2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.
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View Poll Results: Does the interior ever get to you?
Yeah, kinda sucks having a dated interior.
65
21.89%
Doesn't really bother me.
161
54.21%
WTF? Interior... What's that? (Stripped out race car)
19
6.40%
Just.... STFU.
52
17.51%
Voters: 297. You may not vote on this poll

Does our dated interiors ever get to you?

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Old 01-14-04, 04:07 PM
  #26  
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My main complaint with the FC interiors is the cheap-*** plastics they used. The other day i was trying to adjust the heater vent and serveral of the fins just snapped off in my hand. I think the interior is pretty well designed, they just used some cheap parts in places. Sure, its not as good looking as some nice, new car, but they're still leaps an bounds ahead of most cheap entry-level cars. Just look at most of the low priced cars today, like Kias or Chevys, and you'll gain a new appreciation for the interior of our beloved cars.
Old 01-14-04, 04:23 PM
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The plastics in the S5 interior actually hold up pretty well over time. I'm amazed at how good mine still looks after 14 years and many temperature extremes.

Aside from the molded-in fake stitching around the glove box and across the passenger side of the dash, the layout is very simple and classy. Sure, some of the plastic textures don't really match (ash tray lid compared with its surround; tops of door compared with surface of dash), but it is better than a lot of 80s competition.

My friend's 1991 Talon TSi had a much crappier interior in terms of quality of materials and layout. Plus the AWD system bit the dust in 1996 so he traded it, and I still have my 7.
Old 01-14-04, 04:31 PM
  #28  
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i really like my s5 burgundy interior
Old 01-14-04, 04:32 PM
  #29  
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Nah, I hatez my interior. Gonna git me somes carbon fiber cover ups fo that shitty dash. Nize 2tone steering wheel with tha little red glowing horn buttonz hooked up ta mah nazzz. That'll be mad tight yo!!!




No, really. I have the 91 with leather and I love it. Just need to replace the brittle *** plastic. Only thing I have a complaint on is that for a big guy (6'2@220#) the seat doesn't adjust enough for the steering wheel to be comfortable. Thinking about getting one of the smaller diameter ones. Any body know a good style that looks like OEM but a little smaller?
Old 01-14-04, 04:38 PM
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Thats a good point. I'm also 6'2, and the way I have to sit can be very tiring on long trips, especially since I don't have cruise control. If you fingure something out that helps, let me know.
Old 01-14-04, 04:42 PM
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A. I love my interior, I have had some of the problems arise such as briddle fins breaking and when I installed my cd player the bloody middle console cracked, but all of that was solved by mazda parts and service, got them all brand new so that is no worry.
B. I'm 6'5 and the seven is incredibly comfertable to me, I actually scoot the seat up 4-5 cms cause im too far back, Ill try to get some pics up, but I agree with the previous poster, that now they are approaching antique status, and I have actually gotten compliments on how clean my car was on the inside, never once a "dated comment"
just my 4 cents
All the Best,
Stu
Old 01-14-04, 04:51 PM
  #32  
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Re: Re: Does our dated interiors ever get to you?

Originally posted by NZConvertible
No, because I don't have unrealistic expectations of a 15yo affordable Japanese car.
Old 01-14-04, 04:53 PM
  #33  
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This is great...I just checked back in and the top banner is for one of those carbon fiber dash kit places.
Old 01-14-04, 05:17 PM
  #34  
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I love the interioir on my car. It looks better than most current cars!

My best example is Chevy. Almost anything Chevy has hideous interior. Take a look at a F body and you'll instantly know what I mean(especially 91 style).
Old 01-14-04, 06:27 PM
  #35  
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there is no option to say that you like the interior. I was forced to vote, STFU.

There's nothing about my TII that I don't love aesthetically. The car looks great even with my chipped up shitty paint. The interior is timeless. Its like you're in a cockpit. Everything is just there to function its best... except the plastic...
Old 01-14-04, 06:48 PM
  #36  
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I don't mind it till i get into my 2002 protege.
Old 01-14-04, 07:14 PM
  #37  
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Re: Re: Does our dated interiors ever get to you?

Originally posted by NZConvertible
No, because I don't have unrealistic expectations of a 15yo affordable Japanese car.
amen
Old 01-14-04, 08:26 PM
  #38  
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I like the interior and the exterior, it isnt flashy or dull. very erganomic(sp)
Old 01-14-04, 08:28 PM
  #39  
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It's a hell of a lot better than my beater 87 grand am...
Old 01-14-04, 08:43 PM
  #40  
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I LIKE the 2nd gen interior.

It's got a lot of nice touches (like the lighted storage compartments), but it leaves out some of the annoyances you get on a modern car.
Ex:
I think the "all red" lighting scheme is great. Red is the best color for not @#$ing up your night vision. Blue LEDs may look cool, but red makes more sense.

I just wish it had a cupholder
Old 01-14-04, 09:30 PM
  #41  
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Originally posted by theloudroom

I just wish it had a cupholder
sure it does!! wedge that sucker between the passenger seat and the center tunnel. besides what place does a cupholder have in a sports car?
Old 01-14-04, 10:03 PM
  #42  
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I'm perfectly happy with the interior, but to spruse it up a bit i painted some of the black plastic pieces gunmetal which seems to blend in with the grey parts better
Old 01-14-04, 10:39 PM
  #43  
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Originally posted by theloudroom
I LIKE the 2nd gen interior.

