So, I change out the old speakers on my car and throw some new ones in to sound better for my new head unit. I start the car, and the antenna won't move. Damn, okay, order a new power antenna.

While disconnecting battery to install power antenna, notice windshield wiper seems to be off its spline. Straighten it and notice that the actual rubber blade must be original equipment.

After replacing blades, hit the washer fluid switch to test them out, and notice that the right jet isn't shooting and the left jet is shooting pitifully low. Remove metal piece over tubing, and notice deteriorated T-shaped plastic connector.

I don't know what's next! I came home and replaced distributer cap/rotor/wires. I'm gonna refill the AC with some highly coveted R12... new tires are DEFINITELY next to be bought (I'm running original ones).

Does anybody else have this problem? Don't get me wrong, I love my 85 GS to death... and with only 18k miles on the engine, it's a great car to drive. But the little stuff kills me.

 

I live to fix all the little stuff on my rex. To me the car is a journey not a destination.

 

I think most of us think of it that way.

 

Neither do I. It's been one nightmare after another with this car.

Yes, but remember the saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"? Sometimes, it's best to just relax and enjoy driving the car and not worry about replacing parts here and there.

 

its a 20 year old car!

mike

 

i certainly do.. ive been taking aprat the dashoard, reglueing little broken tabs, tucking in and re-attaching uphostry bits... the other day i rebuilt my gas cap release solenoid... that was fun. no really, it was.

 

working on the car relaxes me unless things go wrong then i start smashing. RAWR JOE SMASH CAR GOOD!!! hehe j/k

 

yeah.. thats how my I felt before I got my daily beater... my brother-in-law's mother asked me "Are you here every other week working on that old car?" (because that was the only time I had to work on the car.. and he has all the tools). In the 6 yrs I have owned the SE, I have just about replaced EVERYTHING that's on the car.... except rebuild the transmission. AND GUESS WHAT IS GIVING ME PROBLEMS NOW??? yuuuuupppp...gotta rebuild that when I get some $.. I drive my SE to work once a week for kicks and not let the battery die. The first time I drove the SE to work after I got my new car, I pulled up the same time as the boss and he asked me if the new car was giving me **** already.. I said nahhh.. and his next line was (word for word)... "So why did you drive this P.O.S. to work?"
I looked at him and replied... "I actually enjoy driving this old car.. it's my hobby".. albeit an expensive one sometimes. I guess some people won't understand. ......except those here..

Keep on Rotoring folks!

 

I get this all the time....."Mike, why do you constantly sink money into that car. You need a WRX, that's what you should get."

"You need to pay the payment, and I'll get it."

Owning a $2500 car means no car payment. So think of the repairs as "car payments." As an added benefit, most repairs are often upgrades (suspension sucks, get good stuff, etc). So while other peoples 2004 Audi TT just lost $5000+ they drove it off the lot, your car is appreciating, maybe not in value, but in performance.

Or, think of this way. Buy a $20,000 VW Jetta. In ten years with normal wear, average miles, you sell it for say, $5000. Inflation and all that aside, assuming you paid cash, you paid $15,000 for that car, and now you have nothing.

I paid $2500 for the Mound about 6 years ago. I know I've put thousands into, though I never truly added it up while perusing thre receipt folder one night. But I know it's less than ~$10,000. So I've got four more years to spend $5000, and that should get me the new paint and suspension that it needs to be great again.

So, after ten years, while the Jetta guy is shopping for a Phaeton or something, I'll have a vintage, beautiful daily driven RX-7 that I love to death, turns heads, and is something to be truly proud of.

At least, that's how I justify it. Now, to pick up those $200 worth of parts from the dealer tomorrow...

Right on.

 

Sounds like my car. Sorry man .

~T.J.

 

Oh the little joys of working on our highly lovable 1st gens... I get to do the CRC Copper Block seal treatment thingy ALL day tomorrow, yipeee...flush, rinse, fill..repeat, repeat...wait til next day..will it work?..gotta pass Cali smog soon!

 

Actually, if the RX-8 does well and Mazda continues to make rotary vehicles, interest in the previous generation of RX-7's can only increase. 1st gens have hit bottom in price, and the only direction the price can go now is up. At least, that's how I justify putting double the cost of my car into parts for it.

 

Yea, most people don't understand us. I get bugged about having 4 "piece of junk cars" (dubbed that only cause they are 20+ years old) but **** everyone else. Its a way of life. Oh and that "if it ain't broke don't fix it" saying is the biggest load of **** ever. I hate that saying.

 

repairs as car payments.... i like that.