1986 Mazda RX7 Base review from North America
"A fun little sports car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The alternator belt blew the second day I owned it. As a result, all of the warning lights came on.
The horn, seat belt timer buzzer, and the little buzzer that reminds you to turn off your lights failed to operate all at once. Either all three of these functions worked at once or ceased to work at all. My Haynes automotive repair manual listed a part of the CPU as controlling these specific functions. My mechanic checked the CPU and found nothing wrong with it. I was about to take the car to a dealer when the problem went away. I have not had a problem since.
Automatic transmission leaks occasionally, although no substantial amount of fluid is lost.
A/C works for about 5 minutes then stops. Unless the recycled air button is pushed in VERY hot air blows through the ducts, even if the blower is off and the temperature select is all the way on cold. The previous owner told me that the A/C has two line leaks, plus it needs a new expansion and compression valve. I have yet to fix the problem.
Refuses to restart if car is shut off cold.
Gas mileage: 13 Miles Per Gallon city/19 Miles Per Gallon highway = ouch!
General comments?
Very comfortable driving position for short people.
Wonderful acceleration, excellent handling.
Manual steering is a bit rough however, plus it rides like a tank.
The perfect car for a hormone-driven 18 year old.
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| A blast to drive at a high fuel cost |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1986 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.3 L 13B rotary engine Automatic |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 58000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 60500 miles |
| Date of Entry | 25th October, 2001 |