hey guys, new to the rex scene, just introducing myself
11-30-04, 09:40 PM
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hey guys, new to the rex scene, just introducing myself
hope i can post this in this forum
hey guys, a crazy idea popped into my head last night as i was procrastinating work and i began to dwell on the fact that i've always wanted an FD and would love to make it a project car.
I found this forum this afternoon and i gotta admit, this has a LOT of great information, and in my quest to determine whether or not picking up an FD in about 7 months or so will be a worthwhile project or if its just a lot of heartache.
I've always loved the styling of the third generation RX7, and after seeing a couple rides here, it only reiterated my teenage fantasy of owning one. my only skepticism is how much money it's going to take to restore and maintain a good rotary engine. i've seen a few going on autotrader for 6k or so with a salvage or blown engine, and i was just wondering how much it cost to fix and maintain this motor. i read over in the Advanced section some of the main things to watch out for, and i'll probably perform those as soon as i make sure the car is running. i'm fairly capable with cars, as i have performed all the mods to my audi by myself at the toolshop and the help of a bentley. I know i can do the same with the RX with the right guidance.
anyways, i hope to learn a great deal from you guys and since any post is worthless without picts, here's my audi.
and with that, please impart to me your great knowledge of the FD
hey guys, a crazy idea popped into my head last night as i was procrastinating work and i began to dwell on the fact that i've always wanted an FD and would love to make it a project car.
I found this forum this afternoon and i gotta admit, this has a LOT of great information, and in my quest to determine whether or not picking up an FD in about 7 months or so will be a worthwhile project or if its just a lot of heartache.
I've always loved the styling of the third generation RX7, and after seeing a couple rides here, it only reiterated my teenage fantasy of owning one. my only skepticism is how much money it's going to take to restore and maintain a good rotary engine. i've seen a few going on autotrader for 6k or so with a salvage or blown engine, and i was just wondering how much it cost to fix and maintain this motor. i read over in the Advanced section some of the main things to watch out for, and i'll probably perform those as soon as i make sure the car is running. i'm fairly capable with cars, as i have performed all the mods to my audi by myself at the toolshop and the help of a bentley. I know i can do the same with the RX with the right guidance.
anyways, i hope to learn a great deal from you guys and since any post is worthless without picts, here's my audi.
and with that, please impart to me your great knowledge of the FD
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12-01-04, 12:28 AM
#9
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welcome. check out the search button and newbie links for lots of good info. this car rewards the wise and prepared.
budget at least 15-17k for one in awesome condition or to restore one to good condition.
budget at least 15-17k for one in awesome condition or to restore one to good condition.
12-01-04, 11:36 AM
#12
Exterior mods? How much have you read so far?
The most common cause of rotary engine failure seems to be a lack of proper care and maintenance. These cars were tuned to a fine edge from the factory, and there is not as much of a safety margin compared to most cars. In maintenance terms, think Porsche 911, not Honda Civic Si. Fortunately, the performance is pretty stellar right out of the box. How many $15-17k cars can you think of that will do a 13-sec quarter mile AND pull .9 g's on the skidpad? The 3rd Gen also has a certain look and feel to it that is hard to duplicate.
Let's say you buy the fixer-upper for $6k:
From what I've read, an engine rebuild will cost you between $4-6k , depending on how well you want it done. That's $10-12k there. If you're motor needs rebuilding, sometimes the turbos will be shot. $700-2000 depending if you want to have them rebuilt or replaced. Now you're looking at $10.7-13k.
Even cars that aren't in need of a new motor will need of plenty of other things: plugs, wires, filters, accessory belts, injector service, battery, thermostat, coolant hoses, and maybe the waterpump depending on mileage. Moving out of the engine bay: tires, shocks, brakes, suspension bushings, transmission & differential fluid, possibly a tranny rebuild if your synchros are going out.
