I'm not reading everything posted in this, but here's my 2 cents about the FD being an owner.

It's a high maintanence car, but it can be reliable if you just treat it right. The engines do not need rebuilding every 50K unless you're a dumbass and don't know how to maintain a car, although that being said, you have to pay a little more attention to an FD than your average car. Little things like popping the hood when you park to let some of the excess heat escape, and always putting the hood up when you park it for good to let the engine properly cool down. Those turbos generate TONS of heat, and with the hood shut, it just stays in the engine compartment and over time bakes the coolant seals.

Another reason the FD has such a bad reputation is all the fools that modify it with no thought whatsoever to the fuel delivery once the exhaust and intake is opened up. Rotaries don't like detonation.

N/A rotaries are much more forgiving as they don't have all the heat to deal with from the turbos.

Anyway, my advice is this. If you have a reliable daily driver, and you want to own an amazing sports car that even stock will put most new cars to shame, get an FD with a new or recent reman engine.

If you want a daily driver that's a fun car (and has a warranty) get the RX8

Or you could be like me and just get both :)

edit: Sorry to dig up an old thread, it came up in a search for something else, didn't look at the date

no problem it's a good topic and a good post. i like to hear from people that have rx7s and rx8s because they give the msot accurate information because they have nothing to assume about the other car.

FCs are notorious for electrical problems, though most are minor. Antenna won't go down (motor works), rear wiper motor and switch are f'ed, electrically adjustable suspension don't work, etc. Not unexpected for a 15 year old car, but the car drives well.

If you gonna buy an FC, have a rotary expert come out and look over the car and you'll be fine.

All in all, i love my FC.

I just read the first two pages and may I just say that it was very wise of you to post here instead of the RX7 site. ;)

I think the RX8 would/will be easier to mantain engine wise becasue its not FI. Remember that you at least get a warrenty for the first few years. If you don't do any mods to the engine and just change the oil like you should it should last 100k (<just a guess).

I also think that the reason a lot of FDs seem unreliable is because people are pushing them harder and few people leave them stock. Also ypu don't have to buy a new engine and turbos every 10k like some say. Take care of any car and it probably wont screw you.