bbritten

I have been looking into buying a sports car for the past few months now, and I have been contemplating a number of different options......350z, viper, supra, RX7

I ran across an RX7 on autotrader that had a rebuilt engine and turbo, and I was intrigued. But when I came on this site I saw a lot of people having problems with the RX7 due to the rotary problems. I guess my question is: Is having a rotary engine worth the extra trouble, or should I just go with another car. Keep in mind I only plan on driving the car during when its nice out and on weekends, but I would like to continue upgrading it.

Any help would be appreciated!

NissanConvert

iTrader: (1)

Rx-7's are never done. If you have the money for a Viper i'm not sure why you're even looking at them.

Usually when we receive posts like this we will wave people off. I'll say this: It's a labor of love. If you don't love it- leave it.

bbritten

Wouldn't it be better to buy a $20000 car and have $20000 available for upgrades than a stock $50000 car?

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Some $50k cars just require gas and basic maintenance.

FDs require more than just basic maintenance, and if your'e comparing it to a Viper, pretty substantial mods, too. Plus if power is a major criteria then $/hp is not so great with an FD. So really $20k + 20k in mods and maintenance is probably a fair comparison. Of course in the end the $50k car is worth a lot more than the FD, too, so if you go the mod-intensive route that money is long lost. At least with a monster stockish car the value holds much better should you go a different route later on.

Dave

fd3s_jerry

but the 7 can't lose!!! honestly, don't be scared off by the fact that it's been rebuilt, pretty much everyone who has an fd has had it rebuilt at least once, they do need to be rebuilt every so often, but nothing offers the connection with the car that the 7 does. it's honestly the most enjoyable car I've ever driven, that's why I own one. I've driven evo's, vette's, muscle car's, (all sorts of them), haven't driven a viper yet though. I dunno, drive one and then decide.

yuichiror

iTrader: (1)

I have to agree with Dave. For most of us, ownership of our cars is a labor of love. We may not have the fastest, most modern, most reliable cars on the road, but we love them just the same. The FD is a head turner, corner hugger, and enjoyable car to drive. We can't rely on just any shop to maintain our cars, so most of us do our own mechanical work. If you're not mechanically inclined, if you don't live near a good rotary shop, or not willing to get very intimate with your FD, buy another car.

bbritten

To tell you the truth, I know how cars work and I am interested in doing more hands on work with my own cars. I have the mechanical background (I am an engineer), so it wouldn't bother me if I had to learn how to fix the car myself. But would it be better to get a normal piston engine rather than a rotary for my first hands on car? I'm guessing it wouldn't matter too much either way since they are completely different kinds of engines.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

I started in the same boat - I have a mechanical engineering degree, but not much hands-on with cars before I got my FD. 90% of my auto mechanic skills came from reading, doing, reading more, and completing work on my FD.

This forum and the sites linked from here are excellent guidance to start doing work on your own, IF the car is already in good condition. It will give you the chance to do easier maintenance work before you are forced to do troubleshooting work. As long as you have a place to work on it and take your time doing so, it can be an interesting if not rewarding series of little projects.

But keep in mind you're comparing an FD to a viper and to a 350Z. All three very different sports cars in terms of cost, performance strengths, and practicality. The FD is the lightest, possibly the most agile, and possibly the least comfortable of them. Smallest, too. Test drive them all and see what you really want.

Dave

bbritten

dgeesman......thanks that helps a lot. Comfort is not too big of an issue, because the car won't be my daily driver. How difficult was it when you first started doing your own work? I know a lot of people that are good at car work, so I'm guessing they might be able to help me if I needed it. Most repairs don't require removing the engine do they?

SLOASFK

iTrader: (5)

The biggest problem with these cars are the seals withen the engines. They are the weak point and for a novice, they will be the biggest headache. Honestly, most of the car is very robust. The oil system, steering, tranny....all likely to never fail. The cooling system and the differential are really the weakest points on the car, so if you plan to drag race, first and foremost you'll want to get a differential brace. There are plenty of instances where the FD rear diff doesn't hold up under launching with only slightly more than stock power.

The cooling system, I don't think there's anyone on this forum who wouldn't advise you upgrade or at least replace it asap. Other than that, it all boils down to how well you know the engine and how you treat it. Keep in mind that this car doesn't like to be modified much more than a catback without a new ECU.

