For all the 3rd Gen Owners - - -
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From: Oregon, USA
Originally Posted by suprfast93
Well first off this was me in feb. of 2003. I had a zx2 with almost every bolt on you could imagine. I spent lots of money and time. I got it down to a low 14 high 13 sec car with nos. I even bought a spare engine to take apart and turbo it. Then i thought abought it alot, Do i really want to spend more money on it and would probly not be able to tune it to it's full potential. So i decided to sell it and get a 93-97 supra. I could not find anyone that would buy my zx2 for what i was asking. It was hard to find the supra i wanted, when i finally did i found out it had been totaled in cali. My other dream car to have was a 93-95 rx7. I didn't know alot about the rotary. After the deal fell through on the supra i found a nice fd in oregon, on autotrader. I called about it and went to look at it. I decided to get it that nite, however i had to wait till the weekday for my financing to get approved. The place i bought my car asked if i was willing to trade in my zx2 for the price i was asking for it. Well i really like my fd and am glad i did it. But be preparred i have spent about or close to $7000 on my car since then.
I'll be looking forward to joining the family.
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Oregon, USA
By the way thank you for those who have replied kindly and in a timely fashion and for putting up with my stupid questions and what not. I know these seem stupid to some of you but things have been hard lately and I'm having a hard time making decisions and letting myself back them up.... it's been that way for 8 months, but I won't go there. Thank you!
raysspl.com
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: L.A.
Originally Posted by Nghtstlkr7
RotaryRessurection's reply pretty much sums it up. the car is definately a poor man's supercar... in a sense....
i say poor man's b/c it'll nearly break your bank, but on the other hand after youve spent the money on it it'll reward you with spectacular confidence inspiring performance and exclusivity. the car turns heads all the time and smokes nearly everything on the road, save for the big supercars and the super-tuned.
its a love-hate relationship if you commit to the car... just make sure youre ready. good luck
i say poor man's b/c it'll nearly break your bank, but on the other hand after youve spent the money on it it'll reward you with spectacular confidence inspiring performance and exclusivity. the car turns heads all the time and smokes nearly everything on the road, save for the big supercars and the super-tuned.
its a love-hate relationship if you commit to the car... just make sure youre ready. good luck
omgwtfposlol
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 862
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From: Orange City, FL
Originally Posted by KoiHoshi
Actually it's closer to 2500lbs, but still.... doesn't make a lot of difference 
The 7 can't lose!
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 487
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From: Adelaide, South Australia
You seem to be a man passionate about his cars... and the FD (most rotors in fact, but the FD in particular) are cars that are easy to develop a passion about.
As lots of people have stated, the downside is high maintenance cost.
And (again as others have noted) don't even THINK about an FD as a daily driver.
If you think you can afford it, I think you should find a good FD and fall in love
As lots of people have stated, the downside is high maintenance cost.
And (again as others have noted) don't even THINK about an FD as a daily driver.
If you think you can afford it, I think you should find a good FD and fall in love
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From: Oregon, USA
Well I was talking it over with my dad who was helping me with my oldschool mustang. I have no problem with it, but we did the numbers this morning when I called him regarding a new clutch for the ZX2 (i'm going to just go with a centerforce to avoid the hassle of a new flywheel). And for what I want to do i'll be putting over $8000 into it.... now that's not bad, i'm not saying it would be bad to do that but for the money i would be putting into it i'd be getting 350hp out of the engine, a new rearend, a new tranny JUST to handle the horsepower (the mustang II back ends are VERY weak and no way in hell will the tranny hold that) not to mention it's so light in the back it may not even hook up.... the weight distribution is horrible..... though it will drift and slide just fine..
So I told him "You know, it was my first car and everything, but I don't really drive it anymore, and I'm not getting anything out of it anymore. I drive the ZX2 more, I mean the 2.3 is old, it's worn and the 302 won't be done for another year, then I have to put a new back end in it just to handle the engine and then another tranny, by the time it's all done I'm starving for horsepower." and I told him about what I was thinking about getting an FD. He HATES rotary engines (only because one of my friends from Pendleton, Oregon who had one brough it over and was driving like a madman with it while he was over.... so he thinks they're horrible cars and make trouble.... he has no room to talk, he has a lead foot himself) but he said that if I didn't care about getting rid of it he said he encourages getting something that I can at least get more power out of, drives better and would be better for autocross. It would by no means be a daily driver, it would be a weekend car. SO... we did the math and estimated what it would take to keep a high maintenance car like that and what it would take with the Mustang II....
I hate to say it but I think I'm going to pay off the ZX2, keep it for my daily, sell the Mustang II and the engine, take out a loan and use the money from the Mustang II as a down payment to pay off some of the loan so I can maintain decent payments and get the FD. Because if I just buy the FD I have nowhere to put it, right now I keep it at our garage at my dad's place because he has a 4 car garage and a barn where I can keep it... and the ZX2 stays with me (i have a tiny garage) so the FD could stay there, I could work on it and take it to autocross on the weekends, I think it would work out perfectly.
Anyone think this sounds like a decent plan?
So I told him "You know, it was my first car and everything, but I don't really drive it anymore, and I'm not getting anything out of it anymore. I drive the ZX2 more, I mean the 2.3 is old, it's worn and the 302 won't be done for another year, then I have to put a new back end in it just to handle the engine and then another tranny, by the time it's all done I'm starving for horsepower." and I told him about what I was thinking about getting an FD. He HATES rotary engines (only because one of my friends from Pendleton, Oregon who had one brough it over and was driving like a madman with it while he was over.... so he thinks they're horrible cars and make trouble.... he has no room to talk, he has a lead foot himself) but he said that if I didn't care about getting rid of it he said he encourages getting something that I can at least get more power out of, drives better and would be better for autocross. It would by no means be a daily driver, it would be a weekend car. SO... we did the math and estimated what it would take to keep a high maintenance car like that and what it would take with the Mustang II....