It's got a lot of nice touches (like the lighted storage compartments), but it leaves out some of the annoyances you get on a modern car.
Ex:
I think the "all red" lighting scheme is great. Red is the best color for not @#$ing up your night vision. Blue LEDs may look cool, but red makes more sense.

I just wish it had a cupholder
When you open up the glove box, don't the two circle thingys on the inside of the door serve as cupholders??

Anyway i love my s4's interior. Its very practical..and once i get my souvenir hawaiian hula doll in there, its gonna KICK ***!!
Old 01-14-04, 10:45 PM
  #44  
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I can't remember where I saw it... but there was a guy who took a cupholder assembly out of a mid 90s ford (according to him, alot came with them) that is made to fit inside the bottom stereo section. I'm currently searching my *** off trying to find it, but as he put it... it works REALLY well, and FOLDS INSIDE



Oh, and just to clear it up... I DO NOT hate my interior. It is in very good condition for its age, nothing has broke yet... I don't even get the slightest bit envious when I see a newer car's interior... it was just some girl I had over yesterday... saw the car in the driveway... and she loved it... she sits in it, and sees the interior... and well... no more positive comments Only thing that made me think about it
Old 01-14-04, 10:45 PM
  #45  
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The interior means absolutely nothing to me. All I need is a driver's seat,pedals,shifter,e-brake,lights,wipers and instruments. I hate maroon/burgundy/red interiors in ALL cars. But guess what? My FC has a maroon interior. Do I care? Hell no. I paid $1500 for the car and it's almost like new. It's an RX7. It's what I've always wanted. I would drive the car if it were hot pink and had "I am gay" stickers plastered all over it. Function over form is all that matters. If it does it's intended function(s) well,then I am happy with it. Actually,to be honest with you,I don't really even like the colour combo on my car. The car looks like a rolling turd with gold rims. But I don't care. I will win races. Why am I babbling on about how the car drives and looks when we're talking about the interior?

back on track...

The interior is fine. The only thing I don't like is how the gauges glow red. Never been a fan of red. A set of blue indiglo gauges will fix that problem. Presto. problem solved. Hooray,now we're all happy.
Old 01-14-04, 10:53 PM
  #46  
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I've got an '87 TII w/ red interior and cloth seats. The interior is actually in pretty amazing condition compared to other FC's that I've seen, especially S4s. I replaced one of the vents on the door, because it was broken. Other than that though, I haven't replaced anything on it and nothing is broken. All of the electronics work great except for the clock. When I first got the car, I wasn't a big fan of the red interior, but I'm used to it now. My seats are kind of faded, but there's not a single tear in them. They feel pretty good to me too. I just had the windows tinted to preserve my interior. The thing I like best is the guage cluster. The orange on black doesn't look too bad to me. Consider all of the 80's sports cars with digital gauges. Not many sports cars even have the tach in the center of the cluster, especially a tach that big. A stock boost gauge is nice too.

I should add that I also drive a '96 Cherokee, which has an interior that remained relatively unchanged since the model's introduction in 1984. So maybe I'm used to old interior designs.

Last edited by Tristan Bull; 01-14-04 at 11:01 PM.
Old 01-14-04, 10:54 PM
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Originally posted by superevil
its a lot nicer than any 80's toyota ive owned before,i have an 86 base that is aging,and it stil feels like acadilac to me
I will disagree with you on this point here. As the current owner of both an '87 Celica GTS and an '88 RX7,my Celica's interior is MILES ahead in terms of quality,layout and simplicity versus the RX7. It's nothing special to look at,but the high quality is there,everything is laid out in a very ergonomically friendly set up and dead simple to use,disassemble and fix. I can literally take all of my dash panels from the centre console and arm rest to the glove box,bits under the steering wheel and everything else in 5 minutes tops. My Celica also has seats (the same seats used in MKIII Supras) which are THE MOST comfortable seats I have ever sat in in ANY car ever. There is so much lateral,lumbar,and bolstering support and they are so comfy. Cant say that much about the RX7. I'll eventually be tossing my seats for maybe a set of those Celica seats or some racing seats.
Old 01-14-04, 10:59 PM
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Oh,the gauges in my Celica used to light up with the normal Toyota green colour,which is nothing offensive to start with,but I switched the bulbs for the speedo/tach and surrounding instruments to blue,so it lights up blue through white numbers on a black background. I also had 4" blue neon tubes under the dash that lit up the foot wells,but I then deemed that RICE and immediately discarded it.
Old 01-14-04, 11:06 PM
  #49  
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Originally posted by Digi7ech
I love the interioir on my car. It looks better than most current cars!

My best example is Chevy. Almost anything Chevy has hideous interior. Take a look at a F body and you'll instantly know what I mean(especially 91 style).
I've heard nothing but positive comments about my blue interior. And I love it. Well, my demister grilles are missing, but that's all.

Dude, couldn't agree more on the F-body. I had an 85 camaro and that interior blew *** compared to my 7. everything was all squared off and flat. subsequently, i had that car cut in half when i got my TII.
Old 01-14-04, 11:06 PM
  #50  
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I always thought of the lights as more "Orange" than anything. My moms protege5 has true "red" lighting. Ours is definitely orange.


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