mazda heritage just started supporting the rx7 again, just like Nissan started supporting old gtr's again. it's great that these companies are bringing back the parts for these crazy machines
@@DustinB855 Sure brother... I remember when it was "You'll never have an engine", then "It'll never run", then "The car will never move on it's own power". Any car guy will tell you that there's no such thing as being "done" with your car, but Dahm will have it sorted and reliable soon enough.
As an Fd owner I will agree that driving an Fd is a special feel. I am at 426rwhp and my car is reliable and super fun to drive. Premix is a must and if your tune is off dont get into the boost. Keep a good tune and be a responsible owner and you will really enjoy this car. Fail in any of the above and you will have reliability issues. That said the review was spot on and the car sounds a d appears to run great. I am a little more conservative and like the original lines so the exterior of my car is very oem looking with the exception of custom splitters all around. With that said if your going to do a body kit re amemiya is the way to go. Nice car nice review. Brap on brother. From a real rotard
I’ve been watching TJ for like six years, and holy shit I did not realize how much it cost him to actually build this car. It was always my favorite, but that’s insaaane!
I think TJs motor is bridgeported, not streetported. Usually the bridgeport is what gives the distinct rotary "braps", unless it's a really aggressive streetport. Also, FDs had ABS, I see the ABS pump in the engine bay at 1:28 . Anyways, awesome review! Was waiting for this after I saw you drive his cars on his channel.
Back when he first got it, I was still relatively new to cars and my favorite car was the R32 but ever since he built that and I heard it, FD has been my favorite car ever since
As someone who daily's a rotary (RX8) they're just so much fun to rev out, and I can't imagine not having that experience every day. An FD would be the dream, and the look and power level of this car are what I'd consider perfect. Just the most amount of smiles you could have!
I used to have an FC and I loved it. Nothing like revving out to 9000 RPM. And the guy I bought it from had a custom exhaust that gave it a deeper tone I almost thought it didn't have the 13b in it when he started it up for me.
@@walkingwithjesus1505 I’ve very much been waiting for this review, I enjoy seeing 2 of my favorite RUclipsrs from opposite sides of the country coming together
Rotary culture is extremely strong in New Zealand, there's a reason why Mad Mike is able to hold big events with rotary powered vehicles only. It's fairly large, but also fairly tight knit. A lot of classic Mazdas in NZ are Rotary swapped.
I just bought an RX-8 and I did the same thing the first time I did my first pull in it. I was in 3rd gear and I shifted and backed off at about 60mph (in a 45mph zone) and I was like "Holy Crap I still had 3k rpm I could've kept pulling!" I can't wait to build my car out some more. Long term goal for the RX-8 is a 20b swap (haven't decided between N/A or Turbo yet)
Agree with you on this one probably the cleanest best Looking and sounding FD RX7 in the world. So glad to finally see you review this car. Keep it up bro loving the content 🔥
There was an FD back in my home town and it was pretty haggard but still legit. Love seeing these, especially one that looks, sounds, and runs this great
I think you mean Bridgeport not streetport. Typically a streetport doesn't create a brap. This is because it is just a slight enlargement of the OEM ports. A bridgeport adds an "eyebrow" to the port which causes the intake and exhaust ports to overlap. That is what creates the brap sound.
I remember when tj first built the FD, it had some huge weird chrome rims and air suspension, and it looked wack. Glad he's chosen some better wheels, and does it have proper suspension now? Hopefully :) Nice review.
I love everything about this, it is truly a dream car of mine. I honestly can’t think of a thing I would change on this car! I’m happy he has continued to hold on to it!
love his rx7 its done right thats how you do an right very proper and is pretty much perfect in my eyes tj definitely has good taste in modding cars he knows what he's doing and all his cars look good
Still can't get over the fact the fuel in the US is so weak. Here in the UK you can easily get 97 and i think our standard fuel is 95. TJ has a decent select of JDM cars, looking forward to seeing the Supra video, he has made some big changes to that car over the past year.
