I have found a 1985 RX-7 with a 12A and 80,000 miles in pristine condition with a good price. New brakes, new clutch, a nice tight transmission.

I wanted to ask here before I bought it, the people here are said to be the experts on the RX-7 and its glorious engine. I was referred here by some of the members in the Columbus area on ColumbusRacing.com.

On to the car.

The only rust on the car is just a little bit under the hatch. Its more like flash than rust. There is a good seal on all the weather stripping.

The stereo makes a godawful popping noise when it is first turned on. This calms down and sounds OK after about 20 seconds. It is the original stereo. I couldn't figure out how to raise the antenna. Is that automatic or switched??

The wipers don't work, the seller has offered to fix these before I buy it. What can I tell him to look for? The combo switch? The wiper motors??

The belt squeals above 4000 rpms. Its a new belt and it may have stretched and just needs adjustment of the tensioner.

The turn signals do not always turn off whether buy turning the wheel or flipping the stalk. What could be the cause of this??

There are some electrical connectors tied off inside the engine bay near the carb. Are these for non-existent options or sensors? I wish I had taken pics of them.

The steering wheel has some play in it, but the steering feels tight. There is some slack in the wheel for the first part of the turn but then it grabs and tightens up.

The biggest issue with the car is a slight gasoline smell in the oil. I pulled the dipstick nearest the large filler tube on the passenger side. Is this the oil resivior or something for pre-mixing?? I also read that gasoline can contaminate the oil when the engine floods. Since this car is at a dealer* I assume that flooding from infrequent starting is common. Does it just need an oil change?

The test drive was good. The only issue I had was that I haven't driven a manual in a long time and that was a beater farm truck, not a tight shifting one like this was.

I like this car, but I'm in need of a fairly reliable car to last me 2 to 3 years before I get my degree. I'm tired of fixing and modding cars. I want something reliable but just fun enough to keep me from getting bored, I think this FB is it. The car feels fast even though it may not be a racing speed machine. I also understand these cars corner like no other, a nice swift turn is more fun than winding a fast car out on a straight.

Any advice? Suggestions?? Any info I can get would help and be appreciated.

*The dealer is not only the first car dealer I've liked but the first one I haven't outright hated. I would like to do buisness with him.

 

The wipers don't work, the seller has offered to fix these before I buy it. What can I tell him to look for? The combo switch? The wiper motors??- perhaps the rack is frozen with rust or the wiring is faulty

The belt squeals above 4000 rpms. Its a new belt and it may have stretched and just needs adjustment of the tensioner.-there is no tensioner. it is adjusted manually with bolts. the belt is prob stretched. replace it.

The turn signals do not always turn off whether buy turning the wheel or flipping the stalk. What could be the cause of this??-the turn signal canceler is at fault. remove the steering wheel and take a look. the **** are prob broken off. it is white. has two **** that insert into the back of the steering wheel.

There are some electrical connectors tied off inside the engine bay near the carb. Are these for non-existent options or sensors? I wish I had taken pics of them.-you should have taken pics. although there are one or two that have nothing to plug into.

The steering wheel has some play in it, but the steering feels tight. There is some slack in the wheel for the first part of the turn but then it grabs and tightens up.-check the tie rod ends, inner and outer. there is a natural amount of play in the steering.

The biggest issue with the car is a slight gasoline smell in the oil. I pulled the dipstick nearest the large filler tube on the passenger side. Is this the oil resivior or something for pre-mixing?? I also read that gasoline can contaminate the oil when the engine floods. Since this car is at a dealer* I assume that flooding from infrequent starting is common. Does it just need an oil change?-change the oil. it is common to smell a slight amount of gas in the oil. it is not for premixing and the filler tube is on the left side.

I like this car, but I'm in need of a fairly reliable car to last me 2 to 3 years before I get my degree. I'm tired of fixing and modding cars. I want something reliable but just fun enough to keep me from getting bored, I think this FB is it. The car feels fast even though it may not be a racing speed machine. I also understand these cars corner like no other, a nice swift turn is more fun than winding a fast car out on a straight. -it will be reliable if you maintain it. it is an FB. better make sure you know the car and know how to drive before you try a lot of fast corners. the car will bite you in the dick if you are not careful. car sounds clean though. i would pick it up if i were you and the price is right.

 

Its really hard to say what to do but if you like it go for it, just be prepared for the unexpected (with any car). Sounds pretty good (wiper motors do go out alot and a dime a dozen at the JY). Its alway better to have a passion, it gets you through the rough times.

 

Pretty much what I'm hearing is that for this age and price of car the problems I'm seeing are nothing that is a specific issue with this car.

Thanks for the info mazdaverx. Steve, you're telling me what I want to hear.

Anyone else got any ideas? I need to sit on this for a few days before shelling out and want to get any opinions and ideas that I can.

I know you guys are biased, but I'd expect that people here know the cars better.

 

Hmmm, you're in ohio too. Mind telling me where the car is so I can go buy it first?

None of the problems are major, all of them sound like they are easily fixed. The loose steering is a common problem, check the tie rod ends, but if it all looks fine, then you might just have to tighten the steering box a bit.

I could type out a big long post, but mazdaverx713b pretty much covered it. Sounds like a good deal to me.

 

I shelled out about $500 for my '82 GSL with 78k on the clock almost 2 years ago. To date, I have well under $1500 total into her. That includes a 1/3 interest in an '83 GSL parts car.

I never expected that I would become so attached to this car. I needed a car, and was able to afford this one. I had never even considered buying one before. At least not seriously enough to go looking, or do any research on the matter. You seem to be on the right track as far an that goes.

Bottom line before I bore everyone... If it feels right to you, and you fall in love with her like almost everyone here has done, you'll feel right about it years from now. If you're just buying it cause you need a car to get from point A to point B, then you might get lucky like I did, and fall in love too, but you also run the risk of hating her, because she will bite you in the *** if she feels neglected.

If I was you, I'd go for it. But that's the answer you'd expect to hear on this board. You come to a forum full of fanatics, tell them you found a clean specimin, and ask if you should get it. You know they're going to say yes. So as far as I can tell, you already know you want it, and you're just looking for a reason to act on that. Do yourself a favor, and buy the damn car. You won't regret it.

Brian

 

Damn you people. I was hoping to find at least something to make me hesitate.

I'm on the phone now to make sure my bank balances are all in check and to the dealer.

 

I'm with Brian. If you want it, buy it. Sounds like a reasonable deal. Just remember you're not just buying a car. You're buying wheels with a personality. You won't know what that personality is until you drive it for a while. Then you might find out she's got multiple personalities.

The fact that you've gone this far means you're just looking for confirmation that you should buy, and as Brian pointed out, this is not the place to get an unbiased opinion about whether to buy a 1st gen.

Good luck.