Ishibubu

Alright so I am still keeping my eyes out for an Rx-7 near me, I have really only been interested in TII's but after some thought I am considering N/A's although there are some things I would like some help with:

1. Would getting an N/A over a TII save me a lot of gas money?
2. Does it have cheaper maintenance?
3. If I upgrade it etc. will the gas efficiency drop sevrely?
4. Would the cost in making the N/A beefy negate the cost of a TII's gas consumption? Overall



Edit: Wooo 100th post

lprodigy7

I would assume N/A maintenance is cheaper, as there are fewer parts to maintain. Also, more parts mean more can go wrong. Gas mileage depends on what upgrades you do, how you drive your car, and what condition the engine was in before you started doing upgrades.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

No.

Not really.

Quite likely.

Huh?

If you are looking to get more then 20MPG, then you are looking at the wrong car.

VacavilleFC

both are gonna cost alot of money in the long run, mileage differences are minor, yes a n/a will probably last longer than a turbo motor. and for the cost of making a n/a beefy you might as well go turbo, you'll be happier in the end, just remember no matter what model you get it's gonna require alot of maintenance so take that into account when you buy it. things will be wearing out on sort of regular basis

clokker

iTrader: (2)

I don't understand where this attitude comes from...fer crissake, the 7 is just a car and other than the engine block there is nothing radical or amazingly different about it.
If your car has been well cared for there is no reason to expect a neverending chain of failures, if it hasn't, then it will act just like any other 20 year old vehicle.

Ishibubu- when you find your RX assess it just like you would a Ford of the same year- does it start, idle, run, how is the body/chassis, interior, etc.
Unless there is evidence to the contrary, assume that basic maintenence has been neglected and plan on replacing all the usual consumables (hoses, belts, fluids, filters and the like)- note: all of these procedures are just generic auto tech, there's nothing very unique about the RX's brakes, for instance- and know that once done, these items will last as long as any other cars' would.

As for the engine itself...yup, it's different and that very fact makes it a concern but on the other hand, when new, the rotary was definitely a cult car and mostly seem to have been sold to real enthusiasts although subsequent owners may not have shared their passion (or competence...or income). That said, I've seen lots of totally screwed up British engines- most of which were based off Massey Ferguson tractor engines, hence don't come much more basic- so even a badly butchered rotary is no real shock, lots of older cars have suffered.

So take off the rose colored glasses and look at the RX for what it really is- a mass produced Japanese car of the eighties/nineties with the standard array of strengths and weaknesses- all of which can be dealt with like any other car.
I have daily driven cars from the late fifties through the sixties all my adult life and expect my NA to perform at least as well as they did.
So should you.

Evil Aviator

Whatever you do, avoid RX-7's with the automatic transmission.

No, only about 1mpg difference for normal driving. If you have a lead foot, then the TII could show about 5mpg difference.

The TII is slightly more expensive due to the oil change interval and bigger tires. The turbocharger may need to be rebuilt at some point ($500). The base model NA with 4-lug wheels is the least expensive to maintain.

Some upgrades will increase gas mileage, some will reduce it.

Overall, you should not even consider "upgrading" any car, or even buying a real sports car like an RX-7 for that matter, if you are totally focused on gas mileage. If you are that short on cash, buy a used economy car and DO NOT "upgrade" anything. Please keep in mind that car magazines and car shows are designed to sell people things that they don't really need. This is not a problem if you have a lot of money, but if you are worried about $700 extra a year in gasoline bills, then you are better off staying as far away as possible from sports cars or useless "upgrades".

Evil Aviator

Um, no, the RX-7 is a SPORTS CAR, not an economy car. The big difference here is that the car is designed more for performance, and not so much for gas mileage, long maintenance intervals, or cheap parts replacement. Yes, the FC is a typical 80's Japanese sports car that is a far cry from the Ferraris of that age, but you can't even compare it to economy cars of the 80's like the Honda Civic FE and Chevy Chevette.

As for the engine block, it IS radical and amazingly different, and you will pay dearly for that difference when it comes time for a rebuild.

Chevy 350 rebuild kit: $175-$600
13B rebuild kit: $550-$1,300

Piston engine mechanic: Everywhere
Rotary engine mechanic: Good luck

clokker

iTrader: (2)

I'll agree with you here as long we're talking about the first series.
By the time the S5 came around it was actually a GT, not a sports car at all.
Real sports cars do not come with AC, power everything and weigh nearly 3000 lbs.
As far as cheap parts go...the common consumables of the RX (oil filter, fuel filter, plug wires, belts, etc.) are no more expensive than those of a Civic, nor are they harder to get.

Ishibubu

I know the mileage is terrible and I accept it, I was just wondering if getting an N/A would really save me any money in the long run. It seems like it may actually end up costing more, seeing as I would want to beef it up.

Second, to who said the 5MPG difference between N/A and TII. Are you saying that flooring it in both cars, the TII will get 5MPG worse than the N/A? Or both cars would probably see 5MPG less when you floor it, although I don't really see how this is true seeing as it was 17MPG city add 20 years to that and it makes it like ~16 or lower, so flooring it I would see 11? From what I have read in the gas mileage threads a lot of people get about 13-15MPG city and they say they drive it likes it's meant to be.