$15k and a lot of time would get you a 'project' FD3S and restore it to prime factory condition. For that price you can start to find used ones that have been well taken care of (lower miles and healthier engines), but they will still be 10-year-old cars in need of many of the maintenance items listed above.
I'm sure there are a few things I've left out. If you want to start modding, you'll run into the factory ECU's limitations really quickly. Budget $1500-2000 for an ECU, most people go with the Apex PowerFC. Don't forget to have it tuned by someone who knows what they're doing. I don't know the price of that offhand, but it should be a few hundred bucks.
-s-
PS, If you haven't read the FAQ yet, follow the link in my signature line. Look for "reliability mods" , "new buyer's guide" , and whatever else you're interested in, it's likely to be in there. >>
The most common cause of rotary engine failure seems to be a lack of proper care and maintenance. These cars were tuned to a fine edge from the factory, and there is not as much of a safety margin compared to most cars. In maintenance terms, think Porsche 911, not Honda Civic Si. Fortunately, the performance is pretty stellar right out of the box. How many $15-17k cars can you think of that will do a 13-sec quarter mile AND pull .9 g's on the skidpad? The 3rd Gen also has a certain look and feel to it that is hard to duplicate.
Let's say you buy the fixer-upper for $6k:
From what I've read, an engine rebuild will cost you between $4-6k , depending on how well you want it done. That's $10-12k there. If you're motor needs rebuilding, sometimes the turbos will be shot. $700-2000 depending if you want to have them rebuilt or replaced. Now you're looking at $10.7-13k.
Even cars that aren't in need of a new motor will need of plenty of other things: plugs, wires, filters, accessory belts, injector service, battery, thermostat, coolant hoses, and maybe the waterpump depending on mileage. Moving out of the engine bay: tires, shocks, brakes, suspension bushings, transmission & differential fluid, possibly a tranny rebuild if your synchros are going out.
$15k and a lot of time would get you a 'project' FD3S and restore it to prime factory condition. For that price you can start to find used ones that have been well taken care of (lower miles and healthier engines), but they will still be 10-year-old cars in need of many of the maintenance items listed above.
I'm sure there are a few things I've left out. If you want to start modding, you'll run into the factory ECU's limitations really quickly. Budget $1500-2000 for an ECU, most people go with the Apex PowerFC. Don't forget to have it tuned by someone who knows what they're doing. I don't know the price of that offhand, but it should be a few hundred bucks.
-s-
PS, If you haven't read the FAQ yet, follow the link in my signature line. Look for "reliability mods" , "new buyer's guide" , and whatever else you're interested in, it's likely to be in there. >>
12-01-04, 11:49 AM
#13
audi's are soooooooo nice
around the time when i first got my FD(couple of months), i went to my dad's job (he worked at lexus at the time) and i had to drop of some paperwork..my dad's co-worker who owns an S4 (i think 01 or 02 i cant remember) asked me if i wanted to race..i knew he was joking cause he was smiling and plus he wasnt a kid, he was an older guy maybe like 26+..anyway, in a joking matter i was like yeah ok, lets do it now..he said nah but then he started to explain in a more serious note on how his car is really fast, aftermarket exhaust, chipped and other german goodies..claims he is making over 400AWHP..i was like damn, ok..minutes went by and he came up to me and said, "so we gonna race or what?"..and i was like, yeah sure i would but def not now and he was like o yeah of course..then i said, how bout if you give me a ride just so i can see the 400awhp and he said sure let me get my jacket..
we went to the parking lot, i sat in, he got in and he started it up..that thing sounded nice from the inside..he warmed it up for about 2 minutes as he was looking for a nice cd "to go fast to" i guess.. then we exited the parking lot..now my dad's job is right off a main highway so when you leave, you have to punch it or else you might get hit. so we left the parking lot and onto the shoulder and then he hit like he was being chased..i immediately GOT PINNED to the seat..his 1st and 2nd gear WERE STRONG..as soon as he shifted to 3rd, it felt like my car, along with his 4th..he ended at 120..i swear, we got over 100 in about 7 seconds or so..it was amazing..i did not say one word the whole ride, i was mostly in shock and plus his music was too loud for any talking..
