I agree, but that temp gauge never moved past just below center. What's the point of having that thing, if you're going to blow coolant seals without warning?
I think Mazda who tried so hard to prove to everyone that the rotary is reliable, shot themselves in the foot in so many ways, where to start? Coils? Coolant seals? Hey, if one fan doesn't turn on for some reason, let's not allow the other one to work also. What a great idea.

 

Most temp gauges are idiot lights. It's not just a Mazda thing. The only car that has an honest temp gauge I have come across is my short-lived 2015 C7 Corvette. That's why, if you want to be safe, you should always hook up an OBD2 reader or hook up a temp gauge and read from that.

The design issues with the Renesis are a result of multiple factors. Strict emission standards, Ford management, end of Bubble Economy in Japan, etc. The real killer is the lack of economies of scale with rotary engines and the lack of R&D budget as a result of that.

 

I know, I know..... If we want to keep these things running, my advice is, remove the cat, upgrade the coils to something more reliable, replace all hoses to silicon hoses, install a temp gauge, upgrade the radiator to an aluminium one, replace the reservoir with an aluminim one, install a Sohn adapter and you guys may flame me, but also convert it to run on lpg. It is a night and day difference when it comes to carbon buildup. I really do believe that this is a huge reliability mod with the added benefit of saving 30-40% on running costs.And last but not least, premix.