1st gen rx7 newbie
 

i am looking for a daily driver under 3k. i own a 3rd gen right now and i thought it would be nice it get another rx7. i was wondering how reliable are the 1sr gens. right now i am looking at a 1985 GLS-SE for 2300 it has new struts and about 50k on a rebuild. would you guys suggest a 1st gen for reliablity or should i just get a corolloa, civic, or protege.
thanks guys.

Every Rx-7 owner should own all 3 :D

You already got the most expensive thing, why not complete your collection for another 6k :D?

well right now i am a student in college and i need a reliable car that i can depend on while i work on my FD. i pretty much need a relilable car and was wondering how many of u guys use your 1st gens as daily drivers

Ive never owned a 3rd gen, but have a 2nd gen and have had 2 first gens , only gets simplier on the way down :)

FB's can be very reliable... 2nd gen and FI is new to me, and 3rd gen I have no clue about...

the 84/85 N/A 13B is one of THE most reliable engines available. Mike is right, everything is pretty simple on 1st Gen's, and they are very fun to drive.

The GSL-SE is the top of the line, with all the creature comforts, the best engine, the best brakes, the best tranny, and the best suspension.

$2300 for one in good condition is a decent price. 50K on a rebuild is even nicer.

Mine has over 166K miles with the original everything and works flawlessly. FD's don't usually last that long.

Only a few major things to look for when buying..
1) RUST (especially under the bins and rear wheel covers
2) Oil Leaking / Smoking engine
3) on GSL-SE's, sometimes the fuel injectors leak into the engine when the car os off, effectively flooding it.

Good luck, and welcome to 1st Gen's..

I wish I could pick up a GSL-SE in good condition out in Indiana for $2300!! I'd jump right on it. They are very reliable and fun to drive. Make sure it's in good running condition when you get it. If there is a problem it doesn't sound like you will want to spend the time to fix it while going to school and working on the FD.

BTW, second gens are very nice cars too. I had a 10th anni. - sold it a year ago. The only bad things about the cars is the electrical system, hot start problem, and crazy under-hood temps (same as prob. as FD's). All these probs. can be fixed with a little work.

if it's in good condition i'd jump on it. the only vehicle in my entire family more reliable then my first gen(s) is the '72 truck... but that thing is a freak of nature. do a search for "how many miles" in this forum. there are alot of guys with 150K+ miles and still running strong.

you coulden't buy a better 1st Gen RX-7 than the SE..
Search.. or if someone can post the specs.. on the SE and a few other cars around the same year give or take 2 years diffrence.
Thinks about it: LSD,50/50 weight distrubution,fuel injected engine,speed sensitive settring,4 wheel disc breaks,power steering-windows,100 watts sound system,Glass Moon roof,rear windshild wipers,a cockpit, ect..

Personally i think that the 12a engine is a good reliable engine, you just have to keep up with the maintnance. Right now I have a t2 and a 300 zx, but my daily driver is an '84 RX7 12a.

My FB is my daily driver...She has 104k on her original and she is still runnin' STRONG!! Other than basic maintenance, I've encountered no problems...I've even driven her from Denver to Omaha and back several times and will do it again this summer...and I am confident she will be still running strong!

My FB is my daily driver 99K on it, runs fine. I drive it everywhere and never worry about it breaking down. Go for it and get a first gen. :D

OOH! A low mileage one. ;)

I run my '83 GSL as hard as I can. It has 119k miles on it and it still runs strong. :D

grrrr double post

My -SE has 190K+ miles, the 85 GSL has 180K+ miles, the MINT condition 83 GSL, however, only has 80,519, but has a bad engine. I think the previous owner ran synthetic in it trying to baby it. Everything else about the car is MINT, so I think it was just babied too much, if thats posible. Its carbon locked like theres no tomorow. It soaked in ATF for 2 weeks and she still wont budge. I finally gave up and decided to tear into it :(. Anyway, the GSL and the -SE are still pulling hard even with their high mileage :).

~T.J.

i would go with a 2nd gen na,
1st gens are NOT daily drivers,
if you get one in good condition its like using a 64 mustang as your daily driver.

if you get one in poor conditon it will costs more to drive then taking a cab everwhere,

for reliabilty go for a 2nd gen n/a

oh yeah 2nd gens are gas hogs though,

and so i dont tick anyone off,cause i love my 1st gen i'll tell ya why i wouldnt drive one everyday,
this is from past experience of owning 3 1st gens and 2 2nd gens


change dizzy cap every couple months,
battery loves dieing
spark plugs to be constantly cleaned and replaced
more of a ruff ride then the 2nd gen
2nd gen seats are to die for "oohhh sweet love"
had to rework the whole rear wheel well section
more of a brap brap exhaust note "anoying for daily driving"
stock stereo doesnt sound as good
most have higher miles
by the time you get up the money to fix something,something else breaks

and more but i think that is enough

Yeah, that is possible. If the rotary engine isn't revved up to a higher rpm once in a while, the carbon builds up in there and eventually gives you carbon lock. That's why I only shift when I hear a little buzzer going off :D

I've never owned a 2nd gen N/A. I wouldn't mind a 89+ NA though. If the electrical system was good and the injectors were freshly rebuilt it would make a decent daily driver.

I can say; with some authority, that TII's make _horrid_ daily drivers. Never ever ever rely on one as your only mode of transportation. It will strand you in the worst freakin remote location it can find at 3am in the middle of a record-setting storm. It's programmed into the ECU or something.

is that what that buzzer is for?
I though its to let me know that I only have 1000rpm left.
:]