Soon to be new FD owner?
 

Hi all, I've been keeping an eye on my local market for a heavily modified FC to mess around and autocross with. Well, today I came across this:
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=222661546
A red FD that's insanely cheap and only a mile away.

Before I contact the dealer, I thought that I would post here and see what you guys have to say. Does that hood look like a cheap repaint? What do you think of the engine? Ricerific intake, but is that a single turbo that I see peeking out?

Basically, I'd like opinions from some of those who know (YOU GUYS) as well as some advice on what I should do when I get over there.

Thanks,
Ed

PS. Those of you racing me to the dealership: you cannot win, I hold the advantage.:)

Wellll.....where to start? Yeah, I see a big single, but...no air filter. Not good.
Overall....the engine bay looks like the previous owner just didn't give a shit about the car. I dunno....maybe it is just me, but I can EAT off of any part of my engine bay, and the guys whose cars I respect are pretty much the same way.
The rest of the car isn't bad, typical broken interior plastic. No radio. Air pump has been eliminated so...not sure about how it would pass emissions if required.
All in all, I have seen a LOT of worse ones. On a scale of 1 - 10, I'd rate this one a 6.

Well
1. It is at a dealer, so no history of the car
2. needs a lot of work
3. Looks like it was driven like it was stolen
4. No prior history
5. Get the compression checked, if they refuse offer $5k for it.
6. If the motor is gone, there is a chance so is the turbo.
7. needs a lot of work
8 no prior history
9. it is beat, even if it is running ain't worth $9600, I go for $7000.
10. Just notice you are in Ohio, check for rust.

Insanely cheap FDs usually turn out to be insanely junky or have insanely high repair bills. Tread with great caution.

Dave

1. Needs new paint.
2. Interior beat to shit.
3. Engine bay looks like ass.
4. Single turbo install is amateurish and likely has a large number of problems (no heat shielding anywhere!).

This is a crap car that is priced well below Retail price = even the dealer feels it's shit. Without a detailed look in person, I would guess that that car is a minimum of $7-8k from being a nice FD.

First off, thank you all so much.

I drove past the lot (a shady looking corner place) and the rx7 wasn't there. Most of the cars there were nasty POS's that I wouldn't trade my bicycle for. Wonder if the owner took the seven home for a weekend of clutch-burning joy?

The filterless turbo certainly caught my eye. Some of the riced details as well as the car's general disrepair concerned me too.

Come Monday, I will definitely go by to check it out. I'm way too curious, and I just don't see rx7's in the columbus area. I'll ask for a compression check and most likely leave it. I really don't think I have the money to support an FD - especially not one in disrepair! Maybe it's back to the land of TII's.

I'll keep you all updated though.

hahahhaha! Classic post. However, this is exactly the feedback that I wanted to hear.

Didn't realize that the turbo was amateurish. Thanks for the quality reply

I'm what some would call....blunt. :D

I call it honest.