What to look for on a test drive?
03-18-13, 12:21 PM
#1
√*(176400)
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What to look for on a test drive?
I'll be test driving a co-workers GSLSE here soon and I was wondering what some simple tell-tale things are I should look/feel/listen for to help me judge the correct offer to make him.
I've driven a few FD's, an FC, but never an FB, and I am by no means an expert on any of them, but I do feel moderately comfortable in my knowledge of rotary engines/cars in general.
I looked through the FAQ and didn't see anything quite this specific so I figured I'd ask. Sorry if this has been covered perhaps multiple times, and if it has and you happen to have a link just throw it my way and I'll go do some reading.
Thanks guys.
I've driven a few FD's, an FC, but never an FB, and I am by no means an expert on any of them, but I do feel moderately comfortable in my knowledge of rotary engines/cars in general.
I looked through the FAQ and didn't see anything quite this specific so I figured I'd ask. Sorry if this has been covered perhaps multiple times, and if it has and you happen to have a link just throw it my way and I'll go do some reading.
Thanks guys.
03-18-13, 06:54 PM
#2
Take the storage bins out an look for rust. Look for rust in the wheel wells and under the clutch/brake master cylinders.
Drive the car (under load) WOT up to redline. Listen for hesitations and sputters.
Put the car in 5th while idling and dump the clutch. Should stall out.
Idle the car with a multi meter on the battery and watch the voltage as the car revs. Should climb.
Shut the car off (in nuetral) while going 60 and listen for bad wheel bearings.
Look for obious leaks.
Thats how you check stuff.
But what is it worth???? THats anybody's guess. $10-$10 000
Drive the car (under load) WOT up to redline. Listen for hesitations and sputters.
Put the car in 5th while idling and dump the clutch. Should stall out.
Idle the car with a multi meter on the battery and watch the voltage as the car revs. Should climb.
Shut the car off (in nuetral) while going 60 and listen for bad wheel bearings.
Look for obious leaks.
Thats how you check stuff.
But what is it worth???? THats anybody's guess. $10-$10 000
03-18-13, 10:13 PM
#3
Full Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Granite Falls, WA
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would love to see the RX7 that's worth 10$
I would also add while the car is running take off the positive battery cable and see if the car still runs. This checks if the alternator is trash from what I was taught.
I would also add while the car is running take off the positive battery cable and see if the car still runs. This checks if the alternator is trash from what I was taught.
03-18-13, 10:51 PM
#4
EDIT: $10 RX:
Can't see too much, but this sucker has been PICKED CLEAN!! Some local took the engine (and all the nikkis in the trunk) I took the doors, hood, trans, hatch struts, brake odds n's, and some steerage things, and I cut out some panels with the saw to weld rust patches. I think its down to one tire, Bumpers and tail lights have been snaged with most instrumentation gone...
BUT I think you might could offer the guy $10 for it LOL
Thats what the multi-meter test accomplishes; but I've been guilty of this redneck trick. :P
Last edited by Qingdao; 03-18-13 at 11:07 PM.
03-20-13, 08:47 AM
#5
√*(176400)
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks guys, I will check out all of the stuff listed. I know the alternator is good, seeing as it was just replaced when he did his TII fuse box swap.
Wheel bearings I know are bad and need replaced, but the price reflects some of the work that needs to be done.
Thanks again.
Wheel bearings I know are bad and need replaced, but the price reflects some of the work that needs to be done.
Thanks again.
03-20-13, 11:05 AM
#6
Moderator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Posts: 30,848
Received 2,609 Likes
on
1,851 Posts
its a 30 year old car, look for everything.
rust; usually hides around the rear suspension and under the bins, if its near the coast look at the sunroof and hatch drains too.
engine: it should start right up hot and cold. cold start it should run up to 2000-2500rpm for a few seconds and gradually go from a fast idle to normal. usually its 1500-200rpm. warm idle should be (i think) 850 +/- 50rpm. the engine should feel smooth and have a really flat feeling power curve from idle to redline, any dips or hesitations are not normal, but probably easy fixes.
its ok for it to smoke for a couple seconds on a start, but if its more than a puff something is wrong. it shouldn't leak anything, oil or coolant, externally. if you look under the car, the oil cooler lives in the front left, and the under cover should be dry, the coolers like to leak.
the coolant temp gauge should take about 5 minutes to get to just less than half way, although sometimes this varies with fuel level (they share a ground)
trans should shift smoothly and be quiet, if it makes noise in 1-2-3-5 but not 4th it needs bearings, very common. you can wait until the radio isn't loud enough.
steering; some play is normal. a non PS car will require some muscles, compared to a modern car.
brakes; pedal should be firm. again the car is old, it should stop nicely, but its not a modern car with brake assist, so it won't feel like someone threw out the anchor.
