HoffDaddy

Not exactly new here, just never had an rx7, I plan to change that. I've been looking for a new daily, not an rx7 exactly, but I was driving today and I saw this gorgeous gold fc in the corner of my eye, so I went and looked at it. 1987 n/a 5 speed 145k miles. It's in pretty decent shape, few scratches, few dents, but really straight overall. The worst thing us a quarter size patch of rust on the driver side rear quarter it's right on the lip of the fender, it's not really bad, just started to crack the paint, I can't feel it on the other side. Obviously the dealer buffed it and obviously they spent a few hours cleaning the engine bay because on the strut towers was **** caked so bad you can't scratch it off with your fingernail... Idk what it is besides 30years of not being cleaned. I almost want to say the underside is the best looking part of the car because it's phenomenally clean under there, but the body obviously looks nicer lol. That's all I can tell you now, haven't drove it, haven't looked at the fluids. I want to know is $4250 for this car a good deal to get in the rotary game. First of all 145k mi is a lot and it will be my daily and I don't exactly have money to pour into it. Any thoughts? Anything else I should look for?

Andrew Falls

I have to be honest, that's expensive for a na. I bought my first 86 se for $1500 needed a driveshaft and only had 115k, my second one was an 87 I bought for $800 with a bad rear rotor with 95k and my most recent purchase of a 87 turbo 2 I got for $2200 with 82k just needs a harness. My point is you'll be able to find a nice one for less than that. I don't see you paying over $2500 for a running driving one. and all my cars had clean bodies with minimal rust. Some may disagree but that's my honest opinion and I find really good deals on cars haha! You can probably find a nice clean one through here.

HoffDaddy

Thanks for the input! When I was looking at prices online it didn't seem like a bad price... I could probably do better, but not unreasonable. Anyway, how is a rx7 with 145k mi for a daily driver? How is an rx7 no matter the miles for a daily driver?

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

to a point, i tend to agree with the post above. i wouldn't necessarily say dismiss a car listed for $4000, but you definitely shouldn't get the one you described seeing. for me, personally, i would not pay that for an N/A car, no matter how nice it is, but i don't think i would flinch at paying that for a nice T2.

for you, if you want an N/A car, i think you should maybe budget for about $4000-4500, look to pay around $1500-2000 and either use the rest to get it to daily driver status or save it for a rainy day.

rxbaby7

iTrader: (1)

I have a 91 daily na. I've been blessed with no major issues. Just really **** with oil changes and fluid maintenance. But overall couldn't be happier driving it to work and after a long 15hr day back home. Good look finding one. There out there so you shouldn't have any problems!!

HoffDaddy

Good advice. I currently can't afford 2 cars right now because I refuse to drive a piece of crap every day. My daily is going to be $4-7k and that's all I have to spend for a car because I spent most of this summer unemployed, I had the money budgeted already and I have a job now and still people wanting to hire me, but it made money kind of tight, so won't get a project car for a few months... And I still have a turbo honda engine I have to find a car for... Anyway, so an rx7 is not a good daily? I'm pretty **** with maintenance, but is it that much of a risk?

rxbaby7

iTrader: (1)

For love of these car! Lol

HoffDaddy

I need one!! 😂

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

an Rx-7 can be a great daily driver. the pickle you are most likely to find yourself in is that you're probably going to be inheriting a car that got all of the driving, but less of the needed quality care. despite what people say out there, rotaries and pre-FD Rx-7s are fairly simple. there are no tricks, no dark magic, just maintain them, keep them lubricated and keep them cool. that's pretty much it. the only reason, i called exception to the FD is because it is complex in how the turbos work and it's ECU is not as primitive, but at the center of it, it is still just a rotary and there is a simplicity to it.

as far as risk goes, it's an old car. things are going to fail. there's no way to predict the details of what, when and where. just know it will happen. some parts can take a while to get in hand, so that means downtime if the failed part prevents you from driving the thing safely.

that said, any car can leave you stranded on whim, new or used. all that changes are the probabilities. my advice would be if you're into this, then give it a shot. you will have support to keep it running. if this is just a curiosity or an itch you need to scratch, there is a potential to quickly frustrate you. get something else now and wait to get an Rx-7 at some later, more stable point in time.

lduley

iTrader: (1)

I agree with all the above thats said

Honestly, if you don't have the funds for an extra car, than a 7 isn't for you right now, especially dependant on where you live

Example: when it comes to almost ANY part for my 7, NO auto part store near me has it, they always have to order it and its usually from out've state (i'm in michigan) so if something happened, could you afford to A) buy the part? And B) go without the car for the time your waiting on the part?

7's are a great fun car, but aren't always the best in regards to a DD (and i don't mean a nice set)

Alot of people i know have spare tires for their cars, i have a spare car for my car, so that when something happens to one, i can jump in another and do what i need

Just my $.02

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

HoffDaddy

Thanks a ton guys! You're all so helpful I want to buy one just to be closer to the community But no! I'll wait and come back with a nice car!

lduley

iTrader: (1)

Go ahead and laugh, but it makes sense does it not? When one breaks, you know you have the other to fall back on while you fix the other one back up

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

you clearly don't know me (and i guess i shouldn't expect you to either). anyway, i wasn't laughing because it didn't make sense. i was laughing because of the TRUTH to it. to the untrained eyes, the comment seems over-the-top and ridiculous, but inside the old- and older- school camps, we know it's not.

a long time ago a friend of mine and i were taking a trip from NY to Atlanta in his Rx-7. he was fairly new Rx-7 ownership. in the days before the trip, i told him get some parts for an emergency kit. anyway, the day came and he had like belts and water, you know, the simple things that "normal" people might get. so, me, the veteran Rx-7 roadside fixer-upper, i got vexed and went back to my house, to get my "kit" out of my car: belts, cap, rotor, wires, fuel pump, alternator and a few other things. he laughed at me. made a comment about something along the lines of bring a whole car with us.

we left NY after he got off work around 1900. we got as far as Maryland and of course it's late at night and the bloody thing lost power. we pulled over on the side of I-95 and opened the hood. the two main coil wires were mangled and the distributor cap was physically broken. i forget the details, but i think i figured one distributor clips had either never been clamped fully or came loose, which allowed it to touch the alternator. anyway, the point is ... who do you think was laughing then?

lduley

iTrader: (1)

Lol, thats great

Froggy9t9

Me too - just need to find the right one - easier said than done!

hanman56

I have a whole garage full of spare parts, I think I could build a whole car from all of the parts that I own.

hanman56

And BTW, that is way too much money for that car.
I paid $600 for my 88 vert, $500 for my 85 SE, $8k for my 93 FD (in very good shape), and I guess i did pay a lot for my 80 SA, $9700, but it was brand new when I bought it.

liznmike

sounds like a lot of money for the car