Europe uses a different method of measuring octane rating, so European 95/98 is equivalent to USA 91/93. There are 3 rating systems: RON, MON and AKI. RON is what is used in Europe, and AKI is what is used in the states. AKI = (RON+MON)/2
Damn, you put these out quick. Also, I got your detailing product, but do you have any ideas for hard water? We live on a well here so there's a TON of calcium in the water which makes it a pain to clean cars with it and I was wondering if anyone has a solution that works for them
honestly....I dont care if its legit or not...if it works. then it works. Thats the difference between functionality car guy vs a "show" car guy. But if its the engine we are talking ofc we will get the legit stuff.
the Rx8 isnt all that bad if you know what you're doing with it. The main reliability problem is the fact that they only have 2 injectors per housing on the first generations vs the 3 injectors on the second generations. The second generations were more reliable because the apex seals were lubricated better. The best thing to do with the first generation Rx8's is to premix some 2 stroke oil into your gas for better lubrication. you can even get a kit to instead of pulling oil from the pan, to having a reservoir with 2 stroke oil in it to make it a bit more reliable. I personally want an Rx8. In my area you dont see very many cars like that and instead of getting a cheap kit from duraflex or some brand like that, I would probably spend the money to get a Veilside kit. If I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it right.
Looks like every standard single turbo setup these days, shoulda moved the turbo forward in the engine bay more to keep heat further from the intake, and put a heat shield around the exhaust. Driving these really hard tends to heat soak the intake... Which obviously turns into a problem on a track or under hard driving conditions..
It would be absolutely sick if you could review Rob Dahm's projects like this two roter vette and 3 rotor RX-7 (if its all running). I'd love to see the 4 rotor and as well but I doubt he would let anyone else drive that.
I had one in 2003, no one in Hawaii knew how to work on them, RUclips didn’t exist to learn about ways to take care of it like running premix and yes, I blew the motor in a few months. I wish I owned that car now though. I would’ve treated it the way it deserved.
Whats weird about the window buttons? My chrysler 300 is the same way and like every chevy/dodge ive ever been in was like that. Just genuinely curious why that was weird to you i thought it was reall common. Great vid anyway man!!
I love it !!! And- many will disagree, if you want that rotary vibe and can't afford an rx7, trust me, the rev happy rx8 will put smiles on your face :).
@@thomass8118 I love mine. Hell I used to squeeze 25mpg out of mine before I swapped a bunch of parts and removed the rats nest. Plan to put an S2 Renesis from the RX8 in my car eventually. 230hp, 9500rpm, with crazy good MPG for a rotary sounds bonkers in my 2200lb car
@@fastec5 that's the first time I ever hear anyone say he's going to use the rx8 engine for a swap... good to hear there are some people who understand the true nature of the renesis engine.
@@thomass8118 the Renesis isn't a bad engine if you get the second gen of it or you rebuild a first gen and do minor changes like certain port work. Or just premix. That helps a lot.
The FD RX7 is probably my favourite car of all time (not that I have ever driven one), but the looks, size, even weight distribution and driver focussed elements appeal to me so much. This one looks amazing, but I MUCH prefer the look of an FD with the stock pop-up headlights, the clear headlights ruin the character for me. Most of the other exterior mods are great, definitely can't go wrong with TE-37s, but the whole front end looks a bit strange to me. Each to their own of course, that's what's great about modifying cars... at least it doesn't have one of those hideous, enormous Veilside body kits!
A few issues that need to be corrected for the masses here: 1st Apex seals: At no point in the entirety of mazda's rotary mass production have apex seals ever been the root cause of any issues at all. Things that lead to apex seal failure are all rooted in poor maintenance. Skipping oil changes, never checking oil level as rotaries do inject oil intentionally by design whereas pistons just consume it due to blow by, poor ignition system condition which leads to detonation or even just never letting the engine warm up and just ripping on a cold motor which wears out any engine quickly. with higher performance engines that see higher boost levels apex seals are more susceptible to breaking from detonation which falls back more on the tuning side than anything, however, the higher the boost/power the more critical tuning becomes and even the best tuners struggle to prevent detonation and they all blame the apex seals because no one wants to admit that they're a shitty tuner and instead recommends a fail safe measure such as cheap low quality apex seals that promise nothing other that they're less likely to break so the tuner can get through tuning and break in. After that you have to premix at 2-3 Oz per gallon to prevent housing wear (which it still doesn't) and maybe make it to 60,000 miles or less on a setup that only makes 300-400whp. 2nd Reliability: Any standard rotary engine is capable of being reliable, but, like you said, it takes a certain type of person to own and maintain one successfully. However one small detail you got wrong was that the FD and it's REW are more reliable than the RX-8 and it's renesis engine as a general statement. Inherently turbocharged rotaries are less reliable than their NA counterparts simply due to more stress on the motor from boost. With this in mind the typical stock REW will see up to 80,000-100,000 miles (occasionally more) if you're lucky which falls well into the average RX-8 renesis range. The RX-8's motor is capable of well over double this range, but the typical RX-8 owner is a total moron that would struggle keeping even a stock Dseries Honda roadworthy. A knowledgeable rotary owner that actually treats a renesis like a rotary can easily see over 200,000 miles if maintained as such from day one which is quite impressive considering the amount of power it makes stock (238HP - Not too far off of the series 6 twin turbo REW which made 255HP) compared to the last NA rotary (the series 5 NA 6 port) which made substantially less power (160HP) and had loads of issues that were only resolved with the renesis. This includes premixing as well which most rotary owners in general don't have a very clear understanding of which only adds to the stigma. For general maintenance for all rotaries (including RX-8) refer to this and you'll be just fine: www.banzai-racing.com/RX-7_recommendations.htm
Brap brap brap brap
*Goes on for eternity*
The sound of my people
when you we're on the smoking tire podcast, i was wishing for this and or rob dahm's rx7! Got 50% as of yet. don't let me down !
