1985 Mazda RX7 Sport review from North America

My Rx-7 has been a paragon of reliability; beyond the listed normal maintenance items, it has performed flawlessly.

Factory Tokico struts replaced with aftermarket Tokicos at 45K miles.

Slave cylinder, disk, pressure plate and throwout bearing (from Racing Beat) replaced at 60K miles.

Rear muffler replaced at 70K miles. (Somewhat of a problem as there were only two factory stock mufflers listed in the dealer network in the entire U.S.)

Other than an idler arm, plugs, wires, filters, pads, shoes, a couple hoses and a pair of brake rotors, everything that came with the vehicle is still on the car.

After reading an article on the Rx500

rotary testbed in 1974, I decided I would have a Mazda should they ever introduce a rotary sports car. Circumstances were right in 1985, and I finally purchased one of the last 1st gens produced; and it's been a constant thrill ride since then.

Servicing since 1987 has been provided by the top rated Mazda tech in the Northeast Region (himself the owner of an '85 Rx) at Smail Mazda, a dealer that exhibits outstanding customer service.

Since the Rx purchase, I have owned a GLC and a 323 as daily drivers, and currently own an Mx-5 Miata to handle the fair weather daily driving routine.

The Rx-7's reliability, glorious racing heritage, timeless styling, incredible 'fun to drive' quotient and

its rotary powerplant--'the little engine that could' (and did) --truly justify the term most often used to describe it: legendary.