he got back to dealership and he said, "what do you think?" and of course me being a smartass i said, "yeah its ok" and we both started laughing..
we never raced yet, that was about 7 months ago, he quit that job and now i dont know where he is..so i guess i'll never race him..
anyway, sorry for a big story, just wanted to say that audi's are nice, a4,s4 is about the only 4 door i will ever buy EVER..and i really hate 4 doors..
around the time when i first got my FD(couple of months), i went to my dad's job (he worked at lexus at the time) and i had to drop of some paperwork..my dad's co-worker who owns an S4 (i think 01 or 02 i cant remember) asked me if i wanted to race..i knew he was joking cause he was smiling and plus he wasnt a kid, he was an older guy maybe like 26+..anyway, in a joking matter i was like yeah ok, lets do it now..he said nah but then he started to explain in a more serious note on how his car is really fast, aftermarket exhaust, chipped and other german goodies..claims he is making over 400AWHP..i was like damn, ok..minutes went by and he came up to me and said, "so we gonna race or what?"..and i was like, yeah sure i would but def not now and he was like o yeah of course..then i said, how bout if you give me a ride just so i can see the 400awhp and he said sure let me get my jacket..
we went to the parking lot, i sat in, he got in and he started it up..that thing sounded nice from the inside..he warmed it up for about 2 minutes as he was looking for a nice cd "to go fast to" i guess.. then we exited the parking lot..now my dad's job is right off a main highway so when you leave, you have to punch it or else you might get hit. so we left the parking lot and onto the shoulder and then he hit like he was being chased..i immediately GOT PINNED to the seat..his 1st and 2nd gear WERE STRONG..as soon as he shifted to 3rd, it felt like my car, along with his 4th..he ended at 120..i swear, we got over 100 in about 7 seconds or so..it was amazing..i did not say one word the whole ride, i was mostly in shock and plus his music was too loud for any talking..
he got back to dealership and he said, "what do you think?" and of course me being a smartass i said, "yeah its ok" and we both started laughing..
we never raced yet, that was about 7 months ago, he quit that job and now i dont know where he is..so i guess i'll never race him..
anyway, sorry for a big story, just wanted to say that audi's are nice, a4,s4 is about the only 4 door i will ever buy EVER..and i really hate 4 doors..
Last edited by ulost2my7; 12-01-04 at 11:54 AM.
12-01-04, 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted by scotty305
Exterior mods? How much have you read so far?
The most common cause of rotary engine failure seems to be a lack of proper care and maintenance. These cars were tuned to a fine edge from the factory, and there is not as much of a safety margin compared to most cars. In maintenance terms, think Porsche 911, not Honda Civic Si. Fortunately, the performance is pretty stellar right out of the box. How many $15-17k cars can you think of that will do a 13-sec quarter mile AND pull .9 g's on the skidpad? The 3rd Gen also has a certain look and feel to it that is hard to duplicate.
Let's say you buy the fixer-upper for $6k:
From what I've read, an engine rebuild will cost you between $4-6k , depending on how well you want it done. That's $10-12k there. If you're motor needs rebuilding, sometimes the turbos will be shot. $700-2000 depending if you want to have them rebuilt or replaced. Now you're looking at $10.7-13k.
Even cars that aren't in need of a new motor will need of plenty of other things: plugs, wires, filters, accessory belts, injector service, battery, thermostat, coolant hoses, and maybe the waterpump depending on mileage. Moving out of the engine bay: tires, shocks, brakes, suspension bushings, transmission & differential fluid, possibly a tranny rebuild if your synchros are going out.
$15k and a lot of time would get you a 'project' FD3S and restore it to prime factory condition. For that price you can start to find used ones that have been well taken care of (lower miles and healthier engines), but they will still be 10-year-old cars in need of many of the maintenance items listed above.
