masonholmes

Hi all, I'm a complete n00b here, and also don't own an RX-7.. as the title says, I'm possibly getting ready to buy a '94 though, and have a few questions for anybody with the time.. (I haven't been able to dig the forums yet, and may not for awhile) I currently drive a '93 2.5L MX-3 SE, and a '91 MX-5 - going strong @ 189,000 miles, though showing its age physically. (the MX-3 is actually down do to a faulty rear main, which caused massive damage)

Also, as per the title, I am disabled, meaning fully wheelchair bound. Unfortunately this limits me to automatics. I can check my fluids and tell people what needs to be done in most cases, though usually can't do too much more physical labor than that. Fun vehicles are one of those things that makes my life worth living though, and Mazda's great at keeping the fun factor, even with a slushbox attached. That said, I've always wanted a 3rd gen. (well, any gen. given the condition!) I've read a good deal about them over the years and know their general pitfall comes down to reliability, due to quite a few factors. (but mostly heat & improper care) I also know there are some upgrades that can be done to help in that department. My question is this - if I were to pick up a very well maintained '94 model and go ahead with the basic reliability mods, just how reliable could I expect a 3rd gen. to be/how many miles might I expect from the original engine? It would likely have to be my daily driver. I live in WV and we do have winter, though not too harsh. If at all possible I'd definitely park it till the slick stuff goes away, though it would still be subject to the cold, and very unfortunately, I do not have a garage to park it in. (I've been driving the Miata year round for awhile, with proper attention & great luck)

The particular 3rd gen. I'm looking at right now is '94 automatic base model, two owner vehical, both being older men who took excellent care and were not hard on it. It has 55,000 miles on the clock and has spent most of its life in sunny FL, garaged when not being driven. Unfortunately, that's quite a distance away from me, so I'm trying to feel out if a 3rd gen. is even worth going to such great lengths to look into, again, given I need a reliable daily driver. Also, the closest dealer is about 140 miles away. I plan to call them tomorrow to feel out their tech department/see if they've got a rotary specialist etc.

All that said, and I apologize for my long windedness , would anybody mind lending any opinions and/or information that may help me out with the decision? The one I'm looking at may be sold pretty quick, so the sooner the better. I suppose if I don't wind up with an RX, I'll eventually replace my Miata with a better 1st gen, and go from there. Thanks in advance, and again, sorry for writing soo much, haha!

hwnd

iTrader: (4)

I'll share my (short) experience..

had an R1 with 188k miles on it ...two engines in its life.
i'm sure you'll hear/read all types of awful stories but I didn't beat the **** out of mine and ran `Super RA` 3mm seals the 2nd engine.

I say go for it! ...to each his own though

SLOASFK

iTrader: (5)

You can expect to travel to find a good example of a third gen. Many have been rung through the ringer time and time again and it can be hard to find one that hasn't been beaten half to death.

The FD is a bit of a DIYers car, though with deep enough pockets you can pay others to work on it for you. Living in the Northeast, reputible shops that would be closest to you would be Peter Farrell Supercars in the DC area, KD Rotary in Bethlehem, PA, and IR Performance in Clifton, NJ. IRP is a bit of a haul for you but they are hands down the best shop on the east coast.

There's a guy local to me who is fully wheelchair bound who has a very very nice NSX that he's had modified to suit his needs. It's a beautiful car, my only regret is I haven't seen it on the road since I bought my FD 2 years ago. I hope nothing happened to him...

As for daily driving, if you keep it relatively stock, upgrading the cooling system, removing the precat, and getting a Blitz stock mount IC, it should be fairly reliable especially with the automatic engine.

For local dealerships, Malloy Mazda in Virginia has a very strong reputation with our community for parts and service excellence. Ray Crowe, the head of their parts department owns two FDs, knows these cars inside and out and has enough pull with the higher ups to get us some killer sales and discounts on parts.

It's highly reccomended to not allow Mazda dealerships to work on our FDs, as they tend to go in with a vacuum leak and come out with a blown apex seal. Rotary specialty shops should be the only places that touch your car.

