Thinking about getting an RX-7
 

For about 3 months now i've been thinking about buying a '93 or '94 rx-7 when i get some money. it will be a second car because i already own a jeep wrangler. would you recommend an rx-7 as a reliable car? i do want to turn it into a project car, of course. most of my friends are import guys, but then there's me -- the 4x4 guy... oh well. i have plenty of knowledge with cars (come on, i own a jeep), so working on an rx-7 shouldn't be too foreign to me.
do you guys get shafted with insurance costs(I currently pay 40 dollars a month for my jeep... insurance company in Vermont, car located in Idaho...)?
what kind of gas milage do you get?
i'm hoping that if i get an rx-7 it will make a reliable commuter car. driving up to 700 miles for some weekends sucks in a wrangler.
also, i don't think i'd drive it during the winter. that's what my jeep is for. it wouldn't be too bad anyway because the roads aren't salted in washington and idaho.

tell me what you think. thanks a lot.

Yes



jim

Um...

Like the car doesn't make a good daily driver - period. It CAN be a daily driver, but there are so many more reliable cars... It's a stiff ride and not too comfortable for tall people either. Insurance isn't cheap. As a primary car for a young driver (under 18) I'd expect around 2.5-3k a year for full coverage. At 17, having one ticket for an illegal left turn, my insurance is 2.5k a year for full coverage. I live in the DC/metro area.

I would NOT get the car to drive daily, and especially not for 700 mile drives on the weekends.

I bought my rx-7 for many reasons, but none of them had anything to do with its reliability and its ability to perform as a daily driver.

I don't know if you were being sarcastic about your knowledge regarding cars, but, like me, you have a hell of a lot to learn.

I don't think I was clear about how often I'd be driving the car. I wouldn't use it as a daily commuter, but I would use it occasionally for those long distance trips. My jeep would be used as the daily driver. And no, I wasn't being sarcastic about my capability of working on car engines. Yes I have lots to learn about turbos and turbo components but i've worked on my 258 quite a bit, along with working on my friend's 350, 351 and 460, not to mention my mom's Volvo 240, ha... Either way, my friends who are experienced too are more than willing to help me out.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/rotary-engine.htm

Actually, the rotary engine is very simple. However, the problem is you will most likely never be working on the "engine", but everything else around it.

As far as the car being reliable? That's a word associated with sedans. If you want something reliable, pick up an Accord. If you want a pure sports car, then the RX-7 might be something you are looking for....

haha, good luck, all the cars you worked on mean jack ****, because the rx7 is a rotory, you ever work on a rotory car???;)

If you do get one, the first thing you should do is put it in your garage and put on reliability modifications, because a lot of people buy them and go racing and blow their engines. But i'm just rambling, i'm a newbie. Do a lot of research before you buy an rx7 or you might end up getting the motor rebuild.

I agree with these guys. It is not a reliable car in the sense that a honda is reliable. Like Mahjik said you probably will never touch the engine itself unless it is to put a new one in. The rotary is the type of engine that runs great until one day it doesn't run anymore. Pretty much once the engine goes over 70K-80K you are working on borrowed time. I just bought mine with about 80K miles (owned by a woman). I probably won't drive 5000 miles (much less 700 in a weekend) in a whole year, but I know that I need to start setting aside that $$$$ for when the engine goes as well as all the mods that I am doing over the next year or so.

The deciding factor is how deep are your pockets (or those of your parents). However, any REAL sports car that is 10 years old is going to be a project. So plan on spending time and money.

To your credit, if you have some decent knowledge about cars and engines, then you should be able to learn what you need to know about RX7s. It is not quantum physics. Just know that you will have to read a lot and have a keen nose for BS, cuz there is a lot rolling around.

:D I am a newbie too but at least I know how to spell ROTARY At least if you are gonna be a sarcastic a$$ learn how to spell :o:

sorry i haven't been here for a long time, give me a break:D

dont think its gonna be the best ride on the highway. the suspension is very stiff. With this car you have to play it by ear. Dont make any future plans to take the car out, becuase it may not start that day. do the reliablilty mods first, and do lots of research.

just buy an rx-8

how does your time on this forum affect your ability to correctly spell "Rotary" :scratch:

i would not buy a FD if you looking for a daily driver. especially 700 miles a weekend!
Rx7 is a toy...

my FD is a daily driver. no major (or even minor) problems and i have put about 18k miles on it (just past 40k miles the other day...) dont beat on the car and you dont have as much to worry about.

the previous owner took great care of the car, and i continued the tradition.

also, i have made long drives in my car. i drove it from texas to florida no problems.

Uh...yeah.

Won't be too comfortable for you on any type of "long distance trip." Not much more than Jeep, and your gas mileage won't be much different, either. Just a thought...

Do your friends have experience with the FD motor? And by that, I mean years of experience working on them. Not only will you have to learn about turbocharging basics, you will also have to learn about the rotary engine, and its distinct behavior with regards to turbocharging. Not to mention its extremely complicated stock twin turbo system, that drives even experienced FD mechanics to shouting expletives... To put it bluntly, this is not a car for the shade tree mechanic. Many forget that the car is 10 years old, and just start yanking on stuff when they work on it-- bingo, instant broken solenoid, vacuum nipple, DP stud, etc.

Have I talked you into it, yet?

your requirements:

commuter car
Low on Insurance
reliable
not foriegn to work on

sounds like a civic to me. To clarify my rx7 is my daily driver and its been very reliable, but only because I have replaced half the car with normal maintenance. The car you are going to buy likely needs silicon hoses, water hoses, bushings, shocks etc. All things wear out with age and you WILL be raped by the prices you have to pay to fix.