Hello all,

I'm ZL from Portugal and for some strange reason I’m feeling compelled to buy an RX-7. I had a 1990 TII from 1996 to 2000 and I obviously haven’t learned well enough to stay away from these 

So I come to you seeking advice before embarking in this adventure…

Please take notice that in Portugal it’s virtually impossible to get proper servicing for a 7 so my first question is 2nd gen N/A, TII or 3rd gen? I loved the TII but I’ve heard the N/A is much easier to service.
As for the 3rd gen if anything goes wrong you’re done.

Last one I (almost) tried actually burst into flames when the guy driving it stopped (in a gas pump) so that I could drive. He was really surprised that I lost all interest in the car…

This is what I found on the market here:

Model, year, miles, price (USD), color

N/A, 1989, ?????, 5000, white
TII, 1988, 30000, 9000, red
TII, 1989, 70000, 12000, black
TII, 1991, 60000, 8000, red
TII, 1992, 80000, 8000, red
3rd, 1993, 12000, 16000, blue

With the possible exception of the 3rd gen other prices will probably get halved (or near) after some haggling…

Thanks in advance for your suggestions/comments/help

ZL

 

N/A's are easy to work on. If I can do it, you can. I've done all the work to my car except for one thing, getting the engine rebuilt. Considering the only thing I knew how to do before I got my car was put fuel in a car, that says something.

If you're willing to put in the time, go for the TII. If you love your car, which you said you loved your previous one, then you'll find it worth the time spent on it.

Is that normal pricing? $5000 is a lot for a 89 N/A. But... that's in the U.S.

Don't be scared away from RX7's due to the one that burst into flames. There's a 98% chance that it was due to a faulty Pulsation Dampener which is easy to prevent. Basically, it burst into flames because the owner was an idiot.

Check here for more info (from the FAQ):

 

I believe stupidity it’s entirely responsible for this one...
The guy started the car (a 3rd gen with less than 15k miles and new turbos), drove aggressively for 15 minutes or so, applied the brakes and turned off the engine as soon as the car stopped. I tried to reach for his hand to stop him from doing it whilst saying “just let it running so the turbo can cool off” but it was too late…
There was smoke coming form under the hood almost instantly. He popped the hood, the turbo was red hot and there were flames in the engine bay…

 

It's sad when idiots kill our cars. I say go turbo. If you want to do the work, you can.

I like S4's, so I'd go for the '88, but at half price, the 91 and 92 look like contenders.