I'm looking at two cars at the moment for my fiancee', she is into cars but has never had a performance car due to her parent's disbeliefs in cars as a hobby. She currently has a Kia Rio 5spd, which is slow and unreliable, not to mention ugly. We started searching for a sub-1k car in the area as that was her budget and I have the abilities to do any mechanical and autobody repairs required before her roadworthy due date of 11/1/2006. We sought out (Z32) 300z's but only found one and the owner changed prices for the worse.

She was getting bummed as she really liked the styling of the Z and thought it would be a good basis for her to start AutoX'ing in. I've located two vehicles that have caught her eye now, a 93' 240sx (auto ) and a 86' RX-7 'base' (5spd). She likes the 240 more since it is newer but she really is set on another manual and the owner is being flakey so the odds are in the FC's favor. The 240 requires some bodywork and a new shortblock as it is experiancing knock, not major things but it'd also need a tranny swap to be 5spd which is more against it.

The 86' is a base with no P/S (A major neg for her) but it does have A/C -- the interior is stripped, the motor is partially disassembled but the body is straight. The engine is said to run well and just needs to be hooked back up. I know the owner, so I'm not too concerned if misrepresentation of the engine. We are gonna look at the FC tonight and make our decision as to its worth. I'm also going to see if she can drive my friend's FC which is not equipped with P/S to see if she can tolerate it.

However, I want to do some basic performance upgrades to at least get the car as quick as my S14 240sx before she starts driving. She'd also like to have P/W, P/L, and P/S if possible, so I'm curious as to the complications in adding these features to the FC chassis. The locks and windows shouldnt be too hard saying I get the parts but the P/S system may be too much to trouble with. Another concern I have is towards the 4-lug suspension, I'd like to go ahead and go 5-lug - this is an expensive and hard to accomplish task in the Nissan realm due to parts availability and cost -- is it the same for the FC's?

Allow me to conclude this with, I own a FD and have for two years. I am in the middle of an engine replacement due to a boost spike and have completed a 5spd swap on the car. I've done most of the bolt ons and repairs and preventative maintenance as well as reworked the vacuum system about four times trying differant methods for simplicity, function and eastetics. I feel rather compitant around the rotary powerplant and am not afraid of any potential issues to the block itself. The concerns I have rest mostly with the chassis and the aire of bad groundings and solderjoints. I may try to rewire and simplify the enginebay if we do get it as well as resolder the connections in the PCM and various control circuits.

Thanks, I apologize for the long-winded post.

 

I know this isn't answering your questions, but have you looked into an S5 *89-91* GXl? It offers all the things you are looking for, P/W, P/L, P/S, A/C, 5 lug with 4 piston calipers up front. I would look a little longer for a cheap S5 GXL.

 

I'd say if you're in no extreme hurry....wait it out and get a GXL instead of a base model. I got mine for under your budget and it runs fine. It also already has all the options you are worried about adding later including the 5 lug wheels. Ebay and www.cars.com are your friends! Just be sure to inspect the car in person before you pay!

 

Between those 2 cars i would take the FC for autocross.

The 240 is probably slightly faster stock (like low 16s) but the FC will gain a lot with elimination of the stock 80s restrictive emissions equipment. The FC can gain hugely by doing some exhaust work.

If waiting is an option than the s4 gxl sounds like the car for her. It has p/s & p/w and a sunroof... and unlike the s5 gxl it has a LSD and nice tight suspension. p/l would have to be added

btw s4=86-88 s5=89+

 

The blue S4 GXL's are the coolest DD's evar

 

Are you offering one up?

 

Negatory. My '88 GXL has power locks. It's got all you need I agree with Synesthete. Wait it out and get a s4 GXL for the LSD.

Well....It's got A power lock lol. It's a follow system. Passenger side mimics the drivers side so, there's no switch but if you lock or unlock the drivers side door, the passenger side follows suit automatically. There is no power lock actuator in the drivers side.....I'm sure you needed a lengthy explanation.....

 

Don't get her an FC. You'll spend most of your time getting it towed, and having to pick her up. Then she will leave you because you hooked her up with an unreliable car.

*warning* the rx7 is not for the weak at heart

 

LOL, yea so the lock system is identical to the FD door locks.