Reveiw adam lz r32 and the rest of his cars
When we gonna see the supra review???
would LOVE to do a review on a RX7 FD :)
And also a Supra mk4.
I also do car reviews :)
Just from Sweden so.
So happy to finally have you review one of my cars 🥲 you’re a legend Dave 🖤
😘
🔥🔥
When we gonna see the supra review
I remember those sub 60k days.🤙
Trueeeeee the real OG car review
I'm happy that there seems to be a trend of actually keeping the rotaries in the FD
Its not a trend to not swap and engine. It just is
LZ says no :////
Yeah I feel like engine swapping these things are a thing of the past now. Rotaries are just to cool.
@@blazeyfearey9001 he bought it like that lmao, he has 2 others but idk if his 3rd one has a rotary still
mazda heritage just started supporting the rx7 again, just like Nissan started supporting old gtr's again. it's great that these companies are bringing back the parts for these crazy machines
damn, got hit hard with nostalgia when you shift it sounds like old NFS games
Those games really did get the 90s blow off sounds right
@@AzureCrux its really weird how they can't nowadays tho. They used to kill it
The supra sounded like a whole ass AK-47
“OWWWWWWW”
*Warzone Ptsd kicks in*
Petition for TDIB to review rob dahm’s 4 rotor when it’s done
I doubt Rob would let anyone drive for a while.
So in 5 yrs? Lol
Won't ever be done lol
@@DustinB855 Sure brother... I remember when it was "You'll never have an engine", then "It'll never run", then "The car will never move on it's own power". Any car guy will tell you that there's no such thing as being "done" with your car, but Dahm will have it sorted and reliable soon enough.
@@AzureCrux thank you
As an Fd owner I will agree that driving an Fd is a special feel. I am at 426rwhp and my car is reliable and super fun to drive. Premix is a must and if your tune is off dont get into the boost. Keep a good tune and be a responsible owner and you will really enjoy this car. Fail in any of the above and you will have reliability issues. That said the review was spot on and the car sounds a d appears to run great. I am a little more conservative and like the original lines so the exterior of my car is very oem looking with the exception of custom splitters all around. With that said if your going to do a body kit re amemiya is the way to go. Nice car nice review. Brap on brother. From a real rotard
Well being the RX-7 was the first ever JDM car I fell in love with, and now owning one of my own... absolutely love it
Same bro same 🥲
This is my favorite build on RUclips. All of the parts, wheels, engine build, the black on white color scheme, everything about this build is mint.
I’ve been watching TJ for like six years, and holy shit I did not realize how much it cost him to actually build this car. It was always my favorite, but that’s insaaane!
BRAP BRAP BRAP BRAP BRAP BRAP💨💨🔥🔥🔥
That's awesome that you and TJ go way back and you finally get to review his cars!
I’ll never forget watching this get built, made me want one so bad, TJ used to influence my car tastes so much
I think TJs motor is bridgeported, not streetported. Usually the bridgeport is what gives the distinct rotary "braps", unless it's a really aggressive streetport. Also, FDs had ABS, I see the ABS pump in the engine bay at 1:28 . Anyways, awesome review! Was waiting for this after I saw you drive his cars on his channel.
2:03 you're not wrong, we are proud. 🇵🇷
Anyone else remember like about 2 years ago when the Supra had those wheels on it instead?
I still remember the video where he switched them I'm so glad he did.
i miss the custom hre wheels
yea it was rubbing A LOT
It’s been already 2 years damn
Teej has the most cleanest builds on RUclips, been subd to you and Teej for some time now and seeing you review one of his cars is so nostalgic 🤍
To me this is one of the most genius pencil lines laid into a design. I hope my sentence is correct as I am French. Love this car so much!