Suspension; by modern standards its actually soft, it should go straight, and be fun. any noises, clunks/rattles etc are not normal.
inside the car, all the toys should work, the windows should go smoothly up and down. things that aren't used much like the hazards and the rear wiper sometimes need a few cycles of the switch, but otherwise should work. its kind of obvious, but car should be clean inside, the red likes to fade, but other than that, nothing should be broken. radio should be loud, and sound pretty good.
outside, basically look for damage, people used to steal, chop and crash these cars, so there is lots of bad body work around. the easy way to look for damage is to open the hood, mazda put a small bead of sealer between the fender and body, if its intact the fender is original, if its split, its been off/replaced.
the other thing to look for is that on each corner of the bumper there is a little piece of clear tape between the bumper and the body, the tape is applied OVER the paint, so if its missing or painted over, something has happened to that corner. the rock guard around the bottom of the car is good to look at too, its applied to the rockers/lower rear quarter panels, if its missing, or the seam isn't crisp, something happened there.
look over the weather strips around the door, and rear hatch, these are commonly in bad shape, they are also inexpensive and easy to replace.
rust; usually hides around the rear suspension and under the bins, if its near the coast look at the sunroof and hatch drains too.
engine: it should start right up hot and cold. cold start it should run up to 2000-2500rpm for a few seconds and gradually go from a fast idle to normal. usually its 1500-200rpm. warm idle should be (i think) 850 +/- 50rpm. the engine should feel smooth and have a really flat feeling power curve from idle to redline, any dips or hesitations are not normal, but probably easy fixes.
its ok for it to smoke for a couple seconds on a start, but if its more than a puff something is wrong. it shouldn't leak anything, oil or coolant, externally. if you look under the car, the oil cooler lives in the front left, and the under cover should be dry, the coolers like to leak.
the coolant temp gauge should take about 5 minutes to get to just less than half way, although sometimes this varies with fuel level (they share a ground)
trans should shift smoothly and be quiet, if it makes noise in 1-2-3-5 but not 4th it needs bearings, very common. you can wait until the radio isn't loud enough.
steering; some play is normal. a non PS car will require some muscles, compared to a modern car.
brakes; pedal should be firm. again the car is old, it should stop nicely, but its not a modern car with brake assist, so it won't feel like someone threw out the anchor.
Suspension; by modern standards its actually soft, it should go straight, and be fun. any noises, clunks/rattles etc are not normal.
inside the car, all the toys should work, the windows should go smoothly up and down. things that aren't used much like the hazards and the rear wiper sometimes need a few cycles of the switch, but otherwise should work. its kind of obvious, but car should be clean inside, the red likes to fade, but other than that, nothing should be broken. radio should be loud, and sound pretty good.
outside, basically look for damage, people used to steal, chop and crash these cars, so there is lots of bad body work around. the easy way to look for damage is to open the hood, mazda put a small bead of sealer between the fender and body, if its intact the fender is original, if its split, its been off/replaced.
the other thing to look for is that on each corner of the bumper there is a little piece of clear tape between the bumper and the body, the tape is applied OVER the paint, so if its missing or painted over, something has happened to that corner. the rock guard around the bottom of the car is good to look at too, its applied to the rockers/lower rear quarter panels, if its missing, or the seam isn't crisp, something happened there.
look over the weather strips around the door, and rear hatch, these are commonly in bad shape, they are also inexpensive and easy to replace.
03-21-13, 12:34 PM
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: South Florida
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
its a 30 year old car, look for everything.
rust; usually hides around the rear suspension and under the bins, if its near the coast look at the sunroof and hatch drains too.
engine: it should start right up hot and cold. cold start it should run up to 2000-2500rpm for a few seconds and gradually go from a fast idle to normal. usually its 1500-200rpm. warm idle should be (i think) 850 +/- 50rpm. the engine should feel smooth and have a really flat feeling power curve from idle to redline, any dips or hesitations are not normal, but probably easy fixes.
its ok for it to smoke for a couple seconds on a start, but if its more than a puff something is wrong. it shouldn't leak anything, oil or coolant, externally. if you look under the car, the oil cooler lives in the front left, and the under cover should be dry, the coolers like to leak.
the coolant temp gauge should take about 5 minutes to get to just less than half way, although sometimes this varies with fuel level (they share a ground)
trans should shift smoothly and be quiet, if it makes noise in 1-2-3-5 but not 4th it needs bearings, very common. you can wait until the radio isn't loud enough.
steering; some play is normal. a non PS car will require some muscles, compared to a modern car.
brakes; pedal should be firm. again the car is old, it should stop nicely, but its not a modern car with brake assist, so it won't feel like someone threw out the anchor.
