I have lived in Mexico City (where traffic is endemic) most of my life and always drove a manual. Shifting gears without using a clutch is possible but it requires skill to do it properly and avoid damage to the gearbox

 

Rotaries are as durable as a conventional motor. Some say they are even better. But, unlike a piston motor, the rotory needs to be run hard occaisionally to release carbon that can build up inside the motor. Babying a rotary is the worst thing you can do. I know of more that a few 12A's that seized with under 40k due specifally to carbon deposits in the rotor housings.

 

can you please be more specific when you say, "needs to be run hard occasionally"?

are you saying....hitting the redline? if so...how often ?



and thanks for all your input.....i am leaning toward manual transmission......

now i have to convince my father.....heheh

=)

 

i dont know if this matters to you but i'm guessing i get somewhere around 10 miles to the gallon, its rediculous to me

 

The motors I saw siezed were Babied, as in never run above 3k. Not good for a rotary. Rev it above 6k occaisionally and you'll be fine.

 

Your father did make at least one true statement - a great rotary mechanic is hard to find. Even many of the dealerships' mechanicsa are just not rotary experts. However, if you do have problems with your vehicle, they will probably have nothing to do with the engine itself. My 2nd gen RX-7 considered alternators a disposable item, and had a lot of intermittent electrical problems (which would go a way completely if you ignored them long enough). The engine itself was rock-solid. As far as the rest of the car goes, a clutch is a clutch, a tranny is a tranny, a master cylinder is.... you get the idea.

 

ThaT'S RIGHT...

if there is something wrong with the piston engine.. it will be not wise to keep it for long anyway.

 

Au contraire! I spent several years driving I-15 corridor in San Diego, and a couple of years commuting 60 miles per day to San Francisco, easily one of the nation's worst commutes. I know traffic jams.

If you leave room, absolutely someone is going to jump in. Fine, they can have the space. If you're visualizing having to slam the brakes you probably are thinking of leaving a single car length that then gets gobbled up. I am talking about leaving considerable space such than one or more impatient drivers can pull into your lane with no problems. Here's a web site that describes the technique and some of its other benefits, aside from reducing "cockpit workload"

http://www.amasci.com/amateur/traffic/traffic1.html

 

yea and also.....i was wondering if the parts for a mazda...are more epensive.....especially with rotary engines..because mazda is the only one using rotary at present.....

that is a big issue to my father...

my father's friend....had an rx-7 and said maintenence costs were really expensive..

 

LOL! I think I have seen you! I run on Sepulvada's twisties to get to work myself. Sometimes I do Mully. I would be the black dropped '96 Mustang GT doing about 80mph in the turns......

I am currently looking at 350zs and RX8s....but that's a dilema in another thread on this board.

 

Nubo -

Great website and even better graphics :p

I know exactly what you're talking about. Real traffic is when you hardly ever get out of 1st gear...so you just modulate in 1st. The key is always watching cars 5 to 10 cars in front...not as easy these days when you can't see in front of all the mini-vans and SUVs though.

I know sometimes the guys in back get upset cause they think you're driving too slow...but heck where do these peeps think they're going to go huh?