GOOSEBUMPS EVERYWHERE!
I miss watching these types of videos, i miss hearing a rotary in a game. I miss not working and just playing racing games!
I could listen to that idle all that long its so soothing
Proud Kiwi to see the NZ built rotor in the FD
I love that RE animiya kit, and the fact that it stayed 13B.
Back when he first got it, I was still relatively new to cars and my favorite car was the R32 but ever since he built that and I heard it, FD has been my favorite car ever since
As someone who daily's a rotary (RX8) they're just so much fun to rev out, and I can't imagine not having that experience every day. An FD would be the dream, and the look and power level of this car are what I'd consider perfect. Just the most amount of smiles you could have!
I used to have an FC and I loved it. Nothing like revving out to 9000 RPM. And the guy I bought it from had a custom exhaust that gave it a deeper tone I almost thought it didn't have the 13b in it when he started it up for me.
The rear end of this car with, the blacked out lights going across...cant beat it..looks so good!
The review we’ve all been waiting for!
Said no one ever but still good vid
@@walkingwithjesus1505 I’ve very much been waiting for this review, I enjoy seeing 2 of my favorite RUclipsrs from opposite sides of the country coming together
I’ve been checking notifications ever since I saw them on TJ’s channel
That's my dream FD. The way TJ fixed it up is perfection. Plus I think if you give him $100K he will sell it to you.
That is the slickest, cleanest, purest, FD I have ever seen.
Rotary culture is extremely strong in New Zealand, there's a reason why Mad Mike is able to hold big events with rotary powered vehicles only. It's fairly large, but also fairly tight knit. A lot of classic Mazdas in NZ are Rotary swapped.
I already saw u filming this vlog on TJ’S channel, but it’s cool to now see the full video👌🏻. That FD IS SO SICK😎👍🏻👍🏻.
one of the best taken care of FD's iknow. I love how it sounds and the look of it.
Your reviews are so good, keep up man. Nicest fd rx7 build I ever seen, Love TJ's projects
I just bought an RX-8 and I did the same thing the first time I did my first pull in it. I was in 3rd gear and I shifted and backed off at about 60mph (in a 45mph zone) and I was like "Holy Crap I still had 3k rpm I could've kept pulling!" I can't wait to build my car out some more. Long term goal for the RX-8 is a 20b swap (haven't decided between N/A or Turbo yet)
Ppl may talk bad about rotaries but david you're DEFINITELY THE KING of blowing up 2jz's making rotaries look reliable. 😂
I started watching both you and TJ on that video from the beginning , been a blast watching you two grow !!!
The rx7 that tj built coming from a Dorito lover is amazing definitely my fave build he has done
“Tj’s fd RX7, tell me what you think about it down below. Do you love it? Do you hate it?”
Me: UGGGGGGGGHHHHH, I absolutely LOVE it!😍😍😍😍😍😋🤤
what's funny is the RX7's "brap brap" noise sounds like the noise from "Space Invaders" on the Atari 2600
I had to look up Space Invaders game play and you're right, though the rotary braps faster
@@LouisSubearth I'm showing my age huh bro? 😅 once the aliens get closer to the shooter, the "braps" get faster
Agree with you on this one probably the cleanest best Looking and sounding FD RX7 in the world. So glad to finally see you review this car. Keep it up bro loving the content 🔥
All TJ 's cars are so dope 💯
There was an FD back in my home town and it was pretty haggard but still legit. Love seeing these, especially one that looks, sounds, and runs this great
Love FD RX-7s. This one is such a fantastic build. I am jealous.
Watch every episode of this car being built
I think you mean Bridgeport not streetport. Typically a streetport doesn't create a brap. This is because it is just a slight enlargement of the OEM ports. A bridgeport adds an "eyebrow" to the port which causes the intake and exhaust ports to overlap. That is what creates the brap sound.
Car is literally perfection on wheels
Great review. You should review a Mazda Protege sometime (Sedan, 5, MazdaSpeed or MP3)
I am in love over Mazda Rx7's like I look at it and I see Ferrari and Viper together it just looks racecar
Such a beauty, Love the California content David! Love it all either way.
0:56 OMG David was so timid back then lol
Wow, actual TJ Rx-7 content. finally
I remember when tj first built the FD, it had some huge weird chrome rims and air suspension, and it looked wack.
Glad he's chosen some better wheels, and does it have proper suspension now? Hopefully :)
Nice review.
