Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

As this has come back from the dead, you might want to hear this one. Bought '88TII new. Problems with trailing plugs and high exhaust temps, gas fumes. Mazda bought back 1 year later and 15,000 miles, and I pruchased my '89TII in May '89, which I still have. What a dud the '88 was!!!!!!

steve's dog

i was skating in a plaza with one of my friends and i saw this really cool looking car sitting in the parking lot. i remembered that i saw that cool car and asked my dad a few weeks later. i explained the body and he thought it might have been a RX-7. i looked into it and yes, it was a first generation gsl, it must have been an 85. ever since then ive been obsessed with rx7s. then, one day i was walking down the street, and saw this little red sports car sitting there(87 rx7 n/a) i said to some lady that was standing in the yard "thats my car" i was only 15, not yet close to 16. but i still knew that was "my car" thats all i would talk about for so long, "my car." my friends got so sick of me calling it that, becuase they thought i would never own it. then i called the owner and when i asked about it he said "its at quality motors, we're selling it" it must have been the best thing ever, it was only a couple days after i saw it. we bargianed it down to $2000. and my dad bought it. i still havent turned 16 yet

Joonas

I saw my first seven when a kid in my shop class bought one that wasnt running for 200 bucks. we did a bunch of work on it and couldnt get it started. one day im like ok we have compression and spark, has anyone checked the airfilter yet. thay were all like its not the air filter. so I was like well have toy checked it and they were like no but it wont be that. I pulled the cover off and there was no filter just a bunch of leafs. well buddy who owned the car said well give er a shot see if it starts, sure enough it fired right up so he let me take it for the first drive. since then I fell in love with rx7s. then 3 years later I find an add in the paper that says 1986 rx7 gxl 5 speed needs work 700 bucks. so I call him and take a look at it and was like wow. so I got home called my GF and said Im buying a car for 700 bucks. she was like what does it run? I was like well no but it will eventually. and she was like well shouldnt you get one that works, arnt rotarys fard to fix and I was like ummm I dunno only worked on one once. but when we went to look at itwith her/buy it she was like wow its so nice and I even let her steer when we pushed it out of the garage. well I got it started a week later and there was a blown coolant seal and me still knowing nothing about rotaries limped the sucker home with a steady steam trail behind it. now im just finished a rebuild and need to get it back together.

Dinnercoat

Craigslist, spent too much, lemme alone.

Suiicidalpenguin

My (socalled) stepsister got her 87 GXL Auto free from a lady who let it sit for a long time and didn't want it anymore. My (socalled) stepsister drove it with broken breaks for a while but her boss (she is a nanny) let her drive his truck so she could fit the kids and she then let it sit under thier garage. My girls b-day came up so my mother baught it for 200$ and gave it to me and my girl for free.

A little less than a grand into the car for brakes,wipers, fluid changes, plugs, and some inside detailing, and the car runs awsome. (Now till after next winter when my project car is done this will become the next project car )

Red'vert

I bought my '88 FC3C here in Northern California from the original owner in the fall of '91 with 23K miles on it. Was the first to show up and test drive it. Had to have it. When we returned from the test-drive more buyers were waiting in the driveway. Paid asking, $13,500, he paid twice that a few years earlier...

Been driving it for 16 years, yet it only has 83,200 miles today. Need I say great car?

sLoW'n'StEaDy

There was a 2G DSM sitting at a body/repair/car lot that some people where wondering about. It was cold, snowy and just all around shitty so no one wanted to go get any details. I jumped in the old 4X4 ('95 blazer) and headed over. Got some pics of the DSM and what not, got home and posted the pics on the forum for the other people. While posting the pics i happened to ctach a TINY piece of a car which i had mistaken for a 944.

I went back to the place and talked to the owner. He said he wanted $700 a piece for the RX7 and the DSM. So i asked what he would take for the pair and he said $800. Then i replied i have no interest in the DSM (fwd, auto, non turbo, all riced out) but if he would take $800 for the pair then he would take $400 each. He said "sure what the hell! It has been here for a little while and i have never got it to start. A battery and a new set of plugs, i drove it down there a couple days later to get more details on the DSM (actually only went down there to throw it in his face a little)

Rotary13B1

iTrader: (8)

Craigslist FTW!

