Hello all, I'm a newbie so some advise would be great -

Had a look at a 1st gen RX7 last night. Good condition with minor rust bubbles. Some welding to sill and one of the rear suspension links. 97,000 miles but no blue smoke. What do I need to look out for, and should I buy it?!

Cheers

CapriDi(Yeah yeah, so I've got a Capri as well!)

 

what are they asking?

 

if they are asking a good price and the car is nice, i would say go for it. i love 1st gens.

 

What model is it?

 

If you can, check under the storage bins for rust. When i bought my car, it looked spotless. No surface rust, good paint, clean interior. After pulling up the storage bins, then I foudn out the wheel wells were rusted to ****. So, i have spent 4 of the past 6 months i have had the car dealing with crap body shops, and shelling over waaay too much money. good luck finding a good rex

 

Its already been repaired, probably for rust, in that rear section, according to your description on that suspension link. I'd definately check under the storage bins....see if they just did a quick cheap welding job to get the car rolling to sell it.

 

if it is a good price, by it!first gens are probably the best rx7 ever made.any year!

 

what model is it?
do a compression test, check for oil leaks, look for rust under storage bins for rust, and always low ball!
lates, jeff

 

only if its a 13b!

 

if its a rx7 buy it!

 

couldnt be stated any better!

 

From a reliability, simplicity, weight, and price standpoint, 1st gens are the best. Unfortunately, they're also the oldest, since the last ones built are now 18 yrs old. A mint condition (ie: needs NOTHING) 1st gen may set you back $3000-$5000 (or even more for an SE with documented low mileage), while a fixer-upper can be had for as little as $300.
But the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price. By the time you've restored the car to mint, you'll have spent way more than you could have had the "needs nothing" one for. Look for one that has all (or most) service records, no irreversable mods such as lowering, emissions stripped off, ricer add-ons, etc. Then have it inspected and appraised by someone who's qualified and unknown to the seller. After clearing these hurdles and checking liens and accident history, THEN negotiate a fair price. Don't pay more than the appraised value. Good luck.