I love everything about this, it is truly a dream car of mine. I honestly can’t think of a thing I would change on this car! I’m happy he has continued to hold on to it!
New Zealand represent!
Sick rx7 hat off to TJ all his builds are A+ keep moving forward!!
love his rx7 its done right thats how you do an right very proper and is pretty much perfect in my eyes tj definitely has good taste in modding cars he knows what he's doing and all his cars look good
This review definitely for the culture👊🏾
Your videos get better and better every time
Much appreciated!
About time 👏
Still can't get over the fact the fuel in the US is so weak. Here in the UK you can easily get 97 and i think our standard fuel is 95.
TJ has a decent select of JDM cars, looking forward to seeing the Supra video, he has made some big changes to that car over the past year.
Europe uses a different method of measuring octane rating, so European 95/98 is equivalent to USA 91/93. There are 3 rating systems: RON, MON and AKI. RON is what is used in Europe, and AKI is what is used in the states. AKI = (RON+MON)/2
Hey you should have a SPG rating/gauge per car..aka 5 out of 10 etc...or you could have certain SPG categories
This gen RX-7 styling is timeless. So good.
Tj's Rx7 is EASILY hands down one of the best if not the best rx7 on youtube
Wow, stunning looking car. Sounds is so proper.
Damn, you put these out quick. Also, I got your detailing product, but do you have any ideas for hard water? We live on a well here so there's a TON of calcium in the water which makes it a pain to clean cars with it and I was wondering if anyone has a solution that works for them
honestly....I dont care if its legit or not...if it works. then it works. Thats the difference between functionality car guy vs a "show" car guy. But if its the engine we are talking ofc we will get the legit stuff.
the Rx8 isnt all that bad if you know what you're doing with it. The main reliability problem is the fact that they only have 2 injectors per housing on the first generations vs the 3 injectors on the second generations. The second generations were more reliable because the apex seals were lubricated better. The best thing to do with the first generation Rx8's is to premix some 2 stroke oil into your gas for better lubrication. you can even get a kit to instead of pulling oil from the pan, to having a reservoir with 2 stroke oil in it to make it a bit more reliable. I personally want an Rx8. In my area you dont see very many cars like that and instead of getting a cheap kit from duraflex or some brand like that, I would probably spend the money to get a Veilside kit. If I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it right.
Fantastic review!
“Maybe the cleanest rx7 I’ve ever seen?” Mazzei formula watching this... - “ am I joke to you?” 🤣
David = the ceo of having some of the most satisfying intro montages to his reviews
It's nice to see someone finally driving the damn car
2 of my favorite youtubers
I have to say TJ's FD is one of the best representations of JDM RX7s
Love rotary cars. Never been brave enough to pull the trigger on one but I want too
Just do it. You won’t regret it. I bought one as my 1st car when it was still dirt cheap. Now it is getting very expensive in RHD form.
Looks like every standard single turbo setup these days, shoulda moved the turbo forward in the engine bay more to keep heat further from the intake, and put a heat shield around the exhaust. Driving these really hard tends to heat soak the intake... Which obviously turns into a problem on a track or under hard driving conditions..
The 13b is a 2 rotor along with the 12a and 11a.
Yoo I’m fucking early. I love your vids. I hope one day I can get my car on one of your videos.
TJ Hunt's FD is one of the best sounding rotaries in my opinion
Whats the camera and lens setup for the beauty shots? Looks great
Best colab so far!
When i was in hs in the 90s, this car was on my wall. Not a Ferrari or lambo...this rx-7. I settled for an nb2 miata. Close enough....right? Lol
Good review...You should review Mickey's Bad Apple also..I think his is just as clean...👍🏁
you see mickey's influence on this car too
@@simonmillar9161 most definitely!!!
I have 2 94's one bought new and the 5th gear synchro can be broken at stock HP if you are not careful.
My mind says I want one but my bank account says no 😂
Love the Rotary sound😍😍😍😍
honestly we low-key build some of the best jdm engines here in nz
Love the sound of the rotary
It would be absolutely sick if you could review Rob Dahm's projects like this two roter vette and 3 rotor RX-7 (if its all running). I'd love to see the 4 rotor and as well but I doubt he would let anyone else drive that.
That sound ... is so good
Kiwi here, let me tell you New Zealand is home of the rotary engine
I had one in 2003, no one in Hawaii knew how to work on them, RUclips didn’t exist to learn about ways to take care of it like running premix and yes, I blew the motor in a few months. I wish I owned that car now though. I would’ve treated it the way it deserved.
