Just got my first RX-7. Have some questions
05-14-06, 09:20 AM
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Just got my first RX-7. Have some questions
I've wanted an RX-7 since I was like 16 years old. I'm in the Air Force, and finally got to my permanent duty station after 8.5 months in training. I got around to getting a car finally, and I figured, why not spend a little more and have a car that I enjoy owning.
Anyways, here it is:
I have a $100 dollar deposit down on it, and am picking it up sometime during this next week, probably next weekend. I would go pick it up immediatly upon the bank opening on Monday, but I need a friend with a truck, since he's giving me the stock set of wheels, the stock exhaust system, and a bunch of other items with it.
The engine and turbos have about 2000 miles on them. The radiator is less than a year old and is aftermarket (I forget which brand). The intercooler is custom made (and very beefy looking). Car was also painted less than a year ago. The car runs great, and coming from a 400 horsepower Mustang, I'm still impressed by how fast this car is.
The only problem with the car is the interior. Most of the interior is alright, but the drivers seats leather is worn/torn in one place (where you slide across it to get in), and the plastic "vertical grip" (the best I can describe it) on the passenger door seems a little loose. I would like to replace both, does anyone have any idea how much they will cost?
The only other complaint I have, and I'm not sure if this is specific to this car or just the model as a whole, is that the breaks aren't super sensitive. Is there any way to increase the sensitivity? I liked how the brakes on my old car would activate basically if you thought about activating them, I don't like having to put effort into them to get maximum stopping power. This could have all been a result from the car being garaged for the last couple months, and sitting in a garage for the last few years with a couple exceptions. Perhaps they just need to warm up and get worn in.
Anyways, here it is:
I have a $100 dollar deposit down on it, and am picking it up sometime during this next week, probably next weekend. I would go pick it up immediatly upon the bank opening on Monday, but I need a friend with a truck, since he's giving me the stock set of wheels, the stock exhaust system, and a bunch of other items with it.
The engine and turbos have about 2000 miles on them. The radiator is less than a year old and is aftermarket (I forget which brand). The intercooler is custom made (and very beefy looking). Car was also painted less than a year ago. The car runs great, and coming from a 400 horsepower Mustang, I'm still impressed by how fast this car is.
The only problem with the car is the interior. Most of the interior is alright, but the drivers seats leather is worn/torn in one place (where you slide across it to get in), and the plastic "vertical grip" (the best I can describe it) on the passenger door seems a little loose. I would like to replace both, does anyone have any idea how much they will cost?
The only other complaint I have, and I'm not sure if this is specific to this car or just the model as a whole, is that the breaks aren't super sensitive. Is there any way to increase the sensitivity? I liked how the brakes on my old car would activate basically if you thought about activating them, I don't like having to put effort into them to get maximum stopping power. This could have all been a result from the car being garaged for the last couple months, and sitting in a garage for the last few years with a couple exceptions. Perhaps they just need to warm up and get worn in.
05-14-06, 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Rrail
The engine and turbos have about 2000 miles on them. The radiator is less than a year old and is aftermarket (I forget which brand). The intercooler is custom made (and very beefy looking). Car was also painted less than a year ago. The car runs great, and coming from a 400 horsepower Mustang, I'm still impressed by how fast this car is.
Originally Posted by Rrail
The only problem with the car is the interior. Most of the interior is alright, but the drivers seats leather is worn/torn in one place (where you slide across it to get in), and the plastic "vertical grip" (the best I can describe it) on the passenger door seems a little loose. I would like to replace both, does anyone have any idea how much they will cost?
Originally Posted by Rrail
The only other complaint I have, and I'm not sure if this is specific to this car or just the model as a whole, is that the breaks aren't super sensitive. Is there any way to increase the sensitivity? I liked how the brakes on my old car would activate basically if you thought about activating them, I don't like having to put effort into them to get maximum stopping power. This could have all been a result from the car being garaged for the last couple months, and sitting in a garage for the last few years with a couple exceptions. Perhaps they just need to warm up and get worn in.
other than that enjoy the car. and make sure all the preventive mods are done, it'll save you down the road.
