elizer

Hi, ive been a rx-7 lover for quite some time, i just turned 16 and my parents want to get my a car. I don't think i could really handle a FD, but i love the Turbo II just the same.
My parents want to purchase me a brand new car for safety reasons
(uncle died in a car accident in his used car, when he coulda drove his brand new mercedes convertable, people said he coulda survived had he been in his newer car)
im not quiet sure on the safety of this car, but please, if you had any experiences with a crash or some kind of impact, could you please post some stories you could have on this safety factor of this car, so i could show my parents this thread, thank you for your help.

CanadianRX7

If this is your first car i would get a n/a and not a
turbo II for 2 reasons:
1) Will be too fast for a new driver and will be even faster when u will mod it which it sounds like u would do right away.
2) Wont remember or iwll be to lazy to do maintance on it.


PS If they want a safe car for you they should get a car with less power.

elizer

^ BUMP IT

dre_2ooo

I think all the RX-7's got 4 or 5 (of 5) in gov't saftey tests.

hyperdaddy7

yeah i agree i almost killed my self twice with my N/A when i was 16. If i had a turbo II i would be dead now no doubt about it.

Cheers!

wear your seat belt.

Gene

iTrader: (1)

hahaha sorry buddy you're asking in the wrong place. You won't find very many people here who will give the thumbs up to a 16 year old getting a fast car. Especially a rare one which will probably get destroyed and injure/kill you in the process. I do vote for getting a RWD car as your first car, since it will teach you more about driving. I also vote that once you get said car, you buy a helmet and sign up for SCCA solo2 events. You will learn plenty, and have fun in the process. Hopefully you will also be all raced out and will drive more responsibly on the streets. I think a nice NA 2nd gen is the way to go for you. They're relatively cheap and plentiful

CrackHeadMel

iTrader: (2)

Yes always buckel up, i started to buckle up when people would judge how reaklessly there drivng by the amount of time it took me to bukle up.. then everyone got to wreakless and many cars were destroyed in a short amount of time, and i almost rolled a 4.3 blazer because i thought that if i could drift on dirt ata 45, i could do it at 55.. and then 65, never did make it im happy im here to say this

darkwaveboi

TII will be too powerful for you. i have an n/a as my first car...and the HANDLING is soo good that you wont be 'too' worried about speed till you have experience. GET an NA...SAVE the TII!!

rx7_turbo2

I'm not a big fan of younger drivers in a T2 or an FD but it all depends what type of person you think you are. I've always wanted a motorcycle, but have not bought one because I know I would probably kill myself.

I will comment on how our cars are for safety. When Mazda first did the safety tests on the FC there was none of this SUV crap. I know for a fact our cars are hard to see from other higher up vehicles, plus if you look at our cars it's not hard to imagine one sliding right under a larger vehicle. When I'm in town and in traffic I try to stay really aware of other drivers sight line, and make sure I'm always in it. I have had alot of people almost swerve into me.

elizer

although i appreciate your concern the thread topic was stories and comment on the safety of the vehicle not your opinion of what car i should first start out with. and ive only seen a few post regarding it, and darkwaveboi im pretty sure the Tii has just as good handling if not better

RETed

YOUR driving will dictate if you will live or not in 99% of the accidents you will encounter.&nbsp I feel VERY STRONGLY about that.&nbsp If you drive defensively and keep your eyes on the road, you will avoid the majority of accidents.

That other 1%, you better PRAY TO GOD you don't run into during your lifetime.&nbsp It will cut your life right then and there.&nbsp Sitting in traffic and then getting run through by a semi-trailer.&nbsp No NEW automobile is going to save you, period.

I've totalled a Honda CRX hydroplaning at 125mph (pegged the speedo) after a rain storm.&nbsp I should've died in that accident.&nbsp The car lost traction and spun out over 360-degrees over 300 feet across 5 lanes of freeway before it hit the side barrier.&nbsp I got out without a scratch.&nbsp Now, am I going to praise the Honda CRX for being such a safe car?&nbsp NO - what I was doing was stupid, and it was totally my fault.

