Can anyone tell me if it is feasbile to operate a 3rd gen rx7 as a daily driver car? If so , what modifications would I have to make, as well as price to do so? Thanks,
JOHN

 

It's my daily driver. Of course I only drive 5 miles to and from work on the highway. I don't think Mazda would design and sell a car that couldn't be used as a daily driver. I wouldn't use it as a work car though if you are a delivery person or something just because you want to save some of those miles for FUN driving. No mods are required just make sure you do the proper maintenance.

 

Im a Police officer, So I would be using it just to and from the District. But you say it will hold up as straight base, as long as I do the maintenance?

JOhn

 

Yep, if you begin run it hard, there may be a few things you might want to replace like the Air Separator Tank and a few hoses, but it would be fine as a daily driver.

Gas will be your only worry since it's not going to get mileage like a Civic or something along those lines.

 

Actually I had a chance to have a daily drive, but instead, I drive my 3rd gen daily, like JBC. I drive to school and my house, that's it. I don't have any trouble with that. But in winter, esp, we get really big snow days, I once tried to drive, but it didn't move at all.

I remember once someone ask if you drive in really hot days in summer, are there any heat problem, seems most answers are saying it's ok. Mazda build it for this. man.

 

I've had mine for about 1 1/2 years. Its a daily driver (80% highway miles) and i've put over 30,000 miles on it (yeah, thats a lot!) (i now have 90K on the body adn 60K on the engine).
anyway, in all those miles, i;ve had one flat tire (the tires were worn out and needed to be replaced) and one time the upper radiator hose split (after i parked the car, the water started pouring out).

thats it (knock on wood)! ifyou do the regular maintenace on the car, i think the more you drive it, the better - especically on the highway. i think you'll run into problems if you let it sit in the garage all week and drive it on friday night, then park it.

 

I've been doing it for almost three years and 43k miles. I'm active duty army, and haul around all my crap in it. It's defintely do-able. I will say that I'm getting to the point where I'd like a daily driver to keep the miles off the rex.

 

I comute 85+ miles r/t daily in my 93. I put 20k miles on it in 14 months before rebuilding @103kmi - it was bone stock but now its streetported w/mods 110kmi and counting

 

Did 8 months in my first (and drove it 30% in MA winter) at over 55 miles (2 way). I've done 4 months in my second at 45 miles (2 way). No probs yet.

 

FD makes a great daily driver, when you have one why would you ever want to drive anything esle? (Unless its snowing or someghting)

 

Well my Rex was my daily driver until today. The last time I drove it was Tuesday and the car was running great. I went out last night to head out to a club and damnit the car would crank but it wouldn't start, not even a sputter. I thought you know this isn't good but I was in a hurry to get to the club so we took my friends car. This morning (being the loving Rex owner that I am) I skipped class and went out to diagnose the problem. I jumped in and said maybe last night was a fluke so I throw the key in and crank it over. Immediately it started....yea started puffing white smoke like a chimney. I made sure to check the MAP sensor and for those pesky vacuum leaks. None could be found unfortunately. I called my friendly local rotary mechanic and he walked me through a couple more things to check and then I had to finally convice myself of the inevitable. I BLEW IT!

Well that all said and done, now at 82,000 miles, my beauty is at RotorSports Racing having the old engine pulled rebuilt and re-installed. I am going to make sure since mine is a daily driver that some of the components of the new engine are a little more beefed up at the cost of about $4,500.

I wish I could say there was a lesson to be learned from this, but I can't think of any so if anyone out there can let me know so I can say I have learned one.

 

I wouldnt suggest it; I just got back from walking 4 miles to get back home because I think my engine died. RIP@ 77k

 

I have had nothing but RX-7s as daily drivers since 1985. Three new 2nd gen, then my current FD that I bought with 50K on the clock. 75 miles round trip per day with just meeeeee in the car. Hate it when I have to take my wife's 540, if I need a four passenger vehicle.

 

Mah FD is daily driven and it's got 120k on the original engine.

It's been to homestead racetrack and autoX's and it's running like a champ! (also has 13psi for about a year now).