05-14-06, 09:59 AM
#3
Constant threat
First off, let me express my gratitude for your service to our country. It is men and women like yourself that enable the rest of us to sleep well at night. Thank you. 
Now for the car. That is a nice vehicle you've picked out for sure. I am pleased to hear that you aren't unhappy with its lack of torque compared to your previous car.
It is not unusual for the leather seats to have worn the way you describe. That is one advantage the original cloth seats in the base and some Touring models seem to have, they last forever. However, there are usually plenty of seats available in the 'For Sale' section so this shouldn't be a problem to fix; or a good upholstery shop can also fix this and make it look damned near new. Or you could go the aftermarket route if you so desire. As for the passenger door handle, that is a VERY common part to break, a lot of us have fixed ours and reinforced them internally with a variety of things, including adding metal bracing and fiberglass, or epoxying the whole damned thing to add strength. Where is yours loose at, near the top or along the door? Even with reinforcement I don't recommend actually USING the vertical handle part of the door pull, rather you should always use the recess in the door itself (by the latch) to pull the door closed.
Regarding the brakes.....hmmmm, that is odd as the brakes on the FD are just phenomenal. I agree that if a car hasn't been driven for a while the rotors can get a bit of a rust haze on them that transfers to the pads and can take a few hard stops to get rid of.
You should be AMAZED at the brakes on this car, especially compared to your 'Stang. It should stop about 30% quicker than your old car. In fact, as well as my car 'goes', one of the things I have most impressed passengers with IS the braking ability, where hard stops will damned near pop your eyeballs out of their sockets and never prompt a squeal from a tire. So yeah, you may have to have those looked at if you still experience problems.
Good luck!
Now for the car. That is a nice vehicle you've picked out for sure. I am pleased to hear that you aren't unhappy with its lack of torque compared to your previous car.
It is not unusual for the leather seats to have worn the way you describe. That is one advantage the original cloth seats in the base and some Touring models seem to have, they last forever. However, there are usually plenty of seats available in the 'For Sale' section so this shouldn't be a problem to fix; or a good upholstery shop can also fix this and make it look damned near new. Or you could go the aftermarket route if you so desire. As for the passenger door handle, that is a VERY common part to break, a lot of us have fixed ours and reinforced them internally with a variety of things, including adding metal bracing and fiberglass, or epoxying the whole damned thing to add strength. Where is yours loose at, near the top or along the door? Even with reinforcement I don't recommend actually USING the vertical handle part of the door pull, rather you should always use the recess in the door itself (by the latch) to pull the door closed.
Regarding the brakes.....hmmmm, that is odd as the brakes on the FD are just phenomenal. I agree that if a car hasn't been driven for a while the rotors can get a bit of a rust haze on them that transfers to the pads and can take a few hard stops to get rid of.
You should be AMAZED at the brakes on this car, especially compared to your 'Stang. It should stop about 30% quicker than your old car. In fact, as well as my car 'goes', one of the things I have most impressed passengers with IS the braking ability, where hard stops will damned near pop your eyeballs out of their sockets and never prompt a squeal from a tire. So yeah, you may have to have those looked at if you still experience problems.
Good luck!
05-14-06, 10:32 AM
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A variety of seat covers are available at www.leatherseats.com and you can do it yourself. They are great looking and offer you the ability to change colors or fabrics. Like suede if you wish. That is the route that I am going.
05-14-06, 10:32 AM
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Originally Posted by telum01
get upgraded brake pads. i think you're referring to the "initial bite" of the pads, so just get an better set, made for street driving (like Hawk HPS), and you'll notice a difference.
Originally Posted by bajaman
First off, let me express my gratitude for your service to our country. It is men and women like yourself that enable the rest of us to sleep well at night. Thank you.
Now for the car. That is a nice vehicle you've picked out for sure. I am pleased to hear that you aren't unhappy with its lack of torque compared to your previous car.