Actually an N/A FC, after the work I plan to do, should be pretty reliable. Rotorforce, you seem to like propagating the myth of poor reliability -- if properly maintained and driven with enthusiasm, they run for a long time.

I'm looking at some S5 'verts and some S4 GXL's but I'm not finding any GXL's about for under 2k. I will say, she'd digthe blue.

 

negative, i have had my Turbo II for two years and it hasn't had any problems at all, the only thing you have to do is regular mainteneance on this cars and they willl treat you well. so i think that you should by the car and also if she is going to use it for autocross it means that is not gonna be a daily driven car right? so theres no worries if is gonna break because in autocross or autox you drive the cars hard and they can break any moment regardless of the car it is.( this is assuming that is not going to be a daily driven car). also the fc is a really nice car the only bad thing is that they suck gas like its nothing, so when you modified the engine be prepared for super bad gas mileage, but what the hell in my opinion is damn worth it. rotaries rule

 

yea, gas dissappears from the tank faster than I can earn it..

 

LOL Not true at all. You missed the point to the comment. I guess it depends on who reads it. It was a joke.


Again take my comment for what it's worth. (in jest)

 

Alright, I'll try to -- just stick a few 's in there and it will all be better.

She wants to do the monthly autoX events we have locally for fun but she will be DDing the car.

My FD has been very reliable, the engine only blew because of a boost spike with a bad tune. The only failure I had was the radiator cracking, and I already had a Koyo sitting in my room at the time. Well, the auto tranny as well but I was outputting far more than 255hp at the time of failure. Again, one of those situations where I had the 5spd swap parts in the garage. lol

I'm looking at some 'verts again as she likes convertibles in general. She liked the stripped down 86' we looked at, and didnt mind not having any of those features but she is worried about the P/S still. Hopefully she'll get to drive my friend's FC today and see what she thinks. Like I said, its meant as a nice DD with some autoX fun in mind, so absolute perfect track car isnt needed, but she definately wants a car with some 'spirit', which the RX-7's are full of. She likes my 240sx quite a bit as far as handling but she isnt into the styling of the newer 240's as much as the S13's or the FC's and MR2's.

 

Since when is a 240 faster. Sorry but I leave em behind all the time. They have shorter gear ratios and I still accelerate quicker in my S5 NA. Plus they only top out at 115mph. I haven't found a place to top mine out yet. The fastest I've taken it was about 140-145mph and then I had to brake.

Also, I don't know if you are looking for a car equipped with LSD, but if you don't care you should also check out the 91 coupes. They are newer and offer the features you're looking for except most did not come with LSD.

 

the lack of PS in a FC is no big deal, im very skinny 6" 165lbs and daily drive my FC with no PS. If worst comes to worst you can buy all the PS parts and swap them on. Theirs always a demand for manual racks so selling that would be easy.

 

Even as far as no P/S goes - as long as its an ACTUAL manual rack and not a de-powered power rack, she'll be fine. Comparing a man. rack with a depowered-power rack is night and day, believe me - the only time youll notice it is if you're STOPPED and turning the wheel, as long as you're going at least 1km/hr its pretty buttery.

The only time it can be taxing is if you're required to dry steer, but 99.9% of the time thats avoidable.

 

I don't think you should be getting her an FC project car. They're not for the faint of heart like someone was saying... I guarantee you she's going to need to start carrying tools around and have to worry about **** breaking. If you want to get her an FC, spend the thousands necessary to buy a meticulously maintained and completely unmolested low mileage stock car.

Most girls just don't want to put up with the bullshit that comes with owning an old car. You're not going to be there to fix **** for her all the time, so save yourself the hassle and buy her a pristine FC or don't buy her one. It's nothing against FC's... but be sensible man. I suggest a GXL. Prepare to spend 3 or 4 grand at least.

 

You don't need advice about the cars, you need advice about wives.

Do not buy a project car for a woman to whom you want to remain married. Trust me in this. Your fiance trusts you to help her make a good decision. Buy a better car than the one you are looking at. If you cannot get the car to work like she thinks it should, you are in a bind. The FIRST time her car cannot get her to work, you are damaged goods. She will have to hear her parents tell her "I told you so" and you become a doofus.

