View Poll Results: Shell or the car itself
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 37. You may not vote on this poll
Need everyones opinion !
02-04-11, 07:49 AM
#1
Need everyones opinion !
Okay we'll I'm a high scool student that is striving for a fc3s but I'm on a very low budget im thinking about getting a rx7 shell and then buy a na 13b . I need everyones opinion in if this is a good idea or just save up for a running fc that will just take forever or just keep trying to find a cheap fc . Your comments are very appreciated !
02-04-11, 10:25 AM
#4
The best advice here is that high school students with low budgets probably shouldn't buy 20 year old sports cars as daily drivers. If this happens to be a second car, save up and buy one in good condition. You'll be much happier that you get to enjoy it right away.
02-04-11, 10:39 AM
#5
+eleventy billion!
Get something dependable for your first one man. You can buy a shell for a few hundred and an N/A engine for another couple hundred after you get a car that will reliably take you to the parts store, junkyard, gas station, work and / or school when the 25 year old sports car breaks down, which it will, in the most inconvenient of places, several times, to the point that you want to set it on fire..... ask anyone who DD's one of these things how they know.
Get something dependable for your first one man. You can buy a shell for a few hundred and an N/A engine for another couple hundred after you get a car that will reliably take you to the parts store, junkyard, gas station, work and / or school when the 25 year old sports car breaks down, which it will, in the most inconvenient of places, several times, to the point that you want to set it on fire..... ask anyone who DD's one of these things how they know.
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02-04-11, 10:58 AM
#8
But for most of us, finding a shell that is "healthy" will cost as much as some of these cars do running, and finding one that is "healthy" and running may cost you more than you want to spend...... then there is maintenance. Maintenance is absolutely critical with these cars; with any car really, but especially in a 25 year old sports car where major components are reaching the end of their intended lifespan. You have to have the $$$ and the know how to keep these things running.
If you've got that, and a ride to school and the parts store when your slave cylinder goes, or your brake caliper locks up, or your u-joint busts, or your clutch burns out from the ubiquitous "I've got a RWD sports car donuts / burnouts" that a high schooler will do, then do it. Start reading up on here. Search search search, and download a FSM, start reading, and enjoy the beauty that these cars are. If you don't: buy a Honda; the money you save on gas can go to the money pit that FC's can be.
02-04-11, 12:49 PM
#10
While there is something to be said for having reliable transportation in high school, it all deepens on how mechanically inclined you are. If getting a shell and building it up is too much if a task then now is probably not the right time to get an fc. If do your research and put the car together right you can ber confident in its mechanical condition. Even running cars that appear to be in pretty good condition often have many minor annoying problems. If you build the car up yourself you can sort these out before it his the road and youre forced to decide between going to the game and doing some repair/maintainance.....
02-04-11, 03:03 PM
#12
mattg prob nt coming back
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Do you have a job that's is going to pay you enough to buy parts and fix the broken ones while still being about to enjoy yourself? If the answer is anything beside "yes." then just save your money untill you can afford something better
02-04-11, 03:37 PM
#14
Smells like 2 stroke.
Take it from someone who knows. I bought my FC sophomore year of highschool (September of 2006) for $350, and my dad drove it home. I had to do a bit of work to get it safe and reliable, but once I did I absolutely loved driving it. When I got home from school, all I wanted to do was tinker with it or drive it. It was bliss.
But I soon figured out that parts for the FC are hard to find at local parts stores and when you do find them, they are either expensive or have to be ordered. This can be common for most older foreign sports cars. Senior year of high school, I was in a hurry to get to class and didn't bother to warm the engine up. Big mistake. It was 10 degrees outside, and I ended up popping an apex seal. All of the sudden, everything got very, VERY expensive. A good rebuild kit is in the thousand dollar range, and rotor housings and rotors are also expensive. Not to mention new irons.
Now here is where I sit: I got lucky, and bought an engine from a friend for $250 and threw it in. I now drive it to and from my college, but since I got the car, it has been rear ended and ran into on the side. Both were hit and runs, and it makes me sad to see that this car that once looked nice (see signature) and drove nice, is now basically trash because it looks terrible, dog tracks, and isn't worth anything to anyone else but me.
If you get an RX-7 in highschool, you will either love it or hate it. It depends on whether you have the money for it. Gas is expensive, parts are expensive, the car is somewhat rare (they are never at junkyards around here), and if it gets ran into by an incompetent douche bag with no insurance, you will feel terrible like me because it is an old collectable "cult following" sports car. (provided you even care about that)
My 2 cents: get something practical, and at the very least, get something that is easy to find parts for. Believe me, stuff is going to wear out or break on anything you drive.
But I soon figured out that parts for the FC are hard to find at local parts stores and when you do find them, they are either expensive or have to be ordered. This can be common for most older foreign sports cars. Senior year of high school, I was in a hurry to get to class and didn't bother to warm the engine up. Big mistake. It was 10 degrees outside, and I ended up popping an apex seal. All of the sudden, everything got very, VERY expensive. A good rebuild kit is in the thousand dollar range, and rotor housings and rotors are also expensive. Not to mention new irons.
