I'm new to the 1st. gen. RX7's, HECK i'm new to Mazdas, LOL! I found a 1984 RX7 GSL-SE for sale yesterday. From what little I know about RX7s it looks nice. It is a Texas car, that ended up in Knoxville, TN. and then across the KY border. No rust that I could see. This car has no mods what-so-ever, but would put you back in your seat FAST! The paint is faded a tad. The A/C isn't cooling, and the moonroof won't stay up, but other than that I couldn't find anything wrong. I got the "fever", but don't want to rush into a future headache either. I know owning "older" cars problems will arise. I own a 65 mustang fastback now. It is restored now, but i'm never comfortable driving it for the fear of some idiot hitting me (just too much $$$ in it).

Anyway, thats why i'm interested in the Mazda. It was a car I dreamed of in high school, but was way outta my budget Now I can afford one, but want to check out all the info I can first.

The lady has the car priced at $1,800, but I think she'll go lower. It is showing 130K miles, and runs strong, with no smoke at start up. What do you think? My brother & I have no problems working on older V-8s, but the whole rotary thing has him kinda weary, LOL!

Any advice you could pass along would be GREAT!

 

I think it'll be a great deal if you can get *him* a little lower. I have an '85 GSL-SE (couple upgrades from the '84), runs excellent, great body, etc. I talked him down to $2200. Just to give you a feel for what they run for.

 

Everything you and your brother have ever learned about internal combustion engines goes right out the door, when it comes to a rotory engine. Think of it as a 2 stroke, the rest of the car is,,,,, just a car. I'm a ford/mustang head myself from wayback. Now dig this :
It's been about a month now, but i found and bought a 1984 GSL-SE for,,,,ready,, $ 150.00 dollors . It had been parked for 6 years. I've invested about $500.00 dollors
in it and even more of MY time. The guy i bought it from said he had overheated it and steam was coming out the tailpipe so he parked it. I get it and do some things to it to seal the o-rings and a couple of other things so it would run and live, and it does !! The paint is faded, no dents, no dings, the insides is perfect. The car hauls ***. I plan on keeping it because it's straight and clean,
so it's my 'nice car ' I have been forced to learn about fuel injection though, but why not ?? If i were to sell the car, it would be for $ 2000.00 firm. They only made the -SE's for 2 years and they are the cream of the crop. If you feel comfortable paying $ 1800.00 dollors for a used/old car,,,,get it !! you might look around a bit before buying though. IMO. good luck.

 

I got the same car...it looks good, has a bit of rust which is getting repaired next week, the engine is stock and strong...its a new engine at 60k and i got it for $1400...so you aren't that far off...if it runs good and no rust and no leaks and no smoke and idle good and good compression...then i say GO FOR IT!

 

I got my rx7 for 1,500 and it is in wonderful shape, if you think they will lower it then go for it, the less money you spend the better, right?

 

I got my 85 GS for $550. I figured it's a pretty good deal. The body is ugly as crap, but the inside is almost perfect. The car seems to be very mechanically sound as well. I have been quite pleased with my investment so far....

 

Do a search on 'rust' and 'bins'.

Reason being that there is pretty good chance that there is at least some rust behind the storage bins. To see, you have to remove all the phillips screws around the bin frames, then wiggle them out (careful of the light wires at the top). Pull back the padding on the floor and examine the metal from the floor up thru the wheel wells. If there is rust there, it's fixable and you have a bagaining chip to drop the price, 'cause the owners never know it's there. Good Luck!

 

i paid 1200 for my 85 gsl-se...it's interior is perfect and only needed a radiator...it runs perfect now and looks great...knock on wood

 

THANKS guys & gals! I will try to talk her down a bit, and will look around the Knoxville area first too.

The "test" drive kinda got me hooked, and scared my wife to death, LOL!

This forum is SO much better than the "other" forums i've been to in the past couple of weeks!!!

Dan (soon to be RX-7 owner?)

 

Hey Dan, if you see anything good in the Knoxville area, let me know and I can check it out for ya.
(No, I promise not to grab it)
I live 15 minutes from downtown Knox.

 

I'd say go for it, if you can get lower than $1800, more power to ya, but under $2000 sounds good for a first gen. It's, for the most part, easily affordable, and it's also a 7 for crying out loud. Can't go wrong with a 7 IMO.

 

mwpayne, THANKS!!! I'm on my way to pick up a Sunday paper. Maybe there something listed? I was headed to Knoxville tomorrow, but remember that Boomsday is going on, so i'll try to avoid the traffic.

Dan

 

Sounds like a damn fine deal with me. I'd check for rust in the bins, but since it was a Texas car I higly doubt there would be any. But a good check is always nice to do.

Goodluck on the deal, I know when I got my first seven about a year ago I fell in love imediately. heh I only paid $500 for her and she drives fine.

 

Sounds good to me.

B

 

Remember unless it's a GSL-SE, it's got a 12a engine
with a carburator. Only 84-85 GSL-SE's came (stock)
with a 13b with the RE-EGI fuel injection. After driving that -SE and scaring your wife, a 12a would disapoint you. Like they say,,"once you go -SE, there's no going back" I own both. One thing (I) think would be cool is a fold down rear seat like in your C5 (1965) fastback.
Thats IF your car came with it, In the RX7's. Some do.

 

yep, its a GSL-SE. It is fuel injected. Even the window sticker is in the glove box, $16,350 from ??? in ??? Texas.

Not too hard to scare my wife. I do it regularly in my 89 Toyota truck, LOL!

No fold down seat in the 7 that i'm looking at now, but my fastback does have one. Thats one of the last things I need to finish, re-cover the rear seat. I just put new carpet on the back of the fold-down, and leave it down.

Which was more common. A moon, or sun roof?

THANKS again guys!

Dan

 

mine has just the sunroof...but i've seen others with gsl-se's with both...maybe an option...maybe not?

 

I bought my SE for equivalent of 1500 dollars. Sounds almost identical to what my car's condition was. I have been around Japanese rice my whole life so even the 133 lbs of torque at 2,750 is pretty beefy to me. Now that i have gone RWD rotary though, i kinda hate my life because i refuse to buy anything else. Great awesome cars. I say go for it and have a blast.

Zachstylez