My best advise, read read and read some more. If members are short with you, it's because they know the pitfalls that so many others have fallen in to with these cars. Is the FD worth the hassle? That varies on a person by person basis. For me, yes it is. For most on this forum it is. But ask yourself if you're willing to put $50k+ over the life that you own a car which sells for $15k in modest condition.

It's not uncommon at all for people on here to have sank well above $100k into these cars, between mods and upkeep. There was a thread a few months back asking the question of how much everyone has spent on their FD. Not surprising, the people who have had them for more than a year have all had very high totals.

JDB88

why not try an FC ?

bbritten

Typically, how long after and what type of work will a rebuilt engine require?

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

Here's an old post of mine with some info:

https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...3&postcount=15

bbritten

JDB88.....would and FC typically require more work since it is older, or does the FC have a more reliable motor?

bbritten

The problem is that the car I am looking to buy already has performance work done on it (downpipe, silicon hoses, boost controller, upgraded ECU, upgraded intercooler, and engine rebuild, etc)

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

Then be prepared for problems/work. Keeping the car close to stock means less problems.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

The FC in Turbo II trim is reasonably fast, and it's a lighter platform from which to build a performance monster. But it's not a very fancy or modern car, so the idea of mentioning an FC in the same thread as a viper is truly unusual.

More modded cars will have fewer of the stock emissions systems and more robust components such as radiator, intercooler, engine mods, etc. So in theory the number of items to go wrong is decreased. The trick is that they must all be set up properly and working together, and each modded car tends to be more unique. And at higher power levels, the breakages tend to be more sudden and expensive. If you have $20k sitting around to replace a few things and build up, you'll probably have a good experience. If you want power without spending any money, and you don't have the mechanical and troubleshooting skills to solve the problems, you'll have a lot of trouble.

It can't hurt you to take a look at the car, get a full list of the mods and past maintenance, and snap some shots of the engine bay and stuff. If you post that info we/you will have a pretty good idea of how well sorted the car is.

Dave

HKNY

iTrader: (2)

it seems that most people that get an FD were in love with it for along time and when the time was right finally bought one.It is not a car to stumble upon b/c they can quickly give you alot more than you bargained for.Do ALOT of research and decide for yourself.

skir2222

Read the FAQ that can answer a lot of your questions. You said the car is on autotrader so why dont you give us a link to it so we can further examine it? I have learned my lesson with buying a modified car, never again will I do that. I got lucky with my FD and I couldn't be happier with it! I could drive it everyday if I wanted to, it gives me no problems. I choose not to though because I value the car a lot and I have a beater to drive around town. It's all up to you really...

preludesh2000

iTrader: (1)

its all on you if you want a rx7 or not...(and some of the problems that might come with it)
you have the money for more expensive car...but
if you love the look of the fd ...(like me)
then it really doesn't matter about problems that will come about...

i bought mine knowing it was going to need a rebuild and other things...but it was the only car i wanted ....other then the new cayman...

i read and read about these cars for maybe 2-3 years...and got mine at the end of last year...and im already talking about getting another...

good luck with what you decide...

brad

bbritten

http://rx-7reborn.blogspot.com is one of the ones I'm looking at.

bbritten

I certainly understand your sentiment with regards to buying previously modded cars. I have also talked to a co-worker, who does most of the work on his Porsche 911 which he bought completely stock. He told me that if he had it to do all over again, he would buy one previously modded because of all the work and money he had to get more power out of his car. All in all though, I'm sure it depends on how well the original work was done.

He suggested taking it to a good RX-7 servicer and paying the the 500$ or so to get it completely looked over before buying it. Would there be any value to that?

HKNY

iTrader: (2)

the absolute easiest way to get an FD is bone stock. Keep in mind alot of FD's have been totally molested .

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Yes, absolutely.

preludesh2000

iTrader: (1)

if your not in a hurry ...and you want one that is modded right ...
every now in then, there are stand up guys selling cars on here...
or if you see one on autotrader ask someone that lives close to the car, to look at it for you ...
thats the great thing about rotary guys, they'll go out of there way to help another rotary guy out...

after owning a rx7 ...the next time i look at one ...i'll have a better idea of what to look for...
thats why everyone will tell you to take a rotary guy with you...if you can't find a good shop to check it out...

brad