goosed.

Thats the engine...

The cars themself are cheaply made, the interior trim is the worse I have seen.. worse than Nissan's.. and that says a lot!

But don't get me wrong, when the RX is running right, it is indeed a darn fine machine and will give many many thrills and probably one of the best 'fun driver' cars out there.

What fools people is that they are a Sexy car to look at and quite mysterious as they are different.

The best way I can describe an RX7 FD(3rd gen), is to compare with you having a mega sexy bird that when you take her out she gets all the ohhh's and ahhhh's from everyone.

But then she is a right bitch to be with, if you are lucky to get a shagg, it will be great, but it won't be often, cheap personality on the inside, high maintenance and a right pain to live with!

Day to day daily drive = 'NO'

Sorted piss about or track car = 'YES'... but good luck!

Go for it.. thats my opionion anyway!

I think they are a superb car , espcially if you are only doing low miles as fuel usage is a slight downer although driven sensibly you should see low 20's. Reliabilty wise , yes they are never going to be as good as a supra will be, but if you take the time and look after them as they should be they arent as bad as everyone makes out.

Wev had 8 or 9 ranging from totally stock to single turbo spec 450-500bhp monsters. And as Paul has said 500bhp in an rx7 feels hellish fast , even compared to the T88 Supra we ran. Only one has ever let go on us and that was down to shoddy mapping.

As many have said , your best bet is to look for one with a fresh rebuilt for piece of mind. And worst case senario it does expire! they are a very easy engine to rebuild , i rebuilt my first rotary when i was 15/16 yrs old so man if i could do it there are no excuses!

Prices are very sensible these days , you can get a very well spec'd twin or single turbo 3rd gen for the right money these days espcially compared with supra prices.

If you are really tempted by one - just go for it! you only live once!

If you want any more info http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com or http://www.fduk.org are good sites , or by all means drop me a pm.

Hope that bit of info has helped.

ta gord

I dont know a great deal about the costs of them. But they are gorgeous:)