I'm sure there are a few things I've left out. If you want to start modding, you'll run into the factory ECU's limitations really quickly. Budget $1500-2000 for an ECU, most people go with the Apex PowerFC. Don't forget to have it tuned by someone who knows what they're doing. I don't know the price of that offhand, but it should be a few hundred bucks.
-s-
PS, If you haven't read the FAQ yet, follow the link in my signature line. Look for "reliability mods" , "new buyer's guide" , and whatever else you're interested in, it's likely to be in there. >>
The most common cause of rotary engine failure seems to be a lack of proper care and maintenance. These cars were tuned to a fine edge from the factory, and there is not as much of a safety margin compared to most cars. In maintenance terms, think Porsche 911, not Honda Civic Si. Fortunately, the performance is pretty stellar right out of the box. How many $15-17k cars can you think of that will do a 13-sec quarter mile AND pull .9 g's on the skidpad? The 3rd Gen also has a certain look and feel to it that is hard to duplicate.
Let's say you buy the fixer-upper for $6k:
From what I've read, an engine rebuild will cost you between $4-6k , depending on how well you want it done. That's $10-12k there. If you're motor needs rebuilding, sometimes the turbos will be shot. $700-2000 depending if you want to have them rebuilt or replaced. Now you're looking at $10.7-13k.
Even cars that aren't in need of a new motor will need of plenty of other things: plugs, wires, filters, accessory belts, injector service, battery, thermostat, coolant hoses, and maybe the waterpump depending on mileage. Moving out of the engine bay: tires, shocks, brakes, suspension bushings, transmission & differential fluid, possibly a tranny rebuild if your synchros are going out.
$15k and a lot of time would get you a 'project' FD3S and restore it to prime factory condition. For that price you can start to find used ones that have been well taken care of (lower miles and healthier engines), but they will still be 10-year-old cars in need of many of the maintenance items listed above.
I'm sure there are a few things I've left out. If you want to start modding, you'll run into the factory ECU's limitations really quickly. Budget $1500-2000 for an ECU, most people go with the Apex PowerFC. Don't forget to have it tuned by someone who knows what they're doing. I don't know the price of that offhand, but it should be a few hundred bucks.
-s-
PS, If you haven't read the FAQ yet, follow the link in my signature line. Look for "reliability mods" , "new buyer's guide" , and whatever else you're interested in, it's likely to be in there. >>
thanks for the info though, i'll look more into those faqs this afternoon
12-01-04, 04:52 PM
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Originally Posted by ulost2my7
audi's are soooooooo nice
around the time when i first got my FD(couple of months), i went to my dad's job (he worked at lexus at the time) and i had to drop of some paperwork..my dad's co-worker who owns an S4 (i think 01 or 02 i cant remember) asked me if i wanted to race..i knew he was joking cause he was smiling and plus he wasnt a kid, he was an older guy maybe like 26+..anyway, in a joking matter i was like yeah ok, lets do it now..he said nah but then he started to explain in a more serious note on how his car is really fast, aftermarket exhaust, chipped and other german goodies..claims he is making over 400AWHP..i was like damn, ok..minutes went by and he came up to me and said, "so we gonna race or what?"..and i was like, yeah sure i would but def not now and he was like o yeah of course..then i said, how bout if you give me a ride just so i can see the 400awhp and he said sure let me get my jacket..
we went to the parking lot, i sat in, he got in and he started it up..that thing sounded nice from the inside..he warmed it up for about 2 minutes as he was looking for a nice cd "to go fast to" i guess.. then we exited the parking lot..now my dad's job is right off a main highway so when you leave, you have to punch it or else you might get hit. so we left the parking lot and onto the shoulder and then he hit like he was being chased..i immediately GOT PINNED to the seat..his 1st and 2nd gear WERE STRONG..as soon as he shifted to 3rd, it felt like my car, along with his 4th..he ended at 120..i swear, we got over 100 in about 7 seconds or so..it was amazing..i did not say one word the whole ride, i was mostly in shock and plus his music was too loud for any talking..
