im looking at a 1987 rx7. the car has 156k on it and its a rag top. im new to the rx7 world and dont know what i should be looking for as far a problems go. so if anyone can give me some buying guidlines i would really appreciate it.

 

You'd be looking for this?

http://www.aaroncake.net/rx-7/buy1.htm

 

Most of the subforums on this website have "Sticky" forum threads which you should read before posting. In this subforum there is a Frequently Asked Questions sticky which has links to RX-7 buyer guides.
https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/frequently-asked-questions-2nd-generation-rx-7-faq-fc-494667/

As for the convertible in particular, check to see if the top is in good shape, as a new one costs about $1,500 in parts and labor. The top usually rips in the rear sides, which causes water to drip down into the car and cause rust in the side skirt area between the door and the rear wheel. For these cars in general you should avoid the automatic transmission, and otherwise read the buyer guide for the other items.

Also, you may want to post in your regional subforum to see if anybody is willing to help you check out the car.
https://www.rx7club.com/forumdisplay...sprune=-1&f=30

 

Also, convertible started with the 1988 production year.

 

thanks for the info fellas. i looked in the faqs section but only a quick skim. the guy im getting the car from said he knows nothing about the cars, he gotr it out of a technicallity so im not sure what im getting myself into. ill know more once i actually see the car. hopefully it will work out. ive beentrying to pick up one of these for a while now.

 

Unfortunately that "technicality" usually means it is stolen, a salvage title, or a flood-damaged car. The usual cover for the above is that some guy owed him money and gave him the car as payment, followed by the ever popular recently-deceased family member, and also the currently-popular deployed or deceased soldier's car. Be sure to get a title search.

You may want to take some pictures to post in this forum if you want to get a pretty good estimate on fixing various problems with the car.

 

The first thing I'd be worried about is that mileage. Has the engine been rebuilt? If not, I'm surprised the engine has lasted that long, but at 156k I doubt it will last much longer. (It could, but I wouldn't bet on it.)

 

i havent been able to see the car yet. im getting the fee;ing the guy is trying to screw me but i wont know for sure untill i can drive the car. its to my understanding that the odometer reads 5 digits so im assuming its rolled over. he didnt say antyhing about a rebuild, any way to check?

 

why would you be so worried about the milage, I have 178k on mine and it is still running strong with no problems. It just depends on how well it has been taken care of.

 

Thats a pretty ignorant statement. You have no idea what condition the engine is in, and there are quite a few NA's with 250k+ miles. All depends on how they took care of it.

Get a compression test done on the engine before you buy it.

 

No, it reads to 6 digits. My convertible has over 190K miles, and it has yet to leave me stranded. I even drove it over 1,000 miles round-trip to DGRR 2009.
http://dealsgaprotaryrally.com/Lates...-Gap-Info.html

However, 150K miles is usually about when the engine needs a rebuild. A compression check will help determine that. A rebuild is about $2,000 if nothing major is ruined.

 

like i siad im very new to the rx7 world, this will be my first. i was planing on giving it a compression test before i accept the trade. is there anything else i should look at to determine what kind care the car was given in the past.

 

I'd say hoses, belts, rust, etc. but you probably know all that. Someone more experienced will have to be more specific. I also recommend the link satch gave: http://www.aaroncake.net/RX-7/buy1.htm.


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I apologize for spreading misinformation but I'm surprised no one else seems to think that 150k miles on the engine is cause for any concern.

neither do you (no offense), and that's my point.

I definitely agree. Considering that there's no way to really know how the previous owner(s) treated it aside from maybe a full inspection by an experienced rotary mechanic.

I should have just said that. I didn't mean to imply the engine will blow up as soon as he buys it. I'm just paranoid. If it passes a compression test with good numbers, than I guess there's nothing to worry about as long as you take care of it.

I thought it was more like 100k? I don't claim to be any sort of rotary expert or anything, but I was under the impression that 100k+ miles is near the end of a rotary lifespan.

I wouldn't buy a car - especially an rx-7 - with 150k miles on the engine unless I was really sure that it was is good condition and had been well taken care of. If you don't mind rebuilding it, then of course the mileage doesn't really matter.

 

I don't think you have the experience and skill to determine that. I suggest just reading through the buying guides linked in the FAQ, and realize that there will be problems with any 20-year old car no matter how well you check it out. It would be a good idea to have an experienced RX-7 mechanic go through the car too.

That is common mileage for an 88 RX-7. The price of a new 88 RX-7 convertible inflation-adjusted to 2009 dollars would be about $43,000. The price of a used 88 RX-7 convertible right now is about $1,000-3,000, an engine rebuild is about $2,000, a new top $1,500, and various other parts probably about $1,500, which means the broke teenagers on this forum save around $35,000. I only see cause for concern if somebody is ignorant enough to think that any $1,000 20-year old car is going to work as perfectly as a brand new $43,000 car.

A compression check will only determine if the engine's seals are definitely worn. It is not a guarantee of any type. The engine could very well blow a coolant seal the day after passing a compression check with flying colors. This is the risk you take when buying a used car with no warranty.

The original engine is usually good for about 150K miles or so. A rebuild generally lasts 100K miles. Many people continue to drive the car even when the engine is worn and low on power, although the impending catastrophic failure usually ruins at least one rotor and/or housing, if not additional expensive parts.

 

i have read through the faqs and the link provided. i have pretty good idea of what i should look for. ill post some pictures as soon as i have the oportunity. thanks go out to all who have helped

 

[QUOTE=Evil Aviator;9675195]No, it reads to 6 digits. My convertible has over 190K miles, and it has yet to leave me stranded. I even drove it over 1,000 miles round-trip to DGRR 2009.
http://dealsgaprotaryrally.com/Lates...-Gap-Info.html

so since it reads 6 digits, theres a pretty good chance this guy is a moron and the car actualy has 56k instead of the assumed rollover to make it 156k

 

Um, no. If the car had 56k miles then the odometer would read 056000 as opposed to 156000. I don't think anybody that retarded would have the mental or legal ability to sell a car.

Nice try, but I hope you don't try and apply the same wishful thinking to the other aspects of the car. Just to put it into perspective, my convertible has averages $240/month in maintenance, and I perform a lot of the labor myself.

 

no wishfull thinking here, just confusion. he said it read 56011 he sounds a little nutty over the phone so his mental health is questionable haha. should be meeting with him today for a test drive then ill know for sure. i hope its been taken care of in the past, if not a rebuild will be the next step. im tradeing my 97 ram(trans and motor in need of serious help) title for title so as long as the car is worth more then $1500 im gaining from this deal. rx7 rebuild- about $2k and the ram motor& trans - $5k +