The FC is a very safe car.&nbsp But don't get a false sense of safety - doing stupid **** with it will kill you, period.&nbsp I've seen an FC that was driven over 120mph (estimated by the police) driven into an on-coming car on a country road.&nbsp The only way I could tell it was an FC was an FTP lense was recognizable through all the carnage.&nbsp That wreck made the front-page newspaper - the photo was HALF the front page.&nbsp The driver was young (high school) and drunk (confirmed blood alcohol level) - the car didn't save him.

I've seen horrific crashes with FC's - these things crumpled very well up front.&nbsp Same with the rear, with the exception of the exploding hatch glass from behind (probably reason why Mazda went with the one-piece rear seat) with very little injuries to the drivers and passengers.&nbsp One of the bigger worries about the car is that it tends to "dive" under other vehicles (especially lifted trucks) with a front end vehicle collision.&nbsp If you drive in an area with a lot of "lifted" vehicles (this includes STOCK SUV's), this is something to worry about...

Don't even get me started on how safe SUV's are...




-Ted

ZenFox

That's beside the point. The point is that you're 16 (like it or not), and while I honestly have faith that you're a very good driver and the wisdom of our government has decided that you are more than worthy of your drivers license, you're still inexperienced and that's what'll get you in accidents. Handling will help, but it won't save you. Besides, in the end, handling isn't really the issue here. It's the power.

Now that I know that you're 16, I can say this for certain: A TurboII is not a wise choice for your first car. An FD would be an even worse choice for you. While you only want to hear about the how safe the car is, you have to realize that a car is only as safe as the driver in it, and in this case, while again I fully believe that you're a fine driver, you're most likely simply too inexperienced to handle the power properly. The Turbo is more power than you rightfully need. I know, I know. I don't know you and your life, but I can guess, and I'm willing to wager a hefty sum I'm pretty close to being right. What the heck do you need a Turbo for, other than to do things that you shouldn't?

On top of that, are you really sure you want a TurboII? They look nice (I do love mine), but there's some realities that will bite you:

*MPG is going to be pretty bad. A new car will deliver better mpg (like twice what a turbo FC gets). I haven't finished figuring it out, but I'm looking at sub 20 mpg with my car. Expect to fill up... Often.
*No air bags/ABS
*Finicky engine. You WILL be working on it. No question. The TurboII engines also do not last as long due to the extra wear and tear on the apex seals due to the forced induction. Parts can be pricey and rare, finding a mechanic that will even touch the car even rarer.
*Lousy Auto-tranny (from what I've heard), finicky 5-speed (compared with a 1991 Mazda Protégé)
*INSURANCE. Your insurance on the vehicle will be insane. Full coverage on my >>n/a<< is $3000. Partial coverage is $1000 (guess which one I took). These numbers are with every discount short of sleeping with an insurance agent. Because you're younger, your rates will be higher. Also, simply having the word 'Turbo' in the name of the car will add to your insurance. Don't expect your parents to take that lightly.
*Two seater. While this can reduce distraction, you also can't haul around more than one of your friends. >>This sucks!<<

All this is in my humble opinion, but I really don't think it's a good idea. See what cars your mother is willing to buy. A *brand new* car is going to give you less headaches than a 10 year old car is, and it'll look much better than what your friends are driving (besides, with all the gas and repair cost you'll be saving, you'll have more money to buy a sweet stereo. Imagine, a nice CD head, a changer in the trunk, a set of infinity kappas all around and a pair of 12" woofers in the back.)

-ZenFox

chatch

I had a GXL as my first car when I was 16. As far as them being safe, without any facts to back myself up, I belive they are. They have a good sense of attachment to the road, very good brakes, RWD which I think is a good thing to learn about and they are predictable.
Also, they are 2 seater which I didnt like at first but grew to love. Id rather have one passenger next to me and be aware of the road than having to try and hold a conversation with someone in the back seat and always glancing in the rear view.
Just be smart. Have your fun, but dont try to be a superhero. Thats when you'll get fucked up.
Tell your parents to trust you, they know you better than we do, if they think you'll be smart they'll probably let you have an FC.

And 1 more thing, I know Im contradicting myself but, stay away from a Turbo II untill your on par with your NA.

-Matt

akageals

I love my TII and i'm sure it's relatively safe.....but.....if someone were willing to buy me a new car you had better believe I would take it.

