2012 Mazda RX7?

travisjb · 02-17-2009, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crash

Ever been in a Porsche? There's nothing but a seat a wheel and some gauges. The Ruff Porsches don't even have door handles. They have pull strings! ...

Um, yes. Before my Z, I've owned and tracked a boxster s for the last for years... all the necessary luxuries, with nothing unnecessary I agree... still, it only got light after I swapped out parts from the factory for aftermarket... had it down to 3050 with driver... even then, had 7" nav/dvd, a/c, even door and door handles!

... porsche is all about balance and handling, not absolute min weight... And, yes, I've driven Ruf cars as well... here's a couple pics from a recent 'pilgrimage' I made to Pfafenhausen... door handles everywhere

Ruf customers are not driving at the racetrack, they are generally mega-rich guys driving on the street or collecting

I'm personally looking forward to a new Rx-7 ! Had a gen 1 ('79) and gen 2 ('85)... wrecked both sadly, so hopefully now with a few more gray hairs I can keep the next one out of trouble!

First one especially was a great car!

tvfreakazoid · 02-17-2009, 04:08 AM

I hear that the rotary engines are expensive to fix if something goes wrong with them since it has less moving parts. I also heard that those engines won't last as long as a piston engine.

Well I hope mazda brings back the rx-7. I saw some more drawing of it and I didn't like it all that much, except for the front. I hope they improve on the looks. I also read that they might make it a turbo. I read that they are working on a forced inductions for it.

Lug · 02-17-2009, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvfreakazoid

I hear that the rotary engines are expensive to fix if something goes wrong with them since it has less moving parts. I also heard that those engines won't last as long as a piston engine.

Well I hope mazda brings back the rx-7. I saw some more drawing of it and I didn't like it all that much, except for the front. I hope they improve on the looks. I also read that they might make it a turbo. I read that they are working on a forced inductions for it.

I had an early RX7 for over 10 years and had to rebuild the carburetor once. That was the sum total of nonscheduled maintenance. Rotary engines are expensive to work because not many mechanics have experience with them but as long as you don't let the oil get low, they are practically indestructable. They get poor gas mileage for their displacement but are unbeatable when it comes to power vs weight/size. I have always thought Lotus should have used the mazda engine in their Elise and Exige models instead of the Toyota. Would have been a better fit.

tvfreakazoid · 02-18-2009, 02:57 PM

How much did it cost you to rebuild the carburetor? Is the rx7 stock or have you upgraded it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lug

I had an early RX7 for over 10 years and had to rebuild the carburetor once. That was the sum total of nonscheduled maintenance. Rotary engines are expensive to work because not many mechanics have experience with them but as long as you don't let the oil get low, they are practically indestructable. They get poor gas mileage for their displacement but are unbeatable when it comes to power vs weight/size. I have always thought Lotus should have used the mazda engine in their Elise and Exige models instead of the Toyota. Would have been a better fit.

Lug · 02-18-2009, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvfreakazoid

How much did it cost you to rebuild the carburetor? Is the rx7 stock or have you upgraded it?

I got it in 1980 and sold it somewhere around 1992. The carb rebuild was just a kit. I rebuilt it myself. I believe I had somewhere around 130K on it when I sold it. One of the most reliable cars I've ever owned.

370sed · 02-17-2009, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvfreakazoid

I hear that the rotary engines are expensive to fix if something goes wrong with them since it has less moving parts. I also heard that those engines won't last as long as a piston engine.

Well I hope mazda brings back the rx-7. I saw some more drawing of it and I didn't like it all that much, except for the front. I hope they improve on the looks. I also read that they might make it a turbo. I read that they are working on a forced inductions for it.

All RX-8s have an 8 year 100,000 mile warranty on the rotary engine core components (those few moving parts and housings). This was added to the original 4 year 50,000 mile to quell any doubts people might have had about engine longevity. Doesn't get any better than that does it? So warranty on my 2003 will be up in..let's see 2011

Say, how long is a Z engine warrantied for anyway?

SkyZ · 05-29-2010, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvfreakazoid

I hear that the rotary engines are expensive to fix if something goes wrong with them since it has less moving parts. I also heard that those engines won't last as long as a piston engine.