Turbo II

iTrader: (1)

My 85 GS I found sitting at an inspection station and bought it from the owner. My 91 Turbo a friend saw it at a dealership where it had just been traded in by the orig owner. My 88 Vert I traded a guitar amp to the orig owner. My 9? FD I got for free. It came from a toy store... birthday present.

rurouni2071

I had never seen an rx-7 before..(this part of canada , they're kinda rare.. I own the only 2 in running condition in my town) And then I watched Initial D.... and that was it I fell in love with the white 91 FC so I saved up and found a emaculate 86 GX that I bought off the original owner for $2500 cdn it had 187 000 kms then after it had a few problems , I took out a loan and bought a fairly well done-out 87 TII .. and as soon as its payed off , I'll be looking for it , 91 TII .mmmm

McTinkerson

Dad used to own a 1st gen, told me how the engine worked as opposed to that of a piston engine. Needless to say I was intrigued to say the least. Fast forward to 2006, while at work a customer told me his sister had an RX7 she was trying to get rid of for the past 11 years due to it catching fire back in 1995 and was sitting in her fathers garage ever since. I go see it the next day and bought it for $1.

stylEmon

iTrader: (2)

In 98, my I was stuck in this small town in PA for my senior year of highschool. My cousin was about to leave for basic traning, and had to sell his car. I saw the car and instantly fell in love with it. I had no idea about rotary or rx-7s at the time, my first car was an old dodge w/ a 318.

Anyway, my cousin had babied the car, only got it to 100 once!!! and had left it stock as stock can be, besides some chrome 6-star rims. Had 116k on it, with one mazda re-man already. (apperently the first engine caught on fire on the first owener, still under warranty).

But I bought the car for 2400. Had it for 3 years and sold it for a SE-R. I always regetted selling it.

In 2006, I found another one locally. I bought it and have been building it for 10 months now.

schmol

I found my '89 vert in Craigslist for $1200 obo, offered $800 and he took it. After 5 months and soem more $$, it's finally back on the road with a occasional check engine light that comes on. The TPS is still be adjusted....

jl1rx7

iTrader: (1)

bought my for about 3k from the orginal owner, it was getting older and couldnt drive it much anymore and didnt want to see rust away. I have had now for 3 years and hope to keep for many more. I felt bad when i bought it, the guy didnt really want to sell it, and he cried when he signed the title me, but it went to a good home and i will give to my daughter when she gets old enought to drive.

87 t-66

iTrader: (133)

which one lol...the one ive been putting all the money into was sitting outside a shop in my hometown with a blown motor, broken mirror and messed up fender. but for $550 i couldnt pass it up. sold my moped for it haha. its an 87 t2 with 78k miles.

311unity13B

about 4 years ago,my old neighbor in my parents neighborhood was a Mazda guy, owned a SC'ed Miata and the RX-7, was moving to Colorado, so he wanted to get rid of the car. He knew I loved the car and I also needed a new car, so he said, you want that car? its your for $2k, i was like, hell yeah, SOLD! next day went and got the cash and bought the car

not bad for $2k

doughboy2746

i went to high school to train in automotive and in my toyota tech class we had to do a report on different parts on a car so i wanted to do something different so i pick the break down on a rotary engine after learning about the engine and the history i was sold ever since then i was in love with rx7's.

doughboy2746

if u want to check out my 7 go to my myspace.com/doughboy2746

jackhild59

iTrader: (7)

I have been a Mazda guy from the 1970's. I nearly bought a used rotary pickup in 77. It broke an apex seal on the test drive. (They all smoke like that, Boy!). A friend of my Dad's had a 1978 RX7. He was a pilot and asked me to go flying with him. The ride to the airport was much more impressive that the ride in the Cessna. I was scarred for life by the rotary.

Then, I bought the VERY FIRST 626 that was imported into the Gulf States Region in 1979-Motor Trend Car of the Year, Car and Driver 10 Best List etc. My first new car. I had 4 more 626's including an 87 GT Turbo Coupe and a 1993 'Fordzda' that put me permanently off of anything that was a joint venture between Mazda/Ford. (can you say $1200 for an alternator? I knew you could!)

I never forgot the adrenaline pumping sound of a Rotary. In 2004, my wife bought a convertible. She felt guilty enough to give me permission to buy a hobby car.

I bought my 90 vert from an ebay seller that had sold the car TWICE in auction to deadbeat bidders. I payed $1100 for the car. It had not been licensed or inspected since 1999 and had been sold 3 times but never retitled by the subsequent owners.

Took me about 5 mos to get the thing up to passing safety and emission testing. I have since replaced the top, redone the exhaust, the suspension, rebuilt and recovered the seats, replaced the speakers (including the headrest speakers). I am in the process of body and paint.

The final paint goes on TOMORROW MORNING!

All work done by my own hands, with the exception of the mufflers. Runs drives and handles like a dream, gets 24 mpg on the highway and 10-18 mpg in town.

