Hey guys, right now I have an integra. I love the car but it is too slow, and will take far too much money to make it fast. I love turbo cars so I want something that has potential but is also kinda cheap. Well I think I have found a great deal on an 87 turbo. It has REAAAAAAALLY low miles and it is in my price range. Can you tell me:

What are the biggest problems with these cars and what should I look for to avoid them. Also, I know these motors are often rebuilt for various reasons. If I needed a rebuild a few miles down the road, what would that cost? Also, I want to avoid rebuilding if I could. I hear rumors that these overheat. What are some things I could do to keep this from breaking on me?

Finally the most important question of all. What kind of times does a stock 87 Turbo 5 speed run in the 1/4 mile? Also how easy is it to put into say the high 13s? That is my ultimate goal and I am hoping a RX7 can get me there cheaper than an Integra. Thanks guys.

 

Welcome to the forum. Stats: http://www.petting-zoo.net/~gkm/rx7/specs.html

Rotaries are not inherently unreliable. TIIs are less reliable than n/as but should get 120-140k miles. All rotaries are much more susceptable to poor maintanance than a piston engine. If not cared for they will not last. You're engine shouldn't overheat. However, rotaries are also much less resistant to the effects of overheating.

High 13s is plenty obtainable. Check out this thread with a similar question. https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...5&pagenumber=1

Good buying guide: http://www.aaroncake.net/RX-7/buy1.htm

 

Thanks for the info man. Yeah she says it has been maintained perfectly. I am going to look at it tomorrow or saturday so I will see what the deal is. I am the kind of person that likes to handle the problems before they become a problem so I will probably baby it until I can rebuild it and make it stronger. I say that now but I am a college student that loves fast cars so I'm sure I will rag on it too much. Say I was to rebuild it, and get it done right, how much would that run me? If I rebuild it I want it to last so I don't have to do it again. Also, are 87s worth working on, or should I try to find a 92 or something?

 

As always, if you decide to buy have the local mazda dealership pull the compression numbers for you. No, you can't use a piston compression tester on a rotary engine - the results aren't accurate.