I hate to say it but I think I'm going to pay off the ZX2, keep it for my daily, sell the Mustang II and the engine, take out a loan and use the money from the Mustang II as a down payment to pay off some of the loan so I can maintain decent payments and get the FD. Because if I just buy the FD I have nowhere to put it, right now I keep it at our garage at my dad's place because he has a 4 car garage and a barn where I can keep it... and the ZX2 stays with me (i have a tiny garage) so the FD could stay there, I could work on it and take it to autocross on the weekends, I think it would work out perfectly.
Anyone think this sounds like a decent plan?
Originally Posted by KoiHoshi
I've already spend over $1500 in accessories, suspension, tires, and everything just to make it better and now I'm starting to spend money on maintenance and it's starting to add up.
Last edited by Rx-7Addict; Oct 31, 2004 at 07:17 PM.
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From: Home of the 305 Boyz(miami)
Once you buy an FD youll understand how expensive it is to maintain. and youll hate it to death on how complicated it is as well as many problems it gives you. But once you get on the road and hear those turbos sing that tune (those m3's in your mirror) you will never give it up NEVER. EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVEREVER EVER EVER
Joined: May 2004
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From: Home of the 305 Boyz(miami)
[QUOTE=scotty305]You're asking RX-7 fans if they like RX-7's better than Escorts, what exactly are you expecting to hear? We like RX-7's. We think they're good cars.
what would you expect your on a rx7forum.
what would you expect your on a rx7forum.
If your primary interest is power, and you just want it to work, this is not the car for you. Extracting major power from an FD is possible (400+ hp) but it's not reliable.
This car IMO is best between 250 and 350hp, where the weight and handling characteristics can still be enjoyed without much stress.
Dave
This car IMO is best between 250 and 350hp, where the weight and handling characteristics can still be enjoyed without much stress.
Dave
Rotary Freak
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,817
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From: South Carolina
I see this is pretty much a resurected thread....
If you are still around and looking for answers.
I think it really all comes down to - what kind of person are you?
Do you easily get attached to objects or or do you care less about something you've had for a while?
Are you the type of person who always wants the latest - greatest, or are you happy to keep what you have and slightly improve it?
For the most part buying and modifying any car is a loosing proposition.
So, to me, if you like/love the car you have, and are not subject to envy when you see "better" cars, and are not affected by people who might laugh at you while driving an escort, then keep it and modify it. But know that there are always limitations to what you will get out of the car. Keep it within reason.
If you always want the best, and bragging rights are important to you, then trading it for a RX will get you more prestigue and more thrills - for a little while. Then you will be on that spending for upgrades jag again until the next best thing comes along.
Personally, I purchased my vert when new because I really thought I could live with it for a long time. That is why I still have it. When I began to become bored with it's performance, instead of buying add on parts that stress and change the car, I went out and got a FD. In a few years, if I get bored with the performance of the FD, maybe I will buy the next best, bigger thing, but I will not have thrown a lot of cash down the toilet on the "improvement" binges.
There are guys here who have spent tens of thousands of dollars here for that "improvement fix." All that money could easily have gone to getting a house and other life improvement purchases/savings/investments.
So again...
a. Do you want the badest escort around.
b. Do you want the best performace car you can afford (every year)?
c. Can you be happy with moderate performace and spend your money in other places that are not a financial hole in the ground?
If you are still around and looking for answers.
I think it really all comes down to - what kind of person are you?
Do you easily get attached to objects or or do you care less about something you've had for a while?
Are you the type of person who always wants the latest - greatest, or are you happy to keep what you have and slightly improve it?
For the most part buying and modifying any car is a loosing proposition.
So, to me, if you like/love the car you have, and are not subject to envy when you see "better" cars, and are not affected by people who might laugh at you while driving an escort, then keep it and modify it. But know that there are always limitations to what you will get out of the car. Keep it within reason.
If you always want the best, and bragging rights are important to you, then trading it for a RX will get you more prestigue and more thrills - for a little while. Then you will be on that spending for upgrades jag again until the next best thing comes along.
Personally, I purchased my vert when new because I really thought I could live with it for a long time. That is why I still have it. When I began to become bored with it's performance, instead of buying add on parts that stress and change the car, I went out and got a FD. In a few years, if I get bored with the performance of the FD, maybe I will buy the next best, bigger thing, but I will not have thrown a lot of cash down the toilet on the "improvement" binges.
There are guys here who have spent tens of thousands of dollars here for that "improvement fix." All that money could easily have gone to getting a house and other life improvement purchases/savings/investments.
So again...
a. Do you want the badest escort around.
b. Do you want the best performace car you can afford (every year)?
c. Can you be happy with moderate performace and spend your money in other places that are not a financial hole in the ground?
Last edited by BLKTOPTRVL; May 8, 2005 at 11:34 AM.
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From: Rotors Vallhalla
Others have pretty much sum up my opinions.
So many things need to be changed to the car that you'd ended up spending heaps on small bits and pieces that doesn't gain 'much' hp.
Anxiety of when the engine's going to pop...how long will it last, excessive ammount of heat that will make you hyper-cautious...and the list goes on.
But I try not to think about that side of the car. Think of the happy days of how the car rewards you for how much you've spent on her and trust me, it's like having a goooood F.
So many things need to be changed to the car that you'd ended up spending heaps on small bits and pieces that doesn't gain 'much' hp.
Anxiety of when the engine's going to pop...how long will it last, excessive ammount of heat that will make you hyper-cautious...and the list goes on.
But I try not to think about that side of the car. Think of the happy days of how the car rewards you for how much you've spent on her and trust me, it's like having a goooood F.