As for being worth it, imagine your Miata with twice the power, half the gas mileage, beefed up suspension, with a modernized interior and a hatch back and you have a car that's almost close to an FD.

So there's my .02 for ya

Oh, more food for thought, even though we have a 1.3L engine, we tend to get worse gas mileage than most big block V8s.

n rider89

if you decided that the fd is not for you, you can try an Rx-8 if you still want a rotary. engine warranty on the 04-08s just got extended to 8yr 100k miles. one guy on rx8club has a 8 with hand controls. here is a thread he has: http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=92246

he also was looking in to this hand control set up that still utilizes a clutch. i dont really know you budget or how much it cost but here is the website: http://www.rediautosport.com/conpro/redisytm.html

masonholmes

Wow, two replies already - I'm in a good place, thanks guys. Fuel economy's mentioned.. I know there're technical figures, but does anybody happen to know real-world numbers the automatics throw? Also, is there any known issue with the automatics attached to FD's? An example being, the "4EAT" generation ATX's on MX-6's, MX-3's etc. have a major heat problem, which can be cured by slapping a $40 aftermarket cooler in the line. I'd have loved to have known that when I purchased my first MX-3! (I'm on my third, they're great FWD's)

Also, what kind of general service bills might I expect, if I were to be taking it to a specialist for scheduled checkups/maintenance, with no known major problems? (I know that one's a little hard to answer but.. lol) I don't have deep pockets, but hope I could help ward off that need a little by getting things checked out on a regular basis & doing some of the reliability mods ASAP. I suppose I really am an idiot for considering this purchase, but wow, what a car! (and the one I'm looking at seems to be a winner, at an unbeatable price) It's too bad they didn't continue on in the US with factory reliability upgrades. It's also too bad the Miata's trunk isn't about 3" deeper so my chair's frame would fit in it completely.

masonholmes

My dream is a 3rd gen, though I may eventually have to look into an RX-8. Thanks for the link, I'll have to take a look. As for the hand controls, I've checked into those. They look killer, though they want 10 grand to buy & install them on a vehical. Also, I can't find any dealers that have a set installed so I could even make sure I was able to use them, before plopping down that kind of cash.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

The auto trannys are pretty stout. Fuel economy is probably between 15 and 20mpg, 20mpg on your best day.

Plan for expensive maintenance work, and there is always the chance of a more expensive unplanned visit. Depending on the condition/age of the engine, some recommend that you have spare cash in case the whole motor goes. You may have to go a long way to find a suitable shop, depending on where in WV you are. If you're near Frederick you'll be in good shape, but if you're in Pocohontas county good luck.

The FD's trunk is only about 8" deep. I can barely slide a golf bag in flat and get under the strut tower bar.

The cold should not bother your car at all, but the winter weather is definitely out. Even with snow tires I'm not sure I'd like to drive it in winter, and I know how much snow tires can help.

Last but not least, read the FAQ. https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/desktop-dyno-64680/
I haven't seen that mentioned yet.

SLOASFK

iTrader: (5)

Bajaman would be the best person to answer this, he's the forum Automatic guru.

Automatic FDs come with a stock transmission cooler. I believe the only known issue with autos is trying to make more than 300whp without dropping the trans.

You'll always want to get a compression test before buying a rotary. You'll also want to have the coolant system checked out by a reputable shop. The vacuum system should also be checked out. In Florida, you can't beat Pettit Racing in the Miami area.
That's the best mentality when looking at this car. Preventative maintenance will keep her happy.
Define an "unbeatable price". A low mile 93 auto should cost less than $11,000. Autos tend to be less desirable and often sell for about as much as a rolling chassis.
Well, my friend used to drive one of our wheelchair bound friends around all the time. His chair fit perfectly in the hatch, though he may have needed to remove the divider to fit it in completely. Also, the leather seats made for very easy ingress for him. You may want to look into a leather drivers seat.

How about summer tires on the drive wheels during a blizzard?

My bad Dave, you'll have for forgive me..I'm in the last hour of my shift and more concerned about going to bed

masonholmes

MX-3's do too, but they're integrated into the radiator, which does little for cooling in it's case. It sounds like FD auto's aren't undercooled though.

