RX7Club.com - Mazda RX7 Forum

I will have mercy and repost a reply to another fellow NOOB, last week. LOL....

As a NOOB who is still looking, but has done quite a bit of reading, I must tell you if you have to ask, you're not ready. However, in general, there's a strategy you must use to approach this task. Here's what I am doing:

1. Don't get too enamoured with anyone car. Look at several and try to decide what is important to you.
Issues like, interior and exterior are critical. They are more expensive to fix than most mechanical systems.

2. Do a CARFAX search. There are some real horror stories behind really nice looking cars.

3. Low miles aren't everything.

4. Most of these cars have been raced. Stay away from racers, if at all possible. There are a lot of parts that wear out that you can't see in race cars.

5. These engines on the whole blow up after 60,000 miles. I would negotiate a high asking price down to cover partial engine replacement costs. This can get very ugly, cost is between $3.500 and $5,000.

6. Turbos can be checked out with 10-8-10 boost pattern by driving car wide open throttle in third gear (do a search for 10-8-10). If you can't verify this pattern, turbo rebuilds can get expensive if you're not mechanically inclined. Also, look for oil leakage around the ends of the turbine shafts, externally. Cracked exhaust and intakes to and from turbo can also be indicative of overall condition. This can get ugly if you have someone do it for you ... up to $4,000.

7. Engine seals can be verified by checking if there are bubbles in the radiator with the engine running. Remove the cap, look inside, when the car isn't hot - obviously.

8. If the car's transmission grinds in 5th gear, you are looking at a new 5th gear syncro. Not horribly expensive, but look out if it grinds in 2-3 shifts. Cost is between $700 and $2,500.

9. Engine seal integrity can only be checked by having a mechanic check compression. I have read you want close to equal numbers above 85 on all chambers.

10. After you have driven it, and you still want it, insist it be inspected at one of the recognized shops that cater to these beasts. This should set you back about $175 if done right ... and if the seller will agree to it, assuming he has nothing to hide.

11. Don't disqualify a car for minor imperfections. Get an estimate for how much it will cost to fix. Negotiate the price down based on this.

12. Blue Book prices mean nothing. A perfect 93 or 94 is worth $15-17,000 or more. Mods should increase the value of the car by about 50 percent of the installed part's value - assuming you want it modded. There's nothing wrong with asking that the part be removed or taken back to stock, if the owner still has the stock parts. Respect an owner's desire to keep the modded car modded. There are a lot of stock cars out there, just take your time and look.

13. Don't finance the cost of the entire car. Assume something critical will break and have at least $3,000 in reserve to keep your car on the road.

14. Check out your insurance costs. If you have a good driving record and are over 30, you should be able to find really good coerage for around $400 every six months. If you are younger, look out.

15. If you can't live with the above 14 points, you aren't ready to own an FD.

Now, I have returned a good deed after some of the wonderfully patient replies some of the pros around provided me.

The rest of you guys, lighten up. LOL. No, maybe you are lightened up. So, get serious. If you're not. Whatever.