RX7 mates are trying to put me off!

[scarysteve]

Hi guys,

I told my RX7 club (FDUK) that I was leaving them yesterday.

Obviuosly they're trying to put me off leaving the rotary family, but I did get quotes like the following. How true is this????

Quote "most (NSXs) are typically Honda reliable, but the engine is complex,
(titanium rods as standard, all the bearing shells are matched to block
and crank, and rods and crank, complex electronics), and if it should go
pop it is a mega expensive lump to fix".

Also one guy says he rebuilt an NSX engine for a friend and it cost him £18,000!

Thing is I'm currently in negotiation with a Honda dealer on picking up a '91 for £19.000.

I need to make my mind up quick!

If there's a chance I might get a huge bill for a rebuild in the future, it may put me off getting the NSX.

Cheers

Steve

 

[nsxtasy]

I suppose the RX-7 guys come from a world where a critical factor is how much it costs to replace the engine.

Fortunately, that's a different world from ours.

It's almost unheard of for an NSX to need a rebuild. Of the hundreds of NSXs I'm familiar with, the only ones I'm aware of needing a rebuild are someone who never changed the oil (yes, I mean NEVER - dumb, dumb, dumb) and someone who was going 160 mph on a high-banked oval all day long. I know of several owners with NSXs with over 200K miles and they're running just fine. As is mine, with ~60 track events and counting. Takes abuse and just keeps going.

It's pretty funny to hear RX-7 guys trying to warn you away from the NSX due to concerns over reliability, since the RX-7 is notorious the least reliable Japanese sports car ever built. Find one of those with the original motor with 200K miles on it. Or even 50K miles.

Their lies don't speak well for their owner group; they shouldn't be spreading such ridiculous stories. Of course, the reason you won't find an RX-7 owner who knows anything about the NSX is that any RX-7 who buys an NSX will dump the RX-7 and never look back.

Just get the NSX. You won't regret it.

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 16 November 2002).]

 

[4AU4LIFE]

I couldn't agree more.

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ALL NSX
92 RED/BLACK 5-SPEED

 

[Spider]

How has the reliability of mazda's rotary engine been since the RX-7?

I ask because I'm considering getting the RX-8 next year.

 

[docjohn]

The new car will be NA,so I,m sure mazda won't have the problems of the tt setup. I traded a 93 twin turbo in for the nsx.My experience with the mazda is not unusual in that I had a chronic low boost problem that was never fully worked out.The vaccum plumbing is complex on that car.It was a wonderful idea that was executed to a certain pricepoint and parts of the car suffered for it. The build-quality and feel of the car as well as ultimate track performance are in different leagues,stock vs stock.Your friends are using dilluted arguments based on the low used price points and the huge aftermarket avail for the rx-7,which can result in awsome hp and performance gains,but thats it.

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by Spider:
How has the reliability of mazda's rotary engine been since the RX-7?

I don't think they have been selling any rotary engine cars in North America since the RX-7 was discontinued.

 

[WA-NSX]

"Of course, the reason you won't find an RX-7 owner who knows anything about the NSX is that any RX-7 who buys an NSX will dump the RX-7 and never look back."


I am an RX-7 owner who knows something about NSX's - and a NSX owner who knows something about RX-7's.

I purchased a 1995 RX-7 brand new and it has been an excellent vehicle. As a matter of fact, I still have it. However, I have cared for it well - and maturely used it. The car looks awesome and goes like stink.

Unfortunately, too many of the RX-7's have been used VERY hard. By now, it has become a bit of a kids car too. The average car that is the age of mine (and remember mine is the newest model one can have),is probably on its 4th owner. Most (and I mean most) have been customized, modified, tinkered with, driven hard, repaired and rebuilt much more than most cars experiance during their first decade.

Mine is stock as a rock, low mileage, and from the appearance of other 93's to 95's getting rarer and rarer due to the declining rate of nice 3rd generation RX-7's.

I eventually purchased an NSX . . . and kept my RX-7.

And I'm glad I did.


[This message has been edited by WA-NSX (edited 19 November 2002).]

[This message has been edited by WA-NSX (edited 19 November 2002).]

 

[Welsh Dragon]

I was going to buy a RX 7 once but I got talked out of it for the same reasons you are getting for not buying the NSX COST.

I have had the NSX now for 2 months and I am very happy with it.

Dale

 

[Dan H]

Thats funny... RX7 owners talking about the NSX like that.

I've worked on a rotary in autoshop class back in highschool, although they are very unique and easy to work on. I didn't like the fact that the seals on the rotor had to be replaced often and that means bringing it into a special shop to re-install new seals = $$$. Believe me, I've considered getting an RX7 but I think I'd rather pocket the money and save money for the NSX instead.

 

[5inchfatlip]

I use to own a 93Rx7- they CAN be reliable cars, but with the right work, starting with a downpipe, and of course a vacuum hose job..

they can kick ASS- seriously, i have seen them on the track, and on the drag strip...

 

[mikec]

I've had 4 RX7's that I bought new. I put a CARTECH turbo on my 84 GSL-SE and was running 11lbs of boost. Fastest car i've ever had to 100mph! and engines blew like fuses. I went through 3 of them in 35,000 miles.

My 88 RX7 turbo II was reliable for me, but I sold it at 60K miles. At 80K miles the next owner sold it because compression was low and it was producing blue oil smoke.

I see many RX7 ads for cars with around 100K miles touting a new motor. Some people say that their RX7 has been reliable, but then are quick to point out that it is of extremly low mileage. From what I gather from reading and talking to people, the rotory is a cool motor, but 100,000 miles is alot for it and many have died by that time. I plan for my NSX to still be going strong at 100K for me or for whoever owns it, and at this point I plan for it to still be me

)



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keep the shiny side up
MikeC 01 #46

 

[DashKits]

I dumped my 93 RX7 for an NSX - whats the big deal there

actually, i still have the RX7- but it's about sold.

YES they can be bad ass cars with the right necessary maintenance and safety mods... but most are a headache.

As with any TT car, they can be made VERY fast- and they handle well.

But the NSX is far superior as far as i am concerned - in all areas.

------------------
www.Dashkits.net

93 Supra TT
95 Supra NA
93 RX7 TT
91 NSX

 

[huckster]

just curious, why does there seem to be so many problems with the rotary engine? is it the engine or other design/build quality issues? from what little i know, the rotary design SHOULD be a top, if not the top design.

comments from you 'engineers' out there?

 

[Dan H]

The reason are usually the seals I think. The 3 seals on the rotor are moving in a circular direction hence the name rotary. For regular engines, we have reciprocating (sp?) pistons and our "seals" are piston rings. The thing is, the seals wear down fast in a rotary, and you get what we could call "blow by" since the combustion chamber isn't fully sealed when its worn. This leads to reduced performance lost when it happens and the seals need to be changed. From what I've been told, this seems to be the main problem. I'm not too sure about other problems though since I've never owned a rotary.

There are very fast RX7's in the JGTC and lets not forget the Mazda 787. Another rotary racing car. I'm a big fan of the rotary's. Just wished more money would go into refining it even more. Maybe when I finish my masters in mechanical engineering, I will.

 

[smonop]

This is a no brainer. The NSX is simply a more reliable and more refined automobile.
Say good bye and move along, nothing to see here....