KT's_94FD

Hi, my name is Andrew. I live in Central Florida and it is relatively hot here year around. I'm looking in to getting a 94’ rx-7 so I started doing my homework on the car. It’s in good condition minus the broken antenna but I could care less about that since I don’t listen to the radio any way. Only has 58,000 miles on it and seems to run smooth. But its an automatic, I don’t know how often I'm going to see an RX-7 with only 58k miles on it so I'm really thinking about buying it. I’ve read a bunch of posts and stuff on other links posted on the forums about the rotary engine and I’ve come up with this. 1. It’s the best engine ever and you will love it too death and 2. You will hate the engine and it’s a huge money pit due to seals. So with that being said am I correct that the main problem with the car in general is the cars high heat out put due to being air-cooled and seals blowing? If I did get this car I would have the oil changed around every 2500 miles and do regular tune-ups would this be engine to keep it in running condition? And I was led to believe that when you do pop your seals your engine needs and over haul is this correct? And I guess my last question is… Is it really worth it?

XSTransAm

It shouldent be hard to find a car with 58,000 miles on it.

Automatics are usually cheaper but alot less fun.

The car isnt air cooled. It has an air to air intercooler for the twin turbos

I change my oil everye 2000 miles.

if you keep it stock and do the reliability upgrades it should run for a while.

is it worth it? I dont know.

KT's_94FD

In Florida an automatic is an easy grand optional upgrade for most cars. They are asking 15,998 for the RX and I think i would find a way to put in a new 6 speed trany and make it a manual.

alberto_mg

Autos can be found cheap. So whether its worth it depends on how much you like the car and the mechanical condition. Don't buy it just b/c of the mileage.

The rotary is watercooled and has an air to air intercooler like XS said.

i've seen many original motors tend to go around the 50k mark, but that was just my experience.

keep doing your homework. start with the newbie stickers and the article about buying an FD

93BlackFD

6 speed is not adviseable for turbo cars, you lose that really fun 3rd gear and you get a not so fun 3rd and 4th

NukeGenius

Plus there isnt really a 6 speed tranny that mates easily with the fd motor, while a 5 speed tranny out of a totaled manual tranny fd will fit right in there like a glove! Also, look up the reliability mods. Those are what will mostly keep you from blowing your motor. Other than that, keep researching to make sure this is the car for you. Just keep an eye on the boost and the temps, as those are what mostly get people into trouble with blowing motors (ie overboosting or overheating). The majority of other motors that go sour is due to improper tuning, which you wont have to worry about if you keep it relatively stock.

KT's_94FD

I dont understand why the engine would get so hot. If its liquid cooled and has an intercooler what is the problem? The rotary couldnt be puting off much heat that the stock cooling systems wouldnt stop would it?

XSTransAm

The rotary puts off a ton of heat, the sequential turbo system adds tremendously to this heat. And if you overheat once on this engine you can cook it to death.

KT's_94FD

So what if you got a huge front mounted intercooler wouldnt that reduce the heating problem?

KT's_94FD

So what if you got a huge front mounted intercooler wouldnt that reduce the heating problem?

XSTransAm

People do upgrade the intercoolers as part of a reliability mod. but this is also a performance mod and can lead to issues requiring a ECU.

This still dosent take from the heat generated by the turbos.

Its just a hot running engine setup. Doing some precautionary measures help to increase the life of the engine.

All you have to do is watch the coolant gauge like a hawk, if it starts to ever go above the halfway point immeadiatly shut the car off and call a towtruck.

read up on this here:
http://www.geocities.com/sdrx7_club/technical.html

KT's_94FD

I was reading about the RX-8 and it also has the same problem and it does not have turbos, but it said becuase of the engine 1.3 size and its 9000RMP's it generates huge amounts of heat. My parents are rather up set becuase they just got me a brand new truck last May and I'm already looking at getting a new car. They got me a new car becuase it has a warenty and this RX-7 would not. I feel its the only way to prevent me from killing myself with the way I drive. I push the engine and my self to the limit when I drive. I was looking at getting one of the RX-8 but dont really know too much about them and how easy they are to mod. Im just afriad if I get this RX-7 I will end up in the shop alot and I dont really have much time for that.

NukeGenius

The RX7 WILL be in the shop a lot. Its just going to happen. There are way too many complicated systems that break all the time. Also, the coolant system is a little underengineered to handle all the heat that the engine generates, especially when it sits at idle for long periods with no air flow. That's why many people install a switch to control the fans to draw in air. Have you ever looked at the size of the stock radiator? Its friggin TINY! Anyways, the rx8 will be more reliable because it doesnt have the complicated turbo system, and mazda incorporated some of the things they learned from the mistakes of the 7 into the design of the 8. If this will be your only car, I'd recommend something else because the 7 has a good portion of its life spent as down time, unless you can resist the urge to do ONLY the reliability mods, but who do you know that only stops there?

