2nd Gen Project?
09-27-01, 05:27 PM
#1
Passenger
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2nd Gen Project?
Well, there's a 86 RX-7 with 122500 miles on it. It's naturally aspirated and according to the owner, he only used it to get to work and back. He's selling it quickly because his wife is having a baby and they need a bigger car. He said "it runs well, but it might need a tune up." I want a project car to develop into an SCCA Solo II or I car (also daily driving, occasional street racing), but I don't want something that will require loads of money or time to keep in daily drivable condition. Will this work well for my purposes? Why is this car so cheap, or is this the usual asking price for an 86 RX-7? Maybe it's just my lucky day :-)
Scott Farmer
Rotary Novice
Scott Farmer
Rotary Novice
09-27-01, 05:42 PM
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hmmm
Well for sure have the serial number searched and check its history....then:
Check the exhaust if the guy revs it to 7000 ish..any smoke = don't buy it unless you want a fixer upper.
hmm other tips....hmmm lemme think...
Ask him if he does anything special when he starts or shuts it down (it is always good if the owner...turbo or not...lets the engine warm up 5 min before driving and idle for 2 after)
Also ask how often he changes the oil and spark plugs and coolant etc. Don't leave out any details. Maybe get a compression check done, to see if the engine has had a lot of wear yet or not..
just check it over thoughrally, underbody rust (mainly exhaust mounts/ehxaust system) check for any strange noises coming from the engine etc. while it is running (look under the car to check for fluid leak stains...if none then ask him to take the car out for a spin (check oil/coolant levels first) give her a good hot redlineing run, then park it...talk with them about history of the car for 15 minutes-half an hour and check for any fluid dripping or leaks under the car (also look for crud and other crud types in the under-body protection plates under the engine (do this while it is cold or you can burn yourself good =/
Hope that helps, don't forget to ask about previous collisions and/or problems with the car....give him a good offer and then tell him he is willing to pay that as long as he has been totally honest with you...then after paying him (assuming you buy it) then ask him:
"now that I have paid you is there anything I should know that you didn't tell me, not so that I can get mad at you but so that the car doesn't suffer and that anything not working properly gets fixed to improve it's life?"
then wait till he tells you something, and small claims court his *** for lying to you that there was nothing wrong if he states after payment that there is...
I am a king bastard aren't I
Just beware that the '86 might give you some troubles with the electrical system (ask him if there is anything out of the ordinary with any strange gremlins or electrical bugs...)
Good Luck dood
Check the exhaust if the guy revs it to 7000 ish..any smoke = don't buy it unless you want a fixer upper.
hmm other tips....hmmm lemme think...
Ask him if he does anything special when he starts or shuts it down (it is always good if the owner...turbo or not...lets the engine warm up 5 min before driving and idle for 2 after)
Also ask how often he changes the oil and spark plugs and coolant etc. Don't leave out any details. Maybe get a compression check done, to see if the engine has had a lot of wear yet or not..
just check it over thoughrally, underbody rust (mainly exhaust mounts/ehxaust system) check for any strange noises coming from the engine etc. while it is running (look under the car to check for fluid leak stains...if none then ask him to take the car out for a spin (check oil/coolant levels first) give her a good hot redlineing run, then park it...talk with them about history of the car for 15 minutes-half an hour and check for any fluid dripping or leaks under the car (also look for crud and other crud types in the under-body protection plates under the engine (do this while it is cold or you can burn yourself good =/
Hope that helps, don't forget to ask about previous collisions and/or problems with the car....give him a good offer and then tell him he is willing to pay that as long as he has been totally honest with you...then after paying him (assuming you buy it) then ask him:
"now that I have paid you is there anything I should know that you didn't tell me, not so that I can get mad at you but so that the car doesn't suffer and that anything not working properly gets fixed to improve it's life?"
then wait till he tells you something, and small claims court his *** for lying to you that there was nothing wrong if he states after payment that there is...
I am a king bastard aren't I
Just beware that the '86 might give you some troubles with the electrical system (ask him if there is anything out of the ordinary with any strange gremlins or electrical bugs...)
Good Luck dood
09-27-01, 07:02 PM
#3
Passenger
Posts: n/a
Talked to owner: UPDATE
I just got off the phone with the owner. He's had the car for a year, and he's changed the oil every 3000 miles. He says that the engine runs, but sometimes it has "hesitation." He thinks that he may need to change the spark plugs, or possibly the filter, but he's not a mechanic. The reason it's so cheap is because the paint is in fair condition, with a thumb sized dent below the passenger side window. The interior also has a rip in the vinyl on the drivers side.
He's not sure what trim package he has, but it has cloth seats, no sunroof and is a 5 speed. Perhaps one of you could identify what trim he has.
It seems to me that this is the ideal project car, some guy who doesn't know what he has under the hood (God bless the Rotary!). I'm hoping that once I replace the spark plugs and put in a K&N air filter, that I'll be running near the stock 147hp.
At the very least, I'll learn how to drive a manual outta this 995 wankel.
Input?
Scott Farmer
Rotary Novice
He's not sure what trim package he has, but it has cloth seats, no sunroof and is a 5 speed. Perhaps one of you could identify what trim he has.
It seems to me that this is the ideal project car, some guy who doesn't know what he has under the hood (God bless the Rotary!). I'm hoping that once I replace the spark plugs and put in a K&N air filter, that I'll be running near the stock 147hp.
At the very least, I'll learn how to drive a manual outta this 995 wankel.
Input?
Scott Farmer
Rotary Novice
09-27-01, 07:14 PM
#4
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Re: hmmm
Originally posted by PraxRX7
Ask him if he does anything special when he starts or shuts it down (it is always good if the owner...turbo or not...lets the engine warm up 5 min before driving and idle for 2 after)
Ask him if he does anything special when he starts or shuts it down (it is always good if the owner...turbo or not...lets the engine warm up 5 min before driving and idle for 2 after)
Actually, it has been proven that by letting the car up at idle before driving it, you actually build up carbon on the rotors and it can back spray that black nasty stuff into the intake runners. It is best to drive at low RPM's until the car is completely warmed up rather than just let it sit until warm. Also, if the car revs to 3K rpm's at start, blip the throttle to let the engine come back down to normal idle. That is the AWS (also known as the Accelerated Warm-up System / Accelerated Wear-out System) It's not good to let the engine rev to 3k without any oil being on the bearings yet. Good luck with the buy!
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