That is my "unbeatable price", $11,000. Had I made a decision quick enough, he would have taken 10. That's the lowest I've seen an ATX that actually looked & sounded like it might be in really good shape. By what I've seen, usually they've been beat out pretty good and cost more around the 15k and up. The only "option" it doesn't have that I'd like is a power sunroof, but I could live without for a solid example. Being a base, the seats are cloth as well. More on that in a minute.

I fully agree. I went from leather seats in the MX-3 to cloth in the MX-5, and the leather was much easier, though obviously doesn't offer as much grip when cornering hard, so it's a hard decision. I still haven't decided which I prefer. My chair's pretty tiny when torn down, so if your friends fit, I'm sure mine would - cool. And now I need to go to bed, as I've spent entirely too much time here for one night, haha! Thanks again, and in advance. I think I'm getting scared away from the buy, but am not sure yet.. Will hit that FAQ link later on today, after I snag a couple hours sleep, lol.

bajaman

First of all, I want to commend you for not allowing your disability to keep you from pursuing your dreams. THAT is...totally admirable, I cannot say how much it really moves me to hear stories like this.

Others have done wonderful job in answering a lot of your questions, I will concentrate on the 'performance' ones.

As has been debated here many, many, MANY times...the whole 'auto vs manual' issue really comes down to a couple of things. The inherent lack of torque of the 13BREW doesn't lend itself well to the initial 'launch' of the car, this coupled with the taller rear end gearing imparts a certain sluggishness that the manual guys deride immensely.
But the truth is, the real world difference in all performance aspects comes down to about ONE HALF OF ONE SECOND. Zero to 60, quarter mile, etc. The auto pulls like a friggin' freight train once off the line, and once you master the 'hold' feature of the automatic you CAN wring near-manual levels of performance out of the car, truthfully. The ONLY "disappointment" is in that initial take off. From a 20 mph roll I'd put the auto FD up against anything in its class, including its manual brethren.

I will also say I don't recommend an auto to those that want to track/race the car. In these cases the 5 speed IS a much better choice.
And if you want to modify the car to greater than around 350 rwhp, the auto requires some very expensive transmission upgrades to hold that sort of power.

Once again, I commend you and wish you the best of luck in your search. And this Forum is a truly wonderful place to get invaluable information.

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

+1 on that for sure!

masonholmes, the main concern IMO is the ability to get in and out of the car. My father is getting on in his years, but he's not 'old' yet. He traded in a 2003 Z06 for an SUV a year ago as he thought his sports car days were over, but he's looking to buy a new sports car this year . Anyway, he has difficulty getting in and out of my FD the few times he'll actually get in it . I would definitely try to find one locally, even if it's a manual, to test to make sure that it's not going to be a problem for you.

IRPerformance

iTrader: (41)

If you can get in and out of the car and are prepared to deal with the extra maintenance, then I think you will be fine. A quick release steering wheel hub might help as the stock wheel does not tilt. I have heard of several disabled individuals drive performance cars. Two were rx-7s one had a grand national.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Quick release steering wheel is a very good idea. Maybe installing a grab handle would help a lot too, as the car doesn't come with them and you really have to hoist your butt up when getting out.

dhays

iTrader: (1)

Everyone has offered some great ideas. I have just a couple observations.

I think that you may find that maintenance costs are going to be higher than what you are used to. Hard to give good solid numbers though. I would do some research (maybe around the regional forums for your area) and find a rotary shop that is the closest to you. Give them a call and just ask what they would charge for the routine maintenance items like fluid changes, brake flush, rad flush, fuel filter. I had a rotary shop do the initial maintenance on my car when I first bought it in December.

Here is what I spent.
Oil change: $27
Trans and Diff oil change: $77
Fuel filter change: $63
Alignment: $100 (18" rims)
Change plugs: $60
Radiator flush: $70

Keep in mind that with the rotary you will need to change the oil at LEAST every 3000 miles and many hear recommend more often. This is just the routine maintenance stuff. I've spent over $800 in just shop time since I bought the car to have the mechanic chase down and diagnose some other relatively minor problems.