TOdd

Josepi

Just wanted to clear somethings up

-Gas mileage is horrible, but it's a sports car. If you want to save money on gas, buy a civic, tercel, or protege.
-The apex seals do wear, but the turbo doesn't wear out the apex seals. Detonation ruins apex seals (rather quickly). Apex seals made 10 years before some TII's can easily go over 200K, so wear on the apex seal itself is of little concern.
-Engine, i've only had to replace 1 thing in the engine bay after 8 months of daily driving (TPS@82-84K miles), they aren't finicky if you take good car, and constantly check over everything. Replaced things for no reason is a good thing.
-Insurance, I agree completely with ya there. After I turned 23 and got my own policy, my rates dropped from 140 (for a 83 GSL!) to 85 (91 TII). Course, I never wrecked either car, and try not to have more than 1 ticket of any kind on my record.
-Two seats: BENEFIT you are not a cab. My friends NEED cars. But luckily, my friends have cars. If you have friends that are leeching rides, they are ******* chumps. Tell them to go buy a car. Only exception for this, is when your carting around more than 2 girls. Only allowed if they promise a sweet orgy.

~J

Rx-7Addict

iTrader: (2)

go for the Turbo II

It is my first and current car and I love it. I am 16 also

I personally feel that a car with a good feel at the limit is better than a car that feels numb and unconnected to you and the road at the limits.

My TII feels very tight and connected to the road. Every time its going to oversteer or slip I can pretty much tell from the actions of the car.

Much different than the other car I had to drive, my parents crappy V6 mustang. Felt very sloppy when driven hard. Lots of body roll, and oversteering and not realizing it too much happened more. It was harder too tell what the car was doing compared to the T2.

But please be smart with the T2. Oil changes every 2000-3000 miles and do some ATFs.

Be real careful in the wet and especailly in the snow (if you get snow). RX-7s suck in the wet, so dont do anything stupid. Save those top speed runs and drifting for the dry.

good luck

elizer

thanks appreciate the info

biorotary

i think everyone has pretty much said what's needed to be said...just keep in mind...don't settle for one that'll make you envious of the one you COULD/SHOULD have gotten...settle for only the best (in your opinion)...wheter it's an n/a, t2, or some other non-rotary car...

Scott 89t2

the car is as safe as you make it... there have been a few kids killed here in the last month all in brand new cars (civic, acord) hitting light poles / trees at 140km/h (85mph)

personaly my idea of safty is not how damaged the car will be in the crash. but the ability to avoid it in the first place. I've missed 2 decent not my fault crashes by an inch or 2 in my car. and if I was driving 95% of other cars on the road I wouldn't have been able to get around. so whats safer? a new car smashed up, or a sports car that went around and missed it?

of course you need the ablitly to control it first though, and that is best to be learned in stages with worse cars. get a bad car and drive it to the limits, if anything bad happens you're going to slow for trubble since it's a POS. I've worked up through 4 cars, each one better and faster. learning to push each one. that is the best way to learn how to drive and control.

that said I really want a nice roll bar cause there too many dam SUV's around here

GRA8RIDE

respect it and it will respect you.

Lynx

I think that the acceleration (or top speed anything over a hundred and you have real bad chances)of the car dosent really matter in this case. I know the TII's are plenty faster than the N/A'a but ether way they both pull hard. The only thing that is really oging to matter is how YOU DRIVE. I say save future buys and buy a TII now and take it easy at first they bad thing about the TII is when you get close to around 3500 the car turn from mild to wild.

AREITU

I've been driving for about a year now, and I've made friends with just about every performance-minded car nut at my school, and I'm going to college next school year. I too was considering an FC, just because it's sporty, mod-dable, and cheap.
The insurance and reliability worries me though. I live in SoCal, and there's many good examples of probably-abused RX7s lying around all over the place, and I'm under 25.

ZachSpazz

No doubt. I was rear ended by a Semi-trailer several weeks ago and besides my GXL being totalled, I am perfectly fine. Now, the accident wasn't severe, but I have great faith in our car's ability to withstand impact in the event of an accident. Believe me, seeing a semi rushing towards you while you're stopped in traffic while his tires are squealing is not what I call a happy memory...at least he wrecked my crappy car. :-p

tIIforever

get a good brand new car then when your ready sell the new car and buy a nice tII.