3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002) 1993-2002 Discussion including performance modifications and Technical Support Sections.
Sponsored by:

All you students out there who drive an FD... is it possible?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 10-20-03, 05:35 PM
  #51  
Full Member

 
elmo908's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
N/a rotaries tend to be more reliable though.
Old 10-21-03, 03:58 PM
  #52  
I need more black paint..

iTrader: (3)
 
talljosh85's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Redlands CA
Posts: 525
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I got mine in HS and have spent several thousand keeping it running. Now I'm a freshman at UC Davis, and I'm looking at a rebuild this winter, (bad coolant seal, so I'll just redo the whole thing with 40k on it). I'm very fortunate in that my parents are paying for my schooling (well, undergrad) and I'm in the ROTC program, so if I can get the 4 year scholarship, it would pay for my full tuition, fees, books, and a monthly stipend of like $250 for the ten months I'm in school. I worked two jobs, six days a week last summer to pay for my car and my computer as well as having a little spending cash in school, since my parents said no job my first year. Can you pull it off? I don't know. I will be working all winter break, six days a week again to help pay for my rebuild this winter, and then next summer I will work full time if not more again, just to pay for the body work that it needs. If it weren't for the ROTC scholarship that I have a good shot at getting, I probably wouldn't be looking to mod my car at all next summer, but instead, I would be saving up money to help pay for housing next year. I don't know your financial situation, but you need to figure it will likely cost a few thousand to get the car right, and very easily a few thousand more every year to keep it running, although some have been luckier then others. Add to that insurance, registration, gas, and maybe money for school, food, housing, and, of course, women, life can be pretty pricey with a seven. Good luck with your decision. Josh
Old 10-21-03, 10:40 PM
  #53  
The Power of 1.3

 
911GT2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
Posts: 2,837
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by racerfoo
i got a loan for 10k, and put 3k down on my car. payments are only 280 a month...and i make double that in 2 weeks. get a decent job and its no problem. Im getting ready to buy a beater now......now that i can pay off my credit card bills for FD mods
Ditto, on every detail. Except replace credit card bills with loan from dad for new engine and turbos.

It is doable, but you have to work at it. I work full time to support my FD, while being a full time student, as do many other young FD owners. It's worth it, but beware, it is an addiction. I like to say that I'm happy with my car in it's present state, so I don't need to mod it anymore, but I know it isn't true. You'll always want more power, better 1/4 mile times, etc. As long as you can balance your budget to keep food in your stomach, and the car running, and not fail out of school in the process, go for it.
Old 10-21-03, 10:46 PM
  #54  
Full Member

 
elmo908's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Im most definately getting an rx-7 by the end of my school year this year. I am a senior in high school. Im going to manage, I have a old school z which are good for like 300k miles before motors "start" going bad. So that is my car that I will have incase **** goes down with the 7. I feel like a trendy clown going straight for the FD but theyre irresistable.
Old 10-21-03, 10:59 PM
  #55  
The Power of 1.3

 
911GT2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
Posts: 2,837
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by elmo908
I feel like a trendy clown going straight for the FD but theyre irresistable.
Trendy clown? How many FD's are out there in Cali? I see an FD other than my own like every 2-3 weeks. This car is far from trendy. It's downright timeless.
Old 11-05-03, 06:15 PM
  #56  
Newbie
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
.
Old 11-05-03, 07:01 PM
  #57  
Full Member

 
mr g lord focker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Orange County
Posts: 238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I am in college and knew I would face financial difficulties with my FD. But after fallin in love with my friends FD the way I did....I got one. And everytime I walk out to get into my car I couldnt be reassured more that the money spent on this car was the best money ever spent. But working my *** off to make sure I have money in the bank for the next thing that goes wrong . I'd rather work for my car than a girl tho =). Priorities!
Old 11-05-03, 08:39 PM
  #58  
Rotary Enthusiast

 
Nathan Kwok's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Huntington Beach, CA, USA
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
I've had my FD for almost 4 years now as a student at UCLA and it works out to about $2000/yr. So, you do the math, do you have $2000/yr to spare? I drive it less than you indicated you would, about 2000 miles per year(if you drive 10-15mi per day, plus weekends, thats about 100 miles per week, or about 5000/yr), but I am also especially fanatical about maintenance, and that figure includes mods. In terms of downtime, for me that isn't much of an issue since I don't need the car to drive daily, and there are lots of competent local mechanics in the LA area, but YMMV.
Old 11-05-03, 09:39 PM
  #59  
Junior Member

 
circuitmagic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: San Diego CA
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Im getting an FD within the next few weeks, I will also be going to school full time, I'm 19 and this can be done, you have to budget your money well, and be smart about your first mods to the car, once i get the car if it dose not have any reliabilty mods done that will be the first thing I do. Also check your insurance rates before you get the car, for being a young male with a twin turbo car insurance can be a bitch. If you have any high interest oustanding credit card bills or anything it might be smart to get those paid off before you invest in this, sometimes fd's can run fine, othertimes you run into a grocery list of problems which cost $$$, maintain the car well, keep your job, and be wise about your money and you will be ok. Also just dont be stupid, fd's are very fast so be wise about what you do on the street, you can end up in alot of trouble and debt or even jail from mistakes made on the street. Just my $.02

P.S. - I will be getting a daily driver as well, the fd has a purpose and it is not stop and go traffic
Old 11-05-03, 10:15 PM
  #60  
Full Member

 
Mike00's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Philly Suburbs/PA
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sigh I'm glad I got some time to think this over I keep going back between FD and 350Z. Honestly I figure I can find a fairly strong FD for about 17-22k and then drop about 4-5k into fixing it up.

Hopefully I won't need to spend anymore then 1-2k a year in mainitance/repairs.

But everytime I think about doing it I get more worried about it. Although insurance isn't a problem and I already have an 11k loan payment at the same time which has been no problem for me in fact I've been paying it off almost twice as fast.

But it seems like the FD's can be very reliable or very unreliable and just is scary to think about buying a car and then to have it constantly broken.
Old 11-05-03, 11:46 PM
  #61  
Junior Member

 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Largo, FL
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm gonna have to go with the whole beater deal. I'm doing that right now. I stopped driving my FC, bought Honda Rebel 250 that gets 55-60mpg in the city. 5/wk is all it costs me. So I can save MAD loads of cash.

Matt P.
Old 11-06-03, 12:45 AM
  #62  
Full Member

 
Mike00's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Philly Suburbs/PA
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
How much is it for you to insure that car? For some reason a 90 4runner waso nly 40 bucks cheaper for me to insure (just liability) then my 2000 GT-S celica. Not to mention at least I have full coverage on the celica.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
whinin
Introduce yourself
17
03-30-19 07:53 PM
troym55
3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002)
23
05-25-16 12:42 PM



Quick Reply: All you students out there who drive an FD... is it possible?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:31 AM.