Well I hope mazda brings back the rx-7. I saw some more drawing of it and I didn't like it all that much, except for the front. I hope they improve on the looks. I also read that they might make it a turbo. I read that they are working on a forced inductions for it.

ive seen 300k rx7s before. but most dont make it that far cuz they get modded and nos'd and just totally destroyed by the F&F crowd.

Crash · 02-17-2009, 06:49 AM

From those pics, I see a Ruf Cr3. Is that what you have?

Not ALL Ruf cars are tracked out. My old boss's speedball weighed close to 2500Lbs (as far as I recall) and was the most basic of interiors possible. But that was certainly a track car. (Though he drives it like a daily. LOL) Yeah, the Ruf cars are mega money, and I've worked for a lot of the richest guys in Los Angeles.

I'm not talking about what you CAN make a car weigh. I'm talking about what it DOES weigh from the factory. Anyone can strip a car and replace parts with after-market light weight parts... But what I'm saying is that the RX-7 will certainly leave no room for improvement if they DID meet their weight goal. (Which I still don't think they can if they follow the rules.) But it's true that a rotary motor weighs practically nothing, and that stripping the back seats from an RX-8 and shortening the chassis is going to reduce weight. I just don't think it's 200Lbs worth of weight. Hypothetically, if they're already using light weight materials as is, then they're stripping light-weight materials in the first place...

So take a step back an look at the big picture. The chassis will be a couple inches shorter, the motor will be, what, maybe 20Lbs lighter (if). And You don't have back seats. I see (with the motor weight) maybe 160-180Lbs difference. Then because the car is smaller and lighter, the safety standards change and become more strict adding more weight. Keep in mind that Mazda is already going to be taking a lot of these steps ahead of time to save money and time in the development, while also trying to get away with what every they can.

Now I don't disagree that if the car can even get down to about 3000Lbs that the RX-7 won't be a good contender, and I would LOVE to see another RX-7. I just think that 2650Lbs is a pipe-dream. I'm not trying to be argumentative... Just realistic.

02-17-2009, 04:08 AM	#2 (permalink)
tvfreakazoid A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: kommie kali Posts: 1,238 Drives: 2015 Audi S5; 6spd. Rep Power: 10326	I hear that the rotary engines are expensive to fix if something goes wrong with them since it has less moving parts. I also heard that those engines won't last as long as a piston engine. Well I hope mazda brings back the rx-7. I saw some more drawing of it and I didn't like it all that much, except for the front. I hope they improve on the looks. I also read that they might make it a turbo. I read that they are working on a forced inductions for it. __________________ Mudders milk

02-17-2009, 06:49 AM	#8 (permalink)
Crash A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,853 Drives: 02 Corvette Z06 Rep Power: 591	From those pics, I see a Ruf Cr3. Is that what you have? Not ALL Ruf cars are tracked out. My old boss's speedball weighed close to 2500Lbs (as far as I recall) and was the most basic of interiors possible. But that was certainly a track car. (Though he drives it like a daily. LOL) Yeah, the Ruf cars are mega money, and I've worked for a lot of the richest guys in Los Angeles. I'm not talking about what you CAN make a car weigh. I'm talking about what it DOES weigh from the factory. Anyone can strip a car and replace parts with after-market light weight parts... But what I'm saying is that the RX-7 will certainly leave no room for improvement if they DID meet their weight goal. (Which I still don't think they can if they follow the rules.) But it's true that a rotary motor weighs practically nothing, and that stripping the back seats from an RX-8 and shortening the chassis is going to reduce weight. I just don't think it's 200Lbs worth of weight. Hypothetically, if they're already using light weight materials as is, then they're stripping light-weight materials in the first place... So take a step back an look at the big picture. The chassis will be a couple inches shorter, the motor will be, what, maybe 20Lbs lighter (if). And You don't have back seats. I see (with the motor weight) maybe 160-180Lbs difference. Then because the car is smaller and lighter, the safety standards change and become more strict adding more weight. Keep in mind that Mazda is already going to be taking a lot of these steps ahead of time to save money and time in the development, while also trying to get away with what every they can. Now I don't disagree that if the car can even get down to about 3000Lbs that the RX-7 won't be a good contender, and I would LOVE to see another RX-7. I just think that 2650Lbs is a pipe-dream. I'm not trying to be argumentative... Just realistic. __________________ 2002 Corvette Z06 - Totaled 2003 Corvette Z06 50th Anniversary

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