I'd strongly suggest, if you haven't already, is find an FD and see if you can get in and out of it. The FD is very low and the doors are quite wide/long. The bolster comes forward quite a bit as well. The steering wheel is non-adjustable and it is hard for me (at 6"2") to maneuver my legs and knees in the car around the wheel.

I think folks are being particularly nice since you posted with a good attitude and happen to be disabled. Most of the time when these questions are asked the answers are 1) the FD is NOT a good car as a daily driver, and 2) the FD is expensive as hell to repair and maintain (and that is when a person can do a lot themselves).

On a more encouraging note, two weeks ago I was autocrossing my FD at a local event. The guy in front of me in the grid was driving a Shelby Mustang with manual transmission. He was also in a wheel chair with no use of his legs. He has some type of hydraulic system to activate his clutch somehow tied into his hand controls. I was impressed. Between each run he would get out of the car, check all his tire pressures and readjust, chat up his friends, and get back in. He also was running a good 5 seconds faster than I did on my best time. The point is, don't completely discount a manual transmission car. The setup may be more expensive initially, but I think it might be less expensive than the costs of owning an FD in the long run.

Good luck whatever you decide.

adam c

iTrader: (2)

I don't think the FD is the right car for someone in a wheelchair. Getting in and out will be very difficult. Once you are in, getting the wheelchair in will be a difficult thing to do because of how tight everything is. You won't be able to do much work on the car yourself. That means paying big bucks to have a 3rd gen specialist work on it for you. Anyone else working on it will cost you more in the long run for anything but the basics.

I hope you are able to find a car that will work better for you than an FD.

JM1FD

iTrader: (1)

You should either be able to drop $3-5k on a repairs at ANY time, or not depend on the car as your daily driver. It seems that there's no rhyme or reason to which cars last and which don't. You can do all the reliability mods, and address all the other shortcomings which lead to premature engine death, and it could still die.

masonholmes

Thanks everybody for all the great replies, keep them coming! I had another windy one all ready to hit send few hours ago but accidentally closed the wrong window, lol.

As for an FD being "accessible" to a fully wheelchair bound individual, I appreciate your concern, but you're generalizing just a bit adam. (though my Dad would likely agree, and word it almost identically - but maybe not, as he's got a Miata too) As per my original post, my current daily driver is a 1991 Miata. A car I used to be averaging 25k a year on, and drove through some pretty nasty weather, year round. (I don't drive near that much as of this year) You can't get much tighter inside than a Miata with the top up! The seating and steering column were mentioned in a response or two above as well.. FD seat bolsters don't really look that much deeper than a '92/93 MX-3 seat, and once my hand controls are installed, any adjustablility in the steering column is gone, (until I remove the controls). A quick release steering wheel is something I did consider, before picking up the Miata, and I thought I might require. Luckily that's not the case. Supportive seating is also a selling point for me, as I have poor balance. It's actually part of what got me into an MX-3 as a first car, soo long ago. Yes, a big, heavy wheelchair van with a lift or something would make going to the grocery store much much easier, but it'd be boring as hell!! (especially on twisty mountain roads ) My feeling is the same for most cars being put out today - they're just too big, heavy, and mushy, for my tastes. (as well as overpriced) I am a very high functioning quadriplegic who's only owned V6 MX-3's and my current Miata, and doesn't want to "downgrade" from either. My cars are not for practicality only, they also help me to enjoy what I have left of life. Don't anybody take what I've just said as anger or an insult though, I'm just explaining where I'm coming from, as well as stating that some handicap individuals can enjoy fun vehicles too. For my particular case, the rehab department actually advised a small, 2-door car with good power steering & supportive seats, though they didn't mean quite as small as a Miata, haha. Back to RX-7's though, my only concerns, (after finding a good one), at this point are reliability & maintenance prices, since I can't work on it myself and I seem to be about 195 miles from a respectable specialist.