Suspension; by modern standards its actually soft, it should go straight, and be fun. any noises, clunks/rattles etc are not normal.
inside the car, all the toys should work, the windows should go smoothly up and down. things that aren't used much like the hazards and the rear wiper sometimes need a few cycles of the switch, but otherwise should work. its kind of obvious, but car should be clean inside, the red likes to fade, but other than that, nothing should be broken. radio should be loud, and sound pretty good.
outside, basically look for damage, people used to steal, chop and crash these cars, so there is lots of bad body work around. the easy way to look for damage is to open the hood, mazda put a small bead of sealer between the fender and body, if its intact the fender is original, if its split, its been off/replaced.
the other thing to look for is that on each corner of the bumper there is a little piece of clear tape between the bumper and the body, the tape is applied OVER the paint, so if its missing or painted over, something has happened to that corner. the rock guard around the bottom of the car is good to look at too, its applied to the rockers/lower rear quarter panels, if its missing, or the seam isn't crisp, something happened there.
look over the weather strips around the door, and rear hatch, these are commonly in bad shape, they are also inexpensive and easy to replace.
rust; usually hides around the rear suspension and under the bins, if its near the coast look at the sunroof and hatch drains too.
engine: it should start right up hot and cold. cold start it should run up to 2000-2500rpm for a few seconds and gradually go from a fast idle to normal. usually its 1500-200rpm. warm idle should be (i think) 850 +/- 50rpm. the engine should feel smooth and have a really flat feeling power curve from idle to redline, any dips or hesitations are not normal, but probably easy fixes.
its ok for it to smoke for a couple seconds on a start, but if its more than a puff something is wrong. it shouldn't leak anything, oil or coolant, externally. if you look under the car, the oil cooler lives in the front left, and the under cover should be dry, the coolers like to leak.
the coolant temp gauge should take about 5 minutes to get to just less than half way, although sometimes this varies with fuel level (they share a ground)
trans should shift smoothly and be quiet, if it makes noise in 1-2-3-5 but not 4th it needs bearings, very common. you can wait until the radio isn't loud enough.
steering; some play is normal. a non PS car will require some muscles, compared to a modern car.
brakes; pedal should be firm. again the car is old, it should stop nicely, but its not a modern car with brake assist, so it won't feel like someone threw out the anchor.
Suspension; by modern standards its actually soft, it should go straight, and be fun. any noises, clunks/rattles etc are not normal.
inside the car, all the toys should work, the windows should go smoothly up and down. things that aren't used much like the hazards and the rear wiper sometimes need a few cycles of the switch, but otherwise should work. its kind of obvious, but car should be clean inside, the red likes to fade, but other than that, nothing should be broken. radio should be loud, and sound pretty good.
outside, basically look for damage, people used to steal, chop and crash these cars, so there is lots of bad body work around. the easy way to look for damage is to open the hood, mazda put a small bead of sealer between the fender and body, if its intact the fender is original, if its split, its been off/replaced.
the other thing to look for is that on each corner of the bumper there is a little piece of clear tape between the bumper and the body, the tape is applied OVER the paint, so if its missing or painted over, something has happened to that corner. the rock guard around the bottom of the car is good to look at too, its applied to the rockers/lower rear quarter panels, if its missing, or the seam isn't crisp, something happened there.
look over the weather strips around the door, and rear hatch, these are commonly in bad shape, they are also inexpensive and easy to replace.
Trending Topics
03-23-13, 03:18 PM
#8
√*(176400)
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well guys. She checked out, and after a quick run down Chuckanut Drive I can already tell that it's love.
Picked her up for $900 and she has plenty of little tiny problems and personality quirks, but the motor and drivetrain are strong and that's really all I care about!
No rust anywhere on the car, just some dings. Here are a few pictures I took last night before the sun went down.
Picked her up for $900 and she has plenty of little tiny problems and personality quirks, but the motor and drivetrain are strong and that's really all I care about!
No rust anywhere on the car, just some dings. Here are a few pictures I took last night before the sun went down.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
fastrx7man
3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002)
33
09-02-15 09:42 PM