Hi,

Any helpful tips on what I should look for when buying my first RX7 (1st Gen) would be greatly appreciated.

Where do they rust? I have seen some around the hatch opening near the drainholes, and some in the doors, but is there any specific areas I should pay attention to??

How can I tell a good engine from a bad one other than smoke in a stock 12a?

What items are expensive/hard to replace that I should make sure are in good condition on a car I buy??

Thanks in advance for all of your help and input - all going well in the coming week(s) I will join your ranks as an RX7 owner - something I have looked forward to for a long time!

Greetings from Wollongong - South Coast NSW Australia

 

Rust - check behind the rear tires. If you can see a hole, then you're in for a treat. If the rust is as bad as mine was, meaning down by the upper control arm support, pass that car up unless you have the money for some non-rusty wheel wells - you can't buy these anymore, so you'd have to get used ones.

 

I should also add that the rear half of the car as a whole, generally speaking, is where most of the rust will occur, again, generally speaking. Common areas are near the hatch lock and around the drain holes.

 

Another thing, smoke coming out of a rotary, on startup, isn't necessarily a "bad thing". To make a long story short, they naturally burn oil as it is injected into the carburator. After shutting the engine off, the oil that is still in the combustion area will drain to the bottom of the rotor, rather than drain back into the oil pan on a piston engine.

 

Very well put!

 

Also look for rust on the firewall (particularly around and under the ledge), water can sit on the ledge and cause rust and it is very difficult to get rid of it.

 

You just brought somehting else to mind. The base of the driver's side wiper seems to be a common rust area as well.

 

One last place while I'm at it, the bottom edges of the doors rust chronically, most of the 1st gens I have seen have some rust here!

 

Always bring a phillips head screwdriver to remove the storage bins and a flashlight to peer inside at the unibody. Any signs of rust on the rear wheel wells - replace the bins and walk away.

Also look for a patched radiator - overheating is deadly for rotaries.

Oil leaks are kinda OK if they are small and coming from the oil cooler lines, but an oil leak from the block is very bad.

Any white or blue smoke from the tailpipe when warmed up means imminent engine death.

Remember: the higher the miles/kilometers, the looser and more worn out the whole car will be.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the tips guys- much appreciated, and soon to be put into practice.

I am going to head out looking at a few in about eight hours (midnight over here now !)

Anything else that I should look for?

 

It is worth in my opinion paying the extra couple of hundred to get a 13B, they have much more torque and potential for higher hp