Get her a nicer RX7 and then if something breaks it is a whole different deal. To really work this thing right, get her 'Vert. Trust me in this: Girls like 'Verts. Old girls, young girls, wild girls and especially marrying-type girls. Get a nice one with good a/c, good leather and good paint, she will adore you and her parents will be wrong forever. Tune it a little, mod the suspension a little and she will have fun at the autocross. She will be convinced you walk on water.

Just my 2cents worth, been married 25 years to the same woman.

Good luck and learn to duck!

 

especially an s5 vert (1989-1991) wow those are great looking cars.

 

Another possiblity is a Miata.. unless she's the one looking for a project car, specifically.. I have both (an FC and a Miata). My FC has been rather reliable for what it is, but it was bought as a $200 project car.. If it died on me, it was part of the risk. As far as engine mechanicals, though, it's was still going strong at 217,500k when I overhauled it.

But if she wants a convertible, you may be able to find a first gen miata cheaper than a good condition second gen Rx7 vert.. .

just food for thought Both are awesome cars, and I love both of mine.

 

there are tons of uber-clean s5 verts around. They're not cheap though. If you can't afford to do it right, save up until you can. If this were for you, that'd be fine. You've owned an FD, and you know what the deal is with project cars. Very few girls can appreciate project cars like guys can. She'll very quickly think it's unreliable and gets bad gas mileage, plus it lacks the options she wants.

 

QFT

I got my wife a 01 miata and she is loving it... redid the suspension and she was so enthusiastic about what a difference it made in handling and all that... She doesnt mind driving my FC, but always complains how "heavy" and "sluggish" it feels... (in the words of my wife, but it is sluggish but because i need a new clutch =>ordered) i still catch her in 3rd tho.

 

In case you haven't noticed from the wide variety of opinions, the quality of FC's available varies. Make sure you get one in good shape, or inspect and fix everything to get it in good shape. FC's are quite reliable, much more than FD's. But, while harder to do,abusing an FC has the same effect as abusing an FD. Before buying, check everything you would check on an FD.

My FC gets 18/23 real world mpg (80mph freeway). I've never had any problems except what the last owner left me with: fuel pulsation dampener ($350), driver's door lock (free, I swapped from another FC), fuel gauge only registers between 3/4 and full (you can replace the sender in the fuel tank, but I don't care about it). Also a couple other unimportant electrical issues, which are common and, if desired, fixable with soldering . Power steering, cruise control, A/C, cone intake, 100k miles. Paid $2500.

I lost a different FC in an accident. $350 at auction, 200k miles, looked like a real junker. No problems at all, except exhaust noise and unnecessary worrying. Patched exhaust with hose clamps, sheet metal and fiberglass insulation. Its mileage was 17/22.

 

The primary consideration is cheap initial cost. We arent looking for the perfect FC, and if the car is in good shape, we expect the motor to be bad. She wants a project, not a 'get in and drive car'. She wants a car she can fix up, not that I can just fix for her.

I want a car that is nice in features but needs some TLC, which is why a nicer optioned model with a blown motor wouldnt hurt but she really liked the 86 base we looked at. Dont confuse my fiancee for the typical girl, she want a nice car that looks cool and all but she also wants it to be fun and be something she can be proud of because she had a part in making it what it will be.

 

Great sounds like a fun project for both of you to be into. Although I would also hold out for a S4 GXL (and not just because I have one! really!) if you want all the gizmos. It'll be cheaper to wait a month and pay an extra 1 or 200 than to try to swap it in all later..

The only other thing I will mention is that you said something about it being the daily driver for her, too.. I'd recommend against getting a project car as a DD.. I've been there with my 7.. 99% of the time it worked, but that 1% always seemed to be the most critical.. I'd say keep the suzuki or kia or whatever it is for a daily (or backup, whatever), driver.. It really sucks to have a "project" car that you can't make proper repairs to. I've had many a night where I got done with class/work @ 8PM, had to do critical mainteance like wheel bearings or brakes when I got home, get it reassembled and road worthy by the next day so I could be back at work/class @ 7:30 AM... THAT SUCKS. Don't fall into that trap.

This leads to sloppy repairs, ignoring bits that really should be replaced, and a bad situation all over. If you're getting a project car, you really will need time to make some repairs properly, band-aid solutions work in a pinch, but it sucks when your entire car is held together with them. My 7s' name is ZipTie, because that's how I got to school/work many a day