Snook

iTrader: (12)

these cars in stock form are pretty reliable. Id never get an automatic because the reason I got the car is because its a racecar. You feel like your *** is right on the road and you can control the car to do whatever you want. Its a great car, if you dont appreciate speed and handling then go for something else more normal. Autos also break more often than manuals in the 94s. The manual is very reliable even on very heavily modified cars hardly anyone needs to upgrade. That price is a bit high in my eyes for an automatic, if it was 5 speed that sounds ok but Id be worried about the engine not lasting for much longer. Maybe try looking for one with a motor that was just installed and the body has low miles as well. In florida there arent many shops that are good so make sure you find out what type of engine it is and who put it in the car.

KT's_94FD

I wouldn’t keep it stock, I already had plans for a front mount intercooler and new turbo just to start if I did get the car. The price they are asking is a bit high for me even with my trade in. I was looking at the blue book on the RX-7 and it was only 11,000 so I doubt I will get it. I might just wait around a while and see what pops up in my area or wait and get an RX-8 in a couple of months. They are firm on it too. Most of my driving style comes from playing The Ferrari 355 challenge arcade game, Gran Turismo 1 2 and 3 and Initial D. I got turned on to the rotary in GT3 because of the 787b. I drive a manual right now, I drive it because I like to feel like I can control the car or truck in my case to do what I want it to do and were I want it to go. I have a 2” front drop for better handling but having no weight in the back end doesn't help. I drive to the limit, I corner till I break lose and start breaking at the last minute and down shift a lot. I don’t really care about fuel thirsty cars I hardly ever get below 4k on my 6k tak unless I'm stopped. And I do drive almost 70 miles a day going to school and back it’s about an hour drive each way and about 15 minuets if not more is stop and go traffic. I don’t think I could rely on a car that would be over heating a lot. When I was looking out of state for an RX-7 I did find a red one with 5k on the engine and 130k on the body. But I don’t know how well it was installed. Also another problem I ran in to was some one in my area that can work on a rotary engine. I'm also upset with my vehicle because I have a 90MPH fuel shut off when I'm in 4th at 5000RPM and fuel will shut off at 6000RPM in 1, 2 & 3. I haven’t heard any thing about any problems hitting the rev limiter. I know in my friends 92’ VR-4 he hit it and his timing belt went or something caused his timing belt to go because of it and messed up his engine and he has to get a new one. Just wondering if there are any problems in the RX-7 like this.

diablone

iTrader: (2)

Maybe you should consider looking into one of these instead.

gdnimr0d

iTrader: (4)

hahahah true!!!.....well if you are going to buy an rx7 my advice is you better love the car as much as you love your life.....you have to truely love this car for you to enjoy it because all the trips you take to the car shop and all the money that is going into it has to be appreciated not hated....well consider doing all the work yourself that way you learn and get a greater love and appreciation for the car...but yes...you will have problems with any rx7 they are just prone to be more tempermental...but then again you will have problems with any car....it is just more prone to happen in our cars....well have fun and good luck

KT's_94FD

If I'm going to get any type of Toyota its going to be a Toyota Twin Turbo Supra. And I also believe that cars drive is FF and I only do AWD or FR. If im going to get a FF car with only 180HP I would buy a used Honda Civic SI and rice it out. But thanks. I did test drive one of those last year along with a SE-R Sentra, I liked the
Sentra much better but the truck was 4k cash back. And my day was buying so I had no say in it.

gdnimr0d

iTrader: (4)

oh and you might be alittle young to be buying one of these so you can take it to its limit because i dont think there is ever a limit with this car...it just keeps getting faster and faster with more money.....well 17...hmm i had my NA 2nd gen then but i had been working on rx7's for a year already and now i am 18 and i get paid to work on rx7's....well good luck with a 3rd gen

KT's_94FD

Im 18 and I work full time, I don't mind spending money on it but I dont want it to be the center of my life.

theorie

iTrader: (31)

PLEASE, FOR THE SAKE OF THE LIFE OF ANOTHER RX-7, PLEASE DONT GET ONE. PLEASEEEE DONT GET ONE.

"Most of my driving style comes from playing The Ferrari 355 challenge arcade game, Gran Turismo 1 2 and 3 and Initial D"

ARE YOU SERIOUS?????

DO NOT BUY A 3RD GEN RX-7.

KT's_94FD

Yeah im pretty serious. Most of my cornering and accel decel and shifting comes from GT3 and ferrari 355. The rest is tied in with day to day driving.

93BlackFD

this is a hoax, mods check the IP, see who else gets on that IP

theorie

iTrader: (31)

yeah this has got to be someone joking around.

no one is dumb enough to think they can drive an FD well because of practice playing ******* video games and flooring it around in a truck.

hahahaha would be funny if the kid was serious though. but i think this is someone just joking around.

KT's_94FD

What are you talking about?