To throw out another completely ludicrous thought, lol, I've been pondering on having a "reliable" engine built by a reputable shop, and keeping it stored somewhere nice, until it's needed. This throws out the thought of my picking up an FD in the direct future, but might help me deal with reliability, in the long run. The thought being, AFTER I've got the solid, new engine in my possession, find a well maintained FD. Once it's engine went, I'd have a more reliable one on hand and ready to go in, which would hopefully last longer. Also, as far as having one built, I'm not really interested in additional HP over stock, so modifications for such wouldn't really be a factor. I emailed Petite about an hour ago addressing this thought process and my particular case. I plan to contact other reputable builders as well. Any thoughts on this idea?

adam c

iTrader: (2)

I would not assume that the interior of a Miata would be more difficult for you than the interior of an FD. However, this is all conjecture. Go find one, and see how it fits you, and your wheelchair.

dhays

iTrader: (1)

Interesting idea. Maybe you can share the response you get from them?

The cost of an engine rebuild is only part of it of course. The cost for an engine pull and install has got to a lot. I have no idea what, buy maybe somebody out there could offer a number.

I think the real key is how dependent you are on the car for daily transportation. As someone here has in there sig, "The best upgrade to an FD is another car as a daily driver". If you need the car day in and day out, then I'd strongly recommend against it. The FD is great as a second car, not your only car. OTOH, if you have access to another car if your FD is in the shop (consider how to tow the FD to the shop as well), then go for it, provided the rest of the factors are functional for you.

To be honest, I think you would be money ahead to buy a cheap, reliable Honda Civic or something similar than you would a spare engine. The cost may be about the same initially and having cheap reliable transport when/if the FD needs to be worked on would be a real bonus.

BTW, the good news is that automatic FD seems to be several thousand dollars cheaper than MT FDs.

masonholmes

Yeah, I'll be glad to share their response. I've spoke with a few people who have said their FD's were very reliable & downright cheap to maintain. That's obviously not the typical case though. (and likely wouldn't be, with my luck, lol)

As for being a daily driver, it's very possible that I could keep the Miata around for that, or maybe sell it and put the MX-3 back on the road. (or possibly replace the Miata with a lower mileage one) Knowing me, I'd always be climbing into the RX-7 though, which I guess would be a bad thing in the long run, lol. I'd definitely keep one of the two vehicles I've already got though, before going to a Civic. Not meaning to bash there, Honda makes great cars, but they just don't have the fun factor of either MX's, which are usually very reliable as well. (plus, everybody has a Civic) I spose RX-7's are just out of my grasp due to reliability. A modestly tuned Miata with a modified/deeper trunk, might be what I wind up going with, as I think that'd just about be the next best thing to an FD. I'm interested in what Petite etc. might say though, and haven't quite gave up yet!

I dunno if this belongs here?, but I guess I'd also be interested to hear what you guys would pick for a fun alternative to your FD, that handles, looks good, and is more reliable. (and if you didn't have the cash to go buck wild on a fairly new vette or something) What really got me thinking FD again was when I decided I'd get an insurance quote and found it wouldn't raise my rates a dime over what I'm paying on the '91 Miata?! I've always figured the rates would be through the roof. Heck, it cost more to insure my "1.8L" V6 MX-3's. I suppose I also prefer smaller cars overall, than say a Corvette or Supra. (which have to have nasty rates) Maybe I should start a new thread somewhere for this topic?

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

If you run a search you'll find that topic's been discussed quite a bit in the General Automotive section. You can start your own thread, but don't miss the existing info.

Dave

masonholmes

Thanks, will do. If any of ya feel like it, feel free to be checking over there for a thread by me on this subject. I appreciate all the info you've already given, and wouldn't mind your opinions there either.

masonholmes

..I'd really prefer FD owner's opinions though, so I might wind up sticking it in this section. At least in most forums, you'd get almost all replies from people who have never driven an RX-7, and just speculate on what kind of car they really are.. (when posting such a question in the general section)

JM1FD

iTrader: (1)

G35 Coupe? 350Z?

So...I'm curious....where do you stow your wheelchair in the Miata? I had a friend that was wheelchair bound back when I was in college...his chair would barely fit in the hatch of my 2nd gen....which is a pretty good sized area.

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

I posted something along those lines in this thread a few days ago:

https://www.rx7club.com/lounge-192/%7Ehelpp-%7E-having-some-dillema-762021/

Another car to consider would be a Honda S2000.