I've been on this forum since 2000, and have seen a lot of people come and go. I was just thinking of the various types of FD owners I have seen over the years and am making a list. Help me out:

• those that buy the car and almost immediately wreck the car thru stupidity
• those that buy the car, blow the engine and then talk about some awesome project it will be (i.e. a single turbo, bridgeported-dowel-pinned, 600 hp killer) but ultimately they lose interest and part it out.
• those that buy the car, drive it a while, rebuild the engine when needed, don't do it right, re-rebuild the engine, make 720 posts about what the hell is wrong, give up and sell to someone who knows what to do.
• owners that have taken the time to fully understand what they are getting into BEFORE they purchase, make a good purchase to start with, do reliability mods and get several years of service prior to doing a rebuild, and then get years of relatively trouble-free service from the rebuild and plan on keeping it forever (it is actually in their Last Will and Testament)
• guys that somehow seem to have nearly unlimited funds and have put $20K+ into the engine or various engines in a short time period, always looking for something more, lament the fact that they are 'only' getting 475 hp, and start thinking a small gas turbine would be 'The ****' (oddly enough, there are somehow a lot of college students doing this....)
• people that have bought the car, done the right things to it, loved it like a child, and grievingly given it up to do something intelligent, like purchase a house or have children.

 

Hmm..I don't think I fit into any of these categories.I was stupid and did not research the car before I purchased it,and ended up getting a rebuild within the first couple of months,but since then have done only reliability mods and have taken very good care of it.

 

You forgot those owners who have found comfort in their car being on jackstands indefinitely.

 

I don't believe I fall into any of those categories either. A lot of people have very different experiences with their FD, but since we're being very general, that's a pretty good list.

Only thing I would add is the FD owners that regardless of the condition of their vehicle they're completely arrogant retards. I'm sorry, but the vehicle you drive doesn't determine the person you are.

 

I call that patience .

 

Yah, seriously. The world is going to Hell in a handbasket people, let's move it! You have to be able to drive your car during the Apocalypse.

 

Either that or procrastination

 

I don't fit in either.

After waiting for several years, I started looking for a car. After searching for 6 months, I found a very nice low mileage car. About a year later, I started doing a few HP mods, and am now done (close to 300 rwhp). I am still on my original engine, and don't foresee needing a rebuild for many years to come. The car has 61k now, and I drive it about 2.5K per year.

 

This pretty much sums up my experience with my car. I still have a few more things to do to it but nothing exotic is planned. The FD with about 300-350 RWHP is all you really need for a good street/occasional HPDE setup and still be realitively reliable. I have owned my car for since august of 2001 and only put about 3-5K miles on it all year.

 

+1

wanklin, clear your PM box!

 

Im in the same boat as you.

 

I'm closest to #4 except the part about knowing what I was getting into when I bought it and the part about making a good purchase from the start. I found several major things wrong with it when I got it but slowly over several years made the necessary corrections. In that way I feel a bit like #5 having seemingly put unlimited funds into it to correct the problems And then finally I'm starting to feel like #6 since I did buy a house, had some children, and recently bought some more practical vehicles. But hey, I've still got my FD. No plans to sell it for now.

 

Number 5 checking in

 

Am exactly the same as this.

I had a rebuild shortly after buying (but I bought it cheap knowing that I'd have to do that - it was the only way I could be sure I was getting a brand new engine (effectively).

Got a brand new engine done at WGT by Pip (known as the best guy when it comes to RX7's) www.wgtautodevelopments.co.uk

Since then I've had it checked up at least monthly, had it on the dyno, pretty much standard and putting out 286 bhp (since I personally am not the best when it comes to cars).

I've had burnout bodykit put on and total respray - essentially now it looks amazing and runs flawlessly every day.

And costs? Well in GBP it cost £7100. I got £1900 back from the garage when the engine blew (cost of replacement & installation), then got engine rebuilt for £3,000. (2 year / 40,000 mile warranty).

Then I got bodykit for £1000 from shineauto, and paid £1300 to have it moulded in and complete respray. Also needed some better wheels since the ones I had were cracked, could only find RX8 wheels but bought Dark Chrome ones with brand new 255 tyres for £400.

