Mazda RX-7 Owner's 20-Year Fault-Free Rotary Journey

A Mazda RX-7 owner reported 20 years of fault-free driving with rotary-engined cars, covering nearly 70,000 miles in his Series 2 FB without a single breakdown. According to his account on Hagerty, this defied the notorious unreliability often associated with Wankel engines through dedicated care and specific driving habits.

Maintenance by a Specialist

The owner attributed the car's longevity primarily to Carlo, a Ferrari-trained Italian engineer whose garage specialized in RX-7s. Carlo collected the car annually for a thorough inspection, calling only if work beyond a standard service was required. Over the years, he fitted new rubber boots, suspension bushings, a muffler, and a set of wider aftermarket alloy wheels with Pirelli Cinturato tires. The owner noted the car always felt better after these visits, though he was never certain if the latest Mazda rotor seals were ever installed.

Driving and Performance Characteristics

He mostly heeded the car's 7000 rpm warning beep, despite the engine's urge to rev higher. The recirculating ball steering was described as direct and well-weighted, and the pedal spacing was perfect for double-clutching. The rotary's distinctive sound, likened by some to a jet airplane, became a howl at high revs. He felt a strong push-in-the-back urge, even on long inclines in third gear, which he attributed to the flywheel effect of the heavy spinning rotors.

This spirited driving served a practical purpose. Screaming along in third gear acted as an 'Italian Tune-up,' heating the engine enough to burn off carbon deposits that accumulate from inefficient combustion, especially during slow city driving. Carbon build-up on rotor seals is a known flaw of the design.

The car's relatively low power output of around 110 horsepower and poor torque were offset by its light weight of just over 1,000 kg, resulting in a high power-to-weight ratio. The owner recalled it feeling very nippy and rewarding.

A Memorable Journey and Acquisition Story

His most memorable drive was an early morning trip from Inverness to London, a route Google maps calculates as 555 miles. He described swooping downhill and howling uphill, stopping only for essentials until hitting commuter traffic near Glasgow.

The owner became a rotary enthusiast unexpectedly. In 1982, he visited a Mazda showroom intending to buy a red Mazda 323 LX sedan for his daughter. A blue RX-7 coupe caught his eye, and a test drive the next day with his 12-year-old son was a revelation. Compared to his Citroën GS company car, the RX-7 felt extraordinarily quick, planted, and flat-cornering. The salesman gave him a promotional poster stating 'The RX-7. Fast. But Not Furious,' which he still owns. Despite a poor trade-in offer for the Citroën, he purchased the Mazda.

Later Model and Market Values

After 14 years, he traded the FB for a white, one-owner Turbo II FC RX-7, which Autocar magazine had called 'Mazda's 200 hp Supercar.' It had recently undergone a full engine rebuild with new long-lasting rotor seals, and its twin-scroll turbo addressed the rotary's torque shortcomings. Domestic reasons related to grandparenthood forced its sale in 2002 after six years of ownership.

The owner noted that by then, it was becoming a rare classic. He stated current U.S. Market values for such cared-for examples.

He concluded by listing the primary causes of rotary engine failure-apex seal wear, housing scoring from lubrication breakdown, overheating, and coolant seal failure-none of which he experienced. The article finished with the owner's enduring belief that the rotary's 'round-and-round' motion is superior to a piston engine's 'up-and-down.'