It is not unusual for the leather seats to have worn the way you describe. That is one advantage the original cloth seats in the base and some Touring models seem to have, they last forever. However, there are usually plenty of seats available in the 'For Sale' section so this shouldn't be a problem to fix; or a good upholstery shop can also fix this and make it look damned near new. Or you could go the aftermarket route if you so desire. As for the passenger door handle, that is a VERY common part to break, a lot of us have fixed ours and reinforced them internally with a variety of things, including adding metal bracing and fiberglass, or epoxying the whole damned thing to add strength. Where is yours loose at, near the top or along the door? Even with reinforcement I don't recommend actually USING the vertical handle part of the door pull, rather you should always use the recess in the door itself (by the latch) to pull the door closed.
Regarding the brakes.....hmmmm, that is odd as the brakes on the FD are just phenomenal. I agree that if a car hasn't been driven for a while the rotors can get a bit of a rust haze on them that transfers to the pads and can take a few hard stops to get rid of.
You should be AMAZED at the brakes on this car, especially compared to your 'Stang. It should stop about 30% quicker than your old car. In fact, as well as my car 'goes', one of the things I have most impressed passengers with IS the braking ability, where hard stops will damned near pop your eyeballs out of their sockets and never prompt a squeal from a tire. So yeah, you may have to have those looked at if you still experience problems.
Good luck!
Now for the car. That is a nice vehicle you've picked out for sure. I am pleased to hear that you aren't unhappy with its lack of torque compared to your previous car.
It is not unusual for the leather seats to have worn the way you describe. That is one advantage the original cloth seats in the base and some Touring models seem to have, they last forever. However, there are usually plenty of seats available in the 'For Sale' section so this shouldn't be a problem to fix; or a good upholstery shop can also fix this and make it look damned near new. Or you could go the aftermarket route if you so desire. As for the passenger door handle, that is a VERY common part to break, a lot of us have fixed ours and reinforced them internally with a variety of things, including adding metal bracing and fiberglass, or epoxying the whole damned thing to add strength. Where is yours loose at, near the top or along the door? Even with reinforcement I don't recommend actually USING the vertical handle part of the door pull, rather you should always use the recess in the door itself (by the latch) to pull the door closed.
Regarding the brakes.....hmmmm, that is odd as the brakes on the FD are just phenomenal. I agree that if a car hasn't been driven for a while the rotors can get a bit of a rust haze on them that transfers to the pads and can take a few hard stops to get rid of.
You should be AMAZED at the brakes on this car, especially compared to your 'Stang. It should stop about 30% quicker than your old car. In fact, as well as my car 'goes', one of the things I have most impressed passengers with IS the braking ability, where hard stops will damned near pop your eyeballs out of their sockets and never prompt a squeal from a tire. So yeah, you may have to have those looked at if you still experience problems.
Good luck!
As for the door grip thing, that's going to be one of the first things I do. I can't stand when stuffs loose. I will heed your advice. Also there seems to be a How To on it as well.
By the way, I work in Intelligence. The closest I'll ever be to combat is the inner-office drama. Thank you though.
05-14-06, 12:08 PM
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I'll just add my 2 cents:
The most important mod IMHO is to replace that red hot pre-cat under the turbos with a downpipe. If the prev owner went to the trouble of replacing the intercooler with a bigger one, chances are he did that already too. The faq page in this forum is fantastic. It details all the things you should do very well. About the only thing I haven't done to mine yet is get that turbo timer. I still have to sit in my car for 2 mins at idle whenever I park to make sure the turbo is cooled down some. Another thing I do is anytime after a long or hard run when I park the car in my driveway, I pop the hood before I leave the car. Anything you can do to prevent the wires and tubes from cooking in that hot engine compartment will extend the life of your turbos.
The other thing that is critical is flushing your cooling system once per year. This is mentioned in the faq articles but it does not say why. The reason is that if you look at one of those expanded diagrams of the way the rotary goes together it looks like a metal sandwich with layers of alternating metals (alum and iron). This causes a battery effect which turns the coolant very acidic and it can actually eat a hole in your metal coolant pipes that are located in some very hard to reach places. I had to replace one of mine when I first got my car and the turbos had to be removed to get to it.