Total investment at this point is just under $4000 including the original purchase and all parts.

Spectator

iTrader: (1)

It all started 10 years ago. I either wanted an RX7 or a 240SX 91 and up. But I was leaning towards an RX7. So before I bought mine, I looked at almost 15 RX7s before I bought the one I still have today.

I bought it from a 62 year old guy. It was almost mint.

First pic is one year after my purchase with the added wheels. Second pics is what it looks like now without the 1/2 inch rear wheel spacers and lights..

turbo10th

iTrader: (6)

Wow this thread never be able to RIP. But i found my first 2nd gen a silver gxl about 3 years ago on autotrader for $2500. Next one i bought was a year after off of ebay a 10th ae for $800 needed a engine. Third one was another t2 on craigslist for $1200 needed engine. Fourth on was a 91 vert in real good shape for $1500. And finally a 10th ae parts car i bought to fix my other 10th ae and she finally lives after 2 years of sitting. Also bought a third gen but this is the 2nd gen fourm.

estrada42

I was looking for an RX-3 or 4 to replace my 85 RX7 and I came across a clean 88 Vert with a oil leak. Got it for $800 and it's clean and passes smog. Found out today it's either a bad oil metering pump, or the lines. Either way I practically stole this one.

stylEmon

iTrader: (2)

I recently came across a REAL CLEAN S5 T2 with a blown motor.

About a year and a half- two years ago, my brother in law was looking for a RX-7. We found this super clean s5 t2 on the other side of town. The motor had 2k on it, supposedly. But the car was CLEAN. top to bottom.

I arranged the purchase, and did all the negotiating for my Bro. He supplied the money. He paid quite a bit for the car (I thought). But it came with an on-center T04 E, No fuel mods and stock ECU. I told him he couldnt boost the car until we got rid of that turbo and got a new fuel pump.

He listened for a minute. We found him a hybrid turbo (what's the real popular one? B&R?) and ordered the fuel pump. But he couldnt stay off the gas pedal. He busted the rear sub frame after going into a curb sideways. We got that fixed up along with a few other reliability mods (outta his pocket of course).

But he couldn't stay off the boost. We finally got the walbro and right after we installed it, the motor quit.

He sat on the car of like 6 months. He kept saying he was gonna rebuild it with the help of a friend, but he seemed to have lost instest. He finally admitted that he was gonna sell the car as a rolling shell. I snatched it up and put a motor in it that had been running strong for 15k with the same B&R turbo.

It was a fun project for me. Had to track down lots of parts, and clean ever single part I put my hands on. It only took me about 2-3 months to get the car running well. I worked out all the kinks, new vaccuum lines, heater core lines, plugs wires, cleaned injecotrs...

And then I sold it.
It was the cleanest, stock looking 2nd gen I've seen in person, since I sold my first white 87 T2. I wish I could've kept it, but i need the cash. and for the price I got it for, I couldn't afford not to sell it.

dvs71990

I had always wanted an rx7 since the age of 16. I searched everywhere in the state of ny,nj, and pa for one. I saw about a doze that were abused and which I was not interested in.4 years go by and I still have not found an fc. I finally gave up and was going to jump on the honda bandwagon. I walk into this used car lot about 20 miles from my home. I strolled by this filthy red car that looked like it was sitting under a tree for a long time. I paid no mine,but it ended up catching my gf's attention. All i hear her say is man thats a nice car so I go yea, it is but im not into the 280'z i told her. Than I took a good look at the car and i realize it was a 7. I gave the dear 1000 bucks for it on the spot. Told me the car has not been started in about 4 years. After about 2 hrs of unflooding I got it started. He offered me back double the money of what I payed. The engine is sitting on my dining room table getting a rebuild at the moment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*TOUCH*

iTrader: (29)

had always loved rx-7's. when i was young, it was for there look and style, always used them on racing games, etc. once i was a young teenager and began learning the mechanics from my father, i fell in love with the idea of the rotary engine: simjple and intuitive compared to piston engines and a great power to weight/displacement ratio. not to mention differrent. when i got my license however, i had a hand-me-down (still made me pay for it tho...) Lebaron in my driveway. being a 16 yr old, you really dont care about what you drive, your just excited to drive. so i drove that for a few years and then my little brother turned 16. the plan was to give him my car and i would get my mom's car (she wanted a new one) while my brother paid my dad for my car and i would pay the difference for my mom's. well i didnt really wat a galant at at this point in time i decided to get what i wanted and looked around untill i found a VERY clean gxl with 130,000 miles for $1900. couldnt pass it up.