he got back to dealership and he said, "what do you think?" and of course me being a smartass i said, "yeah its ok" and we both started laughing..
we never raced yet, that was about 7 months ago, he quit that job and now i dont know where he is..so i guess i'll never race him..
anyway, sorry for a big story, just wanted to say that audi's are nice, a4,s4 is about the only 4 door i will ever buy EVER..and i really hate 4 doors..
around the time when i first got my FD(couple of months), i went to my dad's job (he worked at lexus at the time) and i had to drop of some paperwork..my dad's co-worker who owns an S4 (i think 01 or 02 i cant remember) asked me if i wanted to race..i knew he was joking cause he was smiling and plus he wasnt a kid, he was an older guy maybe like 26+..anyway, in a joking matter i was like yeah ok, lets do it now..he said nah but then he started to explain in a more serious note on how his car is really fast, aftermarket exhaust, chipped and other german goodies..claims he is making over 400AWHP..i was like damn, ok..minutes went by and he came up to me and said, "so we gonna race or what?"..and i was like, yeah sure i would but def not now and he was like o yeah of course..then i said, how bout if you give me a ride just so i can see the 400awhp and he said sure let me get my jacket..
we went to the parking lot, i sat in, he got in and he started it up..that thing sounded nice from the inside..he warmed it up for about 2 minutes as he was looking for a nice cd "to go fast to" i guess.. then we exited the parking lot..now my dad's job is right off a main highway so when you leave, you have to punch it or else you might get hit. so we left the parking lot and onto the shoulder and then he hit like he was being chased..i immediately GOT PINNED to the seat..his 1st and 2nd gear WERE STRONG..as soon as he shifted to 3rd, it felt like my car, along with his 4th..he ended at 120..i swear, we got over 100 in about 7 seconds or so..it was amazing..i did not say one word the whole ride, i was mostly in shock and plus his music was too loud for any talking..
he got back to dealership and he said, "what do you think?" and of course me being a smartass i said, "yeah its ok" and we both started laughing..
we never raced yet, that was about 7 months ago, he quit that job and now i dont know where he is..so i guess i'll never race him..
anyway, sorry for a big story, just wanted to say that audi's are nice, a4,s4 is about the only 4 door i will ever buy EVER..and i really hate 4 doors..
but ya, the TT s4 can do some serious damage with a chip, injectors, exhaust, and k04 turbos. those things alone can make you grin from ear to ear in a 4-door.
the main reason i'm not slapping on a GT28RS turbo into my a4 is that it'll cost as much as the 6k or so rx7 i'm eyeing...not to mention the BT upgrade hasn't been tested much and there's really no software for it. i figured the A4 is good enough in pep and if i ever wanted serious speed, the rx7 would be more than enough, not to mention i'm running out of things to do to my A4 to maintain daily driver status.
12-01-04, 05:24 PM
#16
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I think you would be much better off buying a nice unabused FD for 15-17k as mentioned above. Buying a 'fixer-upper' for 6k will probably turn into a nightmare, esp at your knowledge level. There are so many things that can go wrong/need replacement with high mileage and the wrong owner. Best thing is to link up with a local FD-savvy owner and have them help you check out potential purchases.
Btw, ulost2my7, I know for a fact that your FD does not do 0-100 in 7 seconds.
Btw, ulost2my7, I know for a fact that your FD does not do 0-100 in 7 seconds
.
12-01-04, 06:23 PM
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good point. i guess i'll keep researching though to figure out if it'll be worth it in the end. i still have 7 months or so to research and determine if i can really do all the work
12-02-04, 01:54 AM
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Nice audi voogene! Looks like you have some $$ which is a good thing when getting into FDs. Use the search before asking on the forum so you don't get those pissheads tossing you crap for not looking it up first. Otherwise, send pics and updates on all you do.
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