Now here is where I sit: I got lucky, and bought an engine from a friend for $250 and threw it in. I now drive it to and from my college, but since I got the car, it has been rear ended and ran into on the side. Both were hit and runs, and it makes me sad to see that this car that once looked nice (see signature) and drove nice, is now basically trash because it looks terrible, dog tracks, and isn't worth anything to anyone else but me.
If you get an RX-7 in highschool, you will either love it or hate it. It depends on whether you have the money for it. Gas is expensive, parts are expensive, the car is somewhat rare (they are never at junkyards around here), and if it gets ran into by an incompetent douche bag with no insurance, you will feel terrible like me because it is an old collectable "cult following" sports car. (provided you even care about that)
My 2 cents: get something practical, and at the very least, get something that is easy to find parts for. Believe me, stuff is going to wear out or break on anything you drive.
02-04-11, 03:41 PM
#15
These cars are money pits. If you don't love them then they are not worth buying. Just my $0.02.
They can be obtained fairly cheaply. I recently purchased a convertible FC for my daughter (she's 8), for $600.00. I drove it home. It needs tons of parts replaced and/or fixed, but we have 8 yrs to get it in shape. The point is that they can be found fairly cheap if you look around enough.
If you are not afraid to get your hands dirty, have access to tools, and can turn a wrench then I would say go for it. There is an unlimited amount of knowledge about these cars on the forums. A digital camera and some well thought out questions can make the forums a priceless resource.
You know in hindsight owning an FC is about like having a child. It always needs $100.00 for one thing or another. Second thought, and fc might be more expensive and aggravating than a child. If you don't think you are ready for kids then you are probably not ready for an FC. LOL
They can be obtained fairly cheaply. I recently purchased a convertible FC for my daughter (she's 8), for $600.00. I drove it home. It needs tons of parts replaced and/or fixed, but we have 8 yrs to get it in shape. The point is that they can be found fairly cheap if you look around enough.
If you are not afraid to get your hands dirty, have access to tools, and can turn a wrench then I would say go for it. There is an unlimited amount of knowledge about these cars on the forums. A digital camera and some well thought out questions can make the forums a priceless resource.
You know in hindsight owning an FC is about like having a child. It always needs $100.00 for one thing or another. Second thought, and fc might be more expensive and aggravating than a child. If you don't think you are ready for kids then you are probably not ready for an FC. LOL
02-04-11, 03:42 PM
#16
I'm not knocking FC's reliability, because I daily drove them for nearly 10 years (1999-2009). However, they're getting even older and parts are becoming less available. By all means, if you want an FC, buy one. You need to keep in mind the cost of maintaining it and keeping it running, which might be a stretch at $7.25 an hour. If you're in high school, there's always going to be lots of other things you will want to spend money on - I know I spent lots of money in high school that wasn't car related. Nevermind the fact that you probably don't work 40 hours a week. I only worked around 20 hours a week in high school as there were many other extracurricular activities I participated in.
I'm speaking in generalities here. If you'd rather spend an evening in the garage than going to the movies with friends, then maybe you'll have absolutely no problems.
Best of luck whatever you decide.
I'm speaking in generalities here. If you'd rather spend an evening in the garage than going to the movies with friends, then maybe you'll have absolutely no problems.
Best of luck whatever you decide.
02-04-11, 04:17 PM
#17
in the long run you will spend twice as much fixing up a shell than you could buy a nice driver for. ask anyone that has restored an older car, how much they spent and how much it is worth. take this advice, save up your money and use the time to learn as much as you can about fc rx7's. and look / test drive as many as you can find, this will give you a good idea of how much you will need to get what you really want.
02-04-11, 06:49 PM
#19
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Listen to everyone when they say, buy a DD that you will not have to worry about braking down. Then get a 25yo sports car for a project that you can work on for the next 25 years lol.
02-04-11, 08:04 PM
#20
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Don't do it... or be like me and join the military and buy an FC with the money they give you.
No in all seriousness, it would probably be better to buy an rx8 with a bad engine, this way you can then play around with a rotary engine and what not. I know its not what you want, but its all about parts, parts, PARTS at a fair price. There are so many rx8's out there for you to get parts for. just my opinion.
No in all seriousness, it would probably be better to buy an rx8 with a bad engine, this way you can then play around with a rotary engine and what not. I know its not what you want, but its all about parts, parts, PARTS at a fair price. There are so many rx8's out there for you to get parts for. just my opinion.
02-04-11, 08:56 PM
#24
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for me back then gas was well under 2 bucks so DD was no problem. I soldmy FC for a civic because of 40mpg. so sub $30 got me everywhere. going back to the FC that fact really sucks, but at the same time it's worth it.
don't start with a shell. get a flawlessly running FC and take care of all maintenance. you'll be happier in the end.
don't start with a shell. get a flawlessly running FC and take care of all maintenance. you'll be happier in the end.