yetterben

God how many times a year can i see that picture...........its worth about 1,500 bucks ray lol

ray green

iTrader: (14)

That's only the first time I've posted that photo this year Ben, as far as I can remember.

And yup, I get a lot of mileage out of my 7's, that one is turning over 159,000 miles now and going stronger than ever, consistently getting 23-24 mpg and a real pleasure to drive (as the photo suggests, I hope).

Your estimated value of $1,500 is close, I actually paid $1,545 for The White One on an ebay auction about three years ago. She had 83,000 miles when I got her.

So let's see, I've chalked up 76,000 miles in three years for a $1500 investment plus maybe that much more for the repairs and upgrades, including a full RB exhaust and some nice original red leather seats, a total car expense of about $1000/25,000 miles plus gas and oil (I do my own work). I'm paying minimal insurance, getting decent gas mileage on my daily 110 mile commute and having way more fun than those bored folks in their SUVs and pick up trucks.

Who needs new cars? They will have to pry my 84 GSL from my cold dead hands.

yetterben

true but what ever happened to keeping it stock. um....hm... i thought so. I am trying to do my part to pollute but i cant find a fb anywhere for every hippie there is a guy like my driving a rotary at 7 grand pumping out noxious fumes I wish someone would come along with a fb with a t2 motor in it with fresh paint to trade me for my stealth with its crate motor and whopping 472 miles on it

blackdeath647

iTrader: (2)

:P yeah but that makes one out of..... .....lol, i do admire your car tho, and that picture never gets old haha.

aussiesmg

iTrader: (1)

In no way did I advocate everybody keeping their old cars but reality is a bitch and most people can't afford a new car every three years, that is a simple fact, I choose to keep my old cars but many do not have an option. I find your reply to be naive and ignorant.

Those blue collar auto workers and the thousands of support business workers are the most likely to be driving that clunker, with the current economy would you advise these people to get into substantial debt on a depreciating asset. I guarantee the bosses are driving a brand new car every year.

Besides that getting rid of the older cars is putting the hundreds of thousands of aftermarket manufacturers, mechanics, auto wreckers, ebay parts businesses, body shops, brake and suspension shops and other similar support workers out of a job also.

Then if you add in that they can get most of the money from a recycler what is the point of this program other than to stick their noses into our hobby.

Vashner

I'll stick with older cars. I am tired too of the politicians and global warming folks that are too agressive about pollution. They want to gimp performance driving beyond parts aftermarket. In England they want to just have your ECU check GPS to limit your speed. Keep them Commie cars away from me..... I want performance.

At least the Japanese have good taste for a fun ride. Keep those Russian socalist box cars away from me (where they are heading with design requirements).

evil_motors

iTrader: (3)

well first of all in the non rotary world most people can afford a new car every so many years.. even i can and i am just a lowly mechanic.. you figure a new car costs around 14 to 23k which is only about 1/3 of my pay. secondly the older the car the more problems which in turn costs more money to keep running. with a new car all you really need to worry about is oil changes and the occasional tires every 50k miles. which my friend will still keep mechanics in buisness and aftermarket manufacturers who keep making new and innovative parts for the new models. all of the businesses you listed would still be around even if there were fewer junk cars around. new cars still need brakes and suspension parts and still get into accidents and still need towed etc etc etc. ..

now dont get me wrong i love my rx7 and i love older cars. but i think you have way blown this idea out of proportion. example i used to have a 68 chevy impala.. not a whole lot of those out there anymore.. which was great for me because i had a car that no one else had... i got compliments on it all the time and ended up selling it after i blew the 2nd engine for about 2k more than i even paid for the car. i mean think about it how cool would it be to have an rx7 that you paid lets say 700 bucks for and then most of them start to dissapear and now you go to get rid of it and you get 3k for it... i would say that is a nice profit.

DivinDriver

iTrader: (15)

Well, if most people CAN afford a new car every X years, then there's no need at all for this proposed program, is there? After all, it's being pitched as part of a bailout for auto makers (although it's obvious the real purpose is tied to envirosocialism).

A better solution, of course, would be to offer a tax holiday for new-vehicle purchases: all taxes waived for anyone buying a new car in the next 60 days, for example.

That would save the buyer far more than $1000, on even the cheapest cars... and would have zero overhead costs regarding administration, rather than creating a new bureaucracy of thousands to administer the buyback program.

TheRX7Project

iTrader: (3)

I certainly can't afford a new car every-so-many years. I've owned 2 new cars, and both times they have ended up becoming too much of a financial burden, and I have to get rid of them.

In fact, I don't know many people who can afford a new car regularly, without stretching their budget too far.

DivinDriver

iTrader: (15)

...and if somebody CAN'T afford a new car, $1000 is not likely to change "can't" to "can" for very many people.

It's only about 5-10% of the cost of the most 'inexpensive' new American cars.

I didn't buy my first brand-new car until I was 40 years old, and married.

