I'm a 17 year old P plater from Western Australia. Currently im stuck in the dilemma where my current car (ford meteor, which is modified a bit, cam, exhaust, extractors, twin carbs etc) has been smashed up from the back by some ******** and im left with the cost of it

I think i might be able to sell the meteor, and another car I have here (my first car, 1975 honda civic, good lil beast ) which should leave me with enough to purchase a series 1 rx-7. Maybe with borrowing a little from the old man.

With the cash I'll have, around about 1500-1700 Australian, from what ive seen in local classifieds I could buy one of these.

I'm new to the whole rotary scene and I am thinking about getting something a little different to all the ********* driving around in Commodores (locally produced 6 cylinder made by Holden, around 140hp for the later models).

Would one of these cars be able to stick it, if not beat most of these currently.

Would one of these cars give me good bang for my buck whilst maintaining reliability and a reasonable fuel economy?

I've heard stories about the early rotaries, being very unreliable... blowing seals and such. Is this the case?

Any help here would be great!!

 

Hiya Squiggz. . . I'm also from Aus, (Qld)
"...I'll have, around about 1500-1700 Australian..."
Dunno if you gonna get much for that? According to the REDBOOK - an average good nick Gen 1 here will cost at least $2500 - $ 4250. . . See here -
http://www.carsales.com.au/
Once there - do a VALUATION search, just type in what ya looking for. . .
My 7 is very economical - IF I DRIVE IT LIKE MY FATHER, but as soon as ya floor it, that 4 barrel just opens up and sucks the juice, mind you, it's worth it to toast all those Holden boys.
This is my fav (See sig) car I have owned, and I have owned a few. The whole world of the 7 is a wonderful place to be squiggz! - Welcome here too!

 

Thanks for the info. And yeh its good to see someone else shares the same view as me about those commodore guys!! too many dickheards in commodores, especially P platers...

I haven't seen that valuation site you showed me I was just going by what I've seen advertised in the autotrader and the quokka and the such.

It's gonna be difficult working on this myself lol, im a total stranger to rotaries...

 

Hehehe - buy one that requires NO WORK - like I did, see my car (see URL in my sig)
I was selling my boat and I SWAPPED it (My boat + My old **** Falcon) for my beautiful RX7. I havent regretted it since. I just love this car, always looking for an excuse to drive it. I get approx 580 - 600 k's per tank, if I drive quietly, but it's hard to NOT drive the thing hard, and so get about 440 k's. . . the thing handles like a go-cart, and goes awesome! - I have a pure STOCK 12a series 2, 1st Gen 1983, 5 speed man. The only thing "added is my sound system. . . Ask anyone in here squiggz - Rotarys Rule, once you've owned and driven one - it's hard to go back. . .

 

By the way, before everyone in here starts calling me squiggz all the time lol, my names Tim and im from Perth, Western Australia

By the sounds of it, going for this rotary will be the best move I could make.

Getting one which requies a little bit of work doesnt really phase me, im the kind of guy that is willing to blow all his pay cheque, then be poor for the next week or so just to get something fixed lol. If it's body work then that doesnt phase me at all, my eldest brother practically fully restored a holden HX v8 ute, from a busted up rust bucket to a damn nice car!

Mechanically though... what are the costs like associated with engine work?? Ball park figures for like common problems with these?

 

most problems require a rebuild figure 2000 american for that. and non turbos are really reliable it isnt till you get a turbo on it that it starts chuckin seals really. n/a's easily last 100-150k miles