Total Cost £10,900 ($21,800)

Result - A car which looks brand new (and next to a standard rx7 at work the standard rx7 gets laughed at) , runs like a dream, totally reliable (+ another year on warranty still), gets the wow factor from people as I drive past, people shouting 'sweet car' and 'what car is that mate' - and the wow factor from me when that second turbo kicks in.

As for driving, I drive it sensibly, I wanted a pretty car which had the power should I need it. It's the kind of car which is almost too good to race people with. It demands respect, and infact it probably demands more respect when you don't need to show people how fast it goes.

 

Adding another category by combining parts of four and five:[*]owners that have taken the time to fully understand what they are getting into BEFORE they purchase, make a good purchase to start with, do reliability mods and get several years of service prior to doing a rebuild, and then drop $20K+ into the engine, suspension, body, interior building their own dream car, doing smart mods looking for a comfortable 350-400hp out of the engine from the rebuild and plan on keeping it forever (it is actually in their Last Will and Testament)

Yeah, I think I fit this category better.

 

I'm kind of a cross between 3 and 4. As a multiple FC owner, I knew a little about rotary engines and RX-7s, but to tell the truth, I wasn't really prepared to work on such a complicated car in my backyard.

I had to get help to install my Efini Y-pipe *runs away in shame*.

 

i blew my engine and am carrying through with my project. She was wrecked by a previous owner, decided to dig in and fix her.

Where it started after i stripped some paint:



Where it is now (older pic)

 

i bought mine in early 2000 with 74k, having been around fd's since they were new, and fully expecting the worst.

mine got the "reliability mods" radiator+dp, and other than that, just normal servicing.

i wrecked it, put it back together, and then sold it, in 06. 110ish on the factory engine, rear brakes are original, turbo's never been off, paper intake gasket etc etc.

i lot of my "luck" was watching other people's mistakes.....

 

I don't really fit any of those too. I bought the car in 2004 after I got out of highschool. I had an 02 WRX at the time and thought it was the **** because I could beat my buddy's 5.0s and formula birds...... Then I got a ride in my friend's 93 RX7 at school and loved it. It also smoked my WRX so I wanted one. I didn't know anything about rotary engines though. I found one with 42,000 original miles but the second owner had ghetto fixed a lot of things on it. So I sold my WRX and bought it. One week after I bought it the sequential system went out so I went non-sequential. Then a few months later the twins **** the bed completely, they had bad oil seals. I foudn a really good deal on a slightly used Magnus GT42R kit and bought it. I upgraded the fuel system, bought a PFC, and did a lot of other things like Koyo radiator and meth injection. Then 6 months later the motor blew because the shop I took it to, to tune the PFC did the worst tune ever. Then I saved up all school year, (my RX7 just sits at home in my dad's garage during the school year anyway) and got my block rebuilt and ported at RX7Store. My dad and I dropped the block back in and now the car sits as it is. In 2 weeks when I get back home we are putting in a 8.8" Ford Rear End setup for drag racing. That's my story.

If it wasn't for this forum, I wouldn't have been able to do most of the things on this car myself. We do 99% of work ourselves because labor is $$$. But anyway, thanks RX7club!!!!!

 

hmm?

 

We are Category #4, except at 91 K miles we are still on the original engine; have a friend that is Category #6.

 

Closest to #4. But I only thought I knew enough about the car BEFORE the purchase. Not that I'm anywhere near a guru, but compared to what I know now, I was clueless back then. Thank God for this forum, a few choice websites and knowlegable friends. Fortunately I did buy well....still on the original motor at 84k and still mostly stock.

 

I bought my car knowing nothing about it, being a total noob. Now its a pretty killer machine...engine rebuild, uprated intercooler, PFC, more boost, turbo control solenoid relocation, coilovers, sway bars, defi gauges, uprated brakes, rays alloys and lots of other stuff i forget - i started as a noob and fitted all the above myself. Ive spent a lot of money and dont ever plan on getting rid of the car.

 

What about the redneck kind that buys two shells with popped motors, puts them together, then puts some americocrap engine in it?

Checking in.

 

How about the type of owner who starts with nothing but a mint shell so that he knows that everything is done his way....