Drove a 10-year-old Ford (from Dad) when I got out of high school, til my girlfriend murdered it.
Bought a 10-year Plymouth in '82. Drove it for about 6 years cross-country twice and then some.
Bought a 250cc motorcycle when the Plymouth went (couldn't afford a car just then.) Rode it daily until I bought my '80 RX7 in 1989.
The RX7 was daily driver from 1989 til 1996, when I bought a 5-year old Camaro cause the 7 needed work & I had no time, and was commuting +150 a day.
Bought the the wife an '02 Maxima new in '03, to replace her failing 1988 Maxima.
Bought myself a 350Z in '03 - - my first brand-new car - - when the Camaro became too expensive to get past smog.

Nowhere along that road that I can think of, would $1000 cash-in-hand have suddenly put me in the market for a new car. Paid $6000 for the Camaro, by far the most expensive single purchase of my life to that point.

TheRX7Project

iTrader: (3)

I totally read that wrong. I was about to say "I'd have a hard time driving a car too if my girlfriend was murdered in it."

And a grand would put me nowhere near being able to buy a new car and actually afford it this time around.

I'll keep my $400 Escort.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

I can afford a new car. But I can afford an old car better.

And if it's a 1st gen 7, there's just no comparison.

I'd much rather drive my 84 GSL ($1,545) than my "new" MP5 ($17,000).

aussiesmg

iTrader: (1)

If $23K is 1/3 of your wage you make 3 times the average income for a family in my county, think about that.

You sure aren't a lowly paid mechanic, lets put that in perspective, who else here makes more than $30K a year and would be happy to buy a new car every few years

TheRX7Project

iTrader: (3)

I make ~40k per year, and I have zero intentions on buying another new car anytime soon. NewER yes, new no.

Besides, I refuse to support the Big 3 until they cleanse themselves of the real problem at hand- the UAW. Toyota and Honda are smart enough to hire non-union workers for their factories in the US. Maybe the Big 3 should follow the leaders.

EDIT: and RAY- how many times are you going to post that huge pic of the white FB?

DivinDriver

iTrader: (15)

I could buy a new car now if I wanted, but it'd be such a waste to me; I just paid off the Z a few months ago, and the wife's Maxima two years ago. Both are still running fine, and have only needed the usual work, mainly brakes, tires, belts & such. I did struts on hers when it passed 100k miles; the Z'll be due for them soon, over 70k.

They are essentially free cars right now, til they start to break down; why buy a new one & start making payments again?

If Detroit wants me to buy a new car every three years, they need to make them cost around $8000 new, be as good a car as the two Nissans, and last for at least 4 years without major maintenance(so there's some resale in it). Otherwise, depreciation makes it a losing game for the buyer.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Well put DD.

To answer your question RX&Project, whenever I'm feeling the RX-7 love. I believe a picture is worth a thousand words, so I often use pictures to make my point.

That pic of the White One, from a tour lap around Road Atlanta last summer during ZoomFest, captures the essential reasons for making a 1st gen RX-7 your daily driver - inexpensive, pretty and fun. So I'll probably post it whenever I'm trying to make that point, whenever I'm feeling the RX-7 love.

(I'm going to an OG@TA meeting this evening, so if you want to see even more recent photos of the White One, along with a bunch of other local 1st gens, later RX-7 models and even a Lotus, check the OG@TA post in the SE section tonight or tomorrow).

gsl-se addict

iTrader: (3)

I make well over 30k and I will not buy a new car. I have a newer car ('01 Toyota). It is good on gas and basically no maintenance cost (just oil, filters, etc.). No other work done and has close to 80k on it. Paid for and drive most days.

However, I would give it up way before giving up the 7. Love the 7 way too much. Also, the 7 gets the only spot in the 1 car garage. The paint is not great, the car is "old" to most people, but it still gets the special treatment. The Toyota gets to sits outside.

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

Every car I own has >100000 miles on it. I have no car payments and I don't intend to ever have any again. The last new car I bought was a 2000 BMW 323i with a 3 year loan on it. I see it lasting at least another 20 years easily.

In NC the way the inspection/emission laws, are my next cars are always going to be older that 1996 so I have no emmisions tests and just a simple safety inspection at less that 10 dollars a car.

Kent, I think you forgot a digit on that income claim

gsl-se addict

iTrader: (3)

Well, aussie was asking about people who made more than 30k, and are willing to buy new every few years.

Basically, even being able to afford new, I wouldn't buy new. Although when I bought my 7, I was only making like 7k a year (making $4.85/hr) and just starting college. This was back in '95.

Starting now, I can get antique plates on the 7 (25 years old). One time fee of $50, no annual emissions or safety inspection (no emissions already in this part of VA).

Tranquil

iTrader: (1)

I'd like to add that its a stupid bill because there are a few shady tow truck driver's in Cleveland that use the same title for one car to tow and wreck a ton of cars for money and no one checks the stuff. There was a huge story on it two weeks ago.

Anyway, legislation like this makes crime more profitable. That's not what legislation should do.

Legalize it.