If you've ever heard a Mazda RX-7 or an RX-8 drive past, you might have idea something was terribly wrong with the car, because under the hood isn't simply your average motor. The rotary engine has a audio that is completely unique and like shooting fish in a barrel to recognize, and it sounds unlike anything else on the road today. Not a lot of cars take a rotary engine, but people all the same similar to buy them. Are they besides unique for their own skilful? Or is the experience of a rotary engine worth the risk?

Benefits of buying a rotary

Rotary engines are high-revving and tin can produce a lot of power in the correct hands. They are like shooting fish in a barrel to change, customize, and build, and you can do and so pretty inexpensively to create a fast car. Rotary engines are used in a lot of pro-compact elevate racing cars because they can handle an absurd corporeality of power. But at what cost?

1990 Mazda RX-7 Convertible
1990 Mazda RX-seven Convertible | bringatrailer.com

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Chances are your average mechanic is non capable of doing much maintenance on your rotary engine. They are completely different from your standard piston combustion engines that mechanics work on day in and twenty-four hours out, and they are even less mutual than working on hybrid cars. The get-go downside of owning a rotary is that you either need to work on the car yourself or detect a local, reputable mechanic who has experience with these engines.

Other potential problems

Rotary engines are pretty rare, with only a handful of cars ever having them, which is adept and bad for unlike reasons. On ane side, y'all take a well-loved, unique machine that — when recognized — is usually something that car enthusiasts bask seeing. They sound great and offering a fun and unique driving experience you lot can't get from any other car.

Mazda RX-Vision in 2022
Mazda RX-Vision in 2022 | David Mareuil /Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

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On the downside, they aren't piece of cake to source parts for when something brakes or goes bad — like the noon seals, which are destroyed on every RX-7 I've always tried to purchase, ever. The parts are rare enough to be pricey, and you will find yourself not only struggling to detect a mechanic to practise the repairs, only y'all'll also exist paying a premium just to find the parts. If yous are mechanically inclined and want to learn how to work on the machine yourself, at that place aren't a lot of video tutorials that are helpful — but maybe if you wanted to brand some of your own this is a niche that needs to be filled.

The rotary engine is undeniably i of the coolest motors you tin go in a machine, and as long as you're willing to have the run a risk it can be well worth it for the reward. These absurd cars are rare, agree their value, and enthusiasts do generally enjoy driving and owning them.