Whats weird about the window buttons? My chrysler 300 is the same way and like every chevy/dodge ive ever been in was like that. Just genuinely curious why that was weird to you i thought it was reall common. Great vid anyway man!!
I think he did a really great job with it. He did it right 👌🏼
I love it !!! And- many will disagree, if you want that rotary vibe and can't afford an rx7, trust me, the rev happy rx8 will put smiles on your face :).
Just buy a first gen or second gen. Besides, everyone knows FB's are the best.
@@fastec5 I should've specified rx7 fd, but any rx7 is a 'many smiles per gallon car' I guess :)
@@thomass8118 I love mine. Hell I used to squeeze 25mpg out of mine before I swapped a bunch of parts and removed the rats nest. Plan to put an S2 Renesis from the RX8 in my car eventually. 230hp, 9500rpm, with crazy good MPG for a rotary sounds bonkers in my 2200lb car
@@fastec5 that's the first time I ever hear anyone say he's going to use the rx8 engine for a swap... good to hear there are some people who understand the true nature of the renesis engine.
@@thomass8118 the Renesis isn't a bad engine if you get the second gen of it or you rebuild a first gen and do minor changes like certain port work. Or just premix. That helps a lot.
This video wants me to go 10 years to the future to see my fd done 😩
The FD RX7 is probably my favourite car of all time (not that I have ever driven one), but the looks, size, even weight distribution and driver focussed elements appeal to me so much.
This one looks amazing, but I MUCH prefer the look of an FD with the stock pop-up headlights, the clear headlights ruin the character for me. Most of the other exterior mods are great, definitely can't go wrong with TE-37s, but the whole front end looks a bit strange to me. Each to their own of course, that's what's great about modifying cars... at least it doesn't have one of those hideous, enormous Veilside body kits!
One of the best rx-7's in the 🌎
There's only one import I love more than the FD, and that's the R32-R34.
You got any VR4 videos?
I’m a Domestic guy but I love those RX-7s!
Mercedes Benz AMG CLK GTR Review
ruclips.net/video/U8jBSx6vNV8/видео.html
It would’ve been cool to see you review Mickey Andrade’s rhd Civic. Can’t wait to watch you review TJ’s Supra.
A few issues that need to be corrected for the masses here:
1st Apex seals: At no point in the entirety of mazda's rotary mass production have apex seals ever been the root cause of any issues at all. Things that lead to apex seal failure are all rooted in poor maintenance. Skipping oil changes, never checking oil level as rotaries do inject oil intentionally by design whereas pistons just consume it due to blow by, poor ignition system condition which leads to detonation or even just never letting the engine warm up and just ripping on a cold motor which wears out any engine quickly. with higher performance engines that see higher boost levels apex seals are more susceptible to breaking from detonation which falls back more on the tuning side than anything, however, the higher the boost/power the more critical tuning becomes and even the best tuners struggle to prevent detonation and they all blame the apex seals because no one wants to admit that they're a shitty tuner and instead recommends a fail safe measure such as cheap low quality apex seals that promise nothing other that they're less likely to break so the tuner can get through tuning and break in. After that you have to premix at 2-3 Oz per gallon to prevent housing wear (which it still doesn't) and maybe make it to 60,000 miles or less on a setup that only makes 300-400whp.
2nd Reliability: Any standard rotary engine is capable of being reliable, but, like you said, it takes a certain type of person to own and maintain one successfully. However one small detail you got wrong was that the FD and it's REW are more reliable than the RX-8 and it's renesis engine as a general statement. Inherently turbocharged rotaries are less reliable than their NA counterparts simply due to more stress on the motor from boost. With this in mind the typical stock REW will see up to 80,000-100,000 miles (occasionally more) if you're lucky which falls well into the average RX-8 renesis range. The RX-8's motor is capable of well over double this range, but the typical RX-8 owner is a total moron that would struggle keeping even a stock Dseries Honda roadworthy. A knowledgeable rotary owner that actually treats a renesis like a rotary can easily see over 200,000 miles if maintained as such from day one which is quite impressive considering the amount of power it makes stock (238HP - Not too far off of the series 6 twin turbo REW which made 255HP) compared to the last NA rotary (the series 5 NA 6 port) which made substantially less power (160HP) and had loads of issues that were only resolved with the renesis. This includes premixing as well which most rotary owners in general don't have a very clear understanding of which only adds to the stigma.
For general maintenance for all rotaries (including RX-8) refer to this and you'll be just fine: www.banzai-racing.com/RX-7_recommendations.htm