I'm going to have to drive back and forth between Austin and Houston when I get my car, and I was just wondering if a RX7 can handle a 2 1/2 hour trip (2 flat if you drive fast ). I read that the RX7's worst enemy is heat, and it probably gets really hot under the hood for 2 1/2 hours. Who's taken long trips? Any advice? THanks.

 

I don't see why not. Just every 60 or 100 miles or say stop and take a break.

I did around 400 miles one way back in December going to Wankel Winter Wonderland.

 

2.5 hours isnt that long of a trip. I definatley would not want to be making 4-5 hour trips though. RX-7 is not made for long drives.

 

In my R1 I drove from NJ to OK, then made the return trip 5 months later. Three weeks after that, I drove from NJ down here to TX. The car ate up the miles. At one point I traveled over 1000 miles in 12 hrs (and that includes stops for gas and food ). I averaged around 22 mpg, which coupled with a 20 gallon tank gives you a pretty long cruising range. I mainly stayed at 80 mph but at one point cruised at 120 on a deserted interstate for over an hour. Hit 150 a couple of times too .

I'd like to emphasize that on all three trips I stopped only for gas, to eat, and at night to sleep. That's it. I averaged over 1000 miles a day.

The car ran great; temps stayed low, ran like a bat out of hell. Raced numerous cars (to incluce a supra and WS6) and beat them all . So what's the problem?

 

highway driving is the easiest kind of driving on a car. no problem even in an rx-7 it's when you push your car to it limits that you gotta worry no need to worry about a 2.5 hour trip.

 

If you're travelling at 160 mph the whole way I can see maybe how THAT isn't healthy, but at 80mph or so the car will run all day long like a champ. I drove from northern Michigan to Kansas City right after buying my car and it is one of the best highway cars I've ever been in (for a non-luxury car, that is).

These cars WERE once sold new by Mazda, not that long ago, you know. Mazda wouldn't sell a car that couldn't be used for highway trips.

 

I live in Norfolk and I'm going to be driving to St. Louis, I've heard nothing bad about RX7's on road trips. As long as the cars taken care of, there's no reason that it couldn't be driven on the road. Highway miles are the easiest on a car anyway.

 

I've taken my car on numerous trips (about 5) that were all over 2000 miles long each and have NEVER had a problem!!!! The seats are great for a long trip as well (for me anyway)

As long as your car is healthy I say there is NO problem at all.

Like somone else said you get pretty decent gas milage as well.

A note on the gas, I've notice if I keep the rpms under 3K I get about 2mpg better for a total of 24mpg. I think thats around 75mph but I cant ever keep it around 75.....i'm usually at 95 or 105 hehe, does make for shorter trips though

Oh yea, I usually carry a quart of oil with me because they do seem to eat a little oil, I normally have to add a little every 1000 miles or so.

Later,

 

I too want to take a trip.

Where can I get one of those trailers the racing crews use to tow the tools and extra parts?



I took a trip from LA to Phoenix...twice in my rx. did a buck all the way (well almost)...with sprints to 140. i did stop for gas a couple times and open the hood....also topped off the fluids....flushed radiator before I left...no prob making the trip at all.

I was gonna take it from LA to MN this past june...Nick at Rotary Reliability just laughed and laughed and.....I took a plane instead.

j
94 modded PEG

 

U shouldnt have a problem with long trips. I live in NJ and went to Deleware to pick up my car and drove it home. No problems at all and the needle stayed below the middle. Dont sweat it.

 

Ive taken mine on a 500 and a 600 mile trip. no problems. I would imagine highway was better for cooling due to the constant air exchange. I would think stop and go traffic would be cinsdiered the worst place to drive an FD or any car for that matter. I imagine rush hour would be the worst for the car.

 

I'd be more worried about my butt falling asleep before the car fouling up. I can't handle more than 3 hours of constant driving until I have to get out and unlock my legs.

 

I think theis whole concept of FDs being fragil is getting way out of hand, hehe.

If it was me, I'd just stay in Austin and drive those canyon roads everyday - nothing but falt, straight interstate in Houston, blah.

 

I think the misconception that rotaries in general are fragile, not just FD's. I hear alot of bad mumbling about all rotaries from Honda guys and such. I've never had a problem from a rotary that I didn't cause. Sure, I've had blown apex seals and stuff, but that was all from extreme conditions that could break any motor. Actually, I think the rotary handle's punishment better than a piston engine, although pistons may last longer. I'm biased towards rotary's though, their the best engine in the business

 

Highway driving is easier on the car then city driving for sure. I would feel bad about putting a bunch of miles on it though, why not get a beater, and save the mileage on your FD?

If you cruise at 3,000 rpm in 5th gear that is about 85-85 MPH, and your car will run cool and smooth like that forever.

 

Some people can't afford the money to by a beater plus I want to drive my car to my hometown and show it off to all the beefy V8's... well, they can check out the rearend :p So I have more than one reason that I need to drive it that far.

 

Hey guys, thanks for all the replies.

dclin, I'm from sugar land too! where exactly are you? feel free to email me. is there any kind of organized RX7 club in or around houston?

 

I've taken a handful of trips in my 3rd gen from LA to San Fran with no problems at all. I kept the speeds around 80-95, and there were absolutely no problems with overheating.

If you're really paranoid, just go during the evening for the cooler ambient temps...

 

Just curious, has anyone drove through the mountains with their FD? I have to drive over them when I go from here to St. Louis. I'm just wondering if the atmosphere combined with the uphill work would cause any problems? Not that I forsee any...

 

I don't think you'll have a problem. I drove my car from Orange County Cali to Ogden, UT and it never even crept up to halfway level on the temp gauge. That's about an 8-9 hour drive. It's not exactly cool out there in the desert either. I only stopped to gas up and had no problems. A lot of fun through the canyon at the Nevada-Arizona-Utah border too.

 

The only bad thing about a long drive in a rx is that the ride is quite punishing. I'd wear a mouthguard

 

I drove from Cali to Colorado no problem. I even got 27 miles to the gallon! That makes any RX-7 driver happy. Probably averaged 85 mph.

 

Yeah ... I used to drive back and forth between home in Western NC and school in Chapel Hill ... 250 miles each way ... no problem.

 

The Rx-7s were meant for long punishing endurance races. The 4 rotor won the LeMans, and the SP edition keeps beating the Porches at Bathurst. Even though mines a daily driver, its the stop and go and daily use, that really kills it. I noticed that driving around 3K RPM on the freeway kept the car alot cooler than driving for short distances in the city. I didn't really hear the coolant boil after a long highway trip.

 

yeah. highway driving is the easiest kind. Your car will take it like a champ. Just make sure you have plenty of coolant, and oil, and bring some along with you on your trip.

Also, if you take the weather strip along the bottom of the firewall side of the hood, it reduces underhood temps by quite a bit, while doing highway driving..