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So I just drove an FD for the first time... and I wish I hadn't

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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 04:06 PM
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So I just drove an FD for the first time... and I wish I hadn't

I now understand why many of the 8 owners want turbo so badly. Taking off in a twin sequential 7 is awesome. You're thrown back in the seat and the car just loves every minute of it. It was quite a rush and the 7 handled just about as well as the 8.
The car was running 16PSI boost and was putting 366 at the crank, 305 at the wheels. Now, why do I wish I hadn't? Because now I want more. I felt my pocketbook getting lighter after I got out of the car.

If I had had what the guy was aking for to buy the car (I was test driving it for someone in another state), I would've bought it right then and there.

I guess I need to pick up a second job to afford what will soon become my expensive modification habit, either that, or my expensive "import an FD" habit :b

Ahh blissfull turbo....
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 04:49 PM
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wonder how much it would cost to import an fd. i hear used cars in japan are pretty cheap and in low demand, but the most difficult part would be getting past our customs and getting it certified, which is a major major pain. i love those late model fd's...
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 05:13 PM
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they're not that expensive to import actually. It'd be just shy of 10grand. The only thing i didnt like about the FD was the throw on the transmission. It was so short and so tight that i felt uncomfortable with it, but that's me.
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 05:27 PM
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Why import a LEFT HAND DRIVE car when with a little looking and persistence, you can find tons of '94s and even the occasional '95 out there? Just to get a newer car? Save yourself the hassle of bringing a car into the country thusly: find a nice '94, get a rebuilt motor from Mazdatrix, drop it in yourself or have someone else do it, and enjoy.

Re the shifter, some of us FD owners actually converted to short shifters. Sure that wasn't done to the car you checked?
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 05:56 PM
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Hehe..
I wouldnt import an LHD. I'd import an RHD just to be extra different.

It might've been modded that way. There was literally no play whatsoever in the shifter.
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 06:50 PM
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What are the chances of finding an FD that is stock? Nil? If I were able to find one, I would spend any amount of money to get one. The important thing though, is that is has to be stock. I want to mod it my way. The more I look at it, the more I like it. I think it is the most beautiful thing on 4 wheels.
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 08:05 PM
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As far as I know there are no FDs beyond 95 that are LHD.

The shifter had to be modified to short throw. The RX-8 has a much shorter throw than my 93.
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 08:30 PM
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ok...so because i am craving a RHD FD...i did alot of research...you can get the car for about 7-10 grand, but then you have to do some things to it, to make it street legal / driveable in the US...that will cost you about another 7 grand (shipping included)...so if you have about 17 lying around, i can tell you who to call, since i am just waiting for the loan, to get my car to start its journey across the sea....BTW its a 97 RX7 RHD...can't wait...
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 08:47 PM
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are you seriously getting one? that's awesome

but why not get a '99+ my model? those have 280ps and the facelift. personally, i'd get a '99 type rs, not as expensive as the rz or spirit r but still very cool
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 09:18 PM
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I had 2 of then you don't want a headeah .You are going to need another job just to keep up with the car. does cars are just like ferrari's there are fast , beautiful and expencise to service. I loved my fd but i won't get another .
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 09:31 PM
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99+ models cost more...i may do that...not sure...i got the loan for 25000 so i could add on to the car as soon as i got it, or if any un-forseen costs creeped up while trying to import it. I may go with a different model...until i send payment, i guess i could change my mind...

who knows...
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 10:03 PM
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just buy acosta rx8 with a 20b and a big turbo .
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 10:11 PM
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Originally posted by j-apex rx
just buy acosta rx8 with a 20b and a big turbo .
Yea.. that'd be nice too. I won't be doing anything for a while. I need to save cash.
Most likely, I'll be one of the first people to invest in a turbo/supercharger on the rx8. Before I do that, I'll likely have the ports openned up and the exhaust/cat/midpipe replaced as the biggest problem with every factory mazda is that they're so congested on the exhaust end.
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 10:14 PM
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Ajax....are you around or are you out of town???
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Old Jun 13, 2004 | 01:33 AM
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Importing newer model FD's is a bitch, any that were not of the same years where the FD was sold in the USA. Check the rx7club.com board and do a search. It is extensively discussed.
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Old Jun 13, 2004 | 02:54 AM
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Originally posted by moRotorMotor
What are the chances of finding an FD that is stock? Nil? If I were able to find one, I would spend any amount of money to get one. The important thing though, is that is has to be stock. I want to mod it my way. The more I look at it, the more I like it. I think it is the most beautiful thing on 4 wheels.
It's funny, I always felt the same way and have always monitored various sites for used FDs for sale. Well I finally found one that was close to stock, just some minor suspension stuff. It also had low miles and had been for sale for several months so I was ready to swoop in and get a great deal. It wasn't a color I wanted (that dark teal kind of color) but oh well. So a few days later I drive to a autox venue that I don't normally attend and there it is in all it's ragged out glory going around the autox track.
I decided it just wasn't a good decision to even go look at it at this point and it disappears from autotrader. A couple months later what appears to be the same car is up for sale again with "Only 200 miles on the new engine", that made me give up any thoughts of ever owning an FD. Unless you have the dough to just replace the engine on a whim at any given time it's just not the right car to buy.
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Old Jun 13, 2004 | 12:30 PM
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or unless you know what your doing with the engine/car
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Old Jun 13, 2004 | 06:24 PM
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http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6327

If only I could make $2000 in 30 minutes I could buy that car.
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Old Jun 13, 2004 | 07:48 PM
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That is beautiful. Boy do I wish I could have bought a new one back then.
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Old Jun 26, 2004 | 11:57 PM
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My dad and I almost considered buying an FD3S, but we couldn't find a decent one in Houston. Oh well, my RX-8 is the king of the neigborhood :D. Anyhoo, anyone considering importing the ultra-rare RX-7 SP?
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Old Jun 28, 2004 | 12:22 AM
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Originally posted by RX-8 friend
As far as I know there are no FDs beyond 95 that are LHD.

The shifter had to be modified to short throw. The RX-8 has a much shorter throw than my 93.
Agreed. I thought my FD's shifter was the best thing I'd ever had until I got the RX-8 6-speed.
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Old Jun 30, 2004 | 02:31 PM
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Importing a car is ridiculously tricky. If you just buy it and have the company in japan ship it here, it'll get stopped at port and get tied up in red tape. If you try to import one as a parts car, you'd have to ship the engine seperately from the car and piece it back together. Then you would have no chance of legalizing it in any sort of way.

Speaking of shifters, go to a Honda dealership and try the S2000 shifter.
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Old Jul 3, 2004 | 11:14 AM
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Since a few of you guys seem to think its very difficult to find a stock FD, I thought I would tell you mine is for sale if you didnt see the thread, its so stock I dont even have a boost guage, only thing changed is the wheels. Triniwarrior31@Hotmail.com
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