My thoughts.. I originally was all for keeping the 8.. and am now thinking twice.. I am now leaning more towards the repurchase.. Cons out weighing the pros/ I love the car don't get me wrong, just think that next years model will be better- at any rate, I am considering the purchase of a '93 Rx-7 TT, touring, with 43k miles(private seller)..(rebuilt of course)- Also a 93 TT with 5k on the engine (from a dealer tho) - Faster car, but used. Always wanted an RX-7..
What similarities do the 7 and the 8 have in common??
Main things I am wondering .. :

Reliability - How reliable is the Rx-7? I knew a kid that had his blow up and would cost like 7k to fix - Are maintaining these two cars the same? Is gas mileage the same (or around) - Any A/C problems in the RX-7?
Also, if anyone is in Orlando or near, anyone heard of a dealer called Super Auto of Longwood? Know their reputation?? Any comments/ answers/ whatever you have to say is welcome.

-Joe

Find a good mechanic...Petit, SAS. And be prepared to spend a few thousand on a Knock Sensor, Radiator, Silicone Hoses, etc... just for precautionary measures. They can be very reliable if you don't get ahead of yourself, and you're willing to take care of the car properly. Go in expecting the possibility of high maintenance so you're not blindsided if it starts happening.

O.K., please no one flame me, I'm just making the suggestion. I'm a diehard for rotarys, but what about a C5 Corvette? They are all over Florida and dirt cheap. And all they are, is a slightly larger version of the FD RX-7. And if you're worried about reliability and maintenance costs, the C5 should be better in that category. It's not as good as the FD, but it's pretty close.

As much as I would love an RX-7 I just don't think I could ever pull the trigger on one. I'm paranoid enough as it is with things going wrong with my car, I would hate to have what seems to be a ticking time bomb of an engine. They are fragile and need to be taken care of very carefully, who knows how they were treated before you owned it. I think if you vould find one with a blown engine and then replace it with a new one yourself that would be ideal. I've always loved this car and have throughout the years looked them up on autotrader to see what was available, far far too many of them had new engines and were rebuilt with relatively low miles. I think if I only drove 5k or so miles a year I would have no problems getting one, but if you're putting 3 to 4 times that on a year I would say look for another option.

Ike

Lastly, 5k miles on a 93 TT??? Sounds fishy, see if they will show you a car fax or run one yourself, < 500 miles a year is low for even a high end exotic.

Here is the ad - the Salesman from the dealer called me today, said it has 5k miles on the new engine -- 1993 MAZDA RX7, twin turbo, 5 spd, must see to appreciate, looks like brand new, transferrable warranty, new turbos, engine, down pipe, synchronizers, suspension, custom wheels, powerful turbo timer, everything works perfect, $16.5k


not a bad price either.. plus warranty?? I'm gonna check out the car/ at least the body, start it up see how it sounds...

Ok I read it wrong, I thought the car had 5k on the odometer...

It's tough buying a modded car, especially when it was most likely modded even more heavily and then parted out, but hard to know for sure. What are the odometer miles on it? Also, doesn't it bother you that the two you have found and almost every one I have found has had a rebuild or a new engine??? One of them at 43k miles, I've had brakes last nearly as long... Sorry but the more I think about it this rotary nonsense scares the crap out of me.

Ike

Definitely scares me that they are all rebuilt.. the ones that haven't been rebuilt are not for sale!! I just wish someone that knows about the 7 will reply with all my questions answered.. I'm also considering a jetta vr6, or rsx-s.. looking for a car with similar speed(s).. and to stay at a low price (20k or less) until next years rx8 arrives, hopefully better - But the more I read about the RX-7 and its maintenance, it steers me away.. although I still love the car! I'm in a huge quandry right now.. If I know this RX-7 (or one of them) will last me, and if I know what I am getting into in buying an RX-7 than I won't be too worried.. Anyone with some background on the 7, or have owned / do own one now/ tell me your experiences and If it is worth buying the *above mentioned "ad" listed....

Thanks,
Joe

You should check out www.rx7club.com
Go to the 3rd gen specific section and there are some stickies with a lot of good information.

Good luck with your decision! I have a 94 touring with 62000 original miles. I love my car and don't have any problems with it. I put about $2500 into reliablity mods ( new fuel pulsation dampener, new fuel filter, fan mod, radiator and hoses, downpipe, boost gauge, etc...) and a grand or so into some go fast stuff. I've been conservative with mods(just have a hi flow cat, exhaust and boost controller). I drive the hell out of my 7. Just do your research and make an informed decision. If you don't at least have a basic knowledge of rotaries and the ability to maintain your own car I would suggest you get something else. But that being said, don't be scared off by the horror stories. I daily drive my 7 and just do routine maintenance and regular checkups. I know people that have over 100k on their original motors.
Of course on the other side of the coin there's my husband who put 3 motors in about one year and a half into his highly modified R1.:D He finally sold the beast and bought a 350Z.

Just do your homework and don't buy the first 7 that you come across. Wait until you find a clean, low mileage, stock or near- stock car. Also, keep in mind that they are 10 years old. If you don't want a maintenance commitment, there are a lot of newer cars that are pretty fun and fast that you might consider instead.

Anyway, that's my long and rambling 2 cents.

Tracy:)

If you are looking for a reliable ride........ stick with the RX-8 or buy an old NA RX-7 (1989-1991).

The 3rd gen. RX-7 is a money pit especially if you start modding it. Unless it is immaculate and meticulously maintained I would not recommend it as a daily driver. Parts are really expensive. AWESOME car, but it will end up being a love/hate relatioship. Plus, the build quality of the 8 is light years ahead of the 7's.

AGAIN, rotaries should not scare anybody. Rotaries WITH TURBOS should. I've had 3 2nd. gen NA RX-7's and they all went close to 200,000 miles before I sold them. My friend has a 1st. gen. 1985 GSL-SE RX-7 with 250,000 miles on the original engine.

If you have any more questions, just ask me or any of the plethora of 7 owners on this forum or at www.nopistons.com. The RX-7 Club forum is overrun with young idiots now, so you might be wasting your time.

You can also find a decent 93 3rd gen. for way less than 16 grand. Also, if you do go that route, don't buy a 93. Buy a 94 or a 95 if you can find one. They will be a bit more, but you will be better off.

Owning an FD can be pretty straightforward.... if you don't mod it. But, like any highly strung MAP sensed car, once you start modding them you need to get more fuel into them or it's game over.

Those that resisted the temptation to mod can get over 100k miles out of them. As long as the AST is replaced, the pre-cat is swapped for a downpipe and the cooling system is looked after (watch the plastic end tanks, hoses etc) you wont have any dramas.

Twin turbo system can be hard to fault find, but it's actually pretty tough. I've personally never had a problem with it in the last four years.

Having said all that they are tough to live with for a daily driver. They suck at luggage storage and you're constantly worried about parking it anywhere.

-pete