300zx

Hey, i have been posting in the 2gen forum alot about buying a rx7. Now i was wondering if the 1gen engines(12B) was better built or not i heard that some where. i am only 16 and lastnight i was out and i talked to this guy and he had a 85 gsl and he said he would sell it to me for like $900 its got 120,000km on it. Should i think about buying it or not ? what style do you think is better and why ! Also i live in Canada so i am in canadian money and km/h. Thanx for any help!

357

Dude, 900 canadian for a 120000km car is an absolutely great deal if its in good shape. The biggest differences that i noticed between 2nd and 1st gens when i was buying mine were:

1) the visibility in a 1st gen in like a fighter jet, it's abso-*******-lutely outstanding!
2) the 1st gens handle much much better than 2nd gens, due to their decreased weight (about 700 lbs less)
3) a first gen with matched tires will have just very slight oversteer when you're not on the throttle or brake, which goes along with the "loose is fast" theory (mine has hard, mismatched tires, so it understeers, by the way)
4) 1st gens are easier to work on (esp the 12A S, GS, and GSL), due to the engine's simpler nature (carburation vs. EGI)

I hope this helps your decision!

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

well, speed, handling and aesthetics are all relative and subjective topics ... so i won't bring up any of that stuff. it's going to come down to your plans, driving style and matter of taste ...

at 16, my assumption is that you probably have not had the chance to REALLY drive a variety of cars, to see where your "automotive personality" lies ... if i am wrong, then i apologize for the assumption.

so i think it all comes down to this ... your passion! do you just want an affordable sports car, or a car with a rotary engine? do you have the patience (or the time) and money to live with a Gen I. i'm not discrediting their reliability, but the simple fact is that the cars are old - (and don't worry, i'd say the same about the Gen II because the youngest one is still 10 years old) they are like kids ... they're going to require time and money, and if you have neither, you might be setting yourself up for a bad experience.

i'm not saying don't get one, but i am saying make SURE you want one, then choose wisely.

by the way, did you really mean "12B" or "12A" ... i ask because then you'd really know your stuff

Manntis

Some 1st gens (the GSL-SE model specifically) come with a 13B fuel injected engine, while the rest are 12A engines.

These cars are classic sports cars - meaning they go like a bat out of hell, they look great (even teen girls love my car) but they do require maintainance. Not that they're poorly designed and break all the time (like, oh let's just say Fiat) but because of their age and the fact that, as sports cars, they've been driven harder than your father's Oldsmobile.

$900 CDN is pretty much what I paid for my '83. Just realize that you might end up buying some parts in the future...

357

I think I ended up putting about 800 into my car after I bought it (that's US dollars) for 2200. But yeah, diabolical is right, they do require time, money and effort to be put into them.

On Manntis' comment:
You all do know what Fiat stands for, right?...

Fix It Again, Tony!

300zx

hey, sry i meant a 12a just wrong key and i didn't read it over lol . I use to have a nissan 300zx turbo 5spd so i know the feeling of good handling and speed. Also my dad use to have a rx7 but i sold it!!! i am trying 17 in like 12days and i don't got alot of money this car is a bit of a fixer upper but i could do it slowly. how much money does it cost to keep it running ? Also could i do alot of the work myself ? How long could i expected the engine to last for ? Where i live i don't think i could drive it in the winter so i would have to put it away cause it snows alot here ! any other tips you guys could give me ? Whats the hp in it ? 101hp ? are the 12a's built better? Sry for all the question i just want to know what i am getting myself into. Thanx again

Manntis

100-105 hp for the 12A engine (stock)

135 hp for the 13B engine (GSL-SE, stock)

I had a 240ZX myself at one point - one big difference is that while the Nissan's are sporty but heavy, the Mazdas are light. Makes a big handling difference.

The following has nothing to do with anything except the above Fiat remark:

Condition
Hopeless;
Entire
Vehicle
Relies
On
Leftover
Engineering
Technology

300zx

do you think i should go for it or not ?

Manntis

at $900, it's hard to go wrong. Go for it.

300zx

My only fear is something going wrong with it when i first get it ! do you drive yours as a everyday driver ?

Manntis

well... the one I drive daily I paid $4,000 for (in near-mint condition) and have been hotrodding it with RB exhaust, Enkei rims, Pirelli low-profile paws, etc.

The '83 blew a coolant hose 3 winters ago and spewed her coolant all over the freeway. Because it was a $900 car (I'd driven her for about a year when this happened) and it would cost far more than that to fix, I just parked her in the backyard and have been using her as a parts bitch ever since.

brownmound

Dude, if only I could get some teen girls to get on the Mound's jock.....

Right on.

Zulu

You need some bling-bling wheels and the IMSA appearance package

jayroc

Hell, yeah, I'd get it! I bought a 84 GSL with 140k MI for $900 US. So, yeah, it's a good deal. Get it before someone else does.
I've owned an 87, and this 84 GSL. I will say that I liked the 2nd gen better is certain drivability aspects, but I really like my 1st gen too. They ARE easier to work on, not just compared to a 2nd gen, but compared to a lot of cars. Good luck.

