I have had several cars, my first was a 79 rx7. So I got the rotary bug early on...
I want to ask you to compare your autos to your current rotary...
I now own an 85 GSL with 13b, full exhaust, and dellorto sidedraft.
Old cars include: 77 Rabbit with 1870, 69 camaro 350 4spd, 86 944 chiped and full exhaust, etc... my lowly cheap rx is faster than all...
Love it.....

 

Wellll. Presume you mean compare to other cars you _currently_ own? Or _ALL_ the cars you _ever_ owned??

Daily driver AWD Subie is pretty well a necessity in Alaskan Winters (or an F150, etc.).
Rocket-propelled Saab 9000 Turbo (86) goes like a scalded cat - when I can get fr. wheel drive traction. It's my winter Sports (sedan) Car while the Little Red Bastid (80SA) slumbers on thru the 7 months of white stuff here...
Drive the SA when I can, others when I _have_ too.
Don't get me started on the R100 coupe I _used_ to own... (and loved)

Stu Aull
80GS
06 Legacy Wagon
86 Saab

Alaska

 

well my SA is my daily, my entire family hates it, but i'm never letting go of it. sure, it costs me most of my paycheck in gas, parts, insurance, etc, but i forget about all of that nonsense when i step on that little pedal on the right and go through the gears. makes me happy like nothing else can.

 

My 82 Rx is the fastest and best handling car of all that Ive owned (including 2 other Rx's, 1 of which donated its powerplant to the 82)

The competitors were, in chronological order. '69 Lincoln Continental MKIII, '78 (5/79) Mazda Rx-7 S, '85 Toyota Corolla GT-S w/ 20 valve silver top swap, '86 Mazda Rx-7 GXL, '87 Chevy El Camino, '89 Toyota Camry, '93 Chevy Blazer, '94 Olds Bravada, '94 Honda Civic EX coupe, '94 Nissan Sentra S, '95 Chevy Caprice Police Interceptor, '11 Mazda 6 S... and counting

 

the rotary is so SMOOTH compared to everything else I've ever driven, handling is almost as good as a mid engine porsche, maintenance is straight forward like an old vw bug, interior is roomy.

Gas mileage sucks, 8 mpg city.

I consider my rx-7 to be an ancient ferrari, not real fast, but a classic enjoyable ride.

 

Well:
1992 Chevy 1500 5.7L sold - worst gas mileage of all the vehicles and never ran right
2000 Chevy 1500 3.6L sold - decent gas mileage, wimpy truck though
1984 Mazda RX-7 GS 12a - 2nd best gas mileage, most fun and fastest by far
1995 Ford Mustang 3.6L - nice car, daily winter driver, will probably be sold sometime this year

The 7 is the only car I REALLY want to keep no matter what. Will hopefully be getting a full sized truck again for my many needs (7 needs of course ) and will daily that while keeping the soon-to-be TII 7 lower-mileage [at 86,002 miles] and in better condition.

 

My little rice rocket 2.5 liter MX-3 was faster in a strait line (closer gearing on the 3 I think that was the advantage), but the 7 is 10X the best handling car I've ever owned... and its all 35 yo stock components!!

Still think my 90 Geo metro was by far the most fun car I've ever owned.

OP: what was wrong with the small block to make it slower than the 7 :O ?!?

 

my '91 MR2 Turbo was, by far, the fastest car i've ever owned. after 3 years, my Gen II still isn't running yet, but i suspect it will be faster than at least 3 of the 4 Gen I cars i've owned. my '90 Celica was fun, too, but i never had any plans of doing anything major with it. it was at least as fast as my previous '81 and '84.

my Rx-8 inherited the title from the MR2. what's more, i can definitely feel traces of the bloodline to the Gen I in it. they are markedly different cars, but every once in a while, a look, a sound, a smell , reminds me of my '82. '83 and '84. it's weird, but it makes me smile and to be honest, is probably the reason i couldn't bring myself to selling it.

yet somehow, none of those cars evoke the visceral driving experience that even the slowest of my Gen I cars did. there's just something about these cars that i can't seem to put in words, but i'm sure the guys that have been driving them for as long as i have know what i'm talking about.

 

Word...


Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

+2 there is just something about the 1st gen that almost no other car has. the closest is the Rx8, it is fun in the same way.

the Tr3 is maybe #2, its very mechanical, but the experience is different, great car if you have the chance to drive one, take it!

the bugeye sprite was also really interesting, its SO FAST when there is a turn its astounding, smaller and lighter > big tire, big engine. again if you have the chance to drive one of these take it.

BMW 2002, these are great to drive, they feel really precise, despite it being a really horrible design (they make the British cars look reliable), drive one of these and you know why BMW has the reputation they have. you also realize that every BMW since is crap.

on the flip side;

the FD is more of a carnival ride, its fun in a straight line, and it looks good, but other than that its boring.

the FC is too numb, although it would be in contention otherwise.

60's mustang, they are their own thing, its not a drivers car. if you want to know what its like to drive one, find a 90's explorer, they drive the same.

350z; these feel huge, and claustrophobic at the same time.

 

Hmmm my past cars include... 1969 Chevy C-10, 1993 Ford Mustang Fox Body, 1968 Chevy C-20, 1987 Dodge D-100, and finally my 1981 Mazda Rx7!

 

I've had a slew of vehicles.

I started out in SUVs, which are difficult to compare to a first gen rx7... A nissan xterra, a ford explorer, a 97 F150 with a 460 lol..

Next up, my 93 Lexus SC. Its clear to see why these cars made Car and Drivers ten best so many years running.. Sexy body line, good motor options, and great handling. Still one of my favorite cars on the road.

Last year I purchased an 05 Infiniti G35 sedan as my daily driver, as I drive a lot for work and needed something cozy. I was surprised at the pep this car has, in fact having a power to weight ratio greater than its coupe counterpart. The car's handling is also very intuitive, and seems to be set up slightly towards understeer, which feels great on the winding backroads of my area.

As suspected though, my First Gen Rx7 holds a special place in my heart.. Maybe its the Kart-like handling, or its addictive buzz-like surge to redline. Perhaps its the low-slung piercing body lines, or even the in-your-face red paint.

Regardless, the sa/fb Rx7 delivers a driving experience that leaves something to be desired from most other cars on the road.

.

 

the one SC i've driven was pretty beat, but i've driven a couple of LS's and they could sell a 1990 LS400 now and it would be good.

the 99 LS400 might be the best car i've ever driven, but its also incredibly boring