Have fun with it! These cars are unique and a pleasure to own even if they are a little fussy.
The most important mod IMHO is to replace that red hot pre-cat under the turbos with a downpipe. If the prev owner went to the trouble of replacing the intercooler with a bigger one, chances are he did that already too. The faq page in this forum is fantastic. It details all the things you should do very well. About the only thing I haven't done to mine yet is get that turbo timer. I still have to sit in my car for 2 mins at idle whenever I park to make sure the turbo is cooled down some. Another thing I do is anytime after a long or hard run when I park the car in my driveway, I pop the hood before I leave the car. Anything you can do to prevent the wires and tubes from cooking in that hot engine compartment will extend the life of your turbos.
The other thing that is critical is flushing your cooling system once per year. This is mentioned in the faq articles but it does not say why. The reason is that if you look at one of those expanded diagrams of the way the rotary goes together it looks like a metal sandwich with layers of alternating metals (alum and iron). This causes a battery effect which turns the coolant very acidic and it can actually eat a hole in your metal coolant pipes that are located in some very hard to reach places. I had to replace one of mine when I first got my car and the turbos had to be removed to get to it.
Have fun with it! These cars are unique and a pleasure to own even if they are a little fussy.
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05-14-06, 05:48 PM
#8
Don't bother with the turbo timer. Very few people really advocate one, and even fewer drive their turbos scorching hot and then immediately shut down the car. If you use synthetic oil, there is even less to worry about.
I suggest you fully bleed the brake system. Soft feel is sometimes caused by air in the lines or moisture, both of which are Bad Things. Any good DOT 4 fluid is ideal for a street car, but Motul 500 and ATE SuperBlue are supposed to be superior. Stainless brake lines also help stiffen pedal feel, however if they don't help it simply might be time for new a new master cylinder.
Everyone's seat wears out at the bolster, mostly because entry and exit of the car is a minor athletic event and you can't avoid rubbing on that spot unless there is room to swing the car door wide open. I suggest you talk to an upholstery shop and get a quote to replace a few panels. The loose door handle is another common complaint - you could try fixing it before it breaks off completely, but buying a good used panel is simpler. Unfortunately Mazda made the interior really chincy, and the replacement parts are insanely expensive. If you do buy any of these high-dollar OEM parts, buy them from Ray at Malloy (can be found in the FAQ) and you'll at least not get bent over twice.
Dave
I suggest you fully bleed the brake system. Soft feel is sometimes caused by air in the lines or moisture, both of which are Bad Things. Any good DOT 4 fluid is ideal for a street car, but Motul 500 and ATE SuperBlue are supposed to be superior. Stainless brake lines also help stiffen pedal feel, however if they don't help it simply might be time for new a new master cylinder.
Everyone's seat wears out at the bolster, mostly because entry and exit of the car is a minor athletic event and you can't avoid rubbing on that spot unless there is room to swing the car door wide open. I suggest you talk to an upholstery shop and get a quote to replace a few panels. The loose door handle is another common complaint - you could try fixing it before it breaks off completely, but buying a good used panel is simpler. Unfortunately Mazda made the interior really chincy, and the replacement parts are insanely expensive. If you do buy any of these high-dollar OEM parts, buy them from Ray at Malloy (can be found in the FAQ) and you'll at least not get bent over twice.
Dave
05-14-06, 07:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Rrail
By the way, I work in Intelligence. The closest I'll ever be to combat is the inner-office drama. Thank you though.
congrats again on the car, and *good luck*
05-14-06, 08:51 PM
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Originally Posted by sevensix
what diameter piping is needed for the downpipe to connect to the stock cat section!
05-14-06, 09:35 PM
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Originally Posted by telum01
where do you work? i'm on Ft Gordon, which is a pretty damn nice base (especially compared to Camp Lejeune, my usual loc). my best friend was a grunt and used to tell me all these war stories, and the only way i could describe my job was "imagine office space, but everyone's a Marine...." (now i'm in an joint-service office, but it's still pretty much office space).
congrats again on the car, and *good luck*
congrats again on the car, and *good luck*
The drama in an intel shop is out of control.
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