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

no ... no need to apologize. that's why i pointed it out. technically, you are right. the Rx-7 did have a "12B" (technically, speaking - it was never officially called 12B, but that's what they were from 1974 on ...) i just wasn't sure if you wrote it as a typo or you read it somewhere ...

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

120K kilometers? that's like 75K miles, right?
i think that's VERY GOOD for a 17 years old car. unfortunately, it's impossible to use mileage as an accurate measure for engine life ... it's all about care. (and even then, sometimes you can crap out )

oil and antifreeze are 2 of your best friends. heat is your worst enemy!!! as long as you're pretty handy with basic tools, you should be able to do a lot of the work yourself (but this all points back to what i said about investing time ) ... and most any question you can come up with during your ... "relationship" ... can be answered right here. there are a lot of guys here, that know Rx-7s and auto-mechanics, in general - both conceptual and practical.

so if you think the car will make you happy ... go for it. if not, then keep looking.

wam

whatever gen you pick 300zx... im sure you will enjoy the tar outa these things....i have both gens myself...and if i had ton pick..hmmm that would be very tough!! i love the all!! thts why i have many of theses things... all years... good luck

Redwood

Get that car. If you'd like a bit more mint car, get a better condition first gen. I can guarantee you'll learn to love the first gen more than any second gen. I've owned both and worked (more than I'd like to have) on both. On the second gen, it was like "DAMN EFI! Why can't this be easy". On the first gen, it was like "DAMN CARB! Well, it's actually really easy to work on and tune and drive and understand and upgrade. But it's a bit harder to start it the mornings."

Get the first gen, you'll thank yourself in the long run. (hope you like to run, though )







For the record, I love EFI and my current car is not carbed. My former 7 was carbed and before that was a second gen, so I have worked on both. Just thought I'd specify that the above does not reflect my actual fuel delivery system preference.

Suparslinc

I've owned both, a 90 GXL and my 84 GSL which I've had for almost 8 years now.

Technology wise the 2nd gen is a much better car. First gens are old old cars now. Also, the 2nd gen is going to be a little quieter and more refined, everything you'd expect out of a more modern car. Its not as fun to drive, but its faster than the 12A engine by a good bit.

Its really not too hard to work on either of the engines, if you have some fundamental mechanical skills. It takes a real Mazda nut to buy a 1st gen because they need constant attention this late in the game.

I'd probably recommend looking for a solid 2nd gen car; unless you can find a really cherry FB.

whofarzed

I say get it and also get a parts car, I have taken many parts from my parts car when something goes wrong with mine. Also I live in Thunder Bay Ontario and I drove my RX-7 last winter. I just put on 155 tires on and it had plenty of traction and very predictable and easy to control when the back swings out. Didn't look as nice as the 205's however.
My buddy has a second gen and I have driven it many times. Even though it feels a little more powerfull you can feel the weight and I like driving mine more. (not too mention my buddy just blew up his 2nd engine at around 130 km. I used to think that there are so many second gens with blown engines because of in-proper care but now I am starting to wonder. I have not seen many 1st gens with blown engines.

Forseti

I have a 85 GSL-SE and a 89 TII. Although they are both 13Bs they are very different rides.

My 85 has 216,000km on it and the motor's compression is still quite good. Unfortunately my tranny just went as there are some interesting flaws with the 1st gen trannies..so I put a 90' tranny in.

Overall the car is as fun as hell, and I have had lots of compliments on it. (even though my front end is damaged and I have some trim hanging off of it).

I find it understeers a bit at high speeds compared to my TII, but I also find that it's a little stronger down low. I love it as a daily driver...just make sure to keep it in good shape so you can get a resonable mpg.

I paid more that $900 for mine, but then again..it was the body I was paying for more than anything. Barely any rust.

/F/

82streetracer

iTrader: (1)

if you go second gen, only go Turbo II
It is easier and cheaper to make a fast first gen then a fast NA second gen.

300zx

Hey, Sry its taking me so long to anwser but i just got home. the reason i am asking about the first gen is because in winnipeg it is hard to find good second gens. So most of you think that i should good for it ? Will i be able to trust it on a daily bases? Do chicks like them ? Also i wish my dad never sold his rx7 or i never sold my 300zx i miss it ! but i want a rex now! Is it possible to drive it in the winter at all ? also if i keep it oiled it will last me a long time right and of do i check the compersion ? Thx for the help

Keaponlaffen

Chicks dig MY first gen - '79 GS... check it out here:

http://cruisindaloops.itgo.com/photo.html

(Way down at the bottom, under all the MTB and truck pictures)

Jeff

Manntis

In Saskatoon, just down the road from ya, far more chicks look at my GSL-SE 1st gen than @ my buddies 2nd gens...