Been looking a long time for an FD. Can't decide to get a low mileage collector for around 20k, or a high mileage for around 8-10K. If I got the low mileage collector, I don't think I'd drive it much in fear of blowing the engine. The high mileage one, I would drive, if I blow the engine no big deal because I don't' have much invested in it. I have come across a seller that has 93 FD manual with a rebuilt engine. The rebuild has 100 miles on it, chassis about 80k. The car currently does not have a radiator, and is garaged. The seller says all it needs is the radiator and it will work fine. Thoughts? I was thinking the car should still start even without the radiator, as long as its not run for more than a couple minutes at idle. The asking price is 8K

 

compression test, no need to start it to at least know you have a decent engine, or at least less of a chance of getting a turd.

 

Walk away, you will end up paying more than you think. You get what you pay for when it comes to FD's.

 

Price is much lower if it doesn't run, no matter what the reason. If it needs a radiator it probably needs more. IC, battery, airbox, AC?

If only needs a radiator then is would do it and sell as a running car. How is the trans, brakes, suspension etc, without a test drive you can't tell.

 

Exactly. Some sellers amaze me. Needs a tune, needs a radiator.... With all that work, don't you think the seller would just get a radiator? A warm compression test is absolutely necessary to know what you are getting. Why buy a car with a rebuild that has mediocre compression?

Do yourself a favor, buy a well running car that isn't in pieces. Take it for a drive, see how it handles and shifts. See if the turbo's smoke, if it runs cool, and pulls hard....... then drive it home.

You think you are saving $2k-$4k but the reality is, these cars eat $2k like nothing. Spending the initial money on a sorted car can save you WAY more in the long run.

 

I keep thinking maybe I should just get one with a LSx swap, save the headache from the repairs. In 2003 I test drove a FD, was a PF tuned rx7 with 30k original miles. The car was flawless inside and out, the price, 14k. I kick myself in the *** everyday for not buying that car. Hell somebody from these boards may own it. But I think I will keep searching, the low price ones always entice me, but theres a reason for the low price. I think I can get this guy down to 7K, only if the engine starts.

 

There are many decent FD's out there in the $13-15K range. Hold out for something that runs so you can fully evaluate it.

Jack

 

Unless you know what you are doing $7k is too much. There are guys on the forums that buy sweet FDs and part them out because everyone wants to fix them up but not buy a nice one. The real value is in the nice cars.

Simple math...

 

Agreed. If you can't afford or don't have time to deal with a fixer-upper, buy an FD in good condition. Also, there is obviously a middle ground – you can buy a car with reasonable mileage and budget for repairs and maintenance. You won't get much value out of a car that you're afraid to drive.

I don't consider the RX-7 to be a collector car, generally, except for the rare extremely-low mileage stock specimens. It's better to drive them and "contribute" to the market for OEM and aftermarket parts and service, ensuring a healthy post-manufacturer ecosystem.

 

In order to safely purchase any car you must have a good working knowledge of the car to figure out what's needed and what it will cost to fix it up etc......

Most 7k FDs typically need 10k worth of TLC possibly 5k if you do the work yourself. Then they need a 4k repaint, 1k tires etc....etc.... before you know you've spent over 20k on a car that's now worth 13 or 14k.

If I was in your shoes I'd find a nice well sorted car and then have a professional do a PPI on it.

I have 2 nice FDs for sale at 16k (55k miles) and 22k (44k miles). Both of these cars are in perfect working order with 10k plus in tried and true reliability/performance/susp modifications.

They are 1 and 2 owner cars that were always garaged and maintained at the highest level and these are the type FDs you want to purchase but they are rare and expensive.

Good luck

 

If you are willing to spend $20k or a little more you can get a really clean LSx swapped car, that's what I did and I don't regret it for a second.

 

Walk. Too much & too many variables.

 

How hard are the lsx's to work on, I'm concerned because if i got one, the builds vary so much that it would be hard to fix if something major happened.

 

BTW if you are in hopes of having something that would appreciate as time goes by a V8 wouldn't be the best option, IMO of course.

Now I also find it kind humorous that people seem to think that 80K miles is high milage for a 93 RX-7... Realize that it's a 20 year old car and that equates to 4K miles a year lol . Given that I also don't have any qualms in driving as many miles as I please. What am I keeping the car prestine for the next guy? oh hell no lol

Now as others have said, get the FD that is in the best shape, it will pay off in the long run.

 

Well....it's a pushrod motor that's basic design was done about 50 years ago so it's pretty simple, lol. As long as it has a decent tune and you don't over rev the motor or run too big a shot of nitrous the motors should be good for 150K+ miles with no real issues.

 

You're not in/near nc by chance? I believe I have seen this ad on Craigslist.

 

I'd go with the low mileage. Even if the high mileage one has 100 miles on rebuild, there could always be something wrong. My car, I ended up replacing almost everything under the hood. Did the person say who rebuilt the engine? That might